CRS report via FAS – Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions, updated November 26, 2018. “This report briefly poses and answers several “frequently asked questions” in relation to the floor proceedings used to elect a Speaker of the House. Current practice for electing a Speaker, either at the start of… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
How to Get Your Lawmakers to Listen
ProPublica – “In our final installment of the User’s Guide to Democracy, we asked a live panel of congressional experts to help you stay engaged in politics after the midterms have ended. Congress Works For You. Here’s How to Be a Better Boss.” [h/t Pete Weiss] “You did it! In this month’s midterm election, you… Continue Reading
CRS Defense Primers
Via Secrecy News: “Several short introductions to basic aspects of U.S. military policy have recently been updated by the Congressional Research Service. Intended for congressional consumers, they may also be useful to others.” Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces, CRS In Focus, updated November 16, 2018 Defense Primer: Special Operations Forces, CRS In Focus,… Continue Reading
15 state attorneys general back Maryland in challenging Whitaker’s appointment
The Hill: “The attorneys general from 14 states and Washington, D.C., are urging a federal district court judge to block Matthew Whitaker from continuing to serve as Acting U.S. attorney general. The state attorneys general filed a friend of the court brief in support of Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh’s request on Nov. 13 for… Continue Reading
The politics of “political” – how the word has changed its meaning
Oxford University Blog: “Over the course of history, the word “political” has evolved from being synonymous with “public sphere” or “good government” to meaning “calculating” or “partisan.” How did we get here? This adapted excerpt from Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary explains the evolution. The problems posed by political result from a combination… Continue Reading
New 136-page guide to House members
Via Axios – “Phil Singer and his team at Marathon Strategies are quick out of the gate with a 136-page guide to the House members, including these talkers: Katie Hill (R-CA-25): Rock climbing enthusiast Gil Cisneros (R-CA-39): Won $266 million in Mega Millions lottery Donna Shalala (R-FL-27): Former HHS Secretary Sharice Davids (R-KS-03): Former MMA… Continue Reading
Operation Infektion: Russian Disinformation: From The Cold War To Kanye
Opinion Video Series | Operation Infektion By Adam B. Ellick and Adam Westbrook The New York Times, November 12, 2018 WATCH: This is a three-part film series. Scroll down at this link and click to play any episode… “Russia’s meddling in the United States’ elections is not a hoax. It’s the culmination of Moscow’s decades-long campaign to tear… Continue Reading
Electing the House of Representatives – visualizations and data 1840-2016
Electing the House of Representatives, 1840-2016: “This project aims to recapture the role of Congress as an equal branch in governing, worthy of studying side-by-side with the Presidency, by offering comprehensive and fine-grained data on the history of Congressional elections. To understand the most momentous periods of reform in American political history, we must give… Continue Reading
Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress
Every CRS Report – Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress, November 15, 2018. “This report introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process—from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration. However, the process by which a bill can… Continue Reading
CRS Report – Types of Committee Hearings
Every CRS Report – Types of Committee Hearings, November 15, 2018 “Congressional committee hearings may be broadly classified into four types: legislative, oversight, investigative, and confirmation. Hearings may be held on Capitol Hill or elsewhere (e.g., a committee member’s district or state, or a site related to the subject of the hearing). These latter hearings… Continue Reading
Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s Leaders Fought Through Crisis
The New York Times: “…When Facebook users learned last spring that the company had compromised their privacy in its rush to expand, allowing access to the personal information of tens of millions of people to a political data firm linked to President Trump, Facebook sought to deflect blame and mask the extent of the problem.And… Continue Reading
The Pentagon’s Getting More Secretive and It’s Hurting National Security
Defense One: “At a time of rampant executive branch corruption and large increases in defense spending, Americans are rightly concerned about the need for governmental transparency. People deserve to know how their money is being used, and what life-or-death decisions the Pentagon bureaucracy is making in their names. As President Trump asks for more defense… Continue Reading
