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National survey shows majority of voters support ceasefire in Iran
Seventy-five percent approve of a ceasefire in the war, while 24% disapprove.
Trump advisers privately strategize around a new midterm push: Democrats would be worse
President Donald Trump’s political team knows voters aren’t thrilled with the current state of affairs. But they’re betting they can convince them things will get markedly worse if Democrats win back power in November.
Iowa Senate blocks confirmation of Larry Johnson as director of Health and Human Services
Iowa Senate Democrats voted against confirming Gov. Kim Reynolds' pick to lead the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, citing transparency concerns.
Riverhead sets hearing on condemning science center building
A split Riverhead Town Board voted Tuesday to set a May 20 public hearing on the proposed condemnation of the Long Island Science Center’s long-vacant building.
Virginia congressional map vote could embolden Florida Republicans to push for boundary changes, says Jeffries
House Democratic leader says result should serve as a warning to Ron DeSantis after latest blow to Donald Trump’s redistricting battle
RFK Jr. set to face Cassidy in back-to-back Senate hearings
Cassidy cast the key vote to confirm Kennedy last year after securing a series of promises from Kennedy. The health secretary has not kept those promises.
Scottish Parliament election: Campaigning continues across the country
Voters will go the polls on 7 May to elect 129 members of the Scottish Parliament.
SDOL school board appoints new Interim Business Administrator
Board members of the School District of Lancaster unanimously voted to appoint Charles Linderman as the district's Interim Business Administrator.
5 takeaways from the Virginia redistricting vote
Tuesday’s vote makes the tit-for-tat redistricting war that’s played out over the past several months something close to a draw. Republicans could still come out with a slight advantage if Florida passes a new map in the coming weeks. But what’s clear is that it seems the fight launched by President Donald Trump hasn’t landed Republicans near the advantage they might have imagined it would last year.
Virginians approve Democratic map targeting 4 Republican congressional seats
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could flip four Republican U.S. House seats in November's midterm elections, U.S. media projected.
Voters Approving Virginia Democratic Gerrymander Puts Democrats on Cusp of 218 House Seats in Ratings, but Questions Remain
Four House ratings move in Democrats' favor
Virginia voters just handed Democrats another win in the Great Redistricting Wars
Trump’s gerrymandering efforts are backfiring.
Virginia votes yes on proposed congressional redistricting, AP projects
Virginia voted to approve a plan to temporarily redraw the Commonwealth's 11 congressional districts ahead of November's midterm elections, the Associated Press projects.
Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation from a closely divided 6-5 split to a heavily Democratic-leaning 10-1 advantage.
Virginia voters will approve a map giving Democrats a chance at four more House seats, CNN projects
Virginia voters will approve a map that gives Democrats the chance to net as many as four US House seats, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, in a major boost to the party’s effort to win House control in the midterms.
Proposed ban on sports prop bets dies amid state budget woes
State lawmakers voted Tuesday morning to remove a proposed ban on prop bets from Senate Bill 131, a larger sports gambling reform measure.
Republicans launch a new effort to fund the Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted on Tuesday to launch a new effort to reopen the Department of Homeland Security and end the longest partial government shutdown in history. The 52-46 vote was the first step in a budget process that Republicans hope will unlock the funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. […]
SBA administrator speaks to ABC13 on economic uncertainty ahead of midterm elections: 'It's a blip'
With the war in Iran and growing costs creating uncertainty, the economy is atop voters minds heading into the 2026 midterms. While data reveals Texas is faring better economically than much of the country, growth might be slowing.
The key areas to watch in Virginia tonight as voters weigh Democrats' redistricting plan: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Georgia's Republican primary for Senate is heating up.
No. 22 on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Michael Owen
Owen has positioned himself as a champion for local voters rather than a top-down policymaker.
Internal documents shed light on Trump’s crusade to vet state voter rolls
The Trump administration has been working for nearly a year on an effort to weed out noncitizens from voter rolls using a faulty data system while keeping those plans hidden from courts and Democratic election officials, internal Justice Department communications obtained by CNN show.
Democrats win Virginia redistricting fight, threating Republican House majority
Virginia voters passed a redistricting referendum that could boost Democrats with four additional House seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Virginia election: Live updates and results on major redistricting vote
A high-stakes battle over congressional maps takes place in Virginia. Follow live updates.
‘I will never support another curfew’: Virginia Beach councilman wants to cancel Oceanfront restriction
At a community meeting Monday night, Remick said he’s not proud of the City Council’s near unanimous vote to approve the curfew and wants to eliminate the last one scheduled for Friday night.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, Resigns From Congress
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick stands accused of stealing $5 million in federal funds. She said she would step down minutes before an ethics panel was to vote on whether to recommend expelling her.
FactCheck.org Wins People's Voice Webby Award in News & Politics | The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
FactCheck.org has won the popular-vote People's Voice Award as best news and politics site at the 30th Annual Webby Awards.
Mining investors jittery about politics in Peru as vote count drags on, analysts say
Investors in Peru's copper and gold mines are worried about the country's presidential vote count that has been slowed by allegations of irregularities, yet analysts expect the sector to weather the election with limited direct impact.
On the Hill: Health Care Reauthorizations, Congressional Hearings
House leaders plan votes this week on reauthorizing rural health and telehealth programs, as well as a proposed directive on lung cancer research. Legislation to be taken up under suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage, includes H.R. 2493, which would reauthorize rural health care grants through fiscal 2030, and has been unanimously approved by the House […]
Dispatch Girls Athlete of the Week, presented by Wexner Medical Center: VOTE
6 athletes are up for this week's award. You have until 4 p.m. April 25 to vote.
Virginia Ballot Measures Special Election 2026 Live Results
See live results from the 2026 Virginia Ballot Measures Special Election. Follow live outcomes as votes are added up on Election Day.
Name of Walz's new 3-word PAC draws immediate online mockery
Gov. Tim Walz launches the Small Town PAC to reach rural voters, but conservatives immediately mocked the effort and blasted his record on social media.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
Vote Blue No Matter Who: Party Politics As Political Agency
Politics is a collective enterprise aimed at controlling the state, and requires working together as co-partisans.
Limits to health insurance program for immigrants approved by Colorado lawmakers
Colorado lawmakers voted to limit a health insurance program for immigrants without legal status as part of the budget process this year.
Scottish Parliament election 2026: Parties campaign ahead of postal vote application deadline
Politicians are campaigning for votes across the country ahead of the election on 7 May.
Virginia voters to decide on new House map with major midterm implications
Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.
Virginia voters to decide whether to allow a new Democratic-drawn map for the midterms
A constitutional amendment is on the ballot Tuesday that would pave the way for Democrats to enact a congressional map that’s designed to net them up to four seats.
Poll flags vaccine politics as risk ahead of Special Session
Poll shows strong voter support for existing vaccine requirements statewide.
Some Dems want a caretaker to replace Eric Swalwell in Congress
If any candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the June 16 special election, they could head to Congress immediately.
‘Brought people to the table:’ Orlando business program promoting minorities, women officially replaced
Orlando city commissioners voted Monday to replace its Minority and Women Business program, nearly a year after it suspended the program.
Who was the New Orleans area prep sports athlete of the week for April 13-18? Vote now.
The past week in New Orleans area high school sports included several outstanding performances in many different sports.
Former state Controller Betty Yee drops out of the governor's race
Yee, lacking financial resources and voter recognition despite being elected to statewide office twice, dropped out of the 2026 governor's race.
Lancaster Democratic candidates to host public town hall
Democratic legislative candidates Nancy Mannion, James Malone and Chad Gleissl will host a town hall Thursday in Manheim Borough to answer voter questions.
What's next for South Hills development in Cary after failed sports venue impacts small businesses
While developers were clear that the project was not dead after the vote, questions lingered about new plans for more than a year.
What's next for South Hills development in Cary after failed sports venue impacts small businesses
While developers were clear that the project was not dead after the vote, questions lingered about new plans for more than a year.
Who was the best girls athlete on the Northshore for the week of April 12-18? Vote now!
Vote for who you think was the best girls athlete on the Northshore last week.
Vote for Section V's Boys Athlete of the Week for April 13-19 presented by Faber Builders
Your vote will determine who will be the Faber Builders Boys Sports Athlete of the Week for -April 13-19.
Voting rights are health rights. That's why California must reject the SAVE Act
People of color, naturalized citizens, and low-income voters are less likely to have birth certificates, passports, or other ID that the SAVE Act would require.
Local Politics: City Council votes today on plans to turn McCoy Park into an NWSL training facility
After spending years working with neighbors and promising improvements to benefit disabled residents, elected officials are prepared to give away a 28-acre park in the poorest corner of the city for the use of billionaire investors.
Israel’s critics are winning the battle for the Democratic Party
Democratic voters turned against Israel. Now their politicians are following.
Orbán’s Hungary Defeat Shows Disinformation is Not a Political Magic Trick
Counter-disinformation work should be supported continually, not to prevent certain election outcomes but to give voters the chance to make an informed choice.
Vote for Week 4 Delaware HS Athlete of the Week, presented by Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists
Voting is free on Delaware Online. The winner will be announced on April 23.
Pinwheels and the ‘lobster district’: How Virginia Democrats drew up a US House map to all but lock out Republicans
Virginia Democrats hope the new congressional map they’re asking voters to approve Tuesday will flip four Republican House districts, delivering 10 of 11 seats in a state Vice President Kamala Harris won with just 52% of the vote in 2024. To do it, they want to dramatically rework entire sections of the state, slicing up deep blue districts in the Washington, DC, suburbs and around Richmond, and creating a new district running along the Blue Ridge Mountains that connects liberal cities. That’s required something called the “lobster district,” stretching from northern Virginia into two “pincers” grabbing up rural territory.
This Hits Home: News that impacts Seattle-area families
This week: Gas Work Park safety order, library levy goes to voters at $480, early learning losses, child care gains, and RSV news
AI swarms could hijack democracy without anyone noticing
AI-powered personas are becoming so realistic that they can infiltrate online communities and subtly steer public opinion. Unlike traditional bots, they adapt, coordinate, and refine their messaging at a massive scale, creating a false sense of consensus. Early warning signs—like deepfakes and fake news networks—have already appeared in global elections. Researchers warn that the next election could be the true test of this technology’s power.
What is the State Controller responsible for?
Before you vote, we want to explain what exactly the controller oversees.
Vote for Section V's Boys Athlete of the Week for April 13-19 presented by Faber Builders
Your vote will determine who will be the Faber Builders Boys Sports Athlete of the Week for -April 13-19.
Senedd election: Low awareness among young people ahead of May vote
Five years after giving 16 and 17-year-olds the vote, youth engagement in politics remains low.
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part I
In 2008, much to their own surprise, leading Democrats unified around a program of major health care reform. Policy wonks had spent years developing the concepts behind what eventually became Obamacare; big Democratic victories in the 2006 midterms and the prospect of controlling both Congress and the presidency made it possible to imagine turning those ideas into reality. During the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advocated similar plans, based on those ideas, for expanding insurance coverage. And it happened! The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010. When it was fully implemented in 2014, millions of Americans got health insurance: Impressive as the raw numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story. Before the ACA, even upper-middle-class Americans often found it impossible to get health insurance if they had pre-existing medical conditions. Many Americans were trapped in jobs they wanted to leave but couldn’t for fear of losing their employment-based coverage. Meanwhile, dire predictions from the usual suspects about runaway costs proved wrong. In fact, overall U.S. medical spending has grown much more slowly since the ACA was enacted than before. But the U.S., alone among advanced nations, still falls far short of providing universal health care. As you can see from the chart above, 8 percent of the population was still uninsured in 2024, a number that is set to rise over the next two years as a result of Republican policies. True, many of the uninsured in 2024 were undocumented immigrants, who we don’t try to cover. But there are still a lot of uninsured. Moreover, a significant number of Americans who have health insurance are in fact underinsured. As a result, they are at risk of incurring devastating healthcare costs and are sometimes forced to forgo needed care. This number is set to rise sharply in the next two years as a result of Republican policies adopted under Donald Trump. And not only is the U.S. unique among advanced countries in its under-provision of health care coverage, it also incurs by far the world’s highest healthcare costs per capita. So now may well be a good time to get behind a new push for major health reform — an effort, if you like, to finish the job begun under Obama. Today’s primer is devoted to the economics of health reform. During his failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump famously complained, “Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.” Actually, we did know — and it’s not that complicated. Health economists understand the principles very well. And because health policy varies greatly among advanced nations, we know a lot about what works and what doesn’t. This will be the first in a series about health reform. Beyond the paywall I’ll address the following: 1. Why markets can’t be trusted to deliver healthcare 2. Routes to universal healthcare 3. What works? In a follow-up post I’ll discuss the pros and cons of different approaches, and possible paths forward for the United States.
Vote for Girls Athlete of the Week for April 13-17 presented by the Vance Law Firm
Cast your vote for the Montgomery Advertiser's Girls Athlete of the Week for April 13-17 presented by the Vance Law Firm.
Muslim Southerners Face a Fresh Wave of Hateful Political Rhetoric
Some Muslim voters were once drawn to Republican positions on family values and individual liberty, but as Southern politicians stoke anti-Islamic sentiment, many feel threatened.
This week in SC politics: Governor candidates itching to debate
GOP leaders have finalized who will make the cut for the upcoming Republican gubernatorial debate — a decision that could shape the race before many voters fully tune in ahead of the June primary.
Beshear urges Democrats to 'talk like a normal human being' to voters
Michigan Democrats gathered Saturday in Detroit to honor outgoing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Her Kentucky counterpart had a message on voter messaging.
Trump voters say the pope should 'stay in his lane' and butt out of the Iran war
Trump supporters at his events in Las Vegas and Phoenix largely backed his attack on Iran and sided with him in his ongoing dispute with Pope Leo XIV.
This week in politics: How Schuylkill County’s legislators voted
Between ongoing budget stalemates and severe partisan divides, it can be easy to feel like nothing is getting done in government. But every week is a busy week in politics, and important developments are happening at both the state and…
Hungary’s Magyar demands vote rerun in constituency with namesake politician
Péter Magyar claims the Fidesz party ran a “proxy candidate” in the region.
Another poll shows Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis staring up at JD Vance in 2028 GOP sweepstakes, each struggling with young voters
Can a Florida man win the White House in 2028?
The Founders Built Safeguards. Our Politics Rendered Them Useless
When every constitutional check stalls, the voters remain the only safeguard the system still relies on
Daniel Stallworth shares 'American Idol' journey, how to vote
Mississippi native Daniel Stallworth is in 'American Idol's' Top 9. Learn about his journey. Want to help him win? How to watch Season 24, vote.
The Doctor Will Seek Your Vote Now
Dozens of Democratic doctors are running for office in the midterms, including some spurred by opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his anti-vaccine stance.
High gas prices become another midterm warning sign for Republicans
In a midterm election that will likely be decided by how voters feel about the economy, Republicans are grappling with how to discuss the war in Iran and its impact on fuel costs.
Why some Virginia voters find redistricting ballot question confusing
When Donte Jiggetts first learned about the special election to determine whether Virginia will move forward with plans for new Congressional districts, he initially found the question confusing.
Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking personal details about Rhode Island voters
U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy sided with Rhode Island's top election officials and civil rights advocates, writing that federal law does not permit the U.S. Department of Justice “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here.”
What Maine Voters Are Thinking About Ahead of 2026’s Senate Election
Our readers in the state tell us about its high-stakes Senate race.
Judge sides with Arizona election official in ruling that could affect midterms voting
The top election official in Arizona's most populous county will get more authority in running elections after a judge sided with his office in a prolonged legal fight with the local board that shares responsibility for overseeing the vote.
Former Wisconsin man sentenced to 20 months in federal prison
Court records show U.S. District Judge James Peterson sentenced Roger Hoffman on Wednesday.
Jack Schlossberg May in Fact Happen, According to Polls
A new poll showed the Kennedy scion leading the field in the NY-12 race, but a significant number of voters still appeared undecided.
St. Joseph Health nurses hold rally to mark start of contract negotiations
Registered nurses at St. Joseph Health in Brazos Valley, Texas, will hold a rally on Wednesday, April 22 as they begin negotiations for their first contract, following their decisive vote to form a union last year. Nurses say safe staffing, workplace safety, and a strong voice for nurses will be their top priorities as they start negotiations.
Introducing Fighting Fascism, A New Podcast Devoted to Resisting Authoritarianism
In a moment that demands not just outrage but strategy, cohosts Aaron Regunberg, Jonathan Smucker, and Matt DaSilva, are here with concrete lessons to help listeners fight back against fascism.
How Dylan Patel and SemiAnalysis Grabbed Sway in Silicon Valley
For Dylan Patel, founder of SemiAnalysis, an influential AI industry newsletter and research firm, Nvidia deserves the kind of dogged observation and study the tabloid press once devoted to Princess Diana. Hescrutinizesthe chip giant’s new products,documentsits delays andscoopsdetails about its ...
Senate extends controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies
The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30. The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote, without a formal roll call, as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline. It now heads to President Donald Trump, who had pushed for a clean 18-month extension, for his signature.
Federal labor official schedules union elections at West Allis, Madison mental health clinics
A National Labor Relations Board official rejected Rogers' argument that all its clinics should vote on union representation.
American Politics Is Already Inundated With AI Deepfakes. It’s Only Getting Worse.
These aren’t your 2024 deepfakes. Bad actors will go for broke using state-of-the-art AI tools to blunt voters’ confidence in elections.
House Votes to Extend Expiring Law on Warrantless Surveillance for 10 Days
The Senate would need to also approve the stopgap measure that passed the House early Friday. Libertarian-leaning House Republicans had balked at a long-term extension.
House rushes to overnight vote to renew key surveillance tool used by US spy agencies
House Republican leadership is rushing early Friday to renew a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies | KNSS Radio
House rushes to overnight vote to renew key surveillance tool used by US spy agencies
House Republican leadership is rushing early Friday to renew a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies | 97.3 The Sky
House rushes to overnight vote to renew key surveillance tool used by US spy agencies
House Republican leadership is rushing early Friday to renew a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies | KMBZ
House rejects effort to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran war as GOP lawmakers stick with Trump
The House rejected a resolution Thursday requiring President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the war with Iran unless Congress authorizes military action. It was the latest such vote that fell short of passage as Republicans largely continue to support Trump's operation.
Colorado’s $46.8 billion budget nears finish line
The Colorado Senate on Thursday voted largely along party lines to approve $46.8 billion in spending for the next state budget. The spending plan is bigger than what legislators originally approved for the current fiscal year’s budget, driven by increases in Medicaid costs. The proposal saw changes from a dozen amendments during debate Wednesday, but […]
JPS breaks ground on new public hospital in Fort Worth
Tarrant County’s new public hospital building is slated to open in 2030. Voters approved funding for the massive expansion project in 2018.
Republicans’ Anxiety Over Iran War Grows But Vote Against Curbing Trump’s Powers
GOP lawmakers want a quick to end to the fighting, but declined to vote to curb President Trump’s powers.
House Votes to Preserve Deportation Protections for Haitians, Rebuking Trump
The action was largely symbolic since the president would be all but certain to veto the bill, but the bipartisan vote reflected resistance within his own ranks on his signature issue.
New study finds 12- to 17-year-olds willing to engage in democracy, but feel anxious, unheard, distrustful of politics
A major new U.K. study of 12- to 17-year-olds finds that, while most adolescents say they would vote and are interested in politics, their willingness to engage is linked to their anxiety about the future, ...
Trump Voters Have Had Enough
A shocking number of the president’s supporters have turned against him.
House considers bill to protect Haitian immigrants, in pushback against Trump administration
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare bipartisan moment, the House has agreed to consider legislation that would extend temporary protections for Haitian immigrants, pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to end the program. The bill expected for a vote Thursday would require the Trump administration to extend for three years Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which would allow hundreds of thousands of qualifying immigrants to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. House
Gen Z is at the precipice of political power in Wisconsin. Will they use it?
Poll after poll shows that America’s youngest voters have grown increasingly disillusioned with the traditional political system.
New poll shakes up California governor race, debate stage
Editor’s note: This article was updated to correct the breakdown of Republican voters surveyed. Congressman Eric Swalwell’s abrupt departure from the race for California governor has upended the fi…
Wales' party leaders say how they engage young people in politics
Party leaders each face questions from an audience of voters in Llandudno.