Outside the Beltway

Future debates among the 2020 Democratic candidates are likely to have fewer participants. That’s a good thing.

WIth some signs pointing to a slowing global economy, and President Trump applying political pressure, the Federal Reserve reversed interest rate policy yesterday.

As was the case a month ago, Vice-President Biden and Senator Kamala Harris were the focus of last night’s debate. Things turned out very differently, though.

Once again, President Trump can’t help but make something meant to recognize real American heroes all about himself.

The first night of the second Democratic debate consisted largely of clashes between the party’s progressive wing and more moderate elements.

Trump’s attacks on racial minorities are going to continue, and get worse, the closer we get to 2020. Because stirring up fear and racial resentment among white working-class voters is the only way he can win.

The House Judiciary Committee is seeking to obtain the material presented to a Federal Grand Jury by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Dan Coats is stepping down as Director of National Intelligence, and President Trump wants to replace him with an inexperienced, obsequious toady.

Tulsi Gabbard has filed a seemingly frivolous lawsuit against Google due to a temporary suspension of her advertising account.

Despite all the complaining, we’re in a golden age of political and policy coverage.

The economy slowed somewhat during the second three months of 2019, but the economic recovery still looks strong as we head into the 122nd month of positive growth.

New estimates place the Cowboys and Yankees at the top of the list of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.

Even a Fox News poll finds that the American public finds the President’s recent rhetoric to be racist. There’s a different picture when you look at his supporters, though.

The evidence is clear that Russia interfered in the election in 2016 and intends to do so again. Despite this, Mitch McConnell is blocking legislation designed to enhance election security.

Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a New York State law that would allow Congress to obtain copies of his state tax returns.

President Trump threatened mass immigration raids. What was delivered was far less met the eye.

President Trump and the Congressional leadership have reached agreement on a multi-year budget deal that that busts through all remaining controls on spending.

A great public intellectual, pioneering blogger, and all-around good man is gone.

On Wednesday, much of official Washington, and likely a good part of the country itself, will pause to watch what are likely to biggest hearings since the late 1980s.

A strangely under-publicized story.

How insidious talking points spread in the modern media environment.

He could lose the popular vote by an even larger margin in 2020—and still coast to re-election.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez already has a Republican challenger, but she doesn’t really need to worry about it.

The lineups for the second Democratic debate are set, and they include some interesting pairings.

California’s legislature has passed a law purporting to require candidates for President to release copies of their tax returns, but it’s likely to face legal challenges if it becomes law.

Once again, twenty candidates will participate in the second debate scheduled to take place over two nights at the end of the month.

House Democrats rejected an effort by a member of the progressive wing of the party to force an impeachment inquiry against the President.

Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail last night with another one of his red meat speeches. The analogies it causes one to draw are chilling to say the least.

Beto O’Rourke’s campaign for President is going nowhere fast and he has only a small amount of time to stop the slide.

For the first time in a century, a chamber of Congress has voted to condemn a sitting President. That won’t stop this President.

Just over nine years after retiring from the Supreme Court, former Associate Justice John Paul Stevens has passed away at the age of 99.

The numbers are in and there’s good news for some candidates and bad news for a lot of the others.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being sued for blocking people on Twitter. She’s likely to lose the lawsuits.

Some agree with him. Many others are cowards. But there’s more to it.

The failure of Republicans and conservatives to denounce the President’s racism reveals everything that has gone wrong with the “right” in the Trump Era.

What happened to “building a lasting relationship within the African American community”?

Anchoring of CBS Evening News is not what it used to be.

The Federal Budget Deficit passed the $700 Billion mark with three months still to go in the Fiscal Year.

Another case where the cruelty is the point?

Bill DeBlasio is facing criticism for the fact that he was off in Iowa on his quixotic Presidential campaign rather than being at home during Saturday’s blackout.

Trump opened his mouth and, once again, racist bilge came spewing out.

Last night New York City experienced what turned out to be a short-lived blackout mostly limited to Manhattan’s West Side, but it brought back memories of much bigger events.

Joe Biden delivered his first major foreign policy address of the campaign. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than what we have right now.

Citing the so-called “Billy Graham Rule,” a Republican candidate for Governor in Mississippi is refusing to let a female reporter accompany him on a campaign ride-along.

Delay of game.

After a firestorm of criticism for his handling of a decade-old plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has resigned.

Andrew Yang has been a relatively unknown candidate for the Democratic nomination, but he’s slowly risen in the polls and raised more money in the second quarter than several experienced politicians.

Later today, the President is expected to take some form of ‘Executive Action’ in an effort to get a citizenship question on the 2020 Census.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has a challenger. Much like 2014, though, it’s far too early to start writing his political obituary.

The Trump Administration is expected to begin mass deportation raids as early as this weekend.