Outside the Beltway

There really is no reason for Congress to confirm so many posts.

The Supreme Court’s handling of standing in the two same-sex marriage cases likely seems contradictory to many outside observers.

The Supreme Court accepts what will likely be one of the most important cases of its upcoming term.

Has the Arab Spring come to Turkey?

Once again, national security wins and privacy loses.

It would be nice if columnists for major newspapers would consult political science, rather than Hollywood, for their understanding of our system.

Because sometimes poorly contructed observations can set a fellow to writing.

Institutional dynamics in the US constitutional system are the key to undertstanding our current predicament.

Ezra Klein argues that the voters already decided how the sequestration fight should play out.

t’s been more than two-and-a half years since the United States passed major legislation.

A potentially significant ruling on Separation Of Powers.

An attempt to declare the filibuster unconstitutional has ended in failure.

Elections put the players in office. They don’t dictate the outcome of the game.

The arguments in favor of major changes in the way we elect our President are unpersuasive.

Electing Romney hardly means repeal of the PPACA, even if he will make it sound that way.

Issa, Holder, and a little Madison.

The stage is set for a showdown between the Executive and Legislative Branches.

Is there any legal merit to the Administration’s invocation of Executive Privilege?

The dispute between the Justice Department and the House of Representatives just became a bigger deal.

President Obama’s immigration policy shift is legal, it’s good policy, but bypassing Congress won’t solve our immigration problems.

A new ruling from Egypt’s highest court has set in motion a chain of events that could end very badly.

If the Department of Justice does not fully comply with Congressional subpoenas, then there seems to be no alternative other than holding the Attorney General in contempt.

The President’s Cabinet is less a Team Of Rivals and more a Team Of Managers.

The Oval Office is nothing like a corporate boardroom.

There are a number of problems with the notion that the Federalist Papers provide a perfect guide to the Constitution.

Charlie Savage documents a major shift in Barack Obama’s philosophy of presidential authority.

Unsurprisingly, the Department of Justice confirms that it supports Marbury v. Madison

What walking around knowledge about our political system is necessary to be an informed citizen?

Starting tomorrow morning, the Supreme Court dives into the most significant case that has been before it in many years.

Yes, the US Constitution has been the most successful such document in human history. That does not mean it is a good template for other countries.

Ann Romney asked it of Mitt. (And Newt throws in his two cents).

Yes, it’s time to talk about that again.

Gingrich has some pretty radical ideas about separation of powers.

Newt Gingirch ups the ante in his rhetorical assault on judicial independence.

There is a fundamental problem with the feedback loop in American politics.

Newt Gingrich’s ideas about the role of the judiciary are very dangerous.

Except, of course, the parts he doesn’t like.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 authorizes the President the authority to indefinitely detain persons, even American citizens arrested on American soil, without trial because they allegedly support the enemy.

Oz provides an excuse for some comparative politics.

Let’s see if there is evidence to support the assertion.

Madison went to Philadelphia wanting to increase the power of the central government over the states (quite a bit, in fact).

The US came a lot closer to something resembling a parliamentary system than most people think.

Is America’s political system to blame for our current problems?

The Eleventh Circuit has struck down the individual mandate as exceeding Congress’ enumerated powers under the Commerce Clause.

Presidents are not a powerful as they seem (and a return to the “are things broken?” theme).

A political science-y response to the question of whether the system is broken.