legislature

Sexual assault is still a serious problem that must be addressed. While we still have a long way to go in terms of developing substantive solutions to preventing these crimes and tackling the negative stigma associated with sexual assault, elected officials across the country are taking steps forward to provide appropriate protections and care for survivors. Here are four ways elected officials across the country are working to bring justice to sexual assault survivors.

Governor Rick Perry hasn't exactly had a smooth transition into his (yet to be announced) 2nd run for President. His initial announcement that he would not seek re-election was postponed due to the epic events surrounding Wendy Davis' filibuster in the Senate. Now, Wallace Hall, UT regent and Perry appointee, is one step closer to being impeached by the Texas legislature.

At least 1,200 protesters marched and rode wheelchairs down Congress Avenue to the south steps of the Texas Capitol on Tuesday to demand that lawmakers expand Medicaid by accepting federal funds. These funds from the Affordable Care Act are estimated to cover an additional 1.5 million Texans.

Congress' deadly addiction to corporate cash is the main reason Washington is unable to solve the myriad problems affecting our economy, environment and politics. If only we could help Congress kick the habit, our government could work for us again.

When CBS News reported in 2011 that members of Congress weren’t prohibited from insider trading, Congress moved swiftly. President Obama signed a law banning it within six months of the broadcast. But Congress is still exempt from portions of a number of federal laws, including provisions that protect workers in the private sector but don’t apply to the legislative branch’s approximately 30,000 employees.

Gov. Mark Dayton said today that he would sign a marriage equality bill if it appeared on his desk. Dayton campaigned against the anti-Marriage amendment.

Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls), my Senator, was appointed as Deputy Majority Leader last Wednesday. Hayden is out in Washington, DC for some meetings and we talked over the phone about his appointment.
"I'm the first African-American to serve in Senate leadership," he said. "I'm humbled by this appointment and I feel blessed."

The scandal plagued Republican State Senator from Eden Prairie, David Hann, was elected by his fellow Senate Republicans to lead their Caucus as Minority Leader.  No surprise there!  Beginning in January 2011, when the Senate Republicans took over, it has been scandal after scandal after scandal by these Republican scoundrels.

Tentherism is essentially the modern form of nullification, not always as extreme, but sometimes, the same thing. It's the doctrine that states can ignore federal laws they disagree with based on an erroneous reading of the tenth amendment, or at least based on a convenient forgetting of other parts of the Constitution.