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You have probably heard by now that Barack Obama intends to raise the minimum wage for employees hired to fulfill new government contracts--and that he will do this under his own executive authority. The other side is up in arms. “He’s the president of the United States — he’s not a king,” said Representative Michelle Bachman, as she exhorted Congress to sue the president in her response to the State of the Union address. Glenn Beck, who recently apologized for his role in degrading political d

Table of Contents State-by-state Information How Do Primaries Work? Partisan v. Nonpartisan Closed (Partisan) Semi-Closed (Partisan) Open (Partisan) Open (Nonpartisan) Variants of Traditional Election Systems Top-Two Nonpartisan Primaries Top-Four Primary Instant Runoff Voting Approval Voting Unified Primary Other Voter Resources Independent Movements in Your State GENERAL ELECTION DATE: November 4, 2014 How do I vote? The following voter guide is tailored to provide vital info

Primaries first began in the early twentieth century as a response to increasingly strong party control over elections. At the time, voters wanted a larger say in who would be chosen as their candidate, instead of the long-standing tradition of party bosses choosing who would run for office. Progressive reformers viewed direct primaries as a way for constituencies to increase transparency and allow for citizens to participate in the electoral process. As primaries became a feature of local, stat

After a committee vote and hearings in the US Senate on the nomination of Janet Yellen to the chair of the Federal Reserve system, many in the United States wait to see if the institution she plans to lead will face any serious scrutiny. Subject to secrecy and opaque practices, the Federal Reserve is officially charged with setting monetary policy for the United States, but much of its activity is shrouded in mystery. Yet, despite some bipartisan support, there has been little movement toward a

Despite calling it a nonpartisan blanket primary election, Louisiana's parties have used a basket of tools to institutionalize partisan politics. The 'nonpartisan' primary system they use, referred to as a 'jungle primary' by party pollsters because of its relatively negative 'chaotic' connotation, is sometimes blamed for partisan polarization in the state, though a closer look at the state's election laws show a more invidious cause. Louisiana's fake nonpartisan primary system should be distin

Concerns about rising tuition and how students can afford to finance their major investments in post-secondary education are widespread. Solid insights into these questions require accurate and up-to-date information about prices. reports on the prices charged by colleges and universities in 2013-14, how prices have changed over time, and how they vary within and across types of institutions, states, and regions. We also provide information on the net prices that students and families actually p

California is a unique place. Just ask anyone who's ever lived there. So naturally the state boasts a unique system for nominating its elected officials as well and the road to the system that's currently in place in California was a bumpy one. But, as with many things, whether or not the change produces the desired result remains to be seen. Closed Primary Prior to 1996 From 1909 until 1996, California had a closed primary system, meaning that in order for a voter to participate in the prima

The 2016 presidential election may be three years away, but Iowa is already abuzz with potential Republican candidates. As soon as the dust settled from Mitt Romney’s failed bid to unseat President Barack Obama, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin all began making regular pilgrimages to the Hawkeye state. Iowa, the first battleground state of the presidential primary, will hold their

By now, most people have heard of the 8-year-old boy who shot his grandmother in Louisiana not long after he finished playing the video game, Grand Theft Auto IV. Networks like CNN have made sure you have heard about this story and have made sure the focus remains on the role video games played in this incident. Why? Because it is "good" television. It helps keep the ratings up to focus on this ongoing debate between violent media and violent behavior, but the consequence of this -- like with

One-hundred and twelve legislative bodies have come and gone. We are now in the midst of our 113th Congress. And since our inception, only 27 of these assemblies have consisted of a sixty percent majority in both the House and the Senate; a partisan monopoly on government legislation that eventually became known as the filibuster proof majority. With a sixty percent lead in Congress, whichever party is in control would, theoretically, be impervious to roadblocks. But is an entire nation of peop