Outside the Beltway

The combination of falling oil prices and increased exports has the US trade deficit at its lowest point since December 2010.

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

Chief Justice Roberts sided with a majority in upholding the individual mandate and, indeed, all but some trivial portions of the Affordable Care Act.

The largest group of immigrants to the United States doesn’t come from south of the border anymore.

For years, I’ve used Loretta Lynn as an example of how fast societal mores have changed. It turns out that her marriage at age 13 may be a bit of myth making.

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

He may be running against Barack Obama, but Mitt Romney seems to mention Jimmy Carter a lot.

The Founders would never have thought to do more than count people in the Census!

Obama has an advantage in what is likely to be one of the most important states in November’s election, but the race is far from over.

Some thoughts on the voter registration/voter turnout debate.

Rick Santorum wants to nullify nearly 200,000 marriages.

The January jobs report was the best we’ve seen in more than three years.

In the 1980s, Americans were bowling alone. Now, we’re living that way.

Dead people almost voted in New Hampshire. Zombie democracy is nigh!

Conservative groups are upset because a new reality show depicts Muslim-Americans as, well, normal Americans.

This time, it was Newt Gingrich who walked away unscathed from a Republican Presidential debate.

A Democrat sees doom and gloom as far as the eye can see.

Despite the seeming odds against him, the Electoral College map is very favorable for President Obama.

Even if the Senate operated under wholly majority rules, it would not be the House.

The prospects for real economic recovery are not good.

Damage from starting one’s career during a recession can persist over one’s entire working life.

Historian J. David Hacker argues that the death toll from the US Civil War is much higher than we think.

Contrary to what Eugene Robinson and Paul Krugman argue today, compassion does not require one to support government social welfare programs.

College towns and lily white enclaves top the list of best educated cities.

A record 46 million Americans are living in poverty.

Is the NYPD becoming too much like the CIA?

Two economists look at a 30 year investment in a home versus putting the same money in the stock market.

Illegal immigration from Mexico is down substantially, and it has nothing to do with all those anti-immigration laws.

While Gerrymandering Congressional districts to benefit incumbents and the dominant party in the state legislature is an old game, they play it with especial intensity in Illinois.

Cynthia Tucker regrets her support for majority-minority districts.

A majority of Americans think homosexuals account for at least a fifth of the population.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is beginning to more like a real candidate for President. She won’t win, but she will be entertaining.

Whites make more money than non-whites throughout our food distribution system.

Should public schoolteachers make more money than the people paying their salaries?

Florida has again scheduled its primary ahead of the deadlines set by the Republican and Democratic parties.

The Republicans are increasingly the party of white America. That’s short term good but long term bad for the GOP.

Two Ohio congressional districts are taking their talents to South Beach.

Red States should gain 10 seats while Blue States should lose eight.

Hinckley, California — the town that Erin Brockovich made famous — has slightly less cancer than we’d expect.