Prospect

Today on TAP: The Treasury secretary has saved Trump from more than one disastrous impulse. But Trump resents minders. Are Scott Bessent’s own days numbered?

They now encompass tariffs, age, abundance, and commitment to resistance.

On our live show, David and contributor Dan Boguslaw discuss the closure of the IRS Direct File system and the attempted closure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

DOGE was apparently part of the effort to hobble the agency, along with Clarence Thomas pal Mark Paoletta. For the moment, the firing of 1,483 workers is on hold.

Today on TAP: Trump is governing more and more like an impulsive mad king who assumes he has absolute power. We will soon find out whether he does.

Previously cited for monopolizing search and app stores, now the ‘don’t be evil’ company has been found to have monopolized advertising technology markets.

Americans gradually bought the Republican sales pitch on immigration. Then they saw what it looks like in practice.

Louisiana is one of the most dangerous states in the U.S. for workers. The Trump administration plans to close its lone protection unit.

The agency fired 1,500 workers on Thursday, which violates a court order and threatens a meltdown of mortgage markets and more.

The agency fired 1,500 workers on Thursday, which violates a court order and threatens a meltdown of mortgage markets and more.

Today on TAP: The 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord is a good time to resist mad kings old and new.

The successful IRS free tax filing program is being wound down, thanks in large part to Intuit’s copious spending in Washington.

The United Auto Workers weren’t always in favor of tariffs; they earlier supported cross-border coordination to support better jobs and a peaceful future.

The so-called ‘pill penalty’ fix is a corporate favor designed to increase the period where prescriptions are immune from price negotiations.

The failed 2024 abortion ballot initiative campaign likely fueled a wider legislative backlash to direct democracy.

Mark Zuckerberg fairly obviously bought Instagram and WhatsApp to neutralize a perceived competitor. He isn’t doing that with TikTok, and the FTC’s monopolization trial is why.

Tax day could be so much easier, if we simply cared to invest properly in the IRS.

Trump is defying a Supreme Court order to return a man his own officials admit was deported by mistake.

In ruling after ruling, the Supreme Court pretends to uphold lower-court constraints on Trump but provides a road map for Trump to defy the judges’ orders.

Intelligence chief forced to disclose widespread government corruption … in China.