Tag: William John Cox

Extracting Lessons from Police Shootings

Police shootings, especially aimed at people of color, have inflamed tensions between communities and the police sworn to protect them, raising difficult questions about attitudes and training, says ex-police officer William John Cox.

America’s Failure to Protect Voting

America may call itself democracy’s gold standard, but it fails to guarantee the right to vote and permits the dominance of political money, a shameful anomaly that requires a constitutional amendment, writes William John Cox.

Troubles of Anti-Trump/Clinton Write-ins

Distraught over the likely choice of Trump or Clinton, many Americans are thinking about third parties or write-ins, but the process is harder than one might expect, like much else about the U.S. electoral system, notes William John Cox.

The Choice of Justice John Marshall

Putting in context President Obama naming a Supreme Court justice in his last year was the case of John Marshall, one of the Supreme Court greats, chosen just weeks before a new president took office, William John Cox recalls.

Right-Wing Assault on the Constitution

The right-wing majority on the U.S. Supreme Court claims to believe in “originalism,” what the Constitution’s Framers intended. Yet, partisanship often trumps this supposed principle, including a case that could redefine “representation” to apply only to “voters,” as William John…

A Plan to Legalize Pot But Ban Advertising

As Americans turn against the “war on drugs” and especially criminal penalties for marijuana use, an alternative approach could be a combination of decriminalized pot and strict rules against advertising, as William John Cox suggests.

Taxing the Movement of Money

If U.S. budget gridlock had not ground rational thought to a standstill, creative options for revising the tax code might be possible, such as a tax on stock transactions to raise money and discourage micro-second trades. Another option would be…

In Case You Missed…

Some of our special stories in August explored stubborn conflicts raging from Libya to Afghanistan, reported on social upheavals within Western societies, reflected on the hypocrisy of Christian violence, and more.

Making Airport Screening Saner

In the decade since 9/11, airports have invested a fortune in heightened security against terrorism while alienating millions of passengers with procedures that demean and delay. Retired prosecutor William John Cox suggests some improvements to the system.