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Evan Vucci / AP The Real Cause of the Last Government Shutdown—and the Next One
Republican leaders have proven unable to enact any spending bills, despite controlling both houses of Congress.
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Carlos Barria / Reuters American Kakistocracy
There’s a case to be made that the United States is governed by the least scrupulous of its citizens.
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AP The Republican Attack on Feeding the Hungry
GOP budget proposals take aim at one of America’s most significant bipartisan achievements.
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Brennan Linsley / AP How the GOP Prompted the Decay of Political Norms
The Republican Party laid the groundwork for dysfunction long before Donald Trump was elected president.
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Jonathan Ernst / Reuters The Other Devil's Bargain
The Republican majorities in Congress gambled they could ignore Trump's misdeeds, and still get him to sign their bills—but it’s not working out as they expected.
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Joe Raedle / Getty Images How Mental-Health Training for Police Can Save Lives—and Taxpayer Dollars
But only if officials at all levels of government are willing to invest in it up front.
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Carlos Barria / Reuters The Disturbing Process Behind Trumpcare
The development of the Republican health-care bill offers a troubling picture of our legislative system.
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Kevin Lamarque / Reuters The Kabuki Theater of the AHCA
Normally, a bill this unpopular wouldn’t stand a chance. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health-care bill seems designed to let reluctant senators amend it, and claim victory.
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Larry Downing / Reuters Rewriting the Rules of Presidential Succession
A project begun after 9/11 assumes new urgency after the 2016 election—creating a more sensible plan for what happens when a chief executive steps aside.
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Yuri Gripas / Reuters The GOP's Ethics Disaster
The gutting of the Office of Congressional Ethics is chilling evidence that we are headed for a new age of official embrace, or at least acceptance of unethical and illegal behavior.
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Gary Cameron / Reuters What Happens to Paul Ryan If Trump Loses?
The rise of Donald Trump has left the speaker of the House, and the Republican Party, in an almost impossible situation.
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Jonathan Ernst / Reuters The Challenge of Governing With a Congressional Majority
Republicans and Democrats face a set of obstacles next year, no matter who holds the most seats.
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Reuters A Simple Plan to Fix the Presidential Debates
The integrity of the country’s political system is on the line.
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Mark Wilson / Getty The Show Trial of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen
The congressional resolution condemning the longtime public servant breaks with both precedent and decency.
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Susan Walsh / AP How to Fix a Broken Mental-Health System
Congress has a chance to overhaul the provision of care, making treatment more available to those who desperately need it.
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Jim Bourg / Reuters Is This the Worst Congress Ever?
It can’t pass a budget, can’t confirm appointments, and now it can’t even scrounge up funding to address public-health crises.
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Charles Rex Arbogast / AP How the Republican Race Could End
Regardless of which scenario prevails, there’s likely to be conflict in Cleveland.
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Gerald Herbert / AP The Grim Reality of American Politics
Donald Trump has a very real shot at becoming president, but even if he doesn’t succeed, the angry populism powering his campaign isn’t going away.
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David Goldman / AP Why Bernie Sanders Can't Govern
Hillary Clinton’s realistic attitude is the only thing that can effect change in today’s political climate.
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Nati Harnik / AP The Eight Causes of Trumpism
However the Republican presidential primary turns out, the conditions that fostered the mogul’s rise have left their mark on the party—and America.
