No Matter the 'Details on These Shootings,' Biden Says, Congress Should Respond by Banning 'Assault Weapons'
The president seems to have forgotten his concession that such laws leave murderers with plenty of options that are "just as deadly."
Congress
If We Can't Abolish the No-Fly List, Can We at Least Keep It Safe?
Reviewing and improving the federal government’s data security and digital defenses should be a priority.
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance Say No Cuts for Social Security. That's Impossible.
Social Security benefits will be cut automatically in less than a decade unless Congress shores up the program before it hits insolvency. Ignoring that is not a solution.
The GOP's Current Plan To Cut Spending Is a Political Failure
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are still the chief drivers of our future debt. But Republicans aren't touching them.
Yet Another Shady, Hypocritical Document Hoarder
Plus: The editors field a listener question on college admissions and affirmative action.
A Politically Split Congress Can Perhaps Fuel Federal Surveillance Reforms
Part of a law that authorizes warrantless snooping is about to expire, opening up a opportunity to better protect our privacy rights.
Cutting Government Back to Last Year's Size Shouldn't Be 'Impossible' or 'Severe'
Taking stock of the utterly unserious fiscal policy discourse in Washington.
Whatever the Fate of the Fair Tax Act, Congress Should Still Abolish the IRS
Getting rid of the much-despised tax agency would be a good idea. It’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.
To Win the Speakership, Kevin McCarthy Had To Promise To Cut Spending. Good.
While some Republicans may have had misguided motivations, a few disrupted McCarthy's campaign in order to enact fiscal restraint. Their colleagues were fine with business as usual.
How Do We Solve a Problem Like George Santos?
The slippery slope of political fabulism, from the "Jew-ish" freshman representative to the president of the United States.
The Best Inflation News This Week Actually Came Out of Congress
Inflation fell to 6.5 percent in December, but new House rules ensure that Congress will have to consider the inflationary impact of future spending bills.
Don't Let the House Hunter Biden Investigation Become a Russiagate-Style Search for Election Excuses
Plus: Lab-grown meat, the allure of raw milk, and more...
House Republicans Want a Vote On the FairTax. Is It Worth Supporting?
The status quo is certainly worth challenging.
The Brazilian Riot Was Not Inspired by January 6
The riot in Brasilia arose from the local tradition of political mob violence.
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.
New House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul Is a Standard Old-School Interventionist
Kevin McCarthy's pick to lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee evades any post-Trump humbleness in foreign policy.
House Republicans To Probe White House Pressure on Social Media Companies
Plus: House votes to rescind IRS funding, the FDA is putting unnecessary strings on pharmacies filling abortion pill prescriptions, and more...
Did the House Rebellion Against Kevin McCarthy Have an Upside?
Plus: a lightning round recollection of comical political fabulists
The 5th Circuit Says the ATF Exceeded Its Legal Authority When It Banned Bump Stocks
The decision defends the separation of powers and the rule of law against an attempt to prohibit firearm accessories by administrative fiat.
Finally Approved as House Speaker, McCarthy Aims To Cut IRS Funding
Plus: More documents showcase government pressure on social platforms, appeals court to reconsider ban on nonviolent felon gun ownership, and more...
Cameras Should Stay in Place After the House Picks a Speaker
C-SPAN has shown House proceedings since 1979 but only what the House chooses to let it show. That needs to change.
Fixing Congress' Broken Appropriations Process Is Worth This Mess
This week's Republican revolt against Kevin McCarthy is actually a rank-and-file revolt against the top-down process that both parties have used to control the House in recent years.
2 Years After the Capitol Riot, the GOP Remains Divided. Good.
Plus: Misinformation about athlete deaths, FTC wants to ban noncompete clauses, and more...
Ignoring the Anti-McCarthy Faction's Avowed Goals, The New York Times Sees Only 'Chaos and Confusion'
The paper attributes the fight over the election of the next House speaker to "anti-establishment fervor" and a lust for "personal power."
Justin Amash: Kevin McCarthy Is a 'Compulsive Liar' Who 'Cares Only About Power'
The former Libertarian congressman was in the Capitol Wednesday drumming up a Hail Mary quest to become speaker of the House.
The GOP Split on Ukraine Aid Isn't Really About Ukraine
For most aid critics, the urge to cut off Kyiv appears unconnected to any sort of principled realism, non-interventionism, or even isolationism.
Trump's Tax Returns Show What Sort of Tax Reform We Need
But partisans are having the wrong debate.
Interview: Libertarian Former Rep. Justin Amash Is Willing to Serve as Compromise House Speaker
"We have an oligarchy right now," says Amash.
Democrats May Regret Compromising Taxpayer Privacy To Get Trump
The release of the former president’s tax returns sets a dangerous precedent.
A Surly Showdown for Speaker
Plus: Would Adam Smith be a libertarian if he were alive today?
Why Are Some Republicans Revolting Against Kevin McCarthy's Bid To Be Speaker of the House?
The insurgent Republicans want to balance the budget, impose new barriers to immigration, and increase transparency for future earmark spending.
Republicans Control the House but Can't Compromise on Someone To Lead It
Plus: Appeals court upholds policy linking bathrooms to biological sex, the worst states for taxes, and more...
Yet Another Senator Bungles the First Amendment To Justify Censorship
This week, a clip of Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin claiming that speech that espouses "hate" and "violence" is not protected by the First Amendment made the rounds on Twitter, sparking sharp backlash.
What the Southwest Meltdown Means for Airline Policy
Re-regulating the airline industry won’t help prevent massive service disruptions in the future.
Rand Paul Complains That Democrats Squandered Their Opportunity To Enact Marijuana Reforms
The prospects in the next session, when Republicans will control the House, are iffy.
California Congresswoman Katie Porter Blamed, Punished a Staffer For Allegedly Giving Her COVID-19
"She never spoke a word to me after this," the staffer, Sasha Georgiades, tells Reason.
Congress and the Federal Reserve Could Be Setting Us Up for Economic Disaster
If lawmakers keep spending like they are, and if the Fed backs down from taming inflation, then the government may create a perfect storm.
Why Take Responsibility When You Can Blame Somebody Else?
The year’s highlights in buck passing feature petulant politicians, brazen bureaucrats, careless cops, loony lawyers, and junky journalists.
'The Principles Should Endure': Sen. Pat Toomey on Fusionism, Tariffs, and What's To Blame for FTX's Collapse
After two terms in the Senate as a champion for free markets and limited government, Pennsylvania's Republican senator is heading into retirement.
Don't Count on Criminal Prosecution To Hold Trump Accountable for His Egregious Post-Election Behavior
The final report from the January 6 select committee falls short of proving the elements required to convict the former president.
The Hidden Subtitle of the NDAA That Will Ban Basic Facts About Judges Online
No judge should have to fear for their lives as they defend the rule of law. But that doesn’t mean they can infringe on other civil liberties to protect their information.
A New Federal Press Shield Bill Falters Just Before the Finish Line in Congress
A law to protect people engaged in journalism from having to reveal sources gets blocked by Sen. Tom Cotton.
The Senate's Passage of the $1.7 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill Is a Bipartisan Failure
A rushed process once again created a bad result.
The Failure To Enact Marijuana Banking and Crack Sentencing Reforms Is a Window on Congressional Dysfunction
Although both bills have broad bipartisan support, they never got a vote in the Senate and were excluded from the omnibus spending bill.
Congress Can Reduce the Deficit by $7.7 Trillion in 10 Years
The Congressional Budget Office projects that future deficits will explode. But there's a way out.
GOP Lawmaker Blocks IVF Protection Bill
Plus: Diminishing differences in regional attitudes, IRS begins monitoring small transactions, and more…
TSA Gets $400 Million for Pay Raises in Omnibus Spending Bill
The bill also gives TSA employees the power to collectively bargain, which means more pay raises are likely in the future.
$70 Million for Salmon, $3 Million for Bee-Friendly Highways, and More Absurdities in the Omnibus Spending Bill
Plus: An attempt to criminalize porn, D.C. hopes making tourism more expensive will boost tourism, and more…
