Posts by Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.
Initial Polls Seemingly In Conflict On Public Opinion Of NSA Surveillance Programs
Revelations about the NSA’s data mining programs don’t seem to be having a significant impact on public opinion.
Speaker Boehner: We’ll Have Immigration Reform This Year
Speaker Boehner seems confident that immigration reform will become law this year, but his confidence may be premature.
Obama Administration Changes Strategy, Drops Age Restrictions For Morning After Pill
The Administration has accepted reality in its fight against a ruling that made the “morning after” pill available regardless of age.
Films Based On Marvel Comics More Successful Than Those Based On DC Comics
Films from the House of Spiderman have grossed more than those from the House of Superman. But that’s mostly because of ticket price increases.
Report: State Department May Have Interfered With Investigations Of Misconduct
Allegations of wrongdoing and cover-up at Foggy Bottom.
The GOP Has Already Given Up On The New Jersey Senate Race
There is only one serious candidate in the race for Frank Lautenberg’s old Senate seat, and he’s got pretty much no chance of winning the election.
Edward Snowden, Leaker Of NSA Data Mining Stories, Steps Forward
Meet Edward Snowden, the 29 year old CIA/NSA contractor who has confessed to leaking the details of the NSA’s data mining projects.
Will NSA Data Mining Matter To Voters?
Will voters care about the revelations about NSA data mining? Signs point to no.
Sunday Morning Shows: Beltway Conventional Wisdom Getting Attention They Don’t Deserve
Sometimes it seems like all John McCain does is appear on Sunday morning news shows. The problem goes deeper than that, though.
Cory Booker Announces Campaign For Senate
Cory Booker is in the race for New Jersey’s open Senate seat, but is he really unbeatable?
Iran The Big Winner In Syria’s Civil War?
Has the West inadvertently handed Iran a victory in Syria?
No Mr. President, The NSA’s Programs Don’t Have Proper Oversight
Contrary to President Obama’s assertion today, the NSA’s operations don’t have proper legislative or judicial oversight.
NSA Data Mining: It Doesn’t Matter If It’s Legal
Just because NSA data mining is legal, that doesn’t mean it’s proper or that the American people should tolerate it.
The May Jobs Report: Steady, But Nothing To Write Home About
The jobs news in May was good, but far from great.
John Dingell And The Problem With Long-Term Incumbency
As of today, John Dingell has been a Member of Congress for 20,997 days, a new record. That’s not something to celebrate.
NSA Mining Data From Top Internet Content Providers
Big Brother is doing more than just checking your phone records.
It’s About More Than Cell Phone Records, It’s About Liberty
The NSA’s data mining project is about more than just subpoenas for cell phone records.
91% Of American Adults Own A Cell Phone, Majority Of Them Own A Smartphone
Cellphones have achieved near complete market penetration, and the smartphone is leading the way.
Deval Patrick: I Got Drunk After The Boston Bomber Was Captured
The Governor of Massachusetts decided to celebrate a bit after Dzhorkhar Tsarnaev was captured.