By AMY LIEBERMAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-at-stake-this-election-day-7-essential-reads-193699">The Conversation</a>

As Election Day closes in, uncertainty and concern about potential 
chaos – from violence at polling sites to candidates refusing to accept 
defeat – <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63494618">continue to rise</a>.

Problems that have historically plagued the U.S. electoral and 
political system – like voter intimidation – are cropping up ahead of 
the midterms. But so, too, are less familiar issues, like how previously
 run-of-the-mill state election positions are becoming opportunities for
 political activism.

Here are seven key issues that affect the midterm elections, drawn from stories in The Conversation’s archive.

Voter participation during midterm elections is typically low – though <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/11/01/turnout-in-u-s-has-soared-in-recent-elections-but-by-some-measures-still-trails-that-of-many-other-countries/">some experts say</a>
 that there could be heavy turnout this year. But the question of who 
actually heads to the polls will also be critical, as races in key <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-election-forecast/">swing states tighten</a>.

Young voters are much less likely to vote during midterms than older 
people, as opposed to their higher turnouts during presidential 
elections, American University government scholar <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1XMWY78AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jan Leighley</a> wrote. Young voters are also more likely to identify as Democrats.

“So if younger voters are underrepresented in the November 2022 
elections, more Republicans may be elected, as well as candidates less 
likely to reflect younger citizens’ views on key issues,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-voters-are-more-likely-to-skip-midterm-elections-than-presidential-races-192314">Leighley wrote.</a>

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-voters-are-more-likely-to-skip-midterm-elections-than-presidential-races-192314">Young voters are more likely to skip midterm elections than presidential races</a>

This year, meanwhile, record numbers of Latinos are also expected to 
turn out to vote. In 2020, most Latinos voted for President Joe Biden – 
but increasing numbers of Latino voters are also supporting GOP 
candidates, including former president Donald Trump, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-gop-made-gains-among-latino-voters-in-2020-but-democrats-remain-the-party-of-choice-for-upcoming-midterms-192679">wrote University of Tennessee social work</a> scholar <a href="https://experts.utk.edu/experts/mary-lehman-held/">Mary Lehman Held.</a>

One reason is that Latino voters have different backgrounds, values 
and priorities. And not all would be turned off by Republican 
candidates’ restrictive immigration politics. 

“Immigration policies only affect a subset of Latinos, most notably 
Mexicans, followed by Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Hondurans,” Lehman 
Held explained.

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-gop-made-gains-among-latino-voters-in-2020-but-democrats-remain-the-party-of-choice-for-upcoming-midterms-192679">The GOP made gains among Latino voters in 2020 but Democrats remain the party of choice for upcoming midterms</a>

It’s the economy, stupid, <a href="https://politicaldictionary.com/words/its-the-economy-stupid/">as the famous</a> 1992 political adage about voters’ top concern goes.

Soaring inflation <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-inflation-will-likely-stay-sky-high-regardless-of-which-party-wins-the-midterms-193416">rates top voters’</a>
 concerns this year, even though neither political party has been found 
particularly more effective at tackling the issue and bringing down 
inflation, as Texas State University finance scholar <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eP0xZ1kAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">William Chittenden wrote.</a>

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-inflation-will-likely-stay-sky-high-regardless-of-which-party-wins-the-midterms-193416">Why inflation will likely stay sky-high regardless of which party wins the midterms</a>

There was a flurry of political activism around the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18">Roe v. Wade</a>
 in June 2022, undoing the federal right to an abortion. But just four 
months later, men and women both say that abortion politics are not 
bringing them to the polls, according to Harvard Kennedy School and 
Northwestern University social science scholars <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vUKLlG4AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Matthew A. Baum</a>, <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/alaunasafarpour/home">Alauna Safarpour</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=P_3neYQAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jonathan Schulman</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0JH3YoUAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Kristin Lunz Trujillo</a>.

“The Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision may have initially 
mobilized some voters in June and July, particularly women, but its 
effects appear to have diminished when we asked Americans about their 
intentions to vote again in August and October,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-not-influencing-most-voters-as-the-midterms-approach-economic-issues-are-predominating-in-new-survey-191836">they wrote.</a>

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-not-influencing-most-voters-as-the-midterms-approach-economic-issues-are-predominating-in-new-survey-191836">Abortion is not influencing most voters as the midterms approach – economic issues are predominating in new survey</a>

3. Elections aren’t what they used to be

Gone are the days when election administrators were considered low 
profile, conducting essential – but not flashy – work, like organizing 
voter lists, staffing polling places and counting election results. 

Overall mistrust in elections is high in the U.S. following the 2020 
elections – and former President Trump’s refusal to accept his defeat. 
It’s a new era in politics, where it is not necessarily a given that 
“elections happen, votes are counted, the winners are declared and 
democracy moves on,” wrote Arizona State University’s <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FdltMX4AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Thom Reilly</a>, a public governance scholar and former state election official.

One complicating factor is that the U.S. is the only democracy that 
elects many of its election officials, and high-ranking members of the 
Republican or Democratic parties usually oversee elections at the state 
level. 

“That partisan system largely worked until now because, in essence, 
each party checked the other party’s ability to influence election 
outcomes. As long as states were politically diverse, members of the two
 major parties acted in good faith, and this model functioned – albeit 
imperfectly,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-faith-and-the-honor-of-partisan-election-officials-used-to-be-enough-to-ensure-trust-in-voting-results-but-not-anymore-189510">wrote Reilly</a>.

But there’s already evidence that newly minted and highly partisan 
poll workers and election observers plan to disrupt the elections, 
potentially diminishing public faith in this essential democratic 
institution and weakening democracy itself. And a high number of 
candidates running for state election administration roles are election 
deniers. If they win, wrote Reilly, that will further erode public 
confidence in election integrity. 

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-faith-and-the-honor-of-partisan-election-officials-used-to-be-enough-to-ensure-trust-in-voting-results-but-not-anymore-189510">Good faith and the honor of partisan election officials used to be enough to ensure trust in voting results – but not anymore</a>

4. Black voters face possible intimidation

Amid warnings from the Department of Homeland Security about 
political violence on Election Day – which University of Maryland, 
Baltimore County security researcher <a href="https://cybersecurity.umbc.edu/richard-forno/">Richard Forno</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/political-violence-in-america-isnt-going-away-anytime-soon-193597">recently explored</a> – there’s an increased risk that polling sites will become yet another place for political violence.

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/political-violence-in-america-isnt-going-away-anytime-soon-193597">Political violence in America isn't going away anytime soon</a>

The threat brings to mind <a href="https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/elections/right-to-vote/voting-rights-for-african-americans/">long-standing efforts</a> by white supremacists to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/27/voter-intimidation-surging-2020-protect-minority-voters-column/6043955002/">intimidate and</a> threaten Black voters.

Georgia is one place with a long history of voter intimidation that 
is rolling out election reform laws, making it actually harder for 
voters – especially people of color – to vote. One part of this new law,
 called SB 202, removes some voting drop boxes, which people of color 
predominantly use. This comes as Black voters gain number and power in 
Georgia – and the tightened voting rules are reminiscent of the 1940s 
and other times when white conservatives cracked down on voting rights 
in response to rising Black political strength.

“The almost immediate passage of new election laws at a time of 
growing Black political strength suggests the persistence of a white 
backlash in Georgia,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/georgias-gop-overhauled-the-states-election-laws-in-2021-and-critics-argue-the-target-was-black-voter-turnout-not-election-fraud-192000">wrote</a> Emory University <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Doner-2">political science scholar Richard Doner</a>.

Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/georgias-gop-overhauled-the-states-election-laws-in-2021-and-critics-argue-the-target-was-black-voter-turnout-not-election-fraud-192000">Georgia's GOP overhauled the state's election laws in 2021 – and critics argue the target was Black voter turnout, not election fraud</a>

Amy Lieberman is Politics + Society Editor at the The Conversation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667396556650.png" alt="Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By AMY LIEBERMAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-at-stake-this-election-day-7-essential-reads-193699">The Conversation</a>As Election Day closes in, uncertainty and concern about potential 
chaos – from violence at polling sites to candidates refusing to accept 
defeat – <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63494618">continue to rise</a>. Problems that have historically plagued the U.S. electoral and 
political system – like voter intimidation – are cropping up ahead of 
the midterms. But so, too, are less familiar issues, like how previously
 run-of-the-mill state election positions are becoming opportunities for
 political activism.Here are seven key issues that affect the midterm elections, drawn from stories in The Conversation’s archive.<h2>1. Who is voting</h2>Voter participation during midterm elections is typically low – though <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/11/01/turnout-in-u-s-has-soared-in-recent-elections-but-by-some-measures-still-trails-that-of-many-other-countries/">some experts say</a>
 that there could be heavy turnout this year. But the question of who 
actually heads to the polls will also be critical, as races in key <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-election-forecast/">swing states tighten</a>. Young voters are much less likely to vote during midterms than older 
people, as opposed to their higher turnouts during presidential 
elections, American University government scholar <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1XMWY78AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jan Leighley</a> wrote. Young voters are also more likely to identify as Democrats. “So if younger voters are underrepresented in the November 2022 
elections, more Republicans may be elected, as well as candidates less 
likely to reflect younger citizens’ views on key issues,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-voters-are-more-likely-to-skip-midterm-elections-than-presidential-races-192314">Leighley wrote.</a> 
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-voters-are-more-likely-to-skip-midterm-elections-than-presidential-races-192314">Young voters are more likely to skip midterm elections than presidential races</a>
 
 
This year, meanwhile, record numbers of Latinos are also expected to 
turn out to vote. In 2020, most Latinos voted for President Joe Biden – 
but increasing numbers of Latino voters are also supporting GOP 
candidates, including former president Donald Trump, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-gop-made-gains-among-latino-voters-in-2020-but-democrats-remain-the-party-of-choice-for-upcoming-midterms-192679">wrote University of Tennessee social work</a> scholar <a href="https://experts.utk.edu/experts/mary-lehman-held/">Mary Lehman Held.</a>One reason is that Latino voters have different backgrounds, values 
and priorities. And not all would be turned off by Republican 
candidates’ restrictive immigration politics. “Immigration policies only affect a subset of Latinos, most notably 
Mexicans, followed by Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Hondurans,” Lehman 
Held explained.
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-gop-made-gains-among-latino-voters-in-2020-but-democrats-remain-the-party-of-choice-for-upcoming-midterms-192679">The GOP made gains among Latino voters in 2020 but Democrats remain the party of choice for upcoming midterms</a>
 
 
<h2>2. What voters want</h2>It’s the economy, stupid, <a href="https://politicaldictionary.com/words/its-the-economy-stupid/">as the famous</a> 1992 political adage about voters’ top concern goes. Soaring inflation <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-inflation-will-likely-stay-sky-high-regardless-of-which-party-wins-the-midterms-193416">rates top voters’</a>
 concerns this year, even though neither political party has been found 
particularly more effective at tackling the issue and bringing down 
inflation, as Texas State University finance scholar <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eP0xZ1kAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">William Chittenden wrote.</a>
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-inflation-will-likely-stay-sky-high-regardless-of-which-party-wins-the-midterms-193416">Why inflation will likely stay sky-high regardless of which party wins the midterms</a>
 
 
There was a flurry of political activism around the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18">Roe v. Wade</a>
 in June 2022, undoing the federal right to an abortion. But just four 
months later, men and women both say that abortion politics are not 
bringing them to the polls, according to Harvard Kennedy School and 
Northwestern University social science scholars <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vUKLlG4AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Matthew A. Baum</a>, <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/alaunasafarpour/home">Alauna Safarpour</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=P_3neYQAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jonathan Schulman</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0JH3YoUAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Kristin Lunz Trujillo</a>. “The Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision may have initially 
mobilized some voters in June and July, particularly women, but its 
effects appear to have diminished when we asked Americans about their 
intentions to vote again in August and October,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-not-influencing-most-voters-as-the-midterms-approach-economic-issues-are-predominating-in-new-survey-191836">they wrote.</a>
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-not-influencing-most-voters-as-the-midterms-approach-economic-issues-are-predominating-in-new-survey-191836">Abortion is not influencing most voters as the midterms approach – economic issues are predominating in new survey</a>
 
 
<h2>3. Elections aren’t what they used to be</h2>Gone are the days when election administrators were considered low 
profile, conducting essential – but not flashy – work, like organizing 
voter lists, staffing polling places and counting election results. Overall mistrust in elections is high in the U.S. following the 2020 
elections – and former President Trump’s refusal to accept his defeat. 
It’s a new era in politics, where it is not necessarily a given that 
“elections happen, votes are counted, the winners are declared and 
democracy moves on,” wrote Arizona State University’s <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FdltMX4AAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Thom Reilly</a>, a public governance scholar and former state election official. One complicating factor is that the U.S. is the only democracy that 
elects many of its election officials, and high-ranking members of the 
Republican or Democratic parties usually oversee elections at the state 
level. “That partisan system largely worked until now because, in essence, 
each party checked the other party’s ability to influence election 
outcomes. As long as states were politically diverse, members of the two
 major parties acted in good faith, and this model functioned – albeit 
imperfectly,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-faith-and-the-honor-of-partisan-election-officials-used-to-be-enough-to-ensure-trust-in-voting-results-but-not-anymore-189510">wrote Reilly</a>. But there’s already evidence that newly minted and highly partisan 
poll workers and election observers plan to disrupt the elections, 
potentially diminishing public faith in this essential democratic 
institution and weakening democracy itself. And a high number of 
candidates running for state election administration roles are election 
deniers. If they win, wrote Reilly, that will further erode public 
confidence in election integrity. 
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-faith-and-the-honor-of-partisan-election-officials-used-to-be-enough-to-ensure-trust-in-voting-results-but-not-anymore-189510">Good faith and the honor of partisan election officials used to be enough to ensure trust in voting results – but not anymore</a>
 
 
<h2>4. Black voters face possible intimidation</h2>Amid warnings from the Department of Homeland Security about 
political violence on Election Day – which University of Maryland, 
Baltimore County security researcher <a href="https://cybersecurity.umbc.edu/richard-forno/">Richard Forno</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/political-violence-in-america-isnt-going-away-anytime-soon-193597">recently explored</a> – there’s an increased risk that polling sites will become yet another place for political violence. 
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/political-violence-in-america-isnt-going-away-anytime-soon-193597">Political violence in America isn't going away anytime soon</a>
 
 
The threat brings to mind <a href="https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/elections/right-to-vote/voting-rights-for-african-americans/">long-standing efforts</a> by white supremacists to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/27/voter-intimidation-surging-2020-protect-minority-voters-column/6043955002/">intimidate and</a> threaten Black voters. Georgia is one place with a long history of voter intimidation that 
is rolling out election reform laws, making it actually harder for 
voters – especially people of color – to vote. One part of this new law,
 called SB 202, removes some voting drop boxes, which people of color 
predominantly use. This comes as Black voters gain number and power in 
Georgia – and the tightened voting rules are reminiscent of the 1940s 
and other times when white conservatives cracked down on voting rights 
in response to rising Black political strength.“The almost immediate passage of new election laws at a time of 
growing Black political strength suggests the persistence of a white 
backlash in Georgia,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/georgias-gop-overhauled-the-states-election-laws-in-2021-and-critics-argue-the-target-was-black-voter-turnout-not-election-fraud-192000">wrote</a> Emory University <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Doner-2">political science scholar Richard Doner</a>. 
 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="https://theconversation.com/georgias-gop-overhauled-the-states-election-laws-in-2021-and-critics-argue-the-target-was-black-voter-turnout-not-election-fraud-192000">Georgia's GOP overhauled the state's election laws in 2021 – and critics argue the target was Black voter turnout, not election fraud</a>
 
 
Amy Lieberman is Politics + Society Editor at the The Conversation.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193699/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

7 essential reads: What’s at stake this Election Day

By JAY L. ZAGORSKY <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-winning-1-5-billion-powerball-jackpot-could-still-lead-to-bankruptcy-193921">The Conversation</a>

The latest <a href="http://www.powerball.com/games/home">Powerball</a> jackpot <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/03/us/powerball-jackpot-drawing-no-winner-thursday/index.html">swelled to US$1.5 billion on Nov. 2, 2022</a> – just shy of the record amount – after another drawing passed with no winning ticket. The next drawing will be held on Nov. 5.

The prize is now the third-largest lottery the world has ever seen, <a href="https://www.today.com/money/1-6-billion-powerball-california-couple-claims-winning-ticket-6-t100966">behind a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot</a> in 2016 and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/24/us/mega-millions-drawing-wednesday/index.html">$1.54 billion Mega Millions in 2018</a>.

The <a href="http://powerball.com/#powerball-prizes-and-odds">odds of winning</a> are very small, about 1 in 292 million. You are about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/lightning/victimdata.html">400 times more likely to be hit by lightning</a>. If <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217">every adult</a>
 in the U.S. purchased just one ticket, each with a different number, 
there would still be a good chance – about 11% – that no winner would 
emerge at a given drawing and the pot would grow even larger.

But once a winner is declared and claims the prize, a more 
interesting question arises: What happens to all that money and the 
supposedly lucky ticket holder? As <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-012-9299-y">research by me</a> and others shows, it’s often not what you’d expect.

The first thing to bear in mind is that while the jackpot is eye-wateringly large, the actual payout will be much less. 

If someone claims it, the winner would not actually receive $1.5 
billion in one big check. As a single winner, he or she can either 
choose a lump sum payment that amounts to about $756 million or receive 
$1.5 billion worth of annual payments that get progressively higher over
 <a href="http://www.megamillions.com/difference-between-cash-value-and-annuity">30 years</a>.

After that, the taxman gets to take a big bite. The federal government <a href="https://www.usamega.com/powerball/jackpot">will take</a>
 about a quarter of a billion dollars, leaving $470 million if it’s a 
lump sum payment. And then the state in which the winner resides will 
take another bite, unless the winner lives in Florida, Texas or another 
state without an income tax.

That jackpot is starting to look a lot smaller, though it’s still a massive chunk of change. 

The conventional wisdom is that winning the lottery will change your 
life. While that’s probably always true, research suggests that it’s not
 always going to change in the way you might hope. 

Economists Guido Imbens and Bruce Sacerdote and statistician Donald Rubin <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.91.4.778">showed in a 2001 paper</a>
 that people tend to spend unexpected windfalls. A look at lottery 
winners approximately 10 years after they won found they saved just 16 
cents of every dollar won.

In my own research, I found that the average person in their 20s, 30s or 40s who was <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-012-9299-y">given an inheritance or large financial gift</a> quickly lost half the money through spending or poor investments.

And other studies <a href="http://doi.org/10.1162/REST_a_00114">have found</a>
 that winning the lottery generally didn’t help financially distressed 
people escape their troubles and instead only postponed the inevitable 
bankruptcy. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/06/why-the-560-million-powerball-winner-wants-to-stay-unknown.html">One found</a> that one-third of lottery winners eventually go bankrupt.

So how exactly could a lottery winner blow through hundreds of millions of dollars so quickly? It’s not easy. 

Demographic research on lottery players’ characteristics shows that <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10899-010-9228-7">lottery playing peaks</a> when people are in their 30s and falls as people get older. And the average female in the U.S. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/VSRR10-508.pdf">lives to age 80.5 and the average male to 75.1</a>.

So that means, assuming the winner is in her 30s, she would have 
about 45 years or so to spend the lump after-tax sum of, let’s say, $470
 million. That means she would have to spend a bit over $10 million a 
year, or roughly $29,000 per day, to burn through it all – even more 
when you factor in interest accrued while it sits in the bank.

In addition, really blowing it all means the winner has no assets to show for it. If she uses the money to buy luxury homes, <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/banksy-says-that-painting-was-meant-to-be-totally-shredded.html">Banksy paintings</a>
 and Ferraris and Aston Martins, her net worth wouldn’t actually change 
and she’d be able to retire with her wealth intact – assuming the 
investments kept their value or rose.

Blowing through the money, which leads to bankruptcy and low savings 
rates, means the winner has nothing to show for her spending besides a 
good time, plus goodwill from friends and relatives who went along for 
the ride.

And that’s basically what a man named Huntington Hartford did. 

Hartford, who lived from 1911 to 2008, was the heir to <a href="https://www.groceteria.com/store/national-chains/ap/ap-history/">the Great Atlantic &amp; Pacific Tea Company</a>
 fortune. This company, which started just before the Civil War, is 
better known as the A&amp;P supermarket chain. A&amp;P was the first 
U.S. coast-to-coast food store, and from World War I to the 1960s, it 
was what <a href="https://www.walmart.com/">Walmart</a> is for today’s American shoppers.

Hartford inherited <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1996555/Huntington-Hartford.html">approximately $90 million</a> when he was 12. <a href="http://businessmacroeconomics.com/">Adjusting for inflation</a> means he was given <a href="https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm">about $1.6 billion</a> as a child, after taxes. Yet Huntington <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/arts/design/20hartford.html">declared bankruptcy</a> in New York in 1992, approximately 70 years after being handed one of the largest fortunes in the world.

Hartford had the reverse Midas touch. He lost millions buying real 
estate, creating an art museum and sponsoring theaters and shows. He 
combined poor business skills with an exceptionally lavish lifestyle. 
After declaring bankruptcy, he lived as a recluse with a daughter in the
 Bahamas until he died. 

Hartford’s life story, coupled with academic research, shows that 
coming into a windfall of cash doesn’t always have a happy ending. 
Squandering that money is easier than it seems. 

If you are planning on playing, I wish you good luck. If you are planning on winning, I wish you even more luck.

Nevertheless, one key lesson, whether you play or not, is that when 
you get a windfall or win the lottery, plan ahead and resist the 
all-too-human temptation to spend all the money.

Jay L. Zagorsky is a clinical associate professor at Boston University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667590791099.jpg" alt="Got the winning ticket?" />
 <figcaption>Got the winning ticket?</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAY L. ZAGORSKY <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-winning-1-5-billion-powerball-jackpot-could-still-lead-to-bankruptcy-193921">The Conversation</a>The latest <a href="http://www.powerball.com/games/home">Powerball</a> jackpot <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/03/us/powerball-jackpot-drawing-no-winner-thursday/index.html">swelled to US$1.5 billion on Nov. 2, 2022</a> – just shy of the record amount – after another drawing passed with no winning ticket. The next drawing will be held on Nov. 5.The prize is now the third-largest lottery the world has ever seen, <a href="https://www.today.com/money/1-6-billion-powerball-california-couple-claims-winning-ticket-6-t100966">behind a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot</a> in 2016 and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/24/us/mega-millions-drawing-wednesday/index.html">$1.54 billion Mega Millions in 2018</a>.The <a href="http://powerball.com/#powerball-prizes-and-odds">odds of winning</a> are very small, about 1 in 292 million. You are about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/lightning/victimdata.html">400 times more likely to be hit by lightning</a>. If <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217">every adult</a>
 in the U.S. purchased just one ticket, each with a different number, 
there would still be a good chance – about 11% – that no winner would 
emerge at a given drawing and the pot would grow even larger.But once a winner is declared and claims the prize, a more 
interesting question arises: What happens to all that money and the 
supposedly lucky ticket holder? As <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-012-9299-y">research by me</a> and others shows, it’s often not what you’d expect. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667590869489.jpg" alt="You’re 400 times more likely to get hit by a bolt of lightning than win the Powerball. Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>You’re 400 times more likely to get hit by a bolt of lightning than win the Powerball. Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A smaller prize than it seems</h2>The first thing to bear in mind is that while the jackpot is eye-wateringly large, the actual payout will be much less. If someone claims it, the winner would not actually receive $1.5 
billion in one big check. As a single winner, he or she can either 
choose a lump sum payment that amounts to about $756 million or receive 
$1.5 billion worth of annual payments that get progressively higher over
 <a href="http://www.megamillions.com/difference-between-cash-value-and-annuity">30 years</a>. After that, the taxman gets to take a big bite. The federal government <a href="https://www.usamega.com/powerball/jackpot">will take</a>
 about a quarter of a billion dollars, leaving $470 million if it’s a 
lump sum payment. And then the state in which the winner resides will 
take another bite, unless the winner lives in Florida, Texas or another 
state without an income tax.That jackpot is starting to look a lot smaller, though it’s still a massive chunk of change. <h2>Where windfalls go</h2>The conventional wisdom is that winning the lottery will change your 
life. While that’s probably always true, research suggests that it’s not
 always going to change in the way you might hope. Economists Guido Imbens and Bruce Sacerdote and statistician Donald Rubin <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.91.4.778">showed in a 2001 paper</a>
 that people tend to spend unexpected windfalls. A look at lottery 
winners approximately 10 years after they won found they saved just 16 
cents of every dollar won. In my own research, I found that the average person in their 20s, 30s or 40s who was <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-012-9299-y">given an inheritance or large financial gift</a> quickly lost half the money through spending or poor investments. And other studies <a href="http://doi.org/10.1162/REST_a_00114">have found</a>
 that winning the lottery generally didn’t help financially distressed 
people escape their troubles and instead only postponed the inevitable 
bankruptcy. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/06/why-the-560-million-powerball-winner-wants-to-stay-unknown.html">One found</a> that one-third of lottery winners eventually go bankrupt. <h2>It’s not easy to blow it all</h2>So how exactly could a lottery winner blow through hundreds of millions of dollars so quickly? It’s not easy. Demographic research on lottery players’ characteristics shows that <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10899-010-9228-7">lottery playing peaks</a> when people are in their 30s and falls as people get older. And the average female in the U.S. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/VSRR10-508.pdf">lives to age 80.5 and the average male to 75.1</a>.So that means, assuming the winner is in her 30s, she would have 
about 45 years or so to spend the lump after-tax sum of, let’s say, $470
 million. That means she would have to spend a bit over $10 million a 
year, or roughly $29,000 per day, to burn through it all – even more 
when you factor in interest accrued while it sits in the bank.In addition, really blowing it all means the winner has no assets to show for it. If she uses the money to buy luxury homes, <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/banksy-says-that-painting-was-meant-to-be-totally-shredded.html">Banksy paintings</a>
 and Ferraris and Aston Martins, her net worth wouldn’t actually change 
and she’d be able to retire with her wealth intact – assuming the 
investments kept their value or rose. Blowing through the money, which leads to bankruptcy and low savings 
rates, means the winner has nothing to show for her spending besides a 
good time, plus goodwill from friends and relatives who went along for 
the ride.<h2>Riches to rags</h2>And that’s basically what a man named Huntington Hartford did. Hartford, who lived from 1911 to 2008, was the heir to <a href="https://www.groceteria.com/store/national-chains/ap/ap-history/">the Great Atlantic &amp; Pacific Tea Company</a>
 fortune. This company, which started just before the Civil War, is 
better known as the A&amp;P supermarket chain. A&amp;P was the first 
U.S. coast-to-coast food store, and from World War I to the 1960s, it 
was what <a href="https://www.walmart.com/">Walmart</a> is for today’s American shoppers. Hartford inherited <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1996555/Huntington-Hartford.html">approximately $90 million</a> when he was 12. <a href="http://businessmacroeconomics.com/">Adjusting for inflation</a> means he was given <a href="https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm">about $1.6 billion</a> as a child, after taxes. Yet Huntington <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/arts/design/20hartford.html">declared bankruptcy</a> in New York in 1992, approximately 70 years after being handed one of the largest fortunes in the world.Hartford had the reverse Midas touch. He lost millions buying real 
estate, creating an art museum and sponsoring theaters and shows. He 
combined poor business skills with an exceptionally lavish lifestyle. 
After declaring bankruptcy, he lived as a recluse with a daughter in the
 Bahamas until he died. <h2>May the odds be ever in your favor</h2>Hartford’s life story, coupled with academic research, shows that 
coming into a windfall of cash doesn’t always have a happy ending. 
Squandering that money is easier than it seems. If you are planning on playing, I wish you good luck. If you are planning on winning, I wish you even more luck.Nevertheless, one key lesson, whether you play or not, is that when 
you get a windfall or win the lottery, plan ahead and resist the 
all-too-human temptation to spend all the money.Jay L. Zagorsky is a clinical associate professor at Boston University.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193921/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

How winning $1.5B Powerball jackpot could still lead to bankruptcy

If you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).

Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."

If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.

No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.

Selecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.

If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).<h2>How the scam works&nbsp;</h2>Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.Tips to avoid open enrollment scamsSelecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.<ul>
 <li>Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a> and Medicare provide <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-help-applying/" target="_blank">legitimate help with figuring out which plan</a>
 is right for you. These people — sometimes called Navigators or 
Assisters — are not allowed to charge for their support. If someone asks
 you for payment, it's a scam. You will also need to contact them. They 
will not call you first.&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Be wary of free gifts and "health screenings." Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13033-scam-alert-beware-of-the-medicare-back-brace-scam" target="_blank">free gifts</a>
 or other special deals. Never sign up with a broker who offers you an 
expensive sign-up gift in exchange for providing your Medicare ID number
 or additional personally identifiable information. Other times, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/17378-scam-alert-when-a-free-health-screening-is-really-a-health-insurance-scam" target="_blank">brokers offer free "health screenings" to weed out people who are less healthy</a>. This technique is called "cherry picking" and is against Medicare rules. </li><li>Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer 
your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or 
banking information to anyone you don't know. </li><li>Go directly to official websites.&nbsp;If you want to make changes to your health care plan, go directly to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare.gov</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/">Healthcare.gov</a>, or your employer's health insurance provider. Don't click on links in suspicious messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Contact your employer directly. If you receive an 
unexpected email about benefits policies, ask your employer about it 
before you click on anything to make sure it's legitimate.&nbsp; </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information: &nbsp;</h2>If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

Beware of health care cons during open enrollment

The University of Kansas Health System

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HFpb5SF2_8c"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The University of Kansas Health System

🎥 Kansas docs: Newest treatment on varicose veins

By SCOTT DAVIDSON <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-there-really-is-no-ethical-reason-not-to-vote-193612">The Conversation</a>

Midterms elections traditionally see a <a href="https://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present">slump in voter interest</a> compared to years in which the White House is up for grabs.

Yet November 2022 could see <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/early-voting-signals-high-turnout-in-u-s-midterms-11666876129">more Americans registering their midcycle political preferences</a> than in recent years. Already, some states are <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/midterm-elections-record-early-voting-15-days-before-election-day/">reporting record early voting figures</a>.

But even it that is the case, it is likely that a large chunk of eligible voters – <a href="https://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present">perhaps around half</a> – will not bother. Many obstacles prevent citizens from voting, such as uncertainty about how to register or an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/us/politics/voting-disability-virus.html">inability to get to the polls</a>. But there is a subset of nonvoters who make a conscious choice not to vote for ethical reasons.

As a <a href="https://philosophy.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/scott-davidson">philosopher who teaches courses in ethics and political philosophy</a>, I have investigated the ethics of not voting.

The three most common reasons I hear are: “I don’t have enough 
information,” “I don’t like any of the candidates,” and “I don’t want to
 give this election legitimacy.” It is worth examining why, in my view, 
each argument is flawed, and if, given the unique circumstances of this 
year’s election, there is at least one ethical reason not to vote.

According to a <a href="https://the100million.org/">study by the 100 Million Project</a>,
 nonvoters are twice as likely as active voters to say they do not feel 
they have enough information about candidates and issues to decide how 
to vote. This group of nonvoters might believe that it is unethical to 
vote <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-asked-people-why-they-dont-vote-and-this-is-what-they-told-me-129421">because they are uninformed</a>. In “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691154442/the-ethics-of-voting">The Ethics of Voting</a>,” political philosopher <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yYEAR8kAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jason Brennan</a>
 argues that uninformed citizens have an ethical obligation not to cast 
votes, because their uninformed votes can produce results that damage 
our political system.

The honesty of this group of nonvoters is praiseworthy, especially in
 comparison with overconfident voters who suffer from what psychologists
 call the “<a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/dunning-kruger-effect/">Dunning-Kruger effect</a>” and wrongly believe that they are better informed than they are.

But an uninformed voter can fix that problem and remove the ethical 
dilemma – and with minimal time and effort. Information about each 
candidate’s platform is more accessible than ever. It can be found 
online, in print and through conversation. The problem today is instead 
how to find reliable, nonpartisan information. One of the clear benefits
 of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-says-voting-by-mail-isnt-reliable-what-does-the-evidence-show">mail-in voting</a>
 is that it gives voters more time to fill out their ballot carefully 
without feeling rushed. While completing the ballot at home, they can 
educate themselves about each of the candidates and issues.

Another common reason for not voting is dislike of the candidates. In fact, an Ipsos study found <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-12/topline_medill_npr_non_voter_poll_121520.pdf">that 20% of nonvoters</a>
 in the 2020 presidential election did not vote because of a dislike of 
the candidates. Based on their dislike of both candidates, they found 
themselves unable to vote for either one in good conscience.

What this leaves open, however, is the question of where this 
“dislike” comes from. It is quite possibly the product of negative 
campaigning, which promotes negative attitudes toward the opposing 
candidate. If you already dislike one party’s candidate, <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/why-negative-campaigning-works-and-how-fight-it">negative ads encourage an equally negative feeling</a> toward the other party’s candidate. This suggests that negative campaign advertising carries out a strategy to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/2082710">depress overall voter turnout by making voters dislike both candidates</a>.

But dislike is not a sufficient reason for abstaining. The mistake 
here, I believe, is that choices are not always between a positive and 
negative, a good and a bad. Voters often have to choose between two good
 or two bad options. It’s also worth noting that, in addition to the top
 of the ticket, there are often <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11138329/do-voters-care-about-down-ballot-races">important state and local contests on the ballot</a>.
 Finding just one candidate or policy proposal that you truly support 
can make the effort to vote worthwhile. State and local races are 
sometimes very close, so each vote really can be meaningful.

Two common reasons given for not voting are the attitudes that their 
vote “does not matter” and that “the political system is corrupt,” which
 together account for about 20% of the nonvoting population, according 
to the <a href="https://the100million.org/">100 Million Project’s survey of nonvoters</a>. Voter turnout is often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116518820163">interpreted as a sign of public support that establishes political legitimacy</a>. By abstaining, some nonvoters might see themselves as opting out from a corrupt system that produces illegitimate results.

This way of thinking might be justified in an authoritarian regime, 
for example, which occasionally holds fake elections to demonstrate 
popular support. In such a society, abstaining from voting might make a 
legitimate point about the absence of open and fair elections. A 2019 
report <a href="http://www.eiu.com/Handlers/WhitepaperHandler.ashx?fi=Democracy-Index-2019.pdf&amp;mode=wp&amp;campaignid=democracyindex2019">ranks the U.S. as the 25th-most democratic country</a>,
 classifying it as a “flawed democracy” but a democracy nonetheless. If 
democratic elections are legitimate and their results are respected, 
voter abstention in the U.S. has no practical impact that would 
distinguish it from voter apathy.

All three of the above arguments fail, in my opinion, because they 
measure the worth of voting primarily in terms of its results. Voting 
may or may not yield the outcome individuals want, but without it, there
 is no democratic society.

During the pandemic, there was, in my view, one valid ethical reason 
for not voting, at least not in person. Election Day in 2020 took place <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklycases_select_00">during a spike in COVID-19 cases</a>,
 and those with symptoms or quarantining were certainly excused, 
ethically, from not showing up to the polls. The good of their vote was 
outweighed by the potential harm of exposing other voters to the virus.

People are still coming down with COVID-19, but even in nonpandemic times, would-be voters can be struck down by illness.

Knowing this could happen, voters need to adopt what ethicists call 
“the precautionary principle.” This principle says people should take 
steps to avoid or reduce harms to others, such as risking their life or 
health.

Based on the precautionary principle, an ethicist could argue that 
individuals ought to request absentee ballots if their state provides 
this option. Or to ensure that their ability to vote isn’t compromised 
by later illness, they might want to vote early.

Scott Davidson is a Professor of Philosophy at West Virginia University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654108488164.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT DAVIDSON <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-there-really-is-no-ethical-reason-not-to-vote-193612">The Conversation</a>Midterms elections traditionally see a <a href="https://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present">slump in voter interest</a> compared to years in which the White House is up for grabs.Yet November 2022 could see <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/early-voting-signals-high-turnout-in-u-s-midterms-11666876129">more Americans registering their midcycle political preferences</a> than in recent years. Already, some states are <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/midterm-elections-record-early-voting-15-days-before-election-day/">reporting record early voting figures</a>.But even it that is the case, it is likely that a large chunk of eligible voters – <a href="https://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present">perhaps around half</a> – will not bother. Many obstacles prevent citizens from voting, such as uncertainty about how to register or an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/us/politics/voting-disability-virus.html">inability to get to the polls</a>. But there is a subset of nonvoters who make a conscious choice not to vote for ethical reasons.As a <a href="https://philosophy.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/scott-davidson">philosopher who teaches courses in ethics and political philosophy</a>, I have investigated the ethics of not voting.The three most common reasons I hear are: “I don’t have enough 
information,” “I don’t like any of the candidates,” and “I don’t want to
 give this election legitimacy.” It is worth examining why, in my view, 
each argument is flawed, and if, given the unique circumstances of this 
year’s election, there is at least one ethical reason not to vote.<h2>1. Lack of information</h2>According to a <a href="https://the100million.org/">study by the 100 Million Project</a>,
 nonvoters are twice as likely as active voters to say they do not feel 
they have enough information about candidates and issues to decide how 
to vote. This group of nonvoters might believe that it is unethical to 
vote <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-asked-people-why-they-dont-vote-and-this-is-what-they-told-me-129421">because they are uninformed</a>. In “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691154442/the-ethics-of-voting">The Ethics of Voting</a>,” political philosopher <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yYEAR8kAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Jason Brennan</a>
 argues that uninformed citizens have an ethical obligation not to cast 
votes, because their uninformed votes can produce results that damage 
our political system.The honesty of this group of nonvoters is praiseworthy, especially in
 comparison with overconfident voters who suffer from what psychologists
 call the “<a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/dunning-kruger-effect/">Dunning-Kruger effect</a>” and wrongly believe that they are better informed than they are.But an uninformed voter can fix that problem and remove the ethical 
dilemma – and with minimal time and effort. Information about each 
candidate’s platform is more accessible than ever. It can be found 
online, in print and through conversation. The problem today is instead 
how to find reliable, nonpartisan information. One of the clear benefits
 of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-says-voting-by-mail-isnt-reliable-what-does-the-evidence-show">mail-in voting</a>
 is that it gives voters more time to fill out their ballot carefully 
without feeling rushed. While completing the ballot at home, they can 
educate themselves about each of the candidates and issues. <h2>2. Dislike of the candidates</h2>Another common reason for not voting is dislike of the candidates. In fact, an Ipsos study found <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-12/topline_medill_npr_non_voter_poll_121520.pdf">that 20% of nonvoters</a>
 in the 2020 presidential election did not vote because of a dislike of 
the candidates. Based on their dislike of both candidates, they found 
themselves unable to vote for either one in good conscience.What this leaves open, however, is the question of where this 
“dislike” comes from. It is quite possibly the product of negative 
campaigning, which promotes negative attitudes toward the opposing 
candidate. If you already dislike one party’s candidate, <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/why-negative-campaigning-works-and-how-fight-it">negative ads encourage an equally negative feeling</a> toward the other party’s candidate. This suggests that negative campaign advertising carries out a strategy to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/2082710">depress overall voter turnout by making voters dislike both candidates</a>.But dislike is not a sufficient reason for abstaining. The mistake 
here, I believe, is that choices are not always between a positive and 
negative, a good and a bad. Voters often have to choose between two good
 or two bad options. It’s also worth noting that, in addition to the top
 of the ticket, there are often <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11138329/do-voters-care-about-down-ballot-races">important state and local contests on the ballot</a>.
 Finding just one candidate or policy proposal that you truly support 
can make the effort to vote worthwhile. State and local races are 
sometimes very close, so each vote really can be meaningful.<h2>3. Contributing to a corrupt system</h2>Two common reasons given for not voting are the attitudes that their 
vote “does not matter” and that “the political system is corrupt,” which
 together account for about 20% of the nonvoting population, according 
to the <a href="https://the100million.org/">100 Million Project’s survey of nonvoters</a>. Voter turnout is often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116518820163">interpreted as a sign of public support that establishes political legitimacy</a>. By abstaining, some nonvoters might see themselves as opting out from a corrupt system that produces illegitimate results.This way of thinking might be justified in an authoritarian regime, 
for example, which occasionally holds fake elections to demonstrate 
popular support. In such a society, abstaining from voting might make a 
legitimate point about the absence of open and fair elections. A 2019 
report <a href="http://www.eiu.com/Handlers/WhitepaperHandler.ashx?fi=Democracy-Index-2019.pdf&amp;mode=wp&amp;campaignid=democracyindex2019">ranks the U.S. as the 25th-most democratic country</a>,
 classifying it as a “flawed democracy” but a democracy nonetheless. If 
democratic elections are legitimate and their results are respected, 
voter abstention in the U.S. has no practical impact that would 
distinguish it from voter apathy. All three of the above arguments fail, in my opinion, because they 
measure the worth of voting primarily in terms of its results. Voting 
may or may not yield the outcome individuals want, but without it, there
 is no democratic society.<h2>4. However …</h2>During the pandemic, there was, in my view, one valid ethical reason 
for not voting, at least not in person. Election Day in 2020 took place <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklycases_select_00">during a spike in COVID-19 cases</a>,
 and those with symptoms or quarantining were certainly excused, 
ethically, from not showing up to the polls. The good of their vote was 
outweighed by the potential harm of exposing other voters to the virus.People are still coming down with COVID-19, but even in nonpandemic times, would-be voters can be struck down by illness.Knowing this could happen, voters need to adopt what ethicists call 
“the precautionary principle.” This principle says people should take 
steps to avoid or reduce harms to others, such as risking their life or 
health.Based on the precautionary principle, an ethicist could argue that 
individuals ought to request absentee ballots if their state provides 
this option. Or to ensure that their ability to vote isn’t compromised 
by later illness, they might want to vote early.Scott Davidson is a Professor of Philosophy at West Virginia University.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193612/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

Is there really an ethical reason not to vote?

By KAREN FIGUEROA-CLEWETT <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-do-if-your-vote-is-challenged-on-election-day-193430">The Conversation</a>

With the general election drawing close, it’s important to know your rights in case your vote is challenged. 

The best way to ensure that your vote is counted is to advocate for yourself. I’m a civil rights attorney and <a href="https://dornsife-poir.usc.edu/person/6076/">lecturer for the University of Southern California’s undergraduate civil rights advocacy initiative</a>,
 Agents of Change. Here are several straightforward ways to ensure your 
vote is counted and two practical remedies for you to consider if your 
vote remains challenged.

A major part of ensuring that you are able to vote is doing the necessary preparation before you even get to the polling place.

Before you vote, you need to ensure that you’re registered to vote. You can verify your registration status using this <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">tool</a>.
 If you can’t use an online tool, then call your local election office 
or a voter help line like the ones listed in the hotline section below.

If you find you’re not registered, you can use this <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/electronic-or-online-voter-registration.aspx#Table%20of%20states%20w/ovr">tool</a>
 from the National Conference of State Legislatures to find your state’s
 online registration application. If you need to do this in person, then
 call your local election office for instructions.

At this point, you may have missed your state’s deadline for voter registration. But it may not be too late to register.

Many states allow same-day registration at the polling site. You can find your state’s same-day voter laws detailed <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-registration.aspx">here</a>.
 Ask the poll worker, at the correct polling location, for a same-day 
registration form; complete the form, and then ask for a “conditional 
ballot.” A conditional ballot allows election officials to count your 
vote after verifying your voter eligibility. If you can’t research 
online, you can call your local election office to find out if you can 
register on Election Day.

Voter ID laws generally cover in-person voting, not absentee ballots or mailed ballots. 

If you live in a state that requires identity verification to vote in
 person, gather the required documents – which may range from driver’s 
licenses to bank statements with identifying information – before 
traveling to the correct polling place. You can find your county 
election office’s contact information <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">here</a>. This <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx">webpage</a>
 includes a table listing each state’s acceptable ID documents and 
possible exceptions for some folks. You may also call your local 
election office to find out what’s required.

You can ensure that you’re headed to the right polling place with this <a href="https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/">tool</a>.
 Or call your county election office to find your polling place and its 
hours of operation; you can look up your county’s election office 
contact information <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">here</a>.

Once you know your polling place and its hours, you can go there and 
check in. In most cases, you’ll be handed a ballot, shown where to vote 
and asked to put your ballot in a machine or a box, and then you can go 
merrily along your way. 

But the moment of check-in is where things might go wrong. 

Here are potential vote challenges and ways to overcome them.  

Possibility #1: Out-of-order polling machines. 

If you’re asked to leave because of malfunctioning machines, don’t. Instead, ask for a paper ballot. 

Possibility #2: You’re in line and officials announce the polls have closed.

If you’re in line at the polling location before it closes, don’t let
 them turn you away at closing time if you haven’t voted. You have the 
legal right to vote under those circumstances, so <a href="https://www.vote.org/election-protection/">stay in line and wait to cast your ballot</a>.

Possibility #3: You’re not on the registered voters list. 

If you’re told you can’t vote because your name is not on the voter roster, <a href="https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights#what-are-my-general-rights-on-election-day">ask the poll site worker to check again</a>
 and to check what’s called the list of supplemental voters. If they 
still can’t find your name, ask the poll worker to verify that you’re at
 the right location.

Possibility #4: Someone claims you shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

If your voting eligibility remains challenged after ensuring you’re at the right polling location, <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots.aspx">ask to cast a provisional ballot</a>,
 which is available in every state except Idaho and Minnesota. You can 
find details about your particular state’s provisional ballot rules <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots.aspx.">here</a>.

Track your provisional ballot <a href="https://www.vote.org/ballot-tracker-tools/">here</a>.

If you are not given a provisional ballot, call an election hotline 
for help. Here are four hotlines, run by members of the nonpartisan <a href="https://866ourvote.org/about/">Election Protection coalition</a>, that can help you:

English: 866-OUR-VOTE/866-687-8683, <a href="https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/project/election-protection/">The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law</a>

Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA/888-839-8682, <a href="http://veyvota.yaeshora.info/about?id=0003">The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund</a>

Asian Languages: 888-API-VOTE/888-274-8683, <a href="https://apiavote.org/how-to-vote/multilingual-voter-hotline/">Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote</a>

Arabic: 844-YALLA-US/844-925-5287, <a href="https://www.aaiusa.org/about-us">Arab American Institute</a>

If someone tries to scare you into voting or not voting for a 
candidate, stand your ground and demand a ballot from the poll site, 
call a hotline above to report the intimidation, and file a claim with 
the FBI later by phone at 800-CALL-FBI - 800-225-5324 - or online at <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov">tips.fbi.gov</a>.

If you are still blocked from voting, consider legal action – but get
 advice on your exact situation from one of the hotlines, which have 
free lawyers on hand. It’s a good idea to write down the names of people
 who prevented you from voting and to ask people who witnessed the 
incident for their contact information.

Karen Figueroa-Clewett is Lecturer, Agents of Change program, Department of Political 
Science and International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, 
Arts and Sciences.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667396556650.png" alt="Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN FIGUEROA-CLEWETT <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-do-if-your-vote-is-challenged-on-election-day-193430">The Conversation</a>With the general election drawing close, it’s important to know your rights in case your vote is challenged. The best way to ensure that your vote is counted is to advocate for yourself. I’m a civil rights attorney and <a href="https://dornsife-poir.usc.edu/person/6076/">lecturer for the University of Southern California’s undergraduate civil rights advocacy initiative</a>,
 Agents of Change. Here are several straightforward ways to ensure your 
vote is counted and two practical remedies for you to consider if your 
vote remains challenged. A major part of ensuring that you are able to vote is doing the necessary preparation before you even get to the polling place.<h2>Are you registered to vote? Check it out</h2>Before you vote, you need to ensure that you’re registered to vote. You can verify your registration status using this <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">tool</a>.
 If you can’t use an online tool, then call your local election office 
or a voter help line like the ones listed in the hotline section below.If you find you’re not registered, you can use this <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/electronic-or-online-voter-registration.aspx#Table%20of%20states%20w/ovr">tool</a>
 from the National Conference of State Legislatures to find your state’s
 online registration application. If you need to do this in person, then
 call your local election office for instructions.At this point, you may have missed your state’s deadline for voter registration. But it may not be too late to register.Many states allow same-day registration at the polling site. You can find your state’s same-day voter laws detailed <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-registration.aspx">here</a>.
 Ask the poll worker, at the correct polling location, for a same-day 
registration form; complete the form, and then ask for a “conditional 
ballot.” A conditional ballot allows election officials to count your 
vote after verifying your voter eligibility. If you can’t research 
online, you can call your local election office to find out if you can 
register on Election Day.<h2>Gather documents to verify your identity</h2>Voter ID laws generally cover in-person voting, not absentee ballots or mailed ballots. If you live in a state that requires identity verification to vote in
 person, gather the required documents – which may range from driver’s 
licenses to bank statements with identifying information – before 
traveling to the correct polling place. You can find your county 
election office’s contact information <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">here</a>. This <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx">webpage</a>
 includes a table listing each state’s acceptable ID documents and 
possible exceptions for some folks. You may also call your local 
election office to find out what’s required.<h2>Find the correct polling location</h2>You can ensure that you’re headed to the right polling place with this <a href="https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/">tool</a>.
 Or call your county election office to find your polling place and its 
hours of operation; you can look up your county’s election office 
contact information <a href="https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">here</a>. Once you know your polling place and its hours, you can go there and 
check in. In most cases, you’ll be handed a ballot, shown where to vote 
and asked to put your ballot in a machine or a box, and then you can go 
merrily along your way. But the moment of check-in is where things might go wrong. <h2>Problems at your polling place</h2>Here are potential vote challenges and ways to overcome them. Possibility #1: Out-of-order polling machines. If you’re asked to leave because of malfunctioning machines, don’t. Instead, ask for a paper ballot. Possibility #2: You’re in line and officials announce the polls have closed.If you’re in line at the polling location before it closes, don’t let
 them turn you away at closing time if you haven’t voted. You have the 
legal right to vote under those circumstances, so <a href="https://www.vote.org/election-protection/">stay in line and wait to cast your ballot</a>. Possibility #3: You’re not on the registered voters list. If you’re told you can’t vote because your name is not on the voter roster, <a href="https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights#what-are-my-general-rights-on-election-day">ask the poll site worker to check again</a>
 and to check what’s called the list of supplemental voters. If they 
still can’t find your name, ask the poll worker to verify that you’re at
 the right location. Possibility #4: Someone claims you shouldn’t be allowed to vote.If your voting eligibility remains challenged after ensuring you’re at the right polling location, <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots.aspx">ask to cast a provisional ballot</a>,
 which is available in every state except Idaho and Minnesota. You can 
find details about your particular state’s provisional ballot rules <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots.aspx.">here</a>. Track your provisional ballot <a href="https://www.vote.org/ballot-tracker-tools/">here</a>.<h2>Call a hotline</h2>If you are not given a provisional ballot, call an election hotline 
for help. Here are four hotlines, run by members of the nonpartisan <a href="https://866ourvote.org/about/">Election Protection coalition</a>, that can help you: English: 866-OUR-VOTE/866-687-8683, <a href="https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/project/election-protection/">The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law</a>Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA/888-839-8682, <a href="http://veyvota.yaeshora.info/about?id=0003">The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund</a>Asian Languages: 888-API-VOTE/888-274-8683, <a href="https://apiavote.org/how-to-vote/multilingual-voter-hotline/">Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote</a>Arabic: 844-YALLA-US/844-925-5287, <a href="https://www.aaiusa.org/about-us">Arab American Institute</a><h2>Report voter intimidation</h2>If someone tries to scare you into voting or not voting for a 
candidate, stand your ground and demand a ballot from the poll site, 
call a hotline above to report the intimidation, and file a claim with 
the FBI later by phone at 800-CALL-FBI - 800-225-5324 - or online at <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov">tips.fbi.gov</a>. <h2>File a lawsuit</h2>If you are still blocked from voting, consider legal action – but get
 advice on your exact situation from one of the hotlines, which have 
free lawyers on hand. It’s a good idea to write down the names of people
 who prevented you from voting and to ask people who witnessed the 
incident for their contact information.Karen Figueroa-Clewett is Lecturer, Agents of Change program, Department of Political 
Science and International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, 
Arts and Sciences.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193430/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

What to do if your vote is challenged on Election Day

WASHINGTON — In fiscal year 2022, IRS Criminal Investigation 
initiated more than 2,550 criminal investigations, identified over $31 
billion from tax and financial crimes, and obtained a 90.6% conviction 
rate on cases accepted for prosecution. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3583.pdf">IRS-CI FY22 Annual Report</a>PDF,
 released Thursday, details these statistics, as well as important 
partnerships and significant criminal enforcement actions from the past 
fiscal year, which began October 1, 2021, and ended September 30, 2022.

"The cases the IRS-CI team investigated over the past fiscal year 
touch multiple continents and require cooperation with partners around 
the globe. This is why IRS-CI continues to cement itself as the 
preeminent law enforcement agency investigating financial crimes on a 
global scale," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.

In FY22, IRS-CI expanded partnerships with foreign counterparts to 
help combat tax and financial crimes on a global level. IRS-CI special 
agents delivered trainings in countries like Argentina, Germany, 
Colombia, and Palau on topics ranging from cybercrime to human 
trafficking. IRS-CI Mexico City, after changes to Mexico law that 
enabled the extradition of tax fugitives, launched an initiative to 
identify fugitives who had absconded to Mexico and nearby countries. 
This initiative resulted in the location of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-ci-mexico-city-initiative-locates-79-criminal-fugitives-in-first-year">79 criminal fugitives and the apprehension of eight during the first year</a>.

IRS-CI joined <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-launch-task-force-kleptocapture">Taskforce Kleptocapture</a> in March 2022 to target Russian oligarchs and other sanctions-evaders. It also worked with the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/joint-chiefs-of-global-tax-enforcement">Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5)</a>
 to identify potential sanction evaders or sanctioned assets as part of a
 global strategy to deter Russia's aggression. As of September 2022, the
 agency had identified nearly 50 individuals and entities for potential 
sanctions-related enforcement.

IRS-CI's 2,077 special agents spent about 70% of their time 
investigating tax-related crimes like tax evasion and tax fraud during 
FY22, while nearly 30% of their time was spent on money laundering and 
drug trafficking cases. Special agents identified over $31 billion from 
tax and financial crimes, and the agency seized assets valued at 
approximately $7 billion in FY22. IRS-CI is the only U.S. federal law 
enforcement agency that focuses 100% on financial investigations.

"Our team follows the money," said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. "We've been 
doing it for more than 100 years, and we've followed criminals into the 
dark web and now into the metaverse. Tax and other financial crimes know
 no borders. If you violate the law and end up in the crosshairs of an 
IRS-CI special agent, you are likely going to jail."

The IRS-CI Cyber Crime Unit, with assistance from U.S. authorities, 
traced billions of dollars of Bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex, a 
cryptocurrency exchange, after a 2016 hack. This led to the February 
2022 arrest of Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife, Heather Morgan, for 
alleged conspiracy to launder stolen cryptocurrency. IRS-CI special 
agents lawfully seized and recovered more than 94,000 stolen Bitcoin, 
which was valued at over $3.6 billion at the time, marking the largest 
seizure in U.S. history.

The Tampa Field Office investigated Michael Dexter Little for 
tax-related crimes. He was sentenced to 19 years and six months in 
federal prison in January 2022 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 
conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. 
Little also had to forfeit at least $12.3 million, traceable to his 
offenses. He filed a series of false tax returns, claiming massive, 
bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and 
the names of co-conspirators, as well as identity theft victims. He 
obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted 
to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators used
 scheme proceeds to purchase real estate and other assets for 
themselves.

The Oakland Field Office investigated Jeff and Paulette Carpoff for 
running a billion-dollar fraud scheme centered around DC Solar. 
Investors were duped into investing in DC Solar based on fake financial 
and engineering reports, and the money was used to fund the Carpoffs' 
lavish lifestyle, which included a NASCAR sponsorship, ownership of a 
minor league baseball team, luxury real estate and more. The federal 
government seized and auctioned off 148 of the Carpoffs' vehicles to 
recoup more than $8 million for scheme victims. In November 2021, Jeff 
Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and in June, Paulette 
Carpoff was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The report also includes additional case examples for each U.S. field
 office, an overview of IRS-CI's international footprint, details about 
the specialized services provided by IRS-CI and investigative 
statistics, broken down by discipline, for FY22.

IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for 
conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, 
narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare 
fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only 
federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over 
violations of the Internal Revenue Code, boasting a near 90% federal 
conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S.
 and 12 attaché posts abroad.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — In fiscal year 2022, IRS Criminal Investigation 
initiated more than 2,550 criminal investigations, identified over $31 
billion from tax and financial crimes, and obtained a 90.6% conviction 
rate on cases accepted for prosecution. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3583.pdf">IRS-CI FY22 Annual Report</a>PDF,
 released Thursday, details these statistics, as well as important 
partnerships and significant criminal enforcement actions from the past 
fiscal year, which began October 1, 2021, and ended September 30, 2022."The cases the IRS-CI team investigated over the past fiscal year 
touch multiple continents and require cooperation with partners around 
the globe. This is why IRS-CI continues to cement itself as the 
preeminent law enforcement agency investigating financial crimes on a 
global scale," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/q44uedBm-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Irs Ci Annual Report Video 2022 (540p)" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>In FY22, IRS-CI expanded partnerships with foreign counterparts to 
help combat tax and financial crimes on a global level. IRS-CI special 
agents delivered trainings in countries like Argentina, Germany, 
Colombia, and Palau on topics ranging from cybercrime to human 
trafficking. IRS-CI Mexico City, after changes to Mexico law that 
enabled the extradition of tax fugitives, launched an initiative to 
identify fugitives who had absconded to Mexico and nearby countries. 
This initiative resulted in the location of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-ci-mexico-city-initiative-locates-79-criminal-fugitives-in-first-year">79 criminal fugitives and the apprehension of eight during the first year</a>.IRS-CI joined <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-launch-task-force-kleptocapture">Taskforce Kleptocapture</a> in March 2022 to target Russian oligarchs and other sanctions-evaders. It also worked with the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/joint-chiefs-of-global-tax-enforcement">Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5)</a>
 to identify potential sanction evaders or sanctioned assets as part of a
 global strategy to deter Russia's aggression. As of September 2022, the
 agency had identified nearly 50 individuals and entities for potential 
sanctions-related enforcement.IRS-CI's 2,077 special agents spent about 70% of their time 
investigating tax-related crimes like tax evasion and tax fraud during 
FY22, while nearly 30% of their time was spent on money laundering and 
drug trafficking cases. Special agents identified over $31 billion from 
tax and financial crimes, and the agency seized assets valued at 
approximately $7 billion in FY22. IRS-CI is the only U.S. federal law 
enforcement agency that focuses 100% on financial investigations."Our team follows the money," said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. "We've been 
doing it for more than 100 years, and we've followed criminals into the 
dark web and now into the metaverse. Tax and other financial crimes know
 no borders. If you violate the law and end up in the crosshairs of an 
IRS-CI special agent, you are likely going to jail."<h2>Case examples include:</h2>The IRS-CI Cyber Crime Unit, with assistance from U.S. authorities, 
traced billions of dollars of Bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex, a 
cryptocurrency exchange, after a 2016 hack. This led to the February 
2022 arrest of Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife, Heather Morgan, for 
alleged conspiracy to launder stolen cryptocurrency. IRS-CI special 
agents lawfully seized and recovered more than 94,000 stolen Bitcoin, 
which was valued at over $3.6 billion at the time, marking the largest 
seizure in U.S. history.The Tampa Field Office investigated Michael Dexter Little for 
tax-related crimes. He was sentenced to 19 years and six months in 
federal prison in January 2022 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 
conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. 
Little also had to forfeit at least $12.3 million, traceable to his 
offenses. He filed a series of false tax returns, claiming massive, 
bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and 
the names of co-conspirators, as well as identity theft victims. He 
obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted 
to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators used
 scheme proceeds to purchase real estate and other assets for 
themselves.The Oakland Field Office investigated Jeff and Paulette Carpoff for 
running a billion-dollar fraud scheme centered around DC Solar. 
Investors were duped into investing in DC Solar based on fake financial 
and engineering reports, and the money was used to fund the Carpoffs' 
lavish lifestyle, which included a NASCAR sponsorship, ownership of a 
minor league baseball team, luxury real estate and more. The federal 
government seized and auctioned off 148 of the Carpoffs' vehicles to 
recoup more than $8 million for scheme victims. In November 2021, Jeff 
Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and in June, Paulette 
Carpoff was sentenced to 11 years in prison.The report also includes additional case examples for each U.S. field
 office, an overview of IRS-CI's international footprint, details about 
the specialized services provided by IRS-CI and investigative 
statistics, broken down by discipline, for FY22.IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for 
conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, 
narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare 
fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only 
federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over 
violations of the Internal Revenue Code, boasting a near 90% federal 
conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S.
 and 12 attaché posts abroad.

🎥 IRS: More than 2,500 investigations, 90% conviction rate for 2022 tax crimes

By MARK KENNEDY Associated Press

NEW YORK — Is Fleetwood Mac's landmark album “Rumours” better 
than “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar? Should “Tapestry” by 
Carole King be ranked higher or lower than “Thriller” by Michael 
Jackson?

Rolling Stone magazine has some answers in a new book that's sure to spark conversations — <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/rolling-stone_9781419758775/">“The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”</a>
 It's where you'll find that Bruce Springsteen's “Born to Run” fittingly
 sits just ahead of “Ready to Die” by The Notorious B.I.G., at No. 21 
and No. 22, respectively.

"Every record on here is in some ways on
 for different reasons," said Jon Dolan, the reviews editor at Rolling 
Stone who helped create the book. “We are really happy, to be honest, 
about the whole list.”

But if you disagree with the rankings, 
don't blame the folks at Rolling Stone. Blame Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, 
Iggy Pop. Nile Rodgers, Questlove, Billie Eilish, Herbie Hancock, 
Saweetie, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lin-Manuel Miranda and members of Metallica 
and U2, among dozens of other artists. They were among the judges.

The
 book's editors reached out to about 500 voters from the world of music —
 artists, journalists, record label figures and Rolling Stone staffers —
 and asked for their top 50 albums (Stevie Nicks kindly offered 80). 
They got some 4,000 albums and created a spreadsheet with weighed 
points.

On every page, the artists make a fascinating musical 
tapestry. Take a section in the lower Top 100 — at No. 86 is The Doors' 
self-titled debut, followed by “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis, “Hunky 
Dory” by David Bowie and, at No. 89, is “Baduizm” by Erykah Badu, 
connecting gems of classic rock, jazz, prog-rock and R&amp;B.

“Is 
there a person who loves all those things equally? Probably not. But we 
hope there’s people who could definitely want to try them all out and 
see what they think,” Dolan said. “That’s the goal: making connections 
and being introduced to new things.”

Dolan was impressed by some 
established artists embracing modern music, like John Cale of the Velvet
 Underground championing FKA Twigs and Nicks ranking Harry Styles' “Fine
 Line” quite high.

“It’s sweet when these people who have been 
around are not just pooh-poohing the younger generation,” he said. “It’s
 neat when people are voting for things outside of their genre and what 
you’d expect.”

The book's origins started in 2003 when the 
magazine published its first 500 list, putting The Beatles “Sgt. 
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at No. 1. It was a pretty 
Beatles-heavy list, with three more Fab Four albums making the top 10.

“It
 had kind of the perspective of a 45-year-old male rock fan who was open
 minded, who liked rap a little bit, but kind of patting it on the head,
 and liked R&amp;B, but was kind of dismissive of the more recent 
stuff,” he said.

“We really wanted to break away from that perspective and think the list could actually have many perspectives converging.”

Joni
 Mitchell's “Blue” shot up on the new list, going from No. 30 in 2003 to
 the top 10 now, and Prince and the Revolution's “Purple Rain” went from
 No. 76 to No. 8. Another big gainer was Lauryn Hill's “The Miseducation
 of Lauryn Hill,” which zoomed up from the 300s in 2003 to Top 10 now.

“Certain
 albums become kind of new classics,” said Dolan. “It is something 
that’s kind of evolving and up for grabs. And we wanted to kind of at 
least imply that in doing this one.”

The new list is more 
inclusive of genres other than rock and so pushed some iconic albums 
down, like AC/DC’s “Back in Black” which went from No. 77 to No. 84, now
 nestled between “Dusty in Memphis” by Dusty Springfield and John 
Lennon’s “Plastic Ono Band.” (“I’m pretty sure they would accept that 
company,” Dolan said.)

Some artists' catalogues have also shifted.
 Bob Dylan's “Blood on the Tracks” leapfrogged his "Blonde on Blonde" 
and “Highway 61 Revisited” this time, and the Beatles' “Abbey Road” 
became their top album in the book, over “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts 
Club Band,” “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver.”

“The warmth and the 
beauty and the sweetness of ‘Abbey Road’ maybe in a way wins out over 
this sort of landmark sonic inventiveness of ‘Revolver’ because people 
love to listen to it.”

There's been some online griping about the 
list, like that only “The Stranger” from Billy Joel made the list and no
 entries from non-Western artists, Fans of U2 might be mad that “The 
Joshua Tree” dropped out of the Top 100 and fans of electronic music 
might bemoan that there are only eight electronic albums.

But 
Rolling Stone says the list is a snapshot as music marches onward. While
 the albums were being tabulated this time, Taylor Swift’s “folklore” 
and Bob Dylan’s “Rough and Rowdy Ways” came out, and Dolan suspects both
 might have made the book if they’d only come out earlier.

“Because
 the list is so stylistically diverse and open-ended, I think we’re kind
 of implying that it’s always a work in progress,” he said. “In 20 
years, Rolling Stone, whatever entity it is, will do this again at some 
point.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667407479905.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK KENNEDY Associated PressNEW YORK — Is Fleetwood Mac's landmark album “Rumours” better 
than “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar? Should “Tapestry” by 
Carole King be ranked higher or lower than “Thriller” by Michael 
Jackson?Rolling Stone magazine has some answers in a new book that's sure to spark conversations — <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/rolling-stone_9781419758775/">“The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”</a>
 It's where you'll find that Bruce Springsteen's “Born to Run” fittingly
 sits just ahead of “Ready to Die” by The Notorious B.I.G., at No. 21 
and No. 22, respectively."Every record on here is in some ways on
 for different reasons," said Jon Dolan, the reviews editor at Rolling 
Stone who helped create the book. “We are really happy, to be honest, 
about the whole list.”But if you disagree with the rankings, 
don't blame the folks at Rolling Stone. Blame Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, 
Iggy Pop. Nile Rodgers, Questlove, Billie Eilish, Herbie Hancock, 
Saweetie, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lin-Manuel Miranda and members of Metallica 
and U2, among dozens of other artists. They were among the judges.The
 book's editors reached out to about 500 voters from the world of music —
 artists, journalists, record label figures and Rolling Stone staffers —
 and asked for their top 50 albums (Stevie Nicks kindly offered 80). 
They got some 4,000 albums and created a spreadsheet with weighed 
points.On every page, the artists make a fascinating musical 
tapestry. Take a section in the lower Top 100 — at No. 86 is The Doors' 
self-titled debut, followed by “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis, “Hunky 
Dory” by David Bowie and, at No. 89, is “Baduizm” by Erykah Badu, 
connecting gems of classic rock, jazz, prog-rock and R&amp;B.“Is 
there a person who loves all those things equally? Probably not. But we 
hope there’s people who could definitely want to try them all out and 
see what they think,” Dolan said. “That’s the goal: making connections 
and being introduced to new things.”Dolan was impressed by some 
established artists embracing modern music, like John Cale of the Velvet
 Underground championing FKA Twigs and Nicks ranking Harry Styles' “Fine
 Line” quite high.“It’s sweet when these people who have been 
around are not just pooh-poohing the younger generation,” he said. “It’s
 neat when people are voting for things outside of their genre and what 
you’d expect.”The book's origins started in 2003 when the 
magazine published its first 500 list, putting The Beatles “Sgt. 
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at No. 1. It was a pretty 
Beatles-heavy list, with three more Fab Four albums making the top 10.“It
 had kind of the perspective of a 45-year-old male rock fan who was open
 minded, who liked rap a little bit, but kind of patting it on the head,
 and liked R&amp;B, but was kind of dismissive of the more recent 
stuff,” he said.“We really wanted to break away from that perspective and think the list could actually have many perspectives converging.”Joni
 Mitchell's “Blue” shot up on the new list, going from No. 30 in 2003 to
 the top 10 now, and Prince and the Revolution's “Purple Rain” went from
 No. 76 to No. 8. Another big gainer was Lauryn Hill's “The Miseducation
 of Lauryn Hill,” which zoomed up from the 300s in 2003 to Top 10 now.“Certain
 albums become kind of new classics,” said Dolan. “It is something 
that’s kind of evolving and up for grabs. And we wanted to kind of at 
least imply that in doing this one.”The new list is more 
inclusive of genres other than rock and so pushed some iconic albums 
down, like AC/DC’s “Back in Black” which went from No. 77 to No. 84, now
 nestled between “Dusty in Memphis” by Dusty Springfield and John 
Lennon’s “Plastic Ono Band.” (“I’m pretty sure they would accept that 
company,” Dolan said.)Some artists' catalogues have also shifted.
 Bob Dylan's “Blood on the Tracks” leapfrogged his "Blonde on Blonde" 
and “Highway 61 Revisited” this time, and the Beatles' “Abbey Road” 
became their top album in the book, over “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts 
Club Band,” “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver.”“The warmth and the 
beauty and the sweetness of ‘Abbey Road’ maybe in a way wins out over 
this sort of landmark sonic inventiveness of ‘Revolver’ because people 
love to listen to it.”There's been some online griping about the 
list, like that only “The Stranger” from Billy Joel made the list and no
 entries from non-Western artists, Fans of U2 might be mad that “The 
Joshua Tree” dropped out of the Top 100 and fans of electronic music 
might bemoan that there are only eight electronic albums.But 
Rolling Stone says the list is a snapshot as music marches onward. While
 the albums were being tabulated this time, Taylor Swift’s “folklore” 
and Bob Dylan’s “Rough and Rowdy Ways” came out, and Dolan suspects both
 might have made the book if they’d only come out earlier.“Because
 the list is so stylistically diverse and open-ended, I think we’re kind
 of implying that it’s always a work in progress,” he said. “In 20 
years, Rolling Stone, whatever entity it is, will do this again at some 
point.”

What are the 500 best albums? Rolling Stone has an answer

The Nile River Delta is one of the world's three most vulnerable hot-spots to climate change impacts, including rising sea levels.

<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/jI7ylJW5-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Ap7579149736" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>The Nile River Delta is one of the world's three most vulnerable hot-spots to climate change impacts, including rising sea levels.Associated Press video report

🎥 Rising sea level threatens Egypt's Nile Delta

If you’ve bought something from <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/santa-monica/profile/mobile-apps/tiktok-1216-1074502" target="_blank">TikTok</a> recently, you aren’t alone. According to <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/nearly-half-of-tiktokers-are-buying-stuff-from-brands-they-see-on-the-platform/" target="_blank">one study</a>, 49% of users reported purchasing something they saw on the app. The social platform began offering <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/24/tiktok-expands-shopify-partnership-pilots-tiktok-shopping-in-us-uk-and-canada/" target="_blank">in-app shopping last year</a> and is now expanding to “Live Shopping,” allowing creators and brands to sell goods directly through videos.

While TikTok may be a good way to snag a deal promoted by your favorite <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22242-social-media-influencers-how-theyre-changing-the-marketplace-and-tips-to-avoid-fraud" target="_blank">influencer</a>, <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">phony products</a>, less-than-scrupulous sellers, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/27566-bbb-scam-alert-cryptocurrency-investment-scams-take-to-tiktok" target="_blank">outright scams</a> are also common. As shopping on TikTok expands, here’s how to have a positive shopping experience and avoid cons.

Here’s what you should know about shopping on TikTok.

BBBIf you’ve bought something from <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/santa-monica/profile/mobile-apps/tiktok-1216-1074502" target="_blank">TikTok</a> recently, you aren’t alone. According to <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/nearly-half-of-tiktokers-are-buying-stuff-from-brands-they-see-on-the-platform/" target="_blank">one study</a>, 49% of users reported purchasing something they saw on the app. The social platform began offering <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/24/tiktok-expands-shopify-partnership-pilots-tiktok-shopping-in-us-uk-and-canada/" target="_blank">in-app shopping last year</a> and is now expanding to “Live Shopping,” allowing creators and brands to sell goods directly through videos.While TikTok may be a good way to snag a deal promoted by your favorite <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22242-social-media-influencers-how-theyre-changing-the-marketplace-and-tips-to-avoid-fraud" target="_blank">influencer</a>, <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">phony products</a>, less-than-scrupulous sellers, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/27566-bbb-scam-alert-cryptocurrency-investment-scams-take-to-tiktok" target="_blank">outright scams</a> are also common. As shopping on TikTok expands, here’s how to have a positive shopping experience and avoid cons.<h2>Tips for shopping on TikTok </h2>Here’s what you should know about shopping on TikTok. <ul>
 <li>Avoid impulse buys. With TikTok and many other 
social media platforms, making a purchase can be as simple as clicking 
on the product and clicking “buy.” Before you buy something based on a 
30-second video, think it through. Some experts recommend <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/26/heres-why-you-probably-bought-something-you-saw-on-tiktok.html" target="_blank">waiting 48 hours</a>
 between adding an item to your cart and checking out. In addition, you 
can use the extra time to research the product and seller and make sure 
the purchase won’t throw off <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/4666-create-a-budget-and-stick-to-it" target="_blank">your budget</a>. </li><li>Always research the seller. Make sure the seller 
has plenty of account engagement, which means they have followers who 
comment on their posts and review their products. If the seller has a 
website, visit it and look for the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">red flags of a scam website</a>. Do an <a href="https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2022/social-media-scams-soared-last-year.html" target="_blank">online search</a>
 of the company name and the words “complaint” or “scam.” Adding those 
keywords can bring any reports of suspicious behavior to your attention. </li><li>Pay close attention to consumer reviews. Reviews 
can help you determine the quality of the product and how well the 
business handles customer service. Read reviews on TikTok, on the 
company or individual’s website, and on sites like <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> to make sure what you read is impartial and comes from real buyers. </li><li>Keep an eye on product descriptions. Some sellers 
might offer what appears to be a great deal on a name brand or viral 
product, but don’t forget to read the fine print. The <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/online-shopping" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>
 reminds consumers that if the product description contains words like 
“refurbished,” “vintage,” or “close-out,” you might be getting a 
second-hand or imperfect item. </li><li>Watch out for scams. You may find high-dollar items
 for sale on TikTok for highly reduced prices, but these offers could 
indicate an outright scam. Some TikTok users have reported purchasing a 
product only to receive a <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">fake product</a> in the mail. Remember that too-good-to-be-true deals usually are. Besides unusually low prices, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26050-bbb-warning-watch-out-for-counterfeit-items-when-shopping-online-this-holiday-season" target="_blank">grammatical errors and missing contact information</a> could also indicate you’re looking at a scammer’s social media shop. </li><li>Understand return policies and keep good records. Before
 you make a purchase, get to know the seller’s return and refund 
policies. Keep records of your transactions in case you need them to get
 a refund or to hold the seller accountable. </li><li>Unhappy with a purchase? Act quickly. According to TikTok terms of service, buyers have six days
 from when a product is marked as “delivered” to make a return or refund
 request. After that, shoppers need directly communicate with the seller
 or email <a href="mailto:e-commerce@tiktok.com">e-commerce@tiktok.com</a> for customer support. Learn more about <a href="https://seller-id.tiktok.com/university/article?knowledge_id=10000852&amp;identity=1" target="_blank">the TikTok shopping guidelines</a>. </li><li>Pay by credit card. Using your credit card for 
online purchases is always a good idea. It’s much easier to contest a 
fraudulent charge and get your money back on a credit card than with a 
debit card.</li>
 </ul>

Shopping on TikTok? Better stay on your toes

Hays Post has been publishing obituaries since 2010, working with our funeral home partners to ensure that every person has a chance to be remembered — the way the family would like them remembered.

Hays Post is honored to publish full and complete obituaries and photos at no cost to families — and we appreciate our funeral home partners.

Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a> for obituaries on chronological order (newest to oldest) or use the search function located in the menu of both the desktop version or the app.&nbsp;

For obituaries prior to 2019, click <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/">HERE</a> to view our archives.

The Hays Public Library also offers online resources <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/online-resources/">HERE</a>.

Hays Post has been publishing obituaries since 2010, working with our funeral home partners to ensure that every person has a chance to be remembered — the way the family would like them remembered.Hays Post is honored to publish full and complete obituaries and photos at no cost to families — and we appreciate our funeral home partners.Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a> for obituaries on chronological order (newest to oldest) or use the search function located in the menu of both the desktop version or the app.&nbsp;For obituaries prior to 2019, click <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/">HERE</a> to view our archives.The Hays Public Library also offers online resources <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/online-resources/">HERE</a>.

Hays Post: Northwest Kansas genealogy resources

By MICHAEL BUGEJA <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/11/01/the-optics-of-american-hate/">Courtesy Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

The road to hell isn’t paved anymore with good intentions. The asphalt is hatred.

Chances are you have experienced it recently.

A person may have confronted you because of race or ethnicity. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.route-fifty.com/public-safety/2021/04/survey-22-americans-have-experienced-hate-crime/173093/">One study shows</a> that 22% of Americans have encountered that or had their property damaged because of their skin color or culture.

You may hate someone you once loved because of divorce. <a target="_blank" href="https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/family-home-consumer/dealing-with-couples-anger-10-238/">About half of all marriages</a> end in dissolution. Between 40% and 80% of those will have suffered one or more episodes of violence or abuse.

Many couples struggle in love-hate relationships. Sabrina Romanoff, clinical psychologist, says people in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-love-hate-relationship-5207379">rollercoaster partnerships</a> seek excitement. They endure aggression and frustration so that they might experience passion, mistaking that for intimacy.

Hate has sullied journalism, causing many of us to react bitterly to the news. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2021/us-ranks-last-among-46-countries-in-trust-in-media-reuters-institute-report-finds/">The United States ranks last</a> out of 46 countries in media trust. Only 29% of us have confidence in reports.

You may have suffered hatred or expressed some of your own in a social media post. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adl.org/resources/report/online-hate-and-harassment-american-experience-2021">One recent study</a>
 found that 41% of Americans have experienced online harassment, 27% of 
which was severe, “comprising sexual harassment, stalking, physical 
threats, swatting, doxing and sustained harassment.”

Then there are secrets. The people who keep them may end up hating others or even themselves. Scientific American <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-the-secrets-you-keep-are-hurting-you/">cites research</a> linking secrecy to “increased anxiety, depression, symptoms of poor health, and even the more rapid progression of disease.”

Hatred afflicts politics. Our motto once may have been “E Pluribus 
Unum,” out of many, one; but that has metamorphosed into “E Pluribus 
Duo,” out of many, two: Republicans and Democrats.

And not just any Republican. Many hate RINOs (Republicans in Name 
Only). What, exactly, is meant by that derogatory term? RINOs believe in
 less government, a strong military and the U.S. Constitution. Go 
figure.

And not just any Democrat. There are so many wings — progressive, old
 guard, new guard, moderates and conservatives. Little that they propose
 flies in Congress even though they hold the majority.

<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/11/28/political-sectarianism-fuels-vaccine-resistance/">Politics are so toxic</a> that many of us hate our opponent’s party more than we love our own, spewing partisan epithets in person or online.

Hate speech, however infuriating, is not a crime. The U.S. Department of Justice <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/learn-about-hate-crimes">cites First Amendment protections</a>,
 noting that people cannot be prosecuted for beliefs, even if racist. 
Nevertheless, free speech does not protect those whose criminal conduct 
is rooted in philosophical beliefs.

Hate crimes are increasingly frequent. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/hate-crime-statistics">The DOJ reports</a> that some 8,052 incidents happened in 2020, involving 11,126 victims.

Hatred erupts in bigoted violence as evidenced in several mass shootings, including the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/14/nyregion/buffalo-shooting">Tops grocery store massacre</a> in Buffalo, N.Y. Or it can result in <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/regulation/3561521-growing-support-for-political-violence-raises-alarms/">political violence</a> as in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

People hate collectively to feel a sense of belonging. Extremist groups pose a distinct threat. The Rand Corporation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA1071-1.html">conducted a study</a>
 on why people join such groups, noting such factors as financial 
instability, mental health, marginalization, recruitment, propaganda 
and, in particular, social bonding.

Interviewees expressed a renewed sense of power, embracing group members as family and friends.

Americans exist “in a perpetual state of love and hate,” <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/13/a-perpetual-state-of-love-and-hate-readers-on-what-it-means-to-be-american">according to The Guardian</a>, a British newspaper,

Isn’t love the opposite of hate? Not necessarily. Love and hate are two sides of the same emotional coin.

A psychology study titled “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5725944/#:~:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20people,between%20romantic%20love%20and%20hate.">The Deeper the Love, the Deeper the Hate</a>”
 focused on the relationship between those intense feelings. Love 
flourishes because of shared values but mutates in the aftermath of 
betrayal into hate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667328291846.png" alt="Images courtesy Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Images courtesy Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL BUGEJA <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/11/01/the-optics-of-american-hate/">Courtesy Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>The road to hell isn’t paved anymore with good intentions. The asphalt is hatred.Chances are you have experienced it recently.A person may have confronted you because of race or ethnicity. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.route-fifty.com/public-safety/2021/04/survey-22-americans-have-experienced-hate-crime/173093/">One study shows</a> that 22% of Americans have encountered that or had their property damaged because of their skin color or culture.You may hate someone you once loved because of divorce. <a target="_blank" href="https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/family-home-consumer/dealing-with-couples-anger-10-238/">About half of all marriages</a> end in dissolution. Between 40% and 80% of those will have suffered one or more episodes of violence or abuse.Many couples struggle in love-hate relationships. Sabrina Romanoff, clinical psychologist, says people in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-love-hate-relationship-5207379">rollercoaster partnerships</a> seek excitement. They endure aggression and frustration so that they might experience passion, mistaking that for intimacy.Hate has sullied journalism, causing many of us to react bitterly to the news. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2021/us-ranks-last-among-46-countries-in-trust-in-media-reuters-institute-report-finds/">The United States ranks last</a> out of 46 countries in media trust. Only 29% of us have confidence in reports.You may have suffered hatred or expressed some of your own in a social media post. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adl.org/resources/report/online-hate-and-harassment-american-experience-2021">One recent study</a>
 found that 41% of Americans have experienced online harassment, 27% of 
which was severe, “comprising sexual harassment, stalking, physical 
threats, swatting, doxing and sustained harassment.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667328401939.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Then there are secrets. The people who keep them may end up hating others or even themselves. Scientific American <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-the-secrets-you-keep-are-hurting-you/">cites research</a> linking secrecy to “increased anxiety, depression, symptoms of poor health, and even the more rapid progression of disease.”Hatred afflicts politics. Our motto once may have been “E Pluribus 
Unum,” out of many, one; but that has metamorphosed into “E Pluribus 
Duo,” out of many, two: Republicans and Democrats.And not just any Republican. Many hate RINOs (Republicans in Name 
Only). What, exactly, is meant by that derogatory term? RINOs believe in
 less government, a strong military and the U.S. Constitution. Go 
figure.And not just any Democrat. There are so many wings — progressive, old
 guard, new guard, moderates and conservatives. Little that they propose
 flies in Congress even though they hold the majority.<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/11/28/political-sectarianism-fuels-vaccine-resistance/">Politics are so toxic</a> that many of us hate our opponent’s party more than we love our own, spewing partisan epithets in person or online.Hate speech, however infuriating, is not a crime. The U.S. Department of Justice <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/learn-about-hate-crimes">cites First Amendment protections</a>,
 noting that people cannot be prosecuted for beliefs, even if racist. 
Nevertheless, free speech does not protect those whose criminal conduct 
is rooted in philosophical beliefs.Hate crimes are increasingly frequent. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/hate-crime-statistics">The DOJ reports</a> that some 8,052 incidents happened in 2020, involving 11,126 victims.Hatred erupts in bigoted violence as evidenced in several mass shootings, including the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/14/nyregion/buffalo-shooting">Tops grocery store massacre</a> in Buffalo, N.Y. Or it can result in <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/regulation/3561521-growing-support-for-political-violence-raises-alarms/">political violence</a> as in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.People hate collectively to feel a sense of belonging. Extremist groups pose a distinct threat. The Rand Corporation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA1071-1.html">conducted a study</a>
 on why people join such groups, noting such factors as financial 
instability, mental health, marginalization, recruitment, propaganda 
and, in particular, social bonding.Interviewees expressed a renewed sense of power, embracing group members as family and friends.Americans exist “in a perpetual state of love and hate,” <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/13/a-perpetual-state-of-love-and-hate-readers-on-what-it-means-to-be-american">according to The Guardian</a>, a British newspaper,Isn’t love the opposite of hate? Not necessarily. Love and hate are two sides of the same emotional coin.A psychology study titled “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5725944/#:~:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20people,between%20romantic%20love%20and%20hate.">The Deeper the Love, the Deeper the Hate</a>”
 focused on the relationship between those intense feelings. Love 
flourishes because of shared values but mutates in the aftermath of 
betrayal into hate.The late Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, believed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/elie-wiesel-talks-about-fighting-indifference#:~:text=I%20have%20devoted%20much%20time,Hate%20is%20an%20action.">the opposite of hate is indifference</a>:“I came to a conclusion that the peril threatening humankind today is
 indifference, even more than hatred. There are more people who are 
indifferent than there are people who hate. Hate is an action. Hate 
takes time. Hate takes energy. And even it demands sacrifices.”Indifference validates hatred.The UC Berkeley-based Greater Good Science Center lists <a target="_blank" href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/eight_ways_to_stand_up_to_hate">“Eight Ways to Stand Up to Hate.</a>
 Recommendations include educating yourself, understanding all 
viewpoints, speaking up when you encounter racism, resisting social 
pressure and heeding your conscience. The Center also suggests finding a
 role model, connecting with people different than you, and pressing the
 mental pause button so as not to act on impulse.If you do any of the above, you won’t be indifferent to the plights 
of others and may boost your self-esteem, enhance your values and deepen
 your relationships.Michael Bugeja, distinguished professor of liberal arts and 
sciences at Iowa State University, teaches media ethics and technology 
and social change.

Misc