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Why discussing politics at Thanksgiving is good for democracy — and your family
There’s a popular meme which reads: “I just saved a ton of money on Christmas gifts discussing politics during Thanksgiving Dinner.” Polls show most Americans don’t want to talk politics during the holidays, and others offer suggests for dodge the topic at Thanksgiving. But research shows that political conversations matter for our country, for bettering […]
Restoring America’s confidence in our court system with a code of conduct
American confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court has plunged to historic lows. It’s not so much because of their rulings, but the behavior of individual justices, and their method of selection. Without serious judicial reform, such mistrust of our highest court is going to trickle down to lower levels of the judiciary with consequences too […]
Russian chaos: The puppets almost take Moscow
In the Winter of 1993, I was fortunate to travel to Russia as a graduate student at Marquette University with several other students. Unfortunately, we arrived in the aftermath of a Russian coup attempt, where chaos reigned as the country lurched toward 1994. And that was even before the invasion of Chechnya. To outsiders, and […]
Evidence shows Trump’s legal problems hurt him, even with GOP Voters
When Donald Trump told us during the 2016 campaign that he could shoot someone on the street and still get elected, he was right, back then. But after a series of indictments and a ruling against him in civil court, it’s clear that “The Teflon Don” is gone. Even Republican voters have begun to sour […]
Have a heart: Please consider becoming an organ donor
Not all of us have the capacity or opportunity to save a life. Many Americans would strongly consider sacrificing themselves to help a fellow American. There’s a simple way each reader could do that, and it wouldn’t cost much at all. It’s about becoming an organ donor. Donating your organs is something most people don’t […]
A lot of hot air from the gas stove debate
Growing up in West Texas, our family tells a story about a lightning strike that either hit, or nearly hit, a billboard in our neighborhood. It said: “Gas Cooks Better Than Electricity.” In our contemporary era where anything can be an outrage, our latest political spat happens to be about whether or not Biden is […]
How the Jan. 6 insurrection led the GOP to the 2023 House Speaker vote mess
On Jan. 6, 2021, Americans watched with horror as insurrectionists tried to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election. It was also a day that the Republicans set themselves up for not only their 2022 electoral shortcomings, but the coming chaos of 2023. The unprecedented length it is taking to pick a […]
In Georgia Senate runoff, Warnock focuses on voting rights while Walker deals with social issues
Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff election may not decide party control of the upper branch of the legislature, but the battle is no less fierce between the Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Raphael Warnock has chosen to focus on voting rights and the importance of participation in politics, while Herschel Walker is tackling abortion and LGBTQ issues. […]
How the GOP’s expected red wave crashed on the rocks of the insurrection
When pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, they probably weren’t thinking about the next election. But maybe they should have. Because the long shadow of former President Donald Trump, and the behavior of the rioters, may have helped contribute to a relatively good night for the Democrats. Historically, the party in […]
The Trump team’s many claims on classified documents at Mar-a-Lago
When the FBI executed a search warrant (not a raid, as Trump’s text to me claims) of classified documents at the former president’s Mar-A-Lago resort, we’ve been given myriad of reasons for why Donald Trump did what he did, even as he’s facing the likelihood of some serious legal trouble. The first excuse given was […]
States with strong antiabortion laws have high maternal and infant mortality rates
As someone who considers himself pro-life, I should be celebrating the recent Dobbs case that the Supreme Court used to overturn Roe v. Wade. But I’m very concerned today. I believe such a ruling will not only fail to reduce the abortion rate, but could very well lead to an increase in maternal death rates […]