Outside the Beltway

Dan Balz summarizes what has been “A most poisonous campaign” and is likely to get much worse before it gets over.

Rob Portman, Bob McDonnell, and Brian Sandoval yield the biggest Electoral College advantage.

Andrew Hacker argues that, while quantitative skills are “critical for informed citizenship and personal finance,” making kids master algebra to graduate high school has disastrous consequences.

Sometimes, we just ought to accept the fact that people have disagreements when it comes to hot-button social issues.

What is wrong with us?

Another study shows that voter ID laws negatively affect a lot of Americans.

Once again, the usual suspects are exploiting tragedy for political purposes.

President Obama set off a firestorm by claiming business owners didn’t build “that.”

Romney says “We’re the party of people who want to get rich.”

“The average Canadian has quietly become richer than the average American,” claims a pro-Canada organization.

David Brooks is wistful for the noblesse oblige of the elites of yore.

What does the US Constitution actually provide in terms of guidance for governance?

Wouldn’t it be easier to bury the power lines instead of dealing with storm damage and week-long power outages seemingly every year?

I’ve joined The Atlantic’s debate over a thought-provoking cover story by Anne-Marie Slaughter.

The history of the DREAM Act underscores the significance of the 60-vote Senate.

Republicans apparently think that re-running the 2008 campaign, just more efficiently or more ruthlessly, will work this time. Here’s why it won’t.

The president has come a long way from his days as a “liberal law professor who campaigned against the Iraq war.”

New York City’s Mayor wants to control the size of soft drinks.

Will more knowledge bring an end to the public debate over evolutionary theory? Don’t count on it.

The phrase “American Taliban” is usually off the mark. However, sometimes it is closer to the mark than we might like.

The Internet is public and forever. But maybe it shouldn’t be.

The people who gave us the “war on Christmas” are now touting an upsurge on black-on-white crime.

Private college degree mills have come under intense scrutiny. But many public institutions have similar statistics.

White babies now constitute slightly less than half of American births.

Marriage has always been an evolving institution.

The Wall Street Journal publishes a screed aimed at those about to graduate college.

If we taught the Federalist Papers more rigorously would that lead to a shared view of the constitution?

Our psychological and cultural biases make evaluating information and arguments rationally next to impossible.

Some Navy SEALs are weighing in on the brouhaha.

We seldom blame presidents for bold actions that go wrong. We despise them for appearing weak and indecisive.

Joe Biden says we can’t afford a president who has to learn foreign policy on the job.

The Obama campaign’s cheap politicizing of the SEAL raid that took out bin Laden is unseemly. And unnecessary.

How about we recognize that we do have ongoing and serious racial tension in this country rather than ignoring the issue most of the time and only deploying it when the game of politics is being played?

It would be nice if people in power would be a bit more introspective and thoughtful.

In reality, it probably doesn’t,

Animal’s Joel Johnson declares “Comments are Bad Business for Online Media.”

OTB’s comment section as a microcosm of the American political landscape.

Should you lie to your kids about holiday fantasy characters?

Andrew Sullivan wants the Catholic Church to give up its hatred of homosexuals. There’s another alternative.

A new book would classify most of us who consume alcohol as “almost alcoholics.”

Weeks of bizarre talk about contraception and vaginal ultrasounds has surprisingly alienated women from the Republican Party.

We’re literally choosing locking up drug offenders over investing in our children.

The student-athlete fairytale is true. Except where you would reasonably expect it to be a lie.

The old have most of the money and power in our society, a trend that is accelerating.

David C. Levy argues college professors at teaching universities are overpaid because they don’t put in enough hours.

Solutions come from understanding, not denial or political posturing

George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin met on the night of February 27th. Martin died, and a firestorm has erupted.

The cause of the pain you’re feeling at the pump has little to do with domestic energy policy.

Is it fair to single out the most powerful man in radio’s commentary for attention?

Romney eked out a win in the Michigan primary. He’s going to have a harder time there in November.