By David Melly Published October 31, 2013
Policy and politics have a messy relationship. In our democratic society, the two are necessarily entwined, but too often the latter supplants the former in prominence at great expense to the American people.
By David Melly Published October 3, 2013
In the months since the landmark Supreme Court decision Shelby County v. Holder struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the consequences of this action have taken a backseat to other pressing issues. But behind the scenes, a disturbing trend has been continuing its relentless spread across the nation: the resurgence of voter ID bills in state legislatures, in larger numbers than the election year before.
By David Melly Published May 1, 2013
With the passage of the Paul Ryan budget in the House of Representatives last week and its subsequent rejection by the Senate, congressional Republicans continue to demand fiscal austerity and, specifically, entitlement cuts. This logic appears to be based primarily on the idea that the best road to economic recovery is a balanced budget and that the government should not be spending more money than it takes in.