Shut It Down! By John Stossel
This week Republicans and Democrats got together to avert a government shutdown.
Too bad.
Political Commentary
Most Recent Releases
October 4, 2023
October 3, 2023
Will Gavin Newsom Copy Trump? By Daniel McCarthy
Gavin Newsom wants to be Donald Trump.
Eight years ago, Trump took stock of the Republican Party and found it ripe for conquest.
October 3, 2023
Washington's Credit Card Price Controls Will Hurt Consumers By Stephen Moore
Why has Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) declared war on credit cards?
Americans are in love with paying with plastic.
September 28, 2023
COVID Masking Déjà vu? By Brian Joondeph
COVID first emerged on the scene 3 ½ years ago, along with facemasks, distancing, lockdowns, quarantines, followed by mandatory vaccination and other dystopian social controls. As life has recently been returning to normal, it feels like Groundhog Day, with an eerie sense of déjà vu, especially around masking.
September 28, 2023
Why Haven’t We Had A Woman President? By Carah Ong Whaley and Kylie Holzman
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE
— Like so many other female politicians, Nikki Haley faces a “woman problem” and must combat sexist rhetoric that is prevalent in politics and has been since Victoria C. Woodhull became the first woman to run for president in 1872.
— Campaigns and elections are more challenging for women than men due to structural disadvantages, including media coverage of candidates, public opinion, and stereotypes.
— Fewer men than women think many Americans are ready to elect a woman to higher office.
September 27, 2023
The 'Don't Hire Women' Act By John Stossel
Having a baby? There's a new law meant for you: the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
September 27, 2023
The Problems With Net Zero By Michael Barone
Net zero is in trouble. In utterly predictable trouble, in the king's-wearing-no-clothes trouble.
September 26, 2023
Hey, Republicans: Don't Forget About Growth and Prosperity By Stephen Moore
House Republicans are in another titanic battle with President Joe Biden on how to balance the budget. Actually, it's a lopsided debate
September 26, 2023
Biden's a Loser -- but Democrats Can't Ditch Him By Daniel McCarthy
If Joe Biden is their nominee, Democrats will lose the White House next year.
September 22, 2023
The Surge of Populism -- and Nationalism By Michael Barone
"Populist politicians and parties," writes the Ethics and Public Policy Center's Henry Olsen in The Spectator, are "rapidly gaining strength and power across the developed world."
September 21, 2023
The Battle for the Virginia State Legislature, Part One By Kyle Kondik
Democratic presidential lean muted in lower-turnout legislative races, but political environment appears to be different than 2021.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE
— In this year’s state legislative races in Virginia, Republicans are trying to do something that has become rare: forge a state government trifecta in a state that voted for the other party for president.
— At first blush, Democrats would appear to have a clear edge on the map, but in an off-year election, the key districts’ presidential voting patterns overstate how Democratic they are in these legislative races.
— While President Biden’s approval rating is actually worse than it was in November 2021, when Republicans scored victories in that year’s Virginia races, the political environment is likely better for Democrats now than it was back then.
September 20, 2023
'Emergency' Spending By John Stossel
Did you survive the budget cuts from the last debt ceiling fight?
September 19, 2023
Is Google Guilty of Being Too Popular With Consumers? By Stephen Moore
You may have heard the Biden Justice Department is suing Google in federal court for being a "monopoly." That's a bizarre charge given that few, if any companies in all American history have lowered prices more than Google -- which provides access to information that used to take hours or days to find -- with merely a click of a button, and instantaneously. And it does it basically for free.
September 19, 2023
Do Sex Scandals Matter? By Daniel McCarthy
"The Jerry Springer Show" has been off the air for years, but you'd never know it to judge by the state of American politics, which now serves up titillation and outrage as reliably as Jerry Springer ever did.
September 15, 2023
People of Color Trending Republican By Michael Barone
Are non-white voters really moving away from the Democratic Party? To partisan Democrats confronting this question on Twitter (sorry, X), it seems preposterous that the party of former President Donald Trump, whom they routinely call a racist, could be gaining support from blacks, Hispanics and Asians.
September 14, 2023
The Republicans’ ‘Excess Seat’ Edge in State Legislatures By Louis Jacobson
Republicans punch above their weight compared to presidential results in more places than Democrats.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE
— We analyzed 48 states to see which have the most lopsided state Senate and state House chambers compared to how the state voted for president.
— Both parties have some states in which the legislative breakdown significantly exaggerates the patterns of the presidential vote.
— For Democrats, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have the most “excess seats” above the presidential vote threshold. For Republicans, the list is both longer and more varied, with Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin standing out as at least somewhat competitive states where the Republicans have large excess seat advantages.
— In all, Republicans have proven much more adept than Democrats at leveraging presidential vote patterns into even larger majorities in state legislative chambers. The GOP has achieved significant levels of excess seats in about three times as many states as the Democrats have.
— Gerrymandering is one reason for this, but it probably doesn’t explain the exaggerated legislative majorities in many states. Rather, the phenomenon of excess seats appears to be a natural consequence of minority parties being doomed into irrelevance once they start consistently losing presidential and statewide races, sapping their ability to recruit candidates and build party infrastructure.
September 13, 2023
Soda Tax By John Stossel
Want a soda? You'll pay more for one in Philadelphia, because five years ago, local politicians decided to tax it.
September 12, 2023
Cornel West Spells Doom for Biden By Daniel McCarthy
Fear has a name in the Democratic Party, and that name is Cornel West.
September 12, 2023
Maybe a Temporary Government Lockdown Is Necessary. The Alternative May Be Worse. By Stephen Moore
What's worse? When politicians shut down the government, or when they lock down businesses, stores, schools, churches and restaurants -- and nearly all private commerce in America?
September 8, 2023
Are you better or worse off than you were four years ago? By Brian Joondeph
This would be a perfect question for a Rasmussen Reports survey, especially ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
