Brief #88 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Ian Milden
Democrats lost their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2022 mid-term elections. However…
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Important Elections in the First Half of 2023: Municipal Elections
Brief #65 – Elections & Politics
by Ian Milden
While the year before a Presidential election doesn’t often feature major federal elections, many local offices are up for election this year. Municipal officeholders have the power to shape policy on issues such as transportation, infrastructure, housing, public safety, and other government services.
An Early Look at the 2023 Mississippi Governor’s Race
Brief #63 – Elections & Politics
By Ian Milden
Three states hold elections for governor in years before the Presidential Election. This brief will look at the governor’s race in Mississippi, the only race this year where it is currently clear who the nominees will be. This brief will also discuss some current issues in Mississippi politics that could become important issues in the campaign.
Abbott Running Scared: Texas Incumbent Limited Voter Access to Polls Ahead of Midterms
Brief #43 – Elections & Politics
By Abigail Hunt
For the disillusioned and jaded non-conservatives of the Lone Star state, seeing Beto O’Rourke within spitting distance of Greg Abbott in a dead heat for governor thrills our withered-but-still-beating Grinchy little hearts. From 1847 to 1979, with the exception of a few years here and there, Texas was Democratic.
Guns Now Leading Cause of Death for Children
Brief #152 – Health & Gender Policy
By Lynn Waldsmith
It’s a shocking statistic that should make every American pause and reflect: guns are now the leading cause of death for children in the United States.
Let that sink in. According to the CDC, firearms became the leading cause of death for kids one and older in 2020, marking the first time that motor vehicle crashes have not been the number one cause of death.
House Votes to Decriminalize Marijuana: Manufacture, Distribution and Possession
Brief #151 – Health and Gender
By Stephen Thomas
By a vote of 220-204, the U.S. House of Representatives Friday, April 1, passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act or the MORE Act aimed at decriminalizing the manufacture, distribution, and possession of marijuana. New York Democrat and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler introduced the legislation, an unsuccessful version of which the House passed in 2020.
The Future of Warfare
Brief #139 – Foreign Policy
By Brandon Mooney
With the War in Afghanistan having come to an end and the neoliberal experiment of nation-building being tossed on the metaphorical scrap heap, the U.S. confronts a radically changing world in which traditional conceptions of warfare are both antiquated and ultimately disastrous.
The Lesson of Afghanistan
Brief #132 – Foreign Policy
By Brandon Mooney
With the U.S. military officially pulling out of Afghanistan, an almost 20-year conflict and the longest war in American history comes to an end, alongside a mandate from all those whose lives were lost and impacted to reflect upon what the war and its legacy meant.
Lessons for the US from Colombia’s Universal Basic Income Program
Brief #111—Foreign Policy
By Brandon Mooney
This week, as center-left Democrats and some of America has begun to discuss universal basic income (UBI) and what welfare programs will look like in the post-pandemic future, I thought that we could look to the recent protests that rocked Colombia for an example of what not to do. For those who don’t know, UBI is a state-funded social program where a decided amount of money is sent to all citizens within a designated population group without the condition of a certain employment status or other test. Basically, it’s a regular check from the government to everyone within a selected population. Supporters of UBI have been calling for its adoption across the world as the pandemic has sparked mass unemployment, limited job growth, and tanked economies.
The Myanmar Crisis Reflects a Geopolitical Contest for Influence
Brief #105—Foreign Policy
By Brandon Mooney
As the world sees rampant authoritarian rollbacks against progressive and democratic freedoms, perhaps no country stands out more in the current moment than Myanmar. For those that have not been tuned in to the realities on the ground over the past two months, the Burmese military has seized power, arrested dissidents and political opponents, and fired upon and killed unarmed civilians to name but a few crimes. Although the Western democratic world and many other world governments have either condemned or expressed concern over the coup, regional powers in Southeast Asia have been reticent about denunciation and many have signaled that they see it as an internal matter for Myanmar to deal with on its own.