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My Encounter with Ayn Rand at Fourteen
My Encounter with Ayn Rand at Fourteen
I was 14 when I saw "The Fountainhead" with Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal. I saw the film on a Saturday afternoon at the North Park Theater in the San Diego community by that name (a 10 cents trolley ride from our home on Redwood Street). I did not go because "The Fountainhead" was playing, but rather because that’s what kids did on Saturday afternoons when the Pacific Coast League Padres were not playing at Lane field, we took in a flick. Looking back 67 years later, I’m certain "The Fountain
23 Feb, 2017
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4 min read
Manifest Destiny in the 21st Century: Trump’s Support of the Dakota Access Pipeline
Manifest Destiny in the 21st Century: Trump’s Support of the Dakota Access Pipeline
Disputed land rights. Corporate enterprise at stake. The presence of quasi-military units. Native communities on the defense. Violent conflict just one misfire away. It’s a scene Native Americans have grown accustomed to through centuries of marginalization at the hands of the United States. President Donald Trump’s support of the Energy Transfer Partners’ (ETP) Dakota Access Pipeline under Lake Oahe in North Dakota is the modern manifestation of a centuries-old conflict. Fortunately for Trump,
09 Feb, 2017
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3 min read
9 States Introduce Ranked Choice Voting in January
9 States Introduce Ranked Choice Voting in January
As the new year gets underway, state legislatures around the country are convening to tackle the issues of the day. In at least nine states, electoral reform is on the agenda. Building on the momentum of historic wins for ranked choice voting in Maine and Benton County, Oregon, lawmakers from Massachusetts to Hawaii have introduced bills that would expand its use in their states. The bills vary in their scope and history. Bills in Virginia and Connecticut would adopt ranked choice voting for al
25 Jan, 2017
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1 min read
Faced With a Lawsuit, Debate Commission Loses One-Third of Its Board Members
Faced With a Lawsuit, Debate Commission Loses One-Third of Its Board Members
The Commission on Presidential Debates, or CPD, has been under fire for its policies for several years now. For the past 24 years, the CPD has excluded anyone but the Republican and Democratic nominees from participating in the three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate in September and October before the election. An important lawsuit, Level the Playing Field, et al. v. Federal Election Commission, goes before a federal judge on Jan. 5. That suit seeks to accomplish what the C
21 Dec, 2016
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5 min read
How Each of Trump's Cabinet Picks Could Affect You
How Each of Trump's Cabinet Picks Could Affect You
The President-elect’s Cabinet appointments have dominated the news cycle, which only begs the question: What do these departments and offices actually do? The Cabinet is included in the Constitution, under Article II, Section 2, where it states: “The President...may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices.” The Cabinet consists of the heads of departments of government a
15 Dec, 2016
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10 min read
[Redacted]: Internet Freedom and Censorship under Trump
[Redacted]: Internet Freedom and Censorship under Trump
The freedom of speech and expression is not just a core tenant of the American way of life, it is the principle that allows our democracy to function and flourish. The great diversity of people, religions, and creeds that make up the United States of America peacefully coexist because of the constitutional guarantee that we, as Americans, can express opinions that dissent from the majority's view without fear of reprisal or censorship by the government. The rapid expansion of readily available
08 Dec, 2016
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6 min read
Let's All Agree On This: Stop Blocking Traffic for Protests!
Let's All Agree On This: Stop Blocking Traffic for Protests!
There's a lot that American voters may be divided over, but there's one issue that hopefully we can all get together on and embrace a nonpartisan, obvious, and sane position. Demonstrators who have been blocking traffic on streets and highways as part of your protests: please stop! Stop the madness now. The vast majority of the 63 million people who voted for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election have not been out blocking traffic, which is why this is something that we can hopefully all
18 Nov, 2016
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3 min read
5 US Senate Seats Independents Could Determine in 2018
5 US Senate Seats Independents Could Determine in 2018
In 2018, 33 US Senate seats, or one-third of the US Senate, will be up for election. Eight incumbents are Republicans, but each of their states routinely vote Republican and so they are unlikely to face serious competition. At this early date, the following five Democratic incumbents appear to hold the most vulnerable US Senate seats. #1. Claire McCaskill – Missouri With Republican candidates winning the state’s races for presidency, governor, and US Senate, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called
14 Nov, 2016
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4 min read
How The Initiative and Referendum Processes Work in California
How The Initiative and Referendum Processes Work in California
Editor's note: This article was written by Tom Nussbaum and Chris Micheli. Just over a century ago in California, the initiative process was proposed by Progressives, the labor movement, and others as a means of addressing a Legislature which was perceived to be under the control of the Southern Pacific railroad and other special interests. In 1911, the California voters followed the recommendation of Progressive Governor Hiram Johnson and California became the tenth state to enact the initiati
03 Nov, 2016
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8 min read
6 Political Axioms that Could Help Us Predict the Winner of the 2016 Election
6 Political Axioms that Could Help Us Predict the Winner of the 2016 Election
With only a few short days left in this presidential election cycle, it's always interesting to look at the political axioms, however odd or strange, to see how each candidate is doing. While these axioms are not by any means determinants of the election, some have political insight -- while others are absurdly fun to consider. 1. High Prices at the Pump Hurt the Incumbent Party This is more of a new political axiom, for decades the prices of oil and gasoline held steady or at least paced wi
31 Oct, 2016
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4 min read