Politics as partisan blood sport may be fun to watch but may undermine discourse necessary for democracy. A study finds that online town halls may re-engage potential voters in the political process.
The growing inequality that triggered the Occupy protests, such as this one in Bennington, Vermont, is now registering as an issue with politicians at the highest level.
Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Case
The opportunity gap between well-off and poor American children is vast and, more alarmingly still, it is growing. Some political leaders are starting to take note of the grim consequences.
Could former Florida governor Jeb Bush (right) join his brother George (left) and father in having held America’s top office?
EPA/Shawn Thew
Political dynasties have played a significant role throughout America’s history. Their ongoing existence and prominence convey a level of inequality in access to political influence.
Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to be invited to address Congress without a US president’s consent or knowledge.
EPA/Michael Reynolds
For many Israelis, the potential danger of a bad deal with Iran pales in comparison to the damage caused to US-Israeli relations by Benjamin Netanyahu’s trickery.
In this 2008 photograph, former ambassador to the United Kingdom Robert H Tuttle greets President George W. Bush. Prior to becoming an ambassador, Tuttle was known for his empire of car dealerships.
Jason Reed/Reuters
If you want a desirable ambassadorship, becoming a Foreign Service Officer and earning the relevant degrees – in other words, accumulating experience – might not be the best plan of action.
As she plans her 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton is getting embroiled in the sort of influence-peddling fiasco that has dogged philanthropists for decades.
On January 11 1999, when Jon Stewart took over as host of The Daily Show from Craig Kilborn, no one could have predicted that, 16 years later, Stewart would become an icon of satire. Under Kilborn, the…
Over a decade ago I had no real interest in politics and current affairs. But all that changed when I unintentionally found myself watching The Daily Show for the very first time. The show was unlike anything…
If you’re in favor of copyright extensions – and aren’t a corporation holding the rights or a descendent of the original author – you probably need some sense knocked into you.
Flickr
In 1998, if Congress hadn’t extended copyrights by 20 years, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind would all be in the public domain…
Barack Obama outlined a vision of post-recession liberalism that was at once hopeful and limited in his State of the Union address.
EPA/Astrid Riecken
On Tuesday night (US time), President Barack Obama gave his second-last State of the Union address – and the last one that has the potential to shape his legacy. Next year the country will be caught up…
President Barack Obama has pointed to an improving economy and the need for a taxation system that shares the benefits in an agenda-setting State of the Union challenge to the Republican congressional…
The US Supreme Court will consider whether state bans on same-sex marriage are constitutional.
Flickr/vpickering
The US Supreme Court agreed last Friday to hear four cases about same-sex marriage. Essentially, this means that, having previously avoided doing so, the court will finally consider whether or not same-sex…
How well this lot can get along may depend most on the growing group of politicians hoping to sit in the president’s chair in two years.
Reuters
Given the contentiousness of recent fiscal negotiations, the prelude to the budget passed by the Senate last month was surprisingly placid. Will a uniquely unproductive Congress be followed by a more conciliatory…
Direct negotiations between top leaders may be the best and only way to get significant trade deals done, which requires fast-track authority.
Reuters
With the resounding Republican victory in November’s midterm elections, most pundits are despairing that Congress and President Barack Obama will find any areas for cooperation in the coming two years…
Stephen Colbert created an extraordinary character: a right-wing, bloviating pundit who was both outrageous and adorable.
Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
If you were following politics over the last few election cycles, you were most likely getting some of your information from satire. In fact, research has shown that in today’s political climate, satire…
As much as we like to think that we vote on substance – not style – studies have shown that physical appearance matters to voters.
Carlo Allegri/Reuters
While much of the 2014 midterm election analysis centered on the Republican takeover of the Senate, the pundits may have overlooked an important development: the end of a time when politicians looked a…
Obama announces the biggest Cuba policy shift in 50 years.
EPA/Doug Mills
In the United States and Cuba’s strained relationship over the past 50-odd years, certain key flashpoints stand out: the Bay of Pigs incident, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and many more. December 17 2014…
Professor of Economics and Finance. Director of the Betting Research Unit and the Political Forecasting Unit at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University