One part of the State of the Union address I particularly enjoyed: “We need to get behind [clean energy] innovation. And to help pay for it, I’m asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their … 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
As Henry Shull recently noted in his post “Decision 2012: Handicapping the Hopefuls with Danny Hayes”, there is a new possible candidate in the GOP Presidential mix: Michele Bachmann, who suffers a large name recognition deficit and is a long-shot candidate for the nomination. But how hard would it be, exactly, for her to win … Read more
Has the Internet modernized regime change? Times are changing. The days of the Stalinist repressive regime, the prominence of totalitarianism, and unchecked dictatorial brutality, may be approaching their end. The recent events in North Africa, the Middle East, and even historically autocratic Russia confirm that the interconnected world we live in is becoming an increasingly hostile … 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
Update concerning the Congresswoman: Fortunately, Rep. Giffords has continued her miraculously speedy recovery, and is starting rehab. We can only continue to hope and pray that all continues to go well, if not better. In the wake of the assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords by a mentally deranged man – an attack which took … Read more