Letter from the Editorial Director, Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

June 17, 2013

Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest iteration of The Political Junkies, now known as “The Political Junkies for Progressive Democracy.”  And just what might “Progressive Democracy” be?  To best describe it we can turn to the Constitution of the United States of America. In doing so, unlike others who claim to have the same mission, we comprehend in our thinking the whole of the document.  Thus for example, we take seriously:

  • The Constitution’s Statement of Purpose, the oft-ignored Preamble.  To wit, that purpose is to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the com­mon defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. . .;”
  • Article I, Section 8, as to for example, the power to declare war, the regulation of interstate commerce, and govern the organization of militias (also the subject of the Second Amendment);
  • Article III, Section 3, which defines treason (not simply, as some would have it, disagreement with the policies of a current occupant of the White House);
  • Article IV, Section 1, requiring full faith and credit as to their laws as between the states, and Section 2 on “privileges and immunities” as between the states;
  • Article VI, as to all treaties, signed and ratified, being the supreme law of the land, and as to the prohibition of religious tests for holding elective office;
  • the First Amendment, as to the separation of church and state;
  • the Fourth Amendment as to the requirement for the establishment of probable cause for search and seizure and the issuance of warrants thereto;
  • the Fifth Amendment as to the requirement for due process;
  • the Sixth amendment as to the requirement for jury trial in criminal cases;
  • the Ninth amendment on the existence of non-enumerated rights;
  • the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. 

These provisions, as well as others in the document, are concerns of ours.

We pride ourselves on the range of perspectives on these issues that we offer with our team of columnists.  They present what we all regard as progressive positions on the matters of policy and politics, religion and non-religion, foreign affairs, and with a view from abroad from the “mother ship” of Anglo-Saxon parliamentary democracy, the United Kingdom, how events there pertain to the preservation of constitutional democracy in both of our great nations.

We began our existence as “The Political Junkies” with a special devotion to and concern with the politics and affairs of the Democratic Party.  As one can see by perusing our authors list and their columns, we have now grown beyond that to the broader concerns in national and international affairs as stated above, “for progressive democracy.”  (See also our Mission Statement.)  As we hope they have been since out magazine was originally founded in 2002, our readers should expect to be intellectually challenged.

“The Political Junkies – for Progressive Democracy” is published weekly on Sundays with an occasional break from publication for major holidays. By subscribing, (see “Be a Junkie” on the Home P

age), you will receive email notification each time an issue of the magazine is published.  Our magazine does not release to anyone or any agency the names, email addresses, or phone numbers of any of its subscribers for any purpose.

The magazine is free. It is not officially affiliated with, sponsored by, or paid for by the Democratic Party, or any other party for that matter.  It is not associated with any specific candidates.  Presently, it does not accept advertising.  We do not post comments on our columns directly.  However, please feel free to post your thoughts to our Facebook page