Ron DeSantis Could Have Run on a Message of Freedom
His political makeover into a Trumpy cultural warrior undermined what could have been a compelling campaign about the value of freedom.
Donald Trump
Trump's Supreme Court Brief Rebuts the Claim That He 'Engaged in Insurrection'
He is asking the justices to reject the Colorado Supreme Court's conclusion that he is disqualified from running for president.
Bad Apples
Plus: Libertarian populism, library wars, Latin American soft power, and more...
Matt Welch: What's Wrong With Populism?
Matt Welch discusses the Iowa caucus results, the 2024 election, and the resurgence of "libertarian populism" on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
No Labels Has 13 Presidential Candidates, 14 State Ballots, and 7 Weeks To Decide Whether To Run
The centrist group says it will decide on challenging Biden and/or Trump after Super Tuesday.
Israeli Spy Base
Plus: Workplace wellness programs, obnoxious awards shows, "love gov" update, and more...
The Trump Train Rolls Through Iowa
Plus: A listener asks the editors if there are any bad laws that might discourage people from having kids.
Trump Romps Through Iowa Caucuses, Calls for GOP to 'Come Together'
DeSantis appears to be on track to claim second place, a distant 30-ish percentage points behind Trump.
January 6 and Insurrection - a Response to Ross Douthat
On Douthat's reasoning, published in the NY Times, Confederate secession wasn't an insurrection either.
How To Get Away With Murder (According to Trump's Lawyers)
Step 1: Become president. That's the hardest part.
On Economic Issues, the Populist Right and Left Share a Lot of Common Ground
That's bad news for Americans.
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out
Plus: Jacobin tries to read Hayek, Houthis try to strike more ships, S.F. politicians try to order businesses around, and more...
Chris Christie Tried To Break Trump's Hold on the GOP. It Didn't Work.
The former New Jersey governor was the only candidate in the Republican primary field with the courage to attack former President Donald Trump.
D.C. Circuit Seems Skeptical of Trump's Alarmingly Broad Presidential Immunity Claim
As one appeals court judge pointed out, Trump's defense could literally let a president get away with murder.
Bedlam in the Country
Plus: Migrant shelter stabbing, Hollywood doom, Cuban spies, and more...
Empire AI
Plus: Adult activists, Fani Willis' love life, Catholic crackdown, and more...
Hell Hath No Fury
Plus: Nuking the Hamptons, upcharging the autists, tearing down the statues, and more...
Insurrection, Rebellion, and January 6: Rejoinder to Steve Calabresi [updated with brief further rejoinder]
"Insurrection" and "rebellion" should not be conflated. But the events of January 6 readily meet the criteria for both.
Supreme Court Will Consider Trump Section 3 Disqualification Case
The justices will hear the case on an expedited schedule, and could potentially consider all the issues it raises.
7 Reasons Trump's Lawyers Say He Is Not Disqualified From Running for President
His Supreme Court petition raises serious questions about how to interpret and apply Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
In 2024, Teens Will Get Pregnant in Driverless Cars
Plus: State officials attempt to ban Donald Trump from 2024 election ballots.
Who Decides Whether Trump Can Run, and What Sort of Evidence Suffices?
Letting state officials determine whether a candidate has "engaged in insurrection" opens a huge can of worms.
Trump Wouldn't Be the First Non-Confederate Barred From Office by the 14th Amendment
The weird story of Victor Berger, the Espionage Act, and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.
Maine and Michigan Issue Rulings on Trump and Section 3 Disqualification
Maine's Secretary of State ruled that Trump is ineligible for the presidency. The Michigan Supreme Court refused to reconsider a lower court ruling allowing Trump to remain on the GOP primary ballot, because state law doesn't limit primary ballot access to allow only candidates eligible for the office they seek.
More on Criminal Conviction and Section 3 Disqualification [Updated]
My response to conservative political commentator Conn Carroll's argument on this issue.
Vivek Ramaswamy Really, Really Wants You To Know He Thinks January 6 Was an 'Inside Job'
The fourth-place GOP presidential candidate asserts the existence of "clear evidence" of "entrapment," without providing any.
'I Relied on Others,' 'Documents Were Filed in the Wrong Place,' and Other Memorable Excuses
The year's highlights in blame shifting.
Prediction: 2024 Will See Deadly Political Violence in the Streets
And there's still time left in 2023, the way things are going lately in New York.
Why Section 3 Disqualification Doesn't Require a Prior Criminal Conviction on Charges of Insurrection [Updated]
The reason is a combination of the general structure of our legal system and the original meaning of Section 3.
The D.C. Circuit Mulls Trump's Alarmingly Broad Claim of Presidential Immunity From Prosecution
His lawyers say no jury can ever consider charges based on his "official acts" as president, which include his efforts to reverse Joe Biden's election.
Trump's Promise to 'Indemnify' Cops 'Against Any and All Liability' Is Absurd for 2 Reasons
Police officers already are routinely indemnified, and suing them for abuse is much harder than Trump claims.
Efforts to Show that Exempting the President from the Scope of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment isn't Absurd Underscore that it Actually is
Harvard law Prof. Larry Lessig's attempt to prove otherwise misfires.
Was the Capitol Riot an 'Insurrection,' and Did Trump 'Engage in' It?
The Colorado Supreme Court's reasoning in deciding that Trump is constitutionally disqualified from running for president seems iffy.
Giuliani Never Puts Up, but He Never Shuts Up Either
The former Trump lawyer could have avoided a massive defamation verdict by presenting his "definitively clear" evidence of election fraud.
Removing Trump From the Colorado Ballot Won't Make Things Better
You're not going to save democracy by kicking people out of elections.
Colorado Supreme Court Rules Trump is Ineligible for the Presidency Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment
The Colorado court got this issue right. The case is now likely headed to the US Supreme Court.
Welcome to the Hyperbole Factory
Plus: A listener asks the editors to consider the libertarian argument against shopping local.
'Everything I Said About Them Is True,' Giuliani Insisted Days Before a Jury Debated His Defamation Debt
The former Trump campaign lawyer re-upped his false claims about two Georgia election workers in the middle of a trial aimed at determining the damages he owes them.
Supreme Court to Decide Whether to Decide Trump May Claim Presidential Immunity
The Court agreed to the special counsel's request for expedited briefing on whether to grant certiorari.
New York's Broken Housing Court Lets Tenant Stay For Years Without Paying Rent
Plus: Austin and Salt Lake City pass very different "middle housing" reforms, Democrats in Congress want to ban hedge fund–owned rental housing, and a look at GOP presidential candidate's housing policy positions.
Presidential Immunity Does Not Bar Suits Against Trump for His Conduct on January 6
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected the former President's attempt to claim presidential immunity covered his conduct on January 6.
Photo: The 'My Boxes' Theory of Trump's Records Case
"I don't want you looking through my boxes," Donald Trump told his lawyers, according to court documents.
How Reason Helps You Stay Sane During Political Brainworms Season
Turns out subjecting presidential aspirants to libertarian-flavored scrutiny is good for journalism! And sanity.
My New Bulwark Article on Trump and Section 3 of the 14th Amendment
The article makes the case for disqualification on moral and pragmatic grounds, as well as legal ones.
