The virtually lockstep Republican defense of President Donald Trump so far during his impeachment trial marks a new milestone in the Senate’s long-term evolution into a more partisan and regimented institution that demands unwavering party loyalty and punishes the freewheeling independence that characterized the great legislators through the body’s history. […] Read more »
CNN poll: Sanders adds to momentum with lead in New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders leads the race for the Democratic nomination in New Hampshire, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire. … Sanders’ edge in New Hampshire, a state he won by more than 20 points in the 2016 primaries, comes as polling from CNN and […] Read more »
Why Democrats Still Have to Appeal to the Center, but Republicans Don’t
American politics has been dominated by the Democratic and Republican Parties since the Civil War. That gives us the illusion of stability — that today’s political divisions cut roughly the same lines as yesteryear. But in recent decades, the two parties have been changing, and fast. Those changes are ideological […] Read more »
Trump Not Immune to the Usual Down-Ballot Presidential Penalty
On Monday, President Donald Trump began his fourth year in office. His presidency has been unique in many ways, but he’s been like other presidents in at least one respect: His party has generally lost ground down the ballot since he took office. In recent decades, presidents have typically seen […] Read more »
A failure of GOP leadership
Two primary motivations typically drive legislative leaders: doing right by the country and providing political protection to their caucuses. “Moscow Mitch” McConnell (R-Ky.), the Senate majority leader, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) are sacrificing both on the altar of protecting Donald Trump. Their actions will likely exact a […] Read more »
Boom and bust: Economy and impeachment capture the forces that will determine Trump’s fate
The House officially delivered to the Senate two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump last week on the same day that the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished above 29,000 points for the first time. That striking juxtaposition encapsulates the contending forces shaping the presidential race: pervasive doubts about Trump’s […] Read more »