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Being born in America is like winning the lottery of life. Being able-bodied and able-minded on top of that, in good health and of average or better intelligence, is just a big 'ole cherry right on top of the biggest, best bowl of pure ice cream there ever was. Where to even begin? 1. I'm lucky to be an American because when we change governments it isn't violent. The peaceful transfer of power from one government to the next, the quadrennial bloodless revolutions has kept the most powerful c

San Diego, CA- The scramble to make sure the Full Voter Participation Act (FVPA) makes it onto the November General election ballot continues with new twists. The measure would do for the county what Measure K did for the city, eliminate the 50%+1 rule and ensure voters make the most important decisions when the most voters participate. But a snafu with the initiative language, drafted in Sacramento by the legislative counsel, has brought 11th hour drama to the equation. The counsel originall

It was a shocking blow to the Democratic establishment Tuesday when 10-term US Rep. Joe Crowley (NY-14) was defeated in the primaries by 28-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Crowley is not only a long-time member of the US House, he is the chair of the House Democratic Caucus and is speculated to have been next in line for Nancy Pelosi's position. Needless to say, there hasn't been a primary defeat this big since former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. And who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? S

The president’s policy of separating immigrant families from their children at the border is an appalling reaction to an immigration problem that both parties helped create. It goes against every value for which this country – as a beacon of freedom, human rights and hope – has long stood, and brought worldwide scorn, deservedly so. Let’s be clear: immigrant families arriving at the border to claim asylum, to escape the violence in their own country or simply to start a new and better life here

One of the biggest obstacles for any independent or third party candidate is being ignored by the polls. The media, debating commissions, and voters all look at polls to assess any race, and candidates who don’t appear in them struggle to seem relevant. When a candidate does not appear in the polls, they can expect to be excluded from almost everything. Two unusually strong third party candidates are currently running for governor of New York: Larry Sharpe (Libertarian) and Howie Hawkins (Gree

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - Earlier this year, an investigation by the Associated Press revealed a disturbing sexual assault problem on some of the nation’s military bases around the world. Since the initial story broke, it seems the problem is worse than originally thought and Congress wants answers and changes, something that the Pentagon is fighting against. Since the story broke in March, the AP has found that there are now nearly 700 cases over the last 10 years of child-on-child sexual assault

The impressive momentum for progress in national electoral reform projects and campaigns owes much to the influential recent wins and viable initiatives underway across the country, including: * Maine voters upholding Ranked Choice Voting that elevates voters above parties * Gerrymander reform initiatives on the ballot in several states this November * Viable independent candidates running for offices up and down the ballot So how does our growing electoral reform movement build a cohesive,

In the midst of all the national attention to the immigration crisis, voters in our Nation’s Capital went to the polls on Tuesday to vote on an initiative to eliminate the tipping exemption and raise the minimum wage to $15 over time for all workers.  Regardless of your particular position on Initiative 77, there are lessons to be gleaned from Tuesday’s results that saw it pass overwhelmingly throughout the city.  The ten-percentage point spread was not close – it was a landslide in politics. O

Last night as I pulled out of the driveway with my 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter in the truck, an NPR story was running the audio of crying kids at a border detention facility. I usually turn the news off when they’re with me. But it was too late. My very sensitive daughter was immediately concerned. “What’s wrong with those kids,” she asked. “Why are they crying?” Kids aren’t conservative or liberal. They don’t think about media bias or political spin. They hear something. They proce

Throughout slavery, Reconstruction and the movement for civil rights, African Americans in the U.S. have faced racism, social disparities, and oppression. While things have advanced for us significantly, black Americans still encounter subtle and blatant social disenfranchisement.For instance, the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and the people behind bars in the U.S. are disproportionately black. Chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, HIV, and cancer are more pr