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'Religious Freedom Laws': The Jim Crow Laws of the 21st Century

There is an old axiom that history repeats itself. Some may dispute this claim, but it is hard to argue with what a person can witness happening right in front of them. One just has to pay attention and know history to know what the outcome of certain things will be.

After the Reconstruction period ended following the Civil War, southern states (the old Confederacy) began enacting Jim Crow laws. These laws mandated that all public facilities be segregated. They were also used in an attempt to keep African-Americans from voting and even to keep interracial marriage illegal.

Advocates Say Marijuana Bill Lays the Groundwork for Future Reform

Three U.S. senators joined forces in March on a bill that would

legalize medical marijuana under federal law.

Utilities Wage War Against Solar Power

Solar power has arrived. With the average price of solar cells down by 60 percent since 2010, the industry is responding to market demand. According to a study from researchers at Cambridge University, photovoltaics will soon out compete fossil fuel energy even if oil prices drop to $10 a barrel.

Needless to say, the major utility companies are not happy.

Google Searches Suggest Voters Are Not as Apathetic as You Think

Alex Street, an assistant professor of political science at Carroll College, published an article in The Washington Post's column, Monkey Cage, on Thursday, in which he says millions of voters are prevented from voting in general elections even when they want to. According to Street, part of the problem is early voter registration requirements in many states.

South Dakota Voters Lose Choice At Ballot Box

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed a bill dramatically changing the laws governing ballot access for Independent candidates just months after an Independent took 17% of the vote in a statewide election.

The bill, Senate Bill 69, an act to revise certain provisions regarding elections and election petitions, specifically addresses how many signatures an Independent candidate must collect to get on the ballot, and who is allowed to sign the candidate's petition.

Federal Regulators Take First Step to Limit Unaffordable Payday Loans

The Washington Post reported Thursday that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has introduced

new rules to rein in unaffordable payday loans and regulate the $50 billion industry. This is the first time federal regulators have targeted short-term lenders in an effort to protect low-income borrowers from getting pulled into debt they cannot get out of.

Two Campaigns Say Americans Deserve More Options in Presidential Debates

Two campaigns to alter the process of presidential debates are working to change the rules set by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).

Change the Rule aims to add an alternative route for minor parties and independents to participate in the CPD-sponsored debates, while Open Debates wants to create an entirely new debate process.

Efforts to Eliminate Daylight Saving Time Have Spread Nationwide

Daylight Savings first

originated in Germany during World War I to save electricity, and the UK quickly followed their lead.

Supreme Court: Voting Rights Act Still Applies

On Wednesday, the

Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in the consolidated cases of Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama and Alabama Democratic Conference v.

The Hard Truth to Improving America's Infrastructure: We Need to Spend More Money

America's infrastructure is in serious jeopardy. The

American Society of Civil Engineers, rating America's infrastructure on 16 different categories, gives America a "D+" on the state of the infrastructure.

The report is clear, America's infrastructure is aging, insufficient, and becoming dangerous. Rather than doing something about it, politicians on both sides of the aisle cave to political pressure and ignore the problem completely.