Posts in U.S.
Disappointing Nostalgia in the House of Representatives

As right-wing extremism occupies the plans of select Republican Congresspersons, parallels can be drawn between the optics and strategies of GOP dissenters of the 2020s and the Tea Party Republicans of the 2010s. While their similarities are striking, differences in representation suggest that the kind of rhetoric of select Republicans falls onto the deaf, unrequited ears of the electorate.

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Rethinking the Naturalization Test: Assessing Knowledge and Language Proficiency with Equity

The trial testing of redesigned naturalization tests announced by USCIS in December 2022 include increased difficulty in a standardized English-speaking portion and an updated civics test. Increasing the difficulty of the English-speaking test could create barriers for non-English speakers seeking U.S. citizenship, reinforcing discrimination. The historical and current attempts to make English the official language in the U.S. have and could increase discrimination towards people who speak languages other than English.

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The Mystique of the Off Year

Virginia is different from many other states in America in the fact that it holds off-year congressional elections, a choice made centuries ago that has withstood the test of time. Considering the many other changes in Virginia since then, why has this policy persisted and what implications do these off-year elections have on politics in Virginia?

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The “Apolitical” Wisconsin Supreme Court

The Wisconsin Supreme Court election earlier this year illustrated the political nature of the fight for Supreme Court seats. With millions of dollars pouring into the race from various political groups, the race was the most expensive state court race in history. It illustrated that voters and interest groups view the control of courts as a means to political results. 

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How Incrementalism Destroys Progress

Often times, the American people are told that only incremental, slow change can be achieved. They are told that moderate politicians have ostensibly the same goal, to help, but are just more realistic than "radicals" like Bernie Sanders. Despite consistent polling to the contrary, politicians aligned with corporations have claimed that they stand with the people in opposition to a stronger social safety net. These are lies. Through corporate induced, profit motivated obstructionism, supposedly "moderate" politicians blocked popular initiatives while those who advocated the bill shied away from confrontation to the detriment of their cause. 

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