Outside the Beltway

Two seemingly contradictory essays out today highlight the exhausting political conversation environment.

China’s Xi Jinping solidified his hold on power well into the next decade over the weekend.

President Trump’s military parade would come with a not insignificant cost.

Charles Manson, who led a cult-like “family” to a series of murders in 1969 and subsequently spent more than 40 years in prison, has died at the age of 83.

Catalonia voted overwhelmingly for independence from Spain, but it’s not at all clear that the vote will amount to anything.

The I Did It My Way Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

Turkey’s government appears to have rebuffed a coup attempt, but questions remains about the stability of the government going forward.

Donald Trump continues his war on freedom of the press and reporters who cover him critically by barring The Washington Post from covering campaign events.

Donald Trump’s open contempt for the Rule of Law and Freedom of the Press should disqualify him from being considered an acceptable candidate for President.

Should Donald Trump be classified as a fascist?

Disturbing developments on the part of the Ukrainian government.

Fresh off an election victory, British Prime Minister David Cameron is set to propose a series of new measures to crackdown on extremism that raise serious civil liberties concerns.

Some thoughts on a column by Roger Noriega on the Obama administration and Latin America,

Modern Singapore’s founder passed away at age 91 earlier this week.

Well, so much for that “people’s revolt” that brought down a military dictator.

Twenty-five years after his seminal “End of History” article, Francis Fukuyama reflects on its legacy.

The events of the last week in Egypt raise a whole host of questions.

Turkey has had along and ongoing struggle with democratic consolidation.

Has the Arab Spring come to Turkey?

Silly things members of Congress say (plus musings on authoritarianism).

The notion that guns prevent tyranny is based on fantasy and movies, not reality.

President Fernando Lugo of Paraguay was impeached and removed from office this week.

Another local official wants to join the War On Big Soda.

The heady days of revolution in Egypt have been replaced with the cold light of political reality.

China’s government may be more “efficient,” but it’s hardly a model for the rest of the world.

Why we shouldn’t be surprised that police are using tools of violence against protestors.

We’re learning more about the Obama Administration’s decision to kill Anwar al-Awlaki

Does the state have the right to regulate how many people you invite to your home?

Francis Fukuyama: “In the developed world, we take the existence of government so much for granted that we sometimes forget how difficult it was to create.”

Wouldn’t we be better off offering besieged rules exile in relative comfort in exchange for graceful exits?

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

Contrary to popular belief, Adolf Hitler didn’t come to power by democratic means or because of his ability to whip the public into a frenzy.