Outside the Beltway

For only the third time since the Great Recession ended, the Federal Reserve Board has raised interest rates.

Rachel Maddow hyped the fact that she had obtained a copy of Trump’s 2005 tax return last night. It turned out to be much ado about nothing.

The National Weather Service didn’t want to confuse the public by changing the forecast at the last minute.

Part Two in a series of observations about health care and health insurance in light of the introduction of the House GOP’s health care plan. This post examines several ideas advanced by conservatives, and the reasons they aren’t complete answers to the problems we face.

Senate Democrats are divided on how to approach the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, making it likely that he’ll be confirmed.

The Congressional Budget Office delivered some bad news yesterday to House Republicans on their replacement for Obamacare.

Iowa Congressman Steve King is causing controversy yet again with his comments in support of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

Scotland’s First Minister is calling for another independence vote in the wake of the beginning of the Brexit process, but she’s unlikely to get it.

Time For The Monday OTB Caption Contest^TM

Rex Tillerson, “the phantom of Foggy Bottom.”

More conflicts of interest for the Trump Administration.

Trump appears to undervaluing existing bureaucracies listening more to hacks and ideologues.

An unusual, if not unexpected, mass firing at the Justice Department on Friday afternoon.

Part One in a series of observations about health care and health insurance in light of the introduction of the House GOP’s health care plan.

South Korea removes a corrupt leader by peaceful means.

The first Jobs Report for the first full month of the Trump Presidency is out, but it’s nothing to write home about.

A strong pick for what is likely to be an important Ambassadorial position in coming years.

Hawaii is the first state to challenge the Trump Administration’s revised Muslim travel ban.

Health care policy analysts seem united in their assessment of the House GOP’s replacement for the Affordable Care Act, and it’s overwhelmingly negative.

A majority of Americans support appointment of an Independent Counsel to investigate Russian influence in the 2016 election and the Trump’s campaign’s ties to Russia, but we should be careful before taking this step.

Ben Carson is back and he’s saying some pretty dumb things again.

Whether you call it TrumpCare, RyanCare, or GOPCare, the Republican replacement for the PPACA isn’t very impressive.

Donald Trump took to Twitter again this morning with predictable results.

I am going to construct a complicated mathematical model of the economy, and then I’m going to calibrate it using some actual data, and in the end I will be able to tell everyone how much better or worse off they are given various changes in the economy. And it will be totally and completely true. Trust me, it’s math and therefore science.

President Trump has issued a revised ban on travel from six predominantly Muslim nations.

Can the GOP govern? Do they want to or know how to? (Does it matter?).

The Supreme Court has decided to return the case involving a transgender student’s right to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity to the Fourth Circuit rather than deciding it during this term.

Fewer people are watching live television events such as the Super Bowl and Academy Awards.

Time For The Monday OTB Caption Contest^TM

Donald Trump’s “Winter White House,” which has effectively become a “Weekend White House,” is basically selling access to the President.

The Plaid Is The New Black Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

Trump’s attempt to fix the balance of trade will almost surely end up leaving us all worse off.

@POTUS claims his phones were tapped by the Obama administration. At this point the evidence appears to be talk radio.

The tu quoque presidency rocks on.