Why Conservatives Should Conserve the Environment
When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting This land was made for you and me -Woody Guthrie In 2017, Congress passed new tax legislation allowing for the leasing of oil rights in the Arctic National […]
The Good Kind of Popularity Contest
As the year 2000 drew to a close, two presidential candidates fought vehemently to claim the most powerful position in the world. Democratic candidate Al Gore called for a manual recount in Florida, where Republican candidate George W. Bush led by 0.5% in the initial tally.[1] They battled over how the votes should be recounted, […]
Rethinking the Fight for $15
Congressional Democrats have renewed the fight to give working Americans a raise. In January, they proposed the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2024. The bill is already supported by 181 Democratic sponsors in House and 31 in the Senate.[1] The proposal […]
White House, Black Mark: Trump’s Shutdown
There is very little a government can do to frustrate and anger its population more than shut down. Citizens pay taxes and abide by laws—even those with which they don’t agree—and in return, the government abdicates much of its responsibility and ceases to function over issues that do not necessitate such drastic measures.[1] Indeed, this […]
The Antidote to Partisan Gridlock: A More Open Voting System
There is no middle; there is no moderation. There is only endless argument between Republicans and Democrats who have fundamental issues with their opposition. Compromise in today’s politics is seldom reached, and too often each side is so embroiled with their hatred of their opponents that they fail to bring about any real change. For […]
The Myth of Equal Opportunity
My parents peddled three myths to me as a child: the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and American meritocracy. The “American Dream,” our national ethos of opportunity and success based on hard work, has been a mainstay of many immigrant parents, including mine, who come to the U.S. seeking a better life for themselves and their […]
Conservatism as Narcissism
In Greek mythology, a hunter, famed for his beauty, was so captivated by his reflection in a pool of water that he literally drowned in his own self-image. The hunter’s name was Narcissus, and from it derives narcissism, the excessive love for one’s self. The story of Narcissus reveals the deadly temptation of excessive self-love, […]
Peremptory Challenges: A Barrier to Justice
In 1981, James Kirkland Batson, an African-American man from Kentucky, was charged with second-degree burglary and receipt of stolen goods. During voir dire (jury selection), the prosecution struck down all four potential black jurors using peremptory strikes, which allow lawyers to disqualify potential jurors without providing objection or justification. Though the defense and prosecution both […]
The Need for Universal Access in Healthcare
This September, I was traveling on a bus through the rural farmland of Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico. While driving down a dirt road, our bus had to stop. With my face pressed up against the glass, I could see about 30 people gathered in a circle in the middle of the road, huddled […]
Attempts to Quell a Blue Wave: Voter Suppression in the 2018 Midterms
Voter suppression has been an issue since various minority groups were granted the right to vote, and the 2018 midterm elections were no exception. However, the stakes were arguably higher than ever this year. This election followed a recent report released by the United Nations that warned that humans have just 10 years until irreversible […]