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Secession, a word common 150 years ago, is once again gaining steam in several states. In the quest for a government that is more representative of the people, groups of different ideologies want to break away from the majority. However, this separatist movement is unlike the days leading up to the Civil War; it is bloodless and involves regions of states separating from the state itself. Rural areas want to disconnect from urban areas; conservative groups want to break away from governments th

http://youtu.be/-CDohsX-slo Virginia's gubernatorial contest is the election to watch in 2013 Not only is it attracting more national media attention on the Democratic and Republican candidates, but the third party candidate, a Libertarian, is turning it into a more competitive campaign for the GOP. Virginia is not such a red and blue state anymore.As a result of an election process that rewards hardline partisans, the race for Virginia governor is a typical scenario of two "polar opposite" can

Virginians once again face the choice of selecting a governor as the November 5 gubernatorial election creeps closer. While the Democrat and Republican candidates are going through the motions as might be expected, a new player has appeared on the scene., according to recent data. But what's the appeal of a candidate who -- most likely -- will not actually win the race? According to Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washingto

The United States is loosening controls over military exports, in a shift that former U.S. officials and human rights advocates say could increase the flow of American-made military parts to the world's conflicts and make it harder to enforce arms sanctions. Come tomorrow, thousands of parts of military aircraft, such as propeller blades, brake pads and tires will be able to be sent to almost any country in the world, with minimal oversight 2013 even to some countries subject to U.N. arms embar

Your Facebook Like is now legally protected speech Photo: Mashable Whether you "like" it or not, Facebook "likes" are considered to be a vital component of free speech protected under the First Amendment, a U.S. appeals court holds. The decision reverses a lower court ruling that Facebook likes are not "actual statements," ruling in favor of a former Virginia deputy sheriff who claimed he had lost his job over "liking" his boss' opponent on Facebook during the 2009 city sheriff race. But, is

spirit of america / shutterstock.com A recent study by the American Bar Association found several flaws in Virginia's death penalty, and made recommendations for reform. While the study did not call for a suspension of capital punishment until reforms are made (as previous studies have), the team of legal experts did suggest changing interrogation procedures and policies regarding biological evidence. Requiring all interrogations in capital cases to be video recorded is one such improvement a

The goal for a national core curriculum, like Common Core, is to ensure that all students who graduate with a U.S. education are capable of participating in the national economy. Proponents argue students should be prepared for the demands of an increasingly globalized workforce or higher education, no matter where they were educated. However, indicators show states with historically lower quality education systems are falling farther behind in spite core curriculum's implementation. In states

Dear IVN Readers, While much of the mainstream media is covering the same old stories with tired talking points, check out some of the discussions on IVN, like: The Alternative Minimum Tax is and how it affects the Middle Class? Did the Supreme Court just rule that cell phone companies own your personal information? What do the results of the special election in New Jersey mean to the rest of us? As always, we look forward to seeing you on IVN.us. - Shawn and the IVN Team What You Missed

Rule number one in effective communication is to establish the relevancy of the topic to the audience. Why should they care? How does it affect their quality of life? Truthful accounting might do just that. For one measure of the states’ quality of life, we turn to the recent work done by Ballotpedia, a “collaborative encyclopedia designed to connect people to politics.” The site focuses on providing a comprehensive and non-partisan analysis of numerous candidates and political efforts. The Lu

credit: University of Georgia If states are to rebuild and retool their economies, they must establish innovative and cost-effective solutions to increase student access to public colleges and universities, according to a recent report. Researchers at the nonpartisan think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, released a study titled, “Taking Charge: A State Level Agenda For Higher Education.” In it, the organization argues that governors and state legislatures must leverage the two-year an