Outside the Beltway

Afghanistan was a much different place half a century ago.

The President’s poll lead has shrunk, but there are still signs of trouble for Mitt Romney.

Ben Bernanke thinks doing more of the same is just what the economy needs.

Senator Rand Paul suggests the GOP may want to reconsider its foreign policy aggressiveness.

Hey GOP, Lt. Sulu has some questions for you.

The Obama campaign clearly does not want Americans to consider whether they are better off now than they were four years ago.

The GOP claims to be a party that favors limited government, but its foreign policy positions reveal this to be little more than a lie.

Economic growth is the key to fixing many of our problems. Unfortunately, we’re not likely to see the kind of growth we need any time soon.

For the first time in 80 years, there are no veterans on the major party Presidential tickets.

Doug Saunders makes the counterintuitive claim that things are better for Britons than ever.

July’s Jobs Report was better than what we’ve seen the last few months, but it’s still not very good.

Romney’s foreign tour didn’t go quite as well as planned, but it’s unclear how much the minor gaffes will actually matter.

Once again, a pundit has come up with the boneheaded idea of reinstating the draft.

David Chan has eaten at more than 6000 Chinese restaurants. He says the best are all in California and most opened in the last decade.

Two centuries ago, a war that makes less and less sense with the passage of time began.

Neil Munro acted like a jerk, but Barack Obama needs to be more open to questions than he has been.

The President’s Cabinet is less a Team Of Rivals and more a Team Of Managers.

The official portrait of George W. Bush, the 43rd president, was unveiled at the White House yesterday. The ceremony was a rare display of political humor and grace.

Yes, it is too hard to amend. A few quick thoughts on the subject.

For the first time in 68 years, neither major party candidate for President has served in the military. Does this matter?

Michael Fumento becomes the latest prominent conservative to criticize what conservatism has become.

Is Mitt Romney the least experienced major-party presidential nominee since1940?

Time to prepare yourself for the incoming deluge of polling.

Joe Biden got a little braggadocious last night.

No, the Obama Administration is not plotting to nationalize the economy in the name of some “national emergency.”

Voter ID laws are a good idea, but we have to be careful in how we implement them.

Why should lying about having served in combat or been awarded a medal for valor should be legally different from lying about athletic prowess in high school, the number of sexual partners you’ve had, or the size of one’s sex organs?

Rick Santorum’s stump speeches have becoming increasingly dark.

David Frum begins a withering review for The Daily Beast, “Charles Murray’s Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 is an important book that will have large influence. It is unfortunately not a good book.”

Yes, the US Constitution has been the most successful such document in human history. That does not mean it is a good template for other countries.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg had some advice on Constitution drafting for Egyptians

Not surprisingly, Republicans are trying to reverse the automatic cuts to defense spending agreed to in August.

Another weak GDP report that portends stagnation ahead.

Last night’s State Of The Union Address contained another unfortunate example of the prevalence of militaristic rhetoric in domestic politics.

The speech did exactly what it was supposed to do: kick off Obama’s re-election campaign while disguised as a call for unity.

Mitt Romney is making claims about Naval readiness that are, at best, misleading.

Last night, South Carolina was Gingrich Country.

Are their cultural reasons for America’s obesity problem?