At its surface, a recent Voto Latino survey reported by The Hill is striking but not shocking: a growing number of Americans are disillusioned with both major political parties, and many — especially non-voters — would consider a third-party choice in the next presidential election. Poll respondents from across the political spectrum agree that both…
Proof of Citizenship Makes Sense If We Do It with Sense
President Trump’s executive order requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections has stirred up a political hornet’s nest. Democrats are calling it “voter suppression.” Republicans hail it as a “return to election integrity.” And most ordinary Americans are probably scratching their heads wondering, “Wait a minute… shouldn’t we already be doing that?” It’s…
John Bolton’s Indictment: Justice Without a Team Jersey
So, John Bolton has now joined the “Indicted Former Officials Club.” The federal government dropped an 18-count indictment on him this week for allegedly mishandling classified documents. That’s eight counts of allegedly sharing defense secrets and ten counts of holding onto them like they were baseball cards. Now before anyone starts yelling “witch hunt” or…
You’re Fired: Should Presidents Have More Power to Say It?
President Trump brought his favorite Apprentice line with him to the Oval Office and he’s been tossing it around Washington like it’s confetti at a New Year’s party. In recent news, we’ve got Maurene Comey (yep, James Comey’s daughter) suing the Justice Department after losing her job. But the real headliner? The Supreme Court stepping…
Drawing the Line: A Look at Texas’ Redistricting Gamble
Last week, the Texas Legislature stirred up quite a storm by passing a bold—and let’s be honest, pretty controversial—mid-decade redistricting map. Now, that’s not your typical move. Redistricting usually happens after the census, every ten years, not smack-dab in the middle of the decade. But here we are. The vote split right down party lines:…
Germany’s AfD Under Fire: Extremism or Censorship?
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, or BfV), recently dropped a political hammer on the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) by officially designating the entire party as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” group. This dramatic move now allows German authorities to increase surveillance on the AfD—phone tapping,…
The Voice of America Shake-Up
When news broke that more than 1,300 Voice of America (VOA) employees were placed on leave and funding was terminated for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), a lot of folks immediately hit the panic button. Headlines started screaming about “censorship” and “authoritarianism,” but let’s take a breath and actually break…
Restoring U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine: A Vital Course Correction in the Face of Russian Aggression
On Tuesday, the United States and Ukraine issued a joint statement announcing the resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing. This decision came after Ukraine signaled its willingness to support Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. While the restoration of aid is a step in the right direction, it is also a…
Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Weight of War
Yesterday’s White House meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a high-stakes diplomatic encounter that revealed much about where both leaders—and their respective nations—stand on the war in Ukraine. What was meant to be a discussion on peace and cooperation quickly became a tense and sometimes awkward exchange, as Trump questioned Ukraine’s…
Trump, the Media, and the Battle for Truth
If there’s one thing we can always count on in American politics, it’s that the media will loudly proclaim its commitment to "free and independent journalism"—while simultaneously doing everything in its power to suppress viewpoints it doesn’t like. The latest controversy? The Trump White House has decided to take control of the presidential press pool,…