The 2016 presidential election year in many ways reflects the way in which reality TV — never at a loss for drama, exhibitionism and outrage — has begun to influence political theater. Political races have always been, to an extent, a dog-and-pony show. But GOP candidate Donald J. Trump's out-sized assertions and foot-in-mouth moments don't …
Continue reading Election Year 2016: The Rise of the Angry Populist — and Why it Matters
New Year's Day 2015 marked the 20th anniversary of NAFTA's implementation. The North American Free Trade Agreement became infamous when independent presidential candidate Ross Perot remarked in 1992 that the passage of NAFTA would create a "giant sucking sound" of American jobs lost to Canada and Mexico. NAFTA, however, is hardly in history's rear-view mirror. It …
Continue reading Fast Track Push for Trans-Pacific Partnership Implies it’s a Raw Deal
Amidst this week's revelation that a federal judge would likely rule in favor of a judicial activist who argues that the NSA's activities violate the Fourth Amendment — and the revelation that some in the NSA would rather grant fugitive Edward Snowden amnesty than drive him further into the open arms of the Russians and …
Continue reading Snowden Amnesty Debate Misses the Point — Again