For many foreign students in America, immigration reform is a cause for concern. The idea that a U.S. degree will lead to employment is far from reality. Opportunities are rather limited and many international students have little or no chance of remaining in the U.S. under the current immigration system. When international students complete their … Continue reading
Category Archives: Politics
Cruz Control: Long Senate Speeches and How a Non-Filibuster Can Still Wield Power
While Senator Ted Cruz’s September 24 speech condemning the Affordable Care Act was not technically a filibuster, the length of time he spent talking without yielding the floor is notable in the history of speeches delivered in the Senate. Filibusters are intended to delay or prevent voting on a piece of legislation. A senator may … Continue reading
The Bad Policy of De Facto Amnesty
In the past weeks U.S. Representative Steve King, a Republican from Iowa’s 4th district, has emerged as the leader of the anti-immigration reform coalition in the House. Cantaloupes and drug mules aside, King has become the face of conservative opposition to any proposed reform that includes a pathway to citizenship, or even legal status. King’s … Continue reading
The Cost of a Living Wage
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Many states have implemented minimum wages that are higher than that. But, in most places around the country, the minimum wage is not enough to support a family’s basic needs. This is where the debate over implementing a “living wage” comes into play. The living wage, as the … Continue reading
The Dark Cloud Over the Medical Device Tax
The medical device industry currently consists of 8,000+ manufacturers and employs over 400,000 Americans. Over the last seven months, the industry has been subjected to a 2.3% excise tax on all medical device sales – not only profits. The tax has been a primary funding mechanism for the health care overhaul so far. The medical device industry … Continue reading
Corporate Tax Reform: No Longer Revenue-Neutral
Last Tuesday, President Obama delivered a speech in Chattanooga, Tennessee, outlining his long awaited corporate tax reform. The speech called for a revenue-neutral corporate tax reform that lowers the top corporate tax from 35% to 28% for the majority of businesses. Manufacturers’ tax rate will top-out at 25%. President Obama made a statement that the … Continue reading
Steve King: A Representative Who Does Not Represent
With New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner continuing to pursue his interest in photography, one may be inclined to think that public outrage over politics would be focused solely on Weiner’s alter ego, Carlos Danger. However, Representative Steve King of Iowa has managed to grab some of the spotlight for himself by offering his … Continue reading
3 Reasons Why the Senate Chose Not To Go Nuclear
Over the course of the past few weeks, the Senate has been more hectic than usual. There has been much debate over the use of filibusters in the Senate, and the more often than not useless delays that they have been causing. Historically, the filibuster has been a way to obtain a bipartisan compromise; but … Continue reading
Timber Harvesting: How to Stop Wildfires from Getting Worse
The fire in Yarnell Hill, Arizona is now contained and the nation is mourning the loss of 19 of its most elite firefighters. As we wait for an ongoing investigation to conclude, we are faced with the reality that the Yarnell Hill wildfire is just the latest in a string of catastrophic fires that are … Continue reading
Labor Unions: “We’re Not So Happy About Obamacare Anymore.”
They were one of the first and most fervent supporters of healthcare reform. They formed the backbone of the coalition that drove Obamacare into law. On July 12, James Hoffa of the Teamsters with 1.4 million members, Joseph Hansen of the Food and Commercial Workers with 1.3 million members, and several other union lobbies teamed up … Continue reading
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