Outside the Beltway

The February 2 episode of This American Life gets at some of my frustrations over our inability to have a meaningful discussion about pretty much anything.

I don’t see how the state legislature making tax decisions on the basis of the public position an company takes is legal under the 14th Amendment. 

More than a dozen companies have ended relationships with the gun rights organization and protesters are demanding more follow suit.

A Federal Judge In Kansas has blocked enforcement of a state law barring anyone who does business with the state from engaging in a boycott of Israel.

Russia has been barred from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics after an investigation uncovered extensive evidence of cheating.

Arguments advanced by those advocating a bill that would prevent Americans from participating in a boycott of Israel would not violate the First Amendment appear to be without merit.

In less than a month, voters in the Catalan region of Spain will be voting whether to remain part of Spain or assert independence.

The dangers of the tyranny of the majority have only magnified.

Puerto Rican voters voted overwhelmingly for statehood yesterday in a referendum whose legitimacy is being questioned due to boycotts by opposition parties.

For the fifth time in fifty years, Puerto Ricans will vote tomorrow on a referendum on statehood, but it’s not likely to have any impact on the island’s current status.

Another big change at Fox News Channel.

The political fight over North Carolina’s so-called “Bathroom Bill” has moved to the Federal Courts.

A renewed internal GOP fight to stop Donald Trump seems to be doomed to fail.

Without Trump, the seventh Republican debate largely focused on Ted Cruz, who doesn’t seem to have done himself any favors. Donald Trump, meanwhile, will likely not pay any price at all for skipping the last pre-Iowa debate.

Massive boycotts and protests likely spell the end of Tim Wolfe’s tenure as president.

Representatives from most of the Republican Presidential campaigns met to discuss reforms to the debate process, but none of their ideas will actually improve the quality of debates.

After complaints from several campaigns, and threats of a boycott by the men at the top of the field, CNBC and the RNC have agreed to some rule modifications for the upcoming Republican debate.

Donald Trump is threatening to boycott the next Republican debate if there aren’t format changes. The GOP should call his bluff.

Taylor Swift is taking a stand against Apple’s new streaming music service, and she’s largely right.

Legislators in Tennessee have taken the “gun rights” argument further than it was ever intended to go.

Indiana’s RFRA will be amended to address most of the concerns of its opponents. That counts as a victory.

Elton John is leading a boycott against Dolce & Gabbana.

Some Congressional Democrats are considering skipping a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a Joint Session Of Congress.

The first popularly elected African-American Senator, and the first African-American Senator to serve since the end of Reconstruction ended, has passed away.

Once again, some people are upset because retailers are opening on Thanksgiving Day, but that’s only because people are coming out to shop.

The announcement of a potential merger between Burger King and Tim Horton’s has led to much moral preening from the usual suspects.

Iraq continues to fall apart.

Target is the latest business to ask customers to leave the guns at home when they go shopping.

Tennessee makes an unfortunate return to the past.

In an ideal world, we would be more tolerant of leaders who held controversial positions. We don’t live in that world.

More on the pending referendum and some thoughts on elections in authoritarian contexts.

Russian invasion or legitimate secessionist movement? And does it matter?

While I concur with the “intent, justice, legality, and morality” of the decision, I nonetheless oppose it.

Vladimir Putin seems to be getting a lot of love from cultural conservatives in the United States.

It’s the return of the most absurd meme of all time.

Until this weekend, Mario Cuomo had refused to watch The Godfather. He still isn’t being very fair to it.

Starbucks is kindly asking customers not to bring guns to their stores.

Some conservatives don’t seem too troubled by Vladimir Putin’s repression.

Gay bars around the world are banning Russian vodka to protest the lack of gay rights in that country.