Here Come the Judges! States Push to Maintain Judicial Independence
Civic and citizens groups around the country are ramping up efforts to ensure an independent judiciary and strong system of checks and balances.
Temporary Protected Status and the Politics of Lowered Expectations
The Trump administration’s decision to block extending the temporary immigration status of hundreds of thousands of people living in the US threatens to turn lives upside down. The final decision on whether the administration’s orders stand is currently being fought in the courts and Congress.
Banking on the Public Option: Will LA Lead the Way for People-Owned Banks?
Private banks are driven to increase profits for their shareholders. But what if banks were publicly owned and made their business decisions with the good of the local community in mind? Los Angelenos may put this notion to the test come November.
No Sh-t: Grassroots Activists Take on Big Ag — And Win
Can the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act level the playing field between factory farms and community activists? One community showed how it can be done.
Will Maine Voters Make High Earners Pay for Universal Home Care?
Maine will vote on an ambitious “universal home care” program this fall that passes on the costs to the rich. If it passes, it could have big implications for the rest of the country.
Privatizing Veterans Affairs: A Risky Gamble?
A privatization of healthcare services would not just mean sweeping changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs, it could also change how the government does business — one way or another.
Has Organized Labor Found New Life in Trump Heartland?
Could West Virginia’s striking teachers serve as a model for a new labor movement?
Can Millennial Candidates Fuel a Democratic Wave in November?
After its surprising success in Virginia in 2017, a group seeking to help millennial Democrats get elected to state offices hopes to make a huge splash in the midterm elections.
Automatic Voter Registration: One Antidote to Voter Suppression?
Legislation to make voting harder is sprouting up like mushrooms in state legislatures across the nation. However, the successful efforts in 10 states to enact Automatic Voter Registration laws is a clear break with that trend.
The Boat People’s Long Shadow
Many of the reasons why Americans want to keep Syrian refugees out of the US will sound particularly familiar to the Vietnamese boat people who have heard it all before and proved the critics wrong.
Maine Gives the People a Say on Medicaid Expansion
With Republicans in Washington fighting hard to eliminate Obamacare, voters in one state will get a chance to decide directly whether they want to expand the insurance program. Could Maine serve as an example for others?
Will Voter Anger About High Drug Prices Overcome Big Pharma?
Voters in one key state will decide this November on a ballot initiative aiming to control the wild spikes in drug prices. Will consumer outrage at the ever-rising cost of medication translate into support for similar actions across the country? Or will Big Pharma and the politicians it funds nip this burgeoning movement in the bud?
40-Year-Old Community Development Program on the Chopping Block
As a candidate, President Donald Trump vowed to fix the inner cities. As president, he is proposing cuts to a popular Community Development Block Grant program that has been helping low-income communities for decades.