The Spectacular Vindication of the Anti-Federalists
Nearly a quarter millennium after the Constitution's signing, the faction's warnings are more relevant than ever.
That Patchwork
The Substack about political decentralization.
Kennedy Isn't The Problem
California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii take the lead on vaccines as the secretary reveals the peril of centralizing medical guidance.
Why Federal Shutdowns Feel Irrelevant
Few things stop, many things slow down, but most could be handled by the states.
"America" and the Burden of Unity
How the United States was rebranded as a monolith and set up for failure.
The Supreme Court's Next Act on Voting Rights
By centering geography, as most states already do with legislative maps, the Court could revitalize local representation in Congress.
Zohran Mamdani and the Suspension of Disbelief
The New York mayoral hopeful is a brand and great brands win fierce loyalty even if the product doesn't live up to the hype.
Nope, Virginia and New Jersey Still Aren't National Bellwethers
Voters' choices for governor diverge from their presidential picks. Local issues remain dominant in these state races.
In Big Cities This Year, Moderation Has Already Won
This year, voters want functional governance in the most practically consequential elections in American life.
What Newsrooms Miss About the Virginia Election
Media reliance on presidential data obscure insights in Spanberger's big win.
Can Democrats Expand Their Tent on Economic Rage?
Affordability is a winning message but the left risks a fumble if they allow it to become a euphemism for economic revolution
The U.S. Needs More Legal Patchworks
The legal landscape for AI should be diverse and if Big Tech can't comply with state laws then they should re-evaluate their products.
Most Americans Distrust The Feds And Say They Are Too Powerful
Meanwhile, political leaders and the media embolden central power by insisting more disputes be nationalized.
2025: That Patchwork In Review
A year of spotlighting deference and questioning reflex centralization
Cooperative Federalism Is Not Federalism
Policy built on ‘If you don’t, we will’ isn’t empowering states.
The Left's Ruby Ridge Moment
Amid the ICE raids, the left needs to resurrect its skepticism of federal power.
Grover Cleveland's Comeback
Within four years after the ex-president returned to office his party lost Congress, the presidency and the states for a generation.
Why Ending the Filibuster Won't End Gridlock
At a time of factional divides, a divisive and high-stakes bare-majoritarian regime will shift conflict from between the parties to within them.
Six Years After COVID Federalism
The United States’ response was uneven by design, and that is what made it sustainable.
The Austin Housing Miracle Isn’t Exactly What It Seems
Demand for Austin plummeted to a historic low driving down rents lower than what supply could deliver on its own.
Trump's Very Hamiltonian Presidency
The logical conclusion of Alexander Hamilton's vision for a unified executive is Donald Trump.
