In the U.S., partisan extremism has been on the rise since 1980 and has been growing more severe in recent decades. In order to investigate political extremism we must examine some of its causes. While many factors contribute to political extremism, I believe schadenfreude, party dominance, or lack thereof, and…
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The aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Cuba
Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean when it tore through the area the weekend of Sept. 7 through Sept. 11. Irma made landfall in Cuba late Friday, Sept. 8 as a Category 5 storm. It was the first Category 5 storm to hit Cuba in decades. The eye of the storm…
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Pulling Out of the Paris Climate Agreement
On June 1, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would be working to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord as it stands over the next 3 ½ years. This is not necessarily a permanent withdrawal. Trump expressed his hope that the terms could be renegotiated so that they…
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The Use and Abuse of Science in Modern Politics
The politicization of science. The role of science in politics. Typically, when these concepts are addressed, emotions run high and people start defending their “sides.” While most agree that science is foundational to modern society, politicians and general public alike dispute its legitimate role in policy decisions. Americans rely on…
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Missouri Prosecutor Under Fire
Eric Zahnd, a 1991 Oxbridge Institutions and Policy graduate of William Jewell College, became the Platte County Prosecuting Attorney in 2002. He was named one of the “40 Under 40” by Ingram’s Magazine in 2004 and was recognized as Missouri’s Prosecutor of the Year in 2014. In 2017, he was…
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Staying in the Paris Climate Agreement
This June, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will be leaving the Paris Climate Agreement. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) passed the Agreement in 2015, and 195 countries pledged to the deal, including the U.S. under former president Barack Obama. However, because of legal processes…
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Alternatives to the Affordable Care Act
Immediately after being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, President Donald Trump signed his first executive order to begin dismantling the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), colloquially labeled Obamacare. While the order does not officially remove any of the ACA’s provisions, it is a powerful…
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Trump Doesn’t Respect or Understand the Military
On February 28, General Michael Hayden appeared on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Earlier in that month, Donald Trump advocated for reviving enhanced interrogation techniques and killing the families of terrorists. The former includes the now-frowned upon practice of waterboarding, which has been banned in the US. The latter is a war crime. Maher asked Hayden—a retired four-star…
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A Recap of the First Presidential Debate
The first Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was held Sept. 26, 2016. Lester Holt, the host of NBC News, moderated it. The debate was held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The debate was split into three sections: 1. achieving prosperity, 2. America’s direction and 3.…
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