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Without exacerbating the dubious comments made by Senate candidate Todd Akin, we can see social issues resurfacing in the election debate. When GOP candidate Mitt Romney selected Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, it was made clear that economic issues were going to be their focus. With party conventions coming up, there might be more emphasis on abortion, women's issues, and possibly marriage equality. The Democratic party has already solidified their stance on social issues in their

Another challenge for the Open Elections/Open Government Act in Arizona arose today, as Maricopa County officials announced  a review of petition signatures of voters from the county may not provide the number "sufficient to qualify" the measure for November's ballot. It's a significant development as organizers of the ballot initiative, which would implement open primary elections in Arizona, gathered over 100,000 more signatures than required. In an effort that began last October, 365,486 sig

Photo: sfcitizen.com The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, expected to be an important swing state in 2012, has made headlines all week for a controversial voter ID law backed by the state's Republicans. Critics are calling it a partisan ploy to restrict ballot access and fix the results of November's general election in favor of Republican candidates, including presumptive presidential nominee, Governor Mitt Romney. But on the same day that a judge ruled in favor of Pennsylvania's voter ID law, a

Arizona's Supreme Court today reversed a previous Superior Court ruling which struck the Open Elections/Open Government Act from November's general election ballot. The initiative implements open primary elections in the state of Arizona and ends funding of party committee positions. Maricopa Superior Court Judge Mark Brain previously ruled the initiative violated Arizona's single subject rule, and issued an injunction barring its inclusion on the ballot. Today's ruling reverses this decision an

Arizona's Supreme Court today reversed a previous Superior Court ruling which struck the Open Elections/Open Government Act from November's general election ballot. The initiative implements open primary elections in the state of Arizona and ends funding of party committee positions. Maricopa Superior Court Judge Mark Brain previously ruled the initiative violated Arizona's single subject rule, and issued an injunction barring its inclusion on the ballot. Today's ruling reverses this decision an

Credit: csmonitor.com Across the media, the headlines got it wrong when they claimed “Judge Upholds Voter ID Law in Pennsylvania,” or some variation of that assertion. Even though it took Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson some 70 pages to explain his decision, the decision did not “uphold” the law. The decision only denied the plaintiffs’ application for a preliminary injunction. The grounds were as simple as they were legalistic: Judge Simpson found no basis for suspending the law at on

Lines of applicants for the Deferred Action Program outside the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Credit: US News On Wednesday the DREAM Act (acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) went partially into effect. Prompted by the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action policy, which began accepting applications yesterday, thousands of young undocumented immigrants are now waiting to obtain deportation relief. According to the

Hoover Dam near Las Vegas. Credit: commons.wikimedia.org The politics of Colorado River water rival those of Northern Ireland and Lebanon for complexity, opaqueness to outsiders, and rivalries going back decades. Even those familiar with the territory aren’t always sure what’s going on. Las Vegas and the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) headed by Pat Mulroy give surrounding states twitches as they try to figure out what SNWA will do next. And SNWA is making moves again. Southern Nevada h

Opening briefs are due today in the Arizona Supreme Court appeal case for supporters and opponents of the Open Elections/Open Government initiative. The challenge comes after a Superior Court judge found the ballot measure violated Arizona's separate amendment rule by combining the issues of a non-partisan open primary and public financing of party elections. The issue at hand is whether a key clause in the initiative language which specifies party officers may be elected, “but no such procedur

Credit: naoha.org Initial foreclosure filings were 6 percent higher last month than in July 2011, according to RealtyTrac. Year-over-year, initial foreclosure notice filings to distressed homeowners has increased for three months in a row. Experts expect a continued uptick in defaults as the nation's largest banks enjoy more freedom from litigation following a nationwide settlement over industry-wide loan fraud. Even as foreclosure proceedings increase, home repossessions are on the decline, s