Editors’ Note: With Peter Freyne on vacation this week, we decided to check in with one of our favorite commentators on national politics, David Sirota. The syndicated columnist is the author of Hostile Takeover: How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government — and How We Take It Back (Crown, 2006).... Read more

To understand the recent passionate congressional debate about the Iraq war spending bill, and why so many committed antiwar Democrats voted for it, we must understand the difference between protesting and legislating. Lawmakers who understand how to use both are often a movements' most essential actors.

Protesting is a critical part of American democracy. At its core, it is designed to put pressure on government in the lead-up to legislative decisions.... Read more