Outside the Beltway

Let’s keep our eye on the ball, people.

Would troops to Mexico help in the drug war?

Is the current media environment a problem for proper political discourse?

As impressive as Republican gains in this week’s elections were at the national level, they were even more so in state legislative races. Which means Republicans are in position to consolidate and expand upon their recent gains.

He’s the darkest of dark horses right now, but Gary Johnson stands as the heir apparent to Ron Paul’s surprisingly energetic 2008 run for the GOP nomination.

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson To Launch Presidential Bid In February?

Venezuela have reached a series of agreement on energy. Should the US be concerned?

Will a Republican-controlled Congress bring about the third Presidential Impeachment in American history? Jonathan Chait thinks it’s virtually certain that it will, I’m not so sure.

President Obama told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, “Long before America was even an idea, this land of plenty was home to many peoples. The British and French, the Dutch and Spanish, to Mexicans, to countless Indian tribes. We all shared the same land.”

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels appears to be quietly putting together the beginnings of a campaign for President of the United States. Don’t count him out by any means.

Both Congress and the Obama Administration have stepped up enforcement of immigration laws–at immense cost to both the budget and the courts.

Governor Brewer walks back he beheadings claims.

The idea that we are in the middle of an illegal immigration crisis is not supported by the evidence.

It’s beginning to look like initial reports that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill had been “cleaned up” may not be true after all.

Again, despite the rhetoric of some, the US does continue to enforce laws relevant to the border and, indeed, enforcement has been on the rise.

According to a new poll, 87% of border residents feel safe.

While it is true, as Jacob Sullum puts it, On Drug Policy, Mexico’s President Has a Bigger Vocabulary Than Ours, it is also true as the headline at Gancho puts it he has Problems with the Legalization Debate (specifically in terms of popular opinion in Mexico).

Christopher Hitchens takes us through this initial weeks with cancer with brutal introspection and wry humor.

Despite assertions that the violence in Mexico is spilling over the border, we find a rather stark comparison of two key border cities.

Not surprisingly, there is a great deal of disparity in terms of development on the two sides of the US-Mexican border.

Senate Republicans want to rethink the 14th Amendment’s automatic citizenship for people born in the U.S.

Does anybody here know anything about slide or film scanners or 8mm conversion?

The link between immigration and crime rates that many immigration opponents point to simply does not exist

Immigration “moderate” Lindsey Graham is suddenly sounding not so moderate.

Yes, a lot of people are dying on the Arizona border, but the cause is not the drug war. Rather, it is simple fact that crossing the desert on foot is a dangerous proposition. (And this is not a new phenomenon).

Now that the flood of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig has been staunched, some are arguing that the prophesied environmental catastrophe was greatly overblown.

Marco Rubio doesn’t want to see the proliferation of SB1070s to other states.

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

Affluent, educated people in the DC policy community hold different views than the larger American public.

As if the Gulf Oil Spill weren’t enough, there are now allegations that BP played a role in the release of the only man convicted in the murder of 190 Americans.

More decapitation talk.

The Department of the Interior has, unwisely and unnecessarily, reimposed the ban on deep water offshore drilling.

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

Let’s revisit the question of crime levels in Arizona.

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

Another depressing poll demonstrating American historical ignorance.

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

Africans are rallying around the Ghanaian World Cup team, putting aside stark differences. Should we be surprised?