Outside the Beltway

My latest for The Atlantic, “Why Should Congress and the Courts Care About Snooping If Citizens Don’t?” has posted.

Thanks to those new electronic cigarettes, ads for cigarettes are back on television for the first time since the Nixon Administration.

Former President Bill Clinton says President Obama should ignore the polls and intervene in Syria.

The United Nations has documented 92,901 dead in Syria’s civil war.

Why won’t the “women don’t get pregnant from rape” meme die?

Do bad habits make bad people?

Time for the Thursday OTB Caption Contest^TM

One Congressman thinks it would be a good idea to treat journalists as criminals.

Even if you trust the current occupant of the White House to exercise the powers granted to the agencies operating in secret under him, do you trust all future Presidents?

The infamous VA backlog is finally dwindling. Much of it was a function of good intentions.

A George W. Bush renaissance? Not exactly.

Exploring data from 33 years’ of FISA reports to Congress

Without full transcripts, the excerpts released by the House Oversight Committee are worthless.

The ACLU is suing over the NSA’s data mining. Does it really have a chance?

The Who Let The Dogs Out Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

Revelations about the NSA’s data mining programs don’t seem to be having a significant impact on public opinion.

Speaker Boehner seems confident that immigration reform will become law this year, but his confidence may be premature.

The Administration has accepted reality in its fight against a ruling that made the “morning after” pill available regardless of age.

As if the region didn’t have enough problems.

The former NFL wideout formerly known as Chad Ochocinco will spend a month in jail for patting his lawyer on the fanny.

While our leaders may not be fully trustworthy, they, not disgruntled low level employees, are best positioned to decide.

Scientists have known for years that large quantities of supplemental vitamins can be quite harmful. Yet, the FDA is prohibited by law from telling the public.

Who was the better Superman: Christopher Reeve or Henry Cavill? Who was the better Batman: Michael Keaton or Christian Bale? Who was the better Spiderman: Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield?

Films from the House of Spiderman have grossed more than those from the House of Superman. But that’s mostly because of ticket price increases.

Allegations of wrongdoing and cover-up at Foggy Bottom.

Superman’s famous shield changes from 1938 to present.

There is only one serious candidate in the race for Frank Lautenberg’s old Senate seat, and he’s got pretty much no chance of winning the election.

The economy is so bad there’s a thriving business in tire rental.