All Politics Voices

After a spike of historic decisions, it's useful to note that the Supreme Court will rarely allow itself to get out in front, or fall very much behind, prevailing public opinion.

With its opinion in King v. Burwell, the Supreme Court seems to be sending a signal that it is not interested being asked on a continual basis to undo a law that has been in effect for the past five years. 

Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. Marco Rubio might have given a presidential run a pass. But political opportunities like the one for GOP candidates in 2016 are fleeting. 

'Inartful' – along with its linguistic cousins 'counterproductive' and 'I misspoke' – has long been a fixture in politics. But with the Supreme Court's majority decision preserving Obamacare, the term gains new luster in Washington's lexicon.

Bobby Jindal's campaign probably won't last the summer. But it's still historically significant. He should stop ducking Confederate flag questions and stand with leaders like Nikki Haley.

At the present time, nearly 9 in 10 of South Carolina representatives say that they support taking down the flag. But a model simulating today's vote signals some reasons to be cautious.

When conservative critics threatened to scuttle the trade deal, GOP leaders stripped them of leadership roles or called the White House for help with Democrats. It was a professional job, done in a bipartisan fashion. This time, the center held. 

While it is possible to display that flag without racist intentions, it is impossible for the Confederate battle flag to be displayed without seeing the history it represents. 

Jeb Bush aims to 'weaponize' his fundraising numbers to break out of a crowded GOP primary pack. Other candidates bash each other with truth-squad web sites. It's all about gaining an advantage. 

Throughout history, presidents and presidential candidates usually have invoked the notion of collective sacrifice as an attempt to unite voters. But in Campaign 2016, sacrifice is all about lost sleep and pizza. 

Hillary Clinton's campaign rollout speech was big on broad themes, and weak on specifics on how to achieve them. There was something for everyone, but little to provoke opposition. Details come later, after the election is over.

After a defeat in the House, Reagan flipped dozens of GOP votes and got his tax reform bill back on track. But it's a tough strategy to pull off: Obama is less popular than Reagan, and Democrats lost majorities in both houses on his watch. 

It’s tough to count something that people are trying to hide. That's why so much fundamental information in US politics is either missing or under dispute. 

Just as the Democratic Party turns its back on Andrew Jackson – some even want 'Old Hickory' off the $20 bill – the GOP seems to have fully embraced him. Republicans are now the anti-elites.

The term 'statist' is soaring in popularity, just in time for the 2016 elections. Hillary Clinton is a leading target for critics of big government liberals. But Republicans aren't immune. Ask former Gov. Mike Huckabee.

GOP budget writers found a way around spending caps when it came to national defense. Now it's time to come to terms over the rest of government spending.

In a defining economic speech, Jeb Bush describes immigration – an issue that riles his GOP conservative base – as 'a huge opportunity ... not a problem.' He's not alone. Projecting optimism is an art of politics in both parties. 

Journalists are annoyed with her and she's slumping in the polls. But it is still smart for her to keep the media at bay, at least for now. Taking questions about touchy issues like the Clinton Foundation could just give more ammunition to opponents.

Bernie Sanders deftly refused to engage in media-generated controversy and expressed hope that 'the media will allow us to have a serious debate in this campaign.'

Politicians often frame what they do in terms of political 'courage.' But critics say it's a term often better left to the battlefield – or its moral equivalent – not everyday politics.