Outside the Beltway

New York has joined nine other states and the District of Columbia to vote to for an Electoral College bypass.

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments next week in an important First Amendment case.

The current Congress is on pace to pass fewer laws and bills than any since the end of World War II. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Perhaps the only good thing you can say about Virginia Delegate Robert Marshall is that, while he may be nuts, at least he’s consistently nuts.

Once again, the Tea Party wing of the GOP is talking about taking out John Boehner.

Many Republicans won’t like Jeb Bush’s recent comments about illegal immigration, but he’s right.

The Democratic field for 2016 is frozen in place waiting for the presumptive frontrunner to make a decision.

Voter ID supporters are pointing to a report from the North Carolina Board of Elections as proof of ongoing Voter Fraud. But, while long on facts, the report has yet to reach any such conclusions.

As Sarah Palin and the Tea Party turn on Paul Ryan, they are making apparent their own lack of relevance in the political process.

Once again, the Supreme Court reminds us that limiting political speech is unconstitutional.

Top Republican donors are starting to look at the former Governor of Florida as their candidate in 2016.

For now at least, Republicans are far more enthusiastic about voting in November than Democrats. That could be decisive.

Politics, media, and the attention span of the average American haven’t really changed as much as we think.

Thanks to favorable polling numbers and candidate selection, winning the Senate may very well be in the GOP’s grasp.

Another liberal legal scholar is calling on Justice Ginsburg to resign. She’s unlikely to listen to them.

Have gubernatorial elections become more nationalized?

Afghanistan’s outgoing President says that his nation doesn’t need American troops to stay after the end of the year.

Does one Special Election in Florida tells us anything about nationwide trends? Probably not.

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

Why do dictators feel the need to pretend that they have the consent of the people over whom they rule?

Calling anyone a front-runner in a race where we’re still two years away from anyone casting votes is silly. Nonetheless, Rand Paul is an interesting guy to watch for those wondering if the GOP has actually changed.

Crimea is more divided than Russia would have the world believe. Plus: the Crimean government has no legitimacy at the moment.

Young voters reject political parties to a greater extent than other voters, but on policy issues they trend Democratic

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has been forced out of Kyiv—and possibly out of power entirely.

Ted Cruz keeps putting his own party in difficult situations, mostly because he has only his own ambition at heart.

Kevin Faulconer proves that Republicans can win in California, but not if they follow the path laid out by the party’s far right wing.

Don’t expect much out of Congress for the rest of 2014, or for the two years after that either.

Another day, another delay

John Boehner explains quite succinctly why nothing big is getting done in Congress.

The President’s sixth State Of The Union Address was fairly low-key.

Republican leaders continue to say stupid things. They may still retake the Senate in November.

In case you needed a further reason to dismiss Jerome Corsi (and some general thoughts on what Corsi represents).

After eight years in a coma, Ariel Sharon has passed away.

Is 435 the right number?

Former SecDef Robert Gates is among those who believes that the Iraq War unduly diverted attention from fighting the War On Terror.