Every time that a conservative lights into President Obama for heading up “the worst economy/recovery/etc since the Great Depression,” a buzzer should go off with a reminder message: Right! That’s because the New Deal and resulting regulatory apparatus that sustained the fair, prosperous American economy were still in place. We eliminated them, and now we’re … Continue reading
As the President looks for more (constitutionally?) creative ways to address the economic crisis—and the Republicans look for new ways to dig in their heels—it’s time to ask whether the United States’ institutions are capable of responding to our political challenges. Read the column here.
Better late than never. Progressives, it seems to me, are tempted by two positions on the Obama Administration’s approach to international affairs/human rights/terrorism (insofar as there’s a unitary approach, which is part of the explanation for being pulled between contradictory positions, etc, etc). I’m tempted by both—haven’t had time to reflect long enough to settle … Continue reading
I spend a lot of time thinking about how the American Left might make better arguments (here, here, here, etc). Lately I’ve been thinking about how progressives might sell the president’s jobs bill to the country. One option—among many—is for Americans from the Heartland to ask why Republicans insist on keeping the economic recovery trapped … Continue reading
This week’s column in the Gazette is up! It’s on President Obama’s legacy, in the context of the Republicans’ 2012 field. It’s already my most-commented column with the Gazette (by far). Read it here.
The mock-hullabaloo over whether or not President Obama paid appropriate attention and shown sufficient empathy in the aftermath of the Joplin, Missouri tornado tragedy reminded me of a moment in one of my college classes. We were studying the modern American presidency as an executive office, and one of our readings listed the various presidential … Continue reading
It’s been fascinating to watch the blogosphere react to the last few rounds of GOP presidential candidate shuffling. Above all, it’s driving home the vast differences in perception across the American political spectrum. See, to a guy like me, here’s how our current political moment seems: The GOP’s field of presidential candidates looks downright hilarious. … Continue reading
Apparently John Boehner’s speech last night at the Economic Club of New York fell stillborn from his lips. The “audience of Wall Street executives” was unimpressed by his threat to hold the debt ceiling vote hostage without trillions in dramatic spending cuts. The Hill reports: “Disconnected from reality,” one attendee said as he walked briskly … Continue reading
Thoughts on the occasion of being up early and listening to Morning Edition: Since the UN Security Council resolution on Libya, there’s been a host of hand-wringing from critics of intervention on the left and right. Why Libya? Why not Yemen? Why not Côte d’Ivoire? etc. What’s the Obama Doctrine driving this mission? The Obama … Continue reading
The Fix‘s Chris Cillizza has a pessimistic read on new Pew Polling Data: In a new Pew poll, a whopping 52 percent said that there wasn’t much difference between President Obama and Republicans in Congress when it came to their respective approaches to the budget deficit. That’s a 19-point increase on that question since a November Pew … Continue reading
