Outside the Beltway

As widely expected, yesterday’s “jungle primary” in the Louisiana Governor’s race ended with nobody winning a majority.

With an eye on the trade war and the 2020 election, President Trump is increasing subsidies and mandates for corn-based ethanol.

The impending impeachment of the President is likely to reveal Republicans on Capitol Hill to be the cowards we already knew they were.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that states cannot punish electors who fail to follow the will of the majority of voters n their state or state laws purporting to direct how they should vote.

Jeffrey Epstein’s death by suicide has led to many legitimate questions that should be investigated. It has also led to the rise of a number of baseless conspiracy theories.

A Republican State Legislator in Nebraska says things that other Republicans don’t have the courage to say.

In contrast to the idea of granting statehood to the District of Columbia, the American public appears to strongly support statehood for Puerto RIco.

Mark Esper has been confirmed and sworn in as the next Secretary of Defense, ending a period of nearly 100 days during which the Pentagon was headed by a succession of Acting Secretaries.

Just days after being named the next Acting Secretary of Defense, the President is appointing Mark Esper to be full Secretary of Defense.

The Supreme Court ruled that a World War One memorial that had been on public grounds for 70 years can stay where it is.

Congress is considering a bill that would establish a commission to examine the issue of reparations for slavery.;

Patrick Shanahan is out as nominee to be Secretary of Defense after questions were raised during his background investigation.

More proportional than the GOP, but perhaps not as proportional as one might think.

Ballot measures across the country would deny access to those who refuse to release tax returns.

A novel argument, untested in court, suggests that it might.

Some basics on the US party system.

A new tool for looking at possible Presidential election outcomes.

In what was basically a throwaway line, Joe Biden said something nice about Mike Pence. The reaction from his fellow Democrats says a lot about our current political culture, and none of it is good.

The Supreme Court appears to be leaning toward letting a war memorial on public property stay in place.

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument in a case involving a World War I Memorial in the form of a cross on public land in Suburban Maryland.

Based on his job approval numbers, President Trump could face an uphill battle in 2020.

A bipartisan group of foreign policy luminaries says there is no factual basis for President Trump’s claim.

A student in Florida has been charged with creating a disturbance after declining to recite the Pledge Of Allegiance in class.

…there is only one plausible pathway to get there.

Federal employees deemed “essential” missed a paycheck yesterday in violation of US labor law.

Several states are getting rid of caucuses in favor of primaries, a move that could be to the disadvantage of candidates like Bernie Sanders.

New York State seems likely to join the list of states where marijuana has been legalized sometime next year.

Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema will end up representing Arizona in the Senate together.

It would be a rather quixotic effort, but Jeff Flake isn’t ruling out challenging the President for the Republican nomination in 2020.

There’s a new church/state separation case on the Supreme Court’s docket.

The vise is tightening on the Catholic Church.

Last week, the Washington State Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional. The latest in a string of victories for opponents of capital punishment.

One month before voters in several states head to the polls to vote on legalization referendums, a new poll shows that public support for legalization remains at record high levels.

The State of Texas is arguing in Court that a school district can force a student to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment.

Republicans intend to “plow through” on the Kavanaugh nomination even after yesterday’s hearing, but it’s not clear that they have the votes to confirm him.

President Trump has made no secret of the fact that he is displeased with the performance of Jeff Sessions, but he could find it hard to replace him.

Several states are opening new investigations of the Catholic Church abuse scandal. It’s about time.

Donald Trump spent part of Labor Day engaged in yet another unhinged attack on his own Justice Department.

A group of lawsuits filed across the country are seeking to challenge the predominant method for allocation of Electoral College votes. These lawsuits appear to have little merit.

In what amounts to a significant, albeit not surprising, change in Catholic doctrine, Pope Francis has declared that the death penalty is unacceptable in all circumstances.

President Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin was an even bigger disaster than anticipated.

Democrats have decided to move up the date of their 2020 Convention.

Earlier this week, the Illinois legislature ratified the Equal Rights Amendment. What’s unclear is if this act has any meaning at all.

The incident involving Paul Ryan and the House Chaplain has raised some questions.

While the Trump Administration slowly tries to remake the Federal Judiciary, states are moving to pass radical new challenges to Roe v. Wade.

A new lawsuit seeks to have the 2012 DACA program declared unconstitutional.

Trump’s tariff plan isn’t going over well in farm country, and that could cause problems for the GOP in November.

President Trump is continuing his dangerous and misguided trade war rhetoric,

Mississippi’s Governor has chosen a replacement for Thad Cochran, but the White House isn’t too happy about the pick.

Things are looking good for Democrats in 2018, but there’s some speculation that Nancy Pelosi’s position at the head of the party in the House could be in danger.