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A national discussion regarding the state of civil rights in the U.S. exploded after racial comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling were made public, followed by news that he has been banned for life from the NBA.However, another story broke on the same day NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held his press conference that might be even more important for the future of civil rights in the country: a federal court struck down Wisconsin’s voter ID law. The law first passed in 2011, as a measure

Presidential politics are all about numbers, from campaign spending, third party interest funding, and electoral votes (EV). Battleground states, by definition, shift the winning side every 4 years or so, hence they are where both Democrats and Republicans fight the hardest for each vote. Florida has nearly as many registered Democrats as Republicans, a diverse Latino population, and pockets of densely populated urban areas. It is expensive to run a campaign in the Sunshine State and with 29 el

Recently, in the case Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, the United States Supreme Court, by a 6-2 vote, upheld a Michigan ban on affirmative action. The ban stated that universities didn't have to consider race as a requirement for enrollment. Michigan isn't alone with a ban either as states like California, Washington, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, and others have done so, as well. In June 2013, the New York Times ran an article which graphed how minorities have fared in states wi

The United States is once again in the middle of a major election year and in many elections, people will go the polls with only two options to choose from -- red or blue, Republican or Democrat. The problem is a majority of Americans do not believe either major political party represents America. According to the latest Rasmussen poll, 53 percent of likely voters believe "neither party in Congress is the party of the American people." While some may dispute the results of a single poll, furthe

Veterans who struggle with PTSD and pain have some new hope on the horizon. On March 14, the Health and Human Services Department granted approval for the purchase of research grade marijuana to Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), in order to study the plant's effectiveness at treating PTSD, which has devastated the lives of so many veterans. The study would provide the most reputable evidence to date of the plants efficacy. Until now research had consisted of animal s

On April 14, 2014, IVN contributor Mac Vanandel presented a well-argued point about the free market of ideas and how it is inherently part of the free market of commerce. Some people have responded that the two cannot be conflated because they are different. In some ways, this is true. However, it is important to understand that how people perceive the world around them influences their activity as consumers, and the market does respond to public opinion. The issues of gay rights, the morality

To Kill a Mockingbird The National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) is an organization committed to promoting a greater understanding of the views of others. Chaired by former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, the NICD’s board members include representatives from major news media, former secretaries of state, past and present members of Congress, governors, academic scholars, and public policy researchers. The NICD’s mission is to foster “an open exchange of ideas and expressi

Two House Democrats may face uphill re-election contests in Arizona come November as Republican strategists mount an offensive to take back control of Congress. The National Republican Congressional Committee prominently includes Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-01) and Ron Barber (D-02) on a list of 7 Democrats up for re-election this year that it bills as the most vulnerable astride conservative congressional districts. Publishing the list in May 2013, with a call to make sure “Nancy Pelosi will nev

A study that would explore the possible benefits of marijuana for those who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder got a huge green light from the federal government.The research project, headed by Dr. Suzanne Sisley of the University of Arizona, already had approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But, like a lot of studies involving pot, it hit a bottleneck in trying to obtain cannabis from the only legitimate place it could — the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) sol

Spoiler alert: That's one of the concluding remarks in former Senator Olympia Snowe's recent book, Fighting for Common Ground. Tired of government stalemate, congressional inaction, and the declining state of public discourse and civility in America? Snowe outlines a blueprint for change -- a way out of the seemingly hopeless situation the nation is in. But, the former senator is doing more than writing books. She is working both behind the scenes and in public toward the same ideals she held d