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.
Russia Our “Number One Foe”?
Mitt Romney called Russia our “number one geopolitical foe.” Is he right?
George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin, And Rushing To Judgment
It’s time to let the legal system do its job.
ObamaCare At The Supreme Court, Day One: Is The Mandate A Tax, Or Not?
By the end of today’s first day of hearings on the Affordable Care Act, the Justices seem eager to take the consider the case on the merits.
ObamaCare Goes Before The Supreme Court: A Preview
Starting tomorrow morning, the Supreme Court dives into the most significant case that has been before it in many years.
Vetting A Running Mate In A Post-Palin World
The vetting process for a Vice-Presidential running mate will likely be very different with memories of the Sarah Palin debacle fresh in everyone’s mind.
Controversy Erupts Over Employer Requests For Facebook Passwords
Like it or not, what you do online will be of interest to someone looking to hire you.
Santorum Scores Meaningless Win In Louisiana
Rick Santorum won Louisiana last night, but he’s still going to lose the race for the nomination.
Santorum Likely To Win Lousiana, But It Won’t Matter
The results of Louisiana’s primary mean a lot less than the pundits will tell you they do.
Barack Obama, Same-Sex Marriage, And Political Expediency
Barack Obama’s position on same-sex marriage continues to “evolve,” along with the polls.
Do Endorsements Matter?
Like most endorsements, Jeb Bush’s endorsement of Mitt Romney is unlikely to have a major impact on the race.
Further Thoughts On The Resonance And Relevance Of The Etch-A-Sketch Meme
The Etch A Sketch meme isn’t nearly as powerful as those pushing it believe it to be.
Santorum: People May As Well Vote For Obama If Romney Is The Nominee
Yesterday, Rick Santorum started to demonstrate that his campaign has run out of a logical reason to exist.
Etch A Sketch And The Permanent Campaign Silly Season
Yesterday, the campaign silly season got particularly silly.
Romney Wins Big In Illinois, And This Race Is (Almost) Over
Mitt Romney won big in Illinois last night, and moved a big step closer to wrapping this race up.
Debt Under Obama Increasing Faster Than Under Bush
The debt has increased at a faster rate in the past three years than in the previous eight, but assigning blame isn’t what matters.
Study: Buffett Rule Would Generate Less Than $3 Billion Per Year In Revenue
What happens when political pandering substitutes for serious fiscal policy.
Murder or Self-Defense: Florida Case Raises Questions
George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin met on the night of February 27th. Martin died, and a firestorm has erupted.
Joe Biden: Bin Laden Raid Was “Most Audacious Plan” In 500 Years
Joe Biden got a little braggadocious last night.
The Consequences Of Attacking Iran
An attack on Iran is likely to unleash consequences that we are unprepared to deal with.
Hate Crimes And The Rutgers SpyCam Case
Dharun Ravi was convicted of bias intimidation toward Tyler Clementi. It’s not at all clear that he should have been.
How Do You Defeat An Incumbent President?
The odds are against anyone who challenges an incumbent President. So, how do you do it?