As the federal government goes into overdrive to dish out money to people and businesses, the Federal Reserve (FR) is buying up that new debt.

There is already more than $22 trillion in federal bond debt. The FR is buying $625 billion per week, or $2.5 trillion per month! Some of that is new debt because of all the massive new spending, but the rest is buying other US debt (if they keep up that buying pace). 

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on American life and the democratic process. Voters want a meaningful say in the 2020 elections, but they don’t want to risk their health to exercise their constitutionally-protected right to vote.

In response, the vote-at-home movement has gained significant traction as reformers and elections officials consider the best methods and practices to keep voters safe while protecting their civil rights. 

Originally published on The Fulcrum.

Sarat is a professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College.

Originally published on The Fulcrum.

The relatively new National Task Force on Election Crises has issued its concise but thorough guidance to states on how to plan for elections during the coronavirus outbreak.

COVID-19, like many global crises and catastrophes bring change. Sometimes permanently, often temporarily. Change comes in both positive and negative garbs. But change never fails to force itself upon society in the aftermath of human events.

As we navigate this pandemic, it is apparent that things in its wake will change and society will both modify its behavior as well as suffers its consequences These are the changes that will come.

Richie is president and Daley a senior fellow at FairVote, a nonpartisan electoral reform group that promotes ranked-choice voting. This month Daley published "Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy" (Liveright).

Originally published on The Fulcrum.

Advocates of open government are sounding the alarm that local, state and federal officials are too quickly sacrificing public access to the cause of public health during the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is the worst time to be putting up obstacles to access," said Daniel Bevarly, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, a group of state and national organizations promoting access to the meetings and records of government.

In his March 15 commentary, Sen. Angus King wishes Maine a Happy Birthday and another 200 years. He is certain history will repeat itself.

OK. What will he and Maine’s congressional delegation do to ensure it? Will they adhere to our state motto to lead and demand that Congress implement true political election reform? Let’s demand it of them!

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and devastating impact on American society and the economy. All 50 states and the president have declared a state of emergency, and over 100 million Americans now live under stay-at-home orders.

As social distancing forces more isolation on an already fractured nation, one of the leading organizations behind civil dialogue is developing programming to keep people connected.

The National Conversation Project, a coalition of more than 300 organizations that develops virtual and in-person programming to help bridge divides through listening and sharing, launched the #WeavingCommunities effort this week to help people keep communicating during the coronavirus shutdown.