Federalism

Even where parents are adamant about opting out of standardized tests, state law may prohibit from doing so. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Beltway Confidential

Does your state let students opt out of standardized tests?

Jason Russell · March 30, 2016 4:44 pm

Common Core is out of the federal government's hands now. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Beltway Confidential

Can the next president really kill Common Core?

Jason Russell · March 5, 2016 6:39 pm

Obama complained about how every presidential nomination is now contested, an example of how "the venom and rancor in Washington has prevented us from getting basic work done." (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Confirmation fights got bitter because government got bigger

Philip Klein · February 18, 2016 10:14 pm

Civil rights law allows winning plaintiffs to request that their legal fees be covered by the losing party. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

States pay $13.5M to plaintiffs’ lawyers in same-sex marriage cases

Sean Higgins · January 25, 2016 9:08 pm

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed by President Obama on Thursday, the Secretary of Education cannot incentivize or punish states for adopting specific academic standards. (AP Photo)

Washington Secrets

Unconstitutionality Index: Obama issues 39 rules for every law

Paul Bedard · January 4, 2016 6:53 pm

The IRS, the Department of Education, the Department of Justice and the VA landed on the more-disliked end of the spectrum. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Beltway Confidential

Which federal agencies do Americans hate most?

Jason Russell · November 24, 2015 12:59 am

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said he is concerned about federal overreach in his state and feels as if the federal government has strayed from its constitutional duties as more and more is demanded from Washington.Â (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Energy and Environment

Western governors: States not ‘junior partners’ to feds

Kyle Feldscher · September 30, 2015 4:04 pm

President Obama signs the Medicare Access CHIP Reauthorization Act 2015 on April 16, 2015 in Washington. (Photo by Dennis Brack-Pool/Getty Images)

Choke: 1,568 new regs, 38,000 Federal Register pages already this year

Paul Bedard · July 1, 2015 4:12 pm

The EPA is proposing a top-down "Federal Implementation Plan" on states it determines are not sufficiently implementing the Obama administration's so-called Clean Power Plan. (Graeme Jennings/Examiner)

Energy and Environment

Obama’s EPA and the death of federalism

Mike Duncan · March 11, 2015 1:35 pm

Nationwide, state governments owe $1.1 trillion in debt, or $3,597 per person.

Beltway Confidential

How much debt does your state have?

Jason Russell · February 17, 2015 6:29 pm

(iStock)

A return to minimum-wage federalism

Trent England · February 3, 2015 10:00 am

Momentum is building for reform of federal education policy as the new session of Congress begins. (iStock Photo)

Beltway Confidential

GOP can empower states by reforming No Child Left Behind

Jason Russell · January 7, 2015 6:43 pm