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Current Efforts to Change State Education Curricula (Education Policy Brief #205)

Recent changes to state laws and policies reflect conservative efforts to remove what they consider “divisive concepts” regarding race and gender. South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, and Utah have now joined 21 other states attempting to modify or eliminate curricula considered by many on the right to promote progressive concepts they say have direct, negative impacts on students.

Nigeria’s Resource Curse (Foreign Policy Brief #209)

Those who have a casual understanding of history or geopolitics may react agreeably to the concept: the greater abundance of natural resources a country has the more well-off the people of that country will be. Unfortunately, for Nigerians, the opposite is their reality. The abundance of oil in Nigeria, along with their colonial history, has resulted in a “resource curse,” a theory posited by contemporary international relations scholars. Nigeria now finds its economy reliant on the export of oil and renting their oil fields to multinational corporations (MNCs), leading to a commodity industry based on corruption and wealth centralization.

The Art of the Heel: The Deadly Effects of Trump Abandoning the Iran Nuclear Deal (Foreign Policy Brief #208)

The Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an accord reached between Iran and several world powers, including the United States, in 2015. Under its terms, Iran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program and open its weapons-making facilities to international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief worth billions of dollars. Since the United States’ withdrawal from JCPOA in 2018 under President Trump, Iran has expanded its nuclear program, breaching its commitments to the agreement, including resuming uranium enrichment and violating limits on nuclear materials. While the JCPOA remains legally valid, Iran’s violations of the agreement’s terms have thus far thwarted negotiations to revive it or to forge a new deal with the Trump administration. Foreign diplomacy analysts and Israeli officials have identified Trump’s backing out of the deal as a costly blunder that has fueled both Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and rising instability in the middle east.

Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Has Been A Wake-Up Call. Who Is Following His Lead? (Elections & Politics Brief #188)

The Democratic primary for the New York mayoral race was seen as a “perfect storm”, “clearly a rebuke”, and a surprise to many onlookers. In it, self-proclaimed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani managed to pull off a stunning and decisive victory over establishment Democrat and former governor Andrew Cuomo. As Mamdani began gaining steam in the latter weeks of the campaign, the mayoral race began to be seen as a litmus test for the future of the Democratic Party.

Why The Birthright Citizenship Rule Is Still Valid Today And What Comes Next (Civil Rights Brief #245)

On the first day of his second presidential term, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order No. 14160. This executive order is popularly known as the birthright citizenship executive order which purports to make changes to the Birthright Citizenship rule embodied in the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. That rule declares, with modest exceptions, that children born within the geographic territory of the United States are instantly granted United States citizenship. That constitutional rule was later affirmed by the United States Supreme Court in the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. However, with the ongoing national debate on immigration and immigrants in the United States, President Trump made a campaign promise to abolish the rule in order to try and stem the flow of immigrants from Latin American and South American countries to the United States.

A Hick-Lib’s Rebellion: Kyle Rable, No Kings!, & the Fight for West Texas (Elections and Politics Brief #187)

I sat down with Kyle Rable to learn more about the No Kings! protests. Kyle is a new father, a Ph.D. candidate in History at Texas Tech, a U.S. Army Reserves Captain, a card-carrying union member, & self-described “hick-lib”; he is running for Congress in Congressional District 19 against Jodey Arrington. Kyle serves as Secretary for the Lubbock County Democrats and helps organize protests in Lubbock.

Ranked Choice Voting is On the Rise. How does it work and why is it popular? (Elections & Politics Brief #186)

Elections & Politics Brief #186 | Nate Iglehart | July 5, 2025 The most important aspect of democracy is being able to vote for who represents you in government. Without that ability, democracy gives way to less accountable forms of governance. However, this core part of democracy is also one...

The Sudanese Civil War (Foreign Policy Brief #204)

Across the world conflicts are raging, and in their paths leave levels of humanitarian crisis that reach peaks never seen in human history. One of these lesser reported upon conflict regions has the largest humanitarian crisis in recorded history: Sudan.

Current Efforts to Change State Education Curricula (Education Policy Brief #205)

Recent changes to state laws and policies reflect conservative efforts to remove what they consider “divisive concepts” regarding race and gender. South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, and Utah have now joined 21 other states attempting to modify or eliminate curricula considered by many on the right to promote progressive concepts they say have direct, negative impacts on students.

The Art of the Heel: The Deadly Effects of Trump Abandoning the Iran Nuclear Deal (Foreign Policy Brief #208)

The Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an accord reached between Iran and several world powers, including the United States, in 2015. Under its terms, Iran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program and open its weapons-making facilities to international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief worth billions of dollars. Since the United States’ withdrawal from JCPOA in 2018 under President Trump, Iran has expanded its nuclear program, breaching its commitments to the agreement, including resuming uranium enrichment and violating limits on nuclear materials. While the JCPOA remains legally valid, Iran’s violations of the agreement’s terms have thus far thwarted negotiations to revive it or to forge a new deal with the Trump administration. Foreign diplomacy analysts and Israeli officials have identified Trump’s backing out of the deal as a costly blunder that has fueled both Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and rising instability in the middle east.

Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Has Been A Wake-Up Call. Who Is Following His Lead? (Elections & Politics Brief #188)

Elections & Politics Brief #188 | Nate Iglehart | July 11, 2025 The Democratic primary for the...

Why The Birthright Citizenship Rule Is Still Valid Today And What Comes Next (Civil Rights Brief #245)

Civil Rights Brief #245 | Rodney A. Maggay | July 2025 On the first day of his second presidential...
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Keeping Democracy Alive

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Keeping Democracy Alive

By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rodney A. Maggay
Jul 12 2025

Why The Birthright Citizenship Rule Is Still Valid Today And What Comes Next (Civil Rights Brief #245)

On the first day of his second presidential term, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order No. 14160. This executive order is popularly known as the birthright...
By c25b20b4bf935be4bec0b8fb91937323ea51988682699fb8738acdcaeb2b01a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g david
Jun 10 2025

The Role of the Judiciary Against The Other Branches of Government – A Historical Background (Civil Rights Policy Brief #244)

Just this week a number of reports have surfaced that detailed President Trump’s frustration with the Supreme Court and both the federal and state level judiciary...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rodney Maggay
Jun 05 2025

The Distinction Between Law and Policy And The Role of The Courts

he beginning of President Trump’s second term saw a slew of executive orders on a number of policies and also saw numerous responses to those orders. More than...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rodney Maggay
May 12 2025

The Department of Justice Voting Section’s Shift In Priorities

A number of news outlets have recently reported that the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division Voting Section has changed their...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nicholas Gordon
Apr 30 2025

Resistance is Not Futile: Upholding Civil Rights and Constitutional Norms to withstand Trump’s Autocratic Aims

In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has pursued a sinister goal of autocracy by relentlessly attacking any and all forms of opposition and repressing civil...
By c25b20b4bf935be4bec0b8fb91937323ea51988682699fb8738acdcaeb2b01a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g david
Apr 23 2025

The Administration Efforts to Avoid a Judicial Ruling

On April 9, 2025 the House of Representatives voted on the No Rogue Rulings Act bill. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). H.R. 1526 would prohibit a...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rodney Maggay
Apr 01 2025

A Court’s Options To Enforce Compliance With Court Orders

Under Rule 3.3 of the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, titled “Candor Toward the Tribunal,” a lawyer has a number of...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rodney Maggay
Mar 12 2025

The Pettiness of President Trump Targeting Law Firms For Revenge

On February 25, 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the security clearances of lawyers and staff at the Washington, D.C. law office of the...
By 304b85304860ad8c372309473fc2261337d3cc4f4b3e773dfbd236a31c2fd149?s=96&d=mm&r=g adminusres
Feb 09 2025

A Comparison of Biden and Trump’s January 20th Pardons

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution provides: The President…shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for Offenses against the...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rod Maggay
Feb 03 2025

Jack Smith’s Honorable but Frustrating Journey to Prosecute Trump ; January 2025

Jack Smith made sure to state when he resigned that Mr. Trump engaged in an ‘unprecedented criminal effort’ to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden....
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Elections & Politics

By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nate Iglehart
Jul 16 2025

Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Has Been A Wake-Up Call. Who Is Following His Lead? (Elections & Politics Brief #188)

The Democratic primary for the New York mayoral race was seen as a “perfect storm”, “clearly a rebuke”, and a surprise to many onlookers. In it, self-proclaimed...
By c25b20b4bf935be4bec0b8fb91937323ea51988682699fb8738acdcaeb2b01a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g david
Jul 12 2025

A Hick-Lib’s Rebellion: Kyle Rable, No Kings!, & the Fight for West Texas (Elections and Politics Brief #187)

I sat down with Kyle Rable to learn more about the No Kings! protests. Kyle is a new father, a Ph.D. candidate in History at Texas Tech, a U.S. Army Reserves Captain, a...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nate Iglehart
Jul 12 2025

Ranked Choice Voting is On the Rise. How does it work and why is it popular? (Elections & Politics Brief #186)

Elections & Politics Brief #186 | Nate Iglehart | July 5, 2025 The most important aspect of democracy is being able to vote for who represents you in government....
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nate Iglehart
May 22 2025

Habeas corpus: What is it, and can it be suspended? (Elections & Politics Brief #185)

One of the most fundamental aspects of a fair and just legal system is the ability to challenge one’s detention, often referred to as “habeas corpus”. Habeas corpus is...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Morgan Davidson
May 12 2025

The Growing 2025 Anti-Trump Protests: Hands Off, No Kings Day, and More

In just over 100 days of Trump 2.0, a reinvigorated Democratic opposition has taken shape. AOC and Bernie have been headlining rallies across the country. Cory Booker...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Inijah Quadri
May 05 2025

A Primer on Political Interest Groups

Political interest groups play a central role in shaping policy in the United States. From corporate-funded lobbying arms to grassroots-driven caucuses, these groups...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nate Iglehart
Apr 10 2025

Where Democrats can aim for the 2026 midterms: House Edition

After two months into Donald Trump’s second presidency, many voters and Congresspeople are already eyeing the 2026 Congressional elections. The November 3rd elections...
By c25b20b4bf935be4bec0b8fb91937323ea51988682699fb8738acdcaeb2b01a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g david
Apr 01 2025

Trump Administration Changes to the Civil Service

The United States federal civil service stands as the backbone of our nation’s governance, ensuring the implementation of public policies and the delivery of...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Nate Iglehart
Mar 31 2025

Where Democrats Can Aim for in the 2026 Midterms: Senate Edition

After two months into Donald Trump’s second presidency, many voters and Congresspeople are already eyeing the 2026 Congressional elections. The November 3rd elections...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Rudolph Lurz
Mar 27 2025

Tangled Part 1: How Trump uses Machiavelli to Win An Election

Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince provides a playbook for rulers to seize, hold, and consolidate power. Donald Trump’s second ascent to the Oval Office demonstrates that...
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Foreign Policy

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Foreign Policy

Going to War for Human Rights? (Foreign Policy Brief #206)

With Israel and Iran now having engaged in a direct war, trading attacks on each other’s cities, and the US carrying out attacks inside Iran, there’s a high chance that the US could be dragged into a full on war. It’s a prospect that is causing fear in many in the United States, but also being pushed for by others. Regime change has come up as one of the goals of the war and there are those in the US who are in favor of going to war and overthrowing the Iranian government.

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The Week That Was: Global News in Review (Foreign Policy Brief #205)

For over 12 days Israel and Iran exchange strikes after their long-time conflict hit a flashpoint following Israel’s surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear program and assassination of Iranian leadership. The attack kicked off a sequence of events that has left hundreds reported killed and put the United States at risk of being dragged further into the war. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently stated that Iran has been enriching higher amounts of uranium and in breach of the non-proliferation treaty. While also confirming that the agency had not found “any proof” of an effort to develop a nuclear weapon by Iran.

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Technology

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Technology

Trump’s Big Beautiful Gifts to Artificial Intelligence Companies (Technology Policy Brief # 149)

In his first few days in office, Donald Trump announced a $500 billion joint venture with OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank to invest in growing the US’s AI infrastructure and rescinded former President Joe Biden’s executive order requiring safety submissions from AI developers.  His big, beautiful bill showers much more money in the industry, and aims to eliminate state oversight or regulation of AI companies as well.

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Trump’s Bromance With Big Tech Hits Some Bumps

Tech billionaire support for Donald Trump is paying off in some of the expected ways, such as  extraordinary access and deregulation.  But Trump has wreaked havoc on the stock market, disappointed his crypto backers, and failed to save Mark Zuckerberg from a grilling at the Federal Trade Commission.

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Environment

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Environment

Introducing Gulf of America – from the person who gave us Trump Tower

For the last 475 years, the expanse of ocean from western Florida to southern Texas has been called the “Gulf of Mexico.” English geographer Richard Hakluyt referred to the “Gulfe of Mexico” in his work of 1589. With the stroke of a pen on February 9, 2025, the President of the United States signed Executive Order 14172 and renamed the body of water “Gulf of America.” In addition to “restoring American pride,” President Trump justified the name change by referencing territorial rights over much of the area and that those waters have “long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.” Trump considers the Gulf a business asset.

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No shortage of Canaries in our Coastlines Signaling Catastrophe

40% of the U.S. population line our coasts. That equates to approximately 130 million people residing in coastal counties. In addition to those who retire seaside, entire economies are integrated into the coastal industries of fishing, tourism, energy, shipbuilding, and recreation. Even a cursory glance using google maps shows how tightly clustered the built space is, all on only 10% of the total U.S. land mass. Shoreline communities have five times the population density as compared to the U.S. average.

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By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Steve Piazza
Jul 16 2025

Current Efforts to Change State Education Curricula (Education Policy Brief #205)

Recent changes to state laws and policies reflect conservative efforts to remove what they consider “divisive concepts” regarding race and gender. South Carolina,...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Steve Piazza
Jun 18 2025

Project 2025 and Federal Influence Over K-12 Curricula (Education Policy Brief #204)

Although President Trump campaigned by keeping distance between himself and Project 2025, it is clear that his agenda since his inauguration has run parallel to the...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Naja Barnes
Jun 10 2025

The Future of Student Loans in Trump’s Presidency (Education Policy Brief #203)

Since Trump’s attack on the Department of Education, there has been some confusion surrounding the future of student loans. During the Biden Administration, there were...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Valerie Henderson
May 05 2025

The Trump Administration and the University Communities: Part 1, Funding Suspension

In April 2025, the Trump administration escalated its efforts to reshape American higher education by suspending billions in federal grants to elite universities —...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Valerie Henderson
May 05 2025

The Trump Administration and University Communities: Part II

Following the initial wave of federal funding suspensions, the Trump administration has intensified its campaign to reshape American higher education. The effort has...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Valerie Henderson
Apr 23 2025

Understanding What the U.S. Department of Education Did

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE), established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, promotes student achievement, ensures equal access to education, and enforces...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Damian DeSola
Apr 10 2025

MAGA Against College: A Fight for America’s Minds

It is no secret that the past two months of Trump’s second term have rattled both American and international societies to their core. Racing out of the gates, the...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Valerie Henderson
Apr 06 2025

The Reasons We’ve Had a Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE), established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, operates to promote student achievement, ensure equal access to education, and...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Feb 12 2025

The Dangers for Schools Amid the Trump Gender War

The Trump administration has recently begun redefining its view on what it sees as the appropriate options for gender in the education system. The newly released Trump...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Jan 28 2025

The Uncertainty of the Student Loan Crisis in the Age of Trump

The student loan crisis, a pressing issue under former President Biden, has entered a phase of uncertainty with President Trump back in office. Biden’s...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Colorful Direction Signs on a Metal Pole
Jan 17 2025

The Fallacy of School Choice

Though touted as a way to empower families, school choice policies often widen the gap between wealthy and disadvantaged communities, leaving public schools underfunded...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Yellow school bus in front of banner reading "imagine a future free of gun violence"
Jan 06 2025

Trump and Vance Fail to Offer Solutions to School Violence

Trump and Vance Fail to Offer Solutions to School Violence Education Policy Brief #196 | By: Evan Wechman | December 28, 2024 Photo by Jose Alonso on Unsplash...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Dec 23 2024

Transgender Students Need Protection from Trump’s Assault on Title IX

Transgender Students Need Protection from Trump’s Assault on Title IX Education Policy Brief #196 | By: Evan Wechman | December 21, 2024 Photo by Katie Rainbow 🏳️‍🌈...
By ?s=96&d=mm&r=g Evan Wechman
Swirling pile of books.
Dec 09 2024

The Dangerous Future of the Department of Education

The Dangerous Future of the Department of Education Education Policy Brief #95 | By: Evan Wechman | December 08, 2024 Photo by Pixabay...
By c51fcde75fc09cb63bfe29ef5df663d59894a84c344cad2277ed2fc2aeb09e86?s=96&d=mm&r=g U.S. Resist News
Education Brief #94 - Reflections on School Shootings from an Educator
Sep 13 2024

Reflections on School Shootings from an Educator

In the wake of yet another tragic school shooting, educator Rudy Lurz revisits his 2018 reflections on the ineffectiveness of current political proposals to prevent...
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Health & Gender

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Health & Gender

The Hypocrite in Chief’s War on Women

Trump has been president for under a month, and he is already going to great lengths to restrict a woman’s right to an abortion.  At first, after the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court that Trump helped assemble, it appeared that abortion would be left to the states.

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The Post-Election State of Abortion

The Post-Election State of Abortion Health & Gender Brief #177 | By: Geoffrey Small | November 26, 2024 Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash __________________________________ Summary As the Republican party seizes control of Congress and The Presidency, abortion...

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Immigration

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Immigration

How ICE Works

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created in 2003 as a component of the Department of Homeland Security to enforce immigration laws inside the United States and investigate transnational crime. Twenty‑two years later, the agency employs more than 20,000 personnel across more than 400 domestic and foreign offices.

Deporting Democracy: The Crackdown on Foreign Student Visas

Institutions of higher education are under attack. Since the return of the Trump administration, more than 1,500 international students and recent graduates from over 240 institutions, across at least 45 states and Washington, D.C., have had their F-1 academic and J-1 exchange visas revoked.

A Fear-based Immigration Policy

Trump’s mass deportation efforts remain ongoing across the U.S., capturing headlines with the arrests of student activists like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, and the deportation of alleged Tren de Aragua members/Venezuelans legally here on asylum, not to Venezuela but El Salvador, including a U.S. resident misidentified as a gang member. Despite the high-profile raids and fiery rhetoric, government data shows that deportations under Trump still lag behind levels seen under the Biden administration.

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Economic Policy

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Economic Policy

Economic Crossroads: Are Tariffs Ending North American Relations? (Economic Policy Brief #86)

Since his re-election in 2024, President Donald Trump has reignited a trade war strategy similar to his first term, escalating tariffs against China, Mexico, and the European Union. These tariffs, framed as efforts to “protect American jobs,” have significantly raised the cost of imported goods such as electronics, food, clothing, and raw materials. While intended to support domestic industries, the policy has instead imposed hidden costs on American consumers—especially those from lower-income and marginalized communities.

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