Louisville
- Louisville Public Defenders Have Unionized
Public defenders with the Louisville Metro Public Defenderâs Office voted to unionize 32-5 earlier this year. Their story is a microcosm of a national phenomenon: the year 2022, the year of American labor. Public defenders represent indigent clients, those who cannot afford a lawyer and are constitutionally entitled to one when facing criminal proceedings. PublicContinue reading “Louisville Public Defenders Have Unionized” - Felon Re-Enfranchisement: Balancing the Needs of Strong Law Enforcement and Fair Justice Systems
Too often, political issues are depicted as a choice between two extremes. If you support criminal justice reform, youâre soft on crime. If you support strong law enforcement, youâre a proponent of mass incarceration. The disenfranchisement of former felonsâ voting rights has long been stuck in this frustrating type of political conflict. Iâve written onContinue reading “Felon Re-Enfranchisement: Balancing the Needs of Strong Law Enforcement and Fair Justice Systems“ - A Left-Wing Approach to the Question of Universal Suffrage
Felons have long been barred from voting in the state of Kentucky. In 2019, Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order to allow certain non-violent felons to vote. However, executive orders are not permanent and can be overturned by future governors. In Kentucky right now, 15% of Black people cannot vote, and 20% of BlackContinue reading “A Left-Wing Approach to the Question of Universal Suffrage”
US
- Why Sinema’s Departure is an Opportunity
Kyrsten Sinema is one of the most unpopular senators in the country. At best, this is a sentiment shared across her constituency. Among numerous demographics (men, women, Whites, Hispanics, college graduates, high school graduates, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, etc.), Sinema is disapproved of by over 50% of respondents. As Slate reports, her entire brand has beenContinue reading “Why Sinema’s Departure is an Opportunity” - HANDS OFF HAITI: THE PEOPLE’S ONGOING STRUGGLE AGAINST FOREIGN IMPERIALIST INTERVENTION
In the last few months there has been an escalation in the severity of the political situation in Haiti. In the wake of the assassination of president Jovenel MoĂŻse last year by US trained Colombian mercenaries, the nation has become wrecked with crisis and political strife. Ariel Henry has taken over as the unelected primeContinue reading “HANDS OFF HAITI: THE PEOPLE’S ONGOING STRUGGLE AGAINST FOREIGN IMPERIALIST INTERVENTION” - Why Did the Felon Cross the Road? To Register to Vote! How an increase in felon voting rights could change electionsÂ
âYou can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.â This phrase could be more accurately stated as, âYou can lead a horse to water, but itâs the horse’s right as an autonomous being to choose whether or not to act upon its right to drink.â Throughout the Freedom Fall series, myContinue reading “Why Did the Felon Cross the Road? To Register to Vote! How an increase in felon voting rights could change elections “
Kentucky
- Amendment 2 and the Attorney Generalâs Attempts to Ignore the Voice of the People
When the Kentucky General Assembly proposed an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution removing any inferred right to abortion, many believed that Kentucky would quickly pass the measure. Pro-choice advocates crossed their fingers, hoping Kentuckians would reject the proposalâlisted as Amendment 2 on last yearâs ballotâ and its radically anti-abortion language. When the votes were finallyContinue reading “Amendment 2 and the Attorney Generalâs Attempts to Ignore the Voice of the People” - Jim Crowâs War in America Continues in Virginia and Kentucky
Virginia and Kentucky stand as two of the four commonwealths in the nation, along with Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. These two states are starkly similar in more than name. Both states have codified criminal justice systems with archaic and unfairly punitive rules. The twin commonwealths both require individual petitions to the governor, who gets to decideContinue reading “Jim Crowâs War in America Continues in Virginia and Kentucky“ - Can Kentucky Afford to Restore Felons’ Right to Vote? It Can’t Afford Not to.
Disenfranchisement, or the permanent revocation of a personâs ability to vote, is a punishment written into the very foundations of Kentucky law. The discriminatory clause, a 131-year-old statute in the Commonwealthâs constitution, has a devastating effect on the civil liberties of the more than 240,000 Kentuckians who have been convicted of felonies, as it condemnsContinue reading “Can Kentucky Afford to Restore Felons’ Right to Vote? It Can’t Afford Not to.”
World
- HANDS OFF HAITI: THE PEOPLE’S ONGOING STRUGGLE AGAINST FOREIGN IMPERIALIST INTERVENTIONIn the last few months there has been an escalation in the severity of the political situation in Haiti. In the wake of the assassination of president Jovenel MoĂŻse last year by US trained Colombian mercenaries, the nation has become wrecked with crisis and political strife. Ariel Henry has taken over as the unelected primeContinue reading “HANDS OFF HAITI: THE PEOPLE’S ONGOING STRUGGLE AGAINST FOREIGN IMPERIALIST INTERVENTION”
- Climate Policy & Congressional Stalemate
The Earth is perishing before our eyes. The temperature of the Earth has risen exponentially, human activities continue to pollute the air, and the most severe impacts of these changes have been felt by the world’s animals and forests. What steps are those in government who represent us taking to address this issue? They continueContinue reading “Climate Policy & Congressional Stalemate“ - Why the U.S. Should Continue Investing in a Ukrainian Victory
When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February of this year, the international community was swift to condemn his premeditated war of aggression. Nine months later, however, much of the initial support for Ukraine has waned. Despite making significant inroads militarily, a Ukrainian victory is still far from guaranteed. Many observersContinue reading “Why the U.S. Should Continue Investing in a Ukrainian Victory“
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