The North Carolina Supreme Court on April 28 took the curious step of overturning its own 19-week-old decision despite there being no new evidence or material facts in the case.

The only things that had changed were the political makeup of the court — and the desire of a new Republican majority to overturn a decision on gerrymandered political maps made by the previous Democratic majority.

Whether you agree with the former decision or the latter, the short-sighted flip flop is a stain on the judicial branch that highlights the need for nationwide action to protect our democracy. Neither our courts, nor our politicians, can be relied upon to do this. It is time for voters to take the reins of our democracy.

The bar to qualify should be higher, the vote should be in November, and it should be a ranked-choice ballot

Imagine elected officials being able to govern with the interests of all Coloradans put first

In 2003, Colorado voters were asked to repeal the state’s so-called Gallagher Amendment. Gallagher’s approach to property taxes was already starting to show signs of inadequacy. Yet, the promise of a slightly lower property tax rate in the future was too compelling and voters turned down the measure in a landslide, 78-22% vote.