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
Those who believe the health insurance mandate is unconstitutional have relied frequently on slippery-slope arguments. Many have been convinced by what Andrew Koppelman calls the Broccoli Objection—the idea that, if Congress can penalize individuals for failing to purchase health insurance, it must have the power to penalize them for failing to eat their broccoli. (Talk … Read more
In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama called upon “all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC.” Harvard students have taken this as a direct plea to Harvard University to recognize ROTC and commence military recruitment on campus now that the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy … Read more
Just as many students, both republicans and democrats, cheered the repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy,” and saw it as a positive step towards bringing proper recognition to a small group of students called to perform in the utmost service, some on campus took the repeal as a way to continue to press … Read more
The case for rethinking the minimum wage. Last month, Hong Kong finally did it. A long-running symbol of laissez-faire, the Asian tiger will implement its first minimum wage on May 1st this year. A cursory glance at various countries’ wage policies reveals that Hong Kong is a relative latecomer to the minimum wage scene. To date, … Read more
From an anti-Jackson newspaper, quoted in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America: In all this affair the language of Jackson has been that of a heartless despot, solely occupied with the preservation of his own authority. Ambition is his crime, and it will be his punishment too: intrigue is his native element, and intrigue will confound his … Read more
As DNC Chair Tim Kaine delivered a largely predictable speech at Kirkland House last Thursday, Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN) spoke boldly about “Fixing Congress” as part of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics Public Lecture Series at Harvard Law School. Cooper’s most provocative proposal was to change the pay structure for members of Congress. … Read more