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"A house divided against itself cannot stand.” - Abraham Lincoln The almost-deadly attack by a gunman at a Republican baseball practice briefly focused national attention on the dangerous level political polarization has reached in the US. It’s been trending upward for decades. Since the 1970s, ideological polarization has increased dramatically among the mass public in the United States... There are now large differences in outlook between Democrats and Republicans, between red state voters a

On July 18, 2017, New Hampshire became the last of the New England states to decriminalize recreational marijuana. The new law, HB 640, had bipartisan sponsorship and bipartisan support. It will take effect in 60 days. However, the law seems to be confusing, and though it is a baby step toward it, the law does not legalize the possession of marijuana. Federal laws against marijuana are still significant barriers toward opening up marijuana markets. Justin Strekal, NORML Political Director, com

Getting elected as a third-party candidate is no easy feat in the United States. In fact, the deck is so stacked against alternative candidates — courtesy of gerrymandered voting districts that favor one of the major parties, ballot access laws that make it impossible for third parties to gain momentum with each passing election cycle, or public debates that only invite Democrats and Republicans to participate — that it is practically impossible. But the Libertarian Party has created a model t

Democrat Rob Quist was defeated by Republican Greg Gianforte Thursday night in a special election for Montana’s at-large congressional seat, a state President Donald Trump won by 20 points in November. A progressive movement largely inspired by Bernie Sanders, however, rallied to bring Thursday's race within single digits. Montana is considered a deep red state. Yet Quist ran as a progressive endorsed by Sen. Sanders and campaigned on positions to the left of the Democratic Party. He only lost

A true demonstration of democracy is underway in Florida. Over the past two months, the Constitution Revision Commission -- a political body that will select constitutional amendments to place on the 2018 ballot in Florida -- held nine public hearings across the state where voters could speak out about the issues they want addressed. The final hearing took place in Tampa Wednesday night. Thus far, one of the most popular topics of conversation was open primaries. Dozens of voters turned out at

Last week, Congress avoided a government shutdown by agreeing to a continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded for another week. Then over the weekend, US lawmakers agreed to a deal that will extend funding through September while Congress and the White House continue to negotiate longer-term fiscal policy priorities. The US House passed the budget deal Wednesday. But amidst Washington's annual kabuki theater dance around fiscal policy and possible government shutdowns, a litt

https://twitter.com/TimeForAllofUs/status/849302435873128451 Remember all the love Bernie Sanders showed Wall Street during his campaign? Namely none? Well despite that, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) seems to think that Wall Street was backing Sanders in the 2016 presidential primaries against Secretary Hillary Clinton. Whitehouse made his assertions on MSNBC’s Morning Joe early Tuesday, much to the disbelief of the show’s host, Joe Scarborough. Scarborough responded by pointing out what a

Former Senator Gary Hart, who co-chaired the United States Commission on National Security, spoke last Friday at a luncheon of The Denver Forum. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, in introducing the senator, said, “Gary Hart is one of our wisest public servants.” No thoughtful person would challenge that. No one. Gary Hart served the people of Colorado and America for 12 years in the United States Senate. He’s the author of 21 books, holds degrees from both Yale Law and Yale Divinity, and

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

Watching Donald Trump’s news conference reaffirmed my view the president-elect is a showman without precedent or parallel in American political history. I first came to this understanding in June of 2015, when I watched Trump at a campaign event in New Hampshire, held in the large home of a supporter; an event covered in its entirety by MSNBC (why the cable network was covering an event by a candidate in a primary where there were 15 other Republican candidates, is another matter). I had paid