Category Archives: Congress

The revolution will not be televised

Posted on March 12, 2020 by

I hear the frustration of Bernie supporters. I too am frustrated at the cultural and institutional conservatism that has created a country where the accident of birth determines economic fate. In 240 years we’ve had a few shifts of the … Continue reading →

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George Bush and the politics of prudence

Posted on December 1, 2018 by

What George Bush, who died yesterday, regarded as the biggest mistake of his presidency was his most courageous political act. It was also the last time the Republican Party engaged in responsible budget policy. I was Capitol Hill reporter when … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, federal budget, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , ,

Anniversary of a call to citizenship

Posted on October 8, 2017 by

Fifty-five years ago this week, I woke up in Arlington for the first time, a four-year-old transplanted from Texas. Upon finishing law school in Austin, my dad had answered Kennedy’s call, “Ask what you can do for your country,” and … Continue reading →

Posted in Citizenship, Congress, U.S. Constitution, Uncategorized | Tagged

Denouement of ‘repeal and replace’

Posted on July 28, 2017 by

As societies become more complex, the government (the instrument of our social compact) is called on to do more to arrange commerce – the exchange of goods and services. Market regulation is a necessary component of development, to ensure some … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, Obamacare, Uncategorized | Tagged , ,

Of inclusion and prosperity in a global community

Posted on May 21, 2017 by

Last week I attended commencement exercises at a prestigious university in the nation’s most diverse and creative city. The standard of living between rich and poor is nowhere greater than in New York, and the opportunities for graduates of Columbia … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, education, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A 100-days report card

Posted on April 29, 2017 by

Any list of President Trump’s accomplishments will reflect the biases of its creator. Justice/Immigration/Civil Rights Trump signed two executive orders banning immigrants from seven, and then six, countries. The January order was halted by a federal appeals court. The March … Continue reading →

Posted in civil rights, climate change, Congress, environment, LGBT rights, Uncategorized, Voting Rights Act | Tagged | 2 Comments

The meaning and the drama of Trump’s budget

Posted on March 19, 2017 by

Newt Gingrich lives in President Trump’s first pass at a federal budget. The purpose of a budget – government, corporate or household – is to put vision in numbers. First identify the goals, the strategies to execute them and their … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, federal budget, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments