Outside the Beltway

A deep dive into why our politics are so broken.

She’ll almost certainly be out of a job in January. Then what?

Concerned no more, Senator Collins is now dismayed that she was misled.

The most expansive firearms legislation in decades is likely to become law.

It’s not all about Trump.

The Senator from Maine once against demonstrates that she shouldn’t be prognosticating about people’s future actions.

It’s Manchin-approved.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

And yes, it is political (and always has been).

The 46th President will follow the lead of the 40th in making a historic appointment.

What happens if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade?

Every now and again, it’s not Mitch McConnell’s fault.

Tip O’Neil’s famous saying hasn’t been true in a long, long time.

There will be no religious exemptions. For now, at least.

Get vaccinated edition

The evidence is pretty clear: vaccinations are key, not weather (but that won’t stop people from trying to say otherwise).

They shall not submit to blackmail!

Rural-urban is now a bigger divide than North-South.

A new story archetype is all too common.

It’s not perfect but it beats our usual approach to picking winners and losers.

The country is in peril.

An over-eager supporter or something more sinister?

It’s undemocratic and we should get rid of it. But doing so isn’t a panacea.

Deal-making in Washington is next to impossible.

The Senate’s last conservative Democrat is taking President Biden’s call for unity seriously.

Most agree that it was good theater. But it’s not clear what they’ve proven.

As expected, the second impeachment trial of the 45th President will proceed.

The legal debates are unsettled but we can all agree that Rand Paul is a moron.

January 6th, when the electoral votes are counted.

Explaining the continuing cowardice of GOP Senators.

The transition is on pace despite President Trump’s best efforts.

The Pundit’s Fallacy meets opportunism.

The slow Alaska count came out as expected.

A One Act Play

Her Democratic opponent has conceded.

Biden inches closer to 270.

10 more Electoral votes.

Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!

A FiveThirtyEight-inspired message from the Democrats doesn’t compute.

Disconnected representation in action.

Up is down. Down is up.

A desperate re-election gambit that has no impact on the outcome.

The rules for counting votes matter.

Whether the delusions of a madman or a deliberate scheme to poison the waters, there’s cause for concern.

Forecasters give Democrats better than even odds of a majority.

Injecting data into the conversation.

The President has hit rock bottom.

A hundred days out, a wave election is the best bet.

A movement that has grown beyond recognition.

Even Republicans are wondering if President Trump is at his “Katrina moment.”