politics | Fast Company

Lessons Business Leaders Can Learn From The Broken U.S. Tax System

BY JD Rucker | 03-01-2012 | 2:38 AM | LEADERSHIP

If there's one thing people on both sides of the political fence can agree on, it's that the tax system in the United States is broken, and while the goal of fixing it is the same, they have completely different ideas about how to fix the problem. Either way, business leaders have something to learn from the disagreements in Washington.READ MORE›

What You Need To Know About The Senate Cybersecurity Bill

BY Neal Ungerleider | 02-27-2012 | 3:01 PM | ETHONOMICS

A long-awaited cybersecurity bill may put the Department of Homeland Security in charge of establishing national Internet security standards. Compliance costs for tech and Internet firms could be high.READ MORE›

Fast Talk: How Truthy Maps Influence On Twitter

BY David Zax | 02-23-2012 | 2:14 PM | TECHNOLOGY

Meet Fil Menczer, the Twitterologist behind the political meme-analyzing site, Truthy. Yes, the name was inspired by Stephen Colbert.READ MORE›

Fast Talk: How PopVox Gets Congress To Listen

BY David Zax | 02-17-2012 | 8:20 PM | INNOVATION

Meet Marci Harris, who wants to fix your broken line of communication to Congress.READ MORE›

Yahoo’s Prediction Engine Calls Presidential Race In Favor Of Obama (Sorry, Mitt)

BY E.B. Boyd | 02-16-2012 | 4:19 AM | INNOVATION

Using smarty-pants economists and computer scientists, Yahoo analyzed historical data and says the math points to the prez taking the White House this fall.READ MORE›

What Obama's Budget (And A Second Term) Would Do For U.S. Innovation

BY Kit Eaton | 02-13-2012 | 8:27 AM | INNOVATION

If Barack Obama is reelected, what would it mean for innovation, startups and science in America? His newly proposed budget--as well as past actions--offer clues.READ MORE›

Gravitational Pol: What President Gingrich And His Moon Base Would Mean For U.S. Innovation

BY Kit Eaton | 01-27-2012 | 7:58 AM | INNOVATION

Newt Gingrich's bold plans for a moon base dominated last night's GOP debate. If he did get elected president--it could happen!--here's how Newt's bigger take on innovation and science would change America.READ MORE›

Remain Diligent: SOPA And PIPA Must Be Squashed, Not Changed

BY JD Rucker | 01-14-2012 | 3:35 AM | INNOVATION

As members of both the Senate and the House start falling back to a more defensible position by considering the removal of the DNS provision from SOPA and PIPA, many voices of opposition to the bills are claiming victory. This is a big mistake.READ MORE›

Football Fans Vote Republican: Hardcore Data Miners Track "Neo Tribes" With "Micro-Targeting"

BY David Zax | 01-11-2012 | 1:56 PM | INNOVATION

Aristotle delivers valuable (and detailed!) data to candidates about potential supporters. In fact, don't be surprised if the candidates know more about you than you do about them.READ MORE›

Where BuzzFeed Is Trending (With $15.5 Million In Help)

BY David Zax | 01-09-2012 | 12:40 PM | INNOVATION

A month after its hire of Politico's Ben Smith, BuzzFeed raises $15.5 million in Series C financing. How has the site changed over the past month?READ MORE›

David Burstein's Very Busy (And Very Successful) Year Off Between High School And College

BY Adam Barenblat | 11-17-2011 | 9:58 AM | CAREERS

"If you do what you're passionate about, you'll be rewarded," says the 22-year-old founder of the nonpartisan, non-profit, young voter engagement organization Generation 18.READ MORE›

Inspired By "Facebook Nation," Obama's Chief Disruptor Brings Startup Culture To The Gov't

BY Gregory Ferenstein | 10-24-2011 | 1:54 AM | MANAGEMENT

The President's new Chief Innovation Officer, Steven VanRoekel, says America has become a "Facebook nation" that demands increased transparency and interactivity from the federal government. His solution is to make agencies function like lean startups.READ MORE›

Infographic Of The Day: China's Checkbook Diplomacy

BY Cliff Kuang | 10-19-2011 | 11:49 AM | HERITAGE FOUNDATION

We hear incessantly about the rise of China. So much so that it's all a bit too abstract: What does it mean that China's has become a global force? And more importantly, how have they actually accomplished that? The quick answer? ...READ MORE›

Infographic Of The Day: China's Checkbook Diplomacy

BY Cliff Kuang | 10-19-2011 | 6:48 AM | HERITAGE FOUNDATION

We hear incessantly about the rise of China. So much so that it's all a bit too abstract: What does it mean that China's has become a global force? And more importantly, how have they actually accomplished that? The quick answer? ... READ MORE›

Infographic Of The Day: Why Your Fundraiser Is Inherently Racist

BY John Pavlus | 09-30-2011 | 4:43 PM | AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Depending on your taste for keeping up with the latest in political idiocy, you may or may not have heard about the "inherently racist" bake sale that went down at UC Berkeley earlier this week. Apparently, it was an attempt to go all ... READ MORE›

Infographic Of The Day: Why Your Fundraiser Is Inherently Racist

BY John Pavlus | 09-30-2011 | 10:49 AM | AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Doogie Horner strikes again!READ MORE›

HP's Future And Past: Whitman Versus Apotheker, It's All In The Words

BY Kit Eaton | 09-26-2011 | 8:29 AM | MANAGEMENT

With Leo out, and Meg in... Will HP's future look different after the reshuffle thanks to different CEO styles? To test the notion, we've looked at the words these two executives use in business...READ MORE›

Yahoo Blocks Wall St. Protest Emails, WikiLeaks Blamed For Al Jazeera Boss Wadah Khanfar's Departure, Facebook's New Features

BY Nidhi Subbaraman | 09-21-2011 | 4:33 AM | TECHNOLOGY

This and more important news from your Fast Company editors, with updates all day. READ MORE›

IBM's Many Bills: This Law Visualization Tool Can Help Unlock Legislative Dealings

BY Michael J. Coren | 09-13-2011 | 1:17 AM | ETHONOMICS

The process by which we make laws is obtuse--if not downright shady. With this online visualizer of exactly what's going into each new law, you can start to keep your representatives honest.READ MORE›

Infographic Of The Day: Does Twitter Make Our Politics More Partisan?

BY Cliff Kuang | 07-28-2011 | 7:30 AM | LEFT

We've heard for years and years that our nation's politics are more polarized than ever, creating two parallel echo chambers that simply crank up the vitriol over time. And that's plainly true, based on anecdotal evidence: At Tea ... READ MORE›