Category: Politics

In 1894, Coxey’s Army knew how to get the attention of Congress (without a gyrocopter)

Guest post by Benjamin Alexander Apparently Doug Hughes, after writing a letter to each of the 535 members of Congress about the need for more campaign finance reform, didn’t think his missives would get adequate notice if he just dropped them in the nearest mailbox. So, the 61-year-old mailman from Florida set out to deliver…

What if we expected science literacy in our presidents? Reflections on the anniversary of DeWitt Clinton’s birth (March 2, 1769)

Guest post by David Spanagel On 12 December, 1822, Thomas Jefferson opened a letter to the sitting governor of New York State as follows: “I thank you dearly for the little volume sent me on the Natural History and Resources of N York. It is an instructive, interesting and agreeably written account of the Riches…

What if we expected science literacy in our presidents? Reflections on the anniversary of DeWitt Clinton’s birth (March 2, 1769)

Guest post by David Spanagel On 12 December, 1822, Thomas Jefferson opened a letter to the sitting governor of New York State as follows: “I thank you dearly for the little volume sent me on the Natural History and Resources of N York. It is an instructive, interesting and agreeably written account of the Riches…

Casualties and convictions: Americans’ response to casualties may hold lessons for France after Charlie Hebdo

Guest post by Zachary Shore Shortly after the horrifying Paris attacks, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared war. France, he said, must defend its values of liberty and fraternity. Less than two weeks later the French government announced sweeping new measures, including hiring 2,600 counterterrorism officers, widening the use of telephone surveillance, and expanding data collection…

Casualties and convictions: Americans’ response to casualties may hold lessons for France after Charlie Hebdo

Guest post by Zachary Shore Shortly after the horrifying Paris attacks, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared war. France, he said, must defend its values of liberty and fraternity. Less than two weeks later the French government announced sweeping new measures, including hiring 2,600 counterterrorism officers, widening the use of telephone surveillance, and expanding data collection…

Will Congress give Obama authority to negotiate trade agreements?

Guest post by William Krist President Obama called on Congress to give him authority to negotiate trade agreements in last night’s State of the Union address. This authority, commonly called Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or Fast Track Authority, was last granted to the President in 2002, but that authority expired in 2007. Under our Constitution,…