Most of the dozens of third parties in the US are state-, region-, or issue-specific. A good example is the Alaskan Independence Party, which claims to have about 13,500 members, making it the state’s third largest party. If you live in Fairbanks, check out their party convention, going on this weekend at the Regency Fairbanks Hotel.
The Alaskan Independence Party is basically a libertarian party with Alaska-specific concerns. Among the party’s primary goals are:

A statewide referendum on statehood status, during which the party will support some form of independence for Alaska. This may not necessarily be complete secession from the US, …read more

A couple weeks ago, I wrote “Diplomatic Recognition for Kosovo,” in which I discussed the US President’s power to extend diplomatic recognition to foreign states. In response, Steven Searle, a Chicago-based write-in candidate for President, wrote “Kosovo and US Presidential Power.”
In this essay, Searle contends that the US Constitution does NOT grant the US President the sole choice of extending or canceling diplomatic recognition of foreign states. He asks “why should we assume that the power to make the ultimate form of treaty (diplomatic recognition) should rest solely in the hands of the President?” He goes on to ask “[i]f …read more

With all the usual hype about the presidential election, it’s easy to forget about one of the most under-reported dilemmas in American politics: the size of the House of Representatives.
It’s a simple matter of population. The original House consisted of 106 members, who together represented a national population of about 3.5 million. That’s a ratio of 1:33,000. Today, we have 435 Representatives in the House, and a national population of 300 million. The ratio now is 1:690,000.
So originally, each member of the House represented about 33,000 people, whereas today each Rep covers 690,000.
The problem here is that the House of …read more

With the US presidential season in full swing and the recent political events in Cuba and Pakistan, Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia. The US has long supported this move, and earlier this week, the US was one of the first countries to officially recognize the independent state of Kosovo. So how did that happen? How does the US recognize the existence of a foreign country?
According to Article 2, Section 3 of the US Constitution, the President of the United States has the power to “…receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers.”
This means that the US President has the power to …read more

Today the US House of Representatives cited two high-ranking Bush staff members for Contempt of Congress. White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel (and short-lived US Supreme Court nominee) Harriet Miers were cited for refusing to testify about any role they may have played in the firing of federal prosecutors under former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. This is twice in as many years for Bolten, who, along with Karl Rove, was cited by the Senate for refusing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the same firings.
This new round of contempt citations is …read more

One of the largest third parties in the country, the Constitution Party is holding its 2008 nominating convention in Kansas City, Missouri, April 23-26.
With the belief that the US Constitution is based on explicitly Biblical principles, the Constitution Party’s mission is to “restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.” The party’s platform reflects deep Christian conservatism and a belief in a strictly limited federal government. Here are a few highlights from the party’s platform:

The Constitution Party is completely pro-life. It does not even support abortion during instances of rape or …read more

I can think of no better time of the year to discuss the institution of the National Holiday.
In the US, legislation declaring a ‘national holiday’ is passed by Congress and signed by the President, just like any other law. On these Congressionally-designated holidays, most employees of the federal government are given the day off. But although Congress can close down the federal government, it can’t do the same for private businesses or even state governments. It is up to each company, and each state, to decide whether or not to give its employees the day off. If you are …read more

Recently, the state of New York passed a law commonly called the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights. The law, which applies only to airports within New York, requires that airlines provide water, food, fresh air, and bathrooms to passengers on any flight stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours.
The Air Transport Association of America, an airline industry group, challenged the law in federal district court, basically claiming that the law is about airline service, which is regulated by the federal government, not by individual states. But the judge dismissed the case, claiming that “it is a legitimate use …read more

 
Since before Shang Dynasty rulers carved questions for the gods into ox scapulae, religion and politics have been a volatile combination. Somewhat more recently, there has been a great deal of discussion over presidential candidates’ religious beliefs. One Vote Matters isn’t about wrangling over candidates or slinging ideological slogans – it is about the business and practice of politics. Therefore, my own contribution to the matter of religion and politics will be a straightforward description of an oft-forgotten passage from the US Constitution.
Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution states that:
“The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of …read more