Occupy Boston: Is This What Democracy Looks Like?
“We are the 99%. And so are you!” “Show me what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like!” Across the street from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, protesters hold signs and recite chants denouncing Wall Street tycoons and the American political ruling class. Many call for an end to the war in […]
Feeding the People: What Has Lead to the Global Food Crisis?
Rising global food prices do not only threaten the lives of individuals but threaten the political stability of entire regions. High food prices have been cited as one factor behind the current instability in Africa and the Middle East, and a spike in food prices this year risks the potential of even more widespread problems.[i] […]
The Winter Uprisings: An Awakening for All
The cascade of pro-democracy protest across the Middle East presumably should not have caught the West off guard, but it did. The United States spends billions of dollars each year supporting Arab governments and on a vast intelligence service dedicated to better informing officials about on goings in the region. Regardless of the United States’ […]
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 […]
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 […]
The War on Taxes: Expiration of Bush Taxes, an Opportunity for Growth
At midnight this New Year’s Eve most Americans will be watching the ball drop in Times Square. However, as the ball is dropping there will be a far more important change within the tax system. Set to expire at midnight are the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) and the Jobs […]
America and Cuba Today: The Coming of Age of the Cuba Embargo Under the Obama Administration
In retrospect, the Cuban embargo was presumably logical. World order was essentially polarized into two distinct categories: Capitalism vs. Communism. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the USSR, this approach seems worthless in terms of achieving peaceful, stable relations with Cuba in contemporary international relations. In short, the Cuban embargo […]
Labour 2010: Not So Rosy
In May 1997, after a surprising election victory, a young, charismatic man named Tony Blair settled into his new office at 10 Downing Street in London as the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister. This signaled the beginning of the Labour Party’s hold on the Premiership. However, after nearly thirteen years in power, Labour’s grasp on Downing […]