Stories by Steven Rosenfeld

Steven Rosenfeld covers democracy issues for AlterNet and is the author of "Count My Vote: A Citizen's Guide to Voting" (AlterNet Books, 2008). subscribe to Steven Rosenfeld's feed

50 Reasons You Despised George W. Bush's Presidency: A Reminder on the Day of His Presidential Library Dedication

Posted on: Apr 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

He's one of the worst presidents ever.

Plummeting Gold Prices Won't Stop Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck's Sponsors from Trying To Sell You More

Posted on: Apr 23, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Goldline sponsors offer some pretty ironic financial advice.

America's Focus on Terrorism Blinds Us To Everyday Violence and Suffering

Posted on: Apr 22, 2013, Source: AlterNet

There’s something amiss about disregarding everyday violence, just because it’s the rule and not the exception.

How Absurd: 8 Crazy Reactions, Ridiculous Conclusions, and Dumb Media Behavior Coming out of the Boston Bombings

Posted on: Apr 19, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Not a shining moment.

A Recent History of Homemade Bombs Built in the United States

Posted on: Apr 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The Boston Marathon's bombs are not a unique terror tactic.

Iraqi Blogger Riverbend’s 15 Lessons from a Decade of War Underscore Why War and Violence Solve Nothing

Posted on: Apr 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

“We shouldn’t forget what this was about - making America safer.”

Boston Bombing Is a Tragedy, But Let's Not Rush to Blame Muslims or People of Arab Descent

Posted on: Apr 15, 2013, Source: AlterNet

It's normal to be scared, but it's worth recalling what happened after 9/11.

Pennsylvania Court Deals Blow to Secrecy-Obsessed Fracking Industry: Corporations Not The Same As Persons With Privacy Rights

Posted on: Apr 11, 2013, Source: AlterNet

“In the absence of state law, business entities are nothing.”

Groundbreaking 'War on Whistleblowers' Investigation Exposes Obama Admin's Record of Censorship and Persecution of Unsung Heroes and Journalists

Posted on: Apr 9, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Robert Greenwald's new documentary sheds light on how far the national security state will go to keep its secrets.

9 Tactics and 5 Mistaken Beliefs: The Christian Right's New 'Religious Liberty' Campaign Deconstructed

Posted on: Apr 9, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A stunning new report takes apart the religious right's latest makeover.

Disturbing Facts About State Lotteries: They Prey on the Poor and Trash the Economy, and Political Leaders Don't Care (Hard Times USA)

Posted on: Apr 5, 2013, Source: AlterNet

State lotteries do far more harm than good, especially at the bottom of the economic ladder.

16 Frightening NRA Police State 'Solutions' That Will Turn Our Schools into Gun-Crazy Nightmares

Posted on: Apr 4, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The NRA wants to make every student and school employee a suspect, and arm security officers with legal authority to shoot back.

Associated Press to Drop the Word 'Illegal' In Immigration Coverage -- Major Media Victory Resulting from Colorlines Campaign

Posted on: Apr 2, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The nation’s largest news-gathering organization adopts a sane and humane policy.

Taibbi: Politicians and Law Enforcement Have Trapped Too Many People in Jail for Life with Extreme Three Strikes Laws

Posted on: Apr 2, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A parade of politicians and law enforcement officials has created a Pandora’s box that’s trapped countless low-income offenders.

Is the Supreme Court Going to Take the Cowardly Way Out on Marriage Equality?

Posted on: Mar 26, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Tuesday’s hearing on California’s Prop. 8 suggests progress will be state by state.

Mayors Plan National Day of Action To Push Congress On Gun Control

Posted on: Mar 25, 2013, Source: AlterNet

More than 100 events are planned for Thursday following last week's multimillion-dollar ad buy.

Bye, Bye American Dream! U.S. Economic Inequality Is Permanent, Study Finds

Posted on: Mar 22, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Analysis of two decades of income tax trends also find the rich consume more.

NY Times Ignores Banks' Latest Role In Distorting The Housing Market

Posted on: Mar 22, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The newspaper reports a shortage of houses for sale, not surplus of underwater loans.

The Public's Hope for Meaningful Gun Reform Crumbles as Congress Still Hides From the NRA

Posted on: Mar 21, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A number of states are making progress in establishing gun controls, but Congress has its head in the sand.

8 Ways Obama Is As Bad -- Or Worse -- Than Bush On Civil Liberties

Posted on: Mar 18, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Despite a rare court victory on Friday, Obama's legacy is dismal.

The 21st-Century Version of Slavery Is Widespread In America

Posted on: Mar 18, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The abuses of the H-2B visa program are mind-boggling.

The Economy Sucks Because Banks Are Still Sticking It To Overextended Home Loan Borrowers

Posted on: Mar 7, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Banks aren't budging, and government isn't offering millions of households what they need.

Is Antonin Scalia the Vilest Person in Washington?

Posted on: Mar 4, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Scalia's hatred of democracy and democratic institutions is palpable.

Billionaire Speculators' Greed Makes Life Hard For Renters and Would-Be Homebuyers

Posted on: Mar 3, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Wealthy real estate speculators are snapping up homes with the same zeal that created the housing market bubble.

Innovative California Progressives Help Return State to Sanity With Effective Organizing

Posted on: Feb 28, 2013, Source: AlterNet

New tactics and hands-on organizing help California Calls redraw the Golden State's political map.

Most Mass Shootings Target Women and Families; Study Finds Men With Legal Guns Are to Blame

Posted on: Feb 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Data suggests that a gun present in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide for women by 500 percent.

Are Some Men Born Pedophiles? New Science Says Yes, But Sexologists Say Not So Fast

Posted on: Feb 21, 2013, Source: AlterNet

New discoveries are upending the nurture versus nature debate.

GOP Activists Behind Three Troubling Supreme Court Cases Aimed at Dismantling Our Democracy

Posted on: Feb 20, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The 2013 Supreme Court term could roll back decades of progressive law.

NRA Outrageously Pushes Assault Rifles on Young Teens and Grade Schoolers

Posted on: Feb 1, 2013, Source: AlterNet

There are scary consequences to thinking of kids as a ripe gun market.

Major Gun Control Push in New York Sends Gun Nuts and NRA Crowd into a Tizzy

Posted on: Jan 30, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A vocal minority of gun owners chafing at the new gun control agenda in New York state unlikely to pack much punch.

How the NRA Went From Best Friend of the Nation's Police to Harsh Enemy of Law Enforcement

Posted on: Jan 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

As it became more unwilling to compromise over even minor gun controls, the NRA is now on the bad side of police.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Introduces New Assault Weapon Ban

Posted on: Jan 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Proposal would ban new ownership and register current owners.

7 Uncovered Quotes That Show How Far off the Rails the NRA Has Gone

Posted on: Jan 22, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Top officials in the NRA once supported reasonable gun control laws.

Comprehensive Mental Health Background Checks for Gun Buyers Is a No-Brainer -- And Almost Impossible

Posted on: Jan 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The White House and New York State want to use more mental health data, but obstacles abound.

Can Obama Slay the NRA Beast?

Posted on: Jan 15, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Obama will announce a gun violence package on Wednesday. Can his reforms overpower a shady, extremist and powerful NRA?

Overview: America's Gun and Violence Crisis; And: How the 2nd Amendment Got Hijacked by the NRA and Antonin Scalia

Posted on: Jan 14, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Don Hazen introduces our ongoing series on gun violence and the NRA; Steven Rosenfeld exposes the commandeering of the Second Amendment.

The Suprising Unknown History of the NRA

Posted on: Jan 13, 2013, Source: AlterNet

For most of its history, the NRA supported gun control laws and did not see government as the enemy.

Biden Unveils 7-Point Agenda for Gun Control

Posted on: Jan 10, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A good start.

5 Ways GOP Tried to Subvert Democracy in 2012 -- And They'll Try Again

Posted on: Dec 28, 2012, Source: AlterNet

The 2012 election saw the biggest challenges to voting rights and campaign finance law in a generation.

Barbara Boxer Triggers Outrage Over Proposal to Deploy National Guard in Public Schools

Posted on: Dec 26, 2012, Source: AlteNet

Critics on the left and right are speaking out.

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