Michael Brooks passed away yesterday. A journalist, comedian, podcaster, and socialist thinker, he was one of the most important young voices on the left.
Category: Democracy
Students Discuss How to Steal an Election / Suppress Voter Engagement
Civitas, a St. Louis-based educational non-profit, is working with seventeen interns this summer. They are researching (a) why certain individuals do not vote and what can be done to encourage them to do so, (b) how are system of voting is changing in light of COVID-19 and countervailing forces for change, and (c) current race relations issues in the United States and around the world.
Creative strategies that could have worked in aftermath of George Floyd Murder
It did not work well in Ferguson, MO in 2014; it certainly is not working well now in Minneapolis and a host of other cities. Are there other ways to deal with citizen concerns besides massive displays of armed power?
Odd, but Coronavirus Brings Good Karma for Political Introverts
Whenever anything unexpected happens, there are unintended consequences. Such is the case with the coronavirus and its impact on American politics. Rallies are out, and for good reason. Whoever heard of a rally in which supporters had to comply with six-foot social distancing rules?
Putin wins Round One in Iowa
Yes, there is no evidence that the cause of the tabulation fiasco in Iowa was because of Russian hacking. But the elephant in the room (besides Donald Trump) has to be Vladimir Putin, who put the fear of disruption in the hearts and minds of all “woke” Americans.
Some Thoughts on Smashing Impeachment Gridlock
Why does McConnell have so much power? Hint: although his persona can be very intimidating, the real reason why he strikes fear in the hearts and minds of Americans is not because of who he is. It is because of the power that has been bestowed upon him as the current majority leader of the Senate, power granted through the rules adopted by all one-hundred members of the U.S. Senate.
I Guess They Weren’t Pillars After All
I’ve been teaching political science full time at a community college for the last 18 years. And though I still love it, it’s gotten
The 2020 Democrats as Their 2016 GOP Counterparts
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. I’ve been trying to figure out why our current political moment feels so familiar and the answer has been there the whole time. We never stopped fighting the 2016 campaign, the names of the characters have changed but the dynamics haven’t, nor have the issues.
7 Paths Forward for Impeachment
Whether Hunter Biden’s behavior was ethically dubious is a fair question (it was) or if President Trump’s actions were an abuse of power (they were) is a discussion for a different day. Yesterday according to most whip counts, the House has the votes to impeach the President of the United States and it looks like they will. So, what might come next?
I Went to Iowa So You Don’t Have To
There aren’t that many perks to attending a school in northeast Missouri. The winters are bitterly cold, there seem to be more tornadoes, and