All Politics
First LookStacey Abrams tapped for Democratic response to State of UnionStacey Abrams – who burst into the national spotlight with her bid for the Georgia governorship in 2018 – will give the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address, a signal of Democratic priorities as they party gears up for 2020.
First LookBipartisan efforts to expand voter access in more than 30 statesState lawmakers across the country have filed bills in record numbers to increase ballot access for millions of Americans, following accusations of voter suppression during the 2018 midterms. New bills are being introduced across red, blue, and purple states alike.
How do you define ‘wall’? Keeping Washington open may hinge on the answer.Seventeen House and Senate negotiators meet for the first time on Wednesday. They have until Feb. 15 to strike a deal on border security that satisfies lawmakers of both parties on the wall and other difficult immigration issues.
What it’s like to live in a town the whole country is yelling aboutCovington Catholic High School isn’t even in Covington, Ky. It sits just outside the city limits. That fact seems emblematic of a US where an insatiable appetite for outrage doesn’t take time to examine the view from its downtown streets.
Politics WatchCovington clash: Everyone’s got an opinion. Maybe that’s the problem.An uncomfortable confrontation on the National Mall, caught on video, led to a social media frenzy this week.
Can Democrats prevent shutdowns by refusing to ‘reward’ the tactic?Democrats say they are taking a stand on principle, though they themselves forced a shutdown a year ago. Whether either party tries a shutdown again will likely depend on the political fallout from this one.
Art of the deal: In politics, Trump finds negotiations a different ballgameA zero-sum negotiating posture – one side wins, the other loses – is counterproductive in Washington, where the two parties ultimately have to work with one another. Experts say probing underlying interests could reveal ways to satisfy both sides.
Employees ‘taken hostage’: the ethics of the US government shutdownCompelling people to work without pay is fast becoming more than a legal issue for the federal government. Viewed as a social compact, it raises serious ethical questions, too.
Emergency alert: Declaration could end shutdown – and create new challengesUsing an emergency declaration to build a border wall would not only run into political opposition but also likely get snarled in litigation – so that any construction would proceed at the pace of the legal system.
Politics WatchShutdown Day 26: A game of chicken no one wants to loseAs costs of shutdown grow, so does sense among both sides that they need a substantial win to show for it.
First LookShutdown: no end in sight as next round of paychecks for workers loomsAs the government shutdown reaches the 26th day, President Trump refuses to back out of his demand for Congress to provide $5.7 billion to build a border wall with Mexico, while Democrats insist they will only discuss border security when government reopens.
Politics WatchYes, bipartisanship happensWhy a criminal justice reform package passed Congress this week.
Politics WatchAnd they're off: Democrats to watch in 2020 raceAs the 2020 presidential race begins, we look at a short list of prospective Democratic candidates and their prospects.
Shunned by colleagues on the Hill. But at home, support for King runs deep.The Iowa congressman has come to encapsulate the heated battles over immigration and race. Before the turmoil over Iowa Rep. Steve King’s white supremacy comments, we sent a reporter to take the measure of the district that elected him nine times.
Trump pick for ‘top cop’ on hot seat: Is Mueller criticism disqualifying?As a cabinet member, the attorney general should align with the president, experts say, while still protecting the Justice Department from political interference. That balance may be difficult to strike.
What does it mean to be ‘conservative’ in the Trump era?The outsider presidency has challenged core conservative principles, such as commitment to free markets and limited government spending. As factions seek to define this new era, what is replacing “official conservatism?”
Bipartisan ‘talking stick’ session? Not in this shutdown.Just a year ago, Sen. Susan Collins was able to break a shutdown logjam by gathering senators in her corner office to hash out a bipartisan solution. Here's why that bridge-building technique is not working now.
US voters tackle gerrymandering with gusto. Incumbents are less sure.Gerrymandering used to be the province mostly of spelling bee contestants and policy wonks. But for many today, redistricting reform has become a fundamental struggle for fairness.
A shutdown fight that’s about much more than a wallThe impasse over funding for a barrier on the US-Mexico border reflects broader disagreements between President Trump and Democrats over questions of security and American identity.
As shutdown’s impact grows, pressure rises to end itPartially closing the federal government is not just about politics. It has a human face, too.
