Outside the Beltway

The inevitable response to attacks on international shipping.

Is the President governing like he means it?

The U.S. average is under $4 for the first time in months.

An embarrassing photo demonstrates the perils of leading the free world.

They went down 3 cents a gallon yesterday and have dropped 24 days straight.

What does it all mean? It depends on who you ask.

Putin’s forces are in Kyiv.

In case anyone was wondering (and the GOP’s prospects are good).

The fecklessness of U.S. human rights policy in full display.

Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos alone have lost $15 billion in net worth since January.

People who should know better are making ridiculous claims.

There are two theories, neither of them good.

We may be seeing the beginning of the end.

Trading has resumed after an early plunge triggered automatic suspension.

As the Saudis continue to evaluate the impact of the weekend attack on a major oil facility, the Trump Administration tones down the anti-Iran rhetoric just a bit.

While the world continues to evaluate the impact of Saturday’s attack on a Saudi oil facility, tensions in the Persian Gulf are increasing.

Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for a massive attack on an important Saudi oil facility.

After a series of line item vetoes, the University of Alaska is facing a 41% cut in state funding.

As if the situation in the Persian Gulf weren’t already tense enough, the Iranians shot down an American reconnaissance drone late yesterday

While the American media was paying attention to President travels and travails in Europe, there was another meeting taking place.

May’s Jobs Report came back with disappointing jobs growth, suggesting that the economy may be slowing down.

The Trump Administration’s policies toward Iran aren’t going to work, but that’s because they aren’t supposed to work.

Kevin Drum uses some clever sleight-of-hand to demonstrate a hard truth about the human condition.

In what has to qualify as one of the most horrifying displays of moral depravity on the international stage, the Trump Administration is saying it doesn’t really care if the Saudi Crown Prince is a murderer or not.

The President was up late last night sending an incredibly over-the-top tweet directed at Iran.

Trump’s deal-making prowess in NK and Iran isn’t too impressive.

In an election that pretty much everyone agrees was illegitimate, Nicolás Maduro has won a second term as Venezuela’s President.

In 2017, there were ten Saudis on Forbes’ billionaires list. This year, there are none.

Iraqi military forces begin to crack down against Iraqi Kurds after last month’s independence referendum.

More stupid, irresponsible rhetoric from the President of the United States.

President Trump reverses a decision made by President Obama just over a year ago.

Canada is phasing out coal as a source of electricity production by 2030. The same thing will happen in the United States no matter how much politicians try to stop it.

Initial reports for the third quarter show strong economic growth during the summer;

Once again, the Federal Reserve chooses to pass on the opportunity to raise interest rates.

February’s Jobs Report was relatively positive, but there are still shadows hovering over the economy as we head further into the year.

Not exactly inspiring economic news from the Commerce Department.

January’s Jobs Report was nothing to write home about.

An anemic end to 2015 raises concerns about the health of the economy going forward.

China’s economy is still growing, but it’s most recently reported growth rate is slower than the nation has seen in quite some time.

Another hopeful step forward, thanks to diplomacy.

The economy is booming. Except where it’s not.

A strong month for jobs growth in . means 2015 ended on a strong note

The execution of a prominent Shi’ite cleric has led to a rapid deterioration of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The final report to third quarter Gross Domestic Product shows that growth over the summer was, at best, tepid.

In a move it had been telegraphing for the better part of a year, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since July 2006.

Some analysts are already suggesting that Russia’s two month old intervention in Syria is becoming a quagmire. That seems to be a premature judgment, but it’s not accomplishing much more than anything the West is doing.

The economy performed a little better than previously reported over the summer. It’s not great, but it’s probably enough to convince the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next month.

To no real surprise, the Obama Administration has rejected the application to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. It is likely to remain an issue in the upcoming Presidential campaign, though.