This year's election could have the same profound impact on American politics as the 1896 presidential contest.

The mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson, is talking about an experiment he launched earlier this year. Once a week, his department heads and senior managers are required to appear at an open meeting and answer questions from ordinary voters. "I learned that from the Sandinistas," he says.

The new rules on safe drinking water are both better and worse for states and localities.

An emerging technology can give one set of employees access to data about what's been done by others in related jobs.

With the passage of an overtime law this summer, Maine has become the first state to cap the number of hours employers can demand of their employees.