Government

America's founders devised a structure in which the three branches of government would co-exist in a system of checks and balances designed to prevent each branch from gaining too much power. But does it still work?

By Patrick J. Kiger

President Trump is threatening to pull funding from public schools that don't open due to coronavirus. Can he even do that?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

The U.S. presidential election is just around the corner and the country is in the throws of a global health crisis. Is voting by mail the way to stay safe this election cycle?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Antifa is a loosely organized movement that doesn't have leaders or advocate government policies. Instead, the movement's goal is to oppose fascism wherever it appears around the world.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Every week there's a poll with new numbers on how many Americans approve of the president's job performance. But what do these numbers really tell us and when should we take them seriously?

By Dave Roos

The date the U.S. president must vacate office is written into the Constitution, election or not. Filling the seat without an election, though, is extremely complicated.

By John Donovan

Natural disasters may not pair well with the COVID-19 pandemic. For America to brace the impact, it needs to prepare now.

By Ari Kelo

President Harry Truman signed it into law in 1950 and it's been invoked many times ever since. Should President Donald Trump be using it more to help health care workers?

By John Donovan

What is the Waffle House Index anyway, and does the Federal Emergency Management Agency really use it to gauge local disasters?

By Sarah Gleim

Some legal experts say that the U.S. government lacks the authority to close state borders or quarantine entire cities to stop the coronavirus from spreading. Others aren't so sure.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Why does the Democratic Party have superdelegates who don't have to respect primary results when they cast votes? Is that undemocractic or a hedge against nominating a poor candidate?

By Nathan Chandler

Super Tuesday is the day early in a U.S. presidential primary season when a large number of states hold primaries. It's also the first day when a huge number of delegates are up for grabs.

By Sarah Gleim

Political primaries let voters choose which candidate they want to represent their political party as president. But not everyone is happy with the process. What are the problems, and can they be fixed?

By Josh Clark & Kathryn Whitbourne

Does the campaign slogan really make or break a candidate? Some of the most successful presidential campaign slogans have had little to do with any actual issues. Take our quiz on victorious presidential campaign slogans to find what worked.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

White House press briefings, which date back to the McKinley administration, could be the most important means of communication between the White House and the American people. Are they a thing of the past?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Economic sanctions are one way of pressuring another nation to comply without resorting to war. But the penalties often target the population and not the government. So do they work?

By Patrick J. Kiger

The ERA just got a big boost from the state of Virginia. Is now finally the time that the ERA will become the 28th Amendment?

By John Donovan

The 10th Amendment says any power not delegated to the U.S. by the Constitution is reserved to the states. But the Constitution is never that simple ... and that's why Libertarians are so at odds with it.

By John Donovan

The question of whether to pay reparations for slavery in the U.S. has been going on since slavery ended but picked up steam this year with a House hearing on the issue. We look at some key issues in the debate.

By Dave Roos

A majority of Americans feel that neither of the two main parties is doing a great job, but they can't agree on what a third party would look like. And that candidate faces enormous hurdles to make the debating stage.

By Dave Roos

Executive orders are directives handed down from the president without input from the legislative or judiciary branches of government. Presidents often use them when Congress won't approve a favored regulation. But should they?

By Dave Roos

American presidents are chosen by the electoral college rather than the popular vote. But a measure to circumvent that is gaining steam. So far, 15 states have signed on, but is it constitutional?

By Dave Roos

Ignoring a subpoena can land you in jail. So why would anybody do it?

By John Donovan

When the U.S. president comes to town, it's time to get off the roads. As fast as you can.

By John Donovan

Opinions differ about whether the U.S. has become an oligarchy, a society in which a wealthy elite has most of the power.

By Patrick J. Kiger