NAY Virginia’s GOP conducted a nominating convention utilizing ranked choice voting (RCV) among delegates to select statewide candidates. New York City recently concluded a Democratic primary under RCV. RCV is intended to afford voters an opportunity to order choices for… Read More ›
State
Hot Town, Summer in the City*
* Recorded by The Lovin’ Spoonful, written by John and Mark Sebastian, July 1966 “Hot town, summer in the city. Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty. Been down, isn’t it a pity, Doesn’t seem to be a shadow… Read More ›
Questioning Political Morality
By Frank Blechman In the last few weeks, I have spoken to several Democratic politicians and listened to speeches or read statements by Democratic candidates. Many times, I have heard exhortations to action from these folks, saying “If Republicans win… Read More ›
Myth, Fact, Ideology
With the exception of some diehard fans of conspiracy theories and QAnon addicts, there are few, if any, celebrations of the cacophony (perhaps magacophony is better) that presently envelops our civil discourse. Especially since the advent of universally available social… Read More ›
Old Dominion, New Dynamics
History suggests that Virginia was named for the “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I (d. 1603), while its nomination as “Old Dominion” is said to have arisen from Charles II’s (d. 1685) reign emphasizing a relationship with the English monarchy. Today, Virginia’s… Read More ›
Around the Novahood
IN NEED OF A BIGGER BOWL. . . . Setting a state record, a goldfish weighing in at nearly 4 pounds was recently caught at Hunting Creek near Alexandria indicating NOVA residential qualifications. As goldfish are not native to the… Read More ›
Supremes Allow Voting Disparity Impact
Editors’ Note: Reposted from Mother Jones, July 1, 2021. The majority’s opinion that the existence of “some disparity in impact” upon racial minorities is acceptable and not sufficient to make such laws illegal. This guidepost means that any future challenges… Read More ›
Loudoun Lowdown
In recent weeks, Loudoun County—and its school system—has been all over the news, particularly among right-wing outlets such as Fox, who decry the county’s supposed descent into the teaching of critical race theory, which only suggests that aspects of systemic… Read More ›
Do It My Way
By Frank Blechman I have written several times in this column that in political campaigns, there are really only two strategies: Keep the bums in, or throw the bums out. I have said that for a challenger or an incumbent,… Read More ›