Comprehensive immigration reform passes its first hurdle in the US Senate. The jury is still out on whether the Republican leadership will be willing to let it through the House without weakening it beyond recognition.
Category: Political issues
Two concepts of surveillance
The US government goes much further in data collection than we should be comfortable with, but the latest revelations are not as devastating as some people think.
The politics of science and scaremongering
The anti-science position on GMOs has been taking a battering on the left, but no-one on the right seems willing to stand up to its anti-science brigade on climate change.
Do teenagers count as people?
The New South Wales government plans to (yet again) treat young people as second-class citizens, this time with high-frequency sound that the rest of us are too old to notice.
Let’s talk about party funding
Politicians across the world are sincerely convinced that they are worthy recipients of public money. The public disagrees, but only rarely – as this week in Australia – is it able to get its voice heard.
Taxis, government and the media
The Victorian government promises taxi industry reform but seems a bit reluctant to highlight its importance.
Media criticism made easy
The media show no interest in explaining what the holdup is with constitutional recognition of Australia's indigenous people.
War is over, if you want it
Obama's attempt to explain and justify his war policy turns out to comprehensively undermine the conceptual framework that his administration inherited.
The great olive oil scandal of 2013
Eurosceptics have been having a field day over olive oil, but there's a serious question about business regulation that needs to be looked at.
How not to write about local government
Journalists these days tend to forego the hard work of learning about policy and just write about the political "horse race". What's worse is that they frequently get the details of that wrong.
The World is Not Enough 