Outside the Beltway

IBM’s Watson computer crushed human competitors on Jeopardy. What does it mean?

President Obama’s new budget involves nothing less than a thumb in the eye of anyone who hoped he would seriously address federal spending in his first term.

Twenty-five years ago today, the American space program came crashing to Earth in a horrible accident.

Part two of the ongoing series blogging Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny.

What happened to the 15 million jobs that were supposed to be created in the past 10 years but weren’t?

Inevitably, the Nazis made an appearance during yesterday’s debate over health care reform in the House. It’s time for it to stop, or at least time for the rest of us to stop taking seriously anyone who resorts to such arguments.

The American military personnel system works against keeping the best and brightest officers in the service.

With just over a week to go before the 112th Congress convenes, battle lines are already being drawn in battle over the defense budget.

One of the most active American diplomats of the past twenty-five years has passed away.

Did Obama’s tax cut deal demolish the Republican charge that he’s a radical? Not hardly.

What will Republicans think of a candidate for President who admitted to smoking marijuana as recently as two years ago?

Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough wants the GOP to stop kowtowing to Sarah Palin and her acolytes. He’s right.

Virginia Senator Jim Webb is the last of a dying breed of Democrats, but his party may need him if it wants to remain competitive anywhere outside of a Blue State.

Those images on your Facebook page may come back to haunt you if you decide to run for office someday.

If the polling is anywhere close to accurate, a Republican wave will come crashing down today, repudiating the first two years of the Obama administration. What does it mean?

David Broder offers up some odd ideas on the relationship between a war with Iran and the economy.

We’ve been talking about the 2010 elections since, oh, the day after the 2008 elections.   Now, it’s time for final predictions.

Another round of GDP growth figures are out, and they show that the U.S. economy continues to grow far slower than necessary to sustain job growth. Is this a temporary problem, or something we can expect to live with for the foreseeable future?

While the American economy languishes, China is booming again.

It’s been a decade since al Qaeda attacked the USS Cole, killing 17 American sailors. The perpetrators are still at large.

If job growth continues at the anemic pace that it has been on in 2010, it could be quite some time before we return to the “Good Old Days” of 5% unemployment.

Would non-violence really have failed against the Nazis? History suggests maybe not….

The authors of Global Governance 2025 offer a wide range of trajectories for the international system depending on whether we adequately address known threats.

David Brooks blames our economic woes on a change from a culture that valued productive work to one of gentility. And Bill Cosby.

Robert Gates has been a reluctant Secretary of Defense but his impact at the Pentagon has been tremendous.

According to Paul Krugman’s latest column, the massive destruction of World War Two was actually good for the U.S. economy. Sadly, there are people who consider him an expert.

Another political analyst is out with a 2010 prediction that should make Democrats very nervous.

Aging Vietnam vets are being treated for diabetes and other ailments unrelated to their service on the taxpayers’ dime. We can’t afford it.

Either Obama’s Defense Secretary and commanding general are conspiring to undermine his July 11 deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan or that they’re carrying out his intent.

Every new report out of Iran seems to bring us closer to the moment when Israel has decided it’s heard enough. What happens if that day actually happens ?

Contrary to what you read on bumper stickers, retired Lt. Col William Astore argues that not every soldier is a hero. He’s right.

With everyone concerned about the budget deficit, the idea of cutting military spending is finally gaining traction on Capitol Hill.

Daniel Schorr’s journalism career ended far too early, lasting a mere eighty-one years.

The movie version of Captain America will dress like the flag but won’t be waving it.

It’s going to be much harder for reporters to get access to the military thanks to new rules announced last night by the Pentagon.

Did the American media cover up torture by the Bush Administration?