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More moms in Congress could mean more attention on children and families
The 2018 election has brought in the most diverse Congress in its history. There has been much attention already on the so-called Pink Wave of women, the Rainbow… Read More
No, getting rid of Congress is not a clever idea
Congressional majorities and President Donald Trump disagreed about how much money ought to be used to extend barriers running along our nation’s southern border. Their disagreement led to a partial… Read More
R Street Explainer: How the minority party can impact legislation in today’s Congress
The House of Representatives is fundamentally a majoritarian institution. That is, any coalition or party with the majority of votes can largely dominate the chamber’s agenda, scheduling, procedure and outcomes. Read More
President’s Day Read: The Star Wars theory of history
In the wake of the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville in 2017, bestselling popular historian and former Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek Jon Meacham undertook a series of essays which he soon turned… Read More
ICYMI: Top reads on Congress
Lee Drutman, “Can Congress fix itself?” Vox: “The committee begins its work with some big limits. It is initially authorized for only one year and can only issue recommendations… Read More
Will increasing small dollar donations polarize Congress?
The costs of mounting a successful congressional campaign have increased exponentially over the last three decades. In order to win in this environment, members of Congress must increasingly… Read More
Video: America’s longest shutdown
LIVESTREAM:: America's Longest Shutdown @jiwallner, Charlie Bolton in @senrobportman's office, @julia_azari. https://t.co/l7WBznoJxZ — R Street Institute (@RSI) February 12,… Read More
McConnell follows in Reid’s footsteps
Back when he was the Senate’s minority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, disagreed profoundly with how Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., managed the institution. McConnell even accused Reid of doing “tremendous damage… Read More
McConnell maintains firm grip despite pledging to restore the Senate
In January 2014, then-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case that Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was running the “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body” into the… Read More
What LBJ can teach new Congress members about gaining power in the House
Robert Caro’s recent article on secrets he uncovered while digging through Lyndon Johnson’s archives provides fascinating glimpses into how political power is wielded in Washington. The ability… Read More