Voter ID and Alabama’s Budget Mess

Budget cuts mean it is now harder to get an ID in much of Alabama.

CNBC Debate Criteria Likely To Be Bad News For Several Republican Candidates

The criteria for next month’s third Republican Presidential debate have been announced, and they’re likely to end up being bad news for several Republican candidates.

Kevin McCarthy Inadvertently Tells The Truth About The House Benghazi Committee

The man who will likely be the next Speaker of the House accidentally acknowledged the real motivation behind the Select Committee investigating, yet again, the Benghazi attack.

It’s Time To End Iowa And New Hampshire’s First In The Nation Status

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus suggested that Iowa and New Hampshire shouldn’t get used to their place at the top of the primary calendar. He’s right, but fixing the crazy system that put them there isn’t going to be easy.

Taliban Capture Major Afghan City For First Time Since 9/11

The Taliban dealt a major defeat to a numerically superior Afghan Army force, raising questions about just how well Afghanistan can defend itself on its own.

Congress Avoids A Shutdown, But It’s Likely To Come Back In December

Congress will get a temporary funding bill passed in time to avoid a shutdown on Thursday, but it may just be delaying the inevitable.

Have we Seen Peak Trump?

Trump remains in the lead, but he has been steadily falling over the month of September. (And this triggers, as these things do, musings about institutions and our party system).

Several Republicans Likely To Be Excluded From Third Debate

The next Republican debate is likely to be a lot smaller than the previous two, and that could prove fatal for several candidates.

NASA Reports Finding Signs Of Liquid Water On Mars

NASA had a potentially significant announcement today.

John Boehner’s Parting Words For His Critics Are Spot-On

John Boehner let loose on the “false prophets” on the right yesterday, and he’s absolutely right.

OTB Caption Contest

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Background on the FARC (and Remembering the FARC’s Terrible, Horrible, no Good, very Bad Year+)

The seeds of the current peace deal date back to 2007-2008 (plus some longer-term background notes).

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Hassan Chop Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Major Step Forward for Colombian Peace Process

Peace between the FARC and the Colombian state appears nigh.

WaPo Fact Checker Gets Three Pinocchios

A bizarre hatchet job on Carly Fiorina’s autobiography.

Boehner Resignation Tied to Papal Visit?

WaPo’s Robert Costa reveals an emotional reaction by the Speaker to the papal visit to Congress.

A Photo for Friday

Anti-Gay Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis Is Now A Republican

She’s where she’ belongs.

Final Revision Shows Strong Second Quarter GDP Growth

The final GDP revision for the second quarter showed the economy grew at a nearly four percent rate.

House Speaker John Boehner To Resign

Big news out of Washington, D.C.

Boehner to Resign

Donald Trump Continues To Lead GOP Field In Post-Debate Polling

One week after the second Republican debate, Donald Trump is still at the top of the GOP field, and that doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon.

Of Course the Pope is Political

When did “politics” become a dirty word?

Federal Judge Rules ‘Happy Birthday To You’ Copyright Invalid

A Federal Judge has ruled that the copyright to ‘Happy Birthday To You’ has been invalid for at least the past eighty years.

Joe Biden Inches Closer To Clinton In New Poll

Vice-President Biden continues to rise in the polls even though he has yet to actually enter the race for President.

Baseball Legend Yogi Berra Dies At 90

A true legend has passed.

Donald Trump Tries To Bully Yet Another Critic

The Club For Growth has released two ads criticizing Donald Trump, so of course Trump is threatening to sue them.

With Eight Days To Go, Can Congress Avoid Another Government Shutdown?

Congress has just over a week to pass a funding bill, and it’s not looking very good.

Winnowing of the Minnows

Two gone: 14 to go.

Scott Walker Dropping Out Of Presidential Race

Once a candidate that many believed could become the Republican nominee, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is dropping out of the race for President.

Democrats Coming Under Increasing Pressure Over Debate Schedule

The pressure on Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to expand the 2016 debate schedule is increasing.

Clinton Recovers In Latest National Poll, But Biden Is Rising

Hillary Clinton seems to be bouncing back from recent troubles in the latest national poll, but Vice-President Biden is starting to rise in the polls before even getting in the race.

OTB Caption Contest

Time the Monday OTB Caption ContestTM

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Goo Goo Ga Joob Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

U.S. To Increase Number Of Syrian Refugees Accepted Into The Country

The U.S. is set to ramp up its contribution to dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis, but there’s a lot more we can do.

Donald Trump Still Leads The GOP Race In First Post-Debate Polls

The first significant national polls taken in the wake of last week’s debate show that Donald Trump has slipped somewhat, but still remains the clear leader of the Republican race for President.

A Quick Constitution Lesson for Carson

More bigotry in the campaign.

Trying To Read The Biden Tea Leaves

Time is running out for Joe Biden to make a decision about running for President, and it’s still not clear what he’ll do.

Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis May Be Interfering With Issuance Of Marriage Licenses Again

A lawyer for one of the Deputy Clerks working for Kim Davis raises the concern that she is once again interfering with the issuance of marriage licenses in violation of a Federal Court Order.

A Photo For Friday

Anti-Vaccine Paranoia Infects The Republican Race For President

There was far too much pseudoscience in evidence during the Republican Debate on Wednesday.

Second Republican Debate Garners Record-Setting Ratings For CNN

More than 23 million people watched the debate Wednesday night.

After Final Senate Vote Fails, The Iran Nuclear Agreement Is A Done Deal

The final effort to block the Iran Nuclear Deal failed in the Senate yesterday, meaning that the deal will now move forward.

Donald Trump’s Demagoguery Comes Home To Roost

At a town hall last night in New Hampshire, it became clear just what kind of supporters Donald Trump’s demagoguery is attracting.