Reposted by Steven S SmithSahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 23hSusan Collins on how to push back on Trump’s $810 mill rescission: “One of the things that could be done is the GAO could be authorized to sue the administration under the Impoundment & Budget Control Act of 1974. So that's one option. But Congress would have to authorize that.” 11306
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Huh? Rail line complications give reason to doubt that this will happen for years. Involves switches from one major railroad network to another, mass investment in cars and locos, freight line bottlenecks, IA's intersection limits. For now, just trying to buy IA votes. 1166
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Right. "Cloture having been invoked, the pending motion to recommit falls." CR, Nov 13 2002, S10856. 020
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 24/09/2026From suggestions to norms to written rules. House Ds likely to formalize expectations for the behavior of their committee leaders: paying DCCC dues, attending House votes, and voting with the rest of the caucus on procedural votes. www.washingtonsun.com/congress/hou...washingtonsun.comNo Dues, No Gavel: House Democrats Float Forcing Committee Leaders Pay Up“It’s crazy that these chairs do nothing to get the majority,” one House Democrat told The Sun. 020
Reposted by Steven S SmithBill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Other news organizations should leave the White House. They can of course still cover the administration--almost none of their coverage depends on being there physically. But they shouldn't stay there, raising their hands dutifully in the briefing room, as if it's business as usual. 1372614555
Reposted by Steven S Smithringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Massie went on for over an hour reading his impeachment resolution… Giving notice of your intent to offer a question of privilege has a lot of potential as a method of filibustering (you have to read your resolution in full). It’s only a matter of time before it gets curtailed. 19214
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Challenges the view that constituents' knowledge of legislators' votes is better than we think. Actually, not so good. 010
Reposted by Steven S SmithNorm Ornstein @normornstein.bsky.social · 11/09/2026www.contrariannews.org/p/25-year-la...contrariannews.org25 Year Later, We Still Haven’t Dealt With the Continuity Gaps in Our GovernmentEven after 9/11, multiple crises, and domestic and foreign attacks, our system remains unprepared for the aftermath of a mass catastrophe. What will it take? 34820
Reposted by Steven S SmithNorm Ornstein @normornstein.bsky.social · 11/09/2026At 1:30 today at The Contrarian, I will have a long piece looking at the 25 year history of futile attempts to deal with continuity of government, serious issues raised on 9/11, heightened by, among other things, Covid & the January 6 violent insurrection. Link will post then 05213
Reposted by Steven S SmithSam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Not sure it was a great life decision to write law review articles about matters that are as fresh as today's headlines. But, in any event, here's an updated version of my slush funds piece: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....papers.ssrn.com"Slush Funds" and Congress's Power of the PurseIf there's one point on which everyone agrees in appropriations law, it's that "slush funds" are bad. In the appropriations context, people tend to us 55818
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 28/08/2026If Hegseth runs for president, I expect him to come across like the West Wing‘s Republican candidate for president in an early series, Gov Robert Ritchie (James Brolin). Remember him? "Crime. Boy, I don't know.” 010
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 26/08/2026ATP and WTA tennis need an 7-month schedule that limits the number of major and 1000 Masters tournaments for players in that period. The ranking and financial pressures to play nearly continuously year-round seems to be hurting players and hurting the game. Playing Jan-Nov is absurd. 020
Reposted by Steven S Smithringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 26/08/2026It’s not so much that you can’t, but rather that the clerks will be annoyed if you do. (🧾 in post below) 6203
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Must read cstewartiii.bsky.socialcstewartiii.bsky.socialcstewartiii.bsky.social 000
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Wondering when the Roberts court will decide to double the size of the Supreme Court bldg, raise some private funds, start the project, ask Congress for more money, and rule against any effort to stop them. 140
Reposted by Steven S SmithBenjamin Wittes @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org · 21/08/2026As a present to the Russian embassy in DC for UA Independence Day, I am planning to make a giant arch of 500 blue and yellow balloons for display at the #GatesOfHell. Anyone in the DMV who wants to help me inflate and hang balloons should join me at Wisconsin and Edmunds NW at 5:00 pm on Sunday. 414437
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Worth a read: An investigation ditched by the NYT. substack.com/inbox/post/2...substack.comWith Fear and FavorInstitutions don’t have courage. They have incentives. 010
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Right. In addition to Rachel's bill count, several measures put this Congress at the low end of productivity. For example, the number of roll-call votes for the 111th-118th Congresses was nearly 1300 votes. In the 119th (2025-2026) so far, it is 645. They may reach 800. 132
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 16/08/2026The moral imperative is clear: Democrats must self-regulate to avoid exploitation of small donors. 020
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Emmer is embarrassing, truly embarrassing. His state party leadership went to some trouble to nominate articulate, intelligent candidates for statewide office this year but they are stuck with this guy in US House “leadership.” 053
Reposted by Steven S SmithKathy L Weiss @middlechildtake.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Republicans cut healthcare for millions with Trump's #BigBeautifulBill and now: www.npr.org/2026/07/31/n...npr.orgAhead of midterms, Republicans run ads after cutting healthcare fundsBlanketing the airwaves with ads about healthcare, Republican candidates who voted to cut federal funding in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are positioning themselves as advocates for lower costs. 17220110
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 08/08/2026But we all appreciate the debate and deliberation that took place on the floor during that hour. 131
Reposted by Steven S SmithMichael McFaul @mcfaulmike.bsky.social · 07/08/2026The US currently gives more military aid to Egypt than to Ukraine. Why? 33380134
Reposted by Steven S SmithCatherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Update on this: This bill just passed the Senate, 86-11. Efforts to strip the sweeping new tariff authorities from the bill failed. Lunacy 701062403
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Some notes on presidents and Senate filibuster reform. The (nearly) unprecedented tension between Trump and Senate Rs. stevesnotes.substack.com/p/note-47-pr...stevesnotes.substack.comNote 47. Presidents and Filibuster ReformFor most of the 20th century, a strict norm governed the relationship between the White House and Senate procedure: Presidents stay out of Senate rules. 000
Reposted by Steven S Smithsvateboje.bsky.social @svateboje.bsky.social · 28/07/2026the memo from Doran Schrantz shared in this Kuttner piece via this link is an absolute must-read www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...documentcloud.orgAct Free to Be Free 9224118
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Presidents and filibuster reform: A short note. stevesnotes.substack.com/p/note-47-pr...stevesnotes.substack.comNote 47. Presidents and Filibuster ReformFor most of the 20th century, a strict norm governed the relationship between the White House and Senate procedure: Presidents stay out of Senate rules. 001
Reposted by Steven S SmithRick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Read @nedfoley.bsky.social, pointing out a big David French mistake in his @nytopinion.nytimes.com column Another reminder: the House is not a continuing body electionlawblog.org?p=157565electionlawblog.orgAnother reminder: the House is not a continuing body #ELBDavid French is one of my favorite opinion columnists. I often agree with his analysis and judgments, and when I don’t, I invariably find them thoughtful. That’s why it’s distressing this morning to ... 2163
Reposted by Steven S SmithJim Manley @jamespmanley.bsky.social · 17/07/2026It’s a small, insider thing but @HuffPost is reporting that neither Thune or Johnson put out a statement last night after the so called presidents wild ranting. For the 2 leaders not to react like this is almost unprecedented 0173
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Headline: Trump Claims CIA & FBI Covered Up China Election Inference During His Administration. 192
Reposted by Steven S SmithNorm Ornstein @normornstein.bsky.social · 14/07/2026I’ve been watching the House slim hearing with Supreme Court justices; re-upping what I recently wrote. www.contrariannews.org/p/reining-in...contrariannews.orgReining in a Rogue Supreme CourtIt is up to Congress to use its legitimate Article I powers to do so. 24724
Reposted by Steven S SmithJim Manley @jamespmanley.bsky.social · 10/07/2026www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...theatlantic.comThe MIA CaucusMitch McConnell isn’t the first member of Congress to drop out of sight. 193
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 09/07/2026After a wave of questions about precedents for McConnell's situation: Look at the Thad Cochran episode in 2017. Little info on the condition of the Approps chair for weeks. Eventually retired. 021
Reposted by Steven S SmithJack Rakove @jrakove.bsky.social · 04/07/2026My thoughts on the day. I'd have liked the simpler title, "Is It the Fourth?" But editors get their own say on that. I do think that the close of Winthrop's sermon aboard the Arbella in 1630 sounds the right counterpoint to the aspirations of the Declaration. washingtonmonthly.com/2026/07/04/i...washingtonmonthly.comIndependence Day, From Jefferson to Reagan to TrumpThe 47th president has smashed norms, enriched himself, and even bungled cleaning the Reflecting Pool. But July 4 still survives. 22915
Reposted by Steven S SmithJoel Wertheimer @wertwhile.bsky.social · 29/06/2026I have a new post up at Nate Silver's site about UMich's sentiment survey. Please read it I think it's quite good. The upshot is that the survey is broken because it doesn't weight by party. If you're talking vibecession, get a different survey. www.natesilver.net/p/is-the-vib...natesilver.netIs the vibecession real — or is the survey broken?A shift to online polling and undersampling of Republicans are skewing America’s most-cited measure of consumer sentiment. 78313
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 01/07/2026@bennet.senate.gov would have been a great governor for CO, but the Senate is a better place with him there. Here’s hoping he runs for reelection in 2028. 010
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Exactly. Protect investors but not workers or consumers. 121
Reposted by Steven S SmithRobert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Kalshi gave Donald Trump Jr. $300K in equity after making him a strategic advisor last year. Since then, Kalshi’s valuation has exploded by 1000%. Meanwhile, Trump’s regime has stifled state efforts to regulate prediction markets and crack down on insider trading. Always follow the money. 11924371045
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Essential viewing and reading: @pkrugman.bsky.social and the NYT on Trump family corruption. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/corruption...paulkrugman.substack.comCorruption for Make Benefit Glorious Family of TrumpThe emoluments are the message 112
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 27/06/2026We should increase the size of the US House & require PR for its members, but I count very few legislators who want to dilute their power or give up being the single conduit to the House for their districts. With sizable Democratic majorities after the '28 elections, we might get districting reform. 161
Reposted by Steven S SmithAnthony Wright @awright2care.bsky.social · 27/06/2026BREAKING TONIGHT: New data from #HHS shows the enrollment in #ACA individual health insurance marketplaces is 19.2M-a dramatic decrease of nearly 4M, from 23.1M enrolled in coverage in January-as people saw premiums double due to policy decisions by the President & Congress. (1) 124
Reposted by Steven S SmithMike Crespin @mikecrespin.bsky.social · 22/06/2026I was really sad to hear about Dave Rohde's passing. Dave was, of course, an incredible scholar. He was also a great advisor and so many of us owe him a debt of gratitude for helping launch our careers. When I'm puzzled by something, I'll often think to myself, what would Dave do. It usually helps. 4206
Reposted by Steven S SmithMona Burns @monaburns.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Thune on the the SAVE America Act .. and nuking the filibuster: “Everybody knows we’re not nuking the filibuster… At some point, it seems like we ought to start making this an issue with the Democrats rather than with each other.” 'A pretty extraordinary rebuke of Lee and other GOP Senators ..' 011
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 18/06/2026No comment? No, comment required. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZEH...youtube.comA Trillion DollarsYouTube video by Jonathan Pie 000
Reposted by Steven S Smithringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 18/06/2026I believe this will be only the second civilian nomination this Congress to be considered under a unanimous-consent agreement, not using cloture. (The other one was Rubio. None have been confirmed by unanimous consent/voice vote.) 392
Steven S Smith @profstevensmith.bsky.social · 18/06/2026South Chicago is expressing the true spirit of America today. 000