Outside the Beltway

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

Many of America’s top law firms have declined to accept cases defending bans on same-sex marriage, and that’s okay.

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.

New polling on President Obama’s opening to Cuba is likely to surprise some, and disappoint others.

Bowe Bergdahl will face charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and the White House’s narrative about this release lies in tatters.

Just in case there’s any question, yes, Ted Cruz is Constitutionally eligible to serve as President.

A powerful Democratic Senator looks like he’s about to be in a whole lot of trouble.

Pressure is building on the Administration to send military aid to Ukraine, but it would be a very bad idea.

The State Of The Union Address was more of the same, and the same will be true of Washington going forward.

The Army’s investigation of the disappearance five years ago of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been referred to a top General, who will decide if a court martial should be convened.

Two potential candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016 traded barbs this week over the President’s new policy toward Cuba.

A little round of Qs and As on US-Cuban policy.

Rand Paul is one of the few Republicans who seems to be evaluating the new policy toward Cuba through something other than an outdated Cold War perspective.

The fate of Cuba policy in Congress is far from certain, but what is certain is that following through on President Obama’s historic and necessary changes will face resistance.

The resumption of diplomatic relations between U.S. and Cuba, and expansion of some commercial trade ties, is historic but it’s only the first step toward the goal of ending an outdated embargo.

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

The U.S. embargo of Cuba, and our lack of diplomatic recognition of the government in Havana, is an outdated relic of the Cold War. It’s time to end it.

Newly released documents reveal that Henry Kissinger wanted to attack Cuba in the mid-1970s.

The General Accounting Office confirmed what seems clear to anyone who can read a statute.

The U.S. and Europe have announced a new round of sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis, but it’s not clear that the Russians will be motivated to change course.

Just about two years ago, we dodged a bullet. We might not be so lucky next time.

The justice system works, there’s no need to scrap it.

Thanks largely to Administration mistakes, the Bergdahl deal is not going over well.

Trying to make some sense out of a week of outrage.

Good intentions aren’t an excuse for failure to follow the law.

The Obama White House rejected Republican criticism of the deal that led to the release of the only American Prisoner Of War from the Afghanistan War.

Petty politics, or valid concerns?

Looking back at the first round and forward to the second.

For the first time, Edward Snowden is talking to the American media.

JR is from Texas wants you to know that Texas is big. No, bigger than that.

Barack Obama is no Jimmy Carter.

My first piece for The Hill, “Crimea is not Armageddon,” posted this morning.

President Obama is rewarding unqualified hacks who raised huge sums for his campaign with ambassadorships.

A new book by former SecDef Robert Gates is making political waves in Washington power circles, but will it matter to ordinary Americans?