Perceptions of media bias: How demands from readers fuel the slanted views that journalists adopt
By Tin Cheuk Leung, Associate Professor of Economics, Wake Forest University Late in December 2023, a former editor of “The New York Times,” dropped a bombshell in an article for “The Economist.” “The leadership of ‘The New York...
Governor Tony Evers revives popular plan to enable voters to repeal state laws and create legislation
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is reviving his plan to let voters repeal and create state laws without legislative involvement, this time through the state budget. Governor Evers told reporters on January 3 that the state budget he plans to unveil next month will...
Republicans work to hide reminders of deadly January 6 attack on the Capitol as Trump retakes power
Inside the Capitol, reminders of the violence are increasingly hard to find. Scars on the walls have been repaired. Windows and doors broken by the rioters have been replaced. And there is no plaque, display, or remembrance of any kind. Lawmakers rarely mention the...
Unintended consequences: A tale for today about morality, politics, and law from the Prohibition era
The sweeping reforms of Prohibition from 1920 to 1933 mark one of the most controversial chapters in American history. It was a time when the collision of morality, politics, and public policy shaped the nation’s landscape in ways that continue to reverberate....
Podcast: A “Deep Dive” into the unintended consequences of America’s Prohibition Era
The Deep Dive podcast by Milwaukee Independent takes a closer look at the stories that matter most, uncovering the layers of complexity behind today’s pressing issues. From groundbreaking research to critical social movements and the intersection of local and global...
Militias on the March: How Trump’s immigration policies could again empower civilian vigilantes
By Amy Cooter, Director of Research, Academic Development, and Innovation at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, Middlebury President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed that once he takes office he plans to declare a national emergency and use the...
Milwaukee is among many cities nationwide that lack resources to fulfill Trump’s mass deportations
The immigration officers sat in their vehicles before dawn near a two-story building. A New York subway line rumbled overhead, then an officer’s voice crackled over the radio. After watching for about two hours, he said, “I think that’s Tango,”...
MAGA’s Civil War: Trump’s coalition sees fractures as White Nationalists clash with “DOGE” Tech Elites
Civil war has broken out within the MAGA Republicans. On the one side are the traditional MAGAs, who tend to be White, anti-immigrant, and less educated than the rest of the United States. They believe that the modern government’s protection of equal rights for women...
New Year 2025: From hope to fear as America grapples with its democratic future amid political violence
Today marks the beginning of a new year. It was traditionally a moment reserved for hope, renewal, and forward-looking resolutions. But for many Americans, the arrival of 2025 feels less like a celebration and more like the crossing of an ominous threshold. Gone is...
YIR 2024 Podcast: A “Deep Dive” into the Sikh Temple shooting anniversary with UN Ambassador
2024 marked yet another year of profound social change and uncertainty for residents across Milwaukee. While the pandemic had faded into the background of public consciousness, the emotional and financial impact of COVID-19 continued to ripple through the local...
YIR 2024 Podcast: A “Deep Dive” into undoing the superstition of chronology
2024 marked yet another year of profound social change and uncertainty for residents across Milwaukee. While the pandemic had faded into the background of public consciousness, the emotional and financial impact of COVID-19 continued to ripple through the local...
YIR 2024 Podcast: A “Deep Dive” into the political parable about running with scissors in America
2024 marked yet another year of profound social change and uncertainty for residents across Milwaukee. While the pandemic had faded into the background of public consciousness, the emotional and financial impact of COVID-19 continued to ripple through the local...
