Just Inside the Beltway

What does it mean to be Just Inside the Beltway? In DC the phrase is often uttered in the context of one's home or office. "Just" inside the Beltway implies a location that is within the Capital Beltway but not in downtown Washington. In fact, if often means not in Washington at all, but rather in the Maryland or Virginia suburbs. As a matter of fact, my own house is just inside the Beltway.

In government "inside the Beltway" is synonomous with "in the loop." But I don't want to be in the loop. The loop is filled with self-congratulatory wonks with a larger than reality sense of self-worth. The loop is also cluttered with agendas, party affiliations, partisan rhetoric, and downright dishonesty. There needs to be a place for those of us who care about what is going on in Washington but don't want to get our information from scripts and talking points. We don't necessarily want to be Inside the Beltway but we don't want to like the millions of others who ignore Washington -- those "Outside" the Beltway.

Now there is a place.

Just Inside the Beltway