Oxymoron or Farce: The Highest Paid Executive in Public Higher Education Leads a Statewide Study on Increasing Affordability in Ohio

On Monday, the Columbus Dispatch reported that Governor Kasich has appointed Gordon Gee, President Emeritus of Ohio State University, to “lead a study looking for ways to make college more affordable and relevant for Ohio students.” More specifically, Gee will “spend the next year working with other college presidents, K-12 education leaders, and the business…

A Visual Demonstration of the Absurdity of Gerrymandering

Most Progressives, especially in the “Rust Belt” states, have had much reason to regret the failure of the national Democratic Party to generate voter turnout in 2010. During that census year, Republicans secured the governorships and large legislative majorities in many of those states and then gerrymandered districts that have allowed them to maintain 2:1…

Our Oxymoronic Politics: Defunding Government as a Major Fundraising Opportunity

All summer, various Far-Right organizations have been making money hand over fist by selling bumper stickers, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and all sorts of other paraphernalia usually associated with political campaigns but, in this instance, promoting three delusional political causes: (1) the impending impeachment of President Obama; (2) the impending confiscation of all guns from all…

A Howitzer in Every Garage

Yesterday I received yet another e-mail reporting on the results of this week’s elections. This is an excerpt from an e-mail sent by Americans for Responsible Solutions, the PAC headed by Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly: “While we were organizing nationally for the Colorado recalls, our Americans for Responsible Solutions members in Missouri…

Why Every Progressive Group in the Nation Needs to Focus Relentlessly on Voter Registration and Voter Turnout

I received the following e-mail yesterday afternoon: ________________________ Martin, last night the NRA successfully recalled two Colorado state senators who had voted to pass good gun safety laws. Democrats had more money and district demographics were in their favor. But the election came down to turnout and Republicans had more intensity and more reliable voters. The biggest challenge facing…