Op Eds
Magic from a Man: Steve Jobs
Since his death, some have decided to deify Jobs for his long list of innovations and influences. This is not the reason, however, that he should be remembered.
Boycott Wall Street
Not everyone has the means or demeanor for radical rebellion, but rather than join the occupation of Wall Street, I suggest that Harvard seniors simply give up pursuing an occupation on Wall Street.
The Marginal Cost of A Drink
Pregaming would persist in a world with a lower drinking age, but drinking at Harvard would be safer if the minimum age were 18 because more students would end their nights in bars, not at dorm parties.
It’s 21, Not 18: Deal With It
The end result of lowering the drinking age would not be more and safer parties that would stop students from pregaming.
Down with Debit
My dislike of debit stems from one simple fact: Despite years spent searching for answers, I have never once identified any good reason to pay debit over credit. Something about it just doesn’t add up...
Greeks Under Unfair Fire
Far from degrading social cohesion, Greek organizations are some of the most powerful community-strengthening institutions on campus. Strong friendships, not alcohol, are why students primarily join.
Obama’s Covers Album
Finding the appropriate tenor for his speech must have been a delicate task for the President indeed. He had to challenge Republicans to adopt policy in such a way that made it seem impossible to argue against him. When speaking to the American people, Obama relied not on new rhetoric, but on the same, often contradictory, rhetorical tropes that had tremendous success in the 20th century.
War of Terror
This past weekend, however, a great line has been crossed—and a great sacrifice made—in America’s seemingly never-ending “War on Terror.”
Green Dragon: China’s $200 billion clean energy power play
We propose that the Chinese government divest 20 percent of its over $1 trillion worth of U.S. treasury bill holdings and create a $200 billion clean energy focused investment fund.
One Box At A Time
I am willing to give the tourists a good show in order to do my part in mitigating climate change.
Secret Law
President Obama was right to sign a four-year extension of the PATRIOT Act earlier this year.
Learning from a ‘C’
As Harvard students, our obsession with perfection drives us; it can also prevent us from approaching learning with humility and grace.
Putin's Precedent
Though Putin as an individual enjoys the trust of the Russian people, there is no guarantee that the leader who follows his stead will be able to maintain the same level of trust and social stability.
A Nail in the Coffin of Liberal Zionism
Many Americans have long considered Israel a strong ally and have turned a blind eye to its military occupation, focusing instead on the nominally democratic and liberal Zionism that seemed to characterize Israel proper.
The Real John Galt
So, who is John Galt? He’s the small businessman drowning in the red tape of regulation. He’s the business owner afraid to hire because he doesn’t know what government will throw at him next. He’s the individual who, when asked by government how to fix the economy, had but one thing to say: “Get the hell out of my way!” That’s an idea worth trying.
The Myth of the Marginal Income Tax Rate
Tax policy is a fantastically complex subject, and it’s not always easy to see which competing theory is in the right. But like all government policy, it must ultimately apply at the level of ordinary, individual citizens.
Education 2.0: The Case for Universal Broadband Access and Meaningful Use
Our end goal is to make universal broadband as consistently accessible and meaningfully used as telephone service. Today, the average American might have ready access to a phone, uses the device regularly and knowledgeably, and enjoys service that is comparable to what individuals across the country receive.
What Is Center?
Our nation’s race to the right has harmful ramifications that go beyond just making liberals wistful.
Disempowering Politics
Instead of serving as forums where the country’s future has a say in their party’s future, the Harvard College Democrats and the Harvard Republican Club toil away for parties that demand service from college students and give nothing in return.
The Truth about the HPV Vaccine
An alarming proportion of the American public is misinformed about its health care choices, and consequently, bases important decisions on emotional factors derived from cultural tensions.
Two Constitutions, Two Futures
Rather than looking to repair a system that has only meant misery and more misery for humanity—why not reach forward to a viable and emancipatory alternative?
Nationalize the Post Office
In order to meet this primary need for governmental communications, the Post Office requires a substantial infrastructure—“Post Offices and Post Roads,” in the words of the Constitution—across the entire nation.
750,000 Could Die In Somalia
The crisis is a long time in the making, and has been spurred on by a variety of environmental and political factors. It was induced by a drought that is the worst in 60 years and has been exacerbated by the political situation in Somalia, perhaps the world’s most dysfunctional failed state.
Politics and Remembrance
September 11th was not Gettysburg. The soldiers Lincoln eulogized were not civilians; Civil War adversaries were better-defined and perhaps better understood than those in a war of terror.