Outside the Beltway

After the 2010 elections, several newly Republican state legislatures flirted with the idea of changing the way their state allocates Electoral Votes. The outcome of last weeks elections raises the possibility that this could happen again.

A popular idea that does nothing useful while simultaneously violating the Constitution.

Support for legalizing marijuana continues to grow slowly but surely.

The Fourth and Fifth Amendments do not prevent the police from compelling you to unlock your phone if you used fingerprint scan technology to lock it, Virginia Judge has ruled.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Supreme Court has accepted the appeal of a case that could completely gut the financial structure of the Affordable Care Act.

Trying to explain one of the biggest surprises of Election Night 2014.

An unsurprising ruling from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that only seems to bring closer the day when same-sex marriage will be legal nationwide.

The Republican wave extended even to Governor’s races that, in any other year, they should have lost.

The B.C.S. was far from perfect, and the College Football Playoff system will be, at best, only slightly better.

Polls continue to show that most Americans are largely tuning the midterms out.

Rich guys are backing organizations that are taking over traditional party functions. Is that a problem?

Bill Scher examines “How Republicans Lost the Culture War.”

The death of the Tea Party is greatly exaggerated.

Combining politics, an incessantly sensationalist news cycle, and a virus that scares a lot of people can’t end well.

A legal setback for the Affordable Care Act, but the important arguments on this issue lie in higher courts.

While it still seems unlikely that he’ll run, Mitt Romney does seem to be leaving the door open to a third run at the White House.

Justice Ginsburg had some interesting things to say about the same-sex marriage cases headed to the Supreme Court.

Republicans still have an advantage, but Democrats seem to be holding their own in the battle for Senate control.

Alabamians like to exclaim, “Thank God for Mississippi.” Perhaps it’s time for that slogan to cross the Pond.

So far at least, there is no evidence that 2014 will be a “wave election.”

There is a good possibility that Darren Wilson could be acquitted in the shooting of Michael Brown.. Are the protesters ready to accept that reality?

A trial court judge in Tennessee is the first jurist since the Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Windsor to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage

The GOP has a good chance of taking the Senate in 2014, but it will be by a narrow margin.

Americans have become deeply cynical about government. To some extent that is a good thing, but it’s reaching unhealthy levels.

Tea Party backed candidates may have lost most of the GOP primary battles, but they’ve won the war for control of the Republican agenda.

Debbie Dingell is set to continue an 80 year legacy of Dingells occupying the same seat in the House of Representatives. That’s not a good thing.

Despite a high profile effort to oust him, the most prominent libertarian Republican in Congress survived his primary challenge yesterday.

David Trott’s victory in Michigan’s District 11 Republican House primary marks the first time this year a Republican Establishment candidate has upset a Tea Party Incumbent.

According to some reports, President Obama may be about to make an end run around Congressional inaction on immigration reform.

Another Circuit Court of Appeals has weighed in on the marriage equality debate.

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.

Only two 2013 college football games attracted more viewers that Tuesday’s World Cup match vs. Belgium.

Another area where the law has yet to catch up to technology.

A new poll suggests that Republicans could be losing a constituency that is very key for them in the nation’s third most populous state.

The IRS’s claim that it lost some unknown number of Lois Lerner’s emails doesn’t really add up.

Signs continue to suggest that a GOP Senate takeover is likely.

The Obama White House rejected Republican criticism of the deal that led to the release of the only American Prisoner Of War from the Afghanistan War.

It may be time to rethink the way we make candidates get on the ballot.

One of the longest serving Members of Congress just got his political career saved.

People are still going to jail for being unable to pay their fines. And often billed for the priviledge.

A 13 month string of legal victories for marriage equality reaches Oregon.

Some polls aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

It might not be pretty.