Outside the Beltway

NASA had a potentially significant announcement today.

At a town hall last night in New Hampshire, it became clear just what kind of supporters Donald Trump’s demagoguery is attracting.

Another poll shows that a majority of Americans oppose the Iranian nuclear deal, but the effort to defeat it in Congress is still likely to fail.

The fallout from Donald Trump’s debate performance, and his comments afterward, continues, and it’s leading some to wonder if we may finally be at the end of this ridiculous charade.

Somewhat surprisingly, a jury in Colorado was unable to agree on a unanimous death sentence for Aurora movie theater shooter James Holmes.

Jason Kottke points me to Stan Carey’s summary of Jack Grieve’s study of regional variations in swearing patterns across the United States.

Low costs and regulatory barriers are attracting people to red states–thus turning them purple and blue.

Hillary Clinton’s two biggest challengers were ambushed at a progressive political convention over the weekend.

Donald Trump won’t rule out running against the eventual Republican nominee. Will the RNC use this as an excuse to try to force him out of the race?

Ohio Governor John Kasich looks good on paper, but his campaign seems as though it’s unlikely to get out of the starting gate.

Despite his remarks about John McCain, Donald Trump is likely to be around for some time to come.

There are mutual embassies in Havana and Washington for the first time in 54 years. It certainly took long enough.

Donald Trump stuck his foot in his mouth again.

Almost exactly three years after the attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, James Holmes was found guilty late yesterday.

A 1980 debate between Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush shows a different GOP.

The NYT paints the longshot senator as a happy warrior trying to win the White House by doing it his way.

For the first time since 1961, there will soon be an American Embassy in Havana, and a Cuban Embassy in Washington. It’s well past time that this happened.

The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the way the death penalty is administered, dealing a serious blow to opponents of the death penalty.

SCOTUS has upheld the use of election commissions to draw Congressional district lines.

It’s easier for an American citizen to go to Iran or North Korea than it is for them to go to Cuba, That’s insane.

Lindsey Graham is the latest entrant into the Presidential race, but it’s hard to see how he gets out of the bottom of the polls.

Starting tomorrow, we can expect to see the Supreme Court hand down decisions in some of its most high profile cases. Here’s a preview.

The Republican debate stage in 2016 is going to be even more crowded than it was in 2012.

Once again, only six or seven states are likely to matter.

The Baltimore Police Department will finally be under the Federal microscope. But it took the death of Freddie Gray for it happen.

Two men were killed last night before they could carry out what appears to be a planned attack on an anti-Islam event in Texas.

Marco Rubio is the first Republican in the race who actually has a plausible chance to win the nomination, but it’s not going to be easy.

Indiana is about to become the latest state to grants special rights to religious business owners.

The Supreme Court seems likely to strike down state laws that take redistricting completely out of the hands of state legislatures.

A Federal Judge has issued a temporary halt to the Obama Administration’s deferred deportation program, but appeals can be expected.

By refusing to stay the legalization of same-sex marriage in Alabama, the Supreme Court has sent the strongest signal yet that it is ready to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.

John McCain is not a fan of Code Pink.

Get ready for another pointless House lawsuit against the President.

David Petraeus provided highly classified secrets to his mistress. Will he be charged?

The terror attack in Paris seems likely to undercut GOP efforts to use the DHS budget to attack the President’s immigration policies.

Some preliminary thoughts on the inaugural college playoff system.

A Federal Judge has dismissed the first lawsuit filed against President Obama’s immigration “executive action.”

The news cycle in 2014 seemed to be dominated by a series of real and phony “crises” that grabbed our attention for short periods of time.

A Federal Judge has issued a ruling that sort of says that President Obama’s Immigration action is unconstitutional. Except it’s poorly reasoned, and apparently not legally binding on anyone.

An American freed from captivity, and potentially huge changes in America’s diplomatic and trade relationship with Cuba.

As expected, the Senate passed the so-called “Cromnibus,” but not before a self-aggrandizing maneuver by Ted Cruz ended up being exploited by Democrats to pass outstanding nominations.

As the second anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School approaches, a new poll finds that more Americans support gun rights than gun control.

Despite opposition from both Republicans and Democrats, the compromise budget resolution passed narrowly last night, but not without some last minute drama

Judging by recent polling, the President’s executive action has hardened GOP opposition to immigration reform, making progress on the issue going forward much less likely.