Outside the Beltway

On substance, the President’s immigration actions aren’t very objectionable. How he is implementing them, though, is problematic and seems needlessly confrontational.

The idea that the U.S. does not negotiate with terrorists is simply not historically accurate, so should we be reconsidering the policy of not negotiating with ISIS for the release of Western hostages?

Former Senator Jim Webb is the first Democrat to kinda, sorta, throw his hat into the ring for 2016.

An adviser close to Hillary Clinton is talking about expanding the Electoral College map in 2016, but even without such an expansion the GOP faces an uphill battle.

The Keystone XL pipeline bill is dead until the next Senate. Mary Landrieu’s political career, on the other hand, is basically dead for the foreseeable future.

Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline will likely pass the Senate today, and will eventually go forward despite an expected Presidential veto. But, Mary Landrieu’s political career is still dead.

Another round of election losses is leading Democrats to contemplate the direction they should take going forward.

The process that seems likely to lead to a Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage has begun.

As things stand right now, there is no legitimate legal authorization for the President’s war against ISIS, and that’s largely because Congress has failed to act.

Same-sex marriage advanced in Kansas and South Carolina yesterday, and will soon be law in Montana, but the Supreme Court is what matters now,

After the 2010 elections, several newly Republican state legislatures flirted with the idea of changing the way their state allocates Electoral Votes. The outcome of last weeks elections raises the possibility that this could happen again.

The GOP is dominant in the Southern United States, but it’s unlikely to last as long as Democratic dominance of the region did.

In addition to gains at the national level and in Governor’s races, the GOP also saw more gains in state legislatures around the country.

The Fourth and Fifth Amendments do not prevent the police from compelling you to unlock your phone if you used fingerprint scan technology to lock it, Virginia Judge has ruled.

Trying to explain one of the biggest surprises of Election Night 2014.

An unsurprising ruling from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that only seems to bring closer the day when same-sex marriage will be legal nationwide.

Tuesday’s Republican wave didn’t change the fundamentals.

Despite speculation, both Angus King and Joe Manchin will stay with the Democratic caucus. And that makes sense for both of them.

The results of the 2014 midterms should teach us some lessons about how to handle and evaluate polling.

The GOP added to its majority in the House, giving it the biggest majority it has had since Truman was President.

Arguably the most surprising Senate race of 2014 was in Virginia, and it’s not over yet.

Reports from the Justice Department seem to be laying the groundwork for more disappointment for those hoping for charges against Officer Darren Wilson.

Just over one year ago, Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds was attacked by his son, revealing problems with our mental health system that have yet to be adequately addressed.

There’s nothing wrong with choosing not to vote.

A Maine Judge has largely rejected the efforts of the State of Maine to restrict the movements of Kaci Hickcox

Not too long ago, Trick Or Treating didn’t mean getting candy produced by large corporations.

Once again, reporters and pundits are arguing that Chris Christie’s “New Jersey style” won’t play well on the stump. I’m not so sure they’re right.

A disappointing setback.

Mandatory quarantines are a massive violation of personal liberty. We ought to be careful in how, when, and why we impose them and who they are directed toward.

Republican Senate candidate Ed Gillespie picked an odd issue on which to start his closing argument to Virginia voters.

The Koch Brothers are putting money behind an effort to reform a part of the legal system that is ignored far too often.

Things are looking good for the GOP to take over the Senate, but there are still several right races that could tip the balance one way or the other.

After an avalanche of negative commentary, the Governors of New York and New Jersey have modified their policy regarding quarantining people returning from west Africa.

In many states, there aren’t really any races at all this year even if both parties have candidates on the ballot.

There’s at least a 50-50 chance we won’t know who controls the Senate until weeks after Election Day.

Another pre-election stay ruling from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court’s expansion of same-sex marriage seems to be sitting well with the American public.

Democrats are starting to worry that low turnout could turn a good year for the GOP into a very good year.

A District of Columbia Judge has ruled that photographs of women taken in public do not violate the law.

Their places are being filled by students who pay higher tuition rates.

Frank Foer proclaims, “Amazon Must Be Stopped. It’s too big. It’s cannibalizing the economy.”