7 mins read

Presidential words can turn the unthinkable into the thinkable − for better or for worse

For years, Donald Trump’s rhetoric has relied on insult, ridicule, threat and contempt. But the scale of violence in his words during the first week of April 2026 was new – and had a purpose.

7 mins read

What a US attorney general actually does – a law professor spells it out

The combined political and legal roles and responsibilities of the US attorney general can create conflicts. Some attorneys general yielded to political pressure from the president – many did not.

7 mins read

Federal election observers once played a key role in securing voting rights for all − but times have changed

After the Voting Rights Act, federal election observers helped ensure fair voting, but that oversight has increasingly shifted focus − to monitor what Washington says is voter fraud and accusations of cheating.

8 mins read

I went to CPAC and found Trump supporters unhappy about Iran, Epstein files and the economy, even while the fans at the MAGA conference celebrate his immigration policies

Trumpism isn’t dead, as the roaring MAGA-merched crowds at CPAC make clear. But Trump is struggling through a political winter that could signal the early stages of his MAGA movement’s decline.

8 mins read

Trump sidelined Congress’ authority over war on Iran – and lawmakers allowed it, extending a 75‑year trend

Congress has refused to exercise oversight of the Iran war, with Republicans nixing Democrats’ attempts to exercise legislators’ power over military engagements. That’s nothing new.