Republican Will Probably Split Before Democrats Win Presidency Again

A lot of Democrats and journalists are still criticizing Hillary Clinton as a bad candidate, and blaming her for the defeat in 2016. See the book, "Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign." But politics is a team sport, and no Democrat would be a successful president without bringing with them a Democratic Congress, at the …

Will Republicans Offend Voters Enough to Lose the House in 2018?

A Republican Congressman from Nebraska wants to slash food stamps and refuses to say that Americans are entitled to eat. In other words, it's ok if they starve. A Republican candidate for Congress in Montana assaults a reporter but still manages to win a special election. Another declares that "nobody dies" for lack of health insurance, …

Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee Wins Approval

With the support of three Democratic senators up for re-election in 2018 -- Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch won Senate confirmation, 54-45. It was a major victory for Trump, and validation for those conservatives who reluctantly voted for …

Gerrymandering of Congressional Districts Threatens Democracy

Despite the abysmal popularity of Congress, only eight members lost re-election in 2016. More than nine out of 10 races were not the least bit competitive. The incumbents won overwhelmingly, with margins you would expect in North Korea, Russia or Zimbabwe. Lack of competition has a "seriously corrosive effect on the integrity of democracy...We must …

Trump Week 1: Disastrous

Trump from Day 1 sewed needless division and controversy. On Day 7, he signed an executive order essentially banning Muslims from seven countries. Initial reports suggest this move is disastrous. The only good sign is that numerous Republican senators say this ban was poorly thought out and completely ineffectual. It hurts refugees, friends and allies. …

Breaking Gridlock: Bipartisan Achievements in Obama’s Last 2 Years Are Few, But Do Exist

Despite its reputation for hyper-partisan dysfunction, polarization and gridlock, the 114th Congress did accomplish some significant things -- the most important being  $1.75 billion for medical research into curing diseases, and speeding the drug and device approval process. WPost: Republicans boasted of their achievements over the past two years. Ryan reeled off a list including …

In Trump Era, Filibuster Could Come in Handy for Democrats

The presidency of Donald Trump in its first two years may have a Republican majority in Congress, but in no way does he have a mandate, and by no means will he have a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes in the Senate, as Barack Obama did for part of his first two years. Democrats may …