Entries by Neal Barkus

Moving a Sofa – or a Nation

There is a long-running debate in America between those with a libertarian outlook, who believe it is every man for himself, and the rest of us. Neal Barkus cuts through the debate about individual versus collective rights at a moment’s notice by asking how important our objective really is. Is it moving a sofa or moving a nation? If our objective is hugely important – maybe existential – we know the answer. We have demonstrated time and again that the collective approach is the only way. After all, we are in this together.

Why West Virginia is Right to Count Timely-Cast Absentee Ballots Received After Election Day

West Virginia, being the rural, mountainous state it is, has communication issues. Notably it takes longer for US Postal Service mail to get out and to get in. Our state has long recognized the problem and given absentee voters extra time to get their mailed ballots to their elections’ office, as long as they are mailed before election day. This grace policy is under threat by Republicans and Neal Barkus describes what this will mean if they eliminate it.

Tending to Our Democracy

The Constitution is clear on who sets the rules for who can vote, but the states set the regulations for how voting takes place. Neal Barkus argues that West Virginia Republicans are changing voting rules to conform to the demands of the Federal government. WV does not have a voting integrity problem, so why are we making it harder for our citizens to vote?