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Caitie Whelan

Caitie Whelan

What Kills Most Bills & What to Do About It

When I first came to D.C., an old timer told me that the most powerful force in that town could be distilled to one word. And that word is coleslaw. No. I kid. The word is inertia. The devil you know is better than the devil you don'

A Few Minutes for a Stronger Democracy

I have to imagine that "National Thank a Politician Day" wouldn't be a widely celebrated holiday. But let's see if I can make the case for it. When most of us hear the word politician, what likely springs to mind is a lying, cheating,

Things We Can Ask Our Legislator To Do For Us

On February 7, 2018, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made one minute last eight hours. When rank and file members speak on the House floor, they get one plain Jane sixty-second minute. But House leadership has the privilege of a Magic Minute, where they can speak for as long as the

How to Win By Losing

Most folks outside of Ohio don't know John Boccieri's name. Perhaps most folks inside Ohio don't know his name either. Or even how to pronounce it (BOW-cherry). But John Boccieri is a name worth knowing. He's a son of Youngstown, was an

How to Get a Legislator to Yes

Most politicians are party animals. By which I mean they are - or at least believe themselves to be - somewhat beholden to the priorities of their political party. (Though a certain Senate Majority Leader from New York is also known to enjoy a good dance party.) The party probably

How to Make Your Voice Heard With Politicians

There is a cat I know who is a relentless self-advocate. Inhumanely early caterwauling for breakfast. Staring the human awake. Pawing at the human's stomach. And the human, who is after all human, breaks. She sets out a bowl of tuna, while muttering about feline entitlement. But the

A Key Policy Power Marker

While it is true that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, it is less true that a House Speaker by any other name would control as much. Legislatures the land over just love their titles. And too often, good folks unwittingly misaddress legislators, an immediate flag

Decoding Policy Jargon

The poets seldom write about short-term CRs. Full committee markups and community directed spending (a spiffed up way of saying earmarks) are also notably absent from the poetic canon. Uninspired though legislative language may be, it can actually have some bearing on us. So let's open wide the

What Quietly Helps Hold Democracy Together

There's a place where you can take stuff home for free and be trusted that you'll bring it back. The stuff isn't grimy or second-rate or chaotically strewn about, but systematically organized, updated, and cared for by professionals. This place also offers other free

The Key Thing the News Barely Covers

And now for a few fun policy questions. Can you... * ...name one component of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law? * ...name one law that was enacted under Trump? * ...ditto Obama (besides Obamacare)? If you could answer any of those, brava! If you were stumped by all of them (but can still