American two-party politics is fairly described as a polarized fight between the left and right. Mutual distrust, contempt, fear and anger, and collective “animosity” drive the polarization. For the most part, the warring sides clash based on differing ideological faiths, values, and perceptions of reality. The resulting policy choices are usually starkly different.

The Republican Party is holding its first presidential debate on August 6, to be televised on Fox News. Fox has decided against inviting all 17 declared presidential candidates to the main debate, and will limit inclusion to the 10 candidates with the highest average poll rating among five recent credible (if still undefined) national polls of Republican voters.

Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has made health care a central plank in his platform. At a rally on July 30 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Sanders declared that "we need to expand Medicare to cover every man, woman and child as a single-payer national health-care program."

IVN (Independent Voter Network) announced Tuesday that T.J. O’Hara has joined the IVN team of contributors as a Principal Political Analyst. As such, Mr. O’Hara will provide analyses of many of our nation’s most challenging political issues, as well as insight into possible solutions -- all from a nonpartisan perspective.

Forbes reported Monday that the likelihood of a government shutdown in 2015 has jumped from 40 percent to 60 percent, meaning it is "more likely than not that a government shutdown will result from the craziness going on in Washington."

On Sunday's Last Week Tonight, John Oliver made the case that residents of Washington, D.C. should be represented by a member of Congress who can vote on their behalf.  

While D.C.’s population is larger than Vermont and Wyoming and the territory’s gross domestic product is higher than that of 16 states, residents do not have full representation in our political process, Oliver argues. 

Residents of Utah are preparing for a different system for selecting general election candidates, but a third party is teaming up with a major party to maintain the status quo.

The Republican Party is now one candidate short of fielding two baseball teams. And they’re scratching their heads over the current frontrunner—Donald Trump—a candidate even the Koch brothers don’t support.

As reported by Richard Winger on Ballot Access News, the Senate State Government Committee will hold a hearing on September 22 regarding SB 495, the Voter's Choice Act, which aims to enhance ballot access in Pennsylvania for minor party candi

Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico and potential 2016 Libertarian presidential candidate, discussed the current lawsuit challenging the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) in an exclusive interview for IVN.