Outside the Beltway

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in a case that could make it easier for consumers to buy and ship wine and other adult beverages across state lines.

Tulsi Gabbard was born in American Samoa, an American territory whose residents are generally not American citizens from birth. However, she is nonetheless a “natural born citizen.”

The House GOP has moved to rebuke Iowa Congressman for his racist remarks. What took them so long?

President Trump appears to be backing away from the idea of declaring a national emergency to get his wall built. But the other options he’s considering aren’t much better.

Several states are getting rid of caucuses in favor of primaries, a move that could be to the disadvantage of candidates like Bernie Sanders.

Before even taking office, Mitt Romney is taking on the President. It’s a good sign, but we’ll see what it leads to.

A new law set to take effect in Utah before the New Year will lower the BAC limit for drunk driving by 40% to .05. Will the rest of the nation follow?

Senator Mitch McConnell and others are blocking a criminal justice reform bill currently pending in the Senate.

Mia Love, recently narrowly defeated in her bid for re-election, has some parting words for her party. They probably won’t listen, but they should.

On Tuesday, Michigan joined the ranks of the states where marijuana is legal and several other states legalized it for medical purposes.

The former Governor and Presidential candidate, and current Ambassador to Russia, reveals his diagnosis of Stage One Melanoma.

Donald Trump is talking about a tax cut that appears to exist only in his own mind.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wants to be referred to by its given name. Shouldn’t we respect that wish?

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley says he would not consider a Supreme Court nominee in 2020. But does he really mean it?

One month before voters in several states head to the polls to vote on legalization referendums, a new poll shows that public support for legalization remains at record high levels.

Saturday Night Live inevitably mocked the Ford/Kavanaugh hearing on Thursday in their cold open.

Regardless of who wins control of the Senate in November, the person who will stand third in the line of succession will either be over, or very close to, eighty years old. That doesn’t make sense.

After a day of political pressure, Senate Republicans have agreed to hold a hearing regarding the sexual assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh next week.

President Trump has made no secret of the fact that he is displeased with the performance of Jeff Sessions, but he could find it hard to replace him.

The first day of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings was much ado about pretty much nothing, but then that can be used to describe a process whose outcome is pretty much foreordained.

Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, is rejecting calls that he should resign in the wake of what everyone seems to agree was a disastrous summit meeting with Vladimir Putin.

President Trump is reportedly considering the 47-year-old Utah Senator to replace Anthony Kennedy.

After hitting a stumbling bloc in April, Mitt Romney coasted to a win last night, and has a clear path to Washington and the U.S. Senate.

Earlier this week, the Illinois legislature ratified the Equal Rights Amendment. What’s unclear is if this act has any meaning at all.

How far should judicial confirmation hearings go in asking potential Judges and Justices their opinions about issues that may come before them?

A small group of Republican rebels in the House are attempting to push legislation protecting DACA beneficiaries to a floor vote. Unfortunately, they’re not likely to succeed.

Republicans joined with Democrats to advance a bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but it’s unlikely to go anywhere beyond that.

Mitt Romney stumbled in his bid to become Utah’s next Senator but he’s still likely to win the nomination anyway.

Whether they like it or not, Republican candidates in the midterms will have to run with the albatross of Donald Trump around their necks.

Yet more troubling news about the proposed citizenship question on the 2020 Census.

Descriptions of Robby Jackson as “Trump’s personal physician” mischaracterize his qualifications for the job.

Mitt Romney staked out a position on DACA that is to the right of the President, and to the right of a majority of Utah voters.

Kids are more likely to be killed driving to school than shot while there. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and prevent them.

Despite the activism we’ve seen in the wake of the school shooting in Florida, it’s unlikely that we’ll see significant Congressional action on guns.

To the surprise of nobody, Mitt Romney entered the race to succeed Orrin Hatch in the Senate. He’ll probably win.

The Tea Party is dead, but it was never really alive to begin with.

He’s tan. He’s rested. He’s ready. And, yes, he’s running.

A train carrying Republican Congressmen and Senators, and their families, was involved in a crash in western Virginia.

That “Romney for Senate” campaign seems pretty much inevitable.

Once again, President Trump opens his mouth and proceeds to insult a good part of the world while embarrassing the country.

After forty years in the Senate, Orrin Hatch announced that he will not seek re-election this year, thus opening the door for Mitt Romney to succeed him.

There are no good outcomes for the GOP in Alabama.

House Republicans passed their tax reform bill. That was the easy part.

The Moore situation illustrates the nonhierarchical nature of US parties. This is nothing new.

Voters in Maine hand their conservative Governor a setback.

It’s been two years since John Boehner stepped down as Speaker, and he’s got a few things to say about his former colleagues and the state of American politics.

Former Trump aide Steve Bannon is declaring war on Republicans in the Senate.

Don’t hold your breath, but the Las Vegas shooting may actually prompt Congress to do something.

A recent uptick in retirements from Congressional Republicans is leading some Republicans to become concerned about the party’s prospects in 2018.