Radical Résistance in France: François Hollande’s German Crisis

Friendship between France and Germany, which was one of the primary factors behind the European recovery after World War II, has begun, ever so slightly, to change in the face of a stagnant and far less impressive economic recovery from the most recent global financial crisis. The new strain on Franco- German relations, and the new threat to European economic stability, is becoming particularly apparent under the presidency of François Hollande, France’s current Socialist executive. As a result of German interests in implementing Europe-wide austerity policies, and the weak and seemingly ineffective centrist leadership under Hollande, significant changes seem almost inevitable.

How Much Democracy is too Much Democracy?

Despite their widespread use, many rightfully question the prudence of using popular elections to fill state courts. A key difference between federal and state courts is that while federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the majority of jurists at the state level are elected. The reason federal judges, at least judges on the Article III courts, are made by executive selection is the same reason that Supreme Court justices are given life tenure: to insulate them from the whims of public opinion. In this passage, Hamilton articulates the fundamental paradox of democracy, a question that genuine republics have always grappled with: how can we control for the “tyranny of the majority?” In other words, how can we entrust people with the power to govern themselves but also prevent them from stripping away the rights of minority groups or from posing a danger to others

Reclaiming the Center: The Case for a Ceasefire in America's Culture War

Partisan news sources of all political stripes would have us believe that there’s a war raging on in American society. Increasingly prevalent is the notion that America is in the grips of what some despairing analysts (and gleeful news anchors) have labeled a “Culture War”- the ultimate expression of our increasingly polarized political life, in which the two competing viewpoints stay in their own yards, only seeking out media sources that validate their existing ideals, and lobbing attacks across the fence at the enemy camp

US Healthcare: A "Disaster" of a System

The United States has seen presidential administrations with lofty goals for healthcare policy come and go time and again since its founding, but never an efficient healthcare system. The healthcare debate has been raging in America for years. Should healthcare be universal? Should it be publicly or privately funded, or both? Should all citizens have the right to healthcare? Should all citizens be required by law to have healthcare? The case for universal healthcare seems to be the strongest because it is the most cost-effective way for society to fulfill its humanitarian obligations

Is Free Education Really Free?

The cost of college is remarkable. Shelling out thousands of dollars for some knowledge and a receipt claiming you paid is, in a few words, the modern American college system. Perhaps unsurprisingly, policies have been proposed to reduce the cost of college, even making it free in some instances. On Jan. 9, 2015 President Obama unveiled a plan to make “two years of community college free for responsible students across America.” Given the Republican control of Congress, the idea stands little chance of being passed, but it is still interesting to consider. Under the President’s plan, all Americans, regardless of income, would have access to two years of free community college education provided the student maintains a 2.5 GPA and part-time status. Though the benefits would be numerous, so would the costs.

Influence and the New American Revolution

Contemporary political discourse in the United States is rife with ideas on how our society can change and reform — in particular, issues such as campaign finance reform, income inequality, and the use and control of firearms are in need of a comprehensive response that is attentive to the needs and will of the American people. Sadly, the relationship between the American people and our government is currently in a dismal state. This relationship between the people and the government has become unbalanced and unfair, reducing the likelihood of change and deterring individuals from believing in their ability to influence such reform. The need to understand our capacity to effect change, though, is absolutely necessary. The issues facing the American government at this time are as numerous as they are serious, but ideas and proposals are coming forward with the potential to rebalance this relationship. More importantly, they have the potential to usher in a new American Revolution that makes good on the democratic promise of a government for, of and by the people.

Isle of Misfit Ploys: The Cuban Embargo

The U.S.’s stance towards Cuba has historically used rhetoric about the lack of civil liberties, dictatorship, and security to defend the embargo put in place during the 1960s. Politicians of the era viewed communism in Cuba as an immediate threat that had to be snuffed out before it could infect the entire hemisphere. Their hope was that by isolating the island, Cuba’s citizens would be compelled to fight for reform and institute their own democracy. That approach, however, has backfired entirely. Neither government is innocent — Cuba’s human rights record remains as poor as ever and the U.S. has almost singlehandedly destroyed the country’s economy and health system. Though guilt is shared, the U.S. alone controls the relationship’s future. Reforms are in their infancy, but in light of the turbulent past, there has been progress.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent: The Abuse of Pretrial Detention in America

Although few principles of law are as widely lauded and universally accepted as the presumption of innocence, this principle is violated daily by a practice that has become standard in our justice system, exceptional only in how unexceptional it seems. Pretrial detention—the practice of holding a defendant in custody before trial while he or she is still entitled to the presumption of innocence—is, in its current status, a clear contradiction of this principle and a staple of the American legal system

Political Consumerism and Buycott’s War on Koch Industries: Activism or slacktivism?

A white fist punches the air, grasping tightly to a fluorescent green dollar bill — the Buycott app’s icon pictorially represents the power of consumer decisions. Buycott was developed by freelance programmer Ivan Pardo and released in May 2013 in order to provide its users with, in the words of its creator, “a platform that empowers [them] to make well-informed purchasing decisions.” The app allows consumers to make politically informed purchases, using their money as their ideological voice. Theoretically, the app was created for both conservative and liberal users, plus all those users in between. However, the app boasts overwhelmingly liberal campaigns, perhaps because liberal political participants are generally younger and more likely to utilize such a technology.

Boys in Blue Camo: The 1033 Program

There’s a thin, often unclear line between a riot and a protest. Demonstrators perform a tightrope-walking act, balancing their outrage at controversial events with the knowledge that a single misstep can lead to total chaos. In some countries, that chaos manifests itself as military crackdowns by the ruling government, the goal being to jail problematic opposition leaders and scare people out of returning to the streets. The U.S. has a long history of replacing that military force with the presence of local police, but over time that line has become equally blurred. One need only look at the events of Ferguson, Mo. to see that ambiguity in action.