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Trump has long made a point of condemning wars of regime change. But the neocons act quickly. Following the deadly chemical attack in the Syrian city of Idlib early Tuesday, Trump quickly came out to express his sorrow: “Today’s chemical attack in Syria against innocent people, including women and children, is reprehensible and cannot be ignored by the civilized world.” In the days following, the war hawks of the left and right have not hesitated to place blame for the attack squarely on Pres

Five years ago, outside of the public eye, a conflict flared inside the inner circle of Democratic Party power. Simply put, it was this: should the Obama re-election campaign find a way to make an explicit appeal to independent voters? Five years ago, the answer was no. I know this because I was part of the discussion, though an outsider to it, whose counsel was firmly rejected. And though Obama won reelection in 2012 while losing independents to the GOP, the strategic decision to double down w

In one of the birthplaces of American liberty, citizens are rallying for overdue change. Pennsylvania voters have grown dissatisfied with the way state lawmakers have disenfranchised their constituents. Voters collectively feel the polarization and overbearingness of the two-party system. The March on Harrisburg aims to address these concerns by bringing awareness to both the issues themselves and the copious amounts of citizens demanding a change. According to the founder of the organization,

Americans spend nearly $2.6 trillion each year on healthcare, but have some of the lowest life expectancies in the developed world. In addition, rates of infant mortality, diabetes, and other chronic conditions are at an all-time high when compared to the rest of the globe. Part of the reasoning behind the high rates of disease and decreased lifespan, public health experts note, is a lack of preventative care in the United States. Preventing diseases is one of the most common, and least expens

https://twitter.com/RonPaul/status/843891138507497474 While many people associate the neoconservative, or "neocon," ideology with the Republican Party, it actually has roots in the Democratic Party. Now, its hawkish ideals are deeply engrained in both major political parties, which means that when it comes to foreign policy, the duopoly leaves us little alternatives. According to the Britannica encyclopedia, neoconservatives: "contend that power—military, economic, or political—that is unused

It happened last month. I officially changed my voter registration from Democrat to Independent. When I was younger, I identified as a conservative Republican. Over the course of a few years, my views changed and I felt more inclined to the Democratic Party. Now, as I sit and watch the bitter anger sans solutions on the left, and gut wrenching gloating by those on the right, I can’t help but think, “What has happened to my country? Can we really call ourselves a democracy?” We live in a bipolar

Closed party primaries have shifted political power from mainstream Americans to the lunatic fringes of both major political parties. Each party has a large, though not necessarily majority, percentage of activists that demand extreme responses to public policy issues. When closed primaries are held, even relatively small groups have dramatically enhanced influence over the outcomes. This is true even when gerrymandering is not an issue. For example, when the electorate is evenly divided betwe

How important is grassroots organizing in politics? New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley argues that a decision to prioritize TV ads over grassroots outreach cost the Clinton campaign last year’s presidential election. With this in mind, former Bernie Sanders campaign organizers have launched an effort called Knock Every Door, with an eye on attracting Trump swing voters and building a grassroots base for the next election cycle. As this illustrates, grassroots organizing can pla

France’s presidential race is heating up -- and independent Emmanuel Macron has surprised many with his performance in two polls out this week. Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron announced his bid for the presidency in November of last year, and was initially largely discounted as a long shot. Macron is known by the French as the ex-investment banker who introduced labor reforms to President Hollande. Macron created his own political party, En Marche! (“On the Move!”), and is running as an

Third parties had their best showing in nearly two decades last November, but they still face major ballot access hurdles in future state elections across the country. Tennessee is a prime example. Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson ran as the Libertarian Party’s candidate for president and drew over 70,000 votes in the state which, theoretically, would give his party recognized status in the state. But Tre Hargett, the Tennessee secretary of state, has yet to provide clarity on the issue