Read part 1 of my summer blog here and part 2 here. The halfway mark of my internship at Senator Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) office was certainly eventful. It resulted in the cancellation of our scheduled Senate recess from July 5-8 amid looming public concerns about the nation’s debt; specifically, the reaching of the current statutory … Read more
If you have not read about my first two weeks as an intern at Senator Paul’s office, click here. Last time we spoke, I painstakingly detailed my acculturation to the vibe of Senator Paul’s office – from the daily interactions with self-motivated staffers to the routine fulfillment of basic tasks to learn of the prevailing … Read more
Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) appeared Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” chastising the 2012 field of Republican candidates for clinging to “isolationism.” Senator McCain has long been a vocal proponent of American military involvement abroad. He vigorously advocated for American interventionism in the 2008 presidential election, and was soundly defeated by Barack Obama and his milder foreign … Read more
Hello there. For those who are new to the Harvard Political Review or “The Libertarian Perspective,” please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Naji Filali, and I am a rising sophomore studying government at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. If you have not already deduced my political orientation, I am a libertarian (*gasp*). … Read more
Inspired by the recent debate between my colleagues Adam Kern and Sarah Siskind concerning libertarianism and public goods, this is the second installment of a multi-part series on various libertarian theories concerning government and the provision of public goods. Or, alternatively, the role of government in a free society. In the first part of this series, we briefly … Read more
On the day of the return of the McRibb (or in early November for non-McDonalds aficionados) the San Francisco Board of supervisors passed an ordinance outlawing the sale of toys in meals that did not meet certain nutritional guidelines. It effectively bans the Happy Meal. It was passed with a veto proof majority and will take … Read more
The Republican field in 2012 is a difficult one to navigate, especially for libertarians enamored with the Pauls. The 2012 primary elections kick off in Iowa in a little under a year, yet the race for the Oval Office has yet to officially commence for Republican hopefuls. Will it be Trump, Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty, Santorum, … Read more
Inspired by the ongoing debate between my colleagues Adam Kern and Sarah Siskind concerning libertarianism and public goods, this is the introduction and the first installment of a multi-part series on various libertarian theories concerning government and the provision of public goods. Or, alternatively, the role of government in a free society. Debates can often … Read more
Many critics, including some of my Harvard colleagues, have pointed out the hypocritical and McCarthy-ite nature of Rep. Peter King‘s recent hearings on radicalization within the American Islamic community. Mr. King has decided to jump on the bandwagon by joining in the increasingly common practice of alerting Americans to the newly-discovered threat of “homegrown terrorism.” … Read more
Can something good come out of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, one of the worst recorded natural disasters in the country’s history? The Huffington Post’s Nathan Gardels certainly thinks so: But if one can look past the devastation, there is a silver lining. The need to rebuild a large swath of Japan will … Read more