Finally at the other end of the tunnel, a slight sliver of light shines down on us. The government, regrettably including Congress and its record low approval, has returned. However, in characteristic form, the 113th Congress is already planning to do it all over again. Come February 7, the debt ceiling will need another boost. No … Read more
If you had asked me during the summer of 2012 to identify the most hated Republican in America, I would have named Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) without hesitation. After Mitt Romney selected him to be the Vice Presidential candidate, he became public enemy number one for liberals across the country. A year later, the political … Read more
Sunshik Min is the president of YBM, a education company specializing in language instruction. Min also serves as an advisor to the Asia Center at Harvard University. HPR: Could you briefly describe the history of YBM? Min: YBM started as a bilingual magazine publishing company 51 years ago. In the 70s, we had a music company … Read more
According to NBC News’ investigative reporting division (which exists, first of all…), one of Barack Obama’s favorite tag lines about the Affordable Care Act was a lie. Namely, that individuals who bought insurance on their own-and actually liked that insurance-wouldn’t lose it when the ACA went into effect. Apparently, people are losing their insurance, as healthcare providers send letters across the … Read more
“He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that.” — John Stuart Mill The student body of Brown University embarrassed itself yesterday in a truly flagrant display of ideological intolerance. The occasion was a speech—or at least a planned speech—by New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, who was to … Read more
When, in the first State of the Union speech of his second term, Barack Obama suggested raising the federal minimum wage nearly two dollars, it sparked a firestorm of controversy. Lionized by leftists as a solution to rampant poverty, those on the right criticized the policy as an economic inhibitor. As a question of worker … Read more
The November election quickly approaching in Chile has the potential to expose fresh wounds in one of the most politically-divided nations in Latin America. On November 17, Chileans will head to the polls to choose between Michelle Bachelet of the left-leaning Partido Socialista de Chile and Evelyn Matthei of the right-wing Unión Demócrata Independiente. Both … Read more
Most people in China never see the inside of a lecture hall. UNESCO reports that less than a third of the college-aged population attended school in 2011. Moreover, the government continues to control the flow of information, even in universities. Accordingly, China thinks what its elite thinks. However, even though the elite who control information … Read more
Detroit’s declaration of bankruptcy earlier this year—the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history—astounded the country. In response to this fiscal disaster, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder appointed emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr to wrestle with the city’s finances. Toying with Detroit’s balance sheet issues will not be enough, however, to bring the city back. Detroit has … Read more
Since the announcement of the formation of Al Jazeera America (AJAM) last winter, questions over the potential success and acceptance of the network have run rampant. AJAM’s parent company, Al Jazeera, faced harsh criticism in the months following 9/11 for airing footage of Osama bin Laden speeches. The memory of this controversy, combined with the … Read more