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Just the Facts: Are FAA Staff Cuts Causing Current Airport Delays?

Just the Facts: Canadian Tariffs

Just the Facts: Canadian Tariffs

Chinese Investments in Cuba Demonstrate a Waning U.S. Influence in the Region

Chinese Investments in Cuba Demonstrate a Waning U.S. Influence in the Region

Redistricting

Redistricting

Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs on stage

Luke Combs, politics and healing our nation's divide

Divided American flag

Are Liberals Destroying America's Ideals?

Podcast: Does political experience matter?

Podcast: Does political experience matter?
The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumAug 15, 2022
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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Democracy faces a wide range of pressing challenges - from extreme partisanship and divisive politics to persistent inequities in access, voice and participation in public institutions and decision-making processes, from civic unrest to institutions that aren’t responsive to public needs.

But it's not enough to just identify problems. Politics Is Everything from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia provides nonpartisan research and engages in thought-provoking conversations to inspire informed political and civic participation in order to strengthen democracy.

https://open.spotify.com

Latest news

Supreme Court Weighs Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order Amid Constitutional Debate
Rule of Law

Supreme Court Weighs Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order Amid Constitutional Debate

Trump Is Sabotaging America’s Greatest Demographic Advantage
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Trump Is Sabotaging America’s Greatest Demographic Advantage

Congress Bill Spotlight: No Invading Allies Act
Governance & Legislation

Congress Bill Spotlight: No Invading Allies Act

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Ranked Choice, Press Freedom & Legislative Power — This Week’s Expand Democracy 5

Ranked Choice, Press Freedom & Legislative Power — This Week’s Expand Democracy 5

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 5 from Rob Richie and Eveline Dowling. This week they delve into: (1) how better elections could empower legislatures; (2) the 2025 World Press Freedom on disturbing trends; (3) better RCV polling in NYC; (4) Bright Line Watch survey on declining democratic health; and (5) the week’s timely links, including to a new free documentary Majority Rules 101.

In keeping with The Fulcrum’s mission to share ideas that help to repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives, we intend to publish The Expand Democracy 5 in The Fulcrum each Friday.

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Raising Taxes or Cutting Spending: House Budget Committee Argues Over Debt Crisis Fix

Republican and Democratic representatives discussed the fiscal state of the United State in a House Budget hearing on May 7, 2025

Huiyan Li | Medill News Service

Raising Taxes or Cutting Spending: House Budget Committee Argues Over Debt Crisis Fix

WASHINGTON –– Republicans and Democrats clashed on May 7 at a House Budget Committee hearing over how to address the nation’s mounting federal debt—whether to raise revenue through tax increases or cut spending on federal programs such as Medicaid.

Both parties agreed that the United States was on an unsustainable fiscal path and that urgent action is needed to prevent a debt crisis.

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Defining the Democracy Movement: Francis Johnson
- YouTube
youtu.be

Defining the Democracy Movement: Francis Johnson

The Fulcrum presents The Path Forward: Defining the Democracy Reform Movement. Scott Warren's interview series engages diverse thought leaders to elevate the conversation about building a thriving and healthy democratic republic that fulfills its potential as a national social and political game-changer. This initiative is the start of focused collaborations and dialogue led by The Bridge Alliance and The Fulcrum teams to help the movement find a path forward.

The latest interview of this series took place with Francis Johnson, the founding partner of Communications Resources, a public affairs organization, and the former President of Take Back Our Republic. This non-partisan organization advocates for conservative solutions to campaign finance reform. A veteran of Republican politics, Francis has been at the forefront of structural reform efforts, including initiatives like ranked-choice voting.

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Outside Money, Inside Influence: How National Donors Shaped the 2024 Congressional Elections

An individual voting with money.

Getty Images, Orbon Alija

Outside Money, Inside Influence: How National Donors Shaped the 2024 Congressional Elections

In 2024, campaign fundraising in federal elections was more nationalized than ever. Candidates for both the House and Senate continued a decades-long trend of relying less on donations from the voters they represent and more on contributions from donors across the country. The nationalization of campaign contributions, once a concern among elections experts, is now a defining feature of congressional campaigns.

An analysis of 2024 House and Senate campaign data reveals just how deeply this transformation has taken hold. From candidates in small states with limited donor bases to top congressional leaders with national profiles — and especially in competitive races in battleground states — non-local campaign contributions were ubiquitous.

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