Rights and Democracy
Let Them Eat Incrementalism
Free From Jail, Imprisoned by Debt
At 36, Marcus White has spent half of his life in prison. Today he's no longer behind bars, but now he's imprisoned by something else: debt. When White was sentenced, he was saddled with $5,800 in criminal fines and fees. By the time he was released, he was stunned to...
Most Racism Is Mundane
This spring, the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus has been the site of several heinous acts of racism: An Asian student was spat on and a black student received a note with obscenities and racial slurs slipped under her door. The university is, of course, taking...
When the Media Feed from Trump’s Trough
Ohio Proves It: Rehabilitation Works
You might not guess it from the Republican governor or GOP-dominated legislature, but Ohio is proving itself the most progressive state in the union when it comes to youth prison reform. The Buckeye State has shifted away from punishing kids who get ensnared in the...
Operation Paul Ryan
Exciting news, people: The Republican Party establishment has a secret plan to stop blue-collar voters from supporting Donald Trump. The plan is code-named "Operation Paul Ryan." Good grief. The GOP's old-line clique of congressional bulls, corporate funders,...
Supreme Obstruction
Trump Is Opening the Floodgates of Hate
The staying power of Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy has surprised and unsettled people across the political spectrum. Many voters who are angry about the loss of middle-class jobs and frustrated with our broken politics have rallied to Trump’s outsider...
When Red Tape Is a Good Thing
One of the dirtiest words in politics is "regulation." It conjures up images of confusing paperwork, red tape, and obstacles to progress and innovation. However, when it comes to guaranteeing that the water we drink is lead-free, the air we breathe is clean, and that...
Dying in Prison
Over the past three decades, judges and juries have filled America's prisons with non-violent offenders. Many are serving draconian sentences for first-time offenses. Indeed, while only about 5 percent of the world’s people live in the United States, our country is...
