1 Jun 2015

American Voice 2004: Ask Dr. Dave

by | Date: 1 Jun 2015 | posted in: From the Desk of David Morris, The Public Good | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

American Voice 2004 was a project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance launched during the presidential election campaign of 2004.  Strong communities depend on an active and involved population. And that calls for easy access to credible and pertinent information.  American Voice 2004 strove to provide such information on national policy and national issues. Ask Dr. Dave also answered public policy questions.

Ask Dr. Dave Archive of Questions and Answers

Is there any difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties?

Could the upcoming election end up being decided by the Supreme Court?

Is the U.S. economy improving or not?

Who is to blame for the flu vaccine crisis?

How well we are doing in the fight against terrorism?

There once were plans for an anti-ballistic missile system to defend the U.S. I thought that idea had been abandoned. What gives?

Medicaid actually covers more people than Medicare. My state is currently cutting people from Medicaid, even while poverty levels increase. Is that legal?

Whatever happened to welfare reform? In 1996, after an extensive and heated debate, Congress voted to dramatically change our welfare system. Since then the number of people on welfare has plunged. Does that mean the reforms are working?

By late in the day on November 2nd, the media will have started reporting exit poll results and a person could decide whether or not to cast their vote for a third-party candidate instead of one of the major candidates. Is this a good idea?

What is the background of the Pledge of Allegiance? Also, do any other countries require students to pledge allegiance to their flag?

Why are we stuck at 435 members of the US House? Are we less represented than the Founders intended?

Was the National Guard originally the state militia under state control?

Can radio and TV devote more airtime to one national convention than another?

Who pays for terror alerts?

Is it true that our voter turnout is much lower than that of other democracies? Don’t Americans care enough to vote?

Can electronic voting machines be trusted?

Is it possible to hold elections where every vote counts and a vote for a minority party or candidate is not wasted?

Should Catholic bishops deny Communion to politicians?

Can I vote for a third party candidate without undermining a major party candidate?

Why are gasoline prices so high?

Why are the military contractors who abused Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghairb not subject to the same laws and penalties as the military soldiers who did so?

Does the Supreme Court allow gerrymandering?

Why didn’t military jets intercept the hijacked airliner before it crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11?

Should judges be allowed to give out lenient sentences?

Where do I find information on campaign funding?

What’s the deal with recess appointments?

Will baby boomers bankrupt social security?

Who’s right and who’s wrong in the job growth debate?

Why don’t we elect the president directly?

How do I register to vote?

Can one vote make a difference?

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David Morris

David Morris is co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and currently ILSR's distinguished fellow. His five non-fiction books range from an analysis of Chilean development to the future of electric power to the transformation of cities and neighborhoods.  For 14 years he was a regular columnist for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. His essays on public policy have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Salon, Alternet, Common Dreams, and the Huffington Post.