The Sky Was Falling in Utah
The state of Utah obtained some judicial relief on Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court that momentarily halted the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. It came not a moment too soon, as...
View ArticleDreamers Loyal to Our Communities, Not Political Parties
Over the past years, the immigrant youth movement has become an integral part of the body politic of this nation. From working with civil rights leaders to working in Congress, Dreamers -- undocumented...
View ArticleHoliday Reading and Health Reform
According to Mark Twain, "history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." I was reminded of this Twainism over the holidays as I read The Guns at Last Light, the third in Rick Atkinson's...
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The Dignity of Work: Katherine Hackett's Story
Katherine Hackett has done everything America has asked of her. She is a hardworking, skilled, educated professional who paid taxes and contributed to her community. A single mother from Moodus, Conn.,...
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The Last Goodbye
On December 14th, 2012, I went up (as usual) to the bus stop with my three beautiful little girls in the back of our van. I remember vividly pulling up to the corner of the road and being welcomed to...
View ArticleThe Top 10 Marijuana Developments in 2013
This is my annual survey of the most significant marijuana policy developments in the United States. This means it excludes foreign developments, such as Uruguay becoming the first nation to legalize...
View ArticleAl From, Bill Clinton, and the Power of Ideas
A lot of people credit Al From and the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) with making a significant contribution to saving the Democratic Party from virtual political extinction at the end of the...
View ArticleThe Income Inequality Discussion
The growing attention to income inequality as an issue of grave political and social import has the potential to change the US and to completely disrupt the modern Republican Party. The Republican...
View ArticleIs Race Discrimination in School Discipline a Real Problem?
The Department of Justice and Department of Education announced today what we have known to be true for a long time: Yes, race discrimination in school discipline is a real problem. At an event with...
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The Slow Grip of Poverty
First of all, right now I am not working. The last day of my last job was September 15, 2011. My disability case is in the third, and last, round of appeal and if I don't get it this time, I will be...
View ArticleHealth Care and the Stalling of Immigration Reform
Written by Seth Holmes As immigration reform stalls and threatens to collapse in the House of Representatives, health care has become a key point of contention. Some Congress people have said they will...
View ArticleShoulders to the Wheel: The Most Optimistic Gay Mormon Moments of 2013
The Church has need of helping hands, And hearts that know and feel; The work to do is here for you, Put your shoulder to the wheel. This is one of the verses of a traditional Mormon hymn called, "Put...
View ArticleSeniors Remain on Frontline in War on Poverty
The 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty brings a welcome and much-needed debate about how best to eradicate poverty in the world's wealthiest country. Unfortunately, few commentators focus on how...
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Nuclear Death, Warmed Over
During the cold war, the United States built a large nuclear arsenal deployed on long-range land based missiles, submarines and strategic bombers. This "Triad" of nuclear systems was thought critical...
View ArticleGOP's Message to Struggling Americans: Drop Dead
As the calendar turns to 2014, millions of Americans face the growing disaster of long-term unemployment, lack of access to affordable health care and persistent poverty. Particularly disgraceful is...
View ArticleWhen Will They Ever Learn? The American People and Support for War
When it comes to war, the American public is remarkably fickle. The responses of Americans to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars provide telling examples. In 2003, according to opinion polls, 72 percent of...
View ArticleThe Frustration of Bob Gates
For all the back and forth about contentious revelations in his new memoir, it's important to realize that former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is clearly a frustrated guy. After the adventures...
View ArticleSettlers Settling SecState Scores
From the get go of Secretary of State John Kerry's round-the-clock efforts to revive the moribund Middle East Peace Process, he has confronted skepticism, hostility, and sardonic remarks from every...
View ArticleAbsurdity has an Unwitting Ally in the Court of Public Opinion
We love a good stereotype; it does not require critical thinking. Question: What's the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? Answer: One is a slimly bottom dwelling scum sucker, and the other is a...
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