Outside the Beltway

Another step forward for U.S.-Cuban relations.

Do we really want to put another first-term Senator with no executive experience in the Oval Office? Because beyond the mere legal requirements, it does not appear that Ted Cruz is qualified to be President.

Just in case there’s any question, yes, Ted Cruz is Constitutionally eligible to serve as President.

Advantage: Hillary.

The State Of The Union Address was more of the same, and the same will be true of Washington going forward.

The price of oil is continuing to fall, but it won’t last forever.

President Obama’s decision on Keystone XL is apparently to delay things long enough so he doesn’t have to decide at all.

Just one day into the new Congress, the first confrontation is already set.

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

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is one of the few Republicans who seems to be evaluating the new policy toward Cuba through something other than an outdated Cold War perspective.

With major theater chains having pulled out, Sony bowed to the inevitable, but now there appears to be proof that a foreign power is behind the Sony hacking attacks and threats of violence.

The resumption of diplomatic relations between U.S. and Cuba, and expansion of some commercial trade ties, is historic but it’s only the first step toward the goal of ending an outdated embargo.

Texas has joined with 16 other states in a lawsuit against the Obama Administration over the President’s executive action on immigration. At first glance, it doesn’t appear to have much legal merit.

Russia’s own government is projecting that its economy will slip into recession next year. How that will impact Putin’s current belligerence remains to be seen.

Vladimir Putin’s latest actions seems to have exhausted Germany’s patience.

The Keystone XL pipeline bill is dead until the next Senate. Mary Landrieu’s political career, on the other hand, is basically dead for the foreseeable future.

Mary Landrieu’s Keystone XL Hail Mary isn’t going to save her.

A popular idea that does nothing useful while simultaneously violating the Constitution.

The N.F.L. and the British Government are both behind the idea of a franchise in London, but the idea doesn’t really make sense for the league, or the game.

Yesterday’s apparent terrorist shooting in Ottawa reveals again a phenomenon that seems difficult if not impossible to stop in advance.

Despite conventional wisdom, there remains little incentive for the GOP to change its position on immigration reform.

The U.S. embargo of Cuba, and our lack of diplomatic recognition of the government in Havana, is an outdated relic of the Cold War. It’s time to end it.

An unsurprising decision from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Americans have long been lampooned for not speaking a second language. Now our cousins across the Pond are getting it, too.

The summer of 2014 was the worst Hollywood has seen since Bill Clinton was President. It’s pretty easy to figure out why.

A major escalation.

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

It’s hard for a party to win four straight presidential elections. The Democrats may pull it off.

Just about two years ago, we dodged a bullet. We might not be so lucky next time.

Another incident involving a Malaysia Airlines 777, but this one could be far more serious.

The English-speaking and Scandinavian countries are very different.

Trying to make sense of a very complicated issue.

What could possibly go wrong?

A piece at Foreign Policy provides a chance to give some thought to institutions.

A US-EU free trade zone is a no-brainer. But the devil is in the details.

If conservatives actually believed what they said they do, they would be much more open to immigrants, and immigration reform.

Once again, the Obama Administration punts on the Keystone XL Pipeline.