Posts in National
How does Biden’s Plan Compare to the Green New Deal?
How does Biden’s Plan Compare to the Green New Deal?

“The issue of climate change was given a brief nod during the two 2020 presidential debates, though anyone looking for substantive answers or detailed plans was surely disappointed. Both Trump and Biden dodged direct questions dealing with fracking, fossil fuels, and the role of climate science. The differences between the two candidates on these issues are profound and have been the focus of many political jabs. Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that he will be a president who “believes in science” and that he will actually listen to what scientists tell him, unlike President Trump. At his MAGA rallies, the President has repeatedly assured his supporters that Biden supports the “radical, job-killing, Green New Deal.” Is this really the case?”

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NationalAdam Tatum2020 ElectionComment
Will the ‘Green Tsunami’ of Democratic Fundraising Translate to a ‘Blue Wave’ in the Senate?
Will the ‘Green Tsunami’ of Democratic Fundraising Translate to a ‘Blue Wave’ in the Senate?

“With a little more than a week left until Election Day, these Senate races are largely anyone’s game as both parties continue to push for last minute advertisements. This ‘green tsunami’ does not guarantee a win for Democratic challengers, but it does show that voters are paying attention and rallying around Democrats in their states and others.”

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NationalCourtney Halverson2020 ElectionComment
Hunter Biden’s Scandal: Russian Meddling or Genuine Cause for Concern?
Hunter Biden’s Scandal: Russian Meddling or Genuine Cause for Concern?

“Last week, a damning set of emails and a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden were released into the public sphere. This discovery could prove harmful to the prospect of Joe Biden’s election. However, with the recent confirmation from the United States intelligence community that Russia and Iran have been actively meddling in the 2020 election, the validity of the Hunter Biden hard drive has come into question.”

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NationalNicholas LongHunter BidenComment
The Supreme Court is a Partisan Institution
The Supreme Court is a Partisan Institution

“Last week’s Senate hearings for the Supreme Court appointment of Judge Amy Coney Barrett have re-ignited the contentious debate on the role of the Supreme Court in contemporary American politics. The nominee has tried to cement herself as an impartial figure throughout the hearings. When pressed by Senator Dian Feinstein about her views on abortion, for example, Barret responded “if I express a view on a precedent one way or another, whether I say I love it or I hate it, it signals to litigants that I might tilt one way or another on a pending case.” This interaction highlights a pair of key questions when it comes to the Supreme Court: how much does individual political ideology influence Supreme Court justices and is the Supreme Court actually nonpartisan?”

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NationalManav ShahSCOTUSComment
What Happens If the 'Blue Wave' Comes Ashore in the 2020 Election?
What Happens If the 'Blue Wave' Comes Ashore in the 2020 Election?

“With the contentious 2020 election season coming to a close, polls and simulations predict Democrats are poised to secure the White House and the House of Representatives, and at least hold a competitive edge in securing the Senate. As of October 12th, Joe Biden claimed a 12% lead over incumbent President Donald Trump, according to a poll of likely voters conducted by The Washington Post and ABC. Ultimately, with the statistics of the race and the lackluster Republican counter efforts failing to make a dent in the polls, Democrats gaining control of both chambers of Congress and the Executive branch is probable. If the Democrats accomplish such a daunting task, it is likely American institutional norms that have been established for decades will likely face some serious reflection and reform.”

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NationalNicholas Long2020 ElectionComment
Why this Election Season Poses a Unique Threat to American Democracy
Why this Election Season Poses a Unique Threat to American Democracy

“The 2020 election could be one in which baseless accusations of fraudulent voting result in the sitting president refusing to adhere to the outcome of the votes. This refusal could then move to the Supreme Court, a third of whom was appointed by the sitting President. They would decide on an election which the American people have already reached a verdict on. No matter how likely this outcome is, the risk it poses is a great threat to American democracy.”

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NationalBrennan Maynard2020 Election, Opinion PickComment
Key Takeaways from the Vice Presidential Debate
Key Takeaways from the Vice Presidential Debate

“Twelve feet apart and separated by plexiglass barriers, Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence engaged in their one and only debate on Wednesday night. This debate had a starkly different, “politics as usual” mood that was absent from the earlier presidential debate. While there were still questions dodged by both sides and attempts to speak over the moderator, largely the debate maintained civility and allowed the participants the opportunity to speak on policy.”

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NationalCourtney Halverson2020 Election, Mike Pence, Kamala HarrisComment
Trump’s Tax Returns
Trump’s Tax Returns

“One argument commonly cited by conservative voters is that President Trump is fiscally-responsible and makes a good leader on the basis of his business acumen. The new revelations surrounding President Trump’s tax avoidance and his facade of a billionaire is now shaking that argument to its core.”

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NationalMichaela AusbrooksTrump, TaxesComment
Court Packing: an Ill-Fated Reform
Court Packing: an Ill-Fated Reform

“Should Republicans succeed in confirming Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — in violation of the precedent they established in 2016 — they will create a 6-3 conservative supermajority on the high court and cement a conservative majority for decades to come. Congressional Democrats are powerless to stop this on their own, but suggestions of the once unthinkable have begun to float about: expanding the number of seats on the Supreme Court.”

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NationalDavid WoodliefSCOTUS, Supreme Court, Amy Coney BarrettComment
“Let him speak!” Trump’s Clashes with the Moderator and Key Takeaways from the First Presidential Debate
“Let him speak!” Trump’s Clashes with the Moderator and Key Takeaways from the First Presidential Debate

“Although the debate was supposed to be as transparent as possible, as Americans were eager to listen to the stance of each candidate, the evening was rather chaotic. Trump’s constant interruptions not only frustrated his opponent, but also served to undermine Chris Wallace, as the moderator of the debate.”

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NationalHana KhanDebate, Trump, Biden, 2020 ElectionComment
Why Democrats fear a conservative supermajority
Why Democrats fear a conservative supermajority

“There is no doubt the makeup of the Court will be different. This is the case any time a new justice arrives, but too many are blaming their fears on the possibility of breaking precedent when in reality they are scared how the Court will handle future cases. If anything, the Court is more likely to limit federal power. Politicians have made the Court political when it is not. The justices care deeply about the law, so much so, it would be hard for them to break precedent. What Democrats and Republicans desire is not necessarily what the Court desires and this is an important distinction to make.”

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NationalSeth MooreSupreme CourtComment
President Trump’s Alleged Disrespect Towards Military Heroes Follows a Pattern of Facades
President Trump’s Alleged Disrespect Towards Military Heroes Follows a Pattern of Facades

“His disrespect towards those who fight and die for our country may have been pushed out of the minds of voters due to his admiration of the niceties that come with the military and his love for the power he is granted as Commander In Chief. However, when it comes to respecting the sacrifices made by those who are actually in uniform, Trump has fallen short time and time again. This same pattern can be seen with other Republican voting groups, like white Evangelical Christains.”

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NationalBrennan MaynardtrumpComment
Mail-in voting could be a logistical disaster - but we must vote anyway
Mail-in voting could be a logistical disaster - but we must vote anyway

“The U.S. postal service has warned 46 states that it cannot guarantee all ballots sent by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted. This has the potential to disqualify tens of millions of votes. But if we let that get in the way of us actually casting our ballots then that means we have given up on our democracy.”

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National, Editor's PicksAaron SugarmanMail In Voting, 2020 ElectionComment
The Role of Misogyny in a Presidential Election
The Role of Misogyny in a Presidential Election

“Misogyny is and has always been a factor in the presidential election. A Sage Journal study on the perception of male and female candidates shows that women having ambition is a turnoff for American voters. Despite the many similarities between Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in terms of ideology and political history, he is polling significantly better than she was four years ago. One could easily argue that his surge in polls is a direct result of nearly four years of living in Trump’s America, but it is worth pondering if the results of the 2016 election would have been different if Clinton were a man.”

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NationalKatharine KurzClinton, BidenComment