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Call it Political Involvement for Dummies: Guides to learn how to become an activist, run a campaign or do anything in the political sphere.

Climate Change is a Security Issue, President Insists
February 27th (Newport News, VA) – The President wants the country to focus in on five very specific scientific endeavors; ones that the administration says will tackle “the current real security problems and human toll due to climate change”, but will also set the United States up for a long-term future. By attempting to frame these issues both as “security” and “climate change”, the President seems to be hoping to woo enough Republicans and Democrats into supporting a common cause, even if it is for entirely different reasons.
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
The Universal Architecture of Complex Systems
We find ourselves in an extraordinary era where data accompanies nearly every aspect of our lives. This holds true not only for our human experiences but also for the intricate fabric of our biological and universal existence. As we deepen our understanding of the world, we uncover its inherent complexity—a web of intricate systems at play. From the intricate genetic and molecular networks governing our biological existence to the multifaceted interactions within society, it becomes evident that our world is far from a mere aggregation of individuals.
By Myke & Amy3 years ago in The Swamp
How to stop the cold war between America and China?
Introduction The recent visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to China has been viewed as a significant effort to stabilize the increasingly strained relations between the two world powers. While the visit was generally pleasant, tensions resurfaced when US President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator" at a fundraising event. This statement drew a strong reaction from China, further complicating the relationship between the two countries. The reception of Indian President Narendra Modi by the Biden administration and their joint statements also hint at the US's intent to include India as a strong player in an anti-China coalition. With the future of this critical global relationship hanging in the balance, several books have been published to shed light on the US-China conflict and its potential outcomes.
By Naveedkk 3 years ago in The Swamp
Is America on the Cusp of a Healthcare Revolution?
February 27th (Atlanta, GA) – Last night (February 26th), the President of the United States stood before a joint-session of Congress to deliver a rare first-year State of the Union Address. While those in attendance and the millions watching at home never learned if the condition of the country was “strong” or some other similar terminology, the President took the opportunity to lambast the Legislative and Judicial Branches for past perceived grievances. Yet after spending a good portion of the opening statement attacking these coequal parts of government, the President did take a significant amount of time to explain that there is usually more agreement than not, despite the rhetoric and the “media hype” of partisanship.
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
President Attacks Rather than Addresses Congress in First State of the Union
February 26th (Washington, D.C.) – A few short weeks after making a request to do so, the President was able to appear before a joint-session of Congress to give a State of the Union address. However, this was a speech unlike any given since becoming formally known by that name in 1947—which coincidently was the first time the speech was broadcast on television. The last President to have a State of the Union during their first year in office was John F. Kennedy—although his successor Lyndon B. Johnson had one after Kennedy was assassinated and Gerald Ford also had one when Richard Nixon resigned. However, according to a Congressional Research Service report (https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44770.pdf) on the history of the State of the Union:
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
How I Wrote "The Mermaid of Little London,"
I couldn't sleep. It was one of those nights when my mind wouldn't quiet down, and the minutes seemed to stretch forever. It was 3 a.m. Instead of lying there, I got out of bed and did what I usually do every morning. I read Google News, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, searching for a story to spark my imagination and become the seed for a story or poem. Nothing worked. So, I read some stories on Vocal to see if I could find something there.
By Geoffrey Philp 3 years ago in The Swamp
Sometimes It Feels Wrong To Be Right
Introduction Something came to mind yesterday due to everything that is going wrong at the moment (don't worry it is all manageable) just about how those that shout the loudest almost always get the credit and belief of people. They don't have to be right, just louder than anyone else.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 years ago in The Swamp
What Was in the Latest Set of Executive Orders?
February 9th (Washington, D.C.) – The President has delivered a new set of Executive Orders for numerous federal departments and agencies.
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
President "Can't Understand" Government
February 5th (Washington, D.C.) – Who is in the President’s Cabinet? Amazingly, it is a question that has never been answered because the “Cabinet” is not an organization that was created by the Constitution or any law. The only relevant clause of the Constitution (Article 2 § Section 2 § Clause 1) says that the President may require the opinion of the “principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices....” President George Washington interpreted this to mean he could create a working committee that regularly advised him, and it has been a tradition maintained by every subsequent President since then.
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
The Mermaid Meets the Dread
I had a few vague ideas about the plot when I began writing “The Mermaid of Little London” as part of the Vocal Word Hunt Challenge. “Mermaid” was the first word I found, so I knew it would be some form of speculative fiction . I’ve written a few stories that use elements of magical realism, such as “Bob Marley and Bradford’s iPod” but every story is different. While I may create a recognizable world in the opening scenes, I want readers to be as surprised as I am when the story takes a sudden turn into the unpredictable.
By Geoffrey Philp 3 years ago in The Swamp
On a "Quiet" Day, President Kicks out Reporters and Toddlers, Invites in Sheep
January 22nd (Washington, D.C.) – Three days after taking the Oath of Office, the new President of the United States finally entered the Oval Office for the first time and then spent an entire day at work in the White House.
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp
President's First Priority? Aliens from Outer Space
January 21st (Las Vegas, NV) – When last seen by the public, the brand-new President of the United States of America was boarding Air Force One to an unknown destination. In the hours beforehand, the President had disrupted the Inauguration Ceremony by ending the festivities and announcing ten new Executive Orders. While the world was still reeling from those massive shifts in internationalism, security, nuclear armaments, terrorism, and expansionism, the President set sights on the next most important thing...
By J.P. Prag3 years ago in The Swamp