When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and without decency; their sole object is gain.― Napoléon Bonaparte

Napoléon was probably crying sour grapes at the fact that his military campaigns in Europe were often funded by the bankers in the countries he was trying to subdue -- and that money always has its price politically.

As the number of Republican presidential candidates grows on a seemingly daily basis, the Democratic field is slowly becoming more crowded. It now includes Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, Lincoln Chafee, and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision was a strong affirmation of California’s independent redistricting process and constitutional right of voters to prevent self-interested gerrymandering by state legislatures.

Without a doubt, the court granted a victory to the power of voters and their authority to enact important reforms through voter-led initiatives.

Almost one year away from the 2016 primary, one North Carolina representative is already facing a primary challenge.

Perhaps the Export-Import Bank is a relic from the New Deal era, but that doesn't mean that Republicans are opposed to it. The Ex-Im Bank has served a purpose for around three quarters of a century and has benefited small as well as big businesses and it is about to expire at the end of June if the Democrats and Republicans can't agree on how to pass a reauthorization.

Between September and December 2014, you probably heard a lot about Millennials. Prior to the election, the conversations and articles likely focused on "Will they vote?" Afterwards it shifted to, "Why didn't they vote?"

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised at today's Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the United States.

Not in the outcome -- in my mind that was all but a foregone conclusion. But instead, in the way it played out.

I was banking on one of two things: a convoluted split-majority opinion that would force the issues to be fought out in the lower courts for more years to come while upholding current pro-rulings, or a unanimous decision in favor.

In the United States, every citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote a congressman or congresswoman into office to represent the interests of his or her district -- except for roughly 650,000 citizens who have the misfortune of living within a 100 square mile grid surrounding the nation’s capitol.

As many readers of IVN may already know, 43% of American voters self-identify as independents, and that number looks like it's going to continue to climb.

A reader on my own blog recently asked me, "what's preventing Independents from uniting and becoming a new majority, perhaps as the Modern Whigs?"