Archive
Just Don’t Let the Other Side Vote
In some nations, the government is committed to getting everyone out to vote. Some of our states, like California, have special voter protection acts aimed at the same goal. But elsewhere, it seems, the fewer voters who turn out at the polls, the better.
Poisoned Apple, 2012
What Not to Do on Camera
Romney’s words may have left us with the impression of a debate win, but he failed to restrain his signature off-putting smirks.
The Biggest Losers: Big Bird and the American People
Who won the first 2012 presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama? If you ask the Twitterverse, Big Bird nailed an easy victory.
This Week in OtherWords: October 3-9, 2012
He’s part of an Institute for Policy Studies team that assessed the performance of Congress on this important issue. Check it out to see how your lawmakers stack up.
The Roots of Voter Suppression
When I hear conservatives like Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, Alabama State Senator Scott Beason, and Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Representative Mike Turzai try to rationalize their bid to disenfranchise minority, elderly, and student voters, I pivot quickly to memories of the terror I witnessed in the early 1960s.
A New American Dream
This election season, both Republicans and Democrats are repeatedly reassuring us that our country is the best. In many ways, America surely is. But it’s important to be honest with ourselves.
America’s Rocky Road Away from Homophobia
It’s been one year since Congress officially repealed the archaic “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. A new wave of LGBT cadets is entering training academies without the burden of silence — well, almost. While the military has made progress toward freeing men and women in uniform from the closet, members of the armed forces who identify as transgender were left entirely out of the equation.
Promoting Unemployment
Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama should be fired because he failed to fix the economy. This reminds me of the classic practitioner of “chutzpah” — the man convicted of murdering his mother and father who throws himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan.
A Congressional Report Card for the 99 Percent
Lots of Americans today are watching how members of Congress go about their business. Environmentalists and electrical workers alike keep track of key congressional votes. So do retailers and farmers. Even poker players are following how members of Congress rate on the issues that hit home.
