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Is there any more grotesque example of American “exceptionalism” than our longstanding failure to respond to recurring, murderous violence in our schools? Is the nation that led mankind to the moon and back unable to halt the tragic transformation of children and teachers into the neatly gathered, heedlessly compliant soft targets for cowards wielding weapons of war? THE CURTAIN RISES ON OUR KABUKI THEATER As the smoke and chaos cleared from the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas School, our politici

There are 10 seconds to go, and it’s not looking good. Seemingly untouchable in the first half, the Minnesota Vikings are now down by one point against the New Orleans Saints — and I’m getting nervous. Not because I’m particularly passionate about them winning, but because I know my boyfriend Matt will sink into temporary depression if they lose this playoff game. …Of course, at the time, I didn’t know they would get stomped the following week, but I digress… As you may know, miraculously, a

Mark Duncan has already had a near death experience with a mass shooter. His daughter Faryn, a 20-year-old student at University of Nevada Las Vegas found herself in the crosshairs at a country music festival. Sometime during the last set, amid the loud music and flashing lights, she noticed people around her dropping to the pavement and spewing blood. Faryn managed to survive by hiding under the stage until brave strangers ushered her to safety. COPING AFTER VEGAS SHOOTING Mark's way of cop

The Unrig The System Summit in New Orleans was a historic event that brought together people from across the political spectrum who could all agree on at least one thing: Our political process is corrupt, rigged, and need of broad systemic reform. Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, progressives, independents, and more shared the spotlight together not to talk about the political issues that divide them, but the reform initiatives that can unite them. "Good things, developmental things are

I am a physician and a black woman who grew up poor and came of age in the 1970’s. I‘ve spent 25 years practicing medicine, mainly in Harlem, and I care deeply about the state of our country, about the state of black America, and about the state of our democracy. I am also a political independent and reform activist who has worked for years to help generate conversations about our dysfunctional and divisive political system and the overwhelming social crisis that results from it. These can be

Michael Allman would not be the first politician to attempt a successful campaign based on the idea of "Direct Democracy," but he is the latest. And perhaps most surprising, he is a Republican running on that message. Also interesting is the fact that California is a top two state meaning the top two finishers in the primary will go on to the general election, regardless of party preference. I asked Allman if he would be running if California didn't have a Nonpartisan primary, "I would not, a

Welcome to The Pickle podcast. My ambitions are high. I want to interview political, reform, independent, business, creative, nonprofit, entrepreneurial, and cultural movers and shakers about the pickle we are in as a country and as a world. For me, the pickle is found in our huge capacity to innovate running smack dab against systemic community underdevelopment and the obsolescence of the partisan model. But that's me. I spend my days working to end closed partisan primaries and shake up our c

Alexander Matsegora, Moscow’s envoy to North Korea says that any more sanctions on the country’s oil supply would be perceived as a declaration of war. He went on to tell President Trump, “If the supplies of oil and oil product are stopped, it would mean a complete blockade of the DPRK (North Korea).” According to Newsbreakouts.com, “Before Christmas, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to cut exports of gasoline, diesel and other oil products by 89 per cent.” And The Express UK reports

In a democracy, the people have the power, but only if they choose to wield it. With the mercurial state of America’s representative system in recent elections, it’s becoming clear that more involvement from the people is needed. However, systems like the Electoral College mean that individuals have only so much leverage at the highest levels of government. To be heard, people must take advantage of their opportunities on the local level. This is how the system is designed, but we need to make

A Stanford political scientist is stating what IVN has reported for a long time now: Americans are not more polarized, despite what the media says. US voters are not being driven further to one corner or another in the ongoing political struggle between two private political corporations -- the Republican and Democratic Parties. The people, largely, fall all over the political spectrum. "You have two parties in a heterogeneous country where people have all kinds of views," says political scie