Op Eds
So You Want to Be President
If you want to be a leader in politics, you need to be motivated by more than a sound bite.
In Defense of the Soda Ban
It takes courage to lobby for a bill that deprives people of their dietary freedom. Mayor Davis knows that democracy is not a popularity contest; it’s about being right and being right regardless of what the public thinks.
Home Sweet Harvard
Residential life at Harvard is great. But it could be even better. How? Incoming Harvard freshmen should be assigned to their houses the summer before freshman year.
For Us or His Donors?
In return for Senator Brown’s generous gift of our tax dollars, the fossil fuel industry fills his campaign coffers.
A Letter to Our Readers
Interviews are ceasing to fulfill their purpose—to capture and channel the forthright, honest words of Harvard’s decision-makers to all those who might be affected by the decisions.
Republicans Refusing Medicaid
The Affordable Care Act is effective, and the federal money for Medicaid expansion is too good to refuse. Republicans know this, but they will still be sure to call the law ineffective, socialistic, and economically suicidal in an attempt to convince their constituents that this antidote is poison.
Krugman to Mankiw and Ferguson, Tsk! Tsk!
N. Gregory Mankiw, Economics 10 professor and newly appointed chair [LINK 0] of the economics department, could use a refresher on the appropriate citation of sources, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman in a recent New York Times op-ed.
Some Other “Illuminations of Birthright”
I would urge members of the Harvard community to visit Israel and other destinations in the Middle East with an open mind, drawing their own conclusions about the many difficult and complicated struggles faced by the inhabitants of the region.
The Illuminations of Birthright
From its name—“Birthright” implies that all Jews have the right to the land of Israel, while ignoring the Palestinian refugees who have been prevented from returning home for decades—to its itinerary—which includes ventures into the disputed Golan Heights, where participants gleefully take pictures of the ruined shells of “abandoned” Syrian homes—Birthright advances the political agenda of the Israeli and American right.
Giving Voters Control
In the end, the Supreme Court emerges unsullied. It extricated itself from accusations from the left. And, although the Chief Justice currently faces visceral acrimoniousness from the right, that contempt is slowly ebbing into a mixture of confusion and hopefulness.
Hoping for a Heart
Chief Justice John Roberts' opinion on the Affordable Care Act reveals a desire on his part to preserve the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. However, it leaves open the question of whether he may merely be attempting to set the legal groundwork for the dismemberment of future regulatory and social welfare programs.
The Illuminations of Travel
Israel is one-twentieth the size of California, but within its borders is its own Lake Tahoe, a lower Death Valley, and nicer swimmable beaches.
50 Shades of Graduation
For some reason it has become traditional to pepper graduates with advice.
The Importance of Service
After watching the images of the falling towers, I drove to the nearest recruiting station and joined the United States Army. Neither retaliation nor anger propelled me to sign up.
American Ubuntu
The Founding Fathers’ great American Dream drew me, like generations before, to these promising shores. During the intervening years I encountered the dream’s challenges as well as its opportunities.
Opium in Afghanistan
The Afghan narcotics industry cannot be forgotten. It not only causes untold misery for addicts and their families, but also emboldens the insurgency, fuels corruption, and undermines governance and development.
Not So Distant Advice
Four years later, I realize that success is very fleeting, especially in the business and political worlds. Significance, or making an impact through what you do, is not.
Moving Beyond the Model
Thank you to Harvard University and to the entire staff and legacy of model U.N. at Harvard in providing me with this opportunity to explore my beliefs, to reflect on my position in the world, and to answer a call to service in the global community.
An Interview with Ayman Nour
At the start of the Egyptian revolution last January, over 20 percent of Egyptians said they would vote for Ayman Nour, according to one poll. Unfortunately, in April of this year, the Election Committee prohibited Dr. Nour, along with nine other candidates, from entering the election.
The Qualities of Youth
The real world needs not only the qualities of the youth, but also adult decision-makers that actively listen to the youth.
Opportunity in the Bay State
With opportunity comes responsibility, and I urge you to bear that in mind today and beyond. Each of us is charged with a generational responsibility, that old fashioned notion that we must do what we can in our time to leave things better for those who come behind us.
What's Next, Harvard?
The Harvard Corporation, inertial by nature, has thus far invested little in the kind of institutional flexibility that will pay dividends in the next century.
Harvard's First Time
Although we won’t be students enrolled in college forever, health, wellness, love, and intimacy should be lifelong pursuits.
ROTC Is Not Any Other Scholarship
Some may argue that ROTC scholarships should be treated the same as other non-Harvard scholarships. But ROTC scholarships are different. They come with a quid pro quo of four years of military service that makes them a singular recruiting device for a unique form of service the University has deemed particularly honorable.