Politics

Mike Waltz questions the US Department of Defense spending USD 90000 on a small bag of equipment parts at a hearing on the US military budget for fiscal year 2025 on April 17.

Trump is bragging about them now

Trump rejected numbers showing a homicide drop as a lie in 2024

Ryan gives explanation for expensive military hammer in video

Meaningful campaign finance reform is the single most promising avenue for change

Democratic political reforms including ranked choice voting and open primaries can break the two-party duopoly's stranglehold and give voters more choice and voice

Analysis of 1779 policy outcomes found economic elites and business groups have substantial impact on US government policy while average citizens have little influence

Mass interest groups have a small amount of power

Low influence means Congress passes laws that have no relationship to what you want

Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page measured political influence of various groups in America then checked against definitions of democracy oligarchy and other forms of government

Business groups have a moderate amount of power because they can afford to spend more on lobbying and political donations

Government does not care what 90% of Americans think

Evanston deactivated Flock license plate readers terminated its contract and ordered cameras taken down

ICE is using facial recognition software against suspected undocumented migrants and protesters

ICE officers told a legal observer they were considered a domestic terrorist

Police departments could access Ring footage without permission or a warrant in 2022

Police obtained footage without a warrant or user consent

Flock granted CBP access to its license plate readers in Illinois in August

Legal framework placed police and protesters in this situation

After 1978 lessons were learned parliament engaged in serious law reform