Politics & Current Events

The Cop Who Sold Protection Former New York City police officer Michael Dowd turned the authority of his badge into protection for criminals. While serving in Brooklyn’s 75th Precinct during the crack epidemic, Dowd admitted protecting drug dealers and stealing money and drugs. He also used police information and authority for personal profit. Drug traffickers

A Popular Claim That Needs Context The claim that Black women are the most educated group in America reflects real and impressive educational progress, but the statistics require more context. “Most educated” can mean college enrollment, degrees earned, bachelor’s degrees, graduate degrees, or progress compared with men of the same race. Black women outperform Black

A Problem Inside the Department For years, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has faced allegations that deputy gangs and cliques operated within some stations. Groups known as the Banditos and Executioners drew serious scrutiny from the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission. Their alleged activities became the subject of formal investigations into deputy

Truth, Perception, and the Cost of Change Changing what people believe is often easier than changing reality. Words are easy, but real change takes money, effort, sacrifice, and a willingness to deal with the results. Eventually, reality catches up with the story because systems still have to work and people still have to live with

The Question Behind Project Meridian Project Meridian raises an important question about who should help shape the future of U.S. military technology. MITRE is leading the initiative. Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are serving as co-directors alongside experts in business, technology, policy, and national security. Advising the government is not

What Happened in Tennessee Christa Pike was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Tennessee on September 30, 2026, but she survived after the state administered two doses of pentobarbital. Her attorneys say she was later hospitalized in critical condition, unconscious and on a ventilator. They have asked a court to require Tennessee to

Not Everybody Online Is Who They Claim to Be The person in your comments telling you what to believe politically may be exactly who they claim to be—or they may not. Fake personas, coordinated influence networks, and AI-assisted political content are now part of the online environment. Recent investigations have documented China-linked operations using AI

When Words Carry History Some political phrases carry more weight than their words suggest. One that has always stayed with me is, “No one is above the law.” The principle matters: everyone should be accountable under the same legal system. But people who have experienced or witnessed unequal treatment may hear those words differently. One

The Question Beneath the Comparison History and artificial intelligence raise a similar economic question under very different circumstances: what happens when ordinary people can no longer depend on their labor to support themselves? The Civil War was fundamentally driven by slavery, its protection, and the struggle over its expansion. But Northern opposition to slavery also

Before You Cast That Vote The 2026 midterms are about more than the names at the top of the ballot. Before you vote, take time to understand every office, candidate, and ballot measure you will be asked to consider. There is no presidential race in 2026, but depending on where you live, your ballot may