Government spending
Why DOGE mattered
There is a popular theory that suggests modern politics is determined by "the vibes." That is, politics is an irrational business, and the best way to make sense of it is to lean into how it feels. The…
Taxpayers still paying for Hurricane Sandy relief mismanagement 13 years later, new report finds
In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey. The storm would bring severe flooding to the East Coast—particularly New Jersey and New York City—and go down as the fifth-most-expensive tropical…
Psychoactive hemp products will be banned unless Congress intervenes
Thanks to a bill approved as part of the package that ended the federal shutdown, intoxicating hemp products will be federally prohibited as of November 13, 2026, a year after President Donald Trump signed the legislation.…
America is in a golden age. Are we headed toward a Roman ending?
We media types obsess about America's problems. But we should acknowledge that today, life in America is better than life has been anywhere, ever. For most of history, the norm was hunger, disease, illiteracy, slavery,…
A Senate-approved bill would ban the hemp-derived THC products that Congress legalized in 2018
Forty states now allow medical use of marijuana, while 24, accounting for most of the U.S. population, also allow recreational use. Yet the federal ban on marijuana, first enacted in 1937, remains in place, which means…
Trump’s tariff stimulus checks are an unserious idea
President Donald Trump's proposal to deliver huge stimulus checks to many American households is the latest bit of fiscal fantasy to emerge from the White House. In a post on Truth Social, Trump promised checks of $2,000…
8 Senate Democrats vote to advance bill that would end the government shutdown
We may have a deal: A group of Democrats broke with their party late last night and voted with the Republicans to advance a bill that would reopen the government, a critical step toward ending a shutdown that has lasted for…
A pet food pantry in New York won’t solve the city’s shelter crisis
This summer, New York City shelters were overwhelmed by a surge of pet surrenders. The Animal Care Centers of New York City, which contracts with the city to provide animal control services, reported a record 1,000 animals in…
‘Emergency’ has become Washington’s favorite loophole. It’s costing taxpayers $15 trillion.
In Washington today, the word "emergency" is a magic key; it unlocks powers Congress never granted, suspends the discipline of regular order and decorates bloated bills with provisions too dubious to pass on their…
Don’t panic over federal cuts for homeless programs
The upset is palpable. News reports that the Trump administration is planning to cut state grants to build permanent housing for homeless people has led state officials and homeless activists to claim that the likely decision…
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