America does not have universal suffrage, and this has been a controversial subject, argued by many sides, especially after the election issues of the 2000 presidential election. Universal suffrage is prevented in the US by felony disenfranchisement, the practice that strips anyone convicted of a felony the right to vote, even if said person has already paid his or her debt to society with jail or prison time. In 2000, the United States political parties argued back and forth over whether or not this practice had tilted the election in favor of George W. Bush, as some people see the practice as a form of de facto racism or classism, because of the amount of felonies committed by people of lower socioeconomic backgrounds and minority populations. In 2000, some Democrats felt that the lack of universal suffrage had guaranteed Bush's win in Florida. Read more in the free downloadable ebooks.

The Democrats and Republicans have tried to separate themselves in the minds of the public by taking party-line positions on certain issues. This means that the United States political parties are often divided by a position on a single issue. The Democrats are, almost always, pro-choice, while the Republicans are almost universally pro-life. Because of this, many issues that are more complex often fall by the wayside, leaving many people, including those forbidden from voting by felony disenfranchisement, unrepresented in the government. Ricardo Planas' new book, available for free download from ReasonandPolitics.com, explores some of these issues in a new way, cutting across the ideological spectrum. To learn more, browse one of the free chapters.