Recently Read
Category Archives: POLITICS
The Textual Roots of Islamic Violence
We’re all familiar with the routine by now. A terrorist attack occurs. Hours later, the world learns the identity of the attacker (or, the identities of the attackers). Then comes the inevitable question, “What was the motive for the attack?” … Continue reading
Posted in AREO MAGAZINE, POLITICS, WORLD AFFAIRS
Tagged Islam, Islamism, jihad, religious violence, terrorism
Leave a comment
The Left: Why It Should Be Saved — Not Abandoned
On February 11, journalist and lifelong liberal Chadwick Moore “came out” in the New York Post — but not as gay (he did that when he was 15). This time, at the age of 33, he came out as a … Continue reading
Posted in AREO MAGAZINE, PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS
Tagged conservatives, David Rubin, Harris, Hitchens, Maher, Regressive Left, the Left
Leave a comment
Faithless Electors Test Power of Parties
On Monday, December 19, electors from across the country gathered to cast the official votes for president. Of the 538 votes that were tallied, seven came from faithless electors – electors who chose not to vote for the nominee who … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, POLITICS
Tagged Electoral College, faithless electors, Hamilton, loyalty
Leave a comment
Sanders-Backed ‘Our Revolution’ Scores Major Victories on Election Day
In August, just one month after the Democratic National Convention, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders announced the launch of Our Revolution, a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping his progressive movement alive and strong. Among its stated goals are “supporting a new generation … Continue reading
How Super PACs and Candidates Legally (and Illegally) Coordinate Their Efforts
In its ruling in the Citizens United case of 2010, the Supreme Court decided that organizations that are wholly independent of candidates could spend unlimited sums of money to influence elections because, in the words of Justice Anthony Kennedy, “independent expenditures do … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, POLITICS
Tagged 2016 election, candidates, Citizens United, coordination, super PACs, supreme court
Leave a comment
OPINION: A Single Headline Cannot Contain All the Reasons to Oppose S.D.’s Nonpartisan Top-Two Proposal
In November, voters in South Dakota will decide whether to pass Amendment V. If passed, the measure will institute a nonpartisan primary much like the one in Washington state. Under the proposed rules, all candidates would appear on a single … Continue reading
The Transpartisan, Grassroots Movement to Overturn Citizens United is Gaining Serious Momentum
In recent years, there have been several top-down attempts to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United. That decision, made in 2010, birthed legal entities known as super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money so long as … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, POLITICS
Tagged amendments, campaign finance, Citizens United, super PACs, supreme court
Leave a comment
A Spot on the Ballot: Alternative Candidates, the Supreme Court, and the Long Fight for Inclusive Elections
Ballot Access in Historical Context Over the last several decades, the percentage of Americans who self-identify as independents has climbed to above 40 percent while attachment to the Democratic and Republican parties has declined. And in recent months, broad dissatisfaction with the … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, POLITICS
Tagged ballot access, independents, supreme court, third party candidates
Leave a comment
Post-Citizens United, Is Foreign Money Pouring into Our Elections?
Federal law states that foreign governments, corporations, and individuals cannot spend money on elections in the United States. Yet following the Citizens United decision in 2010, some – including President Obama himself – have worried that foreign money could have an easier time influencing American … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, POLITICS, WORLD AFFAIRS
Tagged campaign finance, China, Citizens United, elections, FEC, foreign money, super PACs
Leave a comment
OPINION: The Socialist Critique – What It Is and Why We Need It
The “S” Word Americans are dissatisfied with the state of the economy – a topic that is bound to receive considerable attention this election season. In explaining why GDP and wage growth are not what they might be, both parties can … Continue reading
Posted in IVN, PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, WORLD AFFAIRS
Tagged Faroohar, Marx, socialism, Varoufakis, Wolff, workplace democracy
Leave a comment
Andrew Gripp 