corruption
A prime locale to talk bribery, suspect campaign funding, and all other instances of political corruption. The shadier, the better.
The Worst-Kept Secret of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
One of the more poorly kept secrets of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that many of those involved would prefer to take all the land and have the other side disappear. A 2011 poll found that two-thirds of Palestinians believed that their real goal should not be a two-state solution, but rather using that arrangement as a prelude to establishing “one Palestinian state.” A 2016 survey found that nearly half of Israeli Jews agreed that “Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel.” A poll in 2000, conducted during negotiations toward a two-state solution, found that only 47 percent of Israelis and 10 percent of Palestinians supported a school curriculum that would educate students to “give up aspirations for parts of the ‘homeland’ which are in the other state.”
By Kristen Orkoshneli7 months ago in The Swamp
Unmasking the US Political Landscape and Trump’s Influence: 11 Powerful Truths
Over the last decade, few figures have reshaped the US political landscape as dramatically as Donald Trump. His presidency, persona, and policies have stirred deep divides, mobilized millions, and altered the trajectory of both major parties. As we stand in 2025, it’s impossible to ignore the lasting ripple effects of his time in office — and his continued influence.
By Kageno Hoshino7 months ago in The Swamp
Abigail Spanberger’s Intelligence Resume
As Virginia’s former U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger mounts her gubernatorial campaign in 2025, her résumé is getting the spotlight treatment — and one credential in particular deserves a closer look: her service on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee from 2023 to 2025.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
FEMA’s Western Maryland Denial
When catastrophic floods slammed into Allegany and Garrett Counties this May, Western Marylanders didn’t ask for handouts—they asked for help. Roads were destroyed, homes ruined, schools inundated, and families left reeling. The damage? $15.8 million, a figure that clearly exceeds FEMA’s own threshold for disaster declarations.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
Mike Tyson’s Knockout Case for Cannabis Reform
When most Americans think of Mike Tyson, they recall the heavyweight champ who dominated the boxing world with raw power and unfiltered honesty. But in 2025, Tyson’s biggest punches aren’t being thrown in the ring—they’re being delivered on the front lines of cannabis policy reform.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
Maryland’s Family Courts Are Failing Families
In theory, Maryland’s family courts are supposed to be the guardians of justice for families in crisis—handling divorce, custody, support, and domestic violence with impartiality and compassion. But in reality, they’ve become a bureaucratic maze riddled with inefficiencies, financial hurdles, and questionable practices that harm the very families they claim to protect. And despite the glossy brochures and polished websites, Maryland’s Judiciary continues to ignore the warning signs.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
Justice for Sale?
Family court was once seen as a sanctuary for the vulnerable—a place where children’s best interests reigned supreme and families could find resolution amidst conflict. But today, a growing chorus of parents, whistleblowers, and reform advocates are sounding the alarm: this system is broken. Worse, some say it's corrupt—not necessarily through envelopes stuffed with cash, but through something more insidious: institutionalized greed, judicial bias, and a profiteering machine hiding behind closed doors.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
Ten Ways Governor Wes Moore Has Impoverished Marylanders
When Wes Moore was elected governor, many Marylanders bought into the soaring rhetoric of "Leave No One Behind." What they didn’t realize is that under Moore’s progressive policies, more Marylanders would be dragged behind — economically, socially, and financially. From crushing small businesses to inflating government bloat, Moore’s policies have functioned less like a ladder of opportunity and more like a wrecking ball aimed at the working and middle class.
By Michael Phillips7 months ago in The Swamp
Lenin vs Stalin: Their Showdown Over the Birth of the USSR
The question of where Russia begins and ends—and who constitutes the Russian people—has preoccupied Russian thinkers for centuries. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014 turned these concerns into a big “Russian question” that constitutes a world problem: What should be the relation of the new Russian state to its former imperial possessions—now independent post-Soviet republics such as Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine—and to the Russian and Russian-speaking enclaves in those republics? How should mental maps of Russian ethnicity, culture and identity be reconciled with the political map of the Russian federation?
By Kristen Orkoshneli7 months ago in The Swamp
