by jpitney | May 19, 2022 | Congress, Deliberation, House of Representatives
Gary Schmitt at American Purpose: Today, the Speaker’s “paper” authority is less impressive than it seems. Without real party discipline, ambitious House members are more likely to invest their time and resources into how to grandstand politically than to build up a...
by jpitney | May 17, 2022 | Civility, Congress, House of Representatives
At The Hill, former Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) remembers the late Tim Johnson (R-IL) We created the House Center Aisle Caucus and invited colleagues from both parties for dinners at a Chinese restaurant (chosen for its proximity to the Capitol and ease on our...
by jpitney | Apr 29, 2022 | Civility, Congress, Polarization, Social Media
Melanie Mason at LAT: It’s not your imagination. Political discourse on Twitter really has grown meaner in recent years, according to a new study. The research, published Thursday in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that the level of...
by jpitney | Apr 28, 2022 | Bipartisanship, Civility, Congress, Senate
Sophia Cai at Axios: Amid bitter partisanship in the capital, rampant inflation across the country and a war raging in Ukraine, nearly two dozen women senators broke bread Tuesday night — and, Axios has learned, politics was decidedly off the menu. Why it...
by jpitney | Apr 24, 2022 | Civility, Congress, Senate
Orrin Hatch has died. From the AP obit: A conservative on most economic and social issues, he nonetheless teamed with Democrats several times during his long career on issues ranging from stem cell research to rights for people with disabilities to expanding...
by jpitney | Apr 21, 2022 | Civility, Congress, House of Representatives, Insurrection, Ukraine
From the JFK Library: For the first time ever, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award will honor five individuals — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Arizona Representative Russell “Rusty”...