Outside the Beltway

President Obama thinks that it would be a good idea if everyone were forced to vote. He’s wrong, and his idea is most likely unconstitutional.

Elton John is leading a boycott against Dolce & Gabbana.

Don’t say “climate change” or “global warming” if you work for Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.

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

Most in the international relations community are not amused by the president’s National Security Strategy.

A big change in an important nation in the most volatile part of the world.

Elizabeth Warren said once again that she’s not running for President, now or in the future. That’s not going to stop the efforts to draft her, though.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is not running for President, and she is unlikely to change her mind on that. Nonetheless, the speculation that she is will continue for some time to come because it suits her interests and the interests of others.

Sony is warning the press not to publish material leaked by hackers, but it doesn’t have much of a legal leg to stand on.

Many have suggested that prosecution of cases involving police misconduct should be handled by prosecutors who don’t work with local police departments on a regular basis. They’re right.

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

A critic of the imperial presidency becomes an imperial president.

In addition to gains at the national level and in Governor’s races, the GOP also saw more gains in state legislatures around the country.

Looking into uncontested and partially contest House districts from the 2014 cycle.

Should the Legislature take back legislating from the Executive?

This year was an especially acute case of no competition in Alabama.

There’s nothing wrong with choosing not to vote.

Important numbers in recent polling suggest big problems for Democrats on Tuesday.

The passing of a true legend in American journalism.

The Roberts court has been very good on First Amendment issues, but it needs to address the First Amendment issue right outside its front windows.

My ongoing crusade to spark thought and discussion on the quality of representation in the US Congress.

Frank Foer proclaims, “Amazon Must Be Stopped. It’s too big. It’s cannibalizing the economy.”

Apparently, the buck doesn’t stop in the Oval Office these days.

The sixth year of a presidency leads to some predictable commentary (and some comparative notes).

While the world pays attention to Syria and Iraq, Yemen is once against lurching into chaos.

Jess Zimmerman offers “An ingenious way to save the comments section,” if she does say so herself.

After keeping his distance from them for three years, President Obama is placing much misplaced hope in the “moderate” Syrian rebels,

Another Federal appellate Court has struck down state law bans on same-sex marriage, but the only thing that matters now is the Supreme Court.

The United States is, in fact, doing the exact opposite.

There are plenty of other factors that help our two major parties retain power.

Viet Xuan Luong pins on a brigadier general’s star today, becoming the first Vietnamese-American officer to achieve that rank.

The current immigration debate is yet another great example of how our system works (so to speak).

The Israeli public if overwhelmingly behind the war in Gaza, and that means it will probably continue for awhile.

Crisis seems to be brewing all over the world, but the American people aren’t persuaded that it’s necessary for the United States to act.

Rather than being a bad thing, negative campaigning is an essential part of our political system.

The various factions in Afghanistan have agreed, at least in principle, to alter the nation’s government as part of a deal to resolve election disputes.

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.”

More on instiutional design.

A piece at Foreign Policy provides a chance to give some thought to institutions.