HIJACKING THE PRESIDENCY: 527 Committees and Internet Activists in the 2004 Presidential Campaign
by Morris Sullivan
This was to be the year campaign finance reform took big bucks out of the presidential campaign equation. But there's a new variable: From True Majority, MoveOn and America Coming Together to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, "unofficial" advocates have virtually taken over the 2004 presidential campaign, forcing changes in strategy for both camps. Is this grassroots democracy in action, or has the campaign been hijacked by a new set of special interests?

Turning to Friends in Faithful Places: Why Non-Theists Must Befriend Like-Minded Minority Religious Groups
by Jeff Nall
If ever there was a time for non-theists to circle the secular wagons and protect the Constitution, now is the time. However, there are not enough irreligious Americans to do the job alone.

Campus Cruelty
by Heather Moore and Kathy Guillermo
"Animal abuse" may not be listed on the curriculum at any of the colleges around the country, but behind closed doors at many institutions, graduate students and faculty supervisors cause pain and suffering to animals through laboratory experiments.

Cheating for $50.95 Per Month (plus roaming)
by Adam Finley
"Hy Bol M2 H WW thr frst blnb grp 243 X23 klp gfd wp?" If that line looks to you like so much gibberish then you obviously never received a text message before.

Comic Relief: The Muddlemarch
by Neal Skorpen
Choose: Democracy Stirring? | Banana Republic

Quickies
by various writers
A little bit on a whole heck of a hell of a lot of CDs.

Advertiser Index: The businesses that make this magazine possible; includes lots of cool music-label links.

This issue's quotes:

"Under democracy one party always devolves its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule–and both commonly succeed, and are right."