As Democrats move this week to raise America's $12.1 trillion debt limit, we're deep into the usual kabuki-style fuss over this must-pass legislation. The opposition party denounces the fiscal recklessness of the party in power. Chin-stroking scolds cluck about the need for a bipartisan commission. Stenographers in the media inexplicably...

The Big Point being lost in all the back and forth over the stimulus plan's flaws is this: there is no such thing as a perfect stimulus.

First, we don't really know what will work best, and second, no giant bill like this gets through Congress without massive amounts...

Caroline Kennedy is a fine lady, but Nick Kristof has it right on his blog regarding the aristocratization of American politics. My own entry on this demoralizing phenomenon was a column back in March 2001, reprinted below. Nothing's changed.

Forget Soft Money -- Stop the Heirs!

I...

This article originally appeared at The Big Money.

Yes, it takes a breathtaking level of chutzpah for Hank Paulson to bar as "punitive" any caps on Wall Street compensation or clawbacks of ill-gotten gains on the verge of an epic federal bailout. But Democrats would be foolish to fixate...

A classic from the archive (March 1999) brought to mind by Scott McClellan's current choices

As bombs fall in Belgrade and George Stephanopoulus' memoir hits number one on bestseller lists, President Clinton has to be wondering who in the room is taking notes for the next kiss-and-tell. Unfortunately, he's got...