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Why we need trolls: Even offensive clowns like Milo Yiannopoulos can be good for the left

Sep 22, 2016 | Civil Liberties, Conservativism, Extremism, Internet Culture, Political Ideologies

Published: Salon (September 22, 2016)

Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos is perhaps the most famous troll in the world right now, in large part because he was banned from Twitter last month and because the head of Breitbart News is now the CEO of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. This, of course, makes it all the more disappointing that Yiannopoulos repeatedly flaked on me when I tried to interview him for this article.

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Mike Pence, a heartbeat away from the presidency? Now that’s frightening

Sep 22, 2016 | Conservativism, Elections, Elections - Presidential (2016), Extremism, Gay Rights and Other LGBTQIA Issues, Gender and Sexism, mic, Political Ideologies, Political Parties, Race and Racism, Republicans

Published: Salon (September 22, 2016)

Why isn’t Mike Pence a major issue in this campaign?

In any other election, Pence would be to a Republican presidential nominee what Sarah Palin was to John McCain back in 2008 — that is, an extreme right-winger whose presence on the ticket is widely regarded as a liability.... Read Original Article

A deep dive into the alt-right’s greatest YouTube hits

Sep 12, 2016 | Conservativism, Conspiracy Theories, Extremism, Internet Culture, Political Ideologies, Political Parties, Republicans

Published: The Daily Dot (September 7, 2016)

When Hillary Clinton pointed out the connection between Donald Trump and the alt-right, she wasn’t talking about an ordinary political movement.

As the Daily Dot’s Amrita Khalid notes, the alt-right is a “younger, ballsier rejection of the GOP establishment and political correctness as a whole—think the Tea Party meets Pepe the Frog.”... Read Original Article

Tired of Democrats vs. Republicans? Here’s how to fix it

Aug 24, 2016 | Conservativism, Democrats, Elections, Elections - Presidential (2016), Liberalism, Libertarianism, Political Ideologies, Political Parties, Republicans

Published: Salon (August 23, 2016)

I’ve been second to none among progressive pundits urging the sane world to unify behind Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. I’m not going to repeat those arguments here. (If you’re reading this article, the chances are you know them anyway.) But it’s time to acknowledge the major logical flaw in any lesser-of-two-evils position:

If we progressives want meaningful change in our society and the larger world, how can we achieve it when both major parties are so flawed?... Read Original Article

Why Trump’s “Second Amendment” insinuation was an abhorrent stunt straight out of the NRA’s playbook

Aug 11, 2016 | Conservativism, Elections, Elections - Presidential (2016), Gun Control, Political Ideologies, Political Parties, Republicans

Published: Salon (August 11, 2016)

It was reprehensible for Donald Trump to insinuate that his pro-gun followers use violence to thwart Hillary Clinton. That said, was he really out of lockstep with what the NRA and other pro-gun groups have been saying for years?

Just to be clear, this is what Trump said:

“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks.... Read Original Article