Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories

Podcast: Do California elections need Ranked Choice Voting?

Podcast: Do California elections need Ranked Choice Voting?

In this edition of the Toppling the Duopoly podcast, host Shawn Griffiths is joined by Tom Charron, who represents a new group called the California RCV Coalition (Cal RCV). At a time when ranked choice voting is gaining attention, the group is set to officially launch on September 21 st during an online Zoom event that is open to the public.

Charron explains why more California cities and the state as a whole need ranked choice voting for their elections and the benefits it would bring to bolstering representation across sociopolitical demographics. The discussion examines the nonpartisan nature of ranked choice voting, which now has broad support across the political spectrum.


Listen now


Read More

A Constitutional Provision We Ignored for 150 Years

Voter registration in Wisconsin

Michael Newman

A Constitutional Provision We Ignored for 150 Years

Imagine there was a way to discourage states from passing photo voter ID laws, restricting early voting, purging voter registration rolls, or otherwise suppressing voter turnout. What if any state that did so risked losing seats in the House of Representatives?

Surprisingly, this is not merely an idle fantasy of voting rights activists, but an actual plan envisioned in Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 – but never enforced.

Keep ReadingShow less
An illustration of two hands controlling a small person attached to strings.

A comparison of the Trump administration, Orwell’s 1984, and Hitler explores warning signs of authoritarianism, propaganda, and threats to American democracy.

Getty Images, S-S-S

Parallels and Patterns: George Orwell’s 1984, Hitler’s Nazi, and Trump 2.0

George Orwell’s 1984 is a classic dystopian novel that is a regular part of American high school English and social studies classes. It is usually taught in 9th or 10th grade to introduce students to themes like totalitarianism, propaganda, and censorship. The book remains relevant because it helps students understand how oppression and manipulation operate, offering important insights into their roles as citizens who help protect democracy.

Similarly, American high schools teach about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 and how the Nazis changed German society, usually in 11th or 12th grade. This history provides students with clear ways to judge modern leaders and helps them spot similar patterns in today’s politics, including those seen in figures like Donald Trump.

Keep ReadingShow less
A close up of a person's hands typing on a laptop.

As AI reshapes the labor market, workers must think like entrepreneurs. Explore skills gaps, apprenticeships, and policy reforms shaping the future of work.

Getty Images, Maria Korneeva

We’re All Entrepreneurs Now: Learning, Pivoting, and Thriving the Age of AI

What do a recent grad, a disenchanted employee, and a parent returning to the workforce all have in common? They’re each trying to determine which skills are in demand and how they can convince employers that they are competent in those fields. This is easier said than done.

Recent grads point to transcripts lined with As to persuade firms that they can add value. Firms, well aware of grade inflation, may scoff.

Keep ReadingShow less