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In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, deciding that certain businesses could refuse to follow federal laws if those laws conflicted with the owners' religious beliefs. Specifically, the case involved Hobby Lobby, a chain of craft stores whose owners objected to the Affordable Care Act’
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In 2014, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in McCutcheon v. FEC that changed the way money flows through American politics. It struck down the overall limits on how much a wealthy individual could donate to all candidates and political parties combined. Before, a donor was capped at around
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In 2013, the Supreme Court made a decision that changed American elections forever. Shelby County v. Holder struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), a law that had protected Black and minority voters from discrimination since the 1960s. This ruling made it easier for states to
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In September 2011, a group of protesters gathered in New York City’s Zuccotti Park and sparked a movement that would change how Americans think about money, power, and fairness. Occupy Wall Street, with its famous slogan "We are the 99%," called attention to how the richest 1%
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed in 2010, changed healthcare in the U.S. by expanding coverage to millions and stopping insurance companies from denying people with pre-existing conditions. While it helped many, it also caused deep political divides that still affect the country today. The law’s impact
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In 2010, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision changed how money influences American elections. By ruling that corporations and unions could spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns, the Court gave the wealthy and big businesses more power in politics. This has caused more division, hurt
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In 2009, a new political movement called the Tea Party took off. It started as a protest against government spending and new policies under President Obama, like healthcare reform. Many Tea Party supporters said they wanted lower taxes and less government control, but the movement also pushed the Republican Party
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The election of Barack Obama in 2008 was a historic event in American history. As the country’s first Black president, his victory represented progress in civil rights and gave hope for a more united future. However, his presidency also highlighted and deepened political divisions. The backlash against Obama’s
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The 2008 financial crisis wasn’t just an economic catastrophe—it was a turning point that deepened political divisions, exacerbated racial inequalities, and reshaped the balance of corporate power in America. While the collapse of the housing market and the ensuing Great Recession led to widespread economic suffering, the government’
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The Supreme Court has always played a crucial role in shaping American society, but over the past two decades, its decisions have increasingly contributed to political polarization. Since Chief Justice John Roberts took the helm in 2005, the Court’s rulings have expanded corporate power, restricted civil rights protections, and
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For decades, the United States has struggled with political division, but the rise of partisan media and the culture war has pushed the country toward a level of polarization that threatens democracy itself. Issues that were once debated in the realm of policy have become matters of identity, where Americans
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The 2003 invasion of Iraq created cracks in how American’s feel about their country—not just in terms of foreign policy, but also in the deepening of domestic polarization. The war, justified by the Bush administration on the grounds that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (which were never