Outside the Beltway

Individual races are idiosyncratic. But there are nonetheless some lessons here.

The British prime minister and outgoing US Secretary of State declared a red line crossed. There’s no reason to think this White House will follow through.

Nine years later, at least one member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is admitting what seemed at the time a rather obvious fact.

Ending an investigation that was flawed and tainted with partisanship from the start, the House Intelligence Committee has abruptly concluded its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Tomorrow’s Special Election in Pennsylvania isn’t looking good for Republicans, even if their candidate manages to eke out a win.

A big win for gun control advocates in a deeply Republican state.

Once again, there’s speculation in Washington that Justice Anthony Kennedy could retire this year.

The legal distinction between “personal capacity” and “official capacity” makes no sense for senior presidential appointees.

While Team Trump has gone out of its way to waylay the Russia investigation, this may not be is part of that effort.

Texas has an unusually named (and, well, unusual) candidate for the GOP nomination for governor.

After six months, Angela Merkel has apparently succeeded in forming a coalition government.

The latest, and most grave, example of the current tide of right-wing populism can be found in Italy.

Both parties are up compared to 2014, but Democratic votes are way up.

Was the 2016 contest unique, or are we destined to forever vote against the candidate we hate most?

A group of twenty states have revived an old argument to mount a new legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in a case pitting the First Amendment against the right of states to regulate elections.

President Trump continues to deny the reality of Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, and he’s failing to act to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Despite the activism we’ve seen in the wake of the school shooting in Florida, it’s unlikely that we’ll see significant Congressional action on guns.

After yesterday’s oral argument, the Supreme Court seems poised to deal a major blow to public-sector unions.

Democrats appear to have regained momentum in the Generic Congressional Ballot.

New polls show increased support for various gun control measures, including limitations on so-called “assault weapons,” but that doesn’t mean we’re likely to see Congressional action on the subject.

President Trump’s job approval hits a new low.

An emerging technology will take “fake news” to a whole new level.

The students who survived last week’s mass shooting in Parkland, Florida are speaking out, and some on the right are responding by engaging in personal attacks and spreading conspiracy theories.

A new poll suggests that Republicans would get the blame if Congress fails to pass a bill to protect DACA beneficiaries.

Elliot Cohen laments the lack of steel in the spine of the statesmen, diplomats, soldiers, and thinkers of the current generation.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has redrawn the state’s Congressional Districts based on its recent ruling finding the current map to be unconstitutional partisan Gerrymandering. It makes a lot more sense than the map the state is currently using.

Donald Trump’s dereliction of duty in response to clear evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election is a staggering and flagrant dereliction of the duties he agreed to take on when he took the Oath Of Office more than a year ago.

Blake Hounshell has doubts about whether Trump colluded with Moscow.

A few key observations on the bigger picture.

The Russian government likely is quite pleased.

The tragedy in Florida last week revealed once again how hyperpartisanship is destroying our politics and harming the country.

There are no adequate words.

A significant and important development in the Russia investigation that shows that President Trump’s claim that the stories of Russian interference in the 2016 election were “Fake News” is completely untrue.

Despite what his own intelligence chiefs are saying, President Trump still does not believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Israeli police have recommended that charges be brought against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whether that damages him politically remains to be seen.

Intelligence officials are warning that the Russians are set to seek to influence the 2018 elections just as they did in 2016. Despite this, the Trump Administration refuses to acknowledge this publicly while the President seeks to undermine the investigation into past Russian interference.

Women voters are turning decidedly against Donald Trump, this could pose problems for Republican in 2018 and beyond.

Republicans spent the eight years of Obama Administration railing against fiscal irresponsibility. Now that they have power, they’re the ones being fiscally irresponsible.

One of the main objections that many on the right seem to have to proposals to legalize DACA beneficiaries and other illegal immigrants is the idea that they could eventually become citizens. There’s no good reason they shouldn’t be able to do so.

Congress seems likely to pass a budget deal today that will massively increase spending, putting to rest once and for all the rank hypocrisy of Republicans when it comes to claims that they are “fiscally conservative.”

Administration officials are admitting that it’s likely that Russia will try to interfere in the midterm elections just as it did in 2016, but they don’t seem inclined to do anything about it.

Congress appears to be moving closer to a budget deal even as the President tries to throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

Recent polls have caused Republicans to become more optimistic about their chances in this year’s midterms. That optimism is both premature and misplaced.

Poland’s President has signed a controversial bill that purports to criminalize any effort to tie Poland to the Holocaust.

Donald Trump spent much of the past year touting the rising stock market, now he’s getting a lesson in reality.

Donald Trump’s own lawyers are afraid he can’t help but lie to such an extent that he should not sit down for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.

The Supreme Court has declined to stay a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling requiring the legislature to redraw the state’s Congressional District map.

A newly released poll has encouraging signs for Democrats in 2018, but there are several caveats.

He’s tan. He’s rested. He’s ready. And, yes, he’s running.