The central political question raised by Michael Cooper’s piece is why people aren’t convinced they got a tax break with the Recovery Act. One possible answer that has popped up again and again with not just the stimulus, but health care and other Obama initiatives is that there is something fundamentally wrong with how the president and …

With predictions of 50-seat gains and chamber sweeps abounding, TIME took a closer look at what threats remain for the GOP. This interview with our Washington bureau chief, Michael Duffy, breaks down the dark lining to the Republicans’ silver cloud, as he sees it.

Joe, I agree that David Brooks wrote a thought-provoking column which forces us to step back and challenge our assumptions. I’d add another small critique to your list : Brooks argues that advertising from independent groups gets lost in the crush of ads by the candidates and parties themselves. But my sense is that the outside groups on …

Two links this morning for people still trying to make sense of that massive political pinata, the $787 billion stimulus plan. One is a Times article focused on something I’ve posted about before, which is the fact that precious few Americans understand that the stimulus contained plenty of tax cuts (about 40 percent overall, including …

Jimmy McMillan, who is running for Governor of New York on the Rent Is Too Damn High Party ticket, kind of stole the show at last night’s debate, and not least because he was seated between the two people who actually have a shot of winning, Andrew Cuomo and Carl Paladino. Some …

He lacks the flowing mane of that guy from the UPS White Board ads, but there is a certain declarative authority, and simplicity, to his presentation. Expect more of this to come from Obama’s new chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, who happens also to be a celebrated college professor, a college debate champion, a high school …