In his various media appearances to promote his new book, “Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View,” Justice Stephen Breyer has taken every opportunity to discuss the history of and the misconceptions about the Supreme Court. In particular, he has emphasized his view that public opinion does not, and should not, shape public opinion. But Breyer’s … Read more
There were many interesting points made by both Raphel and the commenters on his recent blog post about Republican priorities this November. The larger question of the “true identity” of the Republican Party is a fascinating one, and I think that we tread on treacherous territory when we try to narrow that identity too much. … Read more
It’s tough to be independent. Just ask Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill, whose running mate recently withdrew from the race and endorsed the Republican candidate. Or ask Maine gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, whose unnamed opponents recently launched a website attacking his professional and personal life. Despite the strong anti-incumbent mood sweeping the nation, voters are still … Read more
With the gunshots subsiding and the police force under government censure for its attempted overthrow of Ecuador’s democratic president Rafael Correa, order appears to have been reestablished as quickly as it was placed under seige in Quito. Yet, the attempted coup d’état that left President Correa a hostage in a hospital while the Quito police … Read more
What do you get when you mix celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, an illegal immigrant housekeeper, and the former CEO of eBay? Apparently, the 2010 California governor’s race. Last Wednesday, Nikki Diaz Santillan made headlines by voicing through attorney Gloria Allred (yes, the one who represented Tiger Wood’s mistress Rachel Uchitel last fall) that her former … Read more
In 2006, an article in Reason magazine declared an age of “corporate environmentalism.” Reason attributes part of the rise of corporate environmentalism to independent environmental groups. Since the administration of George W. Bush was seen as hostile to their goals, the article suggests, groups shifted their lobbying efforts to corporations. The recent expansion of corporate … Read more
Forget the hype over the Congressional elections, it all comes down to the Governors. With the 2010 Census coming to an end, the Governors and State Legislatures will soon redraw Congressional districts that will be in place for the next ten years. Even more importantly, these same states represent the battleground states of ’08, and … Read more
Exactly eleven months ago yesterday I sat on a bus rattling its way through countryside on my way to L’viv, an artistic, cobblestone city in the western half of Ukraine. As I gazed out the window, I watched as petite houses dotted the rural landscape where old babcias tended their gardens and teenagers waited for the bus … Read more
In his landmark book, The Clash Of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order, Samuel Huntington made the following prediction: East Asia could develop any one of several patterns of international relations in the twenty-first century. A major power, multipolar international system could take shape with China, Japan, the United States, Russia and possibly … Read more
While Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega’s statement that the world is the midst of an “international currency war” might be somewhat premature, there is no denying the fact countries today — Japan, Taiwan and South Korea among them — are intervening in currency markets to give their own export competitiveness a shot in the arm, … Read more