Protecting Our Democracy Act: Weighing the Pros and Cons
Background The Protecting Our Democracy Act (PODA) is a bill under consideration in Congress that aims to protect the integrity of the democratic process. The bill was originally passed in the House in 2021. It was received in the Senate in late 2021, where it failed to pass due to the use of a filibuster. […]
Citizens United v. FEC: Understanding the Debate
Background Campaign finance laws are controversial and highly influential in the American election system. Before 2010, Supreme Court rulings in Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce and McConnell v. FEC upheld regulations by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that restricted organizational political expenditures and electioneering communications, such as political advertisements. However, in 2010, a […]
Pros and Cons of the Youth Voting Rights Act
Background In the 2022 midterms, youth voters (ages 18 to 24) turned out in record numbers nationwide. In today’s political climate, the youth vote is becoming an increasingly elusive but crucial factor in winning campaigns. However, compared to other age groups, 18-24 year olds have the lowest participation rates. Many in this age group could […]
Pros and Cons of Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act
Infrastructure consists of an extensive network of bridges, dams, highways, and utilities, which are essential for connecting people, goods, and services throughout a nation. Recently, America’s infrastructure has become a hot topic due to its aging condition and the numerous issues that have emerged. There is a general agreement across political lines that the existing […]
Food Security and Local Food Production
Background Generally, local food production refers to systems in which food is produced, distributed, and consumed within the same area. However, there is debate within the local food movement about this definition. For example, some call for local food systems to expand distribution—to sell food outside of the boundaries of the local community—while others fear […]
Understanding the Absentee Voting Debate
While absentee voting in the United States can be traced back to the Civil War Era, the Pandemic created an unprecedented demand for absentee ballots as an alternative to traditional polling locations. Absentee voting or voting by mail is a process that allows voters to cast their ballots before election day either by dropping off […]
Pros and Cons of Enacting Supreme Court Term Limits
Background Article III Section 1 of the U.S. constitution outlines that Supreme Court justices are to “hold their offices during good Behaviour”, a phrase which framer Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 78 explained means “for life”. A justice can either die on the bench, retire, or be removed from office after committing an impeachable offense; […]
Policy Debates Surrounding Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Reading time: 4 minutes
Introduction to US Government’s System of Checks and Balance
Introduction Checks and balances refers to a system of government allowing separate government branches to “check” or overturn acts of one branch if those acts are unconstitutional. Checks function to “balance” governing power equally among branches. The U.S. federal government’s system of checks and balances exists in the powers shared between its three branches of […]
Introduction to Individual Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights
Reading time: 6 minutes