A news item in recent days that was overshadowed in the media by SCOTUS and the One Big Beautiful Budget Bill was a US-brokered peace agreement that was signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – which if it holds will end a conflict between the two countries that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
30 Jun, 2025
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7 min read
Health Care Behind Bars - How It Really Works
The health care crisis behind bars affects two distinct but deeply connected groups: incarcerated individuals and correctional officers. While incarcerated people are constitutionally entitled to care, access remains inconsistent, and most enter custody with significant medical and mental health needs. They face higher rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, and psychiatric conditions than the general public....
12 Jun, 2025
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20 min read
Knives Come Out Against Reform at NYC CRC Hearing as Independents Rise
Last week in Staten Island, the NYC Charter Revision Commission held its next-to-last public hearing. As Commissioner Diane Savino commented, addressing NYC's closed primary system “is the single biggest issue we’ve heard this year.”...
30 Jun, 2025
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3 min read
New York's Mayoral Race: Why Mamdani Has to Beat Cuomo Twice
Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated establishment favorite Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination in New York's mayoral race, marking a clear victory for the party’s progressive wing....
30 Jun, 2025
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1 min read
Is Tulsi Gabbard Being Sidelined by Another Party?
Tulsi Gabbard can’t seem to catch a break, no matter which party or administration she joins. First, she was ostracized by the Democratic Party in 2016 when she spoke out against the party’s unfair treatment against Bernie Sanders. At the time, she was a sitting Democratic congresswoman and DNC vice chair....
26 Jun, 2025
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4 min read
The health care crisis behind bars affects two distinct but deeply connected groups: incarcerated individuals and correctional officers. While incarcerated people are constitutionally entitled to care, access remains inconsistent, and most enter custody with significant medical and mental health needs. They face higher rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, and psychiatric conditions than the general public....
12 Jun, 2025
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20 min read
Last week in Staten Island, the NYC Charter Revision Commission held its next-to-last public hearing. As Commissioner Diane Savino commented, addressing NYC's closed primary system “is the single biggest issue we’ve heard this year.”...
30 Jun, 2025
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3 min read
On Primary Day, NY Orgs Picket on Behalf of 3.5 Million Disenfranchised Voters
Much of the election coverage on Tuesday focused on the New York primaries, especially in NYC and the hotly contested ranked choice election for mayor. What got less attention, however, were the 3.5 million independent voters in the state locked out of elections they paid for....
25 Jun, 2025
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4 min read
Promises Unkept? New Poll Shows Independent Voters Turning On Trump
President Donald Trump won another term in the Oval Office thanks to the support of independent voters. However, a new poll commissioned by The Independent Center shows independents aren’t happy with Trump's failure deliver on the economic and political promises that led them to swing in his favor in November. ...
24 Jun, 2025
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3 min read
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Why Do New York City Elections Look Like Such a Mess?
For the third time in history, New York City voters used ranked choice voting (RCV) to determine their party nominees in Tuesday’s citywide primary elections. First implemented in 2021, the system was used in that year’s highly competitive Democratic primary, where Eric Adams ultimately secured the nomination and went on to become mayor. It was used again in 2023 without incident....
24 Jun, 2025
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10 min read
TX Gov. Vetoes Hemp Bill - No Criminalization for Synthetic THC
<p>On June 23, 2025, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott shocked lawmakers and lobbyists alike by vetoing Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), a measure that would have banned hemp-derived THC products across the state. He also called for a special session to bring lawmakers back to Austin on July 21 to craft regulations that restrict, but do not outright ban, intoxicating hemp products.</p>
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23 Jun, 2025
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5 min read
The Price of Our Divisions: Rage, Rhetoric, and Political Violence in America
The United States is facing a disturbing resurgence of politically motivated violence, targeted attacks not just on individuals, but on the democratic fabric of the nation itself. Over the past several years, elected officials, public servants, and civilians have been stalked, firebombed, shot, and killed, sometimes in their homes, sometimes in broad daylight, often because of who they are, what they believe, or who they represent....
23 Jun, 2025
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11 min read
Roughly 34,000 Voters Will Be Added to the Politically Homeless In North Carolina
North Carolina voters are encouraged to check their voter registration. On June 24, the party affiliation of about 34,000 voters will change in the voter registration database from a now unrecognized political party to unaffiliated....
23 Jun, 2025
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2 min read
Clearing Homeless Encampments Is a Band-Aid, Not A Solution
Last July, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order “to address (homeless) encampments” and allocated funding to local governments to clear encampments and connect “those living in them to housing and supportive services.” ...
20 Jun, 2025
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3 min read
Thomas Massie and AOC: The Political Alliance No One Saw Coming in 2025
All eyes are on President Donald Trump to see if the US will further insert itself into the escalating military conflict between Israel and Iran. As the two nations continue to attack each other, the debate over US involvement is creating a rift between defense hawks and non-interventionists in the Republican Party....
20 Jun, 2025
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5 min read
Is Texas About to Be More Chill on Hemp Than California?
California has just proposed a sweeping new rule to permanently ban intoxicating hemp products — and Texas may soon follow, as Governor Greg Abbott (R) faces a June 22 deadline to sign or veto a similar bill....
19 Jun, 2025
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4 min read
RCV Advocates Say Charlottesville’s First Ranked Choice Election Delivers on Promise of Diverse Representation
Tuesday marked a historic election for Charlottesville, Virginia, as the city used ranked choice voting (RCV) for the first time in a competitive Democratic primary. RCV advocates say the results offer a compelling case for the system’s potential to increase representation and voter satisfaction....
19 Jun, 2025
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4 min read
2025 Has Already Been a Monumental Win for Independent Voters
We’re halfway into 2025 and the year has already delivered several wins for independent voters and their right to equal participation in elections following a campaign cycle in which statewide ballot measure losses threatened to slow down the movement....
18 Jun, 2025
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13 min read
Voter ID: The Republicans' Nonpartisan Issue in California?
Republican lawmakers, political groups, and donors are going to attempt to qualify a constitutional amendment for California’s November 2026 ballot that would require voters to present government-issued identification and verify their citizenship before casting a ballot....
17 Jun, 2025
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7 min read