Are Members of Congress “Truthful?” A Response to the PolitiFact Study
The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) at George Mason University released a report examining PolitiFact ratings gauging Republicans’ and Democrats’ “truthfulness.” PolitiFact developed their so-called… Read More
Perspectives on the South Carolina Special Election
Voters in South Carolina’s 1st district head to the polls today for a special election. What follows is my perspective on the election with links to worthwhile readings on… Read More
Follow Up: Simulating Elizabeth Colbert Busch’s Vote on “The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act”
Tuesday’s post simulated Elizabeth Colbert Busch’s roll-call record taking into consideration the 1st district’s partisanship and the campaign contributions she has received from unions. The main point was that voters in the 1st district… Read More
Colbert Busch vs. Sanford: Who Will They Represent?
Elizabeth Colbert Busch and Mark Sanford met last night for the first—and presumably only—televised debate for South Carolina’s vacant 1st congressional seat. There were a few notable exchanges. For example,… Read More
A Primer on the Primary: The South Carolina Special Election
Voters in the lowcountry head to the polls today in a special election primary. The vacancy in South Carolina’s 1st district opened when Republican Tim Scott accepted Governor Nikki… Read More
The State of the Union: Putting First Things First
State of the Unions. What are they good for? Absolutely nothing. Ok “absolutely nothing” is an oversimplification. But as best political scientists are able to discern, presidential speeches in… Read More
Is the GOP Debt Ceiling Proposal Constitutional?
Over the weekend, House Republicans unveiled a debt ceiling proposal that’s the subject of some controversy. Shocking, I know. The controversy hinges on the fact that, while Republicans tout themselves… Read More
On (the lack of) Gun Control Laws: How Much is the NRA to Blame?
This is a reblog of one of Nate’s posts from January of 2011 in response to the Gabby Giffords shooting. I think it’s germane to the present conversation. And for the… Read More
The Filibuster: An “Accident of History”? On the Common Cause Lawsuit.
A few months back, we at the blog had a semi-regular series: “things institutionalists know that you should” (see for example see Josh on timing, Nate on Plott’s… Read More
Jim DeMint’s Retirement: Good News or Bad News for Lindsey Graham?
So yeah, this happened. While Jim DeMint had publicly stated he would not run seek reelection in 2016, today’s announcement is surprising nonetheless. And as if his premature retirement… Read More