Outside the Beltway

Apparently, there is an off ramp on the Appalachian Trail

Blaming Obama for the security bubble he travels in is, in the end, a pretty dumb argument.

If something is going to be done about an out of control National Security State, it’ll be because the American people demand it.

Marijuana legalization is an issue that unites people across the political aisle.

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 opponents of the temporary deal reached in Geneva have been making some ridiculous historical analogies.

Was the Jobs Report released one month before Election Day 2012 rigged? Despite a new report, there’s no evidence to suggest that it was.

The Junior Senator from Kentucky does some re-writing of history.

Another Federal Court has declared the PPACA’s contraceptive coverage mandate to be unconstitutional.

Chris Christie’s decision to take a tactical retreat on the issue of same-sex marriage raises some interesting questions for 2016.

Will the GOP learn the right lessons from the just-concluded showdown? That remains to be seen.

Ted Cruz isn’t ruling out a reprise of his foolish, quixotic, crusade.

John Boehner’s position as Speaker of the House seems quite secure.

The House wasted a day yesterday, now it’s crunch time.

Are these four men our last, best hope for a deal that will end the shutdown and avoid breaching the debt ceiling?

Conservatives gathered on the National Mall today to protest the closure of memorials, but their message seems really intended for Republicans in Congress to not back down.

Ted Cruz wants his fellow Republicans to follow him down the rabbit hole again.

The outlines of a possible new GOP proposal are emerging. Can it go anywhere?

There’s no sign that the government shutdown will end any time soon.

The news PPACA controversy appears to be based on a complete misunderstanding of one provision of the law.

Republicans don’t seem willing to let go of the Obamacare issue just yet. But, how long will that actually last?

Ted Cruz is going after the Speaker of the House.

If recent history is any guide, there won’t really be a government shutdown next week. But, the zealotry of the “defund Obamacare” caucus could change everything.

Would House Republicans really defer from voting on a Syria resolution to prevent embarrassing the President on the world stage?

A case out of New Mexico presents an interesting collision of First Amendment rights and anti-discrimination values.

There seems to be a divide developing between Republican leadership and the Tea Party over the idea of shutting the government down over Obamacare.

The president’s 2008 rival has gone from bitter foe to go-to deal broker.

A top Republican Senator blasts the plan by some of his colleagues to “defund” Obamacare.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are openly disagreeing with a proposed strategy to threaten a government shutdown if Obamacare isn’t repealed.

Conservatives are doing what they criticized JournoList for doing—even though JournoList didn’t.

We’ve still got a long way to go.

There seem to be some signs that defense hawks in the GOP are concerned about Rand Paul’s growing popularity in the party.

A new round of documents from the IRS, that aren’t really new, doesn’t really change the basic narrative on the IRS “targeting” story.

Apparently, some people don’t want to let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

Republicans should reject the calls to call for a Special Prosecutor to investigate the unfolding scandals in Washington.

The GOP’s latest investigatory crusade could end up backfiring on them.

What is the appropriate response to someone who’s acting like a jerk?

Debunking a conservative myth that has arisen in connection the Benghazi story.

Is someone who’s only be a Senator for just over 100 days a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2016?

Republicans seem to think they need fewer Presidential debates in the 2016 cycle, but it’s unclear how they can make that happen.

Is the answer to the same-sex marriage debate as simple as getting the government out of the marriage business, or is it more complicated?

Senator Rob Portman changes his position on same-sex marriage. Another sign of the times.

The government of Malaysia paid a lot of money to get some blogs placed at various outlets.

The Hagel confirmation, like Obama’s election, was big news to some avid news consumers.