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Author: Gloria Shur Bilchik

Gloria Shur Bilchik is a freelance writer and community volunteer in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the editor of Occasional Planet. She views the preservation of democratic values and progressive programs as vital to making the US a humane, livable place for her children and grandchildren.

My kitchen sink: A 2020 Election Metaphor

October 1, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik 2020 Election Leave a comment

Three hours before the first presidential “debate” debacle kicked off, as I was blithely sautéing a batch of mushrooms, my kitchen sink inexplicably plunged—with

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Senior analyst quits Defense Intelligence Agency, citing U.S. “slide into authoritarianism”

August 14, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik Democracy, Foreign Policy, Protest/Resistamce, Resignations, Widgets: Letters of protest Leave a comment

It was another of the many “last straws” in the Trump era. Kyle Murphy, a senior analyst in the US Defense Intelligence Agency, went

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Scam

Today, I almost fell for a scam. I hope you’re smarter than I was.

June 22, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik Consumer issues Leave a comment

Did I just almost fall for a scam? I thought I was smart, but they almost got me by making me doubt myself. It

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LA County

Behind the scenes at LA County’s Super Tuesday election meltdown

June 21, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik 2020 Election, Voting News, Voting/Elections Leave a comment

For Los Angeles County election chief Dean Logan, Tuesday, March 3, 2020 was, to quote a famous children’s book, “a terrible, horrible, no good,

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ballot design

Ballot design is important, especially now

May 25, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik 2020 Election, Voting News, Voting/Elections, Widgets: Voting Leave a comment

In the 2008 Minnesota election for US Senate, Al Franken beat Norm Coleman by less than three hundred votes. In that race, almost four

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New rules for absentee voting in Missouri: More complicated than ever

May 20, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik 2020 Election, Coronavirus, Voting News, Voting/Elections Leave a comment

In the final hour of the 2020 legislative session, the Missouri Senate passed SB631, which would allow Missourians to vote absentee by mail in

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Michael Cohen

16 phones: Theme song for Michael Cohen’s tell-all book on Trump and Company

May 8, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik Corruption, Crime/Violence, Humor Leave a comment

Trump’s former consigliere, Michael Cohen, is reported to be writing a tell-all book. Whether he’ll be writing in in a jail cell or at

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Burundi

How to vote in Burundi

May 6, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik 2020 Election, International, Voting News Leave a comment

For those who don’t vote in the US because they think it’s too time-consuming, too complicated or too confusing, consider the voting process in

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Oregon knows how to vote by mail

May 4, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik States, Voting News, Voting/Elections Leave a comment

Oregon has conducted all of its statewide elections entirely by mail since 1998. A Huffington Post article explains how it works: The process is

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Life after the Voting Rights Act

May 4, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik Civil Rights, Courts, Government, States, Voting/Elections, Widgets: Voting Leave a comment

The Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder—to overturn the “pre-clearance” requirement in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act—continues to have major

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In case you missed it

  • The Incoming Biden Team: A Review
  • Time to Act: But what are the crucial goals?
  • Goodbye Washington. Hello Courtroom
  • The First Amendment and social media: Let’s review
  • Biden announces Jan. 19, 2021 national memorial for COVID victims
  • Donald Trump wasn’t an aberration; he was our most American President

A new book by Arthur Lieber. Political Introverts: How Empathetic Voters Can Help Save American Politics.  Buy it here.

Gloria Shur Bilchik’s new book, Election Insiders: Behind the scenes with the people who make your vote count. Kindle edition now available at Amazon.

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Top posts

  • The Incoming Biden Team: A Review
    The Incoming Biden Team: A Review
  • Time to Act: But what are the crucial goals?
    Time to Act: But what are the crucial goals?
  • Goodbye Washington. Hello Courtroom
    Goodbye Washington. Hello Courtroom
  • The First Amendment and social media: Let's review
    The First Amendment and social media: Let's review
  • Biden announces Jan. 19, 2021 national memorial for COVID victims
    Biden announces Jan. 19, 2021 national memorial for COVID victims
  • Donald Trump wasn’t an aberration; he was our most American President
    Donald Trump wasn’t an aberration; he was our most American President