Search query: virginia

How It Really Works: The Unfair Fight Between Legal Cannabis and Unregulated 'Gas‑Station' Hemp
How It Really Works: The Unfair Fight Between Legal Cannabis and Unregulated 'Gas‑Station' Hemp
When President Richard Nixon told the nation on June 17, 1971, that drug abuse was “public enemy number one,” he formally launched the War on Drugs and cemented cannabis in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. 
22 Jul, 2025
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10 min read
5 Influential Forces in NYC that Threaten the Success of Open Primaries
5 Influential Forces in NYC that Threaten the Success of Open Primaries
New York City’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC) is considering a proposal to adopt a nonpartisan “Top Two” open primary system, which would allow the city’s 1.1 million independent voters to cast a ballot in primary elections they pay for.
14 Jul, 2025
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13 min read
Musk vs The Two Parties: Will the America Party Succeed Where Others Have Failed?
Musk vs The Two Parties: Will the America Party Succeed Where Others Have Failed?
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, and former Director of the Department of Government Efficiency, has officially launched the America Party, framing it as a challenge to what he calls a “one-party system” dominated by wasteful government spending.
07 Jul, 2025
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5 min read
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV.
03 Jul, 2025
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3 min read
Supreme Court Sides with Federal Corrections Officers in Lawsuit Over Prison Incident
Supreme Court Sides with Federal Corrections Officers in Lawsuit Over Prison Incident
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 30 that federal prison officers and officials cannot be sued by an inmate who accused them of excessive force during a 2021 incident, delivering a victory for federal corrections personnel concerned about rising legal exposure for doing their jobs.
01 Jul, 2025
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3 min read
The Price of Our Divisions: Rage, Rhetoric, and Political Violence in America
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
RCV Advocates Say Charlottesville’s First Ranked Choice Election Delivers on Promise of Diverse Representation
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
Independent Voters Reject Medicaid Cuts as Senate GOP Struggles to Unite on Budget Bill
Independent Voters Reject Medicaid Cuts as Senate GOP Struggles to Unite on Budget Bill
As the Senate begins debate Monday on President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” polling underscores a widening gap between congressional Republicans and the independent voters they will need to win future elections. At the center of the conflict is Medicaid.
02 Jun, 2025
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5 min read
California Lawmakers Push Back on Federal AI Regulation Ban Buried in 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'
California Lawmakers Push Back on Federal AI Regulation Ban Buried in 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'
Given the state’s role as home to many leading AI companies, a bipartisan coalition of California legislators is urging Congress to strike a little-noticed provision from the sweeping federal tax package that would block states and local governments from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next decade.
27 May, 2025
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6 min read
Joe Manchin Slams W.Va. Ranked Choice Ban, Says Some Politicians 'Don't Want to Compete; They Just Want Control'
Joe Manchin Slams W.Va. Ranked Choice Ban, Says Some Politicians 'Don't Want to Compete; They Just Want Control'
Former US Senator Joe Manchin publicly condemned recent moves by West Virginia lawmakers to ban ranked choice voting and potentially restrict independent voters from participating in primary elections, calling the developments "political gamesmanship."
12 May, 2025
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3 min read