Forty years ago this Tuesday, President Jimmy Carter nailed it going away in a nationally televised address. The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly. It’s a problem that we will not be able to solve in the next few years, and it’s likely to get […]
Syria
Posted inPolitical Animal
Donald Trump’s Weapons of Mass Distraction
The gambit worked. He knew it would. He knew the media would allow him to get away with it. He knew the press would be guided by the supposed beauty of his weapons. He knew the Fourth Estate would get off on his show of force. Donald Trump knew exactly what he was doing. By […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Red Lines and War Crimes
Barack Obama’s red line was about upholding international law.
Posted inPolitical Animal
The Media’s Reaction to Syrian Strikes Was Right Out of the Washington Playbook
Diplomacy means nothing to them, but dropping bombs is ‘presidential.’
Posted inPolitical Animal
The Fourth Estate Has an Obligation to Question Trump’s Motives in Syria
Last week, after the Washington Post published a bizarre story suggesting that the Trump administration had come around to supporting both a federal value-added tax and a carbon tax, Kevin Drum labeled the story bullpucky: Sure they are. This sounds more like a strategic leak to demonstrate “seriousness” on Trump’s part than anything that’s really […]
Posted inFeatured, Political Animal
The Two Bad Explanations for Trump’s Airstrikes in Syria
Is the president a foolish hothead or a cynical opportunist?
Posted inPolitical Animal
Obama’s Legacy Impacts the Battle Between Pragmatism and the Ideologues
Obama’s commitment to pragmatism means his legislation has a better chance of outlasting Trump’s.
Posted inPolitical Animal
The Messages Assad Received On Using Chemical Weapons
Assad used chemical weapons to send the signal that he can and would do anything.
Posted inPolitical Animal
Trump Strikes Syria
Considering Trump’s volatility, there’s a lot that could go wrong.
