Congress Is Still Using 'Emergency Spending' on Non-Emergencies
Since Congress won't cut spending, an independent commission may be the only way to rein in the debt.
Military
Hunter Biden Gets Caught in America's Double War on Drugs and Guns
Plus: A listener asks for the editors’ advice on how to spend his money.
Politicians Say They Want To Fight Climate Change. So Why Are They Fighting China on Electric Vehicles?
Rather than posing a national security threat, the growth of China's E.V. industry is an opportunity for global innovation.
Review: The Covenant Dramatizes the Plight of Afghan Interpreters
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in a film that criticizes the U.S. immigration system.
When Trade War Threatens Real War
Biden is blurring the lines between economic policy and military action.
The U.S. Credit Rating Just Dropped. It's Time for Radical Budget Reform.
The lack of oversight and the general absence of a long-term vision is creating inefficiency, waste, and red ink as far as the eye can see.
Why the U.S. Hasn't Declared a Coup in Niger
The U.S. is prioritizing foreign militaries over democracies.
Ukraine's Sluggish Counteroffensive Raises Questions About U.S. Support
Should the U.S. continue to bankroll the counteroffensive?
When Our Weapons Go Missing
Washington is doing a poor job of monitoring whether the weapons it sends to Ukraine are ending up in the right hands.
The NATO Treaty Does Not Supersede the Constitution
A group of senators is challenging the conventional interpretation of Article 5's an-attack-on-one-is-an-attack-on-all provision.
Anticlimactic End to Wagner Group's Armed Rebellion in Russia
Plus: Florida drag law ruled unconstitutional, Meta cancels Canadian news posts, and more...
Don't Shame the OceanGate Crew for Taking Huge Risks
But don't expect taxpayers to rescue adventurers when they fail, either.
RIP Daniel Ellsberg, Who Told the World the Truth About the Vietnam War
The Pentagon Papers leaker risked prison to reveal that American military officials were lying to Congress and the public about Vietnam. He died today at age 92.
In Ukraine's Struggle for Survival, a Reminder of War's Harsh Moral Compromises
There’s no neat and clean way to fight a war, even for victims of aggression.
The Debt Ceiling Deal Does Not Go Nearly Far Enough
Projections of huge savings are making the rounds. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Socialism Is Bad for the Environment
"All the time we hear socialists say, 'Next time, we'll get it right.' How many next times do you get?"
Congressional Commission's Taiwan Plan Is a Mixed Bag for U.S. Interests
The bipartisan plan encourages greater involvement by the U.S. military than past policy.
The Republican Primary Consensus for Sending the Military Into Mexico
Presidential contender Tim Scott, who announced recently, says he will use "the world's greatest military to fight these terrorists" south of the border. He's not alone.
Did the Pentagon Just Make a $3 Billion Accounting Error—or Did It Do Something Even Worse?
The Pentagon’s “accounting error” will allow President Joe Biden to send an extra $3 billion in military aid to Ukraine without congressional approval. Was this deliberate?
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! Is It the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade?
Days after an American F-22 shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, a second floating object was shot down over the Yukon.
Of Course Washington and Moscow Are Fighting a Proxy War
That doesn't mean Russia is right. It means we're being honest about how much the U.S. is involved.
Is Clarence Thomas Ethically Challenged?
Plus: What the editors hate most about the IRS and tax day
Feds See the Document Leak as an Opportunity for Surveillance and Control
Never underestimate officials’ ability to turn embarrassing moments into awful opportunities.
U.S. Intelligence Leak Suspect Identified as 21-Year-Old Jack Teixeira
Plus: More secrecy from the Global Disinformation Index, the public awaits another big Supreme Court abortion decision, and more...
Leaker of Ukraine Intelligence Was Reportedly a Gun Enthusiast Trying To Impress His Discord Friends
Plus: New developments in the Texas abortion drug ruling, fallout from the Riley Gaines event at SFSU, and more...
Pentagon Leak Reveals 14 U.S. Troops in Ukraine
While escalation is not inevitable, it’s still a risk having any U.S. boots on the ground.
Debate: The U.S. Should Increase Funding for the Defense of Ukraine
Does Ukraine face an existential risk? Does it matter?
Recent Airstrikes Are Our Periodic Reminder That We're Fighting a War in Syria
Four years after IS was officially defeated, the U.S. continues to keep hundreds of troops in Syria to fight the vanquished terrorist group.
Banning Chinese Products in the Name of 'National Security' Could Have Disastrous Consequences
It would result in shortages, decreases in productivity, and higher production costs affecting millions of American workers and nearly every consumer.
John Bolton Is Still Wrong About Iraq
Bolton says the Bush administration's biggest error in Iraq was failing to invade Iran too. That's madness.
No, the U.S. Shouldn't Wage War Against Mexican Cartels
There's little reason to believe that any of the tactics Republican politicians are proposing would be effective in keeping fentanyl out of the country.
Pentagon Experts Don't Trust Young Men With Guns, Red Bull
Plus: FBI director says COVID's origins "are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan," Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of student loan forgiveness, and more...
The Real Political Scandal Is That Too Many Documents Are Classified
Many Democrats and Republicans were outraged when Trump and Biden respectively were found with classified documents. But both sides are missing the point.
Why Is It So Hard for Congress To End a War?
Lawmakers are once again trying to reclaim their war powers through AUMF repeal.
North America's UFO Weekend
Plus: States move to curtail internet anonymity, Amsterdam cracks down on cannabis, sex, and booze, and more...
The Fight Over the Debt Ceiling Is Just Beginning
Legislators will increasingly argue over how to spend a diminishing discretionary budget while overall spending simultaneously explodes.
Mike Pompeo Says He 'Grew Up Libertarian'
These days, he may run for president. His politics have changed.
By Shooting Down Balloon, the Expensive, Useless F-22 Fighter Finally Won a Dogfight
After $67 billion and more than 20 years, the F-22 finally won a dogfight against an unarmed, nearly immobile opponent.
Examining America's War in Iraq After 20 Years
It was a blunder. Worse than that, it was a crime.
Are We Making Any Progress on Police Brutality?
Plus: The editors consider the ongoing debt ceiling drama and answer a listener question about ending the war on drugs.
If Republicans Want To Cut Spending, They Should Start With the Pentagon
Sen. Rand Paul says Republicans "have to give up the sacred cow" of military spending in order to make a deal that will address the debt ceiling and balance the budget.
If China Invades, Taiwan Shouldn't Count on U.S. Support
Compared to Russia, war with China is a deeper nightmare.
Pentagon Can't Account for $220 Billion of Gear Given to Contractors
The actual total is probably higher according to the Government Accountability Office's new report.
With Classified Documents, the Real Divide Is Between the Powerful and the Rest of Us
It's not Trump vs. Biden: High officials play fast and loose with government secrets, but only regular people face harsh penalties.
This Congressman Wants the U.S. To Use Military Force Against Mexican Cartels
Like other authorizations for the use of military force—or AUMFs—it would be an unnecessary, unwise expansion of executive power.
