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 to Move Forward on Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court Nomination

On Tuesday, the Senate voted to formally move forward with debate on Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination. Senators voted 55-44 to proceed with Gorsuch’s nomination, with Republican Senators finding backing from three of their liberal colleagues. An ongoing filibuster stalled the process, prompting criticism from the political right as well as commander-in-chief Donald Trump. Critics


Senate Democrats Raise More Concerns Over FDA Pick Scott Gottlieb

Compared to some of Donald Trump’s other cabinet and department picks, Scott Gottlieb didn’t come with much baggage. Nominated as the head of the Food and Drug Administration, Gottlieb is a practicing physician who ran an office within the FDA during the Bush presidency. He a stalwart conservative with a background in health and over


EPA’s Budget Expected to be Cut by a Third

Less than four months into the Trump presidency, a blueprint arrived to the department heads of the Environmental Protection Agency. Close to fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise, the President released a memo detailing how the EPA’s budget would be cut by a third. By April 25th, administrators are supposed to explain how they’ll cope with


Judge Dismisses Trump’s “Free Speech” Defense for Inciting Violence

A federal judge rejected Donald Trump’s “free speech” defense after a lawsuit was brought against the President, accusing him of inciting violence at a campaign rally. Three protesters who were manhandled by then-candidate Trump’s supporters at a March 1, 2016 rally in Kentucky filed a suit claiming Trump wanted them to get hurt. Attorneys for


Advertisers Turn Their Backs to Bill O’Reilly After Harassment Revelation

Advertisers are leaving Bill O’Reilly en masse after a New York Times report revealed that his employer had paid millions of dollars to settle sexual harassment and misconduct suits pending against the popular talk-show host. Big businesses announced they’d be cutting ties with O’Reilly on Wednesday following the Times’ revelation. Among the advertisers canceling contracts


Lawsuit Over Connecticut Quarantines During 2014 Ebola Epidemic Dismissed

A judge dismissed a lawsuit brought against Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy as well as several state health officials. The plaintiffs in the case were seeking damages for what they claimed were unfair quarantine practices during the 2014 Ebola epidemic. U.S. District Judge Alfred Covello said in a ruling that the allegations were lacking. He


EPA Backtracks on Chlorpyrifos Pesticide Ban

The EPA is backtracking on a ban put forward by the Obama administration on a common pesticide, chlorpyrifos, that research suggests can hinder the development of children’s brains. The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, called the decision late Wednesday night. Pruitt framed the reversal as a form of “regulatory certainty” which would


North Carolina ‘Bathroom Bill’ Set to be Repealed and Replaced Today

Governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper announced late Wednesday night that a compromise had been reached in the state congress to repeal a controversial law known popularly as the ‘Bathroom Bill’. Passed in March of 2016 by former Republican Governor Pat McCrory, the controversial bill included a host of measures which led to it being


Seattle Sues Over Trump Order to Defund ‘Sanctuary Cities’

Seattle launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Wednesday, deriding the President’s executive order to defund ‘sanctuary cities’ as a form of unconstitutional federal coercion. The mayor of Seattle, Ed Murray, told reporters the Constitution of the United States forbids Washington from putting pressure on cities. “They cannot punish cities, and they cannot force


Texas Judge Shifts Exxon Mobil Lawsuit to New York

A federal judge in Texas ordered a lawsuit being pursued by oil giant Exxon Mobil to a Manhattan court, saying New York would be a more appropriate venue for the dispute. Exxon Mobil had been suing the Attorneys General of the states of New York and Massachusetts over allegations that the company had misled investors