One possible consequence of the 6-3 decision in Trump v. CASA is the Supreme Court radically distancing itself from any comprehensive involvement with the direction of the American constitutional order.

Fresh Mormon data! Or, fresh Mormon political data analysis, anyway. Fits with my observations (and frustrations, unfortunately). www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/2024-elect...

"If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me."

static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics...

Well, I guess that's that. A deeply weird and possibly mentally ill individual who holds to several genuinely important and good ideas about improving American health, alongside several dozen murderously terrible ones, is now going to be in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Dammit, Cassidy, it's not like you're even going to be renominated by your own party in 2026 anyway. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Oh look, he caved. (Sort of. Maybe. For the moment. Until he comes up with something else to distract us, that is.)

Allison Lirish Dean has written a long, thoughtful examination of the political, economic, and even philosophical positions and arguments that have emerged, and are continuing to shift, as America struggles with its housing crisis. Lots of good stuff in here. www.currentaffairs.org/news/in-spra...

Some notes on a fine book. inmedias.blogspot.com/2025/01/lesl...

Damon Linker's analysis of Vought's vision of the Trump administration exercising both "boldness and self-denial" in completely reworking the federal bureaucracy is excellent, both scary and fascinating at the same time. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/o...

But we all know that Germans are all swoony and hysterical and tend to over-react to everything, so of course, nicht wörtlich nehmen and all that. www.zeit.de/kultur/2025-...

Nearly a month old, but still good. arcmag.org/david-brooks...

I'm not sure if I've connected with any Wichita folks here yet, and I don't know if this place will even work, in comparison to Facebook, for my Wichita and Kansas-centric stuff, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Enjoy, if you feel so inclined: mittelpolitan.substack.com/p/the-tempta...

January 6 was now, officially, a really energetic demonstration by a bunch of patriots, I guess. Fortunately we can still officially refer to Trump as a convicted felon (as well as a liar and a con-man), at least until he figures out a way to pardon himself. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Radley Balko's brilliant, entirely uncontroversial post needs no comment, of course. Right? radleybalko.substack.com/p/clapping-f...

I am apparently now on Bluesky. Hi!