Virginia Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, is clearly a glutton for controversy. Despite numerous concerns about her prominent involvement in the Tea Party, Thomas has once again stepped into the middle of the fray, announcing that she will head Liberty Consulting, a conservative lobbying group. But while Thomas’ disregard for possible conflicts of interest … Read more
As I wrote after the Midterms in November, the recent upheaval in the House of Representatives is of great consequence to climate legislation. The Republican majority chose Fred Upton (R-Michigan) as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Upton’s views on climate change have run the gamut: in 2009, he spoke of the dangers … Read more
How the mainstream media can curb funding and public interest for health interventions. Almost all of us can remember when the Haitian earthquake sent ripples of tragic photographs and interviews through the media. Depictions of the utter destruction gripping the capital of Port-au-Prince ran rampant as non-governmental (NGOs) and faith based organizations (FBOs) scrambled to … Read more
Here’s a look at some of the best political events happening at Harvard this week: 2/10 9:00-10:30am, CGIS South (1730 Cambridge St.), Room S450: “Anarchy, Warlords and Ethnic Cleansing: Lessons from Lebanon, 1975-1976.” Political Violence Workship with Nils Hagerdal, a Ph.D. candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School. Full info. 2:15-4:00pm, Larsen Hall (14 Appian Way): … Read more
In the State of the Union Address, President Obama promised “to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail” in the next 25 years. This is hardly the first mention of rail that the President has made: during his campaign, his official statement on transportation included a dedication to establishing high-speed rail lines. He … Read more
Monday marked the second time I have stepped into Memorial Church. As an atheist, I’ve marveled at the beauty of the venue but have had little motivation to attend specific events. Piqued by the emails titled “From Guns to Pastries” and the mentions of one “Homeboy Industries,” I decided to sit in on Monday’s service … Read more
The astute politician is keenly aware of whose votes he needs to compete for. Some are in his column from day one. Others will never be. He focuses his energy on “swing” voters, those elusive, independent, and rather indecisive individuals who decide the fate of election after election. Naturally, in order to win the swing … Read more
In President Obama’s interview this past Super Bowl Sunday with Bill O’Reilly, Obama happily remarked that in his presidency he did not once raise taxes, and that in fact he had lowered taxes over the last two years. However, it is interesting to see how quickly the President forgot about some of the policies he … Read more
Cross posted from the ACE forum on Egyptian Democracy. After nearly two weeks of turmoil, it looks like Tahrir Square is starting to empty out. The Egyptian Revolution – if we can call it that – seems to be entering its inevitable second phase, the power political phase, where elites sit down at a negotiating … Read more
Why an average case of Chinese corruption has become a national, internet-driven frenzy. With the recent conclusion of President Hu’s official state visit to the United States, it is a good time to assess what was actually accomplished during this meeting. Call me a cynic, but I never expected much from this summit in terms … Read more