Until about a week ago, I couldn’t find Mali on a map—except that I knew to look in Africa. I knew that it was
Category: History
Tax dollars at work: American foreign aid to Israel
While waiting for a connecting flight in the Dallas, Texas, airport, I witnessed a woman turn to a man and ask him to watch
FDR’s Fourth Freedom and gun control
As our national debate on gun control continues, we can learn a great deal from FDR and his Fourth Freedom. This was part of
A glimmer of hope for the common good
I started this essay a few days before the massacre of school children in Connecticut. Looking it over again this morning, I’m glad I didn’t
Obama sees the poor as well as the middle class
Shortly after assuming the presidency following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson announced his commitment to a war on poverty. That
5 plutocracy-busting ideas from America’s progressive history
The biggest difference between today’s super-rich capitalists and the robber barons [a much more descriptive term] of a hundred years ago appears to be
Breaking marijuana taboos, one state at a time
The 2012 election heralded many victories for the U.S., chief among them the re-election of President Obama. We’ve heard about the election of the
What if electoral votes were awarded proportionally?
The record shows that President Barack Obama was reelected in 2012 by defeating Mitt Romney with 332 electoral votes to 206. Even though Obama
Lame-duck history, Part 2: 1974 – 2012
As we approach the lame duck session of the 111th Congress, we can learn a lot from how previous Congresses dealt with this challenging
Lame-duck history, Part 1: 1940-1970
With the presidential election over and quite satisfying results for most progressives, the next step in our political process is for the present (111th)