- 04 July 2008 |
- Site Map |
- Brijit Blog |
- Brijit for Facebook |
- FAQ
- The Economist
- | Time
- | The New Yorker
- | Fortune
- | ESPN The Magazine
- | Wired
- | Smithsonian
- | A.V. Club
in The American Prospect
by
Mark Schmitt, April 2008
Schmitt offers something worthwhile yet all-too-rare in this lengthy primary season -- a thoughtful perspective on the race, distanced from the daily sniping between campaigns. He places Barack Obama's transformative and remarkable candidacy in a wider historical perspective, arguing that the past decade has seen the emergence of a truly grassroots movement for change, a reconnect between electoral politics and community organizing, and the coalescence of a grand-vision Democratic Party -- rather than a loose coalition of interest groups. Finally and somewhat counterintuitively, he suggests it has been the divisive presidency of George W. Bush that made Obama's rise possible.
Posted 12:01, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Ian Beacock
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Dana Goldstein, April 2008
In its continued advocacy for pro-business policies, the Department of Labor is pushing Congress to change the Family and Medical Leave Act to make it more difficult for workers with chronic illnesses to take intermittent unpaid sick leave. Goldstein, who herself suffers chronic migraines, calls the proposal to require doctors to recertify chronic health problems annually excessive and discriminatory against uninsured workers. She convincingly scoffs at the idea of requiring employees to request unscheduled medical leave two days in advance: How could she predict on a Monday that she'd get a crippling migraine on Wednesday?
Posted 11:57, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Laura White
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Daniel Levy, April 2008
Levy brings his experience from the upper echelons of Israeli diplomacy to bear on the problems plaguing the Middle East, offering a persuasive and engrossing blueprint for the next US administration. The next president must lead a "comprehensive rethink" of both American policy in the region and of the grand narratives and mindsets that guide it. Levy calls for wider engagement with regional actors, an end to black-and-white worldviews, and a willingness to treat the Mideast as a collective challenge -- and not to compartmentalize various crises. Compelling, elegant, and astute, Levy's thoughts are worth considering.
Posted 11:55, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Ian Beacock
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Robert B. Reich, April 2008
Likening our economic situation to a poker game, Reich deftly assesses the possibility of another Great Depression, and analyzes the options for preventing such a calamity. Many Americans are facing unemployment and debt, and the traditional remedies of tax breaks and cash infusions are unlikely to be effective. The rich are more likely to invest than spend, and the disparity between income and growth only strengthens economic inequality. Although the US has enough productive capacity to sustain a higher standard of living, Reich soberly notes that balanced growth will require sacrifice -- something that consumers are often unwilling to do.
Posted 10:20, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Sarah Davis
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Art Levine, April 2008
Levine's lengthy and substantial essay examines Republican legal tactics to disenfranchise low-income, young, and minority voters. The tactics he discusses are diverse, but all share the use of false assertions of massive voter fraud to change voting laws. A particularly repugnant example of this legislative tinkering is Indiana's voter-ID law, which is being reviewed by the Supreme Court and thus has the potential to set precedent nationally. That law is projected to disenfranchise almost 20 percent of the state's black population through strict ID requirements.
Posted 10:06, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Rebecca Johnson
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Robert Borosage, April 2008
While neither Democratic candidate originally embodied populist philosophy in the same way as John Edwards, the policy promises of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have evolved to incorporate a more progressive economic stance. Spurred by current economic conditions and constituent worries, this shift has partly been a rhetorical necessity for their campaigns, but has also coincided with a recognition of the new needs of the populace. Outlining the ways in which the candidates both represent and diverge from conventional populist ideology, Borosage eloquently evaluates an issue that will be central to the 2008 presidential election.
Posted 10:04, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Alan Blickenstaff
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Spencer Ackerman, April 2008
Ackerman argues that Barack Obama's foreign-policy plan is more liberal than it appears. The author ignores the lofty, political speeches and offers a clear-eyed look at the senator's advisers. Using lengthy bios, quotes from interviews, and outsider perceptions, the author paints a picture of a foreign-policy team whose goal is to change not only our military course, but the "Iraq War mindset" behind current US foreign policy. Ackerman deftly weaves this profile with comparisons to the campaigns of President Bush, John F. Kennedy, George McGovern, and even Franklin Roosevelt -- offering evidence and analysis that Obama's goals could put the nation back on a different path.
Posted 10:01, 10 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Anna Morrison
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Robert Kuttner, April 2008
The next president faces an economic challenge so extraordinary it'll require rejecting the previously sacred economic principles favoring the free markets and deregulation, which have resulted in "toxic financial bubbles." Nevertheless, today's federal government is better poised to address our economic woes than in previous crises. Of course, foreign indebtedness, a plunging dollar, and heavy-handed deregulation present us with unprecedented obstacles. Kuttner questions whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton have the economic mindset or advisers to question conventional thinking; he takes no position on which Dem would prove more open-minded, but cogently argues they won't have a choice.
Posted 5:27, 9 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Pinoli
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Barbara T. Dreyfuss, March 2008
Highlighting the desperation of many US states in a time of economic uncertainty, Dreyfuss explores Kansas' decision to legalize gambling and offer tax incentives for new casinos. Arguing that the potential revenue is not enough to offset the social troubles that accompany gambling, Dreyfuss views state gambling decisions as a quick, fear-based solution. Concluding that the new trend toward a pro-gaming economy will only have adverse effects on America's small towns and communities, Dreyfuss' view is defensible, but the lack of possible alternatives make the argument incomplete.
Posted 10:24, 5 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Patricia Popovitch
and edited by Brijit.
in The American Prospect
by
Mark Schmitt, March 2008
Taking the presidential campaign as an opportunity to review the organization and makeup of the Senate, Schmitt assesses a need for major reform, assures us it won't happen, and argues that it's the president that makes the Senate. Citing Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter as Senate-winning presidents, Schmitt concludes that the new president -- regardless of party -- has much work to do to create an effective senate to support their political goals. Interesting analysis, if somewhat obvious.
Posted 9:43, 5 March 2008
This abstract was written by
Patricia Popovitch
and edited by Brijit.