The electoral college is one of the oldest and most distinctive features of American democracy. Outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, it began as a compromise between giving the public a direct voice in choosing the president and preserving congressional power. Here is how the system worked originally, and how it changed with the 12th Amendment in 1804 and the 23rd Amendment in 1961. How the System Works Allocation: Each state receives a number of electors eq

Gas is $4.55 a gallon. The Pentagon has spent $25 billion in nine weeks. And the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil moves, is still closed.

Seven Republican state senators in Indiana voted against Trump's redistricting push. Now $7 million in outside spending is trying to end their careers. This is what political loyalty looks like in 2026.

The Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's majority-Black district as an 'unconstitutional racial gerrymander.' The timing, right before the midterms, is not accidental.

ICE, otherwise known as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was established to protect communities. That purpose has been catastrophically abandoned. In recent months, ICE has not simply been detaining undocumented immigrants. It has been abusing detainees, separating children from their families, shooting innocent bystanders, and setting records for deaths in custody. This is not enforcement. It is terror. A Pattern of Violence In October 2025, ICE shot U.S. citizen Ma

On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on Louisiana v. Callais. The 6-to-3 decision, drawn largely along partisan lines, dismantled a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, dealing a significant blow to minority representation in Congress. The case turned on the application of Section 2 of the VRA, the Gingles Test, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In Louisiana v. Callais, a group of non-African American voters sue

It is statistically unlikely. California has 10.37 million registered Democrats and 5.78 million registered Republicans; Democrats overwhelmingly dominate the state. Yet somehow, two frontrunner Republicans have led the California governor polls while a Democratic base remains split among four likely candidates. There are multiple reasons why Republicans are optimistic about this race: the top-two primary system, Democratic division, and a string of ongoing controversy. Had t

A Different Job Market Than Before For many young people today, finding a job is not as simple as it was for previous generations. In the past, a high school or college graduate could step relatively quickly into a stable position. The path into the workforce was worn and familiar. That path no longer exists in the same form. The job market is more competitive, more credentialed, and far less forgiving of people who are just getting started. Entry-level jobs routinely require

A World Shaped by Conflict Wars happening right now across the world affect far more than the nations directly involved. The current generation grows up in a time when global conflict is constantly shown in news and social media feeds. Even students not directly affected still feel the effects in many different ways. Constant Exposure Through Media and Technology Today, information spreads faster than ever before. Social media, news apps, and videos deliver real-time updates

A Presidency Without Pause It has been difficult to identify a sustained period of peace since the beginning of the Trump administration. Every other month brings a new war, conflict, or so-called military operation. This pattern of interventionism is not unprecedented; presidents Clinton, Reagan, and Truman all demonstrated a sustained reliance on military force across party lines. Under this administration, however, the pace feels almost unrelenting, with breaks between con

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at the Department of Justice. The Firing On April 1, 2026, President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi. The meeting was brief, held in the Oval Office just before Trump addressed the nation on the war in Iran. By the following morning, the decision was public. Trump announced on Truth Social: "Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General. We love Pam, and she will be transi

Today's Congress marks a period when attempts to compromise with the other party are rare. Such perceived disloyalty can even cost a representative or senator their seat. That said, members of Congress on both sides still cross party lines, in events ranging from confirmation hearings to budget bills to discharge petitions. Two of the most notable examples of frequently cooperative members of Congress are Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA).

On November 24, 2025, James Thomas Fishback announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election. Throughout his campaign videos, Fishback has consistently challenged Byron Donalds, another frontrunner in the Republican primary. Donalds is a U.S. representative endorsed by President Trump. Fishback has been critical of Donalds for accepting donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and has pledged to refus

Preventing nuclear weapons. Destroying missile capabilities. Projecting power in the Hormuz Strait. Cutting off the support of terrorist groups. The GOP famously hailed the Trump-Vance candidacy as the “peace ticket” – today, Iran becomes the eighth country where the president has ordered military strikes since January 20th of 2025. The Trump administration has offered many shifting justifications for its new war in Iran: which is it? Fluctuating Justifications for War Since

Americans are rightfully concerned about the potential passage of the SAVE Act. Their concern is reasonable; American voting rights are deeply in danger. More specifically, it is the low-income, rural, naturalized, and married U.S. citizens – women in particular – who are in danger of disenfranchisement. The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Proponents of the SAVE Act make it sound harmless: after all, we have to make sure voters are elig

In a remarkable display of bipartisanship and strict interpretation of the Constitution in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump , SCOTUS struck down nearly all of Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign countries. The Supreme Court found that the power to collect taxes, duties, etc., lies explicitly in the legislative branch, whose approval is required for Trump’s tariffs. The administration argued that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) granted it the authority t

February 22 sits at the intersection of two distinct election stories that illuminate a broader truth about democracy. On February 18, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission held a public hearing focused on election audit standards. Officials and experts discussed how structured, transparent audits can strengthen public trust in American elections. Audits are technical exercises. They verify counts, examine procedures, and assess compliance. But they are also symbolic. In a

The last two weeks in the United States have seen nationwide protests against ICE, Donald Trump, and the actions of the DOJ within the last year. In those two weeks, students took to the streets in droves, participating in school walkouts, chanting, and claiming intersections and/or sidewalks in massive crowds. Although some in more organized manners than others, students have provided the bulk and blade of anti-ICE attention & action as of late. Local partisan groups have th

Understanding the complex world of US politics can feel overwhelming. The landscape shifts quickly, and the stakes are high. I’ve spent time diving into key articles that shed light on the forces shaping American political life today. These pieces offer clarity, context, and insight. They help us see beyond the headlines and understand the deeper currents at play. Exploring Key Articles on US Politics When I read through various analyses, I notice patterns. Some articles focu

On December 31st of 2025, justice prevailed in the San Francisco Federal District Court. That was the day Judge Breyer officially rejected this administration’s justification for their use of the National Guard, which some have described as an “intimidation” of LA residents. The administration argued that exigency for the federalization of the National Guard is only needed in the initiation of the process. Their argument implies that, once federalized, the National Guard is a