by jpitney | Dec 13, 2025 | Civility, Congress, Uncategorized
On the Understanding Congress podcast, political scientists Kevin Kosar and Brian Alexander discuss congressional norms: Kevin Kosar: One thing that pops into my mind is a member of Congress being condemned for conduct unbecoming of a member; not so much that they...
by jpitney | Nov 24, 2025 | Congress, Presidency, Uncategorized
Don Wolfensberger asked why shutdowns are more dominant now than in the middle of the 20th century? The short answer… is that Congress was more bipartisan and amenable to compromise in those days. But there was structural change going on as well. With enactment...
by jpitney | Oct 26, 2025 | California Politics, Law, Local Government, Los Angeles, Uncategorized
Rebecca Ellis at LAT: Fesia Davenport, L.A. County’s chief executive officer, received a $2-million settlement related to Measure G, according to a letter released by the county counsel. Davenport had sought damages over “reputational harm, embarrassment, and...
by jpitney | Aug 15, 2025 | Uncategorized
Don Wolfensberger at The Hill: The Supreme Court’s decision in McGrain v. Daugherty in 1927 held that Congress has an inherent right to compel testimony and conduct oversight as part of its constitutional lawmaking functions. The case was an offshoot of the Teapot...
by jpitney | Jun 19, 2025 | Economic Policy, Social Security, Uncategorized
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: The Social Security and Medicare Trustees released their annual reports, today, highlighting the precarious financial states of the programs. The Trustees project that both the Social Security retirement trust fund and the...
