Outside the Beltway

Considering Breonna Taylor’s death, police shootings, and human rights.

Pondering lack of US interest in our friends to the south.

A stroll down memory lane.

At last week’s debate, Beto O’Rourke handed Republicans and gun rights advocates a nicely wrapped gift with his claim that he would seize guns from otherwise law-abiding Americans.

Further progress for advocates of marijuana legalization from the Land of Lincoln.

In a first of its kind move, voters in Denver have voted to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms.

Democratic candidates for President are quickly voicing support for marijuana legalization.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed major reforms in Federal sentencing and related laws. As the name of the bill implies, it’s a first step, but a good first step.

William Barr, who served as Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush, has been selected to replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.

On Tuesday, Michigan joined the ranks of the states where marijuana is legal and several other states legalized it for medical purposes.

President Trump has fired his Attorney General, a move than many are interpreting as the precursor to a move against Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Scenes from the war on drugs.

Another step forward in the seemingly unstoppable movement toward nationwide legalization.

A big win for Federalism and common sense at the Supreme Court.

President Trump is not being bold on drugs. Instead, he is just recycling old, failed idea.

A Federal Judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to invalidate Federal laws against marijuana use and possession.

The President would like to copy Singapore’s zero-tolerance policy. The US Constitution stands in his way.

A Federal Court in New York City is set to hear argument tomorrow in a case that essentially argues that a large swath of Federal laws regarding marijuana are unconstitutional.

Norway is poised to make some big changes to its drug laws.

Some thoughts about why the president’s remarks on immigration are so problematic.

The Supreme Court heard argument today in a case challenging a 1992 law barring sports gambling in all but a handful of states, and the Justices appeared skeptical of the law.

A new study shows that Baby Boomers no longer account for the largest segment of voters in the United States.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving New Jersey’s challenge to a Federal law outlawing sports betting.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is speaking out against several of President-Elect Trump’s proposed Cabinet nominees.

The fight for marijuana legalization advances in California.

Delaware has become the latest state to liberalize its laws regarding marijuana.

The Supreme Court is now considering a case that deals with the problem of overly broad civil asset forfeiture laws and a Defendant’s right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment.

A decision from Mexico’s Supreme Court has opened the door to legalization of marijuana south of the border, but it’s likely to proceed much slower than in the United States or Canada.

Senator Bernie Sanders wants to let states decide how to regulate marijuana, or to not regulate it at all if they choose. Intellectually honest conservatives should support his effort.

Public support for marijuana legalization continues to rise. As with the marriage equality movement, it’s obvious where this will end, The only question is how long it will take to get there.

The problem goes beyond the War on Drugs.

Marijuana is legal in Colorado, but it’s illegal under Federal Law. Because of that, the Colorado Supreme Court dismissed a claim by resident who was fired when he tested positive for pot.

It will be some time before sanity prevails in the GOP, but slowly but surely Republicans seem to be becoming less socially conservative.

President Obama is taking steps to reduce police militarization, but there’s much more that needs to be done.

When it comes to marijuana policy, Chris Christie is stuck in the past.

Some thoughts on a column by Roger Noriega on the Obama administration and Latin America,

NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot dead while sitting in their patrol car In Brooklyn. And those suggesting that anyone other than the killer has “blood on their hands” are being absurd.

A little round of Qs and As on US-Cuban policy.

Even leaving aside the fact that it is far too early to be making such assessments, the idea that Rand Paul is the front runner for the Republican nomination in 2016 fails the logic test.

On his way out of office, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe is set to pardon his son for an 11 year-old non-violent marijuana conviction.

Civil asset forfeiture gives “highway robbery” a whole new meaning.

Not surprisingly, a law passed in the wake of the September 11th attacks has been used mostly for things that have nothing to do with terrorism.

Big victories for advocates of marijuana legalization.

Rebranding alone isn’t going to fix what’s causing the GOP to lose ground among a whole host of demographic groups.

Not surprisingly a Federal Judge has blocked New Jersey’s latest effort to legalize sports gaming. As a matter of policy, though, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be legal to place wagers on sporting events.

Once something that generally benefited Republicans, social issues are now becoming a wedge issue for Democrats.

The Grey Lady sees the light on a major part of the War On Drugs.