The hottest Legislative Process Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Term Limits and the Political Class

Life Since the Baby Boom • 1383 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Campaign Finance Legislative Process
  1. Term limits are seen as a way to reduce the power of career politicians and bring in fresh perspectives. People hope this will help regular citizens have more say in their government.
  2. In places with term limits, like California, many politicians still come from the same political background. They often just switch to different political roles instead of leaving politics altogether.
  3. While term limits can encourage change, they don't always produce the desired results. We might not see the dramatic improvements some hope for if similar limits are applied to Congress.

The GOP Uniparty Must Vacate The Chair!

Emerald Robinson’s The Right Way • 4543 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political corruption Party Dynamics Legislative Process Government funding Bipartisanship
  1. The two-party system is collapsing, leading to a one-party system.
  2. The GOP establishment is aligned with Democrats, pushing for uni-party rule.
  3. There is a battle within the GOP between Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy, highlighting broken promises and alliances with Democrats.

The Heritage Foundation's Medicare and Social Security Blueprint

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 739 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Healthcare policy Social Security Medicare Political Ideologies Legislative Process
  1. The Heritage Foundation is working to change Medicare into a system more like private insurance, which may not provide the same level of care for everyone. This shift could leave many seniors without sufficient support when they really need it.
  2. Currently, many people are choosing Medicare Advantage plans because they seem to offer great perks. However, these plans might limit their care options when serious health issues arise, potentially putting them in a difficult situation later on.
  3. If reforms are passed, Medicare and Social Security could become benefits available only to those in the greatest need. This would transform them from universal programs into something more like welfare, affecting millions of Americans.

Six Ways Being a Cardplayer Helps me Analyze Politics

Matt’s Five Points • 199 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Analysis Political strategy Campaigns Legislative Process
  1. Understanding the rules of the game is key in both cards and politics. Just like in a card game, knowing the rules of political systems helps you make better decisions and predictions.
  2. Political players have different goals, just like card players. It's important to recognize that not everyone is trying to win; some are in it for fun or other reasons.
  3. Many times, outcomes in politics and card games are influenced by chance. Good players focus on making smart decisions rather than stressing about random events outside their control.
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OSD 247: ATF and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

Open Source Defense • 56 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Second Amendment Legislative Process Gun Rights
  1. Recent legal challenges against ATF rules highlight administrative law complexities, not just gun rights.
  2. Engaging in detailed rule debates with ATF is less impactful than questioning their authority to create rules.
  3. The key to influencing government actions lies in making it politically beneficial for officials to act in the right way, or stripping away their power to act wrongly.

Once upon a time, today was important

Matt’s Five Points • 119 implied HN points • 04 Mar 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Founding Fathers Constitution Political History Legislative Process
  1. March 4th used to be a big day in American politics when new Congress members and the President would take office. This changed in 1933 with the 20th amendment, which set new start dates for their terms.
  2. The Founding Fathers made mistakes in planning the political calendar, leading to issues like 'lame duck' sessions where old lawmakers couldn't make strong decisions. This created problems during critical times in history.
  3. The 20th amendment fixed some of these issues, allowing Congress to start its terms earlier and better aligning the start of the President's term with the new Congress. This helped avoid confusion and improved government efficiency.

On Writing your Congressman

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 02 Apr 12
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislative Process Information Management
  1. The way people communicate with Congress has changed a lot because of the internet. Now, emailing is much more common than sending letters, making it easier to share opinions quickly.
  2. Emails come from everywhere, making it hard for Congress members to know if the sender is from their district. This leads to a broader focus on national issues instead of local concerns.
  3. With so many emails to handle, congressional staff have to work harder to respond to constituents, which takes time away from other important tasks like policy work.

Notes on legislative power accumulation: adding and extracting value

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 02 Feb 12
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislative Process Political strategy Power Dynamics Public Policy
  1. Members of Congress mainly aim to get re-elected, which helps them pursue power and create good policies. If they focus on making good policies without worrying about re-election, they might lose their ability to influence things.
  2. To gain power in a legislature, new members can add value by being reliable voters and developing skills like fundraising or policy expertise. They need to trade their contributions for support from more powerful members.
  3. Extracting value means figuring out what your vote or influence is worth and negotiating for what you can get in return. Being clear about your goals while appearing undecided can help in securing favorable deals.

The Great Recess-ion

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 13 Jan 12
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislative Process Executive Power Constitutional Law Political parties
  1. Right now, we have a unique situation where different parties control the House and Senate. This makes it tricky for the government to function smoothly and affects how appointments are made.
  2. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a new agency, which means there are rules about how people can be appointed that differ from other roles. This complicates filling important positions.
  3. Recess appointments aren't as powerful as many think. They can be strategic tools for presidents, but using them can also limit their long-term influence, especially when it comes to judicial appointments.

Whigging out

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 30 Nov 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Executive Power Political strategy Legislative Process
  1. Congress has the power to shape its own support systems, like the Congressional Budget Office, but if they weaken these tools, they risk giving more power to the President.
  2. It’s tough for Congress to challenge the President directly because the President has a unified message and strong public support, making it hard for Congress to counter effectively.
  3. Congress can either centralize power to act more decisively or expand its capacity to gather information, but these approaches often conflict and can create internal tensions within the legislature.

All the news that's fit to incinerate

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 17 Nov 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Commentary Media Critique Legislative Process Political Analysis
  1. There's a big misunderstanding about the president's powers. People often think the president can do everything on their own, which isn't true.
  2. Good media should avoid spreading incorrect views about politics. When articles make false claims about presidential control, it can confuse readers.
  3. It's important to understand that lawmaking involves Congress too. Many decisions and actions require cooperation, not just power from the president.

Executive sidestepping

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 24 Oct 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive Power Legislative Process Policy Making Constitutional Law
  1. The president has to follow legal authority and can't act like a king. His power comes from the Constitution or laws made by Congress, so saying he's sidestepping Congress isn't really correct.
  2. Executive power in domestic policy mostly comes from Congress giving it to the president. This means he can't make decisions that go against what Congress has already decided without specific permission.
  3. Congress can take back powers it has given to the president whenever it wants. If lawmakers don’t like what the president is doing, they can change the laws to restrict his authority.

On the credibility of veto threats

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 21 Sep 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Legislative Process Presidential Power Bipartisanship
  1. A veto threat from the President may not be credible when Congress supports the legislation with both parties, making it hard for the President to actually veto it. If a bill has a lot of support from Democrats, it seems like there's a strong agreement, and this weakens the threat of a veto.
  2. The rules set by the Budget Control Act create a chance for a bill that the President doesn't like to pass, making veto threats more believable in this situation. This means the President could potentially influence the process by threatening a veto if the legislation leans too conservative.
  3. If Congress takes actions that are seen as irresponsible, it could lead to a situation where the President would have a strong reason to veto. This might happen if Congress tries to block cuts that were agreed upon, giving the President a chance to position himself as the responsible one.

On the history of political phrases

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 17 May 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political History Campaign strategies Legislative Process Political Rhetoric Public Policy
  1. The phrase 'waste, fraud, and abuse' became popular in American politics around the late 1970s. It seems strange that it didn't exist earlier, given how much it's talked about now.
  2. Many political phrases we hear today have roots that go back much further in history. Phrases like 'split-ticket' and 'corrupt bargain' have been around since the 19th century.
  3. Even though 'waste, fraud, and abuse' is commonly criticized, it has only recently gained attention in the political spotlight, showing how language in politics evolves over time.

If you like it so much, you defend it

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 24 Feb 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Constitutional Law Executive Power Legislative Process Civil Rights Policy Debate
  1. It's okay for a president to not defend a law they think is unconstitutional. It doesn't mean they're ignoring it, just that they don't want to fight for it in court.
  2. Not enforcing a law is very different from not defending it legally. Not enforcing can lead to big problems, but not defending doesn't change how the law is followed.
  3. If the government believes a law is unconstitutional, it might be better for supporters of that law to find different lawyers to defend it, as the government might not do a good job of it.

Five Points Podcast: Episode #1

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 02 Aug 10
🎙 Podcasts Political Analysis Legislative Process Current Events Media Commentary
  1. The podcast discusses the current congressional agenda and reviews what has been accomplished so far. It highlights important progress made by Congress in the 116th session.
  2. Listeners can expect insights on what to anticipate from Congress leading up to the 2020 elections. The episode aims to inform listeners about upcoming legislative actions.
  3. The episode includes links to relevant resources and discussions, like budget deals and individual profiles of Congress members, providing a deeper understanding of the political climate.

Problems of Majority Voting

Something to Consider • 0 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Voting Systems Political parties Legislative Process Government Structure Elections
  1. Majority voting can create problems because it doesn't always consider everyone's true preferences. If people can't trade votes or favors, decisions may not reflect what the community really wants.
  2. Political parties are important for maintaining stable voting majorities. If parties can't control their members, it leads to chaos and ineffective governance, as they have to make too many compromises.
  3. To improve the voting process, we could consider new systems like jungle primaries or ranked choice voting. These changes might help ensure better candidate choices and encourage cooperation among party members.

Matt's Five Points, October 19, 2018 — Constitutional Hardball

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 19 Oct 18
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Constitutional Law Legislative Process Supreme Court Political Tactics
  1. Constitutional hardball is when legal political strategies push the boundaries of accepted norms. It can be risky, as it may lead to larger conflicts and weaken institutions like the Supreme Court.
  2. The statehood process in the U.S. is easy to manipulate and can disrupt political balance. This flexibility once caused major tensions, particularly regarding issues like slavery in the 19th century.
  3. Lame-duck sessions in Congress can actually be quite productive, with significant legislation often passing during this time. The upcoming session could see important decisions being made, especially if party control changes.