The prospects for Obama’s energy plan Given the specter of global warming and the dangers posed by oil dependence on potentially hostile countries, energy policy reform has taken center stage as both an environmental issue and a national security issue. President Barack Obama has an ambitious agenda for tackling these challenges, including plans to limit … Read more
The Democratic Party and California’s Proposition 8 On Nov. 4, millions of liberal voters celebrated the election of Barack Obama as America’s 44th president. However, the jubilation was, for many, dampened by the passage of Proposition 8 in California. This ballot measure defined marriage as strictly between a man and a woman, overturning the California … Read more
Reconciling perceptions and realities of economic mobility in America By the time historian James Truslow Adams gave a name to the “American dream,” the Great Depression was already under way. The year was 1931, and his definition of the now-iconic phrase perfectly embodied the hopes of the working class of the time: “[It] is that … Read more
The GOP’s push to recovery is not an easy one Thirty years after Ronald Reagan ushered in a period of conservative preeminence in American politics, the Republican Party finds itself attempting to chart a path back to power. Following a resounding defeat in presidential and congressional elections in November, conservatives are gathering across the country … Read more
The economic crisis strikes Main Street With the world financial system teetering on the brink of collapse, most attention has focused on Wall Street and financial markets globally. “Toxic assets” is a more captivating phrase than “public waste management.” For people across the United States, however, the economic slowdown will affect life most directly through … Read more
Historic challenges await America’s new leader As Election Day unfolded, pundits, politicians, and ordinary citizens attempted to put into perspective the first election of an African-American to the nation’s highest office. Barack Obama was never shy about running as the “change” candidate, calling for “an end to politics as usual.” In examining the electoral map, … Read more