For the last couple of weeks Republicans in search of a win have been working in good faith with Democrats (no, seriously) to put together a spending bill they could all sign off on. It does some of what Republicans want and some of what Democrats want. In other words, it's a ...read more
David Brooks has spent so many years providing ideological cover for Republicans as the conservative movement descended into madness that he clearly started to buy into his own bullshit. Since the election of Trump, he can't quite seem to believe that what we're seeing is the ...read more
What is fiscal conservatism? Officially, it's the language of serious-minded politicians everywhere who believe in spending within our means, keeping a balanced budget, and ensuring fiscal stability for the next generation of Americans. In reality, it's always been a toxic ...read more
It’s Wednesday. It is what you make of it. Here’s what’s happening on the interweb: 1. Budget Deal Announced By Patty Murray, Paul Ryan On Tuesday, lawmakers from the House and the Senate took to the microphones to announce that they had reached a budget deal. The deal, which ...read more
The program known as "Women, Infants and Children" (WIC) is officially the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Their web site can be found here. The site describes the program this way: "The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, ...read more
It's a great sign that President Obama has been reaching across the aisle to have meetings with GOP members (and Democratic Congresspeople). One thing everyone on the Hill agreed about was the need for President Obama to spend more time on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue, ...read more
For most of the country, March means one thing: college basketball. This year, in Washington, DC it means something completely different. The madness to which I refer is what’s happening with our federal budget. If you are not troubled by the fact that we are facing this ...read more
By Ben Cohen While it's better than not paying anyone, the state of California is in such dire straights, it is now resorting to issuing IOUs: Encumbered by a $26bn (£16bn) budget shortfall and a seemingly intractable political stalemate, California's state government is ...read more