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In a perfect world, the Vermont Yankee Nuclear power plant would have shut down on schedule last March, the decommissioning fund would have been fully funded, and everyone in Vermont would be living green and happily ever after. But it’s not a perfect world – Vermont Yankee, with a design life of 40 years, started its 41st year of operation last March 22, despite promises to shut down, despite an act of the Vermont Legislature requiring it to shut down, and despite almost 40 years of public pro

The overwhelmingly popular emergence of social media has created an additional layer of transparency in the political world. Facebook and Twitter, two of the most popular social networking sites, have acted as giant microscopes focused on politicians and lawmakers alike. These sites have given politicians the opportunity to appear more personable to the general public, as well as offer a new forum for self-promotion and networking. Their social media presence has also allowed the public the abil

USDA rule changes proposed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack would not only benefit the local food movement but would make for more effective use of Farm Service Agency (FSA) resources, says the Department of Agriculture. Earlier this month USDA officials began a tour of the Western United States, seeking public comment on their proposal to offer microloans to beginning and specialty farmers. With a loan cap of $35,000, microloans would cater to very small start-ups. So far the feedback h

He came up with what he called the American System.  His name was Henry Clay of Kentucky.  In 1806, Henry Clay was elected to the US Senate by the Kentucky legislature.  At which, he set out at once for the nation's capital city, Washington DC.  Part of his route would be via boat while more of it would be via the nation's roads... or what were considered roads at that time.  It was upon this journey that Clay's zeal for an internal improvement program for the nation were formed.  He had already

Heading into the 2012 Presidential Election, Governor Mitt Romney’s opponents will continue to attempt to portray him as politically inconsistent. And the mainstream media will continue to ignore the far greater problem: both of America’s political parties are internally inconsistent at the very core of their own professed ideologies. History also shows that the two party platforms are constantly evolving, and in many instances, they trade positions back and forth as they reshape themselves and

As President of the United States of America, President Obama has his guard up constantly. With the public eye always focused and the media hanging on his every word, we’re surprised he takes the risk to tell jokes in the first place. Rest assured, he has and we are pleased to present you with the top ten giggle-worthy Barack Obama quotes. "I've been called worse on the basketball court." The President said this after a particularly vicious round of political boxing, following personal attacks

Editor's Note: This editorial was originally published in the U-T San Diego A vote for an independent candidate is no longer mere symbolism. icPurple.org congratulates California’s courageous independent candidates Linda Parks, Chad Condit, Chad Walsh and Nathan Fletcher. Through each of their campaigns, these leaders proved one common reality: Independent, nonparty candidates are now legitimate competitors in American politics. The “centrist majority” has been awakened, and the match has been

Looking at Twitter today, I saw that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is actually on Twitter. And I guess I knew that already, except that I really got to thinking about the intricacies of that association this morning while figuring out how to best help people at the local, individual level with their endeavors to produce and sell local food. Because, see, whoever is tweeting for the U.S. Department of Defense is getting paid to tweet.  And I would almost rather have them working on defend

UPDATE (12:39pm): In a 52 to 47 vote, the Senate defeated the Paycheck Fairness Act, with politicians voting primarily along party lines. Senate Republicans voted against the measure, while Democrats spoke to the need of the legislation in the hour before the vote. Democratic aids note: President Obama’s reelection campaign and Senate Democrats intend to use the bill’s failure as part of an ongoing push to paint congressional Republicans as hostile to women’s interests. Republican presidentia

Linda Parks thinks she can become the first “I” in the House of Representatives by not being a "me, too" politician. “Being independent gives me a platform for pushing the public good. It’s the people instead of the party,” she said in an interview with IVN. The 26th California Congressional District candidate is the only non-affiliated up against four Democrats and one Republican challenger. There is no incumbent in this newly revamped district that includes most of Ventura County in southern