Tags: politics

The public renders a harsh judgment on the state of political discourse in this country. And for many Americans, their own conversations about politics have become stressful experiences that they prefer to avoid. 85 percent said it had become "less respectful"; 76 percent said "less fact-based"; 85 percent said it had become "less respectful"; 60 percent said "less issues-focused". More Americans get news on social media than from print newspapers, and they expect it to be largely inaccurate, the Pew Research Center found. Antibiotic-resistant infections kill more than 35,000 Americans every year. A new federal proposal would roll back the Roadless Rule, which has prevented logging and other development in Earth's largest temperate rainforest for decades. more »

In 1906, Finland became the first country in the world to grant full political rights to women – they gained the right to vote (a first in Europe) and also the right to run for office. Marin is the third woman to hold the office of prime minister in Finland. She has had a quick rise to the top level of Finnish politics. A Social Democrat, is set to lead a five-party coalition government. The other four parties also are led by women. All but one of the party leaders are under the age of 35. Marin took over as city council leader in her hometown when she was 27. She became a national lawmaker in 2015, at the age of 30. more »

"The sum and substance of the Democrats’ case for impeachment is that President Trump abused his authority to pressure Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, President Trump’s potential political rival, for President Trump’s benefit in the 2020 election. Democrats say this pressure campaign encompassed leveraging a White House meeting and the release of U.S. security assistance to force the Ukrainian President to succumb to President Trump’s political wishes. Democrats say that Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the President’s personal attorney, and a “shadow” group of US officials conspired to benefit the President politically." more »

A few years ago interest revived in the passage of the ERA. Nevada and Illinois were persuaded to ratify. On November 5th Virginia elected a Democratic majority to both houses heightening expectations that it will become the 38th state to ratify the ERA. In the meantime a resolution to remove the deadline from the original 1972 resolution was introduced into the House by Rep. Jackie Speier (D CA). On November 13, the House Judiciary Committee marked-up the bill. Only a few Republicans attended. They all spoke against it, mostly claiming that the ERA would make it impossible to restrict abortion. "Sex" has replaced "protection" as the primary rationale against equality.  more »