Our Sacred Honor

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for the length of this post. It has been a long time since I have had ample time to organize my thoughts on any political issues and as such, I may tend to ramble a bit more in this post than I had intended. However, I feel that the issue discussed here is something that is certainly worth at least a cursory glance and consideration. I hope my attempts to express my thoughts are at least mildly stimulating, albeit exhaustive. – Evan PC: CNN             Every election year has its share of challenges and disappointments. I want to make sure I am clear on that point before I go any further, because I feel it is something that many individuals tend to forget in the midst of the bloodbath that arises as we enter Q3 of a general election year. Elections are messy. They’re brutal. They’re full of misdirection, lies, and attack ads. Good ideas are discussed. Bad ideas are discussed. Democrats blame Republicans for our ...

Have you ever heard the analogy that the United States of America is a "melting pot" - where different cultures, religions, ethnicity, and personalities come together to create something unique and special? I've always appreciated this analogy for its simple depiction of what makes America great - our pragmatic assimilation and appreciation of the good ideas in the world. This "melting pot" approach to American society and government can be traced all the way back to the original colonies in this nation. While many were British, there was also a great deal of influence Dutch, Spanish, and French society, as well. Settlers came to have opportunity, land, and freedom from the "old country." As time went on, the predominantly Protestant Europeans also began to be diversified among different denominations, and even Catholicism and some non-Christian sects, as well. By the time America declared independence, there was already a great deal of diversity of ...

Well, I've been waiting for something that frustrated me enough to evoke a blog post, and then, I was supplied with an appropriate topic, as the 2014 election year kicks into high gear. The GOP has sunk very, very low, in my mind, in recent days. If you've been following political news recently, you know what I'm referring to, if not, let me explain. A short time ago, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was beat out by Dave Brat , who ran as the favorite for the anti-establishment Tea Party movement, within the GOP. This sudden defeat for the GOP Leader stunned many political pundits who had expected much greater success for Cantor in years to come - never expecting that the Tea Party would be able to amass so much support again, after such a dismal record, in recent months. However, many more conservative commentators were far less surprised, claiming the GOP establishment has not been overly attentive to the frustrations of constituents, focusing instead on political ...

As with many of my posts, this topic was inspired by a class discussion on development economics and the ensuing follow-up conversations with fellow students. I think it is a fascinating topic to discuss and analyze as well as a very important social ill that much of the world -including our own nation, continues to struggle with on a daily basis. Any follow-up discussion that you would contribute is welcomed and encouraged, in the comment section below. Poverty. The greatest social blight of the world. We've all seen the commercials for the non-profits that seek to sponsor children living in poverty. Most of us have seen documentaries and newscasts from experts that discuss the implications of poverty on society in Africa and Southeast Asia. In lieu of the sheer mass of public awareness campaigns and NGO's that we encounter in our daily lives, it can be easy to turn a blind eye to the reality of this issue in the world. There are millions of individuals in the world l...

This post was spurred by a discussion I had a short time ago with a professor about the different views of "compromise" in the U.S. two-party system.  This picture says it all. Whether you are a gun-toting, laissez faire conservative or a bleeding heart Liberal, it is safe to say that you can recognize this meme's representation of the two-party system. By that I mean people recognize that this is the picture painted of the GOP, whether or not it is true. Why is this the case, though? What is it about the word "liberal" that evokes imagery of freedom, equality, and reason while "conservative" makes one feel stifled and suppressed? I have written in the past about what I feel is the best tactic for the Republican party as we approach 2016. I have also written about my frustration with my own party in its inability to collate around the core planks of the platform. Today, I would like to discuss the political stigma of the GOP in contrast the...

One hardly needs to be a politician to understand that our nation is in a crisis of leadership, right now. Today we enter the 4th full day of the government shutdown, and the American people are clearly fed up. As Congress continues to debate over how "compromise" must come about, we have seen the government "shutdown" affect national parks, websites, memorials, and as I saw on facebook a few days ago, even the First Lady's Twitter feed.  In my opinion, this is true budget crisis. As a Public Policy major, I take an almost morbid curiosity in wondering "who will blink first," but even in the midst of this musing, I cannot forget what is truly on the line with this debate -- The healthcare system in our nation, and more importantly, the very meaning of compromise.  From news articles to Twitter feeds to Youtube, we have all seen various perspectives on "who is right" with this issue. In a recent Op-ed in the New York Times, the auth...

Enough is enough! This nation has lived through not one, not two, but a minimum of three massive scandals in the last few months. First, there was the disastrous handling of the attack on the Benghazi consul, and the ensuing cover-up by the Obama administration. Next, we learned that the IRS has been systematically targeting conservative groups for special scrutiny, an act that would be repulsive on its own, but when linked to other power-plays by this administration, is absolutely outrageous. Finally, it was discovered that the NSA has been compiling the phone and Internet records of Americans without warrant and certainly without the knowledge of most citizens. Each of these issues alone, is serious, but when linked together they show an alarming trend toward an ever-more-daring and expanding federal government. In addition, in areas of social justice, we see an increasingly volatile debate over issues of abortion and marriage rights - We have become a nation...