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BJP ascendency will last (India)....................................................................................................... 2
BJP ascendency will not last (India) ................................................................................................ 4
Chris Christie's scandals doom his political future ......................................................................... 6
Chris Christie's scandals do not doom his political future .............................................................. 8
Water contamination in West Virginia is cause for concern ........................................................ 10
Water contamination in West Virginia is not cause for concern.................................................. 12
Congress Should Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act ......................................................................... 14
Congress Should Reject the Paycheck Fairness Act ...................................................................... 15
The U.S.P.S. Should Offer Financial Services ................................................................................ 16
The U.S.P.S. Should Not Offer Financial Services.......................................................................... 18
Global Terrorism is on the Rise ..................................................................................................... 19
Global Terrorism is not on the Rise .............................................................................................. 21
Sugar is toxic to humans ............................................................................................................... 23
Sugar is not “toxic” to humans ..................................................................................................... 24
The U.S. should declare a policy “no first use” ............................................................................. 25
The U.S. should not declare a policy “no first use” ...................................................................... 26
Alcohol Sales Should be Not Allowed on Native American Lands ................................................ 27
Alcohol Sales Should be Allowed on Native American Lands ....................................................... 28
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BJP ascendency will last (India)
As one of the largest and most economically powerful nations in the world, a potential
Indian political reformation like Tunisia or Egypt would be a significant strike against corruption
worldwide. India’s Bharatiya Janata Party has waited as a patient opposition for more than two
decades as the ruling Indian Congress Party managed one of the world’s premier growth
economies. With economic decline on the horizon and a host of corruption scandals, Indians
have expressed a will to move toward the socially conservative, nationalist BJP. This essay will
argue that the BJP will continue to ascend in Indian politics.
The BJP led by prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is on course to emerge as the
biggest party after general elections in May. Given the diverse and fragmented electorate,
neither the BJP nor any other party is expected to win the 272 seats needed for an outright
majority. The biggest party will seek to form a coalition with regional parties. The Congress,
whose campaign is being helmed by Rahul Gandhi, is grappling with public anger over a string
of corruption scandals and economic growth hitting a decade-low.1 The BJP would make major
gains in Uttar Pradesh while the AAP would win majority of seats in Delhi in the Lok Sabha polls,
according to an India Today survey. The survey predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will
continue its good run in Rajasthan by winning 20-24 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The
BJP was projected to win 41-49 seats in the electorally crucial Uttar Pradesh if elections were
held now. The survey projected a major downslide for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. It
predicted that it will win 4-10 seats if elections were held now.2 The Congress, which had won
all seven seats in the national capital in 2009, was not likely to win a single seat if elections
were held in January 2014. The BJP was projected to secure 30 percent votes and Congress 16
percent. It said 74 percent of Delhi's residents were satisfied with the work of the AAP
government. It said Kejriwal pipped Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi "as preferred choice
of prime minister" with 34 percent wanting him for the top job. "Thirty-two percent
respondents said they prefer Modi as prime minister. Rahul Gandhi is third at 8 percent," it
said. In Rajasthan, where the BJP formed the government with a resounding majority, the
survey predicted that the party's good run will continue. It said the BJP will win 20-24 seats in
January 2014, with the Congress getting only 0-2 seats and up to five seats will go to others. It
said the BJP may secure 54 percent vote share in Rajasthan if Lok Sabha polls were held today
while the Congress could secure 33 percent votes.3
The Narendra Modi wave seems to have reached the Bengal shores as well, indicated by
the more than two-fold increase in the membership of the BJP's state unit. A BJP leader in West
Bengal claimed that the total membership has increased from three lakh in 2011 to more than
seven lakh in 2013. Two lakh new members have enrolled in the last six months, which party
leaders have attributed to Modi's anointment as the prime ministerial candidate.4 The ABVP,
youth wing of the BJP, too witnessed a surge in its membership with the enrolment of 45,000
new activists in the last one year, BJP spokesperson and co-in-charge of the party's Bengal unit
Siddhinath Singh told PTI. He further claimed that the BJP's minority and women's wings too
witnessed a 50 per cent jump in membership. Singh said, "Two factors are responsible for the
expanding BJP membership in West Bengal: Declaration of Modi as PM candidate by the party
and the lack of an opposition worth the name in the state."5 The senior BJP leader noted that
such enthusiasm had previously been witnessed on two occasions. First, during the Ram Mandir
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agitation in the early 90s and during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rule at the Centre. "The charisma of
Modi working in the entire country is also having its impact in Bengal and we will prove it
during Modi's rally in Kolkata on February 5," Singh asserted.6 The BJP and the RSS have
traditionally never been able to make much of an impact in West Bengal, though the party's
former avatar Jan Sangh was co-founded by the son of the soil, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The
27 per cent Muslim community in the state, which wields a considerable influence in at least
140 Assembly constituencies out of 294, plays a key role in the power sweepstake, courted
aggressively by all frontline political parties.7 The Congress is in equally grave trouble. It lost
support in Malda, a district north of West Bengal’s capital Kolkata. The seat had remained loyal
even through the decades of Left ascendancy, thanks principally to the local influence of a
politician who hailed from there, Ghani Khan Choudhary. The veteran Ghani Khan has passed
away. His brother Abu Naser, a lawmaker, did not vote on party lines. His colleague Emani
Biswas, from neighboring Murshidabad, refused the compromise of half-measures and gave his
vote to Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool chief minister of West Bengal. This rebellion could
reduce the Congress to just one seat in Bengal after the coming general elections.8
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BJP ascendency will not last (India)
Amidst corruption scandals and a declining economy, the electorate of the world’s
largest democracy is pushing for regime change in its upcoming election cycle. The strongly
conservative Bharatiya Janata Party of India has gained ground in the polls and looks poised to
replace the incumbent Congress Party in Parliament. But the swelling of angst among Indians
may be due to more entrenched problems than can be solved by a trendy regime change. This
essay will argue that the BJP will not continue to ascend in Indian politics.
Growth estimates for 2013-14 show India doing below 5% for two successive years. The
government is unable to control rising prices. Job statistics show employment rose by a mere
2% annually over the last decade, with increases coming mostly in low-paying areas in the
service sector.9 Manmohan Singh did a spectacular turn when he reformed the economy and
rescued it from a balance of payments crisis in 1991. But his tenure as prime minister has not
been so successful. Narendra Modi, prime ministerial hopeful, comes with some reformist
credentials burnished from his stint as chief minister of Gujarat. He supported manufacturing,
injected a bit of flexibility in labor laws and took interest in developing infrastructure. But what
does Modi bring to the plate that Manmohan Singh didn't? His campaign hasn't provided any
clear answers yet. It's easy enough to bash UPA for its record, which the Modi campaign has
been doing with gusto. But BJP too has been part of the problem. It has blocked even those
reformist initiatives UPA has undertaken. Since UPA too has been markedly ambivalent about
such initiatives, there has in effect been an UPA/NDA consensus not to disturb the economic
status quo. In order to make his claim of representing economic change convincing, Modi needs
to come up with more concrete proposals about how he would put India on a high growth
trajectory if voted to power.10
The sudden popularity of India’s anti-graft Aam Aadmi Party is prompting concern at
companies such as Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) Ltd. that this year’s general election will fail to
create a stable government. Arvind Kejriwal’s one-year-old Aam Aadmi plans to contest as
many as 300 seats after taking power in the national capital last month, according to senior
party leader Yogendra Yadav. That threatens to reduce the chances of the ruling Congress Party
or main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party emerging with a majority in the election, which is
due by May.11 “There is a worry that the AAP might split the vote,” R.C. Bhargava, chairman of
New Delhi-based Maruti Suzuki India, the nation’s largest carmaker, said in a Jan. 9 interview.
“We’ll have to see what sort of coalitions are formed.” Kejriwal, 45, became Delhi’s chief
minister after his local campaign, using brooms to symbolize the sweeping away of graft, ended
the dominance of Congress in the city. Aam Aadmi, which means “common man” in Hindi, has
withdrawn a decision by Congress to allow foreign retailers to open supermarkets in the capital
region, the state’s Industries Minister Satyendra Jain said today. Competition from retail chains
that sell multiple brands could lead to large job losses among small local stores, Jain said.12
Many observers expect Indian voters to punish the ruling Congress party in this spring's
general election for the country's sharp economic slowdown and a string of corruption
scandals. But the poll may become a referendum on all established politicians amid a
groundswell of anger at their failings. Thousands of young people joined protests across the
country, shaking the Congress-led government and turning the fatal gang rape of a Delhi
student into a darkly defining moment of India's recent history. It also marked another moment
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in what many see as a growing nationwide awakening among young Indians, increasingly
despairing of the way their country is being run.13 It was also an upset too for Congress's main
rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), denying it an outright majority.14 Congress, which has led
India for most of its years since independence under the control of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty,
is the chief target of this growing anger. The party, at the helm of the ruling coalition over the
past decade, has presided over an alphabet soup of corruption scandals. In the meantime,
India's economy has gone from boom to near-bust. But the whole political class has become
tainted. A third of India's elected lawmakers are accused criminals, a figure that has risen with
each election.15 In a recent television interview, the Congress campaign leader Rahul Gandhi
peppered his answers with references to "empowering" India's "young" and "women",
regardless of the questions. But some of the shine has come off Mr. Kejriwal's "anti-politician"
appeal now that he has joined the political class. Since becoming Delhi's chief minister, he has
been attacked for using the job as a protest platform, instead of governing the city region. His
defenders say that is unfair. But a sit-down protest, blocking central Delhi and aimed at winning
control of the city's police, dismayed many of his middle-class backers.16
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Chris Christie's scandals doom his political future
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is in trouble. In September of last year, the George
Washington Bridge, connecting New York and New Jersey, shut down all but two of its lanes, as
per orders from a Christie aid and a Christie administration appointee. 17 Severe traffic
congestion ensued—even school buses and emergency vehicles were stalled. Christie’s political
adversaries immediately suggested he was involved. He vehemently denied this,18 firing aide
Bridget Anne Kelley, whom he blamed for making a political decision to order the closings (Fort
Lee, New Jersey is controlled by Democrats and its mayor is considered by the Christie camp as
a political enemy).19 But Daviid Wildstein, whom Christie appointed to the Port Authority and
who was clearly involved in the decision, maintains Christie knew what was happening all along.
Meanwhile, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer alleges that Christie aids pressured her to fast-track
a redevelopment plan favoring businesses friendly to Christie. When she refused, she alleges,
Hoboken was punished by receiving less than $400,000 of relief aid for Hurricane Sandy,
although she’d requested $127 million in aid. Zimmer says she has proof of all of this. 20
Perhaps politicians can make mistakes, or even commit ethical violations, and if they’re nice,
people will forgive them. But since Christie’s style has always been confrontational and has
struck many as mean-spirited. There is little support for him now. These scandals will doom
Chris Christie’s political career, for three reasons: First, he’s lost support in New Jersey.
Second, the scandals will deepen. Third, his national reputation is doomed.
First, Christie has lost key support in his home state. Christie has lost key supporters all across
New Jersey. One notable example of this is the Star-Ledger newspaper, which endorsed Christie
in the last gubernatorial race but has publicly expressed regret for doing so.21 Christie has lost
what little support he had among ordinary working people in New Jersey; protests at Palisades
Industrial Park in front of the George Washington Bridge have demanded Christie's
resignation.22
Second, the scandals are more likely to get worse for Christie before they get any better,
according to Political Wire founder Taegan D. Goddard. Goddard believes Fourth Amendment
protections won’t apply to Christie’s aides and they will eventually be compelled to disclose
everything, and media scrutiny will continue as well.23 There is also the more recent probe into
his use of the state's executive helicopter to fly over the bridge closings, suggesting he had
more knowledge of their impact than he initially suggested.24 Christie's story seems to be
changing. First he said he did not investigate the closures. Then he said he had. As Rachel
Maddow’s producer Steve Benen writes, “If Christie’s version of events had been consistent
and reliable throughout, it’d be easier to believe his arguments about what role, if any, he
played in his aides’ misconduct.”25 Even Christie's claim that he never knew Fort Lee Mayor
Mark Sokolich seem contradicted by evidence that he dined with the Mayor in an effort to bring
him on board with a tax relief proposal.26 Christie is no longer an effective governor—
something even his enemies once conceded he was. Political analyst and former White House
advisor David Gergen points out that “having to fight back on various fronts” constitutes a
“major distraction” for the Governor and his staff.27
Finally, Christie’s national reputation is ruined. It’s almost certain that Christie, at one time the
projected GOP presidential frontrunner for 2016, won’t be running. In December, he led Hillary
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Clinton in the polls 48-46 percent. By the beginning of February, Clinton was up 55-39
percent.28 The New York Times reports that “Democratic Party operatives have churned out 11
different videos depicting Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey as a revenge-happy gridlock maker
who cannot keep his story straight.”29 Moreover, Democrats are “are unleashing attacks on any
Republican in the country who dares to defend him publicly, from a potential Senate candidate
in New Hampshire to a New York congressman.”30
The old adage, “it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy” may hold true here, but however he may
have been characterized prior to these scandals, it’s clear that Chris Christie’s political career is
coming to a hard crash.
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Chris Christie's scandals do not doom his political
future
The Christie counter-narrative goes something like this: Christie may have talked tough to his
political opponents in New Jersey, but there is no evidence he personally did anything to cause
traffic delays or illegally condition federal relief aid to his adversaries. Instead, a rogue staffer
colluded with another public official to close the bridge lanes; that's why no emails or other
publicly released documents implicate the Governor. As for playing politics with aid, Christie's
office divvied out the aid fairly, not everyone got what they wanted, and some people were
bitter about it, but that doesn't mean their allegations constitute proof of misconduct. Before
declaring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie politically dead, it’s important to remember, as
Political Wire founder Taegan Goddard points out, that even under the worst interpretation of
the facts, Christie may not have done anything illegal.31 It’s certainly true that having your staff
instigate traffic disasters and play politics with federal relief aid, presumably right under your
nose makes you look like a bad administrator, but for now, that’s the worst we can say about
Christie. Even if we end up able to say more—to say that he knew what was going on and even
influenced it—that doesn’t ruin him. This essay argues that Chris Christie’s scandals, whatever
their resolution, won’t doom his political future. He’s going to stay in office, conservatives
now love him more than ever, and he can recover down the road even if things look bad for
him now. He would not be the first nationally prominent politician to do so.
First, Christie is unlikely to be either impeached or recalled, meaning he gets to use his office as
he wishes until the end of his second term, with no re-election pressures. We can be confident
there won't be a recall vote, at least for a year; Christie was just re-elected, and New Jersey law
requires voters to wait a year from the beginning of a term.32 By that time, there’s at least a
possibility that things will have blown over. Even then, an overwhelming number of signatures
is required to get a recall on the ballot in New Jersey.33 PostPolitics managing editor Chris
Cillizza thinks Christie has an even lower chance of being impeached than losing the 2016
Presidential election--certainly a longshot now.34
Second, Christie’s troubles have actually endeared him to conservatives—and that’s important,
because he was never a darling of the far-right before. As news has gotten worse for the
Governor, his support among hardcore Republicans has increased, as they see him as
threatened by a “common enemy” – the Democrats, and the so-called liberal media.35 Former
Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan called him a “fantastic governor” at the beginning of
February, and Republican leaders want him to stay on as chairman of the powerful Republican
Governors’ Association.36 The scandal even got Christie a CPAC invitation, increasing support
from hardcore conservatives, even if this doesn't help him win a presidential election.37
Finally, Christie may recover from the worst of this. According to polls released at the end of
January, a quarter of Americans have no opinion of him, and those that do are actually split
even on what the bridge-gate scandal says about him.38 And New Jersey citizens actually like
him better than the rest of the country does.39 Scandal-plagued politicians can remain powerful
out of office. GOP political consultant Mike Murphy expects Christie to keep bringing in money
for the party, and remain a popular speaker, regardless of how things pan out in New Jersey. 40
Another conservative commentator advises Christie to “get back to [his] roots” and be a
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“regular guy,” with an in-your-face style that has actually been a success for most of Christie’s
career.41
Political dramas seldom end the way they do in constructed melodramas. There are plenty of
stories of politicians surviving scandals, or rising from the ashes once the smoke has cleared.
Because Christie has endeared himself to a certain political brand, and because he’s still
Governor of New Jersey and is highly likely to remain so through the end of his term, he may
very well survive all of this, and political obituary writers may want to let their fingers rest and
see how all of this turns out.
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Water contamination in West Virginia is cause for
concern
On January 9, 2014, a chemical spill threatened the water supply of 300,000 residents of West
Virginia, and sparked a national debate about the safety of America’s water supplies. The
chemical, MCHM for short, made its way from the offending facility, owned by the ironicallynamed Freedom Industries, into the West Virginia American Water intake, treatment and
distribution center.42 Multiple hospitalizations occurred, particularly in Charleston, where
patients were suffering “nausea, eye infections, and some were vomiting.”43 The spill negatively
affected the economy, with businesses reporting over $1 million in losses in the Charleston area
alone.44 Since MCHM is used to wash coal, the spill raised questions about America’s energy
policy. According to USA Today’s John Bacon, “MCHM can cause skin irritation, vomiting and
diarrhea, but is not regulated under federal law.”45 This essay offers three reasons why the
West Virginia spills should make us very concerned about our short- and long-term safety.
First, the water in West Virginia may still be unsafe a month later. Second, the crisis reveals
how precarious our water supplies really are. Third, the crisis also reveals America’s
misguided and disaster-prone fossil fuel addiction, which is unlikely to get better any time
soon.
First, it’s far from clear that water in West Virginia is safe even now. Chemically-related
hopsitalizations have doubled since the water was deemed safe by the governor.46 Even a
month after the spill, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised pregnant women
to consider alternative water sources.47 Students have been sent home, also a month after the
spill, “amid reports of potential water contamination” related to the spill.48 Even more
disturbing are recent revelations that, according to the Weather Channel’s news service, about
300 gallons of a second chemical, known as PPH, apparently were also in the same tank as the
MCHM that spilled into the river.49
Second, the spill revealed terrible facts about threats to our nation’s water supplies. Experts at
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearings at the beginning of February
remarked on the stupidity of building a storage facility upstream from a water treatment plant,
something that could only have happened with a glaring regulation gap, according to the
chairman of the independent safety board.50 West Virginia American Water, the company
running the water treatment facility contaminated by Freedom Industries, was unaware of the
storage of the chemicals upstream.51 Although the Freedom Industries had filed the
information with the state, the information was never shared with West Virginia American
Water or the agency regulating water—distinct from the agency regulating the chemicals. 52
According to experts, this is a gap which exists across the nation: “wide disparities in how well
the nation’s drinking-water supplies are monitored.”53 Over 1,000 toxic dumpsites threaten
America’s water supplies.54
Finally, the disaster is an indictment of our entire industrial system—in particular, our addiction
to coal and other fossil fuels. Guardian columnist Ana Marie Cox points out that the decline in
West Virginia coal supplies (still considerable, but the state is losing out to Wyoming and other
plain states) means politicians in West Virginia have become “increasingly desperate to make
their state as attractive as possible to industry.”55 That explains why state authorities “knew
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about Freedom Industries’ massive stockpile of MCMH as long as a year ago and did nothing
about it”—because West Virginia fears abandonment by the coal industry.56 That’s what
happens when state economies are built around singular fossil fuel extraction industries.
Until we transition away from fossil fuels, disasters like this are inevitable. Author Jeff Biggers,
who wrote The United States of Appalachia, remarked after the spill: “West Virginia has been
drinking contaminated water for decades. And it always will – unless the nation decides to end
our denial of the ever mounting health and human costs of the coal industry, launch a coalfields
regeneration transition plan, and finally bring justice to the coalfields.”57
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Water contamination in West Virginia is not cause
for concern
When a spill of coal-processing chemicals contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West
Virginians,58 public officials sprang into action. Nobody died. National attention augmented
local concern. Considering only about 15 percent of the state's residents were advised not to
drink the water during the crisis,59 the outcome may well outweigh the harm of the spill. “As
disasters go,” reads a house editorial in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “West Virginia’s could
have been worse — the approximately 7,500 gallons of the chemical 4-methylcyclohexane
methanol that accidentally leaked from a 35,000-gallon holding tank is not necessarily fatal
although it sickened people.” And that’s not the only bright side. This essay offers three
reasons why the water contamination crisis in West Virginia, while certainly an eye-opener
and a wake-up call, is not cause for serious concern. First, the water is safe now, so this
wasn’t a terminal crisis. Second, the event brought out the best in West Virginians. Third, the
event sparked investigations, new regulations, and a positive national response.
First, the water is at least generally safe now; major supplies are not contaminated. The state’s
Bureau for Public Health calls the water “usable,” and the ever-cautious Center for Disease
Control says public water in West Virginia is safe—even for pregnant women.60 These findings
occur on the basis of thousands of samples. Follow-up testing will continue. Governor Tomblin
says he and his staff are drinking the water.61
Second, the public crisis brought out the best in many portions of the public. News writers in
the state wrote inspirationally of college students collecting donations with their professors, 62
while emergency responders gave more than their all, working overtime in areas hardest hit
and with the most vulnerable sections of the population.63 Firefighter Ryan Pennington praised
“the dedication to serve that has been shown by all emergency responders.” 64 West Virginia
American Water, the company entrusted with the state’s water supply, has announced credits
for customers and small businesses in the wake of the disaster, to assist in system-flushing.65
It’s also interesting to note that West Virginia American Water did not shut down the water
supply altogether, but instead issued a do-not-drink-or-bathe order, which prevented what
would have been a far costlier disaster--an interruption of industrial water use, which would
have shut down activity all across the state.66 It’s rare that the actions of government, citizens,
responders, and private corporations are all simultaneously praiseworthy. In many ways, the
water disaster showed what America can be.
Finally, the crisis has spawned investigations and new legislation. That’s how policy is made.
CNN reporters Drew Griffin, David Fitzpatrick and Patricia DiCarlo report that there’s going to
be a federal grand jury investigation into the spill, and that subpoenas have been issued to key
players.67 The Governor has also announced legislation to empower the state’s Department of
Environmental Protection to prevent future crises.68 That legislation will regulate above-ground
storage tanks, particularly those near public water supplies and distribution systems.69 The
National Science Foundation has awarded several rapid response grants for further study of
plumbing and water-treatment systems in West Virginia.70 The U.S. Senate has followed suit: At
the end of January, three U.S. Senators introduced legislation to streamline oversight of
chemical facilities and solidify response procedures.71
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Although there are many examples of American states, and even the federal government,
failing in the face of disaster, it’s refreshing to see situations where almost everyone does the
right thing. In this case, the bad guys even lost, too—Freedom Industries, the offending
chemical dumpers, is declaring bankruptcy.72 If an accident that didn’t kill anybody puts a bad
business out of business, sparks a national debate and legislation aimed at improving our
waterways, and reveals personal heroism and good citizenship on top of all that, some might
even declare that a win.
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Congress Should Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
“Currently, U.S. businesses can still legally justify pay disparities with market forces or salary history. This workaround has been
called out as one of the factors that may reflect previous and ongoing sex discrimination.”—Kim Keating, Founder and
managing director, Keating Advisors73
The call for equity in pay between women and men has been made for nearly two generations. Despite
several legislative efforts74, the average woman still makes 77 cents for every dollar earned by men,
according to the latest U.S. Census.75 Paycheck inequity maintains a system of male privilege that comes
at the disadvantage of women across America. Despite any drawbacks, establishing legislation that
demands equal pay for equal work would create a “happier, wealthier and more equitable society.”76
Far from just being a “woman’s issue” (whatever that means), pay inequity undermines the overall
economy and social fabric of the country. In such a system, more families are forced to seek
government assistance and the rate of poverty continues. “The pay gap hurts the economy, hurts
families, hurts businesses and hurts our country’s competitiveness abroad. Women have made huge
gains in the workplace but real job equality won't exist until it's reflected in a paycheck.”77
Much hope was placed in the Ledbetter Act, but the legislation did not go far enough to remedy the full
concerns of women and families. “The Ledbetter Act kept the courthouse doors open. Now we must
shore up our equal pay laws so that women have the tools they need to fight back against pay
discrimination.”78
Fortunately, new legislation that would fill gaps in the Ledbetter Act is being proposed. This would not
only bring remedies for violations of equal pay, but furthers tightens loopholes in employer defense,
collect pay data for civil rights enforcement, and prohibit retaliation79 against employees that choose to
discuss their pay.80 “The Paycheck Fairness Act is a commonsense piece of legislation that would
strengthen the Equal Pay Act in a number of important ways by making it easier to identify and remedy
discriminatory pay decisions, closing loopholes in the law81, and providing incentives for employers to
voluntarily comply with the law.”82
Adopting the Paycheck Fairness Act would go a long way to addressing pay inequity. Alternative
approaches that do not guarantee equity presume different stages of inequity during a woman’s career,
the privilege of flexibility, and that equity would lead to frivolous lawsuits83. This is an institutionalized
problem in the American workplace that must be addressed at the highest levels of government. “Pay
inequity exists from the very beginning of an individual’s career. This means that gender-based income
inequality is not a circumstantial issue; it is an institutionalized problem.”84
With strong public support, it is time Congress and the President stop stalling on the Paycheck Fariness
Act.85 “The stalling of the Paycheck Fairness Act has been particularly stunning considering that national
polls tell us there is overwhelming support for policies that would help women get equal pay for equal
work. Voters get that this bill goes hand in hand with addressing economic mobility for women.”86 In
2014, there is no reason our society cannot transcend the barriers of sex and gender within workplace
pay. Women deserve equal pay for equal work. That basic sentiment is irrefutable. Obama showed
leadership in support the Ledbetter Act. Now it is time to take the next step toward equality.
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Congress Should Reject the Paycheck Fairness Act
“I don’t deny that discrimination exists or that there are some bad employers; but I reject the idea that society and the
workplace is inherently hostile to women.”—Sabrina Schaeffer, executive director of the Independent Women’s Forum 87
That women should be paid the same as men for the same work is a widely shared sentiment. However,
the media and certain non-profit groups continue to shroud this discussion is misconceptions and
misinformation. Criticism ranges from decrying the so-called “pay gap” as an illusion to more measured
evaluations based on statistical and cultural trends in the workplace and society.
Some claim that there has been so much distortion of the truth that the wage/pay gap is simply a myth.
Morever, adopting legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act would be counterproductive. “The wage
gap…is a myth. In the past, women indeed were paid less than men but it has been proven over and
over again that women earn the same or more than men if all things are equal…What Larson’s illconceived bill…will do is set women back decades despite the great strides they have made since
entering the workforce.”88
Moreover, this legislation is unlikely to pass in Congress. Even supporters give the bill a poor prognosis.
“The Fair Pay Act was then -- and is now -- the bill we need, because it would shine the light on unequal
pay once and for all. But realistically, no pay equity bill is going to pass a lukewarm Senate and womanhostile House. It's already been two decades, and the business lobby is too strong for mere women's
groups to overcome.”89
Much of this sentiment lies in a different conception of how the so-called wage gap functions. Theorist
Christina Hoff Summers argues that any inequality found in the data is a result of personal choices and
larger cultural forces. She cites statements by the American Association of University Women and NOW
to illustrate how “’Women’s personal choices are similarly fraught with inequities…’ It speaks of women
being ‘pigeonholed’ into ‘pink-collar’ jobs in health and education. According to NOW, powerful sexist
stereotypes ‘steer’ women and men ‘toward different education, training, and career paths.”90 It is far
from clear how the Paycheck Fairness Act would resolve these larger concerns.
Still others take issue with the specific “77cents” statistic. In fact, newer women in the workplace,
referred to as “Millennials” are starting to close the gap.91 Choices often affect the perception of a gap.
“These choices have benefits, but they also reduce pay—for both men and women. When economists
control for such factors, they find the gender gap largely disappears.”92 It also fails to consider a
comparison between the salaries of women and men in the same profession.93 In fact, a study by the
U.S. Department of labor found that “after controlling for occupation, experience, and other choices,
women earn 95 percent as much as men do.”94
Even though some perceive a 5% relative difference in pay, the Paycheck Fairness Act carries a huge risk
of undermining the achievements women have already made in the workplace. “It will put employers in
a position of either paying women less than they negotiate for when seeking a new job or it will take
away women’s flexibility in negotiating for a lower salary for more flexible hours.”95 Given that there is
opposition in Congress, the statistics do not assume formidable barriers and risks, Congress should not
pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. There is only a risk it could hurt women and families that are making
progress today.
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The U.S.P.S. Should Offer Financial Services
“Banks and other financial institutions play a critical role in American society. Accounts at
federally insured depository institutions provide safety and security, protect households from
theft, help families save money, and can open the door to affordable credit. Yet, more than a
quarter of American households are left outside or on the fringes of the traditional financial
system.”—U.S.P.S.96
A lack of banking services, combined with scandalous non-banking lenders, has led many in America
with a difficult choice: no financial services or service providers that charge in excess of 200% interest
on simple loans. When the latter option is chosen, many fall into a cycle of debt that only further
entrenches poverty. To address these issues, The United States Postal Service (USPS) should offer nonbanking financial services.
With a rash of bank closures since 2012, many areas of the countries are left without bank. This has
created what some refer to as “banking deserts.”97 Over 2,000 banks closed since 2012. 93% of those
were in “Zip Codes where the median income is below the national average. Payday lenders, pawn
shops, and other exploitative businesses have been happy to step in, but the high costs of their services
leave them open to competition, and the increasing interest of regulators leaves them vulnerable.”98
The lack of banking in impoverished neighborhoods allows predatory lenders to take advantage of
people in need.99 “Studies have shown that payday lenders disproportionately exploit minority
neighborhoods with loans that are issued at an average annual interest rate of 455%....these high rates
lead to a cycle of indebtedness.”100 The massive amount of fees and extravagant interest rates can
devastate a family. According to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), “about 10 percent of a family's
income just to manage getting checks cashed, bills paid, and, sometimes, a short-term loan to
tide them over. That's more than a full month's income just to try to navigate the basics.”101
In such a situation, the USPS could become a welcomed oasis in these deserts.
Allowing the USPS to conduct basic financial transactions, such as short-term loans, would
not be too far from financial services they already provide, such as money order and prepaid
debit cards.102 This is also a common practice internationally.103 With 35,000 outlets across
the country, postal agencies could go a long way to reach those in banking deserts and revive
the USPS.104105
Such services could also become a financial boon for the USPS. They estimate a potential of $9.5 million
in revenue.106 This would also give those consumers in need a lower-cost choice. Not being an explicitly
profit driven body, the USPS would allow consumers to choose USPS loans at a much lower rate. This
would force predatory lenders and payday loan operations to the background.107
Big banks oppose this idea on the grounds that it would force unfair competition because a government
body already carries a certain amount of name recognition and more. However, the USPS would more
likely fill in gaps where those banks no longer exist.108 Also, partnerships could remove these threats.
Banks currently partner with payday loan businesses. However, “the USPS would not compete with
banks but would partner with them by reaching markets underserved by current bank branch networks
and using the Postal Service's credibility to back products.”109
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Given the widespread need for non-banking financial services and an alternative to astronomical
interest rates, it makes sense for the USPS to fill the void. Not only does the public trust the post office
more than banks, postal offices are more accessible and ripe for expansion in services.
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The U.S.P.S. Should Not Offer Financial Services
“But there are formidable barriers facing the agency. Any changes to the business would require congressional approval, a
Sisyphean task considering the contentious political wrangling over the future of the Postal Service.”—Danielle Douglas110
Despite the promises made by the United States Postal Service (USPS), expanding their operations to
include non-banking financial services would do little to address the needs it describes and would force
unfair competition onto struggling banks.111 Several myths surround the call for the USPS to conduct
such services as payday loans.
The idea of “banking deserts” has recently gained attention. However, this is a misleading
characterization. “Most of the people who use short-term financial services could use banks, if
it made sense to them to handle their money the way people who use banks do. Quite a few
of them are young people, who in ten years will have bank accounts and credit histories.”112
If the “desert” thesis is true, it should be temporary.
Of greater concern is the idea that the USPS cannot generate sufficient revenue to justify the new
program, nor “revive” the agency. The USPS claims that it can reclaim 10% of the $89 billion spent in
financial fees.113 Yet this leads to a paradoxical situation. In order to attract customers away from
payday loan operations, they would have to charge a much lower rate. However, that rate can only go
so low before the promise of profit falls. Adam Levitin, professor of law at Georgetown University,
argues that this questions the very role the USPS seeks to assume. “This points to a real tension in any
sort of postal banking proposal: to the extent that a postal banking system is designed to provide lowcost services to consumers, it is potentially at odds with the USPS’s need to find new revenue sources.
Put another way, is the mission of a postal bank profit or financial inclusion?”114
Moreover, small-dollar lending would create undue competition for banks. These banks are currently
“struggling to retool their small-dollar lending platforms under regulatory scrutiny.”115 Ken Clayton,
chief counsel of the American Bankers Association, “This new entity could be perceived by many as a
government-endorsed and preferred provider of financial products…The impact on banks already
serving these communities would be substantial.”116
Even if we accept that “competition is good” as a maxim for action, some argue that this would be a
form of bad competition. If the government can sponsor an organization, that organization has readymade appeal and constitutes unfair competition. “Given the Postal Service's unique governmental
status, its entry into the financial services market would raise serious unfair competition concerns with
the potential to allow it to become the next Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) in the broad-based
financial services arena.”117
Allowing the United States Postal Service to conduct “non-banking” financial services sounds seemingly
indicates that there would be no direct competition with banks. However, banks are beginning to
change the services they offer to encompass a broader audience. Acting now would derail those efforts
in a bad faith effort by the government. Moreover, these ideas are placed within a narrative of
mischaracterization that both distorts the issue and prevent real change. Are far better option would be
to regulate those predatory lenders.
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Global Terrorism is on the Rise
With the death of Osama Bin Laden, Western nations counter-terrorism campaigns and
the fall of multiple dictators like Muammar al-Gaddafi it would seem as through conditions
favor a time of peace and terrorists have reached a stopgap. However, this is not the case, in
fact, global terrorism is on the rise due to the proliferation of lone wolf acts of terrorism in the
US, London and China, the increasing strength of Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood in the
Middle East and the general failure of anti – terror campaigns by the United States.
Traditionally major acts of terror are often linked to specific terrorist groups or network
due to the need for coordination between individuals and to account of the scale of such
operations. This was the case with September 11th and many other attacks across the globe.
However, another form of terrorism has also cropped up that has given the anti terrorism
community trouble resolving, namely lone wolf terrorists. Lone wolf terrorism is being
commonly understood as a small group of individuals being inspired by a terrorist group but
acting upon their personal will.118 The Boston Bombing serves as a prime example. On April 18,
2013 CNN reported, “the terrorist attack, near the marathon's finish line, triggered widespread
screaming and chaos, shattered windows and barricades and sent smoke billowing into the air
at Copley Square.”119 The Boston Bombing also shows how incredibly dangerous and
frightening acts of lone wolf terrorism can be. Not long after, In London another act of lone
wolf terrorism was committed by two individuals against an off duty soldier. On May 23, 2013
The Week reported, “British intelligence officials are treating … [the]… brutal murder of an offduty soldier on a London street as an act of terrorism by lone wolves. The suspects are believed
to be Islamist extremists inspired by al Qaeda but with no formal ties to any organized
group.”120 This act as well as the Boston Bombing demonstrates how difficult lone wolf
terrorism is to deal with given that there is only one to a few individuals to intercept versus a
vast network. In response to an act of lone wolf terrorism in Beijing’s Capital Airport in July a
Chinese judge highlights this difficulty by writing, “each person who feels wronged, could be a
time bomb.”121 Given that three major acts of lone wolf terrorism have taken place within three
months it is clear that global acts of terror are on the rise.
Although lone wolf terrorism has been recently emboldened by major successive acts of
terror significant terror groups, like Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East,
are getting stronger. Even though the EU joined Israel and the US in recognizing Hezbollah as a
Terrorist organization in an effort to disrupt its violence Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah stated, “the aim of this decision is to subdue us, force us to retreat ... to fear. But I say
to you that through this decision you will achieve only failure and disappointment."122
Hezbollah’s resurgent strength is problematic for stability in the Middle East given that the
group will continue to threaten Israel as well as aid Iran and Syria rather than seek diplomatic
solutions with Western nations. There is also instability fueled by terrorism in Egypt is, from the
Muslim Brotherhood, sparked by the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi. The LA Times
reports, Egypt’s military commander deepened his role in the nation’s turbulent politics
Wednesday by calling for mass demonstrations to support an army crackdown on “violence and
terrorism” that have spread.”123 The Muslim Brotherhood has been responsible for a number of
terrorist attacks across Egypt and now is on the defensive and more dangerous than ever as the
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Egyptian military continues to back them into a corner. With these two terrorist organizations
across the Middle East and Africa it is clear that terrorism is presently on the rise.
Despite terrorist groups gaining strength and newfound purpose in the Middle East and
Africa as well as lone wolf terrorism cropping up across the globe Drones are another reason
that terrorism has been getting stronger and attacks more frequent as they are an arguably
toxic counter terrorism measure that seems to incite more terror than it resolves. The RAND
Corp recently did a study that concluded “to the extent drone strikes “work,” their
effectiveness is more likely to lie in disrupting militant operations at the tactical level than as a
“silver bullet” that will reverse the course of the war and singlehandedly defeat al-Qa’ida.”124
This study is key to challenge the growing misconception that drones are the almighty counterterror weapon, because the Pew Research Center indicates that 56% of Americans still approve
and believe in drones effectiveness. In reality the drones work against the US counter terrorism
efforts by creating conditions of terror themselves. This process is explained by Noam Chomsky,
““The Obama administration is dedicated to increasing terrorism,” … “it’s doing it all over the
world. Obama, first of all, is running the biggest terrorist operation that exists, maybe in history.
The drone assassination campaigns… All of these operations, they are terror operations.”125
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Global Terrorism is not on the Rise
Although there have been a few rouge cases of terrorism namely the Boston Bombing
and butchering of an off duty soldier in London diplomatic forces spearheaded by the UN have
become united against terror under a series of Anti-Terror resolutions have helped push global
terrorism on the decline.126 Global terrorism is not on the rise because multilateral diplomatic
action has been taken against major terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, increased diplomacy
in the wake of Bin Laden’s death has brought countries together to fight terrorism and
terrorism is being fought from within like Egypt suppressing the Muslim Brotherhood.
To many countries Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist organization for its participation
in plane jacking, repelling Western forces, repeatedly attacking Israel and aiding rouge states
like Syria and Iran. This is why the European Union officially labeled Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization. Euro News reports the EU delegation stated, “we cannot just close our eyes and
set a precedent that it’s possible to act as a terrorist with acts as you see in Bulgaria or in
Cyprus or what is also acted in Syria by this group.”127 By labeling Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization all 28 EU member nations have agreed to freeze the terror groups assets and
refuse to issue its members visas to limit its capabilities.128 By implementing such measures at a
broad based scale it will be very difficult for Hezbollah to accomplish its agenda. Furthermore,
the cooperation amongst nations across the globe to work against common threats
demonstrates how global terrorism is on the decline, because fewer nations are willing to
tolerate such injustices.
Another example of a major terrorist organization getting knocked down a few pegs is
evidenced by Egypt’s military overthrowing Mohamed Morsi, the leader of the Muslim
Brotherhood and backing the terrorist organization into a corner by calling upon civilians to
help revive stability.129 Reuters reports, “The stunning fall from power of President Mohamed
Morsi, and the Muslim Brotherhood which backed him, has upended politics in the volatile
Middle East.”130 Despite sparking some instability in Egypt the fact that the Muslim
Brotherhood has lost its grip on the reigns of power in Egypt indicates that they groups
prominence will begin to fade. Because now they will be ostracized by both the citizens of Egypt
and surrounding nations now that their political backbone has collapsed. Furthermore, the
Egyptian military has taken responsibility of ending all hostility caused by the Muslim
Brotherhood. Egypt’s military chief, General Abdul-Fattah el –Sisi stated, “I'm asking you to
show the world... If violence is sought, or terrorism is sought, the military and the police are
authorized to confront this. Egyptians on all sides interpreted Sisi's words as a signal that he
intends to intensify a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups."131
Another key indicator that terrorism is on the decline is that like Egypt locals are beginning to
stand up to oppressive terrorist groups by enacting their own anti-terror measures. For
example in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan “the government… said it would
defeat terrorism by providing the local youths with jobs and reasonable wages, and reviving sick
industrial units in the province. Actions like this prove that it is becoming more and more
difficult for terrorists to take root.
More important than influential terrorist organizations being quashed are the
diplomatic moves being made across the globe to put an end to acts of terrorism. The Heritage
Foundation reports, “In April, the U.S. and Afghanistan concluded a landmark Strategic
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Partnership Agreement (SPA) laying a… framework for the U.S. to maintain a residual presence
to train Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism missions.”132 This agreement will help to
decrease future terrorist organizations from taking root in Afghanistan after the United States
withdraws its troops. With increased diplomatic cooperation to end terrorism it is very likely
that the present decline in global terrorism will continue to fall. Already major successes have
been achieved that have cultivated a foundation for preventing terrorism making future
successes even more likely to be effective. The National consortium for the Study of Terrorism
and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland conducted a study and found, “from
1991 through 2000 the United States had an average of 41 terrorist attacks per year. From 2002
through 2010, the number was just 16 per year.”133 Therefore, given that major terrorist
organizations like Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood have been reigned in and increased
multilateral cooperation to end terrorism is spreading across the globe it is safe to say global
terrorism is on the decline.
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Sugar is toxic to humans
"Would you rather be on the American diet ... or have parents be full cousins?... This data is telling us it’s a toss up."—Wayne
Potts, Professor of Biology at the University of Utah134
Our parents have told us for years not to eat so much candy because sugar will rot your teeth. But
according to a new study, even the recommended doses can toxic.135 The amount of sugar intake for
Americans rose by 50% from the 1970s to the late 2000s.136 Researchers at the University of Utah
recently published a ground-breaking study of mice that bears direct importance for human health in
the context of sugar.
The researchers fed mice the equivalent of a healthy human diet plus 25% added sugars.137 The 25%
added sugars were added in conjunction with current National Research Council guidelines that
recommend that “added sugar should not account for more than 25 percent of a person's diet.”138
Basically, that is the amount of sugars in three cans of soda.139
The results were shocking and provided the first real evidence that what is currently considered ‘safe’
and substantially undermine mammalian health.140 After separating a control group and sugar-fed
group of mice, the research showed that females were twice as likely to die early. “Males in the sugar
group weren't able to hold onto territory as well as other males…and produced one-quarter fewer
offspring than controls on a standard diet -- the same degree of impact as cousin-level inbreeding.”141
Professor Wayne Potts, the study’s lead author, drew direct connections between this study and human
health. “Our results provide evidence that added sugar consumed at concentrations currently
considered safe exerts dramatic adverse impacts on mammalian health…I have reduced refined sugar
intake and encouraged my family to do the same.”142
This study was unique in that sugar levels were made equal to that of the recommended human intake.
At the very least, says Professor Potts, “If it makes a mouse sick, then do you want it in your body? At
least before we work out the mechanistic basis of that sickness and are able to evaluate whether it's
also going on in humans or if it's a mouse-specific phenomenon.”143 Most previous studies provided
only partial data because the mice were fed either smaller or larger amounts of sugars in proportion to
their human counterparts. “The study contrasts with previous research work that involved feeding mice
exceedingly large quantities of sugar disproportionate to levels seen in human diets.”144
If the results correlate accurately, then imagine women dying twice as fast as normal and overall
reproduction a mere 25% of current rates. One need only imagine the long-term consequences for the
human race.
The added sugars in soft drinks, candies, and baked goods, it seems, do a lot more than cause cavities.
While further research is needed, the University of Utah study should act as a harbinger for human
fortune and health. It is time to dramatically reduce the sugar we put into our bodies on a daily basis. If
the amount of sugars in three soft drinks a day can do such dramatic harm to mice (mammals) the how
far off is it from human mammals? The point is not to answer the question necessary with precision,
but to head its implicit warnings.
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Sugar is not “toxic” to humans
"Mice do not eat sugar as a part of their normal diet, so the authors are measuring a contrived overload effect that might not
be present had the rodents adapted to sugar intake over time.”—The Corn Refiners Association145
Of course we should all reduce our intake of sugar. This is something we have been told since
childhood. However, the so-called “sugar study” by the University of Utah is more than just a misnomer.
The authors deliberately misrepresent the study and its possible application to human health. Not only
is the study insufficient to explain human health, it carries a host of flawed assumptions and testing
procedures.
Sugar is consumed by millions of Americans daily in safe doses. Sure, the “Big Gulp” exceeds healthy
levels, but not all Americans drink them. In fact, the study admits that only 13-25% of Americans
approach the 25% daily allowance level. Moreover, this has become another inaccurate portrayal
carried by the media. According to Andrew Briscoe III, President and CEO of the Sugar Association,
these media reports have consistently misrepresented other sugar studies and the distinction between
natural sugar and added sugars. Rather than educating the public with accurate information, the media
has created “confusion about food” that “is constantly fueled by extremists who sensationalize each and
every new piece of research and distort the facts about sugar for the sake of a catchy headline or
controversial story.”146
But the distinction between all-natural sugar and added sugars is crucial. The study utilized a
combination of fructose and glucose monosaccharides at ratios found in HFCS, or high fructose corn
syrup.147 “HFCS lacks this bond and consequently contains free fructose. Sugar and the various
formulations of HFCS are molecularly different—they are not the same product yet too often, and
erroneously, HFCS is referred to as an ‘added sugar.’ Only sugar is sugar.”148
The study is also ripe with internal inconsistencies and mistakes. First, stress of the tests and the
possibility of pre-existing conditions of the wild mice could explain the widespread death of females,
according to Walter Willett, Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public
Health.149 Even Dr. James Ruff, one of the study’s lead authors admitted that the researchers could not
collect the dead females often enough to study their cause of death, otherwise it would disturb the
experiment.150 Also, researchers cannot explain the discrepancy between male and female mice
results.151
But most importantly, the authors misrepresent their results as being directly applicable to human
health. Nutrition researcher Barry Popkin, a nutrition researcher at the University of North Carolina
argued that “The way mice react to sweetness and sugar is different than humans.”152 There is no
direct correlation between the health of mice and that of humans. The authors refer to the similarity for
mammalian health. But that is like saying what hurts a blue whale applies to humans—we’re both
mammals!
Despite their attempts to model the human diet, Anna Donald and Vivek Muthu, founders of Bazian and
clinicians at the British Medical Journal argue that it was not successful. “Even though sugar levels were
intended to model those consumed by humans, mice are not humans. It cannot be concluded that these
mice are a direct model of human life with added dietary sugar.”153
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The U.S. should declare a policy “no first use”
“The other issue is nuclear war. It's been known for a long time that if there were to be a first strike by a major power, even
with no retaliation, it would probably destroy civilization just because of the nuclear-winter consequences that would
follow.”—Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at MIT154
Whenever the general public thinks about nuclear weapons, it usually becomes a question of “should
we keep them or disarm?” However, policymakers take a much more nuanced approach. The current
administration focuses on the gradual reduction of our stockpiles in conjunction with Russia.155
However, it matters little how many we have but the circumstances in which even one might be used.
Obama made a pledge upon entering office that he would declare a nuclear “no first use” policy. Yet no
movement has been made in that direction.156
A nuclear “no first use” policy is a pledge by a government that it will not use its nuclear weapons in a
preemptive manor (“first strike”). The only circumstances in which a nuclear power would launch their
weapons is if they were attacked by another power using nuclear weapons. “If we truly believe that no
country should initiate a nuclear attack, why don't we take a lead by making this our policy? It does not
constrain us from responding to any attack.”157
The United States is falling behind in this respect as China and India158 lead the way. While maintaining
a credible deterrent, China has seen what nuclear brinksmanship has done to relations between the U.S.
and Russia. Nuclear deterrence is expensive and dangerous.159 Because it did not explicitly mention its
“no first use” policy in a recent White Paper, some have claimed that China is changing course.
However, Gregory Kulacki, senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, argues that there is no
real “significance in the fact that it is not mentioned in the white paper.”160 And while Pakistan abstains,
India has a “no first use” policy.161
Yet, current U.S. policy remains locked in deterrence. Even as Obama seeks reduction in stockpiles, the
U.S. relies on deterrence and the threat of a massive first strike.162 This failed policy has not prevented
nuclear proliferation in Iran or Pakistan.163 Michael S. Gerson of the Center for Naval Analyses explains
that a nuclear first strike is no guarantee. “The United States can never be absolutely confident in its
ability to fully neutralize the nuclear threat in a disarming first strike, and the possibility that even one or
two nuclear weapons could survive and be used in retaliation against the U.S. homeland or on U.S. allies
should temper proposals for a first strike.”164
Much of the supposed benefits of a first strike policy could be achieved by our overwhelming
conventional superiority. The dangers of sticking with the current path could be catastrophic in times of
crisis. There is always the chance of miscommunication or misperception causing an accidental or
unauthorized launch.165
Instead, the United States should declare a nuclear policy of “no first use”. Not only will the nuclear
threat of retaliation remain, should the U.S. be attacked, but we will gain a much-needed boost in nonproliferation leadership. Because other major nuclear powers, such as China and India, have already
declared their policies, this is a perfect time for healthy American leadership.
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The U.S. should not declare a policy “no first use”
“Of all the elements of the nuclear enterprise, I'm most concerned with the potential for declining or inadequate investment in
the nuclear-weapons enterprise itself; some declining investment that would result in our inability to sustain the deterrent
force.”—Gen. Robert Kehler, head of the Omaha-based U.S. Strategic Command166
We all know that a nuclear-free world will not happen overnight, so it is reasonable for many to call for
policies that might reduce the likelihood of nuclear weapons. However, a nuclear “no first use” policy
actually increases the chances of nuclear disaster. “No first use” undermines deterrence, which is
essential to our overall military effectiveness167 in preventing the outbreak of major conflicts and
maintain the security confidence of allies.
Operating under the layer triad forces for security, the U.S. military relies on the threat of first strikes to
maintain the perception of superiority and discourages nuclear adventurism. “Put simply, the possibility
of a nuclear strike creates disincentives for all states, regardless of their relative conventional military
power, to launch an attack. Invoking an NFU policy lessens this possibility and, consequently, attenuates
the disincentives for war-risking measures for all states.”168
Moreover, adopting a policy of “no first use” would erode the safety and security of our allies. The first
strike option is an essential component to such extended deterrence guarantees.169 Japan is a prime
example. Successive governments in Japan, for example, have repeatedly stressed that without the
extended deterrence, they would be forced to develop their own arsenal. Maintaining current policy
risks clear military escalation should conflict erupt.
A “no first use” policy could also embolden our enemies who perceive a potential weakness. It could
also be used as an excuse to close of the experience and gap between the U.S and other countries by
seeking to develop weapons of their own. “The first use of nuclear weapons is unnecessary or irrelevant
to defeat threats to the territory of the United States today. However, some U.S. allies face potential
threats that they rely on the United States to deter, including via possible first use of nuclear
weapons.”170
Some advocates of a “no first use” policy argue that the threat of conventional forces alone would deter
the threat of a nuclear-armed adversary from employing those weapons. However, Alexander Lanoszka
and Thomas Leo Scherer of Princeton University call this logically inconsistent with the results of their
study. “We find many recent arguments in favor of NFU unconvincing…Specifically, the contention that
American conventional weapons are great enough to render nuclear weapons pointless and that
American threats to use nuclear weapons are not credible contradicts the general conclusion that NFU
would make the world a safer place.”171
Much has been made of the potential for larger acceptance if the U.S. showed leadership by declaring a
nuclear “no first use” policy. Yet current states with a NFU either illustrate the lack of potential for
change or the outright reversal of their stance. Although India has declared a NFU, its main rival
Pakistan has not. Moreover, China is reversing its policy on NFU. A recent military white paper omitted
the claim that it will never use nuclear weapons first. “That explicit pledge had been the cornerstone of
Beijing’s stated nuclear policy for the last half-century. The white paper, however, introduces
ambiguity.”172 In such a climate, this is a bad time to gut American nuclear deterrence.
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Alcohol Sales Should be Not Allowed on Native
American Lands
The issue of drinking is one that seems to polarize people on one side or the other. Some view it
as harmless social engagement while others view it as a main source of societal problems from which
nothing good can come. With all of the damage and mayhem caused by drinking around the world every
year it is not difficult to understand this latter position. These issues impact the United States on a daily
basis but they impact Native American reservations even more than the rest of the country. Things work
differently for Native American reservations. US organizations are banned from selling alcohol to Native
lands unless the groups vote to allow it.173 Specifically, Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota is one of
the largest in the country. It is also a community that has chosen to outlaw alcohol possession, sale, and
consumption within their jurisdiction. However, they have also just voted to make these activities legal
within their land. “"Life will change now as we know it," … "This is a new era we're in. We've got
to remember now we lived dry for 100 years and it was proven that prohibition didn't work.
We're in new territory now."”174 Unfortunately, this reverses a productive hardline stance the
reservation had recently taken. Alcohol sales should not be allowed on Native lands for
several reasons.
First, drinking is an epidemic in the Native American community. Hardline stances must
be taken as this has begun to impact children on reservations. “… children on the South Dakota
reservation often have their very first drink at the age of five or six, … Ask how they got that
drink, …, and the children respond with answers like, “Well, I had leftovers. It was in the bottle.
It was on the table.”175 The children learn these behaviors from adults who are locked in a
destructive cycle of alcoholism. “… a man idling near the stores said he had been drinking and
sleeping in Whiteclay since the fall… Two mattresses, one belonging to Pokey, the other to his
uncle, provide inches of protection from the brutal December cold. "We're here because we
drink," ….”176
Second, alcoholism must be rejected in Native lands because it encourages alcohol fetal
syndrome. “Fetal alcohol syndrome, …, affects all racial groups, but American Indians are
hardest hit. … fetal alcohol damage is a huge problem in some tribal communities. There's a
growing effort to fight a problem that, for years, has been ignored or misunderstood.”177 This
damaging disorder must be combated. Fetal alcohol syndrome impact children’s physical
appearance, their mental development, and their overall health.178 While it is true that
instances of this disorder occur in the status quo the chances of it occurring are even higher
when alcohol consumption is legalized and the drinks flow freely closer to home.
Third, alcohol consumption on Native land contributes to extreme poverty. “At a time
when there’s a spotlight on America’s richest 1%, a look at the country’s 310 Indian
reservations–where many of America’s poorest 1% live–can be more enlightening. To explain
the poverty of the reservations, people usually point to alcoholism,…”179 Certainly, there are other
factors that contribute to Native poverty and there is even dispute that alcoholism is even the main
cause but there is sufficient evidence to show it is at the very least a contributing factor. Poverty is
unjust. What Native communities want more than anything is justice. Some are calling for a more just
relation to their land as their people are being negatively impacted. “… we are also the ones who
must save ourselves."¶ The Oglala Sioux Tribe doesn't want pity. It just wants the brewers,
distributors and retailers supplying beer in Whiteclay to stop sabotaging its fight for
recovery.”180
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Alcohol Sales Should be Allowed on Native
American Lands
It seems no matter what the social problem is there are groups who will advocate for and
attempt to use the law to solve said problem. However, some problems are not codified in law or, even
if they are, are far too complex and multifaceted to solve by passing a simple piece of legislation. One
such social problem is that of alcoholism on Native reservations. The argument proponents of banning
alcohol on Native reservations issue is that if drinking is legal than the Natives will drink. However, this
ignores the fact that drinking occurs now despite the law. If drinking is going to occur regardless of the
law and indeed the law does not even change the amount of drinking that occurs the only relevant
question becomes is there some value that can be gained in allowing the sale of alcohol? Alcohol sales
should be allowed on Native American lands for several reasons.
First, making alcohol sales on Native lands illegal is pointless given that any interested party of
legal age can usually drive a couple of miles down the road and purchase alcohol in neighboring towns
not on the reservation. “… the sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited.¶ But just outside
the reservation, in the bordering town …alcohol is legal. Though only fourteen people live in
this neighboring town, each year 4 million cans of beer are sold. … about 90 percent of their
customers come from the reservation.”181 It is true that there is supposed to be a 10 mile buffer
around Native reservations where alcohol is not to be sold but this is typically not enforced. Despite
what some are concerned about this will not be a free for all situation. The government will work with
the reservation to make sure the transition is smooth and that oversight, training, and logistical support
is present. 182 Further, creating a legal means for alcohol sales on Native lands has a laundry list of
benefits that prohibition cannot capture. “…legalization of alcohol sales on reservation could
increase revenue, thereby creating more opportunities on the reservation. …, legalization would
relieve the strain on the community’s law enforcement by reducing the need to go after
alcohol-related offenses like possession, allowing them to focus on crimes that take place on
the reservation.”183 Selling alcohol on Native lands could also help solve many of the problem
people contend alcohol creates. Legalizing it would mean Natives would own the stores, collect
the profits, and reap the benefits instead of only the ill effects.184 There is very little funding to
alcohol treatment and prevention centers on Native lands now. Using alcohol profits for these
efforts could add benefits to the community.185
Second, it often is said that alcoholism the main problem facing the Native community.
However, the problem on most reservations is not alcoholism but a lack of property rights.
“…alcoholism, …just symptoms. Prosperity is built on property rights, and reservations often
have neither. … If everyone owns the land, no one does. So the result is substandard housing
and the barren, rundown look that comes from a lack of investment,…”186 Indeed, poverty is the
major problem in Native communities but it is weak property rights that cause poverty on
Native lands. “…, nearly all economists agree that two ingredients are crucial—secure property
rights and a stable rule of law… By comparing reservation economies with and without these
institutions, we can get a sense of their importance.”187
Third, part of the reason to allow alcohol sales on Native land is because of the message it sends
not to allow it. Why is it that the United States has banned the sale of alcohol to all Native reservations
unless those tribes expressly vote to allow it? Why are Natives held as a special category? The myth that
is perpetuated by placing Natives in this special protected category is that they cannot be allowed to
consume any alcohol or they will simply run wild. This is a particularly paternalistic way to relate to
Natives. This idea should be rejected as it promotes a biologically stereotypical view of Natives that,
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Page 29
while in theory is meant to protect Natives, actually results in them being viewed as less than other
people living on this continent.188
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