Autiello: Will True Christianity Please Stand Up?
Nick Autiello, Contributor
The notion that homosexuality is a sin and un-Christian is one that is less than a hundred years old. It is wrong, and has no basis in scriptural or historical reality.
SASSO: The Coming New Year
James Sasso, Associate Editor
As the tumultuous 2011 comes down to its final day, this column could contain an obnoxious summary of the year’s extraordinary events. Rather than once again discussing the protests around the world, the death of Osama Bin Laden, Fukushima, America’s political ineptitude, Europe’s demise or the increasingly frightful weather patterns, here I attempt to predict what 2012 holds in store.
SASSO: Kicking the Can
James Sasso, Associate Editor
For one of the first times in his tenure as Speaker, John Boehner has made a statement with which every American, Republican or Democrat, should fully agree; the two-month Senate bipartisan extension of the payroll tax cut fails to fix the nation’s problems sufficiently. Providing a short-term band-aid to a long-term dilemma contradicts what a responsible government should accomplish, but fits the pattern of contemporary American politicking.
CIOCCI: A Foolish Consistency
Mitt Romney is guilty of serial hypocrisy, Newt Gingrich is guilty of being a public intellectual constantly scrutinized by the media and others, and Ron Paul never ceases to remind me about one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Essays: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”
AKMAN: Jon Huntsman’s Meaningless Campaign
Josh Akman, Columnist
Jon Huntsman did not participate in the CNN Debate in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. Short of his family and small (and getting smaller) campaign staff, no one really noticed. In a bizarre and counterproductive effort to impress New Hampshire voters Huntsman skipped the debate to protest Nevada moving its caucus ahead of New Hampshire’s, which has always been the nation’s first primary. It’s bizarre because no one else skipped the debate. It’s counterproductive because right now, Jon Huntsman is polling 6% in New Hampshire.
SASSO: The 99% Rising
James Sasso
Associate Editor
For the past month a movement has grown out of Zuccoti Park in New York with the potential to grab at the very heart of America’s problems. “We are the 99%” is not simply a catchy phrase used by frustrated jobless Americans , but a commentary on the disgraceful economic inequality that has arisen in the United States since the 1970s.
SASSO: The Truth Will Now Be Revealed
James Sasso, Associate Editor
On Thursday, September 8, President Obama delivered a forceful speech that outlined his broad program to bring America back to work. While the speech did not deliver the full combination of stimulus and tax increases for which the liberal base had hoped, President Obama finally came out punching against the oppositionist Republicans who had done everything in their power to frustrate the President’s legislative agenda. Obama’s supporters and America in general, badly needed to hear from their Commander in Chief. With citizens’ trust in Washington approaching zero and fears of a double dip recession increasing, Obama had to demonstrate a serious, robust and, most of all, politically feasible strategy for creating jobs. And it did precisely that.
ROGERS: 3,650 Days
Conor Rogers, Editor
Calls for Americans to get over, move on, or move past 9-11 underestimate the degree to which 9-11 — despite it’s evils — redefined the American people for the better. We should not move on from that, but
ROBINSON: The President is Not as Powerful as We Think
Jonathan Robinson, Columnist When asked to remark on the two and a half or so years of the Obama presidency, many of my left wing friends and family have lamented [...]
ZILENZIGER: Taxes and Political Apathy
James Zilenziger, Contributor
The U.S Tax Code has become a central focus of recent debate in Washington, with both Democrats and Republicans claiming it needs to be revised because it isn’t “fair.” While the two parties fundamentally disagree on whom specifically the tax code treats unfairly, there is a consensus that a revised tax code is a necessary component to solving the debt crisis. But is that all a new tax code can solve? Consider this: Currently, 47% of Americans pay no federal income tax. Meanwhile, that bottom half of Americans who are not contributing any money to the upkeep of our national defense, public safety, infrastructure, and education are still receiving tax credits from the government and making a profit off of the U.S. tax code.
SASSO: Is President Obama Green?
James Sasso, Associate Editor
One of the most frequently lofted criticisms aimed at President Obama is that he has retreated from his promises of remaking the infrastructure of America to create a greener future. While many of the President’s promises made while on the campaign trail have not come to fruition (something which I half blame on the absurdly effective oppositionist strategy of Republicans and half on Obama’s desire to remain above the partisan fray), the lack of major environmental initiatives by Obama’s administration has left many of his young, ecofriendly supporters wondering why the environment is pushed continually to the side of important issues…Obama’s grand green vision, sadly, has proved to be more hope than change.
THERRIAULT: The Political US Economy and Developing Markets
Though emerging markets are increasing shares in consumption and output may simply be attributable to a scale of population, the true power of many emerging economies will be realized as they are tested by time. How can the American economy, which has enjoyed being at the top of the global heap for nearly a century, accommodate and work with these emerging economies to bolster its own position? Politics will surely play a large role.
McNAMARA: “Peak Oil” and the Pre-Election Shuffle
We can no longer stand for individuals who are just talking about renewable energy sources—we need action. Especially since many environmentalists believe that we have reached “peak oil,” the point at which the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline.
AKMAN: Tim Pawlenty Wasted My Time
Tim Pawlenty quit. Based upon on an inability to compete in Iowa, culminating in a disappointing—if not altogether surprising—showing at the Ames Straw Poll, Pawlenty bowed out of the race this past Sunday. His explanation, much like his speeches throughout his brief campaign, was well-reasoned, safe, and wholly unsurprising.
INKELES: Solve The Debt Crisis — End Gerrymandering
Isaac Inkeles, Columnist Republicans had a golden opportunity at the beginning of the debt ceiling debate: Democrats agreed to not raise taxes, but instead close tax loopholes, and coupled this [...]
ROBINSON: How the Democrats Should Frame Their Tax-Increase Argument
Jonathan Robinson, Columnist
The debt deal that was forged between in Washington last week included the creation of a super committee meant to make the harsh decisions of austerity in the name of deficit reduction. The Democrats were asked to make tough choices, the Republicans…not so much.
CUSICK: Can You Feel the Freedom?
John Cusick, Contributor
From January 10th to 20th, a group of John Jay College students and I went to Cairo, Egypt with the group called Youth International Empowerment, on what was the group’s first trip, to facilitate social empowerment workshops with high school students. Although most of my group had to leave on the 20th due to the revolution, we stayed in contact with many of the Egyptian students with whom we had worked.
ROBINSON: The Battle Over Rules and Discretion
Jonathan Robinson, Columnist
By moving from politics based on discretion to rules based politics, the Republican Party leadership is signaling that more painful budget cuts are on the way, and that’s not a good sign for the economic recovery.