4 Takeaways From the Supreme Court's 2025–2026 Term
From executive power to civil liberties, what to make of a momentous year at SCOTUS?
Law & Government
'Government Totally Annihilated': How Americans Governed Themselves as British Rule Crumbled
America in the mid-1770s was a jumble of spontaneous formations amid the ruins of an empire.
Trump's Tariffs Have Been Particularly Costly for Small Businesses
The Federal Reserve reports that small businesses were less likely to be able to avoid tariff costs during 2025 and are more pessimistic about employment and revenue in 2026.
John Fetterman Says He's 'Very Libertarian in a Lot of Ways'
The Pennsylvania senator discusses drugs, the state of the Democratic Party, and his past support for Bernie Sanders.
Dispatch From COGE: A Bureaucratic Meeting About Cutting Bureaucratic Bloat
Don't expect much from Zohran Mamdani’s Commission on Government Efficiency.
She Came to the U.S. at 4 Months Old. She Had To Self-Deport—Because She Came Here Legally.
"Documented Dreamers" arrived in America lawfully as children. A hole in the law leaves them vulnerable to expulsion.
Sen. Mitch McConnell's Hospitalization Proves Again That Gerontocracy Sucks
McConnell is no outlier: The U.S. Senate is the oldest directly elected upper legislative chamber in the world.
States Will Soon Face Huge Penalties for Their Food Stamp Mistakes
More than $1 of every $10 in SNAP benefits went to people who didn't qualify in 2025.
What Happened to End Citizens United PAC v. FEC?
The D.C. Circuit reheard the case en banc over sixteen months ago, but there's still no opinion.
Graham Platner Dropped Out, but His Shadow Lingers Over Democrats and U.S. Politics
Democrats passed over the opportunity to be the sane party in favor of bad people and worse ideas.
The Most Corrupt Presidency in American History, by the Numbers
Looking back through the biggest scandals in American history through the lens of Trump 2.0.
Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' Marks a Pattern of Trying To Profit From the Presidency
Since the beginning of his first term, the president has repeatedly used his office for personal gain.
The Social Security Fix That Would Send Tax Rates Soaring
There are only a handful of ways to shore up Social Security. Sens. Bernie Moreno and Elizabeth Warren are backing one of the most expensive.
Freedom Fuel?
Plus: Platner is out, so is reading, Netflix is not a monopoly, and more...
Clarence Thomas Doubled Down on Presidential Power
The conservative justice pushed for greater executive authority even in cases in which Trump won.
Video of National Constitution Center Conference on "2026 Supreme Court Review: Key Decisions, Executive Power, Civil Discourse"
Three different VC bloggers were among the speakers: Jonathan Adler, Keith Whittington, and myself.
Can the Supreme Court Still Restrain Executive Power?
Clark Neily discusses the Supreme Court, executive authority, and why federal prosecutors wield too much power.
Mitch McConnell's Absence Sparks Thomas Massie Senate Speculation
Rumors surrounding McConnell’s health are putting new attention on one of the GOP’s most unconventional lawmakers.
The Roberts Court vs. the Trump Court
Why Trump lost big in the Supreme Court cases he cared the most about
Graham Platner Accused of Sexual Assault, Campaign Likely Doomed
The latest allegation from Jenny Racicot is very serious and difficult to reject.
Shipping Thrived After Trump Waived the Jones Act
Perhaps it's time to scuttle the law once and for all.
77-Year-Old Florida Veteran Investigated For Sending an Official a Postcard Saying 'You Lack Values'
High-level state officials launched a threat investigation over a harmless postcard to Florida's chief financial officer.
After 250 Years, Are America's Best Days Still Ahead?
We should heed Alexis de Tocqueville's warning: "A man's admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him."
Nancy Pelosi Is the Wrong Namesake for Berkeley's 'Institute for Representative Democracy'
If you want to devote an institute to "strengthening America's democratic institutions," you shouldn't name it for someone who degraded the public's trust in those institutions.
Trans Athletes Lose (in Court)
Plus: A 29-year-old DSAer wins, San Francisco's disappearing babies, and more...
Two Cheers for Chief Justice Roberts on the Unitary Executive
Trump v. Slaughter is a big win; Trump v. Cook is embarrassing given the posture of the case as explained in the dissents.
SCOTUS Saves Birthright Citizenship
Robby Soave and Amber Duke discuss the Supreme Court’s rulings on birthright citizenship and transgender athletes.
Here Are Some Ways SCOTUS Can Constrain Federal Agencies That Are Now Subject to Trump's Untrammeled Control
The Supreme Court has "no shortage of tools" to enforce the separation of powers, Justice Neil Gorsuch notes. "The only real question is whether we will use them."
Supreme Court Affirms Original Meaning of Birthright Citizenship, Strikes Down Trump's Executive Order
Understanding Trump v. Barbara.
Gorsuch Warns About Executive Overreach While Expanding Trump's Power
The Supreme Court extended presidential control over federal agencies. What could go wrong?
Can Trump v. Slaughter be Used to Challenge the Continued Legality of Executive Agencies Congress Intended to be Independent?
If the laws requiring such agencies to be independent are unconstitutional, it may be that very existence of those agencies is also now illegal.
Can the Supreme Court Slaughter Slaughter Without Cooking Cook?
Tensions between today's two major presidential removal power decisions.
Can the President Fire Anyone He Wants? Yes, Unless the Target Is Part of the Federal Reserve.
In a pair of decisions on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have full authority to fire heads of executive branch agencies—but that the Fed is different.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: 'You're Not Being Represented!'
Marjorie Taylor Greene discusses the future of the Republican Party, the resurgence of democratic socialism, and why the political establishment always wins
Supreme Court Ends Agency "Independence," Save for the Federal Reserve
As expected, the Supreme Court overturns Humphrey's Executor, but reaffirms the independence of the Federal Reserve.
Local Officials Vow To Shield the Public from Virginia's Authoritarian New Gun Laws
A new chapter in the never-ending battle between centralized power and local control.
The Senate's Failure To Rein in Trump on Iran Is Part of a Long History of Congress Abdicating Its War Powers
War making in "the power of a single man" is not what the Founders intended.
New Jersey Supreme Court Requires Transparency for Facial Recognition Evidence
Prosecutors in New Jersey must disclose how the technology is used in criminal cases, the state’s Supreme Court ruled.
The Supreme Court's Badly Flawed Ruling in the Haiti TPS Case
Extensive evidence indicates that the decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants was motivated by unconstitutional racial and ethnic discrimination. The Court's ruling on statutory issues also has flaws.
Lawsuit Argues Hawaii's Harsh New Hemp Regulations Will Stifle Competition
A dispensary owner believes Hawaii’s hemp regulations are unconstitutional. He’s suing to stop their enforcement, but the law may not be on his side.
Supreme Court Lets Trump End Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian Nationals Residing in U.S.
Understanding the 6–3 decision in Mullin v. Doe.
Mamdani's Socialists Conquer New York City
Robby Soave and Jason Russell break down the socialist sweep in NYC, the latest in House of the Dragon, and the World Cup.
Why Did Congress Vote To End the Iran War After It Finished?
Democrats and Republicans alike dragged out the process to vote on the Iran war. Antiwar advocates say their vote still matters.
Darializa Avila Chevalier Will Be This Congress' First Campus Radical
A democratic socialist who favors the eradication of Western civilization just won her primary.
Elizabeth Warren Wants To Raise Taxes and Give All the Money to Senior Citizens
Her plan to fix Social Security's fiscal flaws would ask workers to cover the full cost. Some Republicans are supporting it too.
