Outside the Beltway

The American Civil Liberties Union has joined the list of groups with lawsuits against the President’s declaration of a “national emergency” at the southern border.

There is a bit of a disjuncture between the terminology and the reality (but that does not excuse Trump’s current actions).

President Trump’s impending decision to declare a national emergency to get funding for his border wall will quickly face serious legal challenges. It may be more vulnerable than the White House suspects.

Don’t expect the Congress (i.e., the Senate) to pull us out of this shutdown mess.

President Trump is claiming that he could use authority to declare a “national emergency” to build his wall even if Congress doesn’t authorize it.

Three Democratic Senators are suing the Acting Attorney General, asserting that his appointment was unconstitutional.

President Trump’s selection to serve as Acting Attorney General does not appear to be Constitutionally authorized to serve in that position.

As expected, the midterm elections ended up being a split result that gives Democrats and Republicans alike reason to celebrate.

On Trump’s anger.

A Duke history professor uncovers “stealth plan” by “fifth columnists” who are seeking to overthrow democracy in the U.S. for their plutocrat masters.

By a narrow margin, Turks voted for some significant changes.

Obama has issued more commutations than all his predecessors combined. He set the single-day record Monday.

Last night’s debate, sadly, lived down to my expectations.

The rise of Trump and Sanders has resurrected a debate as old as Western civilization.

Turkey’s governing party suffered big setbacks at the ballot box yesterday.

Lindsey Graham says that, if elected president, he would summarily kill anyone thinking about joining ISIS.

What now?

The Office of Legal Counsel told the president Wednesday he couldn’t do what he did on Thursday.

Dana Milbank (“Obama’s big immigration mistake”) thinks so.

Should the Legislature take back legislating from the Executive?

The “open and free” Internet is an ideal type, not a myth.

Back to the Ten Commandments and Alabama politics.

Ed Klein says he has “Democrat sources” who Obama wants Warren to continue his mission to “transform America into a European-style democratic-socialist state.”

We’ve seen a notable number of 9-0 Supreme Court decisions this term, but that doesn’t mean that the side that lost was making an extreme or meritless argument.

President Obama’s new rules for killing Americans with drones are proving inconvenient.

Divided government is the worst political system ever, except for all the others.

An Example of How Institutions Matter.

if reports are to be believed, there is a coup d’etat underway in Egypt.

Has the Arab Spring come to Turkey?

Republicans should reject the calls to call for a Special Prosecutor to investigate the unfolding scandals in Washington.

t’s been more than two-and-a half years since the United States passed major legislation.

“Killing Americans,” my latest for The National Interest, has posted.

Elections put the players in office. They don’t dictate the outcome of the game.

The arguments in favor of major changes in the way we elect our President are unpersuasive.

Based on its recently passed platform, the Democratic Party has given up any pretense of putting civil liberties ahead of “national security.”

Issa, Holder, and a little Madison.

There are a number of problems with the notion that the Federalist Papers provide a perfect guide to the Constitution.

What walking around knowledge about our political system is necessary to be an informed citizen?

Starting tomorrow morning, the Supreme Court dives into the most significant case that has been before it in many years.

Not surprisingly, most of the Republican candidates for President aren’t too keen on reducing the excessive growth in Executive Branch power.

Giving the President the unchecked power to kill American citizens raises some serious red flags.

My latest for The Atlantic, “The Thorniest Question: When Can a President Order an American Killed?” has been posted.

The US came a lot closer to something resembling a parliamentary system than most people think.

The Senate Republican leader is running a shrewd political game. But what’s good for the GOP is bad for America.

While the Constitutionality of the War Powers Act is indeed dubious, the fact that it was passed over Nixon’s veto isn’t the reason.

CA’s budget battles continue.

President Obama overruled his top legal advisors in deciding that the Libya operation does not amount to “hostilities” under the War Powers Act.

The War Powers Act’s 90 day limit is in sight. Will Congress force the president’s hand?