Outside the Beltway

Some Republicans apparently still aren’t satisfied with the 2012 field.

One of the super-rich says we should stop coddling the super-rich.

Denying the Tea Party’s role in the downgrade of U.S. debt is to deny reality.

The Twitterverse and the Democratic National Committee are having a field day with Mitt Romney’s declaration that “Corporations are people, my friend.”

Non-rich people are in favor of taxing the rich and using the proceeds to fund programs for non-rich people

Michele Bachmann is claiming that the debt downgrade proves she was right about not raising the debt ceiling.

If we cannot adequately diagnose our problems it will be even harder to fix them.

The defense spending lobby is already engaging in fear-mongering over very modest defense cuts.

The immediate reaction among the political class to the debt downgrade was the play the same old stupid games.

The main issue driving the downgrade appears to be lack of faith in the political parties to act responsibly and compromise over entitlements and revenues.

Don’t worry be happy!

A somewhat surprising First Amendment decision arising out of the 2010 Elections.

Now that America’s political leadership have probably averted a self-inflicted global economic calamity, it’s time to assess the winners and losers.

We have a deal in Washington. Now, the leadership just has to make sure it can pass Congress.

President Obama and Congressional Republicans have the outline of a deal to raise the debt limit past the 2012 elections.

Charles Krauthammer claims we are in the midst of a great debate. I am not so sure.

He doesn’t do a very good job.

More thoughts on deficits.

It is always useful to go inside the numbers.

Christine Lagarde believes the impact could be large and global.

John Boehner and Harry Reid introduced their debt plans. Now, where do we go from here?

If a crisis over the national debt is averted, Oklahoma’s Tom Coburn may be the unlikely hero.

It wasn’t a good day for the debt ceiling negotiations.

Workers picketing a Chicago Hyatt hotel yesterday got an unpleasant surprise: Heat lamps.

Three new polls provide a warning to both sides of the debt negotiations, but mostly to Republicans.

Freshman GOP Representative Allen West is a loose cannon and unfit for office.

The Gang of Six is back together. And they have a plan.

One of the GOP’s staunchest media allies isn’t too impressed with their Balanced Budget Amendment.

David Brooks is mad as hell and he’s not gonna take it anymore.

The choice is not between British-style socialized medicine and a free market in health care.

The idea that the GOP can block a debt ceiling vote and benefit politically is, quite simply, absurd.

Some things are worth repeating.

President Obama has walked out of negotiations on the debt ceiling with an agreement is nowhere in sight.

The participants in the debt negotiations are being led by constituencies that have little interest in compromise.

Our fundamental fiscal problem is an unwillingness to deal realistically with costs and benefits.

Do people who take advantage of tax breaks get a “government benefit”?

Byron York had some not unreasonable questions for Susan Feinberg, the woman who confronted Paul Ryan over $350 wine he consumed at a Capitol Hill restaurant. She won’t answer.

It’s still politics as usual in Washington.

So, apparently, Paul Ryan has expensive tastes in wine.

There’s apparently a new proposal on the table at the debt negotiations, and it looks very interesting.

Whatever happened to the GOP’s promise to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act?