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Pandemic Elicits Surge to Save A Democratic Process Already in Crisis
Pandemic Elicits Surge to Save A Democratic Process Already in Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and devastating impact on American society and the economy. All 50 states and the president have declared a state of emergency, and over 100 million Americans now live under stay-at-home orders. Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress continue to squabble over a relief bill that the US desperately needs. Both sides failed to strike a deal on a multi-trillion-dollar stimulus plan over the weekend and on Monday, which prompted two parti
24 Mar, 2020
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9 min read
Comparing Coronavirus To The Last Five Epidemics
Comparing Coronavirus To The Last Five Epidemics
The Coronavirus Pandemic, and perhaps more importantly, the reaction to it in the age of social media, is the first defining event of the current decade. The coronavirus infects the lungs and causes symptoms ranging in seriousness from those of the common cold in mild cases, to severe influenza in the worst cases. ‍ ‍ It originated in the city of Wuhan in Central China. That was key to its rapid spread over the planet, and its disruption to the Chinese economy. Wuhan is a major transportation
19 Mar, 2020
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9 min read
THE SPEECH THAT BERNIE SHOULD GIVE (but probably won’t)
THE SPEECH THAT BERNIE SHOULD GIVE (but probably won’t)
Hello America! Hello my Brothers and Sisters! This campaign, this race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, has come to a critical point. A boiling point, some would say. And before we go any further, before voters in the next states cast their primary ballots and before the media casts its spin over the public, and before the kingmakers in the back rooms of the Democratic Party tell everyone that it’s over, I want to speak directly to the American people. Not just to Democrats. No
09 Mar, 2020
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15 min read
Here's What Each Candidate Has Spent Per Vote in The Democratic Primary
Here's What Each Candidate Has Spent Per Vote in The Democratic Primary
With a lot of primary left to go, the Democratic presidential candidates have raised and already spent a small fortune on their White House aspirations. So much for keeping money out of politics, right? As long as the there's politics in money, there will be money in politics. But there are a few good non-partisan political innovations that could improve the way money flows into political campaigns to make the system more transparent and fair to candidates and voters. In the meantime, looking
07 Mar, 2020
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6 min read
The Resistance: The Case for Independents 2/3
The Resistance: The Case for Independents 2/3
In a country that often feels divided between two camps, the Republicans and the Democrats, independent voters could really be the future of politics in America. While polarized, if not combative, politics are nothing new (e.g., the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 that tore the nation apart), there is something undeniably different about the political climate that we have had for the last few years. Independents know it too, as made obvious by the substantial amounts of voters leaving bot
26 Feb, 2020
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4 min read
Sanders Criticizes California for Denying Independent Voters the Right to Vote
Sanders Criticizes California for Denying Independent Voters the Right to Vote
All the momentum in the 2020 Democratic presidential race appears to be behind US Senator Bernie Sanders after another victory in Nevada over the weekend. Now, headed into the most consequential Super Tuesday in modern history, Sanders may be on track to secure the Democratic nomination early. Super Tuesday, however, will also highlight the deep systemic problems in our electoral process -- problems that leave millions of voters disenfranchised and voiceless. Here is what you need to know just
26 Feb, 2020
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14 min read
Arizona's Independent Redistricting Panel Faces a Partisan Intervention
Arizona's Independent Redistricting Panel Faces a Partisan Intervention
Republicans in charge of the Arizona Legislature are hoping to restrict the powers of the state's independent redistricting commission before the new maps are drawn next year. At issue is just how close to identical in population the state's legislative districts should be. A variation of as much as 10 percent had been ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court, and at the start of this decade the independent panel used that benchmark— which means about 20,000 people in Arizona — in order to cr
25 Feb, 2020
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3 min read
Hear Me Out: The Case for a Bloomberg/Tulsi Ticket
Hear Me Out: The Case for a Bloomberg/Tulsi Ticket
Look, I describe myself as a “humble libertarian.” So why would I see the opportunity in a Bloomberg/Tulsi ticket? Because it just makes sense. The reasons why Michael Bloomberg would be the strongest Democratic nominee in November (if he picks Tulsi Gabbard for his running mate) become obvious when you look at why Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump in 2016, and why a Bloomberg/Clinton would fail in 2020. The Case Against A Bloomberg/Clinton Ticket Over the weekend, reports emerged from so
18 Feb, 2020
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6 min read
Let's Save Democracy! Breaking the Doom Loop, Before It's Too Late
Let's Save Democracy! Breaking the Doom Loop, Before It's Too Late
In this thought-provoking talk, author Jim Duncan picks Lee Drutman's brain on why moving to a multi-party system in America is essential if we wish to keep our democracy alive
15 Feb, 2020
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1 min read
Let's Save Democracy! Breaking the Doom Loop, Before It's Too Late
Let's Save Democracy! Breaking the Doom Loop, Before It's Too Late
An informative and entertaining discussion with political scientist, speaker, and author, Lee Drutman. Our country's current political situation is precarious, but there is a way to pull America back from the cliff.Lee is a Senior Fellow at New America, contributor to the New York Times, Politico, FiveThirtyEight, and the Atlantic, as well as author of the new book "Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multi-Party Democracy in America." In this thought-provoking talk, author Jim Duncan
15 Feb, 2020
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1 min read