Posted August 15, 2024in Morain
Did the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Trump v. United States hold that American Presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for all actions they take while in office? No. But it certainly has made it difficult for a prosecutor to prove a criminal case against a President. The decision
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Posted August 08, 2024in Morain
During the “Progressive Period” in American history—two decades or so, from roughly 1896 until 1917—a number of states adopted the “initiative” and “referendum” as part of the way their governments operated. Many of those states were in the American West. Iowa was not among them. What would it be like
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Posted August 01, 2024in Morain
Question: When is a bribe not a bribe, but a thank-you gift? Answer: When it’s paid after the fact, not before. So says the U.S. Supreme Court. Here’s the setup: In 2012 James Snyder, who had big debts and was behind on his taxes, was elected mayor of Portage, Indiana.
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Posted July 25, 2024in Morain
American government officials and political players regularly declare something to be “unacceptable.” Russia’s attack on Ukraine is unacceptable. Hamas’ attack on Israel is unacceptable. Israel’s killing of 38,000 Gaza residents is unacceptable. China’s threats against Taiwan are unacceptable. Mass killings in the United States are unacceptable. Attacks on American political
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Posted July 18, 2024in Morain
You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away, And know when to run. ——Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler” “The Gambler” should be the current theme song of the Joe Biden campaign. “Know when to walk away, and know when to run”:
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Posted July 04, 2024in Morain
Political platforms occupy a unique place in American politics. While they possess no real power over their parties’ candidates, they do offer evidence of how their parties’ supporters view what America, or one of its individual states, should be like in order to live up to their opinion of “true”
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Posted June 13, 2024in Morain
Eighty years ago, in June 1944, a massive invasion force landed on Axis enemy soil, opening a beachhead that led the following year to ultimate victory for the World War Two Allied forces. Last week we celebrated the D-Day invasion of Europe with appropriate commemorative events and reminiscing. But the
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Posted June 06, 2024in Morain
The facts are as follows: Last Thursday a New York trial jury of five women and seven men unanimously convicted former President Donald Trump of falsifying business records regarding a hush money payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. The payment, in several installments just before the 2016 presidential election, was
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Posted May 23, 2024in Morain
On June 27, about five weeks from now, we’ll get to watch the first presidential debate for the 2024 election. Or not. The announced changes to the debate process this year are so great that the proposed sequence could end up being sidetracked, for a number of reasons. President Joe
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Posted May 16, 2024in Morain
Where does your primary loyalty lie: as a citizen of America, or as a citizen of Iowa? Probably seems like a meaningless question. But around the nation, more and more states these days are enacting laws in opposition to those of the federal government, placing the loyalty question front and
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