Outside the Beltway

Politicians in office have a nasty habit of behaving completely differently than they promise on the campaign trail.

The “Obama Doctrine,” such as it is, seems to boil down to moral self-certainty combined with a glaring ignorance of reality. That’s a dangerous combination.

The antiwar movement has been strangely silent despite the fact that U.S. foreign policy hasn’t really changed that much since Barack Obama became President.

Another survey shows that Americans don’t know much about their own history, but does it really matter?

Egyptian voters have approved amendments to Egypt’s constitution.

U.S. officials are making clear that the current mission in Libya may not lead to the end of Muammar Gaddafi’s rule. If that’s the case, then why are we there in the first place?

There are many opportunities to go to war. Here’s a guide for choosing between them.

Did President Obama pull off a diplomatic masterstroke? Or is he muddling through?

Regardless of one’s preferences in terms of endgame in Wisconsin, democracy will win out.

President Obama is once again catching flak for his leisure activities.

The Nixon Center has gone from one of the most controversially named think tanks in Washington to yet another blandly named one: Center for the National Interest.

Was the GOP’s maneuver legit? And what’s next?

Wisconsin Republicans stripped state employees of collective bargaining rights without the Democratic senators who fled the state to prevent a quorum.

Yes, bureaucracies can be annoying, but they are also vital for modern society.

The funny thing is that the quorum-busting in WI is more like a filibuster ought to be: a true delaying tactic that eventually has to give way to a democratic outcome.

Mitt Romney starts his 2012 run as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. But, in reinventing himself yet again, the “authenticity” issue that troubled many of us in 2008 looms again.

Why can’t the Wisconsin Stand-off end in compromise?

The uprisings in the Arab world have led some to suggest that the Middle East isn’t “ready” to be free. They’re wrong.

Egypt takes another step towards constitutional reform.

Calls are coming from both sides of the aisle for the U.S. to do “something” about the situation in Libya. It would be better if we didn’t get involved.

Is Jon Stewart a useful idiot?

There are a lot of issues on the table, so to speak, in the WI situation. Here I try to entangle them a bit.

The American right has become infected with the notion that Barack Obama isn’t just wrong, but evil. That won’t be healthy in the long run.

It’s time to end the ability of public sector labor unions to hold taxpayers hostage.

A commenter asks, “Why does Wisconsin have a quorum rule if not for situations like this?”

Republicans won the right to govern Wisconsin. What does that mean for Democrats?

In the Middle East, protesters are marching for democracy. In the Midwest, they’re protesting against it.

Ten days is not a lot of time for constitutional reform.

It turns out the Iraq War was indeed based, in part at least, on a lie.

What people (or transitional governments) say isn’t ultimately the issue. What they do is.

A few thoughts/historical examples, as to why I am guarded in my optimism on Egypt.

Knowing his downfall was imminent, the former Egyptian dictator moved vast wealth out of rich of Western governments.

The Obama Justice Department says it can look at phone records without warrants or judicial oversight.

Ellis Goldberg, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington and an expert on Egyptian politics, has a pessimistic view about the likelihood that the military is interested in democratization.

Hosni Mubarak has stepped down — for reals this time.

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak is expected to step down after 17 days of pro-democracy protests.

Hosni Mubarak may hang on to some semblance of power longer than many expected in the middle of last weeks chaos, mostly because there are few other alternatives right now.

Examining Levin’s examination of the Constitution, jurisprudence, and property rights.

If Mubarak is driven from power, will that make Egypt a case of “revolution”?