Outside the Beltway

Cornell math prof Steven Strogatz is very excited about Pi day.

The president is the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces. He’s not commander-in-chief of the United States.

Pope Francis says he expects to serve only a short period and plans to follow his predecessor’s example of retiring rather than waiting to die in office.

The 2008 runner-up has scared off all serious challengers for 2016. Why?

Despite the ongoing email controversy, Hillary Clinton remains well positioned heading into 2016.

Benjamin Netanyahu is trailing in the final polls leading to Tuesday’s election, but he still may be able to form the coalition needed to stay in power.

Freedom of speech means freedom for all speech, even when it is racially offensive.

Hillary Clinton addressed the week-long email controversy, but her explanations only raised new questions.

Don’t say “climate change” or “global warming” if you work for Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.

Senate Republicans have done more harm to the goal of stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons than they have done good.

Amateurish? Condescending? Yes. Treasonous? No.

Wisconsin has become the 25th “right to work” state.

Thinking about comparative American struggles against tyranny.

Sadly whenever Alabama is first at something (save perhaps in football) it is never for something good.

The post title is quite the recurring question, it would seem.

What reporters see as stonewalling may be shrewd clock management.

A powerful Democratic Senator looks like he’s about to be in a whole lot of trouble.

The most ‘America’ story ever.

Another tone deaf action from leading Republicans.

The gang calling itself the Islamic State has destroyed another historical site.

February’s jobs report came in stronger than analysts expected, but wage growth remains stubbornly stagnant.

Teach For America novices compare favorably to veteran teachers.

A new Justice Department report has found widespread racial bias in the Ferguson Police Department, but it’s a problem that goes far beyond one Missouri suburb.

Once again, the Supreme Court appears to be sharply divided on the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act.

Unsurprisingly, Darren Wilson will not face federal charges in connection with the shooting of Michael Brown.

Roy Moore and six of his fellow Judges on the Alabama Supreme Court have a rather bizarre view of Constitutional Law.

Iraqi army and Iranian army in joint offensive to retake Tikrit.

Ben Carson is inching closer to running for President, and he’s continuing to pander to the most extreme elements of the Republican Party.

As expected, Republicans have caved in the showdown over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The most widely honored General from the Iraq and Afghanistan War has plead guilty to sharing classified information with his mistress.

Now that they control all of Congress, some Republicans are suddenly deciding that the filibuster should be repealed.

Hillary Clinton’s use of email while Secretary of State pretty much violated every Federal law and regulation on the issue.

The Supreme Court seems likely to strike down state laws that take redistricting completely out of the hands of state legislatures.

Just as his political star is rising among conservatives, Scott Walker is walking back his previous support for immigration reform.

Rand Paul is carrying on a family tradition, winning the CPAC straw poll won many times by his father Ron.