Michael De Los Santos

Money influences politics. I am sure by now this line has been heard over and over again, even by those who choose to not stay engaged in the political process outside of election season, but it bears repeating because these days it's more true than…

The current political climate seems to be stuck in cycle of non-production that revolves around two issues: Obamacare and the debt ceiling. The current cycle has us on the brink of the unknown, with the government shutdown due to a fight over…

With the stench of the most recent college rankings still wafting in the wind, secondary education continues to be a topic for discussion. Much of that discussion has been about college athletes and whether or not they should be paid, but also the…

As the calendar turns to fall, prospective college students and alumni alike look for the college rankings to be released. It serves as a point of pride to see where your alma mater ranks and to boast about how good of a school you will be…

The summer recess will be coming to a conclusion soon, and the political posturing for what should be the main priority in Congress has already begun. It is quite clear that the funding of Obamacare is where the upcoming battle will lie as the House…

While Father’s Day is coming up and you are probably feeling one of two ways. Either you are already tired of the commercials about what manly gift to get dad or you’re disturbed by some of the news about despicable crimes that fathers have…

As our leaders in Washington continue to look for ways to balance the budget and deal with our increasing deficit, politicians have considered taking aim at entitlement programs . In President Obama’s proposed budget, he made cuts to programs like…

The debate over the federal budget and deficit spending continued this week as each chamber passed their respective budgets. What was missing from the debate was a budget proposal from President Obama. That changed on Wednesday when the president’s…

The Final Four and national championship game will happen over the course of the next several days. If you have spent any time watching any of the games, you have seen spattering of commercials about how good the NCAA is for student athletes. When…

The college basketball season is winding down as we head into the Final Four this weekend. Three of the four teams remaining are nationally recognized programs, though for true college basketball fans Wichita State is a known power in the mid-major…

Now that the Senate has passed a budget for the first time since Obama has been the president, there are some real budget negotiations happening between the House and the Senate. Should we focus on spending cuts, raising taxes, or both? That…

The focus of America has been on marriage equality, gun control, and immigration reform over the last few weeks. One issue that continues to trouble this country and has connection to each issue currently captivating our attention is poverty. The…

Immigration reform is a hot topic and there are many opinions being shared on the topic. If somehow you have missed the boat, simply check out the immigration page of PolicyMic. The need for reform has been covered from various angles from the…

We are entering the second weekend of March Madness, and once again the NCAA will use the tournament to build up how great they are for student athletes. The NCAA last year released the graduation success rate numbers (GSR) of student athletes…

The stop and frisk policy of New York City has long been debated. I and other PolicyMic pundits have written about its failures in the past. However, the debate is gaining new traction as the controversial policy is having its day in court.…

Last week fellow PolicyMic pundit Steve Curtis wrote that the marriage equality debate is not about gay people, rather that it is part of a movement to undermine marriage. The logic in this article seems off base. Instead of being an attack on…

The issue of marriage equality has been gaining ground in the national debate since the election. Now with the Supreme Court set to be engaged in the debate, and even GOP members starting to change their position, the topic is front and center. The…

Earlier this month, the world celebrated International Women’s Day. It was a day to celebrate the advancement of women over the years, but also to highlight the many barriers that they still face in their efforts for equality. On this day in…

March is here, and if you are a basketball fan it is one of the best times of the year. March Madness, The Big Dance, is upon us and everyone is frantically filling out their brackets and joining pools for bragging rights and maybe more. For many…