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The Kansas City Star is taking on the need for primary election reform in the state. One of the state's most popular newspapers says if the state is going to continue to have closed primary elections -- the private political parties should pay for them. "Political parties are private organizations. As such, they should not be able to demand subsidies from taxpayers to conduct elections that are essentially closed to non-members. Supporters of the current system say it ensures the purity of the

I was on a roll. As the Green Party congressional candidate for District 21 in upstate New York (NY-21), I participated in five congressional candidate debates or forums between April and June 2018. The forums originally focused on the June primary with seven then six then five people competing to be the Democratic candidate in the November election. I was already on the Green Party line on the November ballot, yet organizers of the five forums invited me so audiences could hear more points of v

Nearing the two year mark since the shocking 2016 presidential election result devastated both the Democratic and Republican Party power structures, liberal mainstream media journalists are still stuck in the denial stage of the Kübler-Ross model of grief. They were so certain Hillary Clinton would win, the election result they expected was so cemented into their minds as an immutable reality before the election had even taken place, that they could not let go of the perfect world they had crea

I miss Anthony Kennedy already. Other people have written eloquently about Kennedy’s contributions to the Supreme Court. After the retirement of Sandra Day O’Connor (whom I miss, too), Kennedy became the swing vote in case after case. When a seminal case was argued before the high court, Kennedy was the justice who had to be persuaded. When a 5-4 decision came down, Kennedy was usually that crucial fifth vote. Sometimes he voted with the more liberal wing of the court; sometimes he voted with t

I am writing from a spot nestled in the woods in Washington County in rural New York, listening to the chatter of the morning birds and looking forward to a walk along the Battenkill River later today. It is summer vacation and that means summer reading, somehow especially delicious done by the sea, or in a hammock, or a shady spot under a tree. How did reading become so identified with the summer lexicon? In a 2012 Boston Globe article, author Craig Fehrman posits that the idea of summer readi

RANCHO SANTA FE, CALIF. – While small town parades, backyard barbecues and fireworks displays may be what many people associate with the 4th of July, Independence Day deserves far greater respect. Fifty-six men signed a single piece of parchment on this day in 1776 that contained 1,338 words that changed the history of the world for the better. That hallowed document claimed independence not only for a Nation but for a People. Unfortunately, 242 years later, we are in danger of surrendering to

Ranked choice voting has grown significantly in popularity since the battle between voters and politicians in Maine caught the attention of national media outlets. Now, there are a number of states that could soon follow Maine's example. One of the most notable efforts is in Massachusetts, where a growing organization, Voter Choice Massachusetts, is making a strong push for the voting reform. And the reason could not be simpler: "Our politics are dysfunctional." That is what Voter Choice Massa

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – The United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME may serve as a landmark decision. While traditional media outlets and the Democratic establishment are already discrediting the decision, the gnashing of teeth may be relatively short-sighted. The very basis of this decision could be used as precedent to attack the Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010). Both cases were predicated on First Amendment protections. The J

It was a shocking blow to the Democratic establishment Tuesday when 10-term US Rep. Joe Crowley (NY-14) was defeated in the primaries by 28-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Crowley is not only a long-time member of the US House, he is the chair of the House Democratic Caucus and is speculated to have been next in line for Nancy Pelosi's position. Needless to say, there hasn't been a primary defeat this big since former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. And who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? S

The impressive momentum for progress in national electoral reform projects and campaigns owes much to the influential recent wins and viable initiatives underway across the country, including: * Maine voters upholding Ranked Choice Voting that elevates voters above parties * Gerrymander reform initiatives on the ballot in several states this November * Viable independent candidates running for offices up and down the ballot So how does our growing electoral reform movement build a cohesive,