Outside the Beltway

Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings begin Monday morning, but it’s Senate Democrats who are in the hot seat.

An initial setback for the Federal Government in its appeal of the ruling putting President Trump’s Muslim travel ban on hold.

Candidate trumps party in a presidential system.

The nature of US parties means that Trump more or less is the GOP at the moment, and hence the GOP will do nothing about Trump.

Thanks to a 4-4 tie, President Obama’s temporary immigration relief program remains blocked by a Federal Court Injunction.

Donald Trump’s open contempt for the Rule of Law and Freedom of the Press should disqualify him from being considered an acceptable candidate for President.

A Federal Court has ruled that the Administration violated the law when it spent funds allocated under the PPACA for purposes other than those authorized by Congress.

President Obama’s executive action on immigration suffered another setback in court late yesterday.

Because that’s what White Houseses do.

Compromise is simply necessary for the country to function.

He definitely wouldn’t appreciate it, but in some sense you can thank Robert Bork for the Supreme Court’s opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Debating the proper role of the judiciary.

Kansas Republicans are threatening to cut off funding for the entire state judicial system if the state’s Supreme Court strikes down a law the legislature likes.

In a case that took seven months to decide, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Presidency’s broad authority in foreign affairs, and inserted itself just a little bit in the thorny politics of the Middle East.

Two Republican candidates for President say that Republican elected officials should simply ignore the Supreme Court if it strikes down bans on same-sex marriage.

Ted Cruz and Steve King think the Court should be prevented from hearing any case involving same-sex marriage. Because they know they’re losing.

Seventy years ago, Harry Truman became President in the final months of a war. He wasn’t prepared for it, but most Vice-President’s after him have been.

A Federal Judge has issued a ruling that sort of says that President Obama’s Immigration action is unconstitutional. Except it’s poorly reasoned, and apparently not legally binding on anyone.

On a preliminary examination, the President’s executive action on immigration appears to be within the boundaries of applicable law. However, as with other exercises of Executive Branch authority, it raises some important concerns about the precedent that it sets.

The Office of Legal Counsel told the president Wednesday he couldn’t do what he did on Thursday.

A new poll provides some interesting context to the political context to the President’s expected executive action on immigration.

The Supreme Court will decide if Congress can override American foreign policy when it comes to declaring who has dominion over Jerusalem.

The Supreme Court has issued a stay that will allow changes to Ohio’s early voting law to remain in effect for this year’s election. That was the correct decision.

Back to the Ten Commandments and Alabama politics.

The C.I.A. has admitted spying on Senate investigators.

John Boehner’s latest political move is designed mostly to appease the GOP base, but it’s likely a non-starter from a legal point of view.

There are legitimate issues regarding Presidential overreach and separation of powers that President Obama’s actions while in office have raised. But none of that will be discussed in our hyperpartisan political culture.

More on instiutional design.

A piece at Foreign Policy provides a chance to give some thought to institutions.

Is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act itself an unconstitutional Establishment of Religion barred by the First Amendment? There’s a compelling argument that it is.

The Supreme Court rules that Recess Appointments can only be made when there’s actually a Congressional recess.

A clash over Separation Of Power and the Imperial Presidency, coming soon to a Federal District Court in Washington, D.C.

Good intentions and good results aside, the President’s disrespect for the Rule Of Law should concern everyone.

Good intentions aren’t an excuse for failure to follow the law.

Chris Christie’s decision to take a tactical retreat on the issue of same-sex marriage raises some interesting questions for 2016.

An Example of How Institutions Matter.

Some Members of Congress are calling for a debate before any strikes on Syria. They’re absolutely right.

With more than a little hyperbole, George Will declares “Obama’s unconstitutional steps worse than Nixon’s.”

Another legal setback for Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s crusade to regulate what New York City residents can eat and drink.

There really is no reason for Congress to confirm so many posts.

The Supreme Court’s handling of standing in the two same-sex marriage cases likely seems contradictory to many outside observers.

The Supreme Court accepts what will likely be one of the most important cases of its upcoming term.

Has the Arab Spring come to Turkey?

Once again, national security wins and privacy loses.

It would be nice if columnists for major newspapers would consult political science, rather than Hollywood, for their understanding of our system.

Because sometimes poorly contructed observations can set a fellow to writing.

Institutional dynamics in the US constitutional system are the key to undertstanding our current predicament.

Ezra Klein argues that the voters already decided how the sequestration fight should play out.

t’s been more than two-and-a half years since the United States passed major legislation.