Outside the Beltway

Just about two weeks after being announced, the President’s proposed ban on military service by transgender troops is being challenged in Court.

It’s not the time away from the White House that matters, it’s the hypocrisy.

Seven years of rhetoric on health care reform ended early this morning with a narrow vote on a bill that even Republicans didn’t really support.

President Trump’s weeklong effort to undermine his own Attorney General continues.

Thoughts on the quality of our democracy.

Senate Republicans have introduced their latest version of a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

The Senate is back from its recess, but no closer to a health care bill that has any realistic chance of passing.

Symbols shape our views of the past.

More than twenty states are resisting requests for data from a ‘voter integrity’ Commission built on President Trump’s lie that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election.

The Supreme Court has accepted the appeal of a Colorado baker in a case that will determine if claims of religious liberty and free expression outweigh the application of generally applicable laws against discrimination.

With tomorrow marking the end of the Court’s current term, there’s speculation that we could see Justice Anthony Kennedy stepping down.

President Trump says he’d be willing to testify under oath in response to former F.B.I Director Comey’s accusations. That would be a mistake for several reasons.

Congress is running out of time in its effort to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act.

A Federal appellate court has ruled that a transgender student must be allowed to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

For some reason, Joe Lieberman is apparently the front-runner to replace James Comey at the F.B.I.

Even with the revelations of the last three weeks, impeaching the President is still largely a fantasy.

Thanks to anti-vaccination activists spreading false propaganda, measles cases are hitting record highs among the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota.

Once again, the GOP punts on ‘repeal and replace’ because they don’t have the votes.

The Freedom Caucus may be mollified, but moderate Republicans and the Senate aren’t. Meaning that repeal and replacement of Obamacare is becoming less likely.

The Supreme Court made it harder for states to keep fines and other payments in cases where defendants are exonerated.

Republicans held on to Mike Pompeo’s seat in the House, but the outcome was closer than many expected.

A big win for opponents of Voter ID laws.

Next week’s big news is likely to be the Senate’s vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which could mean invocation of the so-called ‘nuclear option’ by Senate Republicans.

The Trump Administration has issued an ultimatum, but the fate of the American Health Care Act is still very much up in the air.

More fireworks on the second day of the questioning of Neil Gorsuch, but his confirmation nonetheless seems assured.

Day One of the questioning of Judge Neil Gorsuch went very well, and it suggests that his path to confirmation is basically clear of serious obstacles.

Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings begin Monday morning, but it’s Senate Democrats who are in the hot seat.

A pioneer of Rock & Roll has passed away.

Part Two in a series of observations about health care and health insurance in light of the introduction of the House GOP’s health care plan. This post examines several ideas advanced by conservatives, and the reasons they aren’t complete answers to the problems we face.

Iowa Congressman Steve King is causing controversy yet again with his comments in support of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

Whether you call it TrumpCare, RyanCare, or GOPCare, the Republican replacement for the PPACA isn’t very impressive.

The Supreme Court has decided to return the case involving a transgender student’s right to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity to the Fourth Circuit rather than deciding it during this term.

Trump’s attempt to fix the balance of trade will almost surely end up leaving us all worse off.

Well, at least someone has a backbone.

Not surprisingly, the Trump Administration has revoked guidelines to public schools that required accommodation of transgender students.

Several former candidates for President are emerging as potential candidates for Senate.

There were fireworks on the floor of the Senate last night, but it was really just politics as usual.

If you changed the channel after the third quarter, you missed what ended up becoming a game for the ages.

A legal victory, at least for now, for opponents of Donald Trump’s ban on immigration from seven majority Muslim nations.

The first Jobs Report of 2017 saw healthy jobs growth in January, but there are signs we may be reaching a point where hiring could slow down.

In a closer than normal vote for the position, Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as Secretary of State.

President Trump will name his first Supreme Court pick on his 11th day in office.

As with so many things, the President is demonstrating that he really doesn’t know what he is doing.

President Trump hinted today that he’s likely to name his Supreme Court choice next week, and the list to appears have narrowed to three men.

A majority of the Supreme Court appears to be skeptical of a Federal law barring trademark protection for “offensive” names and slogans.

The reality of global climate change made itself evident again in 2016.

An important free speech case is coming up this week at the Supreme Court.