Outside the Beltway

Ezra Klein dubs the Federal government “an insurance conglomerate protected by a large, standing army.”

The American public still has a totally unrealistic view of what it will take to get the Federal Government’s fiscal house in order.

When determining the effects on the deficit of a certain legislative action, both revenues and spending have to be accounted for. Indeed, you can’t determine whether there is a deficit, surplus or balanced budget without both variables.

With just over a week to go before the 112th Congress convenes, battle lines are already being drawn in battle over the defense budget.

A new poll shows that the American public is discontented, nervous about the economy, not entirely sure they can trust the new GOP majority in Congress, and has no idea what it wants from Washington. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Just weeks after voting for a broad ban on earmarks, Republicans are looking for ways to get money to their districts without calling it an “earmark.”

Incoming House Speaker John Boehner plans a radical overhaul of how Congress spends our money.

Incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is speaking positively about an Amendment that would drastically alter the relationship between the Federal Government and the states, and a method of ratifying it that could do serious damage to the Constitution as a whole.

The Republican talking point that lowering taxes lowers spending and raising taxes increases spending is denied by reality.

Unless eliminating earmarks coincides with a radical reconception of how our government operates, it may be a step in the wrong direction.

Eliminating earmarks is good policy and good politics.

The Chairmen of the National Debt Commission have released a draft report for consideration. It’s got some very good ideas, but it’s most likely Dead On Arrival.

Rand Paul is taking some heat for remarks that may or may not indicate that he’s backtracking on his previous vow not to seek earmark spending for Kentucky. Yes folks, the phony war on earmarks is back.

Taxpayer “watchdog” groups are urging House Republicans to cut Congressional pay as an act of symbolism. It’s symbolism all right, pointless symbolism.

Yesterday’s appearance by Carly Fiorina on Fox News Sunday provided an excellent example of how un-serious Republicans are when it comes to living up to their fiscally conservative rhetoric.

In 1994, it was the Contract With America. In 2010, it’s the Pledge To America. But does it really mean anything regardless of what it’s called ?

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels appears to be quietly putting together the beginnings of a campaign for President of the United States. Don’t count him out by any means.

Both Congress and the Obama Administration have stepped up enforcement of immigration laws–at immense cost to both the budget and the courts.

Sarah Palin’s decision to back a long-shot candidate in the GOP Senate primary in Alaska didn’t exactly work out as planned.

As the campaign in Kentucky heats up for the final sprint to November, Rand Paul seems to have succeeded in moving beyond many of the mis-steps that plagued him three months ago.

Recent debates over the economic and fiscal impact of the Bush tax cuts indicate that Republicans still haven’t learned the lessons of the Bush years.

Senator Robert Byrd has died at 92, after years of poor health.