Outside the Beltway

Tonight, the American political system stops to engage in the biggest waste of time ever invented.

Dinesh D’Souza has been indicted by a federal grand jury for being incredibly stupid.

Former Utah governor and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman succeeds Chuck Hagel.

Let’s think about how the media operates.

Iran has promised to roll back parts of its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

A new book by former SecDef Robert Gates is making political waves in Washington power circles, but will it matter to ordinary Americans?

There are more self-identified Independents in the country than at any time in the past two decades, according to a new Gallup poll. And it’s mostly at the expense of the GOP.

The Iraqis need to learn to govern themselves, and conservatives blaming President Obama for renewed violence need a history lesson.

Another Federal District Court ruling on the Constitutionality of the NSA’s data mining program, this time more favorable to the NSA.

So far at least, the 2014 elections do not appear likely to be a political earthquake on the scale of 2006, 2008, or 2010.

A limited ruling out of Ohio with wide ranging implications.

Another day, another delay.

The First Daughters are approaching dating age and the First Papa has some thoughts on the matter.

The beginnings of a populist challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016?

The President is neither messiah nor devil, and the media does the public no favors when it treats him as either.

The U.S. delegation to Russia’s Sochi Olympics will feature no high profile politicians and several openly gay athletes.

For a year that seemed to start out so well, 2013 has been among the President’s worst of this five years he’s been in office.

David Brooks thinks that the problem with American Government is that the Presidency isn’t strong enough.

A dubious distinction.

Is Mike Huckabee about to re-enter politics in a big way?

Time to start talking about lame ducks?

A budget deal has been reached, now it has to get through both Chambers of Congress.

Congressman Steve Stockman’s primary challenge of Senator John Cornyn could be a big deal, or, more likely, it could be a dud.

There are many choices in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program there are many choices, but some are better than others.

The junior Senator from Massachusetts has promised to serve her entire six-year term.

A third term for any of these guys? Don’t count on it.

Best holiday wishes to you and yours

The Obama White House dropped some big news as everyone headed out of town.

The opponents of the temporary deal reached in Geneva have been making some ridiculous historical analogies.

Some Members of Congress are talking about pushing a bill imposing new sanction on Iran despite the deal reached in Geneva yesterday.

More bad poll numbers for the President and his party.

Another conflict between the Obama Administration and a news media that is frustrated about the extent they are being controlled by being refused access.

Small steps from both sides in the Iranian nuclear negotiations, but too early to say that we’ve reached a solution.

Yesterday’s change to the filibuster rule is likely to have little impact outside the beltway and the political chattering class.

Guess what’s coming to the dinner table.

It wasn’t a Thermonuclear move, more like something the size of Hiroshima, but today the Senate took an historic move nonetheless.

Are we headed for another Federal Government shutdown, or will Congress actually do its job this time?