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We Can’t Let Hegseth Win His War on Women

We Can’t Let Hegseth Win His War on Women

Trump’s Plan to Gather Data on Every Voter Will Cripple Democracy

Trump’s Plan to Gather Data on Every Voter Will Cripple Democracy

A car with a bullet hole in the windshield.

States Sue D.C. at Record Levels — MN Case May Be the Turning Point

People voting at voting booths.

The Quiet Campaign That Could Rewrite the 2028 Election

The Fulcrum Opens Applications for 2026 Summer Journalism Fellowship

The Fulcrum Opens Applications for 2026 Summer Journalism Fellowship

Five key stories about democracy

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The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumMay 14, 2021
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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It's been a busy week for democracy reformers, with the For the People Act appearing to die in the Senate, Republicans threatening to break ranks, and Rep. Liz Cheney losing her leadership post despite her conservative credentials.

But there was so much more. Here's a sampling of stories you may have missed.

Redistricting review - a summary of this week's map-making news (Ballotpedia)

How Jim Crow-Era Laws Suppressed the African American Vote for Generations (History)

What we know about the high, broad turnout in the 2020 election (The Washington Post)

Nomination of Kristen Clarke, controversial Biden civil-rights pick, hangs in balance (Fox News)

And for a little fun: Ranked Voting in NYC (The New Yorker)


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Is the U.S. Better Off Today Than a Year Ago?
Governance & Legislation

Is the U.S. Better Off Today Than a Year Ago?

election, people voting
Bridging & Common Ground

I Ran as a Democrat in a Red State. Here’s What I Learned

Illustration of someone holding a strainer, and the words "fakes," "facts," "news," etc. going through it.
Governance & Legislation

The Need for a Truth in Politics Law: De-Frauding American Politics

The Finish Line Is a Commons
Health

The Finish Line Is a Commons

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New Cybersecurity Rules for Healthcare? Understanding HHS’s HIPPA Proposal
Getty Images, Kmatta

New Cybersecurity Rules for Healthcare? Understanding HHS’s HIPPA Proposal

Background

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996 to protect sensitive health information from being disclosed without patients’ consent. Under this act, a patient’s privacy is safeguarded through the enforcement of strict standards on managing, transmitting, and storing health information.

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USA, Washington D.C., Supreme Court building and blurred American flag against blue sky.
Americans increasingly distrust the Supreme Court. The answer may lie not only in Court reforms but in shifting power back to states, communities, and Congress.
Getty Images, TGI /Tetra Images

Hypocrisy in Leadership Corrodes Democracy

Promises made… promises broken. Americans are caught in the dysfunction and chaos of a country in crisis.

The President promised relief, but gave us the Big Beautiful Bill — cutting support for seniors, students, and families while showering tax breaks on the wealthy. He promised jobs and opportunity, but attacked Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. He pledged to drain the swamp, yet advanced corruption that enriched himself and his allies. He vowed to protect Social Security, yet pursued policies that threatened it. He declared no one is above the law, yet sought Supreme Court immunity.

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ICE Shooting of Renee Good Revives Kent State’s Stark Warning

Police tape and a batch of flowers lie at a crosswalk near the site where Renee Good was killed a week ago on January 14, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Getty Images, Stephen Maturen

ICE Shooting of Renee Good Revives Kent State’s Stark Warning

On May 4, 1970, following Republican President Richard Nixon’s April 1970 announcement of the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a group of Kent State students engaged in a peaceful campus protest against this extension of the War. The students were also protesting the Guard’s presence on their campus and the draft. Four students were killed, and nine others were wounded, including one who suffered permanent paralysis.

Fast forward. On January 7, 2026, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Johathan Ross in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ross was described by family and friends as a hardcore conservative Christian, MAGA, and supporter of Republican President Donald Trump.

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