Outside the Beltway

In a NYT op-ed titled “The Monster of Monticello” Paul Finkelman expresses his befuddlement that people play down Thomas Jefferson’s legacy as a slave owner.

Are two-term Presidencies the new normal?

Like the men who came before him, Barack Obama has vastly increased the powers of his office. Someone should have asked him about that last night.

Not surprisingly, television and reality don’t really coincide.

Sacrificing our principles in the face of mob violence is never a good idea.

Maybe the real problem this year isn’t that the campaign is unduly nasty, but that it’s incredibly petty.

We don’t know what the Supreme Court will have to say about the Affordable Care Act, but their decision is already being attacked.

The Founders would never have thought to do more than count people in the Census!

Rick Santorum’s views on the role of religion in public life are built on lies about American history.

A man who has three degrees from three public universities considers the President of the United States a “snob.”

Rick Santorum would do well to listen to the words of the last Catholic to be President of the United States.

Romney would rank among richest presidents ever

Senator Jim DeMint demonstrated clearly today what is wrong with Washington.

Rick Santorum’s views on the role of government are somewhat disturbing.

Many people seem to have a rather inappropriate view of their relationship to the President of the United States.

The Republican candidates for President are blurring what should be a pretty clear line.

Newt Gingirch ups the ante in his rhetorical assault on judicial independence.

Like some other Republicans, Rick Santorum has an odd view of the judiciary.

Elizabeth Warren has a deeply flawed view of our social contract.

Mitt Romney is still being dogged by charges of changed positions. Now, he’s trying to spin that as a good thing.

Are we placing far too much importance on how someone does in a two hour so-called “debate”?

Where do we stand after 224 years?

Of the institutions designed by the Framers, the electoral college is the one that deserves the least amount of defense if one’s defense is predicated on assumptions of the genius of said framers.

Rick Perry isn’t as radical as some on the left are saying, but that doesn’t mean he’s any good.

Madison went to Philadelphia wanting to increase the power of the central government over the states (quite a bit, in fact).

The desire to shield children from controversy has led another school district to ban a classic novel.

Some thoughts on the American experiment at 235 years and counting.

Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal sent a warning to his fellow Republicans. Too bad they probably won’t listen.

An ex-CIA agent says that someone in the Bush White House tried to use the agency to “discredit” Iraq War critic Juan Cole.

The Anthony Weiner reveals once again the odd American obsession with the intersection of sex and politics.

One law school grad seems to think the solution to her employment problems is to sue her law school.

Once again, Congressional abdication has led to an Executive Branch power grab.

Elias Isquith proclaims my Atlantic essay “How Perpetual War Became U.S. Ideology” to be “a total disaster.”

The 60 day deadline for Presidential discretion under the War Powers Act will expire next week. Congress won’t do anything about it.

Erick Erickson questions Jon Huntsman’s loyalty to America.

Operation Odyssey Dawn has resurrected the eternal battle over what limits there are, and should be, on the President’s ability to use military force without Congressional authorization.

On the eve of this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, another shot has been fired by those boycotting the meeting due to the presence of a gay conservative group.

Examining Levin’s examination of the Constitution, jurisprudence, and property rights.

Arizona looks to be the latest state to try to revive the discredited doctrine of nullification.

In chapter three of Liberty and Tyranny, Mark Levin applies his typical standards of logic and evidence to matters of faith.

Republicans in Idaho are talking about resurrecting the foolish and discredited idea of nullification as a weapon in the fight against ObamaCare.

I’m blogging Mark Levin’s Conservative Manifesto. Here’s part one…