Legalization of the oft-stigmatized drug is the only option. I was eating an absolutely delectable meal at the dining hall several nights ago, minding my own business, and savoring the taste of each bite of my popcorn shrimp, when a random outburst from down the table awoke me from my food-induced reverie. “You know, I … Read more
After a Long Career, Dodd Says “Goodbye” Senator Dodd (D), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and longest serving Senator in Connecticut’s history, left his coveted office tucked away in the Capitol Building for the last time on January 2, 2011. January 2 marks the last day that Dodd, and the other members of the … Read more
A look at the future of capital punishment in America Albert Greenwood Brown, who was convicted of the rape and murder of 15-year-old Susan Louise Jordan in 1982, was scheduled for execution in California at the end of September. But a last-minute court ruling and an unexpected expiration of sodium thiopental, the drug used for … Read more
Suffrage for non-citizens raises fundamental questions It can be easy to forget that suffrage laws in the United States have changed a great deal over the years; indeed they have changed relatively recently. As a general matter, suffrage rights evolve to become more inclusive, but there is at least one group that, since the beginning … Read more
How Gingrich should navigate the 2012 presidential election There is widespread speculation, often fueled by the man himself, that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who has been out of office for over a decade, will seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012. While Gingrich, as speaker, accumulated his fair share of political … Read more
Why the current primary system, imperfect as it is, is here to stay With the 2010 midterms in the books, prospective candidates are already looking ahead to the 2012 presidential election. While President Obama will probably secure the Democratic nomination easily, Republicans must develop their campaigns in the coming months to navigate the political jungle … Read more
Liberal frustration with Obama’s politics-as-usual At a Boston rally for Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick in October, protesters who were disappointed with President Barack Obama’s inaction on global AIDS relief funding interrupted his speech, chanting, “We’ll fight for you if you fight AIDS.” Obama had come to Boston to encourage local Democrats to get out the … Read more
The midterms will leave the GOP facing a key decision for 2012 At press time, most political prognosticators give the Republicans better-than-even odds of taking control of the House of Representatives in the November elections. Regardless of the outcome, however, President Obama will likely tack towards the center to prime himself for reelection. This will … Read more
What the Ground Zero mosque controversy has taught us The controversy over the so-called “Ground Zero mosque” dominated the last couple months of summer and sparked an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric and activities around the country. A Florida pastor’s plan to burn the Koran was headline news, there were numerous protests against the building of … Read more
How we count, not who we count, matters most In October 2009, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) sparked a debate when they introduced an amendment to an appropriations bill that would have required the 2010 census to collect data on citizenship status. This kind of controversy, revolving around precisely what data … Read more