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Congressman Scott Peters Will Not Run For Mayor of San Diego
Congressman Scott Peters Will Not Run For Mayor of San Diego
San Diego, Calif.- It's official, Congressman Scott Peters will not be running for Mayor of San Diego in 2020. He will however be on the ticket in 2020 for re-election to the 52nd Congressional district. In a statement sent to the media Wednesday, Peters announced he has "decided Congress is the place he can do the most good for our city and our nation. In 2020, he will run for re-election to Congress." For astute political observers, the news wasn't all that shocking considering Peters has re
16 Jan, 2019
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3 min read
Two Reasons to be Cheerful About Lobbyists
Two Reasons to be Cheerful About Lobbyists
In December, I wrote an article on a particularly egregious case of the famous legislative "revolving door." After sixteen years in the South Dakota Legislature, Senator Deb Peters announced her resignation to take a job with the state's healthcare association. Two things about that story were particularly galling: Peters did not make her decision public until after starting her new role, and just a few weeks previously she stood for and won a seat in the South Dakota House. It turns out, as I
02 Jan, 2019
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5 min read
U.S. Kills 62 Somalians in Another Airstrike Without Congressional Approval
U.S. Kills 62 Somalians in Another Airstrike Without Congressional Approval
62 Somalians were killed in four U.S. precision airstrikes over the weekend, the U.S. military said in a statement Monday. Nobody knows the identities of the 62 people who were killed, but just as it nearly always does after deadly missions such as this one, the U.S. military immediately claimed that the dead were "terrorists" and "militants," and also as usual, the quite accommodating mainstream press faithfully and uncritically passed along the government's characterization of these events ev
17 Dec, 2018
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3 min read
Senate Votes to End U.S. Saudi Alliance Against Yemen's Houthis
Senate Votes to End U.S. Saudi Alliance Against Yemen's Houthis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In defiance of President Donald Trump, who has taken a barrage of criticism from Republicans and Democrats for standing by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S. Senate issued a stunning bipartisan rebuke to Saudi Arabia's government and royal family Thursday, for the Washington Post journalist's murder, and for the escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, with a 56-to-41 vote to end U.S. involvement in Saudi Arabia's war against t
14 Dec, 2018
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3 min read
Showing the World, and Ourselves, that Democracy Means Accepting Defeat
Showing the World, and Ourselves, that Democracy Means Accepting Defeat
Among the many moments of President Bush’s life celebrated last week, I have a particular reason to focus on November 3, 1992, when President Bush delivered what to me were the most important words of his presidency: “The people have spoken, and we respect the majesty of the democratic system.” When I heard those words I broke into tears – because I had returned that day from working on democracy in Africa, where people were literally dying to hear words like those from their leaders. I watched
11 Dec, 2018
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3 min read
The Libertarian Party 2020 Presidential Ticket Shortlist
The Libertarian Party 2020 Presidential Ticket Shortlist
Reason's Matt Welch says it well: "Ever since election night of 2016, it has been clear that the Libertarian Party, through all its fits and starts over the decades, has managed to create a uniquely attractive prize: likely ballot access in all 50 states for a presidential candidate at a time of unusual major-party upheaval and discontent. All this for the low, low price of wooing fewer than 1,000 delegates at the 2020 national convention." Here's a short list of 2020 possibilities: Mitt Romn
10 Dec, 2018
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4 min read
George H. W. Bush: 5 Things That Set Him Apart in the "Presidents Club"
George H. W. Bush: 5 Things That Set Him Apart in the "Presidents Club"
Washington, D.C. - On Friday, former President George Herbert Walker Bush died at the age of 94, passing away just months after his wife Barbara. Serving as the 41st President of the United States, Bush’s administration oversaw the end of the Cold War and Operation Desert Storm. As Bush's casket proceeded up the west-facing steps outside the Capitol building cannon fire roared across Washington. Bush called these steps “Democracy’s front porch." As the nation honors its 41st president, it is
04 Dec, 2018
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4 min read
The Trump Administration Is About to Ban Bump Stocks for Guns
The Trump Administration Is About to Ban Bump Stocks for Guns
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. officials familiar with the matter told CNN Wednesday that the U.S. Justice Department is about to announce a federal rules change that would ban so-called "bump stocks" throughout the United States. An official announcement from the Trump administration is forthcoming within a few days the report says. "Slide Fire" or "Bump" Stocks Defined: A gun stock or shoulder stock is the "butt" of a long gun (such as a rifle) that is placed against the user's shoulder when firi
30 Nov, 2018
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2 min read
Former US Rep: Time for Florida to Lead on Nonpartisan Open Primaries
Former US Rep: Time for Florida to Lead on Nonpartisan Open Primaries
Contrary to Florida’s infamous reputation for election snafus, the voters in the Sunshine State have in many ways led the nation on issues of electoral reform. Floridians have voted many times to improve the rules, level the playing field, and remove barriers to participation. In the 1900s, voters approved ballot measures to enact term limits and remove burdensome petitioning requirements for independent and third-party candidates. More recently, they approved gerrymandering reform. On Tuesday,
28 Nov, 2018
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4 min read
In Thirst To Get Trump, Mainstream Media Has Lost Its Context
In Thirst To Get Trump, Mainstream Media Has Lost Its Context
San Diego, Calif.- The vast majority of the media in this country wants to see President Trump fail. Not groundbreaking news as 93% of all stories are negative towards the administration. Coverage of this administration is three times more negative than for Obama. That rosy narrative of the previous administration some have said, "haunts American discourse." Keeping the Oval Office in check is a critical role the media serves, but purposefully omitting key historical facts to push a baked-in
28 Nov, 2018
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3 min read