Dahlia Ferlito: The law and order policies, under the guise of public safety, serve to indoctrinate the vast majority of white people into a culture that supports and promotes incarceration as the tool to solve so many of our racial and social problems.
Law and Justice
Why White People Should Care about Restoring Voting Rights
Dirty Tricks vs. Democracy
Tom Hastings: Trump is apparently setting the stage for a big round of pardons in anticipation of the conclusion of the Mueller investigation and the publication of James Comey’s revelatory book.
Terminal Velocity
The Face of Whiteness, Face of a World Burning
Paul Haeder: I just get tanked out sometimes, working my ass off as a social worker, getting food stamp wages while spinning my intellectual and emotional gearwork to save people, and then to be surrounded by checked out white folk.
Defense
Rethinking Weapons Exports
Kristin Christman: What’s the use of all that science in developing weapons if there’s no science in evaluating the application of weapons to real world problems?
Healthcare Reform
The Harsh Realities of the Cost of Childcare in the US
Kate Harveston: Free, low-cost and reimbursed childcare is available. However, like all other forms of welfare in the US, they are applicable only to those at or below the poverty line.
Elections & Campaigns
Buy Your Governor on eBay
Berry Craig: Buy Your Governor — The sale looks like the real deal. It is complete with a color photo of the Capitol, a seller handle–“carpetbaggerbevin”– an offer for free standard shipping and a returns policy: “Buyer pays to have seller returned to New Hampshire.” Bevin grew up in the Granite State.
How to Lose an Election. Repeatedly.
George A. Polisner: Your role as a candidate for office is to lead—state your position, prepare an emotionally connecting argument in support of it and bring people to you. This is how you lead.
Education
LA Charter Schools Write Their Own Rules
Carl Petersen: The LAUSD Charter School Division took the rare step of recommending that 14 charters be rejected by the LAUSD School Board. The crisis was avoided in last-minute negotiations that took place out of the view of the public.
Immigration Reform
Strong Sanctuary Policies Needed for California Schools
Ana Graciela Nájera Mendoza: all California public schools must have policies and procedures in place so that school teachers and administrators know how to respond if an immigration officer comes to campus to interview or arrest a student or to access a student’s educational records or information.
The Government’s Case Against California’s “Sanctuary” Policies Weak Legally
Jennie Pasquarella and Ruthie Epstein: Sessions’ challenge to SB 54 really gets to the heart of this administration’s hostility to jurisdictions that choose to prioritize community safety by disentangling their local criminal law enforcement activities from federal immigration enforcement.
