There is a popular theory that suggests modern politics is determined by "the vibes."

That is, politics is an irrational business, and the best way to make sense of it is to lean into how it feels. The "vibes" are the vague emotional atmosphere and swelling moods of the electorate. Like a tide that's coming in or going out, the vibes are nearly impossible to define except in relation to where they've been or where they are going. We're seemingly always on the cusp of one "vibe shift" or analyzing the passing wake of another.

Policymaking, however, remains rooted in a less ethereal plane. Perhaps that's why today's politicians seem to be so bad at it. The vibes of "Hope" and "Change" or "Make America Great Again" inevitably run aground against the tangible, practical reality of running th

See Full Page