Steven S Smith
@profstevensmith.bsky.social
Political scientist, ASU and Wash U. Congress, elections, public opinion, survey research. Husband, dad, granddad. RT ≠ endorsement. Personal views. https://stevesnotes.substack.com https://sites.wustl.edu/smith/
Reposted by Steven S Smith
Before marrying V.O. Key, Cora Luella Gettys was one of the first women to receive a PhD in political science. In addition to publications in her own name, she was an RA to many political scientists in the "Chicago School" in the 20s & 30s, and edited without authorship VO's most influential books.
November 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Before marrying V.O. Key, Cora Luella Gettys was one of the first women to receive a PhD in political science. In addition to publications in her own name, she was an RA to many political scientists in the "Chicago School" in the 20s & 30s, and edited without authorship VO's most influential books.
Reposted by Steven S Smith
Reposted by Steven S Smith
Under Mike Johnson, a rarely used House tool has gone mainstream
Under Mike Johnson, a rarely used House tool has gone mainstream
Five discharge petitions have been completed since the Louisiana Republican became speaker — more than in the prior 30 years combined.
dlvr.it
November 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Under Mike Johnson, a rarely used House tool has gone mainstream
Support Ukraine!
November 23, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Support Ukraine!
Reposted by Steven S Smith
After watching an episode of Slow Horses tonight, I said, let's see what's up with Ken Burns' Revolution. All I can say is, whatever possessed him to think that the best way to get Americans to think seriously about the legacy of the Revolution is to review the history of the Revolutionary War?
November 21, 2025 at 4:56 AM
After watching an episode of Slow Horses tonight, I said, let's see what's up with Ken Burns' Revolution. All I can say is, whatever possessed him to think that the best way to get Americans to think seriously about the legacy of the Revolution is to review the history of the Revolutionary War?
Reposted by Steven S Smith
I've had a missile blow up next to my airplane, been shot at dozens of times by anti-aircraft fire, and launched into orbit — all for my country. I never thought I'd see a President call for my execution.
Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we're all less safe for it.
Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we're all less safe for it.
November 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I've had a missile blow up next to my airplane, been shot at dozens of times by anti-aircraft fire, and launched into orbit — all for my country. I never thought I'd see a President call for my execution.
Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we're all less safe for it.
Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we're all less safe for it.
Reposted by Steven S Smith
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Reposted by Steven S Smith
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
So Senate Democratic Eight, what have you done to us?
President Deals wants you to negotiate directly with health insurers over your monthly premium. Or to haggle with your doctor over the cost of your appointment. Or both, it's not really clear.
(Nobody has ever asked for this)
(Nobody has ever asked for this)
November 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
So Senate Democratic Eight, what have you done to us?
Reposted by Steven S Smith
Flashback: Jason Chaffetz Eats a Burger
YouTube video by Roll Call
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Kaine's op-ed over-explains his decision to end the CR filibuster. I don't believe for a minute that Kaine gave much weight to the possible demise of the filibuster by the Rs. Besides, Repubs hate Obamacare at least as much as the shutdown and were not about to nuke the filibuster to get it done.
November 13, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Kaine's op-ed over-explains his decision to end the CR filibuster. I don't believe for a minute that Kaine gave much weight to the possible demise of the filibuster by the Rs. Besides, Repubs hate Obamacare at least as much as the shutdown and were not about to nuke the filibuster to get it done.
"Control" is not in the lexicon of a Senate floor leader in describing his relationship with party colleagues. Never has been. Not even LBJ. But PR is something that a leader is expected to manage well. Schumer rose over Durbin for this reason, but he doesn't get a passing grade in this episode.
November 11, 2025 at 6:19 PM
"Control" is not in the lexicon of a Senate floor leader in describing his relationship with party colleagues. Never has been. Not even LBJ. But PR is something that a leader is expected to manage well. Schumer rose over Durbin for this reason, but he doesn't get a passing grade in this episode.
Reposted by Steven S Smith
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue Over Jack Smith Searches
Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Can't be certain of the full story for each of the eight Dems. I'm more certain that Schumer prefers to let us believe that he orchestrated or at least allowed the outcome than that he failed to keep his party united.
November 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Can't be certain of the full story for each of the eight Dems. I'm more certain that Schumer prefers to let us believe that he orchestrated or at least allowed the outcome than that he failed to keep his party united.
So far, I have heard four distinct reasons for supporting the deal from the eight Democrats. Some rationalization, sure, but, as usual, real multidimensionality, too.
The certainty with which some of my favorite commentators have explained the Dem cave, Schumer's calculations, and the substitutability of Dem votes is uncanny.
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
So far, I have heard four distinct reasons for supporting the deal from the eight Democrats. Some rationalization, sure, but, as usual, real multidimensionality, too.
The certainty with which some of my favorite commentators have explained the Dem cave, Schumer's calculations, and the substitutability of Dem votes is uncanny.
November 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The certainty with which some of my favorite commentators have explained the Dem cave, Schumer's calculations, and the substitutability of Dem votes is uncanny.
So the Trump plan to end handing money to the insurance companies is to hand that money to the insurance companies.
Trump: "I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE."
November 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
So the Trump plan to end handing money to the insurance companies is to hand that money to the insurance companies.
Far right taking up the nuclear option cause.
Trump on eliminating the filibuster:
“If we do it, we will never lose the midterms. And we will never lose the general election,”
And btw:
Russ Vought has now joined the 'nuke the filibuster'
chorus
Project 2025 is just humming along, kids
“If we do it, we will never lose the midterms. And we will never lose the general election,”
And btw:
Russ Vought has now joined the 'nuke the filibuster'
chorus
Project 2025 is just humming along, kids
November 8, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Far right taking up the nuclear option cause.
Any bets that the Antideficiency Act and Impoundment Control Act will double or triple in length four years from now (with a Dem in the White House)? Some tricky issues, but plenty of good ideas summarized in a few places...
November 8, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Any bets that the Antideficiency Act and Impoundment Control Act will double or triple in length four years from now (with a Dem in the White House)? Some tricky issues, but plenty of good ideas summarized in a few places...
Reposted by Steven S Smith
In the wake of Nancy Pelosi's retirement announcement, I reflected a bit on my two very different interviews of her and even more so, her relationship with Harry Reid, which is detailed in an upcoming book you may have heard about.
My latest:
jonralston.substack.com/p/the-reid-p...
My latest:
jonralston.substack.com/p/the-reid-p...
The Reid-Pelosi partnership
She was the "best speaker" in history; he was "Harryesque"
jonralston.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:27 AM
In the wake of Nancy Pelosi's retirement announcement, I reflected a bit on my two very different interviews of her and even more so, her relationship with Harry Reid, which is detailed in an upcoming book you may have heard about.
My latest:
jonralston.substack.com/p/the-reid-p...
My latest:
jonralston.substack.com/p/the-reid-p...
Not likely. 1980 OLC likely correct, particularly with 1981 OLC memo that filled in details. Likely would be upheld by this Supreme Court.
Did you know gov shutdowns aren’t in the Constitution, any law, or Court ruling?
They exist because of a 1980 OLC memo—a lawyer’s opinion that everyone just went along with. Before 1980, funding gaps didn’t cause shutdowns.
What one memo created, another can undo. How the next D admin can undo it:
They exist because of a 1980 OLC memo—a lawyer’s opinion that everyone just went along with. Before 1980, funding gaps didn’t cause shutdowns.
What one memo created, another can undo. How the next D admin can undo it:
Why America’s Government Shutdowns Exist and How to End Them
One Legal Memo Created The Shutdown Era. Another Can End It.
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Not likely. 1980 OLC likely correct, particularly with 1981 OLC memo that filled in details. Likely would be upheld by this Supreme Court.
There's no important procedural principle in a clean CR. That's not the problem. The problem is the problem: Ds offer one-year extension of ACA tax credits; Rs want radically smaller subsidies or even killing ACA. Rs believe it is now or never. D's believe them.
November 7, 2025 at 9:04 PM
There's no important procedural principle in a clean CR. That's not the problem. The problem is the problem: Ds offer one-year extension of ACA tax credits; Rs want radically smaller subsidies or even killing ACA. Rs believe it is now or never. D's believe them.
[If I can get everything I want, we will never lose.]
Trump on ending the filibuster: "If we do it, we will never lose the midterms and we will never lose a general election ... it would be impossible to lose an election."
November 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
[If I can get everything I want, we will never lose.]
Lindsay Graham asks Ds, do you want to continue to send public $s to the insurance companies? Then says the next elections will produce change. We have been waiting for an R plan since Dole's half-hearted effort in 1996. Most Ds are happy to support a universal plan that excludes private insurance.
November 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Lindsay Graham asks Ds, do you want to continue to send public $s to the insurance companies? Then says the next elections will produce change. We have been waiting for an R plan since Dole's half-hearted effort in 1996. Most Ds are happy to support a universal plan that excludes private insurance.
Oh, the softening opposition to the nuclear option. www.texastribune.org/2025/11/06/c...
Cornyn open to filibuster reform; Hunt, Paxton want it gone
The president has sharpened his calls for Senate Republicans to kill the longstanding legislative maneuver, saying the GOP’s electoral success could hinge on it.
www.texastribune.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Oh, the softening opposition to the nuclear option. www.texastribune.org/2025/11/06/c...