Utilizing National Journal expertise to explore the issues of today.
Cell phones have come a long way over the past 35 years. America’s first commercial mobile phone, the 1983 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, was over a foot long, cost $4,000, and only made calls over first-generation (1G) analog wireless networks. Today, consumers can use their phones
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The Supreme Court occupies an unusual niche in the public imagination. Over decades of polling, Americans have expressed significant faith in the American federal judicial system — more faith, at least, than they have for comparable federal institutions. Since the 1970s, the percentage of Americans
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In 2017 the Republican Party successfully pushed the largest tax overhaul in over 30 years through Congress. A few provisions in particular received considerable attention, including the permanent reduction in the corporate tax rate and the temporary tax cuts for individuals. However, tucked away in
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For months or years leading up to November’s elections, Americans across the country called, canvassed, and petitioned their way onto state ballots. These individuals and groups were taking advantage of state laws that permit citizens themselves to propose and decide on policy initiatives— a form
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Since taking office in January 2017, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has stated multiple times that combating illegal robocalls would be the FCC’s top consumer protection priority. In a blog post last year, Pai described common nuisances of robocalls, noting that “we’ve all been there.” A
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As voters head to the polls for early voting, the landscape of the midterms remains far from secure for either party. Although the odds of Democrats taking the House has stayed relatively high, control of the Senate remains a guessing game. Fundraising numbers have skyrocketed
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With under two weeks until the 2018 midterm elections, health care has emerged as an important theme, shaping the rhetoric of both Democrats and Republicans alike. Eight years ago, Democrats lost their house majority, largely because their key legislative victory, the Patient Protection and Affordable
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You wouldn’t know it from the surging bull market, but American stock markets have shrunk by almost half companies listed over the past 20 years. According to data from the World Bank, there are fewer American companies listed on stock exchanges today than there were
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On August 27, 2018, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the first round of direct farm-assistance payments to be released through the Trump administration’s $12 billion trade mitigation package. Arguing that these measures would serve as a stopgap until more lasting trade deals could be struck,
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