Outside the Beltway

Is there really anyone who can credibly argue at this point that the policy regarding homosexuals openly serving in the armed services is anything other than basic discrimination?

The Pentagon has spoken. Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would not cause any real harm to the military, they have said. Now, the ball is in the court of the United States Senate.

Should blogs and other online forums ban anonymous comments?

Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough wants the GOP to stop kowtowing to Sarah Palin and her acolytes. He’s right.

Is President Obama’s Federal pay freeze a sign that he’s moving to the right, or just pointless symbolism?

Roughly 150 years ago, the CSA was born. Is this something worthy of celebration?

The latest Wikileaks revelations suggest that China may not be willing to protect North Korea for much longer.

President Obama’s plan to free federal employee pay is getting praised by Republicans but is wildly unpopular among progressive activists.

Sarah Palin has taken to her Facebook page to raise “Serious Questions about the Obama Administration’s Incompetence in the WikiLeaks Fiasco.” They’re more interesting than I’d expected.

The The Farce Is Strong With This One Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

After 1 1/2 years in office, President Obama has yet to grant a single request for a pardon or clemency, continuing a thirty year trend in which the Presidential pardon power has nearly fallen in to disuse.

A crippling, and technologically advanced, computer virus and attacks against Iranian nuclear scientists lead to only one conclusion; someone is doing everything they can short of military action to make sure Iran doesn’t develop nuclear weapons.

The choice is between a world in which officials can share information and carry out reasoned debates with one another and a world in which nothing can be written down.

“Cyber Monday” is a myth created by a marketing company.

President Obama proposes freezing federal civilian salaries for the next two years, saving billions in anticipated spending.

The two English language newspapers who have been Julian Assange’s accomplices in disseminating stolen secrets defend themselves.

The major outlets that received document drops from Wikileaks are covering the story in different and interesting ways.

Another FBI sting operation results in the arrest of a “terrorist,” or did it create a crime where none existed before?

After days of hype, National Opt-Out Day fizzled. It’s a classic collective action problem.

Time for the Monday OTB Caption Contest^TM

The diplomatic ramifications of the latest Wikileaks leaks are just starting to emerge and may place some countries in very embarrassing positions.

A new round of Wikileaks documents is out, and it opens the door on diplomatic correspondence previously hidden from the public.

The Props for Congress Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

McCain brings up “regime change” in re: the DKRP and China apparently isn’t doing enough.

Shocking Headline Of The Day: “Willie Nelson charged with pot possession in Texas.”

Nearly four weeks after Election Day, Alaska’s Joe Miller still won’t concede the inevitable.

The American copyright system is broken. Cory Doctorow offers some useful suggestions for fixing it.

Duke economist Dan Ariely argues that the Western notion of gift giving is irrational.

The Republican talking point that lowering taxes lowers spending and raising taxes increases spending is denied by reality.

Former Senator Alan Simpson is fighting back against the critics on the left and the right who are shooting down the Deficit Commission’s plan before it’s even been released.

Somali-born teenager plotted to carry out a car bomb attack at a crowded Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Portland on Friday, but the bomb turned out to be a dud supplied by undercover agents as part of a sting.

In an effort to combat illegal file sharing, the US Department of Homeland Security is seizing domain names.