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Supreme Court April 28, 2016

Scalia (RIP) An Unoriginal Originalist

by Asa Gordon George Mason University leaders have renamed their law school the Antonin Scalia School of Law, officially establishing a law school for ASSOLs in exchange for receiving $30 million in gifts. George Mason’s ASSOL Board of Visitors mistakingly honor the late U.S. Supreme Court justice as the father of ORIGINALISM, whereas history establishes that he is in fact an unoriginal stepchild in the advocacy of the idea of originalism. ORIGINALISM purports to ascertain the original intent of the original authors of the Constitution in order to determine the correct interpretation and meaning of the text of the Constitution….

campaign reform, Democracy April 26, 2016

Reflective Democracy in Santa Monica

Santa Monica Daily Press By Michael Feinstein April 25, 2016 The best electoral systems give voters a realistic chance to elect candidates who reflect their views. In most industrialized democracies, this is accomplished by electing people using a form of voting called proportional representation. Under systems of proportional representation, if there are 100 seats in a state legislature and Democrats get 40% of the vote, Republicans 30%, Greens 20% and Libertarians 10%, then Democrats would win 40 seats, Republicans 30, Greens 20 and Libertarians 10. This is how most democracies work, in countries the United States is most often compared…

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Uncategorized April 26, 2016

Urgent appeal to support activists in Odessa, Ukraine

From UNAC Co-coordinators Marilyn Levine & Joe Lombardo Join Ramsey Clark, Cynthia McKinney, John Pilger, Bruce Gagnon, Ray McGovern & more It’s been nearly two years since the world was shocked by reports of the deaths of scores of pro-democracy activists at the hands of extreme right-wing forces in the city of Odessa, Ukraine. It was barely three months after a violent, right-wing coup overthrew the elected Ukrainian government. The activists had set up a tent city in Odessa’s historic Kulikovo Square to publicize their demand for a national referendum to decide the legitimacy of the coup. On May 2,…

campaign reform, Green Party, New York, State Politics, Third Party April 23, 2016

The Twilight of Liberalism: Decline of the Working Families Party

counterpunch By Peter LaVenia April 22, 2016 The Working Families Party – darling of The Nation-reading liberals in New York State – is in trouble. The NY Daily News reported this week that major unions (SEIU 1199, United Federation of Teachers, and the Hotel Trades Council) had quietly dropped financial support of the organization in late 2014. Those of us who have long fought for an independent, radical left will not mourn what is likely to be the slow decline of the WFP, though if we are lucky it may take the form of a quick implosion. The party’s stated…

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Uncategorized April 16, 2016

Panama Papers reveal tip of an iceberg of shady dealings

The Norwich Bulletin By Scott Deshefy April 15, 2016 Thomas Jefferson stressed, “I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the republic than the people themselves,” and education their key to discretion. The majority, however, has lost its right to decision-making to a privileged few, a black hole of affluence concentrating wealth and capital within its pull. By placing price tags on Democrat and Republican lapels, a new American aristocracy adds to our tax burden by sidestepping theirs. And they’re not alone. A recent anonymous release of 11.5 million documents belonging to Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law…