Jay Cost

How Congress Lost, Part IX: Resilient Corruption and an Emerging Progressive Critique in the Late 19th Century
How Congress Lost, Part IX: Resilient Corruption and an Emerging Progressive Critique in the Late 19th Century

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part IX: Resilient Corruption and an Emerging Progressive Critique in the Late 19th Century, American ...

January 6, 2026
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Congress in Plain English: The Speaker of the House
Congress in Plain English: The Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most prominent positions in the entire United States government ...

January 5, 2026
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Icons of Congress: Henry Clay
Icons of Congress: Henry Clay

There have been many great men and women to sit in the House and the Senate. Few, however, have rivalled ...

November 13, 2025
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Congress in Plain English: The Basics of a Government Shutdown
Congress in Plain English: The Basics of a Government Shutdown

On October 1, 2025 the United States federal government “shut down.” This is not the first time it has happened. ...

October 14, 2025
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You Can’t Replace Congress with the President
You Can’t Replace Congress with the President

In today’s American political system, the president is the unquestioned leader. But this was not how the framers of the ...

October 2, 2025
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How Congress Lost, Part VIII: Patronage and the Emergence of Senatorial Hegemony
How Congress Lost, Part VIII: Patronage and the Emergence of Senatorial Hegemony

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VIII: Patronage and the Emergence of Senatorial Hegemony, American Enterprise Institute, September 12, 2025. This ...

September 25, 2025
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Icons of Congress: Albert Gallatin
Icons of Congress: Albert Gallatin

In the pantheon of the heroes of the early republic, certain names stand out: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, ...

September 22, 2025
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Congress in Plain English: Federal Control Over Washington, D.C.
Congress in Plain English: Federal Control Over Washington, D.C.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency in Washington, D.C., and took control of the Metropolitan ...

September 2, 2025
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Congress in Plain English: Gerrymandering
Congress in Plain English: Gerrymandering

Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, the parties are playing hardball. Texas Republicans have convened a special session of their ...

August 12, 2025
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Congress in plain English: Why does Congress take a summer break?
Congress in plain English: Why does Congress take a summer break?

The House of Representatives recessed on Wednesday this week. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) made this move to head off a ...

July 23, 2025
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Icons of Congress: James Madison — The First Majority Leader
Icons of Congress: James Madison — The First Majority Leader

In his 1836 eulogy of James Madison, John Quincy Adams called the late president the “Father of the Constitution.” It ...

July 9, 2025
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Congress in Plain English: The War Power
Congress in Plain English: The War Power

President Donald Trump's recent authorization of the use of “bunker-buster” bombs against Iranian nuclear facilities has touched off a debate ...

June 24, 2025
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Congress in Plain English: Budget Reconciliation
Congress in Plain English: Budget Reconciliation

Congress continues to debate the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda for his ...

June 16, 2025
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Jay  Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VII: The Ambiguous Legacy of Andrew Jackson
Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VII: The Ambiguous Legacy of Andrew Jackson

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VII: The Ambiguous Legacy of Andrew Jackson , American Enterprise Institute, May 2025. Unlike his predecessors, ...

June 2, 2025
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Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency
Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency, American Enterprise Institute, March 2025. Jay Cost reminds ...

March 28, 2025
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How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809
How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809, American Enterprise Institute, February ...

February 25, 2025
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How Congress Lost, Part IV: Washington, Foreign Policy, and the Emergence of Presidential Governance
How Congress Lost, Part IV: Washington, Foreign Policy, and the Emergence of Presidential Governance

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part IV: Washington, Foreign Policy, and the Emergence of PresidentialGovernance, American Enterprise Institute, August 2024. This ...

September 2, 2024
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How Congress Lost, Part III: Hamiltonian Energy and the Washington Administration
How Congress Lost, Part III: Hamiltonian Energy and the Washington Administration

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part III: Hamiltonian Energy and the Washington Administration, American Enterprise Institute, June 2024. This report by ...

September 2, 2024
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How Congress Lost, Part I: The Defeated Congress
How Congress Lost, Part I: The Defeated Congress

"Congress was intended to be the most important institution in our national government.... Congress’s centrality in American political life is ...

February 9, 2024
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