Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, he’s an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics.


Senate Republicans Miss the Mark in Latest Attempt to Dismantle Obamacare

On Wednesday evening, Senate Republicans lost yet another battle in their years-long war against Obacamare. Earlier in the week – and despite claims to the contrary – Republicans reopened an effort to repeal former President Barack Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act. The move came amidst a month full of speculation, intrigue, and, in the eyes


Trump Nominates Coal Industry Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler To Help Run EPA

Donald Trump is expected to nominate top coal industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to the second-highest post in the Environmental Protection Agency. The proposed appointment marks yet another controversial appointment for the administration. The agency’s current head, Scott Pruitt, faced enormous resistance from left-leaning politicians and activists prior to assuming office. Pruitt, the former Attorney General


DoT Fines Airlines for Violating Consumer Protection Guidelines

The United States Department of Transportation imposed fines against two of the country’s largest air carriers earlier in the week, claiming they’d violated consumer protection guidelines. American Airlines and Delta agreed to pay the fines, which were released by the government in a Friday evening report. Budget-carrier Frontier Airlines was also hit by the same


Attorney General Jeff Sessions Blasts Sanctuary Cities Using Misinterpreted Graph

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions escalated his rhetoric against sanctuary cities last week, making remarks and citing studies in attempt to argue that policies protective of illegal immigrants encourage crime. Even before assuming his present posting, Sessions was an active critic of so-called ‘sanctuary city’ policies. Sanctuary cities, including the likes of New York, Chicago,


Department of State Bans American Citizens from Traveling to North Korea

Weeks after the death of Otto Warmbier in a North Korea labor camp, the U.S. Department of State announced it would ban American citizens from traveling to the Hermit Kingdom. Citing the purportedly ‘high risk of arrest’ as the basis for the decision, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson authorized a ‘Geographical Travel Restriction’ on all



NY Attorney General Subpoenas All Lawsuits Filed By National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is opening an investigation into the collection practices of the National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts, which is among the largest owners of private student debt in the country. On Wednesday, Schneiderman’s office sent subpoenas requesting information on every collection lawsuit ever filed by National Collegiate’s trusts against New York


House Subcommittee Advances Bill to Ease Restrictions on Self-Driving Cars

A House sub-committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would ease restrictions on self-driving cars. Despite pleas from safety watchdogs to cap the continued testing and manufacture of autonomous vehicles, the legislation, if signed into law, would permit automakers to put together up to 100,000 self-driving cars per year. The Hill notes that, if the bill



California Heads Effort to Restore Internet Privacy Protections

California is at the forefront of an effort to restore some of the internet privacy protections revoked by Congress earlier in the year. Back in March, web providers began begging Washington to roll back Obama-era internet privacy rules. Several weeks later, the petitioning paid off, leading to a reversal of Federal Communications Commission regulations on