Politics
Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.
COVID-19 has been eliminated in New Zealand as country eases restrictions
It was just a couple of days ago that we published a story in praise of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Guiding a country through a pandemic is a high-stress task for any political leader, but Ardern has shown the world how to stay calm with her clear, personable style of leading, which Read More...
People will now be able to vote via the mail in New York and Kentucky
As the US ramps up for what is sure to be an unprecedented election season, two states are making it easier for citizens to cast their vote without coming into contact with others: New York and Kentucky. Governors Andrew Cuomo and Andy Beshear both signed executive orders on Friday for Read More...
California will be the first state to pay restaurants to feed seniors
As we all know by now, the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for the service industry, causing restaurants to close their doors and lay off workers. In a novel attempt to get restaurants rehiring workers right away, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a new aid program in which Read More...
Senate approves additional Paycheck Protection Program funding
The initial $349 billion fund allocated for economic relief for small businesses facing COVID-19 challenges ran out in just two weeks, but an additional $320 billion in funding was approved by the Senate Tuesday afternoon and is set to pass through the House. The money will go towards the Read More...
New York State says “I do” to online marriages
Virtual meetings, brunches, dates, and baby showers have become part of the new normal in the face of COVID-19. If you live in New York State, you can celebrate another age-old tradition online: marriage. This weekend, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that couples in the state who Read More...
How to mobilize young voters stuck at home
More than 15 million young Americans will be eligible to cast their vote for the first time in November’s election, but reaching and registering young voters is more difficult as college campuses are closed and schools move to online learning to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Registering Read More...
Amsterdam is ditching our broken economic system for the doughnut model
This is one of those stories that you might look back to in a few years and remember as the starting point of a huge change in our world’s history. When we first covered this story years ago, it was already showing tons of promise. So, what are we talking about here? In 2018, we shared a story Read More...
India’s post office is helping frontline workers during the lockdown
Three weeks ago, India put into effect what is the largest pandemic lockdown the world has ever seen. The decision has led to all businesses — apart from essential services — to shut down their activities, leaving numerous supply chains stock-still. And because the pause button has been hit Read More...
Coronavirus exposed the social safety net for what it truly is: a good idea
While there are many grim aspects of coronavirus and the ensuing quarantine, we can not deny that some very positive developments are taking place. At the policy level, many of the ideas that were once deemed crazy are now being seen as viable. Suddenly even federal lawmakers who have long resisted Read More...
Ireland’s Prime Minister is joining the medical staff to fight COVID-19
Before joining politics, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar had been working as a junior doctor in Dublin. Now, as Ireland is battling with the ongoing pandemic, Varadkar has rejoined the country’s medical register and will work one shift a week to help out the overwhelmed health services. After Read More...