Power

The Appointment Nobody Contests

Confirmation fights concentrate on a handful of visible posts. The seats that decide the most tend to be filled without a hearing.

Regulators Write the Rules They Later Enforce

Combining rulemaking, investigation, and adjudication inside one agency is efficient. It also removes most of the friction that produces caution.

The Philanthropy That Sets the Agenda

Large foundations fund the research, the advocacy, and often the evaluation. The resulting consensus can look broader than it is.