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Despite his lack of an education and impoverished early life Andrew Johnson eventually developed a knack for political debate which led him to Senate and House of Representatives before serving as the Governor of Tennessee and ultimately the President of the United States. Johnson gained early notoriety when in 1862 at the beginning of the Civil War he was the only Southern member of Congress not to quit his post in Washington and instead opposed the secession. Despite calls from his secessionis

Andrew Johnson is a US President you might not have heard too much about. One reason could be that he wasn't actually elected. Johnson Served as the Vice-President from March 4, 1865 to April 15, 1865 under none other than Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th Johnson took up the mantle of the President of the United States. But who exactly was this man? Although he hasn't been held up in nearly as high regard as Lincoln, Johnson still deserves some credit for standing hi

Rep. Steve LaTourette Credit: Gus Chan, Plain Dealer file Yet another sitting lawmaker is stepping down from their post citing a toxic partisan atmosphere in Washington, D.C., and his announcement was one of the most damning of modern Congressional dysfunction yet. Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio announced his plans to retire today and not seek reelection for a tenth term. He is the second high-profile moderate Republican lawmaker to retire due to the prevailing political climate. Long time Repu

Rep. Steve LaTourette Credit: Gus Chan, Plain Dealer file Yet another sitting lawmaker is stepping down from their post citing a toxic partisan atmosphere in Washington, D.C., and his announcement was one of the most damning of modern Congressional dysfunction yet. Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio announced his plans to retire today and not seek reelection for a tenth term. He is the second high-profile moderate Republican lawmaker to retire due to the prevailing political climate. Long time Repu

Credit: texastribune.org The United States has some of the lowest voter turnout and voter participation rates of any industrialized country in the world. Low voter turnout is typically ascribed to voter ignorance and apathy or to the lack of choice in our two-party dominated political system. Another factor is what we might call the “busy work” burden imposed on voters by government regulations. In order to vote, individuals must register to vote with their state's board of elections according

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released today gives new insight into employment numbers, state by state, for the month of June. Compared to the month before, unemployment has increased in 27 states. Meanwhile, 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia, reported a decrease in unemployment in June compared to May. 12 other states reported no change. Looking more long-term, 47 states have reported a decrease in unemployment rates when compared to a year ago. The report is bad news for New Yo

According to a poll commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, an overwhelming majority of Americans want the federal government to double the value of food stamp benefits at farmers markets to ensure "fair access" to healthy, locally grown foods. Furthermore, a majority of poll participants said all levels of government – federal, state and county – should get involved to ensure such access. “Americans want produce that is healthy, affordable, green and fair,” reads a Kellogg Foundation pres

Credit: creativemuslims.com As political polarization becomes stronger and significant, it's important to also look into cultural and religious polarization.  The number of Muslims in America is even a point of contention. 2.6 million Muslims were reported in the United States in 2010, but some estimates are up around 7 million. The following month will mark Ramadan for billions worldwide. As IVN reported yesterday, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann making headlines with her claims that top Hilla

Drug addiction in mothers is leading to a sharp and alarming rise in babies born addicted to drugs in the US.  The addictions are almost always to powerful opiates like Oxycontin and Vicodin, which are legal, similar to heroin, and sometimes sneeringly referred to as “hillbilly heroin.”  But the drug addiction is happening everywhere in the country, not just in rural south, even if the epidemic is worse there. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently joined with doctors to call for a nationwide pl

This election, an estimated five million eligible voters will be disenfranchised from the political process due to new voter identification laws. These de-facto voter suppression laws not only make it harder to register to vote, but also place restrictions on voting, creating an obstacle to eligible voters who lack government issued identification. The Brennan Center for Justice released a study in which they outlined the changes in voting laws we face in the 2012 election and the adverse affec