Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Obama’s Immigration Executive Action

A Federal Judge has dismissed the first lawsuit filed against President Obama’s immigration “executive action.”

2014’s Fickle News Cycle

The news cycle in 2014 seemed to be dominated by a series of real and phony “crises” that grabbed our attention for short periods of time.

OTB Caption Contest

Time the Monday OTB Caption ContestTM

Airlines Want You Miserable and It Serves You Right

JetBlu is joining the competition in charging bag fees and cramming in more seats.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Robusto Mustachio Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Merry Christmas!

A break from politics (for one day at least)

Public Opinion on Cuba

Chart of the Day

Supreme Court To Consider Whether To Accept 6th Circuit Marriage Appeals On January 9th

Shortly after the new year, we could know whether or not the Supreme Court will issue a definitive ruling on same-sex marriage by the end of June.

Sony To Allow Limited Screenings of The Interview

Reversing a previous decision, Sony will allow The Interview to be screened in a small number of theaters.

Economy Grows at 5% For Only Second Quarter Since 2001

The Commerce Department had a Christmas present for investors, businesses, and consumers today.

Army Investigation Of Bowe Berghdahl Referred To Top General

The Army’s investigation of the disappearance five years ago of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been referred to a top General, who will decide if a court martial should be convened.

Joe Cocker Dies At 70

China Losing Patience With Pyongyang? Don’t Believe It Until You See It Happen

There are again reports of Chinese frustration with the Kim regime in North Korea, but change is unlikely to happen in the DPRK until Beijing is ready to let it happen.

OTB Caption Contest

Time the Monday OTB Caption ContestTM

US Ground Troops Fighting ISIL

The ground troops that United States has not sent into Iraq to fight ISIL are reportedly in Iraq fighting ISIL.

In Responding To North Korea’s Cyber Attacks, The U.S. Has Limited Options

There’s not a whole lot the United States can do to respond effectively and proportionally to North Korea’s hacking attack against Sony.

Only One Person Has ‘Blood On His Hands’ In The Deaths Of Officers Ramos And Liu, And He’s Already Dead

NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot dead while sitting in their patrol car In Brooklyn. And those suggesting that anyone other than the killer has “blood on their hands” are being absurd.

Russia Invades Ukraine, Hookers Raise Prices

Talk about your second- and third-order effects.

Obama: Sony Attack ‘Vandalism’ Not War

President Obama believes the North Korean attack on Sony was “an act of cyber vandalism” rather than “an act of war.”

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Fast and Furriest Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Rand Paul, Marco Rubio Exchange Barbs Over Cuba Policy Changes

Two potential candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016 traded barbs this week over the President’s new policy toward Cuba.

Supreme Court Refuses To Block Same-Sex Marriages In Florida

More interesting developments from the Supreme Court on what has been one of the biggest legal stories of 2014.

F.C.C. Rejects Petition To Declare ‘Redskins’ An Obscene Word

Not surprisingly, the F.C.C. has rejected a petition to ban the word “Redskins” from the airwaves.

Obama Faults Sony For Pulling ‘The Interview’ From Theaters, Vows Response To North Korea

President Obama criticized Sony for backing down, and said that the U.S. would respond to North Korea’s cyber attack “at a place and time we choose,”

Did 24 Help Make Torture Acceptable?

In the wake of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on C.I.A. torture, some have suggested that eight years of Jack Bauer helped make torture more acceptable to the American public.

F.B.I. Charges North Korea With Being Behind Hacking Attacks On Sony

The U.S. Government has formally charged North Korea with responsibility for the hacking attack on Sony. How to respond to that attack is a more complicated question.

Drezner on Cuba

Some Questions for Those who Oppose an Opening with Cuba

A little round of Qs and As on US-Cuban policy.

Oklahoma And Nebraska Sue Colorado Over Marijuana Legalization

Nebraska and Oklahoma are suing Colorado over the Centennial State’s decision to legalize marijuana, but they don’t seem to have much of a case.

Rand Paul Breaks With Other 2016 GOP Contenders In Backing Obama’s Opening To Cuba

Rand Paul is one of the few Republicans who seems to be evaluating the new policy toward Cuba through something other than an outdated Cold War perspective.

Federal Judge Kind Of, Sort Of Finds Obama’s Immigration Action Unconstitutional In Poorly Reasoned Decision

A Federal Judge has issued a ruling that sort of says that President Obama’s Immigration action is unconstitutional. Except it’s poorly reasoned, and apparently not legally binding on anyone.

Iraq And Afghanistan Wars Cost $3 Trillion

The costs of more than a decade of war are far higher than many ever thought, and we’re still paying the price for the fiscal irresponsibility of the Bush Administration while they were being fought.

Hate Speech and Academic Freedom

Should a professor who says she “hates Republicans” keep her job?