Outside the Beltway

A new poll finds that people in Illinois have an accurate assessment of politics in their state.

A pattern continues.

The votes are in. And the outcome is meaningless.

A rich guy wants to break up California.

The string of victories for same-sex marriage continues as a Federal Judge rules that the Commonwealth of Kentucky must recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages.

Ted Cruz keeps putting his own party in difficult situations, mostly because he has only his own ambition at heart.

Mitch McConnell’s hopes to become Senate Majority Leader could hinge on what happens in his own state and in Georgia.

Can you still buy batteries there, though?

The House GOP leadership’s principles are a good start, but it’s unclear if they can make it past the anti “amnesty” crowd that seems to dominate the GOP.

Gizmodo’s Brian Barrett explains “Why the South Fell Apart in the Snow.”

Tonight, the American political system stops to engage in the biggest waste of time ever invented.

Marlise Munoz is finally at peace, but the law that kept her hooked up to machines for two months remains on the books.

A man who viewed two photographs of a child abuse victim has been ordered to pay $3.4 million in damages.

Polarization is not the cause of our problems.

A brain dead woman in Texas is being kept alive while a fetus that is still not viable grows inside of her.

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

The Sunbelt continues to dominate.

Once again, Chris Christie seems to be directly challenging the right wing of his party.

A victory for same-sex marriage in an unlikely place.

Time to watch a bit of true American exceptionalism in action.

A Federal District Court Judge struck down part of Utah’s law against polygamy brought by the stars of TLC’s “Sister Wives.”

Weeks of speculation that Texas would fire Mack Brown and hire Nack Saban were put to an end yesterday evening.

Last night, Speaker John Boehner showed that he can beat the Tea Party wing of the Caucus he heads. That has important consequences for the future.

Republicans have some good ideas about overhauling how they pick a nominee. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see how most of them can be enforced.

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 junior Senator from Massachusetts has promised to serve her entire six-year term.

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.

Once again, some groups in Texas are trying to block approval of a science textbook because it is too deferential to Evolution.

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

The perfect defense?