Moral Luck, Constitutive Luck

Luck plays a tremendous role in our lives. Consider two people who are texting while driving in a residential neighborhood: one such driver, through sheer coincidence, ends up striking a pedestrian, while the other driver passes through without incident. Though their behavior is identical, our reactions – and the view of the justice system – toward their behavior varies greatly and hinges considerably on the element of mere chance. In a sense, one driver was simply luckier than the other.

The latest headlines on nonpartisan voting rights are from Mississippi, Florida, Oklahoma, and California. Enjoy.

Petitioning for a jungle primary

Source: Mark Lane, Daytona Beach News-Journal

As much as Donald Trump called "foul" on tough questioning in the Fox debate, including the Big Question about whether everyone was committed to supporting the Republican nominee, from the point of view of independent voters, the questioners weren't nearly tough enough. Or, put another way, independent enough.

In a press release this week, the World Bank predicts that if the P5+1 deal with Iran clears congressional approval in the United States, oil will drop by $10 per barrel in 2016 as Iran's oil begins to hit the global markets.

This news comes as oil hit a six-year low this week, partially due to China's devaluation of the yuan.

I have had the honor of speaking to many extraordinary guests on my radio show.

Perhaps none has touched as many lives as Neale Donald Walsch. Walsch is the author of several books and other works, including the well-known Conversations with God series.

The subject of California’s top-two primary is expected to draw up to 200 people on August 19 in Sacramento. That’s when the Independent Voter Project and California Forward are sponsoring a day-long discussion of the electoral reform, which is now five years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk1XVu_N7Mg

U.S. President Barack Obama condemned gerrymandering for producing polarization in Congress. In Monday's NPR interview, Obama explained "there are real problems with how we are electing our representatives."

Republicans say Trump is honest and Democrats say Clinton is honest, but among all voters, both candidates come up short. How can you become a general election front-runner if most voters don't trust you?  --- former Maryland governor & Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley

Martin O'Malley makes an incredible point, one that the voters in both parties really need to address and focus on as the primary season unfolds.

FairVote and The Center for Competitive Democracy (The Center) have filed an amici curiae brief with the Supreme Court in a case that challenges the constitutionality of New Jersey's closed primary system.

Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig is exploring a Democratic presidential bid in 2016. Lessig's impetus to run is driven by his desire to pass the Citizen's Equality Act of 2017.

"Jefferson's truth, that all are created equal has become Orwell's meme that some are more equal that others," Lessig explains.