Posts Tagged: US

The United States Congress: Myths and Facts

Too many Americans don’t know what Congress is, or how it works. Congress has most of the political power in the United States. Public support for Congress has reached another all-time low. Our disapproval should be based in reality, not in fantasy, rumor, or ignorance. Our schools don’t bother to teach this stuff. What’s aRead… Read more »

Federal Agencies Plan to Increase No-Bid Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses in 2013

In an effort to improve small business contracting opportunities the Office of Budget and Management has issued a recommendation to all federal agencies to analyze their no-bid contracting process. No-bid contracting opportunities dropped 4% this past year while large prime vendor profits continued to rise. U.S. Congressman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the chairman of the HouseRead… Read more »

The Postal Service Is Not a GOP Target

Congressional Republicans Just Want You to Think It Is. Unlike most Americans, many members of Congress have actually read the United States Constitution. They know what it would take to abolish the postal service and they do not intend to do it. The Constitution requires Congress “To establish Post Offices and post Roads”. Thus, closingRead… Read more »

“They” are the problem, “it’s them,” am I right?

“We the People …” is perhaps the most powerful opening clause ever uttered on this planet. Yet how many of “We,” really take to heart what those three words mean on a personal level? When it comes to the state of civic participation in the United States today, to paraphrase Jimmy Buffett perhaps, “We areRead… Read more »

Gov 1310: an Adult Learner’s Experience with the Harvard Cheating Scandal

Among the great experiences of the year just past for me was the opportunity to learn about the US Congress through the Harvard Extension School from Professor Matthew B. Platt in the class Gov 1310. … Yes that class. Nearly one year since the first session of Gov 1310 and headlines about the class continueRead… Read more »

The 113th Congress Opens for Business

Just What is a “Congress” Anyway? Every two years, Congress reboots. Like a bright New Year’s Day, it’s fresh, and clean, and brief. The 113th Congress assembled on Thursday, January 3 – a day for family and tradition, smiles and handshakes. They’ll return to the backstabbing soon enough. For some reason, many Americans think thatRead… Read more »

Political Leaders (Sort of) Address Changing Face of Government Business

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending a Tech Town Hall hosted by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and Microsoft. The event brought together Virginia U.S. Senate candidates George Allen and Tim Kaine, along with a number of business leaders like Jim Sheaffer, President, North American Sector, CSC; Dendy Young, Managing Partner, McLeanRead… Read more »

Health Reform Case Illustrates Supreme Court Process

Learn How the Supreme Court Works This week, the United States Supreme Court is hearing arguments about whether the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is constitutional. Republicans call it “Obamacare” and claim that it reforms health care. It does no such thing. PPACA does not change the way doctors treat patients. It changesRead… Read more »

Nationwide Grassroots Project Will Amend U.S. Constitution to End Corporate Power in Elections

Restore American democracy. Corporations are not people. Who inspires you? Abolitionists? Suffragists? Union organizers? Civil rights workers? Peace activists? Occupiers? They all have one thing in common. They were ordinary people faced with extraordinary injustice. Then they stood up, walked out of their comfort zones, and into history. They made the world better for allRead… Read more »