Has LGBT Acceptance Come as Far as We Claim?
Depending on where you're born, things might not have gotten that much better.
Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza
Rebecca Pilar Buckwalter-Poza, a Pacific Standard contributing writer and a graduate of Harvard College and the Yale Law School, has written on law, politics, and policy for NPR, CNN, The Atlantic, the Daily Beast, and Politico, and appeared on MSNBC. She co-authored 40 More Years with James Carville and contributed to Paul Begala's Third Term.
The Solution to Trump's Nuclear Obsession
There's one long-term solution to the nuclear threat in the White House: disarmament.
Trump and DeVos Are Preparing a Historic Rollback on Discrimination Law
From weakening protections for survivors of sexual assault to axing protections for transgender students, the administration has made no secret of its animosity toward the Civil Rights Act.
How Grassley's Dirty Tricks Will Help the GOP Stack the Courts
Senate Republicans are reshaping the judiciary by abandoning the Senate customs they fought to keep under President Obama.
Why I’m Suing the President for Blocking Me on Twitter
By blocking people from his Twitter account, our lawsuit argues, the president has violated the First Amendment.
How Conservatives Are Trying to Rewrite the Constitution
While Congress and the Trump administration continue to push the GOP agenda via legislation, other conservatives are trying to change the Constitution itself.
When Disability Rights Are Trans Rights
A recent case has opened the next frontier in the fight for transgender rights: the Americans With Disabilities Act.
How the Right Is Perverting Religious Liberty
Inside the curious phrase that protects peyote and condemns LGBT people.
What Are the Limits of Executive Action Under Trump?
A preview of the historic test of the separation of powers to come.
A Moment of Silence for Antonin Scalia
The Supreme Court has just lost its strongest voice. His sudden silence leaves a major void.
What’s the Matter With Puerto Rico?
The limbo that Puerto Rico has existed in for more than a century was never meant to be permanent. Could Congress finally be getting around to naming our 51st state?
Why Hasn't This Strain of Ebola Been Stopped?
As the number of known infections climbs above 1,400, many questions about the virus and how it's spreading in West Africa remain.
The Scariest Virus: Ebola Is Back, and It’s Worse Than Ever
You’ve seen Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers depicted on screens both large and small, but what health care workers are currently fighting in West Africa is worse than anything writers have dreamed up.
How the Supremes Pick Their Cases
The opponents of Obamacare who went one for two in circuit court rulings earlier this week are unlikely to see their cases reach the Supreme Court.
This Time, Scalia Was Right
President Obama’s recess appointments were wrong and, worse, dangerous.
A Major Victory for Privacy Rights
In a unanimous decision that went far further than most anticipated, the Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement officers must obtain a warrant before searching a cell phone—even after arresting its owner.
America’s Unseen Export: Children, Most of Them Black
The theories and policies that govern American adoptions are out of date. At least until they’re changed—to keep state and private agencies from applying the law in such a way as to prioritize heterosexual couples—you can expect the outgoing adoption industry to continue growing, raising important questions about race and rights.
The Supreme Court Green-Lighted Gun-Control Legislation
In a 5-4 decision, the SCOTUS blocked a conservative effort to overturn a law that makes it illegal to buy a gun for someone else. While the ruling maintains the status quo by preserving long-standing legislation, it opens the door for stricter limits on gun ownership.
The Frozen Children: The Rise—and Complications—of Embryo Adoption
More efficient than in vitro fertilization and cheaper than traditional adoption, embryo adoption, which also provides parents with the experience of carrying a child, is becoming more popular. But our legislature is still struggling with serious legal issues surrounding the practice.
The Dangerous Rise of Social Media in the Operating Room
Surveys suggest most doctors and nurses understand the significant safety issues associated with the use of cell phones and laptops during surgery. But that’s not stopping them from pulling out the distracting devices.
Double Jeopardy Isn’t What You Think—and It Won’t Save Amanda Knox
Despite how it’s been portrayed on screens both large and small, the Fifth Amendment’s Double Jeopardy Clause isn’t meant to protect against the consequences of an appeal.
Why Are Children Being Separated From Their Families in South Dakota?
On reservations that have been described as “chaos” and “a swirling hell,” child welfare officials could have good intentions, but their efforts are still in clear violation of the Indian Children Welfare Act of 1978.
Does the Declaration of Independence Still Mean Something in 2014?
A remarkable document in human history, without precedent or rival, the Declaration outlines not what the United States should be, but what it should not be, defining America in opposition to Britain.
Judge Judy Is a National Treasure
With her popular syndicated television show—now in its 19th year—Judith Sheindlin protects the reasonable American’s notion of accountability and justice, reassuring us that offenders will be punished and victims compensated.
Nate Silver, PPP and the Use and Abuse of Polling in American Politics
Last week's fight over PPP's decision to hold back the results of a poll highlight how too many pollsters operating in the political sphere take an Ivory Tower attitude, disavowing responsibility for the consequences of their work.