I’ll make this short and then turn it over to you all. As long as Trump is polling in the top 2 or 3 in early States he can’t drop out and the RNC can’t force or even encourage him to drop out. After all he is “Winning” by the only measure that matters this […]
Trump Trapped: RNC Snagged
Taking a page from John Roberts, Jeb Bush solves the problem of workers working part-time who want to work full-time: The way to create full-time jobs for part-time workers who want, but can’t find, full-time jobs is for part-time workers who want, but can’t find, full-time jobs to start working full-time. [With awesome update!]
My aspiration for the country and I believe we can achieve it, is 4 percent growth as far as the eye can see. Which means we have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows. It means that people need to work longer hours. — Jeb Bush, in an […]
The Silly Analogizing of Bernie Sanders to Ron Paul
Oh, dear. This post of mine from yesterday is soooo yesterday. (Okay, sooo last-weekend, to be precise.) The attempt to paint Sanders as the Democrats’ Donald Trump has failed. Sanders isn’t the left’s Donald Trump; he’s the left’s Ron Paul! At least according to a rapidly congealing CW pushed by pundits that include—surprisingly—at least one progressive one. Freelance […]
The Bizarre Attempt to Present Bernie Sanders As the Democrats’ Donald Trump
Stranger things have happened in American politics, but the sudden surge of Democratic/populist Bernie Sanders and Republican/populist Donald Trump puts one in mind of alternate universes. And I don’t mean Miss Universes. Both men are holding second place in some polls behind Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, respectively. And both are steadily ascending in the polls at a greater pace […]
April Fools! Belated Social Security Joke.
Compilation of the Social Security Laws: Title 2 FEDERAL OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE TRUST FUND AND FEDERAL DISABILITY INSURANCE TRUST FUND[3] Sec. 201. [42 U.S.C. 401] (c) With respect to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund (hereinafter in this title called the “Trust Funds”) there is […]
Which Countries Work Hardest? You Might (Not) Be Surprised
Imagine you had to choose, and could choose: you can spend your whole life and raise your family in either of two equally prosperous countries. In one country people work lots of hours to attain that prosperity. In the other country people work far less. You don’t know anything else about these countries. Which would you choose? The answer […]
Anthony Kennedy Adds the Fifth Vote in the Citizens United Against Gerrymandering Opinion
Tomorrow, in addition to the predictable ruling in the EPA/mercury-emissions case, and in addition to a declaration of a constitutional right to same-sex marriage—another 5-4 ruling, in Obergefell v. Hodges—the Court will issue an opinion in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, a case that could directly implicate continued Republican control of the House of Representatives. […]
Horses, Carts, and the Order in Which They Belong
Democrats should take continued GOP opposition to Obamacare very seriously. It has serious real-world consequences. As long as states hold out against the Medicaid expansion, it could slow the law’s efforts to realize its goal of expanding coverage. One thing this means is that Democrats should redouble their efforts to regain electoral ground on the level […]
Scalia’s Craven Self-Contradiction and Pettifogging Pedantry
In his dissent to Edwards v. Aguillard, Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia made a neat distinction, sidestepping the issue of “legislative intent” that he finds so troubling: it is possible to discern the objective “purpose” of a statute (i. e., the public good at which its provisions appear to be directed), (The dissent is obsessed with […]