Outside the Beltway

Polarization is not the cause of our problems.

Ted Cruz continues to act as if he hasn’t learned his lessons from the shutdown debacle

“Reality” TV star says something dumb about gay people, gets suspended, usual pointless outrage ensues.

Not surprisingly, Time’s editors chose Pope Francis as Person Of The Year. However, Edward Snowden arguably would have been the better choice.

Congressman Steve Stockman’s primary challenge of Senator John Cornyn could be a big deal, or, more likely, it could be a dud.

Some on the American right have a very odd view of both Nelson Mandela and the Apartheid regime he fought against.

The 7 seats most likely to switch parties are held by Democrats.

Chris Christie has had a very good month, and it’s ending with him with a strong lead among potential Republican candidates for 2016.

The GOP seems to be shifting strategy on the Affordable Care Act.

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

Don’t blame Dallas, or 60s era Texas conservatism, for what happened in Dallas 50 years ago,

A top House Republican suggested today that only Governor’s should be President. His argument has both practical and historical merit.

When it comes to the unfolding conflict inside the GOP, Mitch McConnell seems to have fired an opening shot.

A better than expected jobs report in October, but one that comes with a few caveats.

Republicans are contending that the nearly won the Virginia Governor’s race by emphasizing Obamacare in the closing weeks, but the evidence supporting that contention is far from clear.

Chris Christie did as well as expected last night, but that’s just the beginning.

The race for Virginia Governor turned out to be much closer than many predicted, but that should not be a surprise.

Looking at Chris Christie as he interacts with voters in New Jersey offers a glimpse of just how he could succeed in a 2016 GOP nomination fight.

A majority of Americans now disapprove of President Obama’s performance and a whopping 70 percent think the country is moving in the wrong direction.

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

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has endorsed “none of the above” for governor of Virginia.

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

The shutdown debacle seems destined to lead to a battle between the Tea Party and the more business oriented elements of the GOP

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

Ted Cruz’s definition of “the American people” needs some refining.

Nearly two-thirds of House Republicans voted for default. They lost.

The GOP’s shutdown was about as pointless as a show about waiting for a table in a Chinese restaurant.

A plan finally starting to come together?

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

Much like the Tea Party, David Frum wants to make the GOP tent smaller.

The deal emerging out of the talks between Senator Reid and Senator McConnell is about what you’d expect, but it’s probably the best we can expect right now.

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.

A little noticed rule change in the House is arguably one of the main reasons we’re in a government shutdown crisis.

Republicans appear to be uniting behind a short-term plan to deal with the debt ceiling, but seem okay with keeping the government shutdown going forward.

Paul Ryan is back, and he has a plan his party ought to be paying attention to.

The government shutdown seems to be having an impact on the one competitive statewide race in country this year.

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