Outside the Beltway

Because no one, ever, has ever questioned the intelligence of American voters in extemporaneous discussions of politics.

Vatican politics is older than American politics, and can be just as entertaining.

Increasing the minimum wage proved to be popular at the ballot box Tuesday, unsurprisingly, However, it did not help Democrats on the same ballot.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle like to tell people they’re just “average Americans,” but they’re lying and the American people seem to have figured out that they’re lying.

With the midterms over, it’s time for Sarah Palin to start grifting again.

It’s been three months, but there’s been no action on the lawsuit that the House of Representatives said it was filing against President Obama.

The Supreme Court’s expansion of same-sex marriage seems to be sitting well with the American public.

The die is cast.

By failing to act, the Supreme Court has effectively legalized same-sex marriage in eleven more states.

Self-described socialist Bernie Sanders is contemplating an independent run for the presidency.

We should not tolerate them acting otherwise.

Some on the left are saying that Hillary Clinton isn’t doing enough to help Democrats in 2014.

The chattering class is chattering about the President’s vacation again. It really is quite tiresome.

If Hillary Clinton is going to have a serious challenge in 2016, the person who will do that has yet to emerge.

It appears that the GOP still has a problem communicating with women.

In a new survey, Americans cite politics and the news as the biggest sources of stress in their lives.

Just in time for the midterms, Todd Akin is back to remind voters of the GOP’s problems with female voters.

Much of the criticism of Hobby Lobby, and Citizens United before it, is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what those decisions stand for.

Some people on the left are still trying to convince Ruth Bader Ginsburg that she needs to just step out on the ice floe already.

1776 was a really, really long time ago.

The Supreme Court’s next term doesn’t start for three months, but it’s becoming clear that the Justices will have to deal with marriage equality when it does.

The left-right divide is worse than it has been in decades, and we’re paying the price.

How the richest man in the world quickly changed the education curriculum in 45 states.

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

The very idea of a “war on religion” in the United States is absurd.

Sooner or later, the Supreme Court will have to rule on a challenge to state laws banning same-sex marriage.

The tragedy in Santa Barbara will. inevitably, revive the same old gun debate. But can it ever evolve beyond shouting?

A prairie populist challenger for Hillary Clinton?

Once again, the Supreme Court reminds us that limiting political speech is unconstitutional.

An opportunist ruins a good joke and hijacks an important discussion.

Another day, another delay

Republican leaders continue to say stupid things. They may still retake the Senate in November.

There are some signs that there may be room to strike a deal on the extension of unemployment benefits, but it’s likely to require some drama on Capitol Hill before it happens.

The beginnings of a populist challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016?

Fourth time’s the charm? Probably not.

For a year that seemed to start out so well, 2013 has been among the President’s worst of this five years he’s been in office.

The Tea Party hit another new polling low, but that really shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

There are many choices in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program there are many choices, but some are better than others.

Chris Christie did as well as expected last night, but that’s just the beginning.

With just hours to go, the Republicans on Capitol Hill seem prepared to take a big political risk.

Can differences in media coverage of two unrelated filibusters be explained solely by media bias?

Once, against Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes it clear she isn’t going anywhere.

Walter Russell Mead explains why a well intentioned, carefully crafted and consistently pursued grand strategy failed.