Cross-posted from Letters Blogatory If there's one thing the election of Donald Trump has shown, it's the strength of our formal political institutions. Do you disagree? Consider that in many states at many times in history, a … [Read more...]
It’s not really about Trump, Part 2
People both hope for and worry about impeaching Trump and then being left with Pence. I'm not so worried by Pence. He plays by rules we know and know how to fight. And he's about as charismatic as a piece of plywood. A McConnell/Ryan/Pence … [Read more...]
It’s not really about Trump
With all of the focus on Trump, we must not forget that in many ways, it's Mitch McConnell (and to an only slightly lesser extent the Republican House leadership) who is the most evil force in play. He's the one who declared at the … [Read more...]
Reflections on the Election
Cross-posted from Letters Blogatory. I posted this the day after the election; on the morning of election day I had posted a piece looking forward to a Clinton victory. The tone of my first reflections on the 2016 general election, … [Read more...]
November 2016 – America at the Dawn of the Great Dismal
In mid-October Hillary Clinton was ahead of Donald Trump by 11 points, as of this morning, 11/6/16, most of that lead had dissipated thanks to the latest batch of e-mails, which may have been inappropriately released, many of which may in … [Read more...]
November Ninth
This presidential election is not a contest between Clinton and Trump (and, to a lessor extent, Johnson and Stein). Rather, it is a referendum on Trump. And assuming that Trump is going to lose, the voters will be electing whomever is … [Read more...]
Asked About Climate Risks, Trump is on to Cincinnati
Donald Trump sat down with the Washington Post editorial board and revealed that you don't need to know anything about anything to win the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Trump talked about how if sanctions don't work, you just … [Read more...]
How Will We Prepare for a Potentially Ugly Presidential Campaign?
Back in 2010, during the special election contest between Martha Coakley and Scott Brown, among other election activities, I stood for many hours on street corners with Coakley banners. I and my colleagues, and probably many reading this as … [Read more...]
Rand Paul and Another Libertarian Fizzle
If Rand Paul had ever had the juice behind his presidential bid that Donald Trump had and then failed to perform I'd label his departure from the 2016 race a flameout. However in this case, as in many libertarian efforts in the past, it's … [Read more...]
On the Road to Political Irrelevance with Rudy Giuliani
Another famous New Yorker, Yogi Berra, once said, “We may be lost but we’re making good time.” That pretty much sums up the current state of Rudy Giuliani’s political reality and doesn’t bode well for his future. When it comes to Rudy … [Read more...]