“Politics ain’t bean bag,” quipped the late 19th century, fictional barfly and political analyst, Mr. Dooley. That is an eternal truth about American politics, wherein combatants have deployed everything from lies to bribes to fists, clubs, and even “violent laxatives” to win office and get their way. Yet, last year’s invasion of the Capitol along […]
How are elections fueling partisan polar...
Last month, some Republicans in the House of Representatives called for the ousting of some of their colleagues. What crime had these GOP legislators committed? They voted for an infrastructure bill that had been supported by Democrats. Never mind that the legislation would actually benefit these members’ constituents. Never mind that voting for infrastructure spending historically has […]
How can we get election losers to admit ...
“We were robbed” is an age-old kvetch in American politics. Candidates, who toil and suffer innumerable indignities while campaigning understandably will feel pain when votes tallies indicate it was all for naught. And, it must be admitted, election fraud and mischief do occur — although rarely on a scale that affects outcomes. In recent years, […]
The Postal Service has been independent ...
Last week, the US Postal Service (USPS) announced that it had brought in $77 billion in revenue in the past year. That record-setting number popped a few eyes. It is $4 billion more than the agency reaped last year, and it exceeds the agency’s high-water mark (2008) by $3 billion, buoyed by soaring parcel volumes…. (Read more)
Congress passes resolution that may rais...
Nobody can argue that Congress or recent presidents have been particularly serious about managing the nation’s finances responsibly. Excepting the fiscal bargain struck in 2013 that slapped caps on outlays, our nations’ leaders have shown themselves happy to cut taxes while jacking up spending…. (Read more)
What is the one-vote system? A Q&A with
Across the country, debates are erupting over the use of partisan primaries and first-past-the-post voting. There is a concern that this century-old way of voting is producing extreme candidates who have little incentive to govern competently. Various municipalities and states are experimenting with open primaries, ranked choice voting (RCV), and other systems to try to […]