Political Theater

Sports is leading the way on diversity, equity and inclusion, but don't expect to hear those words at the game. Plus: Everyone get ready for National Operational Security Awareness Month. 

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Dressing up as a donkey for a skit lampooning politicians at a white tie dinner in Washington is silly. But during difficult times, when the most powerful people in the world are challenging the boundaries of constitutional democracy, it is important to hang onto your sense of humor. The annual Gridiron dinner aims to “singe, not burn” with its humor. What does that mean when it feels like the world is on fire, though?

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House Democrats are gathering for their annual policy retreat this week, and face a series of questions as they navigate the 119th Congress, including why they are more unpopular than Republicans, what they can do as a minority party in a closely divided country, how do they recruit quality candidates to run for office and what level of coordination to pursue among themselves and their allies.

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In the early days of the second Trump administration, congressional Republicans and Democrats face decisions about how to react to White House-led actions. For Democrats, it can be boiled down to: Fight or retreat. Republicans are being advised to restrict contact with the public. We talk with Nathan Gonzales about what, at this point, makes the most sense politically.

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In recent days, the Senate and House have both passed versions of their own budget resolution, one of the key steps in constructing a so-called reconciliation bill that will cut spending and taxes and enact GOP legislative priorities without having to deal with the usual Senate roadblocks. But there is a long way to go until something heads to the president’s desk, so we are going to talk about what’s been happening and what is going on with CQ Roll Call’s illustrious Budget Tracker, David Lerman.

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For someone who has dominated politics for going on a decade, Donald Trump still controls the narrative in a way that leaves his opponents flat-footed. Trump's connection to professional wrestling offers lessons on how he is able to do this and how to connect in the political arena.

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Is it possible to find beauty amid the horror of the Ukraine-Russia war? The Academy Award-nominated documentary "Porcelain War" argues that it is not only possible, it is essential. Co-director Slava Leontyev discusses how ordinary people keep their culture, art and themselves alive, and how even in a time of fear "it's hard to forbid people to live."

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The early days of the 119th Congress and the second Trump administration have been a whirlwind, but here is one observation for those looking to make sense of things: Having a plan beats not having a plan. 

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The early days of the second Trump administration have brought us an intense debate over constitutional authority and the role of government, which has been folded into the unstable and chaotic political era we are in. Is this destabilization something that will endure, or is it one of many similar, rough times in our history, say the 1960s, when politics and the government were tested and evolved, but overall held?

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Presidential pardons are all over the place, thanks to outgoing President Joe Biden and newly sworn in President Donald Trump. Presidents’ power to pardon is pretty comprehensive, and has been used to pardon the likes of Confederates, Jimmy Hoffa, Richard Nixon, Defense secretaries, family members and dirty tricksters, and most recently the Jan. 6 crowd and even the founder of the black market drug marketplace Silk Road.

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