Political Issues

If you follow politics long enough, there'll be headlines that make you wonder if a U.S. president can really do that thing you just read about. Take our quiz to learn what's within a president's rights.

By Nathan Chandler

When the federal government shuts down, U.S. government employees aren't the only ones affected. There's a pronounced chain of events that happen the longer the fed is closed.

By John Donovan

Congress is at odds over the federal budget, and a deadline is looming. If they can't agree, the government could shut down. We'll tell you what to expect if it does.

By John Perritano

Among the line of cramped toilet stalls, there's usually a larger one reserved for people with disabilities. But if no one seems to need it, is it OK to borrow it?

By Alia Hoyt

He wants YOU, but who the heck was he?

By Stell Simonton

Is sending federal troops to the U.S.-Mexico border even legal? As it turns out, a U.S. law called the Posse Comitatus Act has something to say about it.

By John Donovan

President Donald Trump proudly declared he is a 'nationalist,' much to the chagrin of many Americans. Still others support his comment. So what exactly does it mean?

By John Donovan

Though treason is the only crime mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, few know what the word actually means and fewer still have ever been indicted for it.

By Patrick J. Kiger

A new and comprehensive study finds corruption is lower in countries that have more women in elected roles.

By Laurie L. Dove

In the age of endless information, are voters too distracted to make informed decisions?

By Diana Brown

First ladies have traditionally played significant roles at the White House. But so far that work has been sans pay.

By Dave Roos

Whether you agree with President Donald Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey or not, Comey's place in history will forever be marred by the scandal. Now he's telling his side of the story.

By Diana Brown

Hemp farmers have an unlikely ally in the senate these days and he wants to see the plant removed from the DEA's controlled substances list.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

'American Exceptionalism' is a slippery term that has been used both positively and negatively. What does it really mean and how did it come to be embraced by both American Democrats and Republicans?

By Dave Roos

With so much public outcry and concern over the rash of gun violence in the U.S., why would Congress cut federal funding for research into causes and solutions?

By Patrick J. Kiger

It's been invoked in the past, but never to remove a U.S. president from office. How does it work and when — if ever — should it be used?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Contrary to his tweeted threat to North Korea, President Trump doesn't actually have a nuclear button.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Cards Against Humanity isn't a fan of the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall, and the makers of the game have a plan to stop it. Or at least delay it.

By Cherise Threewitt

The Constitution gives the U.S. Senate the power to expel one of its members by a two-thirds vote, but it hasn't happened since the Civil War, and there isn't a well-established process for doing it.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye was impeached and is on trial for corruption. Who was really pulling the strings during her administration?

By Diana Brown

Appointing family members to positions they didn't necessarily earn is often criticized. But nepotism reaches far beyond the business world, and it's not always so bad.

By Ed Grabianowski

Sorry, democracy grinches: A single voter's decision can make a difference. American citizens have cast rare, but possible, pivotal votes throughout history.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Gerrymandering the political trick of manipulating the size and shape of electoral districts, to give one party an advantage. It's always been a problem, but technology has taken it to new heights.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Freedom of the press is one of the most overused — and increasingly, misunderstood — phrases in modern society. We explore what it really means and what happens when the freedoms disappear.

By Nathan Chandler

Some countries have started allowing people to choose an 'X' on their passports to indicate an unspecified sex. Many people argue that's not enough and gender classifications don't belong on government documents at all.

By Dave Roos