How Will America Remember Joe Lieberman: Connecticut’s Independent Senator

With his entire extended family behind him and a crowd of several hundred supporters in front of him, Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman took the podium at a hotel in Stamford, Connecticut on January 19 to announce he would not seek reelection in 2012.[i] Lieberman, 68, has had a tumultuous career in the Senate over the […]

American DREAM: Delayed or Denied?

Over the last decade, policy makers in the United States continually pledged to make reformations to the policies surrounding immigration. This period of time has shown quite clearly that comprehensive reform is almost politically impossible. While the push for full-scale improvements has continued, there has also been an attempt to approach the problem pragmatically. By […]

The Real Value of Vermont Yankee

Vermont Yankee (VY) is the only nuclear reactor in the state of Vermont and the second oldest in the country. While President Obama has committed his administration’s energy agenda to galvanizing a nuclear energy renaissance, on February 24, 2010 the Vermont Senate decided, twenty-six to four, in favor of concluding VY operations.[i] Unless the Senate […]

Sarah Palin’s Alaska: More than a Campaign Ad

The Kardashians. The Duggars. The Gosselins. I had always wondered why anyone would want to watch the day-to-day lives of these families on their respective television shows. Even more puzzling to me is how viewers actually enjoy the experience. However, over the course of two months last winter, I had to take my foot out […]

The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance: Opposing the Repeal of National Health Care

Franklin Pierce is surely applauding modern day Republicans’ and their effort to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and as unaware of the times Pierce would be today, I believe the same can be said for modern day Republicans. In 1854, Pierce vetoed the first proposal of a federally sponsored social program that […]

From the Barrel of a Gun

With the tragic shooting in Arizona splashed across the American media, there has been a flood of commentary attempting to make sense of the senseless act of violence. Amongst them are commentators who have pointed their antagonism towards the second amendment and the level of gun ownership within our country. Writers have pointed to the […]

The Microfinance Split: Reharnessing the Good Micro Loans

Poverty can be eradicated by 2050 as proposed by the Millennium Development Goals, according to Muhammad Yunus. Founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, he believes that microcredit is the answer. Lending small amounts of money to people who are too poor or marginalized to qualify for bank loans in order to further their small businesses […]

Why the EU Needs Turkey: A Case for Accession

The Republic of Turkey stands at the crossroads of the Eastern and Western worlds. It is a land bridge between Europe and Asia, and through it flows the major water route between Russia and the Middle East. Its location has always put Turkey at the center of cultural origin and intercourse. For hundreds of years […]

Point-Counterpoint: Wikileaks, Open the Vault: Against Government Secrecy

We are fashioned to accept truths, to conform to the narrative of our leaders. To question the authority or legitimacy of the powers that be can be dangerous. Most people accept the rules set out for them by government, even if they do not fully understand or see the supposed benefits of the social contract. […]