Situation:
In the last few weeks our country has expressed increasing anger over the disbursement of over 160 million dollars in bonuses to employees of ailing insurance giant AIG. Today, the House of Representatives passed HR 1586, which taxes the bonuses of employees of institutions receiving more than $5 billion in TARP funds at a rate of 90%. This resolution only applies to employees who make more than $250,000 annually, and will be effective retroactively from January 1, 2009. All of this sounds great to the angry American populous who frown on such frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars, but have the legislators overstepped their Constitutional boundaries in order to appease the people? This taxation may be interpreted as a bill of attainder, which is a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without trial. Our Constitution prohibits such actions in order to maintain the balance of power between the legislative and judicial branches of government.
Why it matters:
I think most people agree that the AIG bonuses are undeserved and should be repaid. Americans are outraged and are therefore pressuring legislators to act quickly to resolve the situation. In demanding immediate reconciliation, we may be encouraging rash action rather than reasoned responsiveness to the situation. We cannot, as Americans, allow populist rage to override Constitutional legality. Although the taxation of the AIG bonuses justly reappropriates the taxpayer dollars, the consequences of such actions may set precedents that could undermine the integrity of the Department of Justice in the future.
I do not believe that Americans should be any less passionate in expressing their disgust over the AIG bonuses, but perhaps we could refocus our efforts. It is the duty of the Justice Department to handle contract disputes and punish parties in violation of said contracts. Why not take a legal avenue to recover the money, as suggested in Lawrence Cunningham's op-ed in yesterday's NY Times? It is encouraging to see that so many Americans are becoming more and more actively involved in the politics that influence our nation. However, we must be sure that we are responsible in our involvement, not only voicing our concerns, but also allowing our elected officials time to adequately devise the most effective and ethical plan of action.
And that is why it matters.
/theGHenius
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Unrest in Pakistan
Event:
The New York Times reports today that protests are mounting in opposition to the recently-elected Pakistani President Asif Ali Zadari. Protests of similar size and influence greatly contributed to the demise of General Musharraf's regime in 2007.
Why it matters:
From what we know about the foreign policy of the Obama Administration, the war in Afghanistan is being approached not as a unilateral conflict within the country of Afghanistan, but as a conflict existing both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. In reality, the majority of the conflict occurs on the border shared between the two countries. The Obama administration refuses to deny the role that Pakistan plays in the war because of its potential to cause harm to Americans. As evidenced by the recent protests, the Pakistani government, although generally well-intentioned, is relatively unstable. In the hands of this unstable government are nuclear weapons capable of wreaking havoc on cities all over the world. If protesters were able to overthrow the fragile government, it would leave a country with nuclear weapons and a very stong Al-Qaeda presence without a democratic organizing force. The region would be ruled by whichever force proves to be the most quickly mobilizing and influential, which could be Al-Qaeda, leaving America, Europe, and other places of interest in potentially compromising situations. Your safety and the safety of people all over the world are influenced by these events. Also, if the government were to collapse, NATO and many of its members would be pressured into deploying additional military and diplomatic forces to stabilize the situation.
Ant that is why it matters.
/theGHenius
The New York Times reports today that protests are mounting in opposition to the recently-elected Pakistani President Asif Ali Zadari. Protests of similar size and influence greatly contributed to the demise of General Musharraf's regime in 2007.
Why it matters:
From what we know about the foreign policy of the Obama Administration, the war in Afghanistan is being approached not as a unilateral conflict within the country of Afghanistan, but as a conflict existing both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. In reality, the majority of the conflict occurs on the border shared between the two countries. The Obama administration refuses to deny the role that Pakistan plays in the war because of its potential to cause harm to Americans. As evidenced by the recent protests, the Pakistani government, although generally well-intentioned, is relatively unstable. In the hands of this unstable government are nuclear weapons capable of wreaking havoc on cities all over the world. If protesters were able to overthrow the fragile government, it would leave a country with nuclear weapons and a very stong Al-Qaeda presence without a democratic organizing force. The region would be ruled by whichever force proves to be the most quickly mobilizing and influential, which could be Al-Qaeda, leaving America, Europe, and other places of interest in potentially compromising situations. Your safety and the safety of people all over the world are influenced by these events. Also, if the government were to collapse, NATO and many of its members would be pressured into deploying additional military and diplomatic forces to stabilize the situation.
Ant that is why it matters.
/theGHenius
Michael Steele... Almost Done?
Event:
Yesterday GQ published an interview with the RNC's newly elected chairman, Rep. Michael Steele. The interview highlighted his shaky position on abortion, indicating a lack of certainty in his self-proclaimed pro-life ideology. Also in the interview, Steele separated himself from a number of his conservative colleagues by stating his belief that homosexuality is not a choice.
Why it Matters:
At first, this event appears to be relatively unimportant, but in the grand scheme of things, this event, coupled with Steele's other mishaps over the last few weeks, could indicate a shift in politics as we know it. Although Rep. Steele is the titular head of the Republican Party, it is clear that the party is undergoing a serious identity crisis. The conservative base of the party, now led by Rush Limbaugh, has always been constructed on essentially invariable ideologies, like their hard-line stances against abortion and gay marriage. Rep. Steele, however inadvertently, has suggested that such ideologies keep the party in the past and do not allow it to adapt to the changing landscape of America. It is clear that Rep. Steele does not completely agree with the conservative agenda, but in an effort to establish leadership in the party, tries to follow the talking points provided to him by his colleagues. His deference to Rush Limbaugh and his lack of certainty on big issues make him an easy target for opposition. As the Republican party continues its struggle to find leadership and meaning in the minority, the party's relevance in today's society decreases. As long as the party remains in its current state, it will become increasingly easy for Pres. Obama to ignore them and push forward his impressive agenda, making healthcare available to millions, providing better educational opportunities for our children, and revolutionizing out energy portfolio.
And that is why it matters.
/theGHenius
Yesterday GQ published an interview with the RNC's newly elected chairman, Rep. Michael Steele. The interview highlighted his shaky position on abortion, indicating a lack of certainty in his self-proclaimed pro-life ideology. Also in the interview, Steele separated himself from a number of his conservative colleagues by stating his belief that homosexuality is not a choice.
Why it Matters:
At first, this event appears to be relatively unimportant, but in the grand scheme of things, this event, coupled with Steele's other mishaps over the last few weeks, could indicate a shift in politics as we know it. Although Rep. Steele is the titular head of the Republican Party, it is clear that the party is undergoing a serious identity crisis. The conservative base of the party, now led by Rush Limbaugh, has always been constructed on essentially invariable ideologies, like their hard-line stances against abortion and gay marriage. Rep. Steele, however inadvertently, has suggested that such ideologies keep the party in the past and do not allow it to adapt to the changing landscape of America. It is clear that Rep. Steele does not completely agree with the conservative agenda, but in an effort to establish leadership in the party, tries to follow the talking points provided to him by his colleagues. His deference to Rush Limbaugh and his lack of certainty on big issues make him an easy target for opposition. As the Republican party continues its struggle to find leadership and meaning in the minority, the party's relevance in today's society decreases. As long as the party remains in its current state, it will become increasingly easy for Pres. Obama to ignore them and push forward his impressive agenda, making healthcare available to millions, providing better educational opportunities for our children, and revolutionizing out energy portfolio.
And that is why it matters.
/theGHenius
First Posting
Hello everyone,
For a while now I have been posting one-liners on Twitter to alert my friends and colleagues of daily news events that are (or should be) of some importance to them. Upon some nudging, I have decided to start publishing this blog. A lot of the daily events in Washington and elsewhere in the world greatly impact the American public, but such events are rarely articulated well enough for the public to understand their relevance beyond Washington. The purpose of this blog is to turn politics into dinner-table conversation by explaining political events as clearly and concisely as possible in a manner with which the public can relate. I'm always open to input, so if you have an idea for a posting, or have a question or comment about one of mine, please feel free to express yourself here. Thanks for stopping by, and I am very excited about this new venture.
/theGHenius
For a while now I have been posting one-liners on Twitter to alert my friends and colleagues of daily news events that are (or should be) of some importance to them. Upon some nudging, I have decided to start publishing this blog. A lot of the daily events in Washington and elsewhere in the world greatly impact the American public, but such events are rarely articulated well enough for the public to understand their relevance beyond Washington. The purpose of this blog is to turn politics into dinner-table conversation by explaining political events as clearly and concisely as possible in a manner with which the public can relate. I'm always open to input, so if you have an idea for a posting, or have a question or comment about one of mine, please feel free to express yourself here. Thanks for stopping by, and I am very excited about this new venture.
/theGHenius
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