On Politics

GovExec Daily: Women Bring Skills – and Face Different Challenges – in Government

Debbie Walsh, director of the Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics, joins the podcast to discuss how gender can shape elections and governance.

How to Disagree without Fighting

Professor Dan Edelstein has five tips for how to disagree productively. Democracy depends on it, he says.

Special Counsels, like the One Leading the Department of Justice’s Investigation of Trump, Are Intended to Be Independent – but They Aren’t Entirely

Special counsels are not entirely independent, but they do still help administrations avoid the perception of bias.

Conspiracy-Minded People Were More Likely to Hesitate on COVID Vax

New research shows that people who had a conspiracy mindset before the pandemic were more likely to believe fake info about COVID.

Voter Intimidation in 2022 Follows a Long History of Illegal, and Racist, Bullying

Any behavior reasonably calculated to dissuade a person from participating in an election is intimidation.

Political Violence In America Is Not Going Away Anytime Soon

The rise in contemporary right-wing political extremism – and violence – can be traced back to events in the 1990s

How to Outsmart Election Disinformation

The 2022 midterms are here, and so too is a wave of concerning new mis- and disinformation trends. Here’s how to tell the two apart — and what you and your loved ones can do to avoid falling for them.

Conspiracy Theories Are Dangerous Even if Very Few People Believe Them

Worrying about how many people believe false ideas misses the real danger – that people are influenced by them whether they believe them or not.

Study Gauges Americans’ Views on Military Intervention

The United States public prefers when the country works with other military powers, protects civilians, and resolves conflict peacefully, research on military intervention finds.

Americans Think They Know a Lot about Politics – and It’s Bad for Democracy that They’re so Often Wrong in Their Confidence

Many Americans think they know much more about politics than they really do. That overconfidence can thwart democratic politics.

Sounding the Alarm on Extremism, Biden Says ‘MAGA Republicans’ Pose Threat to Democracy

Thursday’s speech marks Biden’s second visit to Pennsylvania — a battleground state with high-stakes elections this fall — in the past week

Prosecuting a President Is Divisive and Sometimes Destabilizing – Here’s Why Many Countries Do It Anyway

Both sweeping immunity and overzealous prosecutions of former leaders can undermine democracy. But such prosecutions pose different risks for older democracies like the U.S. than in younger ones.

A Deep Dive Into the Widening Mortality Gap Across the Political Aisle

New research examines how an area’s political environment can affect its mortality rate.

Americans May Forgive Lies from Their Party’s Politicians

Americans are more forgiving of lies when they come from politicians in their own party, research finds.

Why Retiring from Politics is More Complicated for Women

Women in politics, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, face unique challenges when it comes to aging and family life.

Scientists Identify the Missing Ingredient for Climate Action: Political Will

The IPCC's latest report finally recognizes the social barriers to climate action.