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Just in time for the end of the presidential election voter registration period, the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) has issued the important report, “Increasing Compliance With Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act,” on voter registration access.
On Labor Day, let’s all take a moment to thank our bosses for the rights and benefits they have so generously granted us.
Oh wait, that’s right. Decent wages and working conditions were never gifts. Workers organized, fought, and in many cases died for each and every improvement in our working lives. And workers are fighting today—to protect the rights we’ve won, and to advance new and needed labor laws.
Last week, I discussed how socioeconomic characteristics can limit the pool of people who run for office. Holding office is biased towards people with disposable income and time they can dedicate to public service when many offices are voluntary or offer little remuneration. The composition of our elective bodies warps policymaking in favor of the wealthy.
Because blue-collar worker income in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark is so high, Americans are often surprised to learn that none of the Nordic social democracies have minimum wage laws. The truth is that they don’t need them, thanks to the immense (albeit gradually waning) power of Scandinavian labor unions. Organized labor in that region of Europe has used its power to set a de facto wage floor, rendering parliamentary action superfluous.
Though much political science research and news coverage focuses on federal and state level politics, most Americans interact far more often with municipal government.
When environmentalists speak of climate change, they often talk of “future generations.” But generations already here are poised to suffer long-term consequences. Climate change will affect millennials drastically—including in their wallets.
When Heather McGhee, president of the public policy group Demos, got a question from a caller during her appearance at C-SPAN, it was not about the progressive ideals her group is known for. The question, instead, was about a different issue — directed, seemingly, at McGhee’s race (she’s black)[...].