That's certainly one litmus test: of how unpopular - indeed, I would say despised is not too strong a word- the NRA is as an organization and symbol of disproportionate power and influence. But you can't talk about "litmus tests" when the influence is devious and hard to measure. The NRA's influence reaches far beyond its ability to promote candidates. It relies on intimidation and bullying from the disinformation campaign attack ads to its astroturf activities and letter writing campaigns...

"The policy model requires that certain groups of experts maintain a high level of public trust. This includes academics but also special institutions that have been set up to be what Jamieson called “custodians of the knowable,” organizations like the Congressional Budget Office and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, both of which have been sheltered to the degree possible from partisan and ideological bias so that the public can trust at least someone to provide neutral data from which public...

I agree with Mr. Gleason's comment. Mr. Westgard makes excellent points about nuclear energy. He doesn't need to bash renewable energy to do so. Mr. Westgard's established his credentials and bona fides as a nuclear power advocate and I think he makes excellent points there. Nuclear power is not going away any time soon and neither is coal power. For that matter, neither is wind and solar power.

Mr. Westgard claims that wind and solar are "intermittent", by which he implies "...

I'm glad to hear DINO Baucus is retiring. Baucus has warmed his Senate seat long enough. I know a lot of people will not miss him. He is the 21st century's version of the Dixiecrat which retarded civil rights and other progressive policies in the 20th century. Baucus is the guy responsible for the "filibuster-proof" majority because of his refusal to even consider a public option, much less single payer health care, in the ACA. His vote against mandatory background checks is an enduring...