An Empty Promise: Why the Wall is an Impractical Immigration Policy
Funding for President Trump’s border wall may have slipped through the cracks after the government shutdown, but the border wall still remains a contentious issue among politicians. Thus, it will be just as important in the future for Democrats to double-down against Trump’s border wall – an ineffective policy measure riddled with impracticalities. The Current […]
How Progressive are Beto O’Rourke, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker?
Frontrunners for 2020? CNN recently published an article ranking the Top 10 candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Kamala Harris topped the list followed by Beto O’Rourke, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren. Unlike Biden and Warren, O’Rourke, Booker, and Harris have largely avoided scrutiny from the mainstream media, raising the question of where […]
The US’ Love-Hate Relationship with Saudi Arabia
Over the course of the past few months, the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia has become increasingly more tense. Two incidents, the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the ongoing War in Yemen, are responsible for the deterioration of relationship between the two countries. To resolve these disputes, the United States should initiate a […]
Many States are Legalizing Marijuana, Should Illinois Do The Same?
Introduction With 9 states legalizing marijuana for recreational use, it’s time for Illinois to start considering the option of legalization as well. Over the past few years, in spite of marijuana’s status as a Schedule 1 Drug, the rate of marijuana use has remained constant among teenagers, indicating that the current policies have done little to […]
Freedom of Speech is Under Attack from the Left … And the Right
In recent times, the principle of free speech—different from the first amendment—has been under attack from both the left and right. Three recent controversies—the removal of Alex Jones from social media platforms, the calls to fire Sarah Jeong, and the NFL policy against kneeling for the anthem—are all evidence of this assertion. The Alex Jones […]
Words vs. Actions: Why Donald Trump Is NOT “Putin’s Puppet”
After meeting with Vladimir Putin at the Helsinki Summit, Donald Trump returned to the US to be greeted by the hornet’s nest of media reporters and politicians condemning him for his statements denying Russian interference in US elections. Former CIA director John Brennan lambasted Trump claiming that his statements were “Nothing short of treasonous”. But […]
Trump’s Tariffs: The “America First” Policy that Actually Hurts America
In a recent tweet, President Trump claimed, “Tariffs are the greatest! Either a country which has treated the United States unfairly negotiates a fair deal, or it gets hit with Tariffs.” But is international trade policy that simple? Are tariffs the solution to trade problems? Studies, economic policy, and most economists say no. However, that […]
Misunderstanding Immigration Law: Why Abolishing ICE Is A Step Too Far
Introduction In a stunning upset, Democratic primary candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated 14-term incumbent Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th district primary. Ocasio-Cortez’s platform consisted of many progressive policies such as Medicare-For-All and free public college. However, one of her bolder ideas was to abolish ICE. With the idea being thrust into mainstream discussion, it’s important […]