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The Koch brothers are the perennial capitalist power-donor bogeymen of the right, feared and maligned by Democrats as much as George Soros is hated by Republicans as the same kind of bogeyman of the left. However, as with many controversial matters, the Kochs aren't exactly what the partisan narrative portrays. For instance, the Koch brothers and many of the publications they funded throughout the Bush years were staunchly anti-war, and they may even be more anti-war than the Center for America

Political reformers across America are paying close attention to key elections on November 6. But their focus is not on candidates or political parties. It’s about how Americans vote on ballot measures to unrig the system. Here are some highlights: Voters Not Politicians (Michigan) In Michigan, an anti-gerrymandering measure is on the ballot after Voters Not Politicians gathered more than 425,000 petition signatures with only volunteers within just 110 days. The measure creates an independen

Washington, D.C.- On Tuesday the Senate confirmation hearing begins for Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s pick for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. If confirmed, Kavanaugh would tip the balance of the bench, with conservative justices holding the majority. Trump's nominee will be introduced at his hearing by Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Kavanaugh's extensive political and judicial record which has already drawn criticism from both Democrats

FARGO, N.D. - Fargo, North Dakota may soon make history. City voters will decide in November whether or not it will become the first jurisdiction in the US to adopt Approval Voting -- an alternative voting method that allows voters to choose as many candidates on the ballot as they want. The nonpartisan group, Reform Fargo, submitted approximately 2,000 signatures to get Approval Voting on the November ballot, about 600 more than the group needed. The signatures were officially certified this w

In the face of mounting criticism from the notorious libertarian billionaire industrialists, Charles and David Koch, Donald Trump flamed the Koch Brothers on Twitter Tuesday, tweeting: "The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made.........them richer. Their network is

Earlier this year, Utah and Washington quietly joined 14 other states that have eliminated the use of registration deadlines as a final cutoff to be able to vote. The congruent actions of a red state and blue state bring the number of states that allow voters to register or update a registration when they go to vote to nearly one in three. It’s a critical threshold that could spell the end of voter registration deadlines as we’ve known them for 100 years. Enabling voters to address and fix reg

I am concerned with the July 24, 2018 op-ed titled, Virginia Republican: “Ranked Choice Voting Most Superior Voting Method in US.”  While the statements are true, what is missing speaks volumes and illustrates why IRV/RCV may not be in the best interests of independent voters. The op-ed starts with a quote asserting “Ranked Choice Voting, or Instant Run-Off Voting, is by far the most superior method of electing representatives available in the United States.” That is currently true. What it doe

The independent and nonpartisan reform movements have never seen the momentum they are seeing today. Voters are ditching the Republican and Democratic Parties in droves. A record number of independent and third party candidates are running. And, powerful coalitions are forming to transform the US political system into one that is more representative of the diverse political landscape in America. We are witnessing history in the making. Here are the 15 biggest developments in the independent mov

Maine became the first state in the nation to use ranked choice voting in statewide elections in June. The historic moment has boosted interest in alternative voting methods that offer better election results and an improved system for choosing elected officials. ALSO READ: Independents Made the Difference in Maine’s Ranked Choice Voting In response to IVN's coverage of Maine ranked choice voting (as well as the growing interest in the reform), a number of other voting methods have been sugges

As we get older, and hopefully wiser, we generally start to become more discerning on how we view the world and the problems we face. Many of us who seek to make the world a better place try to look at the problems, analyze them, and do what we can to correct them. However, because there are so many different problems facing us, this approach often overwhelms us and can instill a sense of hopelessness in our ability to create positive change. Looking deeper into this situation, we discover tha