Author: Christian Twiste

Reminder: The Constitution doesn’t actually mention tariffs and the Supreme Court ruled in 1928 that the power can be delegated to the President

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

Rather than looking at the Constitution, the history, the law, and the facts, many automatically assume President Trump will not prevail at the Supreme Court or anything else, but what else is new? Last week, Supreme Court pundits and watchers were convinced the Justices were set to overturn President Trump’s global tariff policy because several… Continue reading Reminder: The Constitution doesn’t actually mention tariffs and the Supreme Court ruled in 1928 that the power can be delegated to the President

No, endless subsidies do not make healthcare or anything else more affordable

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

If the government were to subsidize Ferraris for a year, that doesn’t mean the cost of a Ferrari will go up when the subsidies expire.  It means the amount of money given to you to purchase a Ferrari went down. If there is a healthcare deal to be had, it cannot simply be to expand… Continue reading No, endless subsidies do not make healthcare or anything else more affordable

The post-Trump world isn’t pretty for Republicans, but there’s a lesson from proud socialist and now NYC Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

In today’s fast pace, media saturated, meme driven world, old school messaging and advertising will not be enough, especially in the face of historical trends.  The public, most of the time, craves something different, a fearlessness and a boldness that the old guard is unwilling to deliver, and if Republicans cannot deliver it, they will… Continue reading The post-Trump world isn’t pretty for Republicans, but there’s a lesson from proud socialist and now NYC Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and the unsettling birth of the cinematic universe

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

I’m not sure which is the bigger achievement.  David Lynch’s daring to tell an unfiltered story of the sexual abuse and suffering of a teenager in 1992, or to use it as a gateway to the modern media world, where world-building and origin stories rule. These days, cinematic universes are all the rage, but back… Continue reading Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and the unsettling birth of the cinematic universe

Is it time to nuke the filibuster from orbit and let partisan politics sort it out?

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

Should a minority party be able to shutter the government and by their own admission, cause widespread suffering because of a tool some have claimed is a relic of slavery, especially when the nature of that tool has changed dramatically?  Generally speaking, I am a fan of the filibuster.  While the mainstream media and President… Continue reading Is it time to nuke the filibuster from orbit and let partisan politics sort it out?

Trump’s Asia triumph and the enduring, under appreciated art of constant dealmaking

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

If you aren’t willing to make adjustments, and you aren’t continually grinding it out, day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and year in, you are unlikely to achieve anything except blather. “We have a deal,” President Donald Trump declared after meeting with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping in… Continue reading Trump’s Asia triumph and the enduring, under appreciated art of constant dealmaking

My recent trip to Dubai and a few thoughts on fundamental rights

Christian Twiste1 Comment
Dubai downtown skyline

Living in the Emirates is easy, if you follow the rules, you can enjoy all the benefits a thriving country has to offer.  These rules are relatively simple, but justice is swift and the consequences are severe.  Can an American cut it? As an American, I have always been proud of my country’s historic role… Continue reading My recent trip to Dubai and a few thoughts on fundamental rights

Sleep, death, and the limits of Mark Twain and William Shakespeare

Christian Twiste3 Comments
Sleep and death

If only we could sleep as easily as we can die.  I could end my life in an instant, but for reasons that defy explanation, simply putting the mind to rest for a few hours can prove impossible.  If only we could sleep as easily as we can die.  I could, if I chose, end… Continue reading Sleep, death, and the limits of Mark Twain and William Shakespeare

The new Democrat nullification movement

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

Rather than accept that the federal government supersedes the states when operating within the sphere of its enumerative powers, the claim then and now was that states could pick and choose which laws they would follow and enforce. In the lead up to the Civil War, slaveholding states embraced the idea that they could nullify… Continue reading The new Democrat nullification movement

Did a progressive finally admit Democrats have moved too far left for their own good?

Christian TwisteLeave a comment

Rather than acting like adults who have encountered a disagreement and making adjustments, a progressive columnists accuses his own side of lashing out like children, blaming them for their beliefs, claiming they are “irrational” and “unacceptable.”  It’s become something of a catechism in progressive circles:  The Republican Party, particularly under President Donald Trump, has moved… Continue reading Did a progressive finally admit Democrats have moved too far left for their own good?