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Why You Need To Know Dr. John Tanton, Grandfather Of The Anti-Immigrant Movement

August 15, 2017 Immigration

Have you ever stopped to wonder where the Trump administration is getting its ideas on ramped up deportations, banning Muslims, and vilifying refugees? Trump didn't come up with them on his own. There is a purposeful and intentional anti-immigrant movement that has been working to spread these ideas for a long time. Now they have a sympathetic ear in the

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things: How I became an advocate

August 15, 2017 General Commentary, Healthcare

Two years ago, if you brought up politics around me, my eyes would've glazed over as I tuned you out and quickly found an excuse to politely sneak away. I had zero interest in it. In fact, the topic made my skin crawl. I am an extra busy, stay at home mom of three, with a medically fragile child. I've

Don’t “breakup” with your favorite celebrity over politics

August 15, 2017 General Commentary

The current state of politics and our Country has everyone on edge. Friendships have been lost due to heated political arguments. I've read about friend's family members unfriending each other on Facebook due to political disagreements gone overboard. It seems crazy, but it's happening every single day in America. Relationships and friendships destroyed by politics. But what happens when the

Us vs Them: How To Stay Friends While Trump is On Top

August 15, 2017 Civil Rights, Elections, General Commentary, Immigration

I'm a left-leaning immigrant who has recently graduated from UC Berkeley. And, to the surprise of many, I now live harmoniously with a Trump supporter. I know; everyone makes that face when I tell them. But it's actually not as heart wrenching as you may imagine. For either of us. In fact, there's been some really eye opening and faith-in-humanity-restoring

When Silence Isn’t Golden and The Latest Consequence of Donald Trump Inspired Hatred in America

August 14, 2017 Civil Rights

On Saturday, the United States and the world witnessed the latest consequence of Donald Trump inspired hatred in America. Self-proclaimed "alt-right" white supremacists descended on the small college town of Charlottesville, Va. to protest the removal of a statue of Civil War general Robert E. Lee. Following a morning of clashes and violence at the Unite the Right event, a

Nukes and Narcissism

August 14, 2017 Gun Violence, international

On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof walked into a church carrying a gun, killed nine people, and injured a tenth. The shooting was an act of terrorism, an act of racial hatred, and a national tragedy. And according to most on the right, it was avoidable. Even our new president seemed to acknowledge this just after Virginia reporter Alison Parker

Our American Goals

August 14, 2017 General Commentary

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. School House Rock has a video on the

A Conservative By Any Other Name…Ain’t a Conservative

August 14, 2017 General Commentary

Conservatism is under attack. That sounds really dramatic but it's true because I AM a Conservative, and as a Conservative I have been watching far too many pundits and politicians bastardize the very principles I try to live by for their own agendas (especially since 2015). Somehow these 'new Conservatives' think you can warp a set of ideals to fit

Trump is a Bigger Threat Than North Korea

August 11, 2017 General Commentary, international

"They will be met with fire, fury and frankly the power the likes of which the world has never seen." That was President Trump's response to learning that North Korea has successfully miniaturized nuclear warheads that can fit into missiles, a move making the isolationist country the latest, and certainly one of the scariest, additions to the handful of nations

Tired of politics? You may want to check your privilege

August 11, 2017 Elections, General Commentary, Immigration

Let's go back to November 9th, 2016. Liberal or conservative, I think we can all agree that it was a pretty crazy day and most of us were feeling very passionate. Some were ecstatic, some were devastated but there was also an overwhelming amount of people that either "didn't care" or expressed how they wished everyone would stop posting about

Where has Kindness and Compassion Gone?

August 10, 2017 General Commentary, international

I originally wrote this right after the attack at the Manchester arena in May. I remember sitting there trying to wrap my mind around it and I couldn't. I really can't understand how a person can do something like that. How can a person feel so little regard for someone else's life? How can someone take another person's life so

We Need More than One Big Party to Save America

August 9, 2017 Elections, international

The Trump administration is actively deconstructing America’s democratic values and processes, but there is an even more dangerous underlying consequence of Trump’s rise to power. Too many people — especially those on the left — believe the fallacy that either Trump’s removal or his failure will automatically restore the nation’s balance. Uniting against Trump does instill a sense of purpose

Liberal Military Spouse in America 2017 #WeAllFearDifferentThings

August 9, 2017 Civil Rights, Elections, General Commentary

I firmly believe my use of "fuck" in my everyday life and on the internet pretty much ends all chances of my ideas and opinions being spread across the country, but they are my opinions none the less and any chance I get I will speak up! I am disheartened by the results of the 2016 election. I sat in my

How to survive the Trump Presidency without going insane

August 9, 2017 General Commentary

I sat in front of my TV with a dazed look on my face. It was a rough day of hearing the latest Trump news. I felt drained. I had been posting about Trump on social media for months prior to the election. Since the election, I had continued writing. I wrote with passion, outrage and sadness.....and it finally got

Enough is Enough

August 9, 2017 General Commentary

First off I want to be perfectly clear that this article is not geared towards bashing any one person or persons, any one political party or one's opinions or personal views. I have done my share of bashing people's political beliefs and have been on the receiving end as well. That's not what this article is about. Everyone is entitled

Home of the Free

August 9, 2017 Civil Rights

In just a couple of days, I will be marrying the woman I have waited for my entire life. There has never been a more important day in my life, and there will likely never be another. Not since the day I was born, and not until the minute that I draw my very last breath. Just 3 years ago,

One silver lining to Trump’s win: Democrats could win key governors’ races for 2020s redistricting

August 8, 2017 Elections

One silver lining to Trump's win: Democrats could win key governors' races for 2020s redistricting Donald Trump’s shocking victory over Hillary Clinton also saw Republicans win more power at the state level than in any election since 1928. However, there is one possible silver lining for the party that doesn’t occupy the White House. A whopping 36 states elect

Disgust and Politics

August 8, 2017 General Commentary

So I don’t particularly believe or disbelieve the latest scandalous Trump story about his ties to Russia and the existence of sex tapes with prostitutes. I’m waiting on more evidence. But I find it morbidly amusing that people seem to think some of the weirder details of the report are so important, like him supposedly paying prostitutes to pee on

The Republicans’ Cruel Con

August 8, 2017 Healthcare

Nearly every single country in the developed world has universal healthcare. But not the wealthiest nation on Earth: the United States of America. In a nation like ours, with such riches and talent, why isn’t healthcare a right, rather than a privilege? As a doctor, I believe that no one who is suffering should ever be denied effective treatment, regardless

It Is Shameful The Way Seth Rich’s Murder Has Been Exploited As a Tool For Political Manipulation

August 8, 2017 Elections, General Commentary, Gun Violence

Joel and Mary Rich are among thousands of parents whose lives were upended when their children became victims of the gun death epidemic that has plagued this country for years, an epidemic that kills as many American every 90 days as have been killed by acts of terrorism in the last half-century. Like other families have had to do before

Why Teachers Are Real Life Superheroes

August 7, 2017 General Commentary

Like millions of others worldwide, I am eagerly anticipating the new Justice League film, which will unquestionably be one of this year’s biggest blockbusters. Over the last decade, superhero movies have dominated the box office, so I began thinking, “Why are superhero films so popular?” Consider, in the past 12 years, superhero films (which include franchises such as Spider-Man, Batman,

While We’re All Busy Watching The Trump Show, Wall Street Is Quietly Robbing Our Country Blind

August 7, 2017 Economic Issues

Donald Trump is the best thing to happen to Wall Street in twenty years. …This is because since the moment he took the oath of office, no one has so much as uttered a word about Wall Street. And much like Tyler Durden in Fight Club, Wall Street LOVES when no one is talking about it. (Also much like Tyler Durden Wall Street has an army of automatons wreaking mayhem throughout the land while those tasked with policing them are either incompetent,

What Do You Have to Lose?: The Coming Assault on Race-Conscious Admissions Programs

August 5, 2017 Civil Rights

What do you have to lose? That was the question Donald Trump posed to Black voters on the campaign trail. Well, the answer is clear: educational opportunity. Reports have circulated that the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice is preparing to investigate and file suit against colleges and universities that use race-conscious admissions programs, on the

I Vow to Continue to Advance this Fight Forward

August 4, 2017 Civil Rights

My name is Laila Ireland. I am transgender, a woman, a person of color, and a retired 12-year Army veteran. In December 2003, I joined the military right after 9/11 happened. I joined because I come from a long bloodline of people whom have served in the military. My father and grandfather, and even my great grandfather. Though the military

I am a Transgender Veteran and I have Something to Say

August 4, 2017 Civil Rights

Last week’s tweets from President Trump stating that transgender people will not be allowed to join the military, and those currently serving will be administratively separated, shocked me. As a transgender veteran currently working in advocacy for transgender service members, I have spent the past five years of my life lobbying to ensure they can serve while bringing their full selves to

Hamilton 68: A New Tool to Track Russian Disinformation on Twitter

August 3, 2017 Elections, international, Russia

This article was originally published on GMF by Laura Rosenberger and J.M. Berger Since Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. election, many have warned that Putin will be back in 2018 and 2020. But the reality is that Russian influence operations never left. As former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper recently stated, the Kremlin is already beginning to “prep the

Observation Post

August 3, 2017 General Commentary, international

Being a Canadian is an odd thing. Well I suppose that's not really right, its simply my country, my citizenship, my National identity as one would say but if one were to declare "I'm a Canadian" in a packed bar room or a lonely bus depot or the line at Costco ( yes, we have them) or practically anywhere at

The Need For Immigration Lawyers is Now Playing Out in Tragic Ways During the Trump Administration

August 3, 2017 Immigration, international

Immigration lawyers generally fly under the radar. But despite many who are heroes in the truest sense, how many of us know the names of any of them? You don’t see them on television dramas or the silver screen. Maybe its because there aren’t that many - there are 15,000 members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association versus 1.3 million

Glossary of Words You May Find In Any Story About This Administration And Russia

August 3, 2017 Elections, General Commentary, Russia

Adviser: “A person who provides advice and experience. In the case of the Trump campaign, everyone from Jeff Sessions to Jared Kushner served as some type of adviser. And, as of March 3, at least five Trump advisers reportedly had contact with Russian officials.” Aiding and abetting: Aiding and abetting generally means to somehow assist in the commission of a

This Veteran’s Journey From Conservative to Progressive

August 2, 2017 Economic Issues, Healthcare

My political journey has been rather counter intuitive. I served as a Marine Corps combat engineer officer from 1997 to 2005. I served two tours of duty in Iraq. I participated in the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003 and fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. I sound like a typical Republican, right? Not

Why Obamacare Matters

August 2, 2017 Healthcare

Geno with Eliza Dushku The skinny repeal went down. Trumpcare is defeated. (At least for now. Word is, Trumpcare may come back for debate. It’s like Jason in the “Friday the 13th” movies. It refuses to really be dead!) Obamacare lives. Depending on your party affiliation, you are either cheering or angry. Or maybe party affiliations don’t matter to you.

The Conversations I Can’t Believe I’m Having with My Son Thanks to Donald Trump

August 2, 2017 Immigration, international

Dad, I know Trump is bad but I was talking with my friends and when the illegal people come to the wall, we really should shoot them because that means they’re terrorists. Perhaps the most insidious thing about Donald Trump’s presidency is the sheer pervasiveness of the hate, ignorance, and mean-spiritedness that is choking our country. And if you think

I am posting the full text of the Don Jr. emails here.

July 31, 2017 Russia

If you haven’t read them please take a moment to read them now. It’s important to educate yourself and make your own judgement. #PatriotNotPartisan. And please share. Contributing Editor: Alyssa Milano Alyssa Milano is an Actress, Activist & Philanthropist. She is an UNICEF Ambassador who is trying to make a better future for her, and the worlds, children. Her

Internet Freedom

July 31, 2017 Net Neutrality

I wrote this in 2006 about net neutrality. We won the battle then. Sadly, this administration has jeopardized our internet freedom once again. Today is our day of action. Please read the below for a better understanding of what’s at stake and tweet/Facebook/insta (using the hashtag #netneutrality) why internet freedom is so important to you. Corporate America strikes again

Is Donald Trump Doing God’s Work?

July 31, 2017 General Commentary

WATCH THE VIDEO CLICK HERE Oh, dear Lord. I had been preparing to write a piece on Trump’s religious followers and then he tweets this gem. First off, if you believe that President Trump doesn’t want you to worship him, then you haven’t been paying attention. But that’s not the point of this tweet and the accompanying, nauseating video. Trump

When It’s a Matter of National Insecurity, Women Take Charge

July 31, 2017 Civil Rights, Elections

We seem to be running out of Donald Trump jokes and I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing. I’ve heard all the one-liners, read the essays and watched the impersonations. And tonight, I gave it a good shot. But, the truth is, I’ve been scratching my head trying to think of an opening line to an open wound. I