Fed Up

What do Ron Paul and the President of Ghana have in common? One is a former libertarian congressional representative from Texas and perpetual presidential candidate; the other is the reformist leader of a sub-Saharan African nation with a GDP per capita nearly one-twelfth that of Texas. Yet both, separated by an ocean of differences, could … Read more

Remembrances and Triumphalism

Veteran’s Day, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day. Every November, we gather to mourn and honor our military’s dead. This year’s ceremonies have been particularly poignant, marking two important anniversaries. It has been one hundred years since the shooting of Franz Ferdinand that sparked the start of World War I, and twenty-five since the fall of the … Read more

Martha Coakley Runs for Neighborhood Activities Chair, Loses

Coakley’s Neighborhood Activities Chair defeat was the largest of her career; she earned just 44% of the vote. This Tuesday, despite spending millions of dollars campaigning, Martha Coakley lost in another close election in Medford, Massachusetts. After all of the ballots were collected in an old baseball hat, the Medford Neighborhood Activities Council announced the … Read more

Let’s Talk: A Response to "Dear IOP"

Dear Students of the IOP, Let’s talk. There’s a conversation I’ve been waiting for. When Jenny Choi penned “Dear IOP,” I admit, I secretly thought, yes–maybe we’ll finally have that conversation. Two weeks later, dismayed, I write this piece. You see, it seems to me that in these past few days we at the IOP … Read more

Rikers and the Limits of Prison Reform

After a federal investigation discovered a “deep-seated culture of violence” against teenage inmates at Rikers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office issued the City of New York an ultimatum: reform Rikers within 49 days, or face a federal lawsuit. Yet despite pressure from the courts, media, mayor, and public, the pace of reform has been agonizingly slow … Read more

Real Cooperation on Climate Change?

On November 11, President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a breakthrough agreement between the two nations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and curb global warming. The two leaders, representing states that have not always seen eye-to-eye, stood side by side against a backdrop of the star-studded flags of both countries as they … Read more

Modi Plays Madison Square Garden

Nineteen thousand cheering fans. Holograms. Brilliant lights and blaring music. Rock concert? Nope. EDM show? Not quite. On September 28, newly elected Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi took to the hallowed ground of Madison Square Garden to hold a victory rally in the United States. Thousands of Indian-Americans turned out for the event, many … Read more

Matt Bai: Journalist and Author of "All the Truth Is Out"

Matt Bai: Journalist and Author of "All the Truth Is Out"

For many years, Matt Bai was the chief political correspondent for New York Times Magazine. He recently started a new job at Yahoo! News, as their chief political correspondent. He also just published a new book, All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid, which recounts the famous incident in which then-presidential candidate Gary Hart was accused … Read more