Last month, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her bid for the White House. Clinton, who mesmerizes Democrats with her strong name recognition and decades of experience, has faced little...

The Minnesota House passed a Republican-led budget plan last week that eliminates MinnesotaCare, a public health care program that provides coverage for the working poor. Unfortunately, such a plan would...

Last week, I attended the Minnesota House Republican tax plan press conference, which was followed by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party response. While there, I was troubled by the Republicans’ rhetoric...

For as long as I can remember, video games have borne the brunt of harsh attacks from the media and other public figures. Gamers will, of course, remember the infamous legal battles catalyzed by the now-disbarred...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but the public discourse surrounding this controversial issue focuses exclusively on one gender.    Unfortunately, there is a perception that rape is...

As our elected officials continue a long legislative session, Gov. Mark Dayton recently made some significant budgetary announcements. On Tuesday, the governor released his $842 million bonding proposal...

Last week, policymakers in both chambers of the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed a bill that would severely restrict the ways welfare recipients can use their benefits. The wording of the...

Trevor Noah, the replacement for Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” was recently found to have made some tweets a few years ago that some people have interpreted as misogynistic...

At the start of the 2015 legislative session, Republicans were justly criticized for releasing an inadequate transportation infrastructure plan. Concurrently, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party lawmakers presented...

Since the popularity of home video game consoles grew in the 1980s, these machines have taken the brunt of staunch attacks. Their critics have accused video games of desensitizing children to violence...

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a right-to-work bill into law Monday . This policy is bad for our neighbors to the east.  Right-to-work laws, which 25 states  have in the books, allow employees...

This January, I wrote a column advocating new user taxes to fund repairs of our crumbling transportation infrastructure. While the need to reform our outdated and dangerous roads and bridges is still pressing,...

In a neoliberal economy where austerity is the norm and public investments are ridiculed, vital public-sector workers often bear the brunt of attacks by Congress members and other lawmakers across the...

Near the start of the 2015 legislative session, Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, and Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, introduced joint bills that would require companies that produce and distribute food...

I am no longer shocked to read reports of employers professionally and economically abusing their workers. One of the ways that many businesses do this is by relying upon “perma-temp” positions,...

Phyllis Kahn, the DFL House representative from Minneapolis, recently introduced legislation to lower the drinking age to 18 in Minnesota bars and restaurants. Kahn’s proposal, which she has made...

Perhaps the biggest story of 2014 involved the controversy surrounding police brutality, especially as it pertains to race relations. The shooting of unarmed, black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson,...

Most people dislike paying taxes. However, in certain cases, tax cuts do not benefit the middle class. For example, Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, has authored a bill that would remove the tax on Social...

After receiving court approval last week, the iconic Minnesotan company, Medtronic, completed its merger with the Irish-based Covidien, a move that could save Medtronic billions in taxes. I have written...

One doesn’t need to dig deep into contemporary American culture to find a love for guns. Indeed, according to the Pew Research Center, there are an estimated 270 to 310 million guns in the United...

One of the most pressing issues facing Minnesota is its crumbling infrastructure. In fact, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2013 Infrastructure Report Card, Minnesota has 1,086...

The Internet provides a platform for millions of people around the world to openly express their opinions and contribute to the marketplace of ideas. An overarching freedom, though, inherently enables...

All discussions about the 2016 presidential election seem to include the prospect of Hillary Clinton running for office. Indeed, for two reasons, many consider her to be the de facto Democratic candidate. First,...

The Minnesota Legislature was able to accomplish many tasks over its last few sessions, but one issue that it failed to adequately address is the Minnesota Sex Offender Program. Many individuals convicted...

Across the United States, the Republican Party celebrated its decisive victories over the Democratic Party two weeks ago. Indeed, the GOP regained control of the U.S. Senate, so the party now holds a majority...

In my experience door-knocking for Democratic Farmer-Labor party political candidates, I have often come across individuals who may agree with progressive political, economic or social views but decide...

In the United States, millions of Americans either go without health insurance or have subpar coverage. While the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act has mitigated much of the former,...

Early this week, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation fired Jian Ghomeshi, the host of the popular radio show Q, due to multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Considering the fact that this story...

Since Liberian man Thomas Duncan came to the United States and infected two nurses with Ebola before dying in a north Texas hospital, many Americans now worry that the disease may spread. As we approach...

One of the common talking points that I hear from conservatives and libertarians is that we need to “reduce dependence” on government, particularly with regard to unemployment insurance and...

A month before the 2014 midterm elections, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney offered some useful advice for anyone wishing to run for office: Always have a cameraman follow your every...

Fanfare erupted in Silicon Valley last month when Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 6. However, by the time the latest version of Apple’s popular cellphone was released to the public, widespread...

The recent NFL controversies concerning alleged drug use, shoplifting, domestic violence and child abuse have led me to question who exactly is inspired by these professional athletes. The answer unfortunately...

Last week, Scotland held a referendum to decide whether to split from the United Kingdom. Unfortunately for independence advocates, 55 percent of Scottish voters decided against separation. While the implications...

I was troubled to read a recent Star Tribune story that highlighted the debt that University of Minnesota veterinarian student Ashley Hall will owe once she graduates in 2016 — more than $300,000. There...

Last Friday, a federal appeals court reinstated Wisconsin’s voter photo identification requirement, which had been ruled unconstitutional by a lower court in April. This is troubling news for Wisconsinites,...

In a move that has upset many Latino voters, President Barack Obama recently recanted his promise to act on immigration reform by the end of the summer. Instead, he will use his executive authority to...

Last week, fast food employees at several McDonald’s, Subway and Burger King restaurants across the Twin Cities protested for a $15 minimum wage. The workers were joined by progressive congressman...

Late last month, President Barack Obama returned from a two-week vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, an island off of the coast of Dukes Country, Mass. His time out of the Oval Office prompted many...

Every two years, Minnesota voters endorse candidates on all levels of government to run for office with the support of a political party. The process begins at the most local level at the beginning of...

One of Minnesota’s largest employers and the fourth-most profitable medical device company in the world, Medtronic, is moving its corporate headquarters to Ireland. This process of moving the company’s...

Common Core, the nationwide K-12 education standards established in 2010, has received plenty of criticism from educators and parents. A vast majority of states have adopted the optional state education...

Today, fewer and fewer college careers are complete without an unpaid internship. In a related trend, fewer students are working chiefly because of competition with non-students, the Minnesota Daily reported...

One of the many realities that college students must face is the job market. While many of us have decided to pursue a major that’s fulfilling and fun, we’ll have to convince potential employers...

President Barack Obama issued an executive order last week that enhances the eligibility of current and former college students to enroll in a loan repayment program. Under the Pay As You Earn program,...

One of today’s most contentious political issues concerns the impact of wealth inequality and how we can reduce the large gap between the rich and the poor. President Barack Obama made this a central...

The Federal Communications Commission recently revealed a pilot program for texting 911 for emergencies. The rationale for such a program isn’t difficult to comprehend. There are some individuals...

In today’s political machine, candidates often first create platforms of beliefs and endorsements. But where politics end, personality begins. Most of my discussions with fellow political junkies...

In the past, adjunct professors were mostly non-academic professionals who taught a class or two to provide students with some exposure to their chosen fields. Adjuncts supplemented the teaching staff,...

As a College of Liberal Arts student, I advocate for the University of Minnesota to offer more science classes for non-science students to fulfill their biological and physical science requirements. This...