Outside the Beltway

Regardless of one’s preferences in terms of endgame in Wisconsin, democracy will win out.

Wisconsin Republicans stripped state employees of collective bargaining rights without the Democratic senators who fled the state to prevent a quorum.

The funny thing is that the quorum-busting in WI is more like a filibuster ought to be: a true delaying tactic that eventually has to give way to a democratic outcome.

An update on Tunisia.

At what point does the legitimate right to demonstrate cross the line into infringing on the rights of others?

The Supreme Court rules that “offensiveness” does not trump the First Amendment. And they’re right.

It’s not the size of your government that counts — it’s what you do with it that matters.

The situation in Libya continues to be grim as Gaddafi lashes out while power slips through his fingers.

Opposition to marriage equality is no longer the wedge issue it used to be.

A former Democratic state attorney general thinks Wisconsin’s Republican governor may have violated state ethics laws while on a prank phone call.

Is Saudi Arabia the next domino to fall in the Middle East? The Royal family is hoping that money will be enough to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Calls are coming from both sides of the aisle for the U.S. to do “something” about the situation in Libya. It would be better if we didn’t get involved.

Is Jon Stewart a useful idiot?

There are a lot of issues on the table, so to speak, in the WI situation. Here I try to entangle them a bit.

Calls are growing for outside intervention in Libya but it’s unclear what can, or should, be done.

There are a number of signs coming out of Libya that indicate the regime is in serious trouble despite the willingness of the state to use violence on the crowds.

Either Andrew Breitbart controls the entire media complex or Crooks & Liars jumped the gun. “Figure it out.”

The crackdown in Libya is turning into a massacre.

The Gaddafi regime is facing its most serious challenge in its 41 year history.

Neither side is covering themselves in glory in the battle over the Badger State budget.

The Bahraini state appears willing to continue to use force against its population.

As in Baharain, the Libyan Government has reacted violently to the populist uprising sweeping the Arab world. The difference is the Libyans are doing it largely without anyone noticing

The unrest continues as those killed during protests are buried. Plus some facts about Bahrain.

Like in Bahrain, the Libyan authorities are not tolerating protests.

The protests in Bahrain have taken a different path than those in Egypt.

Tweeting feels like IM’ing but it’s more like blogging.