GOP

History shows the party occupying the White House can usually expect to lose from 20-40 House seats in a president's first mid term election.

There are now more than 50 members of Congress who are retiring. Two-thirds of them are Republicans, the latest being Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

We noted the rifts inside the Democratic party heading into the 2018 mid term elections. They are substantial.

Official Washington, and many places beyond, are enthralled by Michael Wolff's new book, "Fire and Fury." Our copy of the book arrives in a day or so.

With passage of a massive tax cut/reform bill (just in time for Christmas), the obvious questions are what the new law will do, and who will benefit?

Republicans are closing out the 2017 year in politics on a mixed note. Yes, they have a tax reform success in their sites.

Lot's of ink and pixels spilled already over the victory of Democrat Doug Jones over Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race.

The House and Senate have passed their versions of tax cuts, which means the bills must be reconciled in a conference committee. How do the bills differ? Our friends at the Tax Foundation have an analysis of the key issues negotiators must agree on before sending a final bill to the President.

One of the more arcane Senate customs is allowing Senators to quietly issue what are called "blue slips" to delay the confirmation hearings of presidential nominees. The practice is 100 years old, and has been used to hold up hearings for any numbers of reasons.