Categories
Politics and Governance

McCain’s Solution to our Financial Crisis… Seriously?

Once he locked up the Republican primary, Senator John McCain spent several months building a narrative for the general election. His operatives spent countless hours reciting Mr. McCain’s willingness to politically stand on principle. Television ads paired Senator Barack Obama with flimsy celebrities and mocked his followers as naïve idol-worshippers. In the process they cast […]

Categories
Economics & Trade Policy Multimedia

Dialectica Radio: Show Seven – The Financial Crisis Fallout

This week on Dialectica: The Financial Crisis Fallout. Host/Producer James Tanner explores the role of government concerning the aftermath of the ongoing financial crisis. Guests interviewed are: Dr. James Galbraith, Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. Chair in Government/Business Relations and Professor of Government at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and author, The Predator State: How […]

Categories
Politics and Governance

Is Latin American Inflation Linked to Populist Regimes?

Latin American countries have had a history of recurring bouts of hyperinflation, which have been as severe as they have been frequent. It is widely believed that the overriding reason for this has been populist macroeconomic policies, especially ones by democratically elected regimes. Populism has been a prominent feature of Latin American politics and economics. […]

Categories
Technology Policy

Are We Ready? The Switch to Digital Television

U.S. technology infrastructure will take a giant leap forward this February when the congressionally mandated conversion to all-digital television broadcasting takes effect. But there is disagreement over consumer and industry preparedness for the upcoming deadline. How many will be left with a blank TV screen come February? There are many key players investing time and […]

Categories
Politics and Governance

Cruel and Unusual? Young Teens Sentenced To Die in Prison

Thirteen and fourteen year olds are too young to rent movies without the consent of their parents. They are not allowed to operate motor vehicles. They certainly can’t register to vote, or enlist in the armed forces. Yet they are old enough to be prosecuted in our adult criminal justice system and sentenced to the […]

Categories
Energy & Environmental Policy Multimedia

Dialectica Radio: Show Six – Energy Policy and Environmental Planning

This week on Dialectica: Energy Policy and Environmental Planning. The Sustainability Workgroup will be discussing the differences between the platforms of Senator McCain and Senator Obama on issues of energy policy and environmental planning. Hosts for the show are Sustainability Workgroup members Meredith Grey and Susan Peterson, and LBJ graduate student Chris Smith is our […]

Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

Why The U.S. Is Failing In What It Is Doing

  Walking in a desert, concentrating on the mirage, the wanderer looses sight of what he had set out to do. He walks away from his destination lured by the mirage, embracing fiction than fact. Like the wanderer, the focus of United States foreign policies seemed to have drifted from the path to the mirage. […]

Categories
Health & Social Policy

10 Years and $700 Billion Later, A Step Toward Mental Health Parity

It appears that the media and politicians of both parties can agree on one thing these days: We are surrounded by crisis. One of the most important areas where the system in place is fundamentally broken is the health care system. Oddly enough, it took a different crisis in the economic markets and a financial […]

Categories
Politics and Governance

With a Handshake and a Smile: The Human Aspect of Political Campaigns

Pundits, news anchors and John Centipede Citizen, to borrow a phrase, will all tell you that this is an historic election year for a variety of reasons. For the second time, a presidential nominee has selected a woman as his running mate. We, the voting public, came very close to nominating the first female candidate […]

Categories
Multimedia Politics and Governance

Dialectica Radio: Show Five – The American Political Process

This week on Dialectica: The American Political Process. Host/producer Sean Reyna interviews LBJ Alum Stephanie Chiarello, the Deputy Campaign Manager for State Representative (District 52) candidate Diana Maldonado, and she will be talking about volunteerism. Sean will also be discussing the Iowa caucuses, and Chris Holcomb guest-hosts the program. [soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/114251781%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-vWV3X” params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ […]