Politics
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Breaking Down the Oprah Factor in Politics
If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Oprah Winfrey will run for political office at some point. And if I lost that bet, I’d mos def put a dollar straight on the possibility that she is—at the very least—figuring out how to be the progressive black female version of the Koch Brothers. Recent movements…
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Obama Starts 4-Country European Trip With Russia as the Main Topic
President Obama will be touring some of Europe this week and handling one of the more delicate diplomatic dilemmas of his presidency as he tries to convince America’s allies to stand up to Russia, New York’s Daily News reports. The long-planned trip starts on Monday in the Netherlands, and with Russia’s recent takeover of Crimea, the…
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Millions Remain Uninsured As Affordable Care Act Deadline Approaches
As the March 31 deadline to sign up for HealthCare.gov looms, millions of Americans remain uninsured, the Associated Press reports. The finding comes even as President Obama, scores of advocates and volunteers race to spread the word about the new health law. Most of the uninsured do not know much about the law and its…
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Black Students Expelled or Suspended at Higher Rates Than Whites
Public school students of color face punishment more often and have less access to skilled and experienced educators than their white counterparts, the Huffington Post reports, citing surveys released Friday by the U.S. Department of Education. The surveys, which include data from every U.S. school district, shows that black students are suspended or expelled at…
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Congress Must Act to Protect the Fundamental Right to Vote—for All
This month we’ve honored the anniversaries of events that we hoped would change America forever. On March 21, 1965, hundreds of men and women began a peaceful march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery to stand up for one of the most cherished and fundamental rights in our democracy—the right to vote. But on Sunday, March…
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Obama Shifts Focus to Missing Malaysia Airlines Plane
In his first public comments since the as-yet-unexplained vanishing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, President Barack Obama is pledging that the jetliner is among America’s top priorities, the Associated Press reports. According to the report, Obama said Wednesday that all available U.S. resources, including the FBI, the National Transportation Safety Board and other offices that…
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The Fresh, New and Very White World of Startup Journalism
It’s a fascinating and bizarre development to watch, an emerging clique of the world’s smartest, snarkiest and data-driven geek-journalists battling for domination as Masters of the Wonkverse. While it’s been happening for some time, recent elections and the constant cycle of fact-checked talking points have created a rather lucrative market place for these startup operations.…
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Obama Goes Solo in His 2nd Term
In the weeks since his State of the Union, President Barack Obama has issued a series of executive orders designed to stem a tide of growing economic and racial inequality that threatens to undermine the fabric of American society. Obama’s efforts to pivot the political narrative toward a focus on economic injustice reflects the fact…
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Oprah to Headline at Virginia Democrat’s Fundraiser
All other Virginia Democrat campaigns, move aside: Oprah Winfrey is raising funds for Lavern Chatman, who is hoping to replace retiring Rep. Jim Moran, also a Democrat, New York’s Daily News reports. The talk-show icon will be the headliner at an April 5 fundraiser in Arlington. Chatman, former president of the Northern Virginia Urban League, says…
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President Obama Awards Medal of Honor to 24 Overlooked Minority Veterans
On Tuesday, President Obama awarded 24 minority U.S. soldiers, who collectively served in three of the nation’s wars and were never rewarded for their courage, with the Medal of Honor, reports the Associated Press. Only three of the 24 were alive for President Barack Obama to drape the medals and ribbons around their necks; the…