Outside the Beltway

Public opinion on the Occupy movement has turned increasingly sour.

Apparently, we should be more like China. Or something.

The most disturbing part of Saturday’s debate came when most of the GOP candidates endorsed torture.

From across the pond, an observation that the way we pick Presidents isn’t really that bad after all.

Huntsman will gain little if any traction and none of the frontrunners really helped or hurt themselves.

My latest for The Atlantic: “For Europe, Some Fear a Conflict Between Union and Democracy”

Are America’s political parties become irrelevant?

It’s the 5% versus the 1% moreso than the 99% against the 1%.

President Obama’s surprise announcement Friday that all U.S. forces would leave Iraq in time to be home for the holidays has been roundly condemned. While there are real concerns about what happens next, there was no better alternative.

Yes, again with the EC.

There’s no consensus for European-style social democracy or a Randian libertarian paradise.

Protests at least loosely affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement were conducted around the globe yesterday.

Not surprisingly, the “Super Committee” to deal with the deficit isn’t making much progress.

With the advantage of hindsight, it’s clear that more creative strategies were needed. But they probably couldn’t have been passed.

My latest for The Atlantic, “Romney’s Realist Foreign Policy Is a Lot Like Obama’s,” has been posted.

Ahead of his big foreign policy speech, Mitt Romney has unveiled his “Foreign Policy and National Security Advisory Team” which “will assist Governor Romney as he presents his vision for restoring American leadership in the world and securing our enduring interests and ideals abroad.”

The Occupy Wall Street protests look more like a temper tantrum than a substantive protest movement.

Where should we look to understand the failings of the government?

Is money the only thing that matters in post-Citizens United American politics?

Judging them by their own manifesto, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are pretty silly people.

A meme is emerging that the Occupy Wall Street protests are America’s version of the Arab Awakening. That meme must die.

Last night’s speech at the Reagan Library did nothing to stop people from speculating about Chris Christie’s Presidential plans.

President Obama explained his position on the Palestinian statehood resolution today, but one wonders if anyone listened.

Rick Perry’s speech criticizing the President’s policies in the Middle East raised more questions than it answered.

Far from being an existential crisis, the recent rise in public distrust in government is easily explained.

A book could be written on this subject, but let me suggest the following as a good place to start

Why even have an electoral college?

Allocating Electoral Votes by Congressional District is an idea whose time has come.

What does the apparent outcome of the war in Libya mean for the so-called “Responsibility To Protect” doctrine?

WaPo humor columnist Gene Weingarten doesn’t think DC’s speed cameras are funny.

Political journalists aren’t like you and me. Well, you, anyway.

The US came a lot closer to something resembling a parliamentary system than most people think.

My first piece for CNN has been posted at Fareed Zakaria’s Global Public Square.

In the book he released last year , Rick Perry advocated far reaching changes to the Constitution.

Sarah Palin’s paranoia about the media was on full display during her recent visit to Iowa.

Iraq has become so dependent on Iran for its survival that it is endorsing the brutal tactics of Bashar Assad.

Will the trial of Hosni Mubarak actually change anything?

The world is starting to denounce the crackdown in Syria, but the reaction seems unlikely to go much beyond strongly worded statements.

Condi Rice’s speechwriter thinks Huntsman can appeal to the Tea Party.