Direct Democracy—and Abortion Rights—Win in Ohio
Samantha Hendrickson/AP Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.A Republican-driven effort to make it harder to amend the Ohio constitution failed in a special election on Tuesday. The defeated measure, known as Issue 1, would have effectively torpedoed the state’s direct democracy process, raising the…
One Politician Stopped California’s Fossil Fuels Divestment—Again
Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.This piece was originally published by Capital & Main.Environmental groups, faculty associations, and others seeking to slow climate change are pushing California to cut its investments in fossil fuels. Divestment supporters point to the state’s massive economy — the…
Ron DeSantis Defends Florida’s New Guidelines Suggesting Slavery Benefited Black People
Charlie Neibergall/ AP Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.In a Sunday interview with NBC News, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stood by a new provision in the state’s education guidelines that implied freed African-Americans benefited from chattel slavery, claiming it would teach students that enslaved…
The GOP’s Stealth Plan to End Direct Democracy in Ohio
Mother Jones; Joshua Lott/AFP Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.In February 1912, former President Teddy Roosevelt traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to endorse an effort to amend the state’s constitution through citizen-led ballot initiatives. “I believe in the initiative and the referendum, which should be…
She’s a Prophet. She’s a Theocrat. She’s the Most Powerful Lobbyist You’ve Never Heard Of.
Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.Every Monday, Abby Abildness leads her “Penn’s Sacred Challenge Tour,” a guided walk through the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. On the day I join, a group of stylish and well-behaved Christian homeschoolers trail her through marbled hallways, beneath mosaic…
This Poll Should Be a Wake-Up Call for the DeSantis Campaign
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa’s 2023 Lincoln Dinner. Charlie Neibergall/AP Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.A recent New York Times/Siena College poll confirmed what has become increasingly clear: Donald Trump has no real competition in the Republican presidential…