# american democracy (news sources) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover american democracy. Page: Feed: --- ## [David Becker on Defending U.S. Elections from New Threats](https://thefulcrum.us/elections/the-truth-about-us-election-security-and-resilience) _2026-08-22 · David L. Nevins · The Fulcrum_ The Unity Forum presented by Alumni for Freedom & Democracy and the Fulcrum is a cross‑partisan civic education program that strengthens reasoned discourse and advances a more open society. Each episode features respected experts who help audiences make sense of current events, elevate civil dialogue, and deepen public understanding of the social, legal, and institutional challenges confronting… ## [A Democracy Cannot Run on an AI Model](https://thefulcrum.us/elections/ai-election-administration-verification-safeguards) _2026-08-22 · Davis Austria · The Fulcrum_ Tallying the results of Washington, D.C.’s first ranked-choice election last month took about 10 days – longer than many voters are used to. In an age when artificial intelligence can generate an answer in seconds, waiting days for election results can feel old-fashioned, inefficient, even suspicious. But that slowness may be one of its most democratic features. I come to this question from health… ## [(Don't Fear) Money in Politics](https://thefulcrum.us/money-politics/dont-fear-money-in-politics) _2026-08-22 · Nathan Smolensky · The Fulcrum_ In late June, the Supreme Court ruled against limits upon state political party spending in federal elections. The specter of Money in Politics, already looming large, grew several sizes. It begs the question, naturally: just how much will all this additional inflow affect our elections? And can anyone compete against so much damn money? In late November 2020, the website OpenSecrets reported that… ## [Protecting Immigrant Families from Over-Surveillance](https://thefulcrum.us/chicago-surveillance-transparency-axon-police-contracts) _2026-08-22 · ​​Aarón Ortíz · The Fulcrum_ For months, Chicago has been a focal point of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Across our neighborhoods, families live with uncertainty and fear as loved ones are detained and separated from their communities. Few Chicagoans have escaped the emotional toll of these operations. As a lifelong Gage Park resident and child of immigrants, these events are personal to me.… ## [Has Donald Trump lost his golden touch?](https://thefulcrum.us/ethics-leadership/has-trump-lost-his-golden-touch-analysis) _2026-08-22 · S.E. Cupp · The Fulcrum_ On Tuesday night, Darline Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, revealed somewhat awkwardly that she is entirely unprepared to be a U.S. senator. At a South Carolina debate , she was asked a perfectly reasonable and straightforward question: “Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States?” And, “If so, why?” She sheepishly responded, “I’m just going to… ## [Walling In, Walling Out](https://thefulcrum.us/community/walling-in-walling-out-social-media-polarization) _2026-08-21 · Corey Nathan · The Fulcrum_ In the 1980s, comedian Steven Wright had a bit about Smokey the Bear. When we were kids, we must’ve seen the old PSA a thousand times. “Only you can prevent forest fires.” As Wright recalls Smokey’s warning, he points at himself with a questioning look as if to say, “Me?” That bit came to mind the other day when I saw the post of a friend from high school that started out by saying, “If you… ## [America Has an Uncontested Elections Problem](https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-reforms/uncontested-usa-elections) _2026-08-21 · Rafael Gonzalez · The Fulcrum_ Richard Neal, the congressman representing Massachusetts’ 1st district, is concluding his 19th congressional term this year. In many ways, Neal is a typical long-tenured congressperson. However, Congressman Neal is distinguished by having been elected to Congress uncontested more times than anyone in post-civil rights American history. Neal owes his long tenure in part to the uncompetitive… ## [America’s Housing Crisis Needs More Than Simple Repairs](https://thefulcrum.us/economy/american-housing-market) _2026-08-21 · Robert Cropf · The Fulcrum_ My wife and I recently moved into a charming Victorian house built in 1879, when Rutherford B. Hayes was president. Despite nearly a century and a half of wear, it remains a beautiful home. But living in it has taught me an important lesson: there’s a world of difference between a house that looks sound and one that is structurally sound. The floors slope noticeably from room to room. Windows… ## [Everyone is campaigning on ‘affordability’ that no one can deliver](https://thefulcrum.us/governance-legislation/affordability-politics-analysis) _2026-08-21 · Jonah Goldberg · The Fulcrum_ Remember “affordability” mania? The time was 2025. A young, charismatic democratic socialist candidate for New York City mayor named Zohran Mamdani became a viral sensation. His secret? “Affordability.” Ask him about almost anything and he’d turn the conversation to affordability. When a reporter asked Mamdani to respond to President Trump’s claim that he was the better-looking politician, Mamdani… ## [The Trump Administration Is Losing Its Fight to Take Over Elections](https://thefulcrum.us/rule-of-law/2026-midterms-trump-administration) _2026-08-21 · Andrew Garber · The Fulcrum_ The Trump administration has expended significant resources trying to meddle in elections ahead of the midterms. This coordinated campaign includes attempts to limit who can vote, wrestle away states’ authority over elections, and undermine public confidence in election outcomes. So far, virtually everything the administration has tried has been blocked by courts, failed in Congress, or simply… ## [Watch chovy live code (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/b3tjE4tNDPBC) _2026-08-21 · **Sponsored**_ Join Mosh Coding streams with collaborative screen sharing and remote control, open source. ## [Millions Using Unapproved Peptides as FDA Debates Regulation](https://thefulcrum.us/governance-legislation/fda-peptide-regulation) _2026-08-20 · Robert Pearl · The Fulcrum_ Peptides, the short chains of amino acids that help regulate biological functions, have become the latest obsession in health, fitness, and longevity. Online clinics and wellness influencers promote them as ways to heal injuries, reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, sharpen thinking, and slow aging. Today, these substances are part of a growing gray market. A recent Forbes report estimates… ## [Political Conduct Still Matters, But Not How You Might Think](https://thefulcrum.us/ethics-leadership/political-conduct-still-matters-voter-aspirations) _2026-08-20 · Rich Harwood · The Fulcrum_ When Graham Platner’s senate campaign imploded last month, the first thing that came to mind was a comment by one of his campaign strategists, who also advises many other major political figures today. They said , “Part of our thesis here is that people do not want their candidates grown in vats… they want people who do not look and sound like the vat-grown people who’ve been leading this country… ## [Affordability Crisis: From The Great Compression to the Great Divide](https://thefulcrum.us/economy/u-s-income-inequality) _2026-08-20 · Hugh Campbell · The Fulcrum_ Trickle-down policies facilitated the transition from the mid-20th century "Great Compression “characterized by low-wage inequality and strong labor unions—to the "Great Divide" by shifting the economic focus from mass purchasing power to capital accumulation through massive tax cuts and deregulation. The Great Compression Following World War II, the United States experienced an unprecedented… ## [What Does the China–U.S. Trade Truce Mean for American Industry?](https://thefulcrum.us/economy/china-us-trade-truce-impact-on-american-industry) _2026-08-20 · Kylie Maddox · The Fulcrum_ This nonpartisan policy brief, written by an ACE fellow, is republished by The Fulcrum as part of our partnership with the Alliance for Civic Engagement and our NextGen initiative — elevating student voices, strengthening civic education, and helping readers better understand democracy and public policy. What Happened at the May 2026 Trump-Xi Summit? The May 2026 Trump-Xi summit signaled a… ## [Arizona Youth Tell Lawmakers: Climate Change Can’t Wait](https://thefulcrum.us/environment/arizona-youth-climate-activists) _2026-08-20 · Stephanie Casanova · The Fulcrum_ When Carmen De Backer was a toddler, she would sit on the couch staring at photos of wildlife in the worn pages of National Geographic magazines her mom bought at the thrift store. She couldn’t read the articles so she would ask her older sisters to tell her about the wildlife in the photos. That’s where her love for and curiosity about nature started. Throughout grade school, she would revisit… ## [The White Chip Tickets](https://pacificsun.com/the-white-chip-giveaway/) _2026-08-20 · Bridget Bradley-Scaife · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Enter for a chance to win tickets to The White Chip at the Marin Theatre in Mill Valley playing August 27–September 20. Drawing September 3, 2026. ## [Carlos Reyes Tickets](https://pacificsun.com/carlos-reyes-giveaway/) _2026-08-19 · Bridget Bradley-Scaife · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Enter for a chance to win tickets to Carlos Reyes with Special Guests at the Inn at Occidental View's Sunset Concert Series on Sunday, September 13. Drawing Date is September 7, 2026. ## [Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Tickets](https://pacificsun.com/mill-valley-fall-arts-festival-giveaway/) _2026-08-19 · Bridget Bradley-Scaife · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Enter to win tickets to the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival at Old Mill Park in Mill Valley on September 19–20. Drawing Date is September 10, 2026. ## [Sonoma County VegFest Tickets](https://pacificsun.com/sonoma-county-vegfest-giveaway/) _2026-08-19 · Bridget Bradley-Scaife · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Enter for a chance to win tickets to Sonoma County VegFest at Santa Rosa Veterans Building on September 26. Drawing Date is September 17, 2026. ## [Stu Allen & Mars Hotel Tickets](https://pacificsun.com/stu-allen-giveaway/) _2026-08-19 · Bridget Bradley-Scaife · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Enter for a chance to win tickets to Stu Allen & Mars Hotel at the Inn at Occidental View's Sunset Concert Series on Sunday, October 11. Drawing Date is October 5, 2026. ## [Earn crypto for idle GPUs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/NzM9f75mFwLY) _2026-08-19 · **Sponsored**_ Run one CLI, host Qwen/Llama/Mistral, and earn BTC, ETH, SOL, or USDC ## [Island Hopping at the Paper Mill](https://pacificsun.com/st-john-paper-mill/) _2026-08-19 · Weeklys Staff · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Five bands from St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands make an unlikely migration from Caribbean beaches to the redwoods for a free afternoon of psychedelic, island-inflected funk, rock and pop at Paper Mill Creek Saloon. The impromptu gathering arose after the bands found themselves stranded on the West Coast following the collapse of San \[…\] ## [Big Tech’s Solutions to Mental Health Bring Bigger Problems](https://thefulcrum.us/media-technology/ai-mental-health) _2026-08-19 · Paul Fugelsang · The Fulcrum_ While America is suffering a mental health crisis, the good news is that tens of millions of people are getting help. In 2023, 60 million adults reported having sought counseling or treatment in the previous year, and the numbers continue to rise . Psychotherapy works because of what’s known as the therapeutic frame, a set of boundaries that create safety and structure for patients and clinicians.… ## [The Democratic Socialists of America Is Not What It Seems](https://thefulcrum.us/democracy/democratic-socialists-of-america) _2026-08-19 · Ronald L. Hirsch · The Fulcrum_ I liked what I knew about the DSA. I liked what Democratic DSA candidates were saying (with some exceptions). Because I believe strongly that our government must be more about the people in order to be true to our founding principles, and industry should have less power. And so I was in agreement with Democrats who are socialists (with a small "s"); indeed, none of the Democratic DSA candidates… ## [The Erosion of Judicial Integrity](https://thefulcrum.us/rule-of-law/supreme-court-judicial-integrity-crisis) _2026-08-19 · George Tyler · The Fulcrum_ The partisanship of the Roberts Supreme Court Republicans violates the neutrality central to the rule of law's legitimacy. Moreover, the Founding Fathers, including James Madison, Thomas Jefferson , John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton, viewed avaricious oligarchs and seditious demagogues as the two gravest threats to democracy. They would doubtlessly view the Roberts Republicans – with rulings… ## [Dan Osborn is Ready to Represent the Working Class in Congress. Is Nebraska Ready to Let Him?](https://thefulcrum.us/elections/dan-osborn-working-class-congress-nebraska-2026) _2026-08-19 · Matt Shinners, Independent Voter News · The Fulcrum_ Independent voters now represent the largest share of the American electorate, and yet they remain mostly unrepresented in federal office. Both major parties have spent decades optimizing for their bases, almost always leaving the near majority of Americans who identify as independent with the choice of either voting for a party candidate they don't fully support or staying home. A handful of… ## [Peggy Flanagan Could Make History for Native American Women in November. She’s Not the Only One.](https://thefulcrum.us/inclusion-diversity/native-american-women-in-politics-2026) _2026-08-19 · Mel Leonor Barclay · The Fulcrum_ Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan easily won Minnesota’s Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat, according to Decision Desk HQ, putting her a step closer to becoming the first Native American woman elected to the chamber. Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, is not the only Native woman who could make history this year: In New Mexico, former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, a… ## [Beyond the Meal: Kieawnie Clar’s Fight for Dignity and Belonging](https://pacificsun.com/beyond-the-meal-kieawnie-clars-fight-for-dignity-and-belonging/) _2026-08-18 · Nikki Silverstein · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Everyone dreads spending hours in the bathroom the night before a colonoscopy. But what if one doesn’t have access to a toilet? An unhoused Marin man in his 70s faced that problem. His health care provider had ordered the test but couldn’t help him with the logistics. “He hadn’t had a colonoscopy in 15 years,” \[…\] ## [The Rippling of Rivers: ‘Open the Floodgates’ Gives Voice to a Waterway](https://pacificsun.com/the-rippling-of-rivers-open-the-floodgates-gives-voice-to-a-waterway/) _2026-08-18 · Janis Hashe · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ The River, in San Anselmo author Nina Schuyler’s new novel, Open the Floodgates, is on trial to determine if it actually qualifies for “personhood.” Existing uncomfortably in the dark confines of the courtroom, surrounded by “man-stink,” the River listens as well-intentioned defenders tell stories of their memories of it, when it was clear and freeflowing. \[…\] ## [Zillions of Zins: Project Zin & Clay Mauritson](https://pacificsun.com/zillions-of-zins-project-zin-clay-mauritson/) _2026-08-18 · Amber Turpin · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Clay Mauritson’s family has farmed here for six generations. But equally notable is Project Zin, the event he and his wife founded in 2011 with chef Charlie Palmer after their son Brady was diagnosed with Down syndrome. That first year raised $25,000 for the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area and the event’s been \[…\] ## [Your Letters, Aug. 19](https://pacificsun.com/your-letters-aug-19/) _2026-08-18 · Weeklys Staff · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Strange Land People are lame, but tourists are lamer. This is what I sing to myself (sorry Mr. Morrison) when I’m stuck behind a giant Rivian doing three miles an hour while its driver hawkeyes yet another tasting room on what was once an arterial thoroughfare. Now it’s a permanent sidewalk sale for the “experience \[…\] ## [ThreatCrush on GitHub (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/wvKq93loaXV0) _2026-08-18 · **Sponsored**_ View the ThreatCrush listing on the GitHub Marketplace. ## [Grassroots Spotlight: Robert Hubbell’s Substack](https://pacificsun.com/grassroots-spotlight-robert-hubbells-substack/) _2026-08-18 · Rob Okun · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ A chorus of political rants both online and on cable news so loud and discordant that truth is MIA. Media continues to frequently underreport grassroots campaigns to extinguish authoritarian wildfires. Where to turn for cogent insights—especially with the midterms around the corner? Political analyst Robert Hubbell stands out as a critically important voice worth listening \[…\] ## [Art, Poetry, Stone and Wine With Dogs](https://pacificsun.com/art-poetry-stone-and-wine-with-dogs/) _2026-08-18 · Weeklys Staff · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ Healdsburg Let There Be Light Healdsburg artist Jake Messing turns his attention to the narrow sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum humans can actually see in “Visible Light,” a new exhibition of paintings exploring color, perception and the mysteries hiding in plain sight. Flowers, birds, bubbles, crystals and reflective surfaces become vehicles for studying how light \[…\] ## [Free Will Astrology, Aug. 19-25](https://pacificsun.com/free-will-astrology-aug-19-25/) _2026-08-18 · Rob Brezsny · Pacific Sun | Marin County, California_ ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider this your official alert that you’re close to getting too much of a good thing. To safeguard the lovely momentum you’ve built lately, be vigilant that genuine abundance doesn’t bloat into plain old overload. Say no to becoming indentured to your own brilliant ideas. Don’t let your victories drag you \[…\] ## [Reasons to Care about the Sailors Aboard the USS Lincoln](https://thefulcrum.us/ethics-leadership/uss-abraham-lincoln-deployment) _2026-08-18 · Julie Roland · The Fulcrum_ The crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for over 265 days , and over 200 days without a port call. The aircraft carrier left San Diego on November 21, 202 for a routine Pacific deployment, only to be redirected to the Middle East instead for a war Congress never declared and voted not to authorize. Carriers are supposed to pull in every 30 to 45 days for resupply, maintenance, and…