A lot of people feel pretty strongly about their political opinions. Often we feel like they are quite set in stone; based on some very deep values that won't change much.

A lot of people also feel like their opinions are based on well-thought-out logic and reasoning, from gathering evidence.

However, there's substantial evidence to suggest that when another tribe's opinions solidify on an issue, our tribe runs away--and we join them. Our opinions on important issues are often fluid and fickle, changing with political wind more than sound thinking.

A special city council meeting was recently held in Santa Fe, New Mexico to discuss the implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV). In March of 2008, voters in Santa Fe adopted a charter amendment to elect their public officials using RCV.

Here is a quick explanation of ranked choice voting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIz_nzP-W_c

Whatever your views on the tax bill, Roy Moore vs. Doug Jones or the Trump presidency, the last few weeks should trouble you if you love our country.

Partisan pundits from each of the two warring factions have declared victory or stunning, breathless defeat, depending on the outcome for their team. These three recent flash points demonstrate for me yet again the dangerous and unhealthy times we are in.

Each of these represents clearly the deep divides that drive our politics right now. It worries me. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

It's a development so surreal that you could easily mistake it for a satirical Onion headline as a commentary on how shockingly rampant the allegations of sexual abuse have been this year in the highest positions of power within politics and mainstream entertainment and news media.

The US Treasury released a press release Thursday announcing a new executive order signed by Donald Trump that imposes sanctions on new sanctions against human rights abusers around the world under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

Names on the list include former Gambia President Yahya Jammeh, President of Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council, Roberto Jose Rivas Reyes, international businessman Dan Gertler, and many more.

Read the full press release below:

Health care has been a dilemma in the U.S. for decades now. There’s been a lot of discussion about what the best way to fix our “broken” system is, but time and again, the government fails to take action. Could it be that the answer is staring us straight in the face?

Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act to use its formal name, was at first proposed with many of the features that you find in health care systems from nations like Canada and Germany. These are socialized systems that manage to provide competent care for all of the nation’s people.

District 5 City Councilman Mark Kersey joined IVN San Diego for our latest podcast to discuss the recent changes made by Council President Myrtle Cole to city council committees, the very public failure to pass a framework for Short Term Rentals, and a look ahead to 2018.

Kersey was critical of the moves to replace Republicans from several committee chair positions.

He also had pointed remarks of Councilman David Alvarez and the failure of the city council to reach a consensus on regulating Airbnb.

Listen to the podcast below:

It’s been a dramatic week in the race to fill the 94th District seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates. After the initial tabulation from the Nov. 7 election, incumbent David Yancy (R) led challenger Shelly Simonds (D) by just 10 votes (a margin of 0.0419 percent).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4pfwTHb7lY

Rand Paul may be back on the filibuster. This time, over reauthorization of FISA. He said Thursday that he will "absolutely filibuster" a long-term extension of the surveillance law.

Congress passed landmark tax reform legislation Wednesday that lowers the corporate tax rate to 21% and individual tax rates across most tax brackets.

After the final vote, AT&T sent out a memo to its employees as well as a press release saying it will invest $1 Billion in the US in 2018, and will give a $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 of its employees.