Outside the Beltway

Less than 24 hours before it was set to take effect, a Federal Judge has put a hold on most of the key provisions of Arizona’s immigration law.

While President Obama is pushing the Afghanistan surge, large numbers of elected Democrats are demanding we get out.

Thanks to a united Republican Caucus, the Senate failed to take up a deeply flawed campaign finance “reform” bill.

Massachusetts will become the latest state to join the National Popular Vote movement, a compact wherein states throw their Electoral College votes to the nationwide winner once enough states agree to ensure that outcome.

Conservatives aren’t as united over the “outrage” of the New Black Panther Case as you might think.

Remember when Democrats thought changing the rules to abolish filibustering was an outrage against the Constitution? They’re older and wiser now.

Congress and the White House are starting to stake out sides in the upcoming battle over extending the Bush tax cuts.

If Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann gets her way, the 112th Congress will feature a lot of committees “investigating” the Obama Administration.

Vice-President Biden glances into the future and sees a relatively good year for Democrats. Is he right ?

Elena Kagan may be smiling because her confirmation is assured, but she doesn’t have as much public support as previous nominees.

Nate Silver provides yet more bad news for Democrats: When screening for “likely voters,” Republican numbers look even better.

Some Republicans in Congress are worried they won’t be able to control the future Congressmen and Senators that the Tea Party might be sending to Washington.

Some Republicans seem to think they don’t need to put forward any actual ideas in order to win November.

Will a debate over foreign policy tear apart the GOP ? Probably not.

The Obama Administration seems to be saying that “Blame Bush” will be at the core of their re-election strategy. Good idea ? Not really.

The President likely has some very bad poll numbers on his mind this morning.

Did felons voting illegally put Al Franken over the top in Minnesota? Probably not.

It’s time for the Gingrich For President speculation to begin again.

The White House is making some very odd political choices in its response to the Arizona immigration law.

Is it really too much to ask that when people try to make arguments based on our country’s founding documents that they at least understand the passages that they are quoting?

A new poll shows that Americans have some odd ideas about the Constitution, and how to change it.

Will Democrats use a lame-duck session of Congress to pass legislation they can’t get through otherwise ? They might try, but I doubt they’ll succeed.

Presidential approval ratings at the 18-month mark don’t tell you much about re-election prospects.

Two widely-hyped reports have Wall Street firms donating less money to Democrats as payback for financial reform efforts. But a closer look reveals no such thing.

One year ago today, Sarah Palin resigned as Governor of Alaska after only 2 1/2 years in office.

Once again, the knives are out for Michael Steele after his recent Afghanistan gaffe.

The latest poll trends have pollster Charlie Cook thinking that the Democrats could be in for a very bad trouncing on Election Day.

Not surprisingly, American’s partisan views on the Supreme Court are pretty much wrong.

So much for the Obama Administration’s “Summer of Recovery.”

South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham sees the beginning of the end of the Tea Parties, and he’s probably right.

Elena Kagan’s interest in vigorous and open confirmation hearings ended roughly the moment she was sworn in by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Thanks to a rather odd interpretation of West Virginia law, there won’t be an election to fill Robert Byrd’s Senate seat until November, 2012.

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.

A comedian’s farcical run for mayor of Reykjavik ended in victory. It’s as if Stephen Colbert’s 2008 presidential bid had worked. Or Al Franken got elected to the Senate!

If the trend continues, 2010 will mark a record number of conservatives for the Gallup poll since it began asking the question in 1992.

Americans on both sides of the aisle throw around words like “tyranny” and “fascism” about our system. But there are constant small reminders we are under the rule of law.

The House Democrats have just handed the GOP another issue to bash them with in the fall.

The White House and Rahm Emanuel were quick to deny the reports that he has a plan to leave the White House.