The government shutdown that begins today was probably unavoidable the moment Senate Democrats voted last spring to keep the government funded.

It was the responsible move, but it left the party’s base furious.

When a president summons the nation’s top generals and admirals into one room — something that almost never happens — the expectation is a sober conversation about defending the country from foreign adversaries.

But Donald Trump barely mentioned America’s enemies abroad in his speech today.

The president has wide latitude in deciding which federal agencies and programs stay open during a government shutdown.

That discretion has often been used as a political weapon.

It’s understandable that Democrats want to fight Donald Trump — and a shutdown confrontation is one of the few chances they have. With Senate rules requiring Democratic votes to keep the government open, the temptation is obvious.

But history is merciless on this point: the party that tries to leverage a shutdown always loses.

There may be no clearer sign that the Trump administration misjudged the blowback from forcing Jimmy Kimmel off the air than the sudden silence of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

Just days ago, Carr was strutting in front of cameras, boasting of his threat to ABC — “We can do this the easy way or the hard way” — and mocking Kimmel while praising the television stations that preempted his show.

The Justice Department’s decision to indict James Comey under pressure from Donald Trump instantly cast new light on one of Joe Biden’s most controversial acts as president.

In the final minutes of his term, Biden issued sweeping pardons covering his family, members of the January 6th committee, Gen. Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Every week brings a fresh set of developments in politics— some predictable, others not so much.

Take the quiz to find out how well you kept up.

A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey — a predictable yet stunning outcome that underscores President Trump’s obsession with retribution against his enemies.

There is no mistaking the point. This is revenge.

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at reshaping the future of TikTok in the United States.

The move clears the way for a new coalition of investors — all loyal Trump backers — to run what the White House calls an “American version” of the platform — one that is supposedly divorced from its Chinese owner.

The latest episode of Trial Balloon is live for members.

Did Republicans jump the shark on free speech?

Just for members: The latest issue of Ballot Access News.

This month’s edition shows just how much the rules of democracy are in flux.

It often seems as if Donald Trump can weather any controversy without real political damage. Scandals erupt, outrage flares, and then the news cycle moves on.