14 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/07/17 12:42am)
I want to take this time to reflect on some recent news developments that have been particularly interesting to me as a political junkie but have wide-ranging effects for our country. Ever since the Russian influence in the 2016 election story released and dominated the news cycle, I have been relatively hesitant to write about it in The Daily Targum. My reasons were twofold: One, the facts are largely scattered and incomplete, and I feel a responsibility not to comment heavily on matters that are misunderstood. And two I want to give the benefit of the doubt to President Donald J. Trump and his administration who are presiding during a time of highly polarized political attitudes with the Democratic and Republican establishment wholly at odds with their normal governing style. However, the steady drip of allegations and revelations against specific members of the Trump entourage and the stories complete dominance in the news cycle has made it impossible for me to remain quiet on the subject.
(03/24/17 12:14am)
Throughout the year I have often used my column to voice my discontent with various aspects of the American political scene. Last year was a year of change and 2017 is shaping up to exhibit the tangible results of those changes. At this point, it is impractical to assert which direction our country is going in as a result of these changes. However, if someone turns on the news or talks to a politically-obsessed friend or colleague with strong inclinations, they may believe the world is burning. Although there have been many things that have confounded me about the election and the current administration, I do not buy into the partisan hysteria that is projected by the media onto the populace. From my perspective, partisan hysteria — a tactic used by both parties and channeled through the media — is merely a symptom of polarization, which I have written about extensively. Recent history shows the disruptive tactics used by Republicans to block worthwhile efforts by the previous administration, and today we see those same tactics being employed by Democrats against the current administration. Hypocrisy cuts both ways in politics.
(03/03/17 12:09am)
This Tuesday evening, President Donald J. Trump issued what is shaping up to be his most compelling and unifying presidential address to date. For all his recent foibles and frequent lashing out of the mainstream media and political opponents, Trump struck a conciliatory tone in his prime-time speech addressing Congress. Harkening back to the image that ultimately won him the presidency, Trump painted a delicate and, dare I say, optimistic picture of the America he wishes to govern. Trump’s remarks elicited bipartisan praise in a time of intense polarization and divineness, hinting that the future he intends to embark on will benefit each and every American, even those whom vehemently disagree with him. This is not to say that many citizens of our country can’t point to specific proposals and courses of action that they disagree with the president on, however, admittedly uncharacteristically, Trump spoke directly to these Americans and offered a sweeping vision of change, compromise and action.
(02/16/17 4:22am)
Of all the unconventional promises made by President Donald J. Trump during the campaign season, one in particular stuck out to me, and not in a good way. Trump’s rhetoric on the North American Trade Organization (NATO) baffled nearly any astute observer of international relations. This column is not intended to relitigate past remarks but rather to explain the significance of America's commitment to European security and the importance of the current dialogue underway between the Trump administration and Western leaders regarding the infamous military alliance.
(02/03/17 1:14am)
In this age of hyper-polarization and divisiveness, one cannot make a political point without stroking the ire of the opposing side. No matter if the issue regards matters of fact or opinion, you can bet that most people either fall into one of those categories. This was a major issue during Barack Obama's presidency, where Republicans and conservatives alike made life difficult for the former president, and it is shaping up to be the same for President Donald J. Trump à la irate Democrats and liberals. This era of partisanship is not only degrading the ideals this country was founded upon but is also driving a wedge between citizens in a way reminiscent of the period immediately preceding the Civil War.
(01/20/17 1:12am)
In the spirit of the inaugural season and the inauguration of a new president, I believe it is prudent to shine a light on the incumbent President Barack Obama and provide my analysis of how his legacy should be viewed in a historical and cultural context. Despite my differing political opinion on his oftentimes cut-throat liberal policy positions, there is a large part of me that has tremendous respect and admiration for our country’s first black commander-in-chief.
(12/14/16 12:07am)
In my previous column, I wrote about the media and polls and their effect on the outcome of the election. In this column, I will analyze how economics and demographics played a key role in determining the winner of the election. How did President-elect Donald Trump, against all odds, pull out a surprise win over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? The answer lies far, far away in what many refer to as “flyover country.”
(12/02/16 1:04am)
Now that the presidential election is over and some time has passed, I think it is time to dive into the numbers to see exactly what took place on Nov. 8. How did the overwhelming favorite to win the election, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, lose in a historic upset to billionaire real-estate mogul, now President-elect, Donald Trump? What did the pundits and pollsters miss? A cursory analysis of Election Day can provide solutions to some of those questions. Surely it is impossible to analyze such a vast undertaking in one column, so I will split my analysis into two parts: One centering on the media and polls, and the other on economics and demographics.
(11/18/16 1:35am)
There we have it.
(11/04/16 12:34am)
Is this what we have to look forward to for the next four years?
(10/21/16 12:53am)
Like a train barreling through a brick wall at full speed, the campaign of Republican nominee Donald Trump has completely crashed and burned.
(10/06/16 11:02pm)
Regardless of what you think about the 2016 presidential election (and, I’d wager, the feelings aren’t too positive), one would find it difficult to argue that the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night wasn’t a momentary bright spot in an otherwise gloomy campaign season.
(09/22/16 11:25pm)
It’s hard to believe that it has been 15 years already — 15 years since the most devastating attack in our country’s recent history. Fifteen years of drawn-out conflict, misery and pain.
(09/08/16 11:19pm)
Blink, and you just might have missed that Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump is neck and neck against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, according to some polls.
