US politics
Well, That Was Stupid: The Shutdown “Crisis” Is Over
Around noon today, it became increasingly clear that the manufactured crisis that was the government shutdown is going to end the way everyone knew it would, with the Republican position collapsing.
The Continued Stupidity of the Government Shutdown
The world economy might be in danger thanks to a group of Republicans stuck in a feedback loop of information and a few powerful men committed to playing an extremely high-stakes game of chicken. This is not good.
The US Government Shut Down Because Everything Is Stupid
Thanks to a few dozen ultraconservative Tea Party politicians, the entire federal government shut down at midnight last night. This doesn't seem like a great way to run a country, does it?
Ted Cruz's Love Affair with the Sound of His Own Voice
The senator from Texas is so caught up in his own preening, self-important rhetoric that liberals and even other Republicans despise him. But as long as he keeps his base of angry old white people happy, he'll be set for life.
The Do-Nothing Congress Has to Do Everything at Once
The most inefficient Congress in history will soon have to vote on Syria, solve two budget crises, avoid a government shutdown, and figure out a deal to renew farm subsidies and the food stamp program.
Nope, the GOP Still Isn't Libertarian
Article upon article has been written about all the "libertarian Republicans" who are supported by the Tea Party, but those guys look and sound an awful lot like the same far-right evangelical Christians who have dominated the GOP for decades.
Is Twitter Superhero Cory Booker in Silicon Valley’s Pocket?
You may know Cory Booker as the impossibly charismatic mayor of Newark, New Jersey, or as one of the most Twitter-savvy politicians around, but he's also got very close ties to tech billionaires who have given him money and even a company of his own.
Here Are All the Laws Passed by the Worst Congress of All Time
The 113th Congress is, by almost any objective standard, the worst Congress of all time. In seven months, it's passed only 22 laws—four of those were devoted to renaming stuff or awarding medals, one was about commemorating coins in honor of the...
Ray Kelly’s Path to Becoming America’s Big Brother
Senator Chuck Schumer recently suggested that NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly take over the Department of Homeland Security. Immediately a chorus of agreement went up talking about Kelly's "experience" and "professionalism," but putting such an...
The 2016 Presidential Campaign Has Begun, God Help Us All
Super PACs are already forming, and there's even a Republican-produced anti–Hillary Clinton campaign ad going around. I can’t wait for the microscopic arguments that will spill over from blogs to Facebook and Twitter and probably result in some hi...
Restore the Fourth Wants the Government to Stop Spying and Lying
Instead of getting drunk and grilling on a roof somewhere, several hundred New Yorkers chose to spend their Fourth of July protesting the establishment of the surveillance state. The rally, along with dozens of others across the country, was organized...
Dread Judges
The Supreme Court is increasingly politicized and prone to making far-reaching rulings that negate laws passed by Congress. You can call the US a democracy if you like, but most of the important policy choices are made by an unelected council.