All Opinion
Jack Lew, John Galt, and American universitiesInstead of complaining narrowly about newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Jack Lew鈥檚 bloated compensation at NYU, we should demand that all universities release all employee salaries. As tuitions skyrocket, students and parents have the right to know where their dollars are going.
Seth MacFarlane's Oscar jokes were bad, but they're just part of a bigger problemWe can carp all we want about Seth MacFarlane鈥檚 arguably misogynstic, racist, and anti-Semitic language, but his Oscars ceremony was just business as usual. It was a reflection of the same forms of misogyny, racism, and lack of diversity that plague Hollywood and its films generally.
To protect democracy, Supreme Court must fully uphold Voting Rights ActToday, the Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act 聽in the case Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. After a year of politicians manipulating voting laws, the Court must uphold this protection and safeguard every American鈥檚 fundamental right to vote.
Iran nuclear talks: Look to cooperation of US-Iran scientistsAs talks about Iran鈥檚 nuclear program began today in Kazakhstan, it's worth noting聽the success of ongoing, respectful collaboration between American and Iranian scientists and public-health experts. Such exchanges can cut through the deepest political and media rhetoric.
Fallout from Olympic wrestling takedown 鈥� a mother's protestThere's been a furor over the decision not to guarantee wrestling a spot in the 2020 Olympics. Rightly so. I know first-hand what the sport does for young men (including my three sons) and an increasing number of young women. Fortunately, the decision is not final. It's time to speak out.
Beyond 'Zero Dark Thirty' Oscars fail: Torture is an ineffective interrogation approachAcademy-Award nominated film 'Zero Dark Thirty' has more issues than its disappointing Oscar showing.听Based on my interviews with military interrogators, the movie's portrayal of torture as effective 鈥� even vital to getting Osama bin Laden 鈥� couldn't be further from the truth.
'Lincoln,' Texas, and the Oscars: Why getting history right mattersMost filmgoers will see the 'Lincoln' film, nominated for 12 Academy Awards, as biographical. Public opinion is shaped by portrayals like this, so its factual errors can't be discounted. I鈥檝e seen first-hand the problems with a popular historical narrative that doesn鈥檛 get the story right.
'Zero Dark Thirty' has the facts wrong 鈥� and that's a problem, not just for the OscarsThe movie 'Zero Dark Thirty' is a gripping drama and credible contender in this year鈥檚 Oscar competition 鈥� nominated for five Academy Awards. But because it advertises itself as factually grounded,聽I have to point out: On each of its three major points, the film gets the story wrong.
Stricter gun laws alone won't stop America's urban violenceGetting guns off the streets or out of the hands of criminals won鈥檛 by itself address the problem of gun violence in poor urban communities. America needs to address the underlying circumstances that lead people like my inmate students to gun violence in the first place.
How President Obama can forge a nuclear deal with IranAhead of crucial 'P5+1' talks on Iran's nuclear program in Kazakhstan Feb. 26, President Obama needs to show willingness to meet Iranian concessions with some of his own. But Congress is in no mood to ease sanctions. Obama, however, can go around Congress.
US leadership needed to prevent nuclear testing by North KoreaNorth Korea鈥檚 nuclear weapons test explosion underscores the need for stronger US leadership to prevent the testing, spread, and use of the world鈥檚 most dangerous weapons. US ratification of the聽Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty would set a clear international standard.
5 factors for peace in Afghanistan Given that Afghanistan has been in a state of war for nearly 35 years, only a broad-based reconciliation can resolve the fighting. Peace talks are a vital part of that process. Here are five factors necessary to achieving a sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
A civics lesson for 20-somethingsMany young people drop out of civic life because we set them up to fail. In the Obama era, we talk about social change in such grandiose terms that anything after is bound to feel insignificant in comparison. I've learned that civic engagement, above all else, requires resilience.
Global ViewpointThe US-China relationship is vital to global stability. Good thing it isn't doomed.President Obama and China's incoming president Xi Jinping should meet to revalidate and re-energize the US-China relationship. Whether this relationship is vital and robust, or weak and full of suspicion, will affect the whole world.
NATO, US must shore up LibyaToday, as Libyans mark the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted Muammar Qaddafi, security conditions are bad and getting worse. Libya needs help training its security forces. Ideally, this would be a NATO mission. It could also be a US mission if NATO lacks the will.
View from Iran: World needs rules on cyberattacksThe US believes that cyberattacks from another country can constitute an 'act of war.' This begs the question of whether the US can unilaterally engage in an unprovoked act against Iran that, according to its own standards, is unacceptable. The world needs global rules on cyberattacks, regardless of where we live and how we think, say Iran's UN diplomats.
North Korea, China do their usual danceNorth Korea and China have done it again 鈥� call it the Pyongyang-Beijing two-step. Though Beijing registered 'firm opposition' to North Korea's nuclear weapons test, it is unlikely to聽exercise its unique leverage on North Korea to encourage change.听
This Valentine's Day, a call to avoid the pitfalls of credit-score datingThere's a new dating trend of disclosing your credit score 鈥� and it can be a real deal-breaker for prospective couples. I'm glad credit-score dating didn't exist 18 years ago.听Had I not teamed up with my wife, my credit score might have remained higher, but I would have ended up much poorer.
Debate on gun control should ask whether Congress has power to regulatePresident Obama called for more gun control in his State of the Union address last night. The effectiveness of his proposals have been the subject of heated debate. But both sides are missing the larger question: Does Congress even have the right to regulate or ban guns?
Why EU-US free trade agreement would benefit both sidesPresident Obama announced in his State of the Union speech that talks will start on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. A pact would promote growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic, writes the EU ambassador to the US.
