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While proposed reforms to government surveillance continue to stall, there are bipartisan efforts currently being made in Congress to protect Americans' online privacy. Authorized in 1986, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) includes a provision that allows the government to access private users' e-mails stored on a third-party server after 180 days. At the time of its passage, when electronic communication was rare, e-mails kept beyond six months were considered "abandoned." Acco

Vote Hemp, a major grassroots hemp advocacy group, on Thursday announced the introduction of complementary bills in the U.S. House and Senate, S. 134 and H.R. 525, titled the " Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015," with support on both sides of the political aisle. The Act would remove federal restrictions on the cultivation of industrial hemp, the non-drug oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis. “With bi-partisan support in the Senate and House, we are eager to see 2015 be the year Congress

The 114th Congress is now in session and the environment is decidedly Republican. The GOP took control of both chambers of Congress after the midterm elections, in which only 36 percent of voters participated. With the new makeup of Congress, here are 5 senators to keep an eye on this session. 1. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)Rand Paul is now widely considered a potential 2016 presidential candidate and all eyes are on the young, independent-minded Republican. His presidential ambitions though make him an

A new bill gaining speed on the Hill aims to make changes within the VA's mental health care system that proponents hope will reduce the veteran suicide epidemic. It is no secret that the veteran suicide rate is extremely high, with 22 veterans per day taking their own lives. It's also no secret that health care in general, and mental health care in particular, is lacking in the VA health care system. Unfortunately, the VA is the only option that many veterans have for their care. A new bill,

The Colbert Report Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders gave his take on the results of the 2014 elections in an interview with Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central's Colbert Report on Monday. Always the straight-shooter, Colbert prompted Sanders with the results saying, "A couple of weeks ago you liberal types got your asses handed to you by the Republicans. Democrats got slaughtered. Socialists did better... We have rejected liberal philosophy" Sanders, citing low voter turnout nationwid

The second-term midterm is notorious for causing trouble for the party in the White House. As election coverage continues on Election Day, the term “within the margin of error” is being heard more in reference to last minute polls. Congressional elections may determine the future balance of power for lawmakers, but gubernatorial races may prove to be more competitive. Some battleground states with competitive Senate races also share tight elections for state executives. It is not surprising tha

On Tuesday, November 4, all 435 seats in the U.S. House, 36 U.S. Senate seats, 36 governorships, and several state and local offices will be up for election. Many of these races were long decided during the primary election season, making the general election just a formality. Midterm elections never have a very high voter turnout -- consistently remaining under 42 percent over the last 20 years. A key factor in this is a lack of competitive elections, something the Republican and Democratic pa

It seems almost crazy to bring up an Aesop's fable in a series about the Founding Father's legacy to America -- but the fable of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse really exemplifies many of the problems the Founders faced when drafting a Constitution that served the whole United States, not just one aspect, demographic, or region. Examining this can give us very good insight into the modern political dilemma, and shows us that the Founders faced the same voting issues that the parties scanda

With all the speculation surrounding 2016 presidential candidates, the names Hillary, Paul, Christie, and Rubio appear in the headlines. That is understandable because they are the biggest names and dream candidates for several pivotal groups. Some of them may run against each other, but to quote from Highlander, “there can only be one.” This writer is also guilty of prognosticating Democrats and Republicans’ futures in the next cycle. Republican, Democrat, or neither... a great president does

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation , then by deflation , the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” - Thomas Jefferson Picture yourself in this situation: You are experiencing severe abdominal pains so you visit with your doctor. Your doctor does a perfunctory examination and announces that he wi