Reports of Military Sexual Assault Increase 50% in 2013

According to a report by the Associated Press, the number of sexual assaults reported in 2013 increased dramatically by 50 percent compared to 2012. The report highlights a serious problem in the military that has gone mostly under-reported in the mainstream media even though there were serious scandals and new legislation passed in Congress to protect the rights of victims and strip commanders of the authority to overturn jury convictions.

ACLU v. Clapper: You Have No Privacy Right in Any Information You Share

US District Judge William Pauley ruled today in ACLU v. Clapper that the NSA can collect massive amounts of data on everyday citizens, without a warrant. This includes "virtually all call records and telephone metadata."In other words, .

Although the NSA assures citizens that the actual contents of phone calls are not recorded, the opinion states that, "since May 2006, has collected this information for substantially every telephone call in the United States."

Here's the nuts and bolts of why this is important:

Merry Christmas Grandpa: I Bought You Some Stock in Hospitals

I’m not an expert on Obamacare, but I know enough to know that people have to buy health care now.

Today, hospitals don’t collect on two-thirds of their bills. This means, for every dollar the hospital charges its customers, the average customer actually pays $.33

Now I’m not an economist, but I know enough to know that when a company has to give away most of its product for free, its going to increase the price of the rest.

I am a product of my family, including my grandpa -- a life-long Republican, until recently.

Ending Gerrymandering Is Easy If Voters Are Up To The Challenge

Every 10 years, this nation conducts a census, a count of all people living in the 50 states. Immediately following the release of the results, the 435 members of the House of Representatives are reapportioned followed by the states redrawing both congressional and state legislative districts.

7 Most 'Independent' Politicians in 2013

2013 was an 'off' year politically for the vast majority of Americans. There was no presidential election where one-liners like "I've got binders full of women" or "you didn't build that" were drilled into the American psyche. Similarly, the most exciting politician wasn't even an American. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford takes that category hands down.

Yet, 7 politicians stuck out this year as the most 'independent.' For this list, independent means going outside a particular party's interest for better or worse.

Top 10 Issues That Matter the Most to Independent Voters in 2013

If 2013 has taught us one thing about the American electorate, it's that independent-minded voters are the new norm in the political sphere. 

Since 2008, the number of registered independents has risen by 2,484,104, representing an 11.19 percent increase. Meanwhile, support for both major parties is rapidly dropping, with less than 1 percent of new voters registering with either the Republican or Democratic party.