By: Jonathan Fried Extreme ideological polariz-ation and large structural deficits are a match made in hell. Indeed, it is quite possible that, given the yawning chasm between congressional Democrats and Republicans, the U.S. will stagger from one mild fiscal crisis to the next. Perhaps the real drivers of our structural budget deficit will be successfully addressed, and perhaps not. But [...]
By: Jonathan Fried In April 2010, Anna Tsiotsias (C’14) and Frances Rodriguez (C’15) faced off in the final round of twelve at the prestigious high school debate Tournament of Champions. The event was Congressional Debate, and the first mock bill on the agenda proposed capping non-defense discretionary spending. Their four-minute speeches were eloquent and fast-paced, their arguments rigorously substantiated and [...]
By: Jonathan Fried By 2020, our gross national debt will breach $20 trillion. This is not a popular reality; few want America to hold debts exceeding 100% of its GDP, and many, particularly conservatives, see debt reduction as our top national priority. A fierce debate now exists regarding the United States’ fiscal maneuverability and the point at which the public [...]
Who controls our government? Whom does Congress represent? “The people!” we reflexively exclaim, for of course, our government is of, by, and for the people. But which people? Increasingly since the 1970s, a new answer has emerged: anyone but the centrists. Today, moderates can barely find any true representation in Congress. As the polarizing ideological gulf has widened, Congress has [...]
With autocratic, dictatorial regimes falling left and right in the Arab world, one might anticipate a few demonstrations by the oppressed in other corners of the globe. North Koreans in particular have been receiving news of the uprisings via leaflets flown in by balloon from the South. “A dictatorial regime is destined to collapse,” they claim. Sadly, so long as [...]
U.S. grand strategy is in a period of flux. From the early days of the Cold War to the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States’ grand strategy – its main, overarching strategic goal which molded the total of its policies and resources – could be summarized in a single word: containment. Preventing the spread of communism and maintaining [...]
Effective April 26, the threat level for U.S. airports will no longer be orange for “low risk of terrorist attack.” Next Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security will begin to use a new, simplified terrorism warning system that is much friendlier to the color-blind among us. The new National Terrorism Advisory System will provide specific information designed to give better [...]
True or false: On Sunday night, the U.S. Congress managed to avert a government shutdown by passing a stopgap spending resolution, which will ultimately cut $80 billion from President Obama’s proposed budget, or $38 billion from current spending levels. True, right? Technically, false. The deal, reached at 11pm, received President Obama’s signature some time after midnight. In other words, we [...]
In an April 2009 speech given in Prague, Barack Obama outlined his vision for a “nuclear-free world,” officially orienting long-term United States policy in the direction of drastic nuclear stockpile cuts. Since then, the U.S. and Russia have taken a step in the right direction with the New START treaty, which limits both countries to 1,550 actively deployed nuclear weapons. [...]
The ongoing war in Libya has already led to a plethora of analysis on the changing nature of the world as experts and commentators continue to herald the rise of a truly multipolar world. With decisive, relatively effective action stemming from a U.N. Security Council resolution married to a United States unwilling to take the reigns and lead the international [...]
Are you following the Supreme Court cases on same-sex marriage?
Loading ...
Designed by
Copyright © 2013 Penn Political Review. All rights reserved.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn