Outside the Beltway

No, there really haven’t been 355 ‘mass shootings’ since January 1st. Not unless you’re relying on completely unreliable data.

Senator Bernie Sanders wants to let states decide how to regulate marijuana, or to not regulate it at all if they choose. Intellectually honest conservatives should support his effort.

Virginia Democrats tried to capture control of the Virginia State Senate by, in part, emphasizing gun control issues. The fact that they failed is instructive.

A controversial marijuana legalization initiative that even many pro-legalization advocates opposed, lost in Ohio last night. But the nationwide momentum in favor of legalization will likely not be abated.

Canada’s Liberal Party ran on a platform that includes nationwide marijuana legalization. With the election won, it seems only a matter of time before Canadians will be able to light up legally.

A new poll shows an up-tick in public support for some gun control measures, but gun control advocates can’t ignore the political reality that says those restrictions are unlikely to ever become law.

California has become the second state to provide for automatic voter registration for all eligible voters when they obtain or renew a driver’s license.

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicide, making California the fifth state to legalize the practice and possibly giving real political momentum to the Right To Die movement.

In the wake of yesterday’s shootings in Oregon, President Obama took the airwaves to offer the same empty rhetoric he has on this issue in the past, and to make the false claim that there are simple solutions to what is a very complex problem.

Up to 13 people are dead and as many 20 injured after another mass shooting on a college campus.

California’s legislature has approved a bill that would legalize physician assisted suicide in the nation’s largest state.

At least on paper, Senate Democrats now have enough votes to block the Senate from voting on a resolution disapproving of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

A trial court Judge in Oregon is the latest public official to refuse to do his job.

The 2016 election will be fought on a very small battlefield, and right now the makeup of that battlefield heavily favors the Democrats.

Donald Trump’s campaign seems to be making a play for whatever portion of the GOP it may be that still likes Sarah Palin.

Chris Christie says he would ignore states that have legalized marijuana if he became President. Fortunately, he will most likely never be President.

While “fundamentals” will have more impact on choosing our next president than what happens on the campaign trail, the race itself is important.

Taxes on wine, beer, and spirits vary wildly from state-to-state and even within each state.

The Senate passed a bill that renews, and modifies, the Patriot Act

A new poll shows that nearly seven in ten Americans believe that people who are terminally ill should be allowed to end their lives with the help of a doctor.

Rand Paul held the Senate floor for nearly twelve hours yesterday to talk about the PATRIOT Act, but it’s unclear if he accomplished anything.

A New Jersey legislator is proposing finally getting rid of an antiquated law that makes it illegal to pump your own gas in the Garden State.

Director of National Intelligence now tells Congress that he testified falsely about NSA spying because he forgot the program existed.

A Federal Appeals Court has ruled that the N.S.A.’s data mining program is illegal, but its ruling may not have a very big impact.

Oregon has become the first state in the nation to adopt universal automatic voter registration.

Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown (D) will become the first openly bisexual governor in U.S. history when Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) resigns Wednesday

He’s tan. He’s rested. And, apparently, he’s ready. Mitt Romney seems very interested in 2016 all of a sudden.

Some preliminary thoughts on the inaugural college playoff system.

The Justice Department won’t force James Risen to testify in a legal investigation, but faces a new choice in a different case.

Despite opposition from both Republicans and Democrats, the compromise budget resolution passed narrowly last night, but not without some last minute drama

The budget bill Congress set to pass Congress would effectively reverse the will of the voters of Washington, D.C., who just voted to legalize marijuana.

You’ve got your playoff College Football fans, as imperfect as it was inevitably going to be.

An adviser close to Hillary Clinton is talking about expanding the Electoral College map in 2016, but even without such an expansion the GOP faces an uphill battle.

Voter Turnout was lower this year than in any midterm since the one held eleven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Support for legalizing marijuana continues to grow slowly but surely.

Tuesday’s Republican wave didn’t change the fundamentals.

Big victories for advocates of marijuana legalization.

Freedom of choice.

Two states and the nation’s capital could have legal marijuana after Tuesday’s elections.

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

All of the major sports leagues are trying to stop New Jersey’s efforts to legalize sports gambling. They should not be allowed to succeed.

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

Early voting is a still new idea in the United States, but one that has quickly spread to a majority of states. But, is it a good idea?

A 29 year old woman will end her life in less than a month. That should be her choice.

Opponents of marriage equality clearly don’t like the idea of a “big tent” in the GOP on the issue.

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.

Freedom Of The Press, if you can afford to pay the fee.

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