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Statistics Don't lie; People Do: The Science of Political Polling

The quote, popularized by Mark Twain, who attributed it (

erroneously?) to the 19th-century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, speaks volumes.

Facts, as often reported, may be based on statistics. Statistics are based on data -- data which is inherently based on a collection of opinions. The danger of statistics is that what we often see reported as fact may not be as reliable as we are led to believe.

Will Colorado Be The Next State To Adopt Nonpartisan Elections?

Most of the country ‘s political scene is looking toward the new year and the upcoming

midterm elections in November wondering how a new congressional makeup might change the current political deadlock or reinvigorate the last two years of President Obama’s term in office.

Infographic: America Is Not The Greatest Democracy in the World

As 2013 came to a close, Global Democracy Ranking published its annual report on the quality of democracy around the world, including a list of the best and worst democracies. Global Democracy Ranking is a non-profit organization based in Vienna, Austria and has been studying the growth and quality of democracy around the world for a decade.

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Is Ted Cruz the Real Deal or a Passing Fad?

In office barely a year, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is a hot political commodity, but what does his future hold?

History is littered with personalities who rose and faded quickly. Icarus flew too close to the sun before his wings melted in a warning against soaring too high. Before Joseph McCarthy's name became synonymous with baseless accusations, he had the power to wreck careers. In the opposite corner, then-State Senator Barack Obama delivered a stirring speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and just 4 years later was elected president.

Social Media Trend: Twitter Use Among World Leaders Increases 93% in 2 Years

By the end of 2013, 4 out of 5 world leaders were using Twitter, according to the Digital Policy Council.

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California Senators to NSA: Not So Fast, We Follow the Fourth Amendment

A bipartisan team of California lawmakers is pushing a bill through California's legislature that would prevent any state-related entity from disclosing information on citizens to federal agents without a warrant. State Senators Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Joel Anderson (R-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 828, also called the

Fourth Amendment Protection Act, on Monday.

Independent Voter Project Withdraws Initiative: Asks SOS if 2012 Election Was Conducted Properly

In 2012, California held its first elections under its new nonpartisan "Top-Two" Primary system. All statewide elections in California, except for the office of president, were conducted under this system. The presidential primary was, instead, conducted under the old semi-closed partisan primary rules.

Rand Paul Back on the Filibuster: Federal Reserve, You're Up

Update 1/6/2014 3:15 PM PT: Final vote on Janet Yellen's confirmation: 56 Yes to 26 No

Update 1/6/2014 3:00 PM PT: The vote to confirm Janet Yellen as the new chair of the Federal Reserve began at approximately 2:30. The vote has reached a simple majority. Final vote to come.

Update 1/6/2014 2:15 PM PT: Rand Paul's Facebook page announced that his flight to DC was delayed. He will not be in chamber for the vote.

In the 21st Century, Are We Still a Tribalistic People?

A philosopher, who is a friend of my mentor, stated that he believes humans are still racially tribalistic. People gravitate toward those of the same ethnicity when finding a place to live, whether it be conscious or subconscious.

What he pointed to was an interactive map that displayed ethnically color-coded dots for each household based on 2010 census data. Many urban centers of population are diverse as a whole, but within the cities are distinguishable communities grouped by ethnicity.

Competitors In NY's 11th Congressional District Fight for Moderate Vote

When one thinks of the political “center” of America, the 11th Congressional District in New York, comprised of Staten Island and southern Brooklyn, is hardly the first image that comes to mind.