California is the second-biggest state by landmass and the first largest in terms of population; with almost 40 million residents, the Golden State is home to more than 12 percent of the United States’ population. This has made the state a liberal powerhouse on the national stage and has allowed its state legislature to be […]
Author: Old Writer
Julius Malema: Land Expropriation Without Compensation
The Face of Radical African Resistance Julius Malema, the powerhouse leader and founder of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is currently one of the most significant political firebrands in South Africa. At the age of 38, he has spearheaded the second largest opposition party to the African National Congress (ANC) and spent the last six […]
Medicare for All: Resolving the Affordability Crisis Obamacare Didn’t
Prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act — or, as it is more commonly known, Obamacare — health insurance in the United States failed Americans in two significant ways: it did not cover a sizable amount of the country, and it did not make healthcare affordable. Health insurance companies were legally allowed to […]
Behind the Scenes of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’
Within its first 9 days of release, Crazy Rich Asians made $50 million dollars. Tickets sales were surging due to its diverse cast and plot. Critics, actors, movie buffs, and movie watchers all across the world were praising this movie for achieving not only success in the box office but also in representation. However, while […]
The Malacca Dilemma: A hindrance to Chinese Ambitions in the 21st Century
“This man may look intelligent but in fact is stupid.” As evident from the quote above, Deng Xiaoping had a rather low opinion of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the USSR. Xiaoping did not believe in imitating the western model of success. While Gorbachev had tried to reform the USSR through westernized political reform […]
Beating Trump: Five Things Democrats Need To Do Before 2020
Beating Trump in 2020 will not be easy. If there is anything that the Democrats should’ve learned from 2016, this is probably it. The truth is Donald Trump is a much better politician than many of us give him credit for. He is savvy and has great political instincts along with unmatched abilities to manipulate the […]
Kashmir Amidst Neighbouring Political Gains
The following article was written for Berkeley Political Review as part of a collaboration with Davis Political Review. Legend says that on the great Mughal Emperor Jahangir’s deathbed, he was asked what his life’s most treasured experience had been? To this he replied; “Kashmir – everything else is worthless.” Given to his deep love for Kashmir, he […]
Jeremy Corbyn: An Unsatisfactory Alternative
The following article was written for Berkeley Political Review as part of a collaboration with McGill International Review. Today, British politics are engulfed in one sole issue: Brexit. As Theresa May spent the past two years attempting to reach an agreement concerning Brexit, her approval ratings faltered to around 27 percent. The January 15th vote on her […]
Jamal Khashoggi: A Veiled Political Battle Between Saudi Arabia and Turkey
Middle Eastern politics of late have shaken the rest of the world. On the 2nd of October, journalist Jamal Khashoggi reportedly entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and never exited. Khashoggi, a Saudi national most recently living in Virginia on self-imposed exile, was a well-known critic of the Saudi regime. The Saudi […]
The Talk of Toilets in India
Jaya, an educated college woman in India, falls in love with a man, Keshav, who has an incredibly superstitious family. She has to pretend to have two thumbs on her left hand in order to convince his dad to get them married. Despite the odd obstacles she went through in order to marry him, she […]
The Mystery of CFC Emissions
Thirty-one years ago, the world was facing an environmental crisis. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had over the previous century become widely used in refrigeration, insulation, and firefighting. However, the emissions of CFCs into the atmosphere was destroying the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In 1987, 46 nations agreed to the Montreal Protocol, […]
China’s Uighur Muslim Camps: The Face of Non-Western Islamophobia
You can stop saying “assalamu alaikum” to your neighbor, shave your beard, tell your children not to speak of their prayers, even try to fake tickets for an international flight, but you can never truly escape the terror. The psychological trauma remains of knowing that every move you make, every word you utter can lead […]
Did the Politicalization of the Supreme Court Start in California?
Where California goes, so goes the nation. We have all heard this statement, but the question is, is it true? In the case of the increasing politicization of the United States Supreme Court, this certainly seems to be the case. This story goes beyond Brett Kavanaugh and his sexual assault allegations and in fact, starts […]
Sharing is Caring: The Politics and Consequences of Trump’s Trade War
Trump’s recent economic policies on levying tariffs against countries, primarily China, that have a trade deficit with the U.S. have consequences that go beyond just harming the other party. The effects of these policies can be felt right here at home, but your average American voter has a bad understanding of basic economics, not to […]
2018’s October Surprise?: Hurricanes and What they Mean for the Midterm Elections
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the southern portion of the United States. The disaster resulted in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage, leaving many to argue that the response by the Bush administration had been inadequate and ill-timed. As a result of the destruction of critical infrastructure, businesses, and homes, the unemployment […]
“Snowflake” and the Decline in Civil Discourse
“Snowflake.” A precursory Google search brings about an array of sources. YouTube recommends a video entitled, “SNOWFLAKE GETS OWNED BY MILITARY VET!” Breitbart offers an article entitled, “Triggered: Journalist Snowflakes Scared Trump Supporters Are ‘Turning on the Media.’” Most definitions for “snowflakes” revolve around the same general concept: a derogatory slang term that describes a […]
Venezuela: A Textbook Case of How Socialism Breeds Dictatorship
With the largest oil reserves in the world, Venezuela was once the wealthiest nation in Latin America. But today, it is experiencing a historic economic collapse that has forced over 2.3 million citizens to flee the country. Since 2013, Venezuela has lost a third of its gross domestic product while inflation rates have soared at […]
A Spotlight on the Red Light District
When most Californians hear the words “human trafficking,” they imagine a faraway, third-world country. Yet the practice is rampant within the United States –– California ranks among the top four domestic destinations for human trafficking. California is home to an extremely profitable human trafficking industry due to its extensive international borders, easy access to the […]
Creating A College Admissions Process Based On Disadvantage
Affirmative action policies have been adopted by universities across the country for at least four decades, in the hopes of ensuring a diverse campus by creating an equal playing field. The motivation behind these policies is admirable. As someone who was born in a country where over 98 percent of the population shares the same […]
China v. the US: Tariff Threats and Redirection Techniques
On the economic front, the world has recently been shaken by the continued intensification of the Chinese-American trade war initiated by President Trump. Marking just over a year since Trump began his Section 301 investigations on Chinese trade, the newest tariff policy Trump is threatening to impose on total Chinese exports is $200 billion dollars. The […]
Did California Just Cash Out?
On August 28th, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 10 to eliminate cash bail in in the state. After advocating for the removal of cash bail since the late 1970s, the new legislation will go into effect starting October 2019. Today, cash bail is seen as a predatory institution that has directly targeted and predominantly […]
Search Engine Politics: How Algorithms are Creating Political Controversy
With new and emerging technologies including social media platforms and search engines, old problems are being brought to the forefront once again. One of those issues is political bias and it is an issue that is now being discussed, investigated, and debated in the halls of Congress. Discussing political bias, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter […]
The Political Case Against Impeaching Trump
This summer, Alan Dershowitz, a retired Harvard Law School professor, laid out his case against impeaching President Donald Trump in his new book, The Case Against Impeaching Trump. While he presents a valid case from a legal perspective, the political arguments against impeaching the president may be even stronger. Trump’s Popularity Donald Trump is popular — at […]
Policy Shootout: Georgia Versus Delta Airlines
Corporations have followed the lead of social activists in the nationwide movement calling for greater gun control in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, instituting anti-NRA and anti-gun policies. Delta Airlines, in particular, has raised headlines recently. “You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in” said […]
The Political Side of Fútbol
The FIFA World Cup is the most watched event in the world, and this summer, it will be played in Russia. There are 32 teams competing for the title, with powerhouses such as Germany, France, Brazil, and Spain considered to be the favorites to win it all. Unfortunately, the United States will not be represented […]
Avoiding Traffic at All Costs: Is The Bullet Train Worth It?
Imagine this — you arrive in Los Angeles from San Francisco in a mere three-hour train ride to hang out on the beach with your friends. No painful six-hour drive or delayed flights, but rather, a trip that gets you to your destination as painless and quick as possible. The thought of having a train […]
Uncharted Waters
The last time you used Facebook, it is entirely possible that like any normal social media user, you saw a cute picture or an interesting post and reacted by clicking the like button or commented how you felt about it. Sounds pretty innocent, right? False. The recent Cambridge Analytica scandal has revealed that not only […]
The Decrease of Psychiatrists in California: Another Battle for Mental Health
On average, 1 in 20 adults in California suffers from a serious mental illness that severely affects the way they go about their daily activities. That staggering statistic, although shocking, should not be surprising. College campuses are constantly reminding students of the importance in seeking medical attention in high-stress environments, and as early as elementary […]
To Spy or Not to Spy: Questions Raised by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
In June of 2008, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama stated that “Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people.” However, he went on […]
Racial Inequalities Permeate the Legal Marijuana Market
The date April 20th seems to be a holiday at the University of California, Berkeley and various other college campuses throughout the state. Walking through campus on this unofficial holiday will lead to encounters with dozens of food trucks and tables occupied by eager students trying to sell their snacks for those suffering from “munchies,” […]
Afghan War: the Never Ending Struggle
The US war in Afghanistan is now entering its sixteenth year. Countless lives and tax dollars have been spent fighting it. Yet, despite administrative changes at the federal level and fresh vows to bring an end to the war, the US is still embroiled in a painfully long struggle with no exit strategy in sight. […]
Fresno’s Future Fulton
The large open space scattered with couches and tapestries, filled with lush green plants hanging from the ceilings, would almost make you forget that you were on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno. You walk throughout this new store and admire the vintage clothing, the handmade crafts, and the organic coffee and think to yourself, “Hey, […]
By Any Other Name: Kazakhstan’s Alphabet Migration
Kazakhstan is no stranger to changes in the national language. In the country’s history, the written script has changed four times while the language in question, Kazakh, has remained the same. Migrating from its original runic scripts, Kazakh adapted adopted Arabic script under the influence of Islamic traders in the 8th century, modified it slightly […]
The Power of Top-Two: How an Emerging Primary System is Changing the Game
For the past 150 years, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party have been competing with one another in general elections across the country. They have competed against each other for donor dollars, fought for control over districts and states, and battled for the presidency. But with the top-two primary system, implemented in California, Washington, […]
Turning the Golden State Green: California’s Reputation as an Environmental Savior
In the wake of an environmentally-hostile federal administration, California has all but been crowned the sustainable savior of the United States, largely due to its long history of climate change policy and strong rhetoric of the state’s leaders at present. The state has been set up as something of a resistance leader, meant to guide […]
The State of Pakistani Democracy
Democracies are built on the backs of ideals. As democracies get stronger, so do the institutions and ideals they are built upon. However, the international community has recently seen even the most resilient democracies fracture under the weight of anti-democratic forces. Take India and Turkey as examples, where strong-arm leaders have gained control, and have […]
Money Talks: The Cost of Free Speech on Campus
Free speech comes at a steep price for the UC Berkeley campus: since the election of Donald Trump, the campus has put $1.5 million, taken out of a meager $2.6 million operations budget, towards the protection of free speech. This does not include the expenses the City of Berkeley was left with following the damages […]
Tale of Two States: Cameroon’s Crisis
“Que l’on se comprenne bien, il n’est pas interdit d’exprimer des préoccupations dans la République. En revanche, rien de grand ne peut se construire dans la surenchère verbale, la violence de rue et le défi à l’autorité.” “Let me make this very clear: it is not forbidden to voice any concerns in the […]
How to Steal a Nomination
Donna Brazile. That is the name of the woman that is reopening old wounds that the Democratic Party so desperately wants to close. In excerpts from her new book titled Hacks, the former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee reveals the alleged corruption, the bargaining, and the turmoil that was behind Hillary Clinton’s Democratic […]
A crippled democracy? The 2017 Kenyan Presidential Election
NAIROBI – On the eighth of August, Kenyans across the nation lined up in front of the polling stations and proudly exited with ink-stained fingers as their bodily evidence of democracy. Reigning president Uhuru Kenyatta was elected for a second term in office and international observers such as the European Union and the Carter Center praised […]
Misstepping in a Multi-Polarizing World: Trump Stumbles in Pivot to Asia
Following President Trump’s visit to China in his 2017 Asia-Pacific tour, both Xinhua News, the official press agency of the People’s Republic of China, and Trump himself touted his rapport with President Xi Jinping. Yet no sooner had Xi and Trump waxed their platitudes than they were advocating opposing stances on regional trade and leadership […]
A Place Run by Criminals: An Insight into The American Prison
Over the course of three years, prisoners from across the United States sent letters to Human Rights Watch detailing cases of sexual assault in prisons, most of them first-hand experiences. An inmate labeled A.H. wrote, “I have been raped by up to 5 black men and two white men at a time. I’ve had knifes […]
Is Justice Bought?
CRIMINAL You’re a drug dealer who’s just been busted for possession with intent to distribute. You started dealing in college to help pay for tuition and promised you would stop after graduation. Beads of sweat shoot down your face as you realize the evidence is stacked against you and could do up to ten years. […]
To Boldly Go Where No Military Branch Has Gone Before
In 1969, the United States became the first country to land a man on the moon. While this was not the first time America had set its eyes upon the stars, it was one of the first realizations of that dream. Nearly fifty years later, a new era may have arrived as serious conversation has […]
Myanmar’s Swiss Cheese Democracy
The atrocities facing Rohingya Muslims, both inside the Rakhine state of Myanmar and those fleeing into Bangladesh as refugees, are well documented by now. And so is the blanket denial of the government, represented by its de facto leader and the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi. While world leaders are […]
Fake News is Real: The Rise of Computational Propaganda and Its Political Ramifications
“Fake News” — two words that have become synonymous with Donald Trump and his 2016 bid for the presidency. Some wholeheartedly believed it, some cast it aside as irrelevant, and others avidly denied it. Yet, President Trump was right. Fake news is real, but not necessarily in the way that most imagine. In the 2016 election, […]
Gender Identity in Trump’s Military
“After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow…” Silence. Nine minutes later, he tweets: “The United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military” (26 July 2017). Despite the controversy caused by […]
Pakistan’s “Godfather” Bites The Dust
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in July this year on allegations of corruption and money laundering. The Panama Papers leak linking Sharif and his family to several offshore companies sparked a Supreme Court inquiry into their financial dealings over the years. The case, however, quickly started to resemble a reality tv […]
Statue Statutes: Will Renaming Bring Reconciliation?
In the town of Kitchener, Ontario, the statue of Sir John A. MacDonald is struggling to find a permanent home. The bronze likeness of the nation’s first Prime Minister, created by famous Canadian sculptor Ruth Abernethy, was initially commissioned to be featured alongside other statues of past statesmen in a new city park celebrating Canada’s […]
Electoral Breakthrough or Electoral Persistence? Forecasting AfD’s Future in the German Parliament
The Western world breathed a sigh of relief after the triumph of the young independent centrist Emmanuel Macron over Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Front, in the French presidential election. His victory was hailed as a sign that the emerging tidal wave of populism that had culminated in the Brexit Vote and […]
The Beef Ban: A Symbol of Hindutva and a Threat to Indian Democracy
Contrary to what one might imagine associated with no-meat and no-beef movements in the West, such as animal rights and veganism, the connotations of restrictions on cow slaughter in India are very different. Instead, the news conjures up images of murder and lynchings, of executions without trial for a crime that isn’t legally penalized. […]
Qui est Emmanuel Macron?
On the evening of May 7th, spectators across the world took a deep breath of relief, as French rejected an extreme-right presidential candidate. Despite the (at least) momentary respite and the soaring optimism in the ‘heart of Europe’, the question remains if the new President, Emmanuel Macron, can transform the momentum of his campaign into […]
A Matter of Pride and Prejudice: The Firing of FBI Director James Comey
It all began as an October surprise. On October 30, 2016, just days before the Presidential election that would cause an upset of historical proportions as Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, headlines read much like this Politico one: “The Very Political James Comey: The FBI director says he doesn’t […]
Running on Empty
The Demise of the American Coal Industry Hidden within the the Appalachian Mountains is a deeply American problem. Dotting the Appalachians are coal mines, and around these mines, coal towns. However, as global energy dependence has shifted away from coal and towards clean energy, the lifeblood of the traditional energy industry was siphoned away, leaving […]
Power Plays
A Tug of War Between the President and the Intelligence Community On January 21, 2017, addressing several hundred key CIA officials, Donald Trump stood before the CIA Memorial Wall and announced, “there is nobody that feels stronger about the intelligence community and the CIA than Donald Trump”. Despite this declaration of support, his speech received mixed […]
Separation of Church and State?: What the First Amendment Really Meant
Ronald Reagan, known for his one-liners, often joked that “as long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public schools.” Though intended as a humorous aphorism, the debate over the role of religion in public schools has persisted over the decades. “Separation of church and state.” It is a mantra every American has […]
The Recession of the Pink Tide
Empty shelves in Venezuela Lenin Moreno’s April victory in the Ecuadorian presidential election must have brought sighs of relief to socialists across the continent, who have been buffeted by scandals and electoral defeats in recent years. Still, it was a close fight. Guillermo Lasso, the conservative candidate and a former banker, was able to win […]
When the Fox Met the Golden Bear: Former Mexican President Vicente Fox Wasn’t Ready for Cal
Reflections Upon Vicente Fox’s Speech at UC Berkeley: April 19, 2017 One word comes to mind upon seeing Vicente Fox in the flesh: charming. Tall and straight, boasting a full head of hair and an impressive mustache, the 55th president of Mexico does not look his seventy-four years. His age isn’t reflected in his […]
Montgomery, Alabama – Race Relations and Reforms
“The only way to solve the problem is to admit we have a problem,” said Montgomery County Executive, Ike Leggett, at the town hall. So what is the problem? On July 19, 2016, Montgomery County organized a town-hall discussion at the Silver Spring Civic Center to allow residents to express their concerns about local police, […]
100 Years of Mugabe?
In a true birthday bash, the oldest president alive, Robert Mugabe, celebrated his 93d birthday on February 21st. The ostentatious celebration, including a 93-kilogram cake for the invitees to indulge in, is the antithesis of the standard of living of $3.24/day for the average Zimbabwean. A severe economic crisis is looming in the country and the […]
Unethical Yet Unsurprising: The GOP’s Latest Blow to Planned Parenthood
Were you to search for online testimonials of people who have received services from Planned Parenthood, you would find results overwhelmingly inspirational and hopeful, ranging from stories of women from strict religious families receiving birth control pills and becoming the first in their family to not become a teenage mother to college students getting STI […]
Frozen in Place: Canada’s Arctic Policy
Canadian Ranger transporting supplies in the Arctic during Canada’s annual sovereignty Operation Nunalivut It’s 1984. Cold War animosity is back to normal and the U.S.S.R has announced its boycott of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Ronald Reagan and his promise to fight the “evil empire” have succeeded in one of the greatest electoral landslides in […]
Indonesia in the Democratic Recession
Muslim protesters calling for the imprisonment of incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki Purnama on blasphemy charges On February 15th, millions of Jakarta residents went to vote in their third gubernatorial election since democracy took hold. More than a simple exercise of voting rights, this election represents a referendum on the direction of Indonesian democracy. The […]
The Coming Battle
Donald Trump and the Future of Sanctuary Cities “We are going to fight this, and cities and states around the country are going to fight this,” said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) at a press conference following President Trump’s January executive order aimed at pressuring sanctuary cities to reverse their policy. The sentiments expressed […]
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité threatened in 2017 French Election
A conservative wind is sweeping through the so-called Western liberal democracies- staunching liberal reform and creating a political conversion of protectionism intertwined in a nationalistic discourse. France has proven no exception to this political trend. In the wake of the April 23 presidential election, two populist candidates- Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron are leading […]
Aftermath: The Milo protests and where Berkeley went wrong
This article is part of a series examining the anti-Milo Yiannopoulos protests and their aftermath — a campus event that has since pierced and provoked people nationwide — from various different perspectives. Several of these pieces include first person testimonies and narratives that illuminate facts of the protests not necessarily highlighted in mainstream media coverage. […]
Milo’s (Biblically?) Predestined Fall from Grace
For a British editor of a far-right, highly disreputable news source, Milo Yiannopoulos has certainly been gracing headlines of leading U.S. papers far more than expected. Then again, we’re living in a world where Breitbart News founding member and former executive chair Steve Bannon is widely considered the most powerful man in the White House. […]
Tried and True? Obamacare and the Nationalization of American Policy
Until the winter of 1917, the hallmark of American government had been limited federal power. With the entrance of the United States into the first World War, President Woodrow Wilson shattered this standard with a single signature. In December 1917, he signed into action the Federal Possession and Control Act, effectively nationalizing the railroad industry […]
Bolivarianism: A Fanfare for the Common Man?
Hugo Chávez clapping in front of a portrait of Simón Bolívar Not long ago, Venezuela sought to brand itself as a leader, a resurgent power eager to lead the escape from U.S. imperialism towards true Latin independence. With a new constitution and the charismatic Hugo Chávez at the helm, Venezuela underwent extensive political, economic, and […]
A Disunified Party in Power: Republicans off to a shaky start with ACA Repeal
January 9, 2016 — On the floor of the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) stands in front of a large posterboard emblazoned with a neon yellow “$9.7 trillion” — the amount of money he claims national spending will be increased by, were the current budget reconciliation plan to pass. Paul is arguing that the current […]
South Africa: Demographics and the One-Party State
A voter shows her inked thumb after voting in South Africa’s municipal elections For the party that led South Africa out of Apartheid, a monopoly on the future of South Africa has long been assured — that is, until last August. Taking home only 53.9% of the vote in the municipal elections, the African National […]
Modi’s 500 Rupee Solution for Ending Corruption
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over screens in an unscheduled television address on the evening of November 8th and announced the invalidation by midnight of the 500 and 1000 rupee bills, currently the largest bills in circulation. Talks about the ban had been taking place for a while, but any actual confirmation was kept […]
Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act: The Bad and the Ugly
Advocates of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act protest President Obama’s veto outside the White House. Stephanie DeSimone was pregnant when her husband, Navy Commander Patrick Dunn was killed at the Pentagon in the September 11 attacks in 2001. 15 years later, in 2016, DeSimone filed a lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. […]
What Happens to the Workers?: The Economic Implications of the Technological Revolution
Drones delivering packages, self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence answering phone calls, food being prepared at the touch of a screen – this may all seem like science-fiction, but in reality, the future is already here. Technological innovation and its use in the workplace is not a novel concept. Since the birth of modern American history, the […]
The Ill-Named Item Number
Kareena Kapoor, a famous Bollywood actress, is seen in the still above performing the item number “Fevicol Se” in the film Dabangg 2. A colorful brothel. Scantily dressed women. Intoxicated men ogling prostitutes. These set the scene for one of the most popular item numbers in Bollywood, “Munni Badnaam Hui” from the 2010 movie Dabangg. […]
On Brexit: Did Britain defy expectations or fulfill them by choosing to leave the E.U.?
In headlines across lands so expansive that the sun never sets upon them, the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union in a national referendum on June 23, 2016. For those of you who, like numerous British citizens, are wondering what exactly this means or why everybody of every nationality seems to have such […]
Patching Up The Problem? A Look Into California’s Healthcare Tax Plan
Have California lawmakers solved the state’s healthcare budget problems? Yes, or at least for now. Currently, under the regulations of the Affordable Care Act and through Covered California, which helps people and small businesses navigate the healthcare insurance market, Californians may buy private insurance or may qualify for receiving health insurance through the Medi-Cal program—the […]
India, South Asia, and Hindutva: What’s Going On With California Textbooks?
A decade after the notorious 2005 California controversy over representation of Hinduism in state textbooks, it looks like a similar issue has come back to bite the California Department of Education. Previously, the Vedic Foundation and the American Hindu Education Foundation (HEF) complained to the California’s Curriculum Commission about an alleged misrepresentation of Indian Hinduism, […]
Renewing and Rewriting Our Vows to the Constitution
America loves the Constitution. The centuries old parchment captivates the reverence of every demographic: from Democrats to Republicans and Socialists to Tea-Partiers. Newly naturalized citizens and members of our highest offices alike swear allegiance to the document; junior high students memorize its beloved framers and many amendments. Iconic phrases such as “We the People” create […]
Will the Rainbow Flag Fly Over China?
Following last summer’s landmark Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage in the U.S., and the world’s first-ever legalization through the popular vote in Ireland, legions of rainbow flags were hoisted up from Australia to Colombia. However, in South Korea, conservative evangelicals and other anti-marriage equality protesters outnumbered proponents 25,000 to 20,000. A parallel narrative […]
Such Great Heights: The Ascent of Hillary Clinton
Can you hear it—the shattering of the glass ceiling? The 2016 presidential race has been a cacophony of political noise, but not much noise can muffle the fact that, come November 2016, the United States may have its first female president. Hillary Clinton is not only making history and breaking convention by being the first […]
The Indian Farce of Free Speech: JNU Students Arrested Over Alleged Anti-India Comments
At UC Berkeley, if you plan to take Political Science 1, also known as Intro to American Politics, at any point, then you will likely hear Professor Citrin rant at least once about the increasing erosion of free speech at Berkeley. He will bemoan the tarring of our legacy as the location of the Free […]
A Horrifying Reality: A Favorite Nobel Laureate presiding over Internment Camps
Given the choice of exile or imprisonment, Aung San Suu Kyi chose to suffer fifteen years as a political prisoner in defiance to Myanmar’s brutal military dictatorship. The world needs more of such selfless devotion to democracy and human rights in the face of certain opposition. This November, in the first free elections in a […]
A Year Later, Back to Vaxing: California’s New Vaccination Laws
Vaccinations have been at the heart of discussions on public health in California. Or rather, they have been injected into California schoolchildren and their caretakers, as well as into debates in the California State Legislature. On June 30, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown approved Senate Bill No. 277, which “would eliminate the exemption from existing specified […]
A Blunt Look at the Marijuana Industry
Snoop Dogg is doing it. Peter Thiel is doing it. No longer are drug dealers the only people who may profit off this lucrative plant. The marijuana industry has swelled in recent years as weed becomes legal both medically and recreationally in more states, and people are increasingly seeing it as an opportunity for investment. […]
#OscarsSoWhite: The Call for Racial Diversity in Hollywood
Lack of racial diversity in Hollywood made headlines last year when the 2015 Academy Awards (AKA the Oscars) featured nominations for twenty white actors and zero minority actors in its acting categories. The outrage caught on social media fire with a blunt and catchy Twitter hashtag : #OscarsSoWhite. The #OscarsSoWhite people received backlash, too, mostly […]
Where Are They Now?
The Unfinished, Yet Uncovered Saga of the Central American Migrant Crisis When news broke in June 2014 that an unprecedented 50,000 unaccompanied Central American children had arrived at the U.S. border since October 2013, the White House declared it an “urgent humanitarian situation,” drawing the attention and concern of the U.S. government, media, and public. By […]
The Election Effect
Every election year, the fate of the American people is up for grabs. Tensions run high, and nearly half of the nation is bound to be unsatisfied by the result. Uncertainty plagues the months leading up to the election, which are fraught with political jabs and increasingly quixotic promises by candidates hoping to win over […]
To the Land of the Kiwis—Problems Arising from the Chinese and Indian Tidal Wave of Immigration to New Zealand
New Zealand today has more ethnicities than there are countries in the world. Starting in 2013, the land of the Kiwis has seen record net gains of migrants from countries such as India, China, the Philippines and Britain. New Zealand’s two largest immigrant pools are Chinese and Indians—who now comprise of 17 and 16 percent of […]
Sex Ed: Just Words? The Details and Implications of the California Healthy Youth Act
Source: New American Media On October 1, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 329 into law. With the passing of AB 329—the California Healthy Youth Act—school districts are authorized to “provide comprehensive sexual health education,” using “age-appropriate” material, to elementary and high school students. The law also imposes requirements on California school districts to […]
The Precarious Position of Planned Parenthood
2015 has been a year full of debate, controversy and headlines regarding Planned Parenthood (PP), but the nation was stunned on November 27th when a gunman attacked a PP clinic, killing three people and injuring nine others. A standoff between the shooter and police lasted five hours at the Colorado Springs clinic, ending with the […]
Underground Construction: What the Underground Construction Industry Means for California
In California, one in six construction workers has fallen into the underground economy. Source: Bloomberg/United States Department of Labor Imagine the underground. Dirt, rocks, dark tunnels. All activity is below the surface—subterranean. The underground is hidden, furtive, and secretive. Now imagine underground economic activity. Literally, it may be exchanges that take place below the ground, […]
Trade, Oppression and Uncle Sam
The belief in American superiority poisons nearly all public debate in the United States. In recent months, the effect of this belief has become painfully clear in respect to the debate surrounding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) — a debate, in which opponents and proponents alike refract their arguments through thick lenses of American nationalism. […]
“Leapfrogging”: Can developing countries truly skip over fossil fuel reliance in favor of renewable energies?
There is a popular argument that progress and growth are not possible without reliance on fossil fuel-powered energy. Examples abide to support this claim: almost every industrialized country is (relatively and subjectively) thriving today because of their rampant abuse of coal, oil, and gas. The 1.3 billion people without electricity access are largely concentrated in […]
A Dying King, a Rising Military
Thailand is standing on the cusp of its most decisive event in modern history: the approaching death of King Bhumibol. The struggle for control and power has already started and includes a military coup, a populist billionaire politician in exile and a playboy Crown Prince with a pet poodle named Air Chief Marshal Foo Foo. […]
A Shadowy Web of Unknowns: Unearthing the Underground Economy in Nuclear Materials
100 tons of plutonium, 1,000 tons of highly enriched uranium, and 30,000 nuclear warheads make up the known Russian nuclear arsenal today. However, following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, large parts of the USSR’s vast arsenal of nuclear-grade weaponry were left scattered and unmonitored, meaning the actual arsenal size may be much […]
Canada’s Consolation Prize
On October 19, 2015, Canada voted and handed their government’s leadership, previously under the Conservative Party for almost a decade, to the Liberal Party and its charismatic leader. But can this hyped-up heir with floppy hair deliver on his campaign promise of “real change”?” Let’s take a look at the facts. Trudeau, son of wildly […]
The Adverse Effects of the Western Fixation on India’s “Rape Problem”
In the past few years, India has been making international headlines not so much for its new Prime Minister or his new environmental and space programs, but for something a lot less bureaucratic — and a lot more threatening to its status as a developing nation to root for. The 2012 Delhi rape case, also […]
Cyberwar with China
The U.S. has been hacked on over 700 occasions in just five years on fronts ranging from corporate to private to governmental. Over the past two years, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was hacked on two separate occasions; the hack this year was deemed the largest in U.S. history, with 5.6 million fingerprints and […]
The Exceptions and the Norm
While women represent half of California’s population, they make up only one-fourth of the California State Legislature. Source: Dishary Hossain California Attorney General Kamala Harris and United States Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez—both are in the lead for the 2016 election to the U.S. Senate as representative of the state of California. Senator Dianne Feinstein and […]
The Crack in Voting Equality
“Freeway” Rick Ross, the first distributor of crack cocaine in the US “We never called it crack, that was what the government named it,” says “Freeway” Rick Ross, the man largely credited with the introduction of crack cocaine to the US, “I think that they gave it the name crack to sensationalize the danger of […]
Picket Signs Over Gavels
In the beginning of 2015, the Swedish foreign minister, Margot Wallström, described the Saudi Arabian judicial system as “medieval.” Since then, she has been portrayed both as a culturally insensitive Islamophobe and as champion of human rights. The Guardian, for example, called her “magnificently undiplomatic.” But Margot Wallström is neither an Islamophobe nor is she […]
Lessons from the School of Trumpian Politics along the Venezuelan-Colombian Border
Xenophobic ideology is not new to politics. It is, however, relatively new to Venezuela, which has been one of the more welcoming South American countries to immigrants throughout the second half of the 20th century. On August 19, 2015, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced “Operation Liberation of the People” (OLP). Since then, over 1,500 Colombians have […]
Feminism’s Glass Ceiling
Women: they’re everywhere! Mothers, actresses, professors, Presidents – you name it, and a woman will be it. This development, however, is recent. It is only in the last 100 years that society has recognized that women are also human beings, with the capacity to deserve human rights. It is for this reason that today, society […]
A Beefed Up Industry
Petaluma, California once boasted the title of Egg Capital of the World, and every spring the residents flock into downtown to celebrate the main event of the year: the Butter and Eggs parade. While I do appreciate tractor processions and cow-pie tossing contests, the festivities were never for me. But being a Sonoma County resident […]
Angelina Jolie and Being Transgender: Why Your Body Does Not Define You
Angelina Jolie is one of the most famous women in the world. She’s an accomplished actress and producer, as well as a well-known philanthropist and a beauty icon. Along with news about her most recent film, she most recently graced the headlines of popular media due to her decision to undergo preventative surgery and have […]
Internal Politics Color Gerrymandering Fight in Berkeley
After a yearlong, virulent, and expensive fight, Measure S passed in Berkeley, California–establishing a student-age supermajority city council district. Measure S was a taboo political word; it was, quite frankly, a gerrymander. It designed the City Council maps to give an electoral advantage to a specific group–students. But the story was not that simple. The […]
The Fall of John Kitzhaber
On February 18th, amid allegations that his wife was inappropriately paid by clean energy companies, Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber of Oregon resigned. The entire affair was a bizarre series of events which took down Oregon’s most experienced politician. At the inaugural address of his 4th term, Kitzhaber stated “[t]his will complete the arc of my […]
Yemen on the Brink of Civil War
Yemen is on the brink of civil war, after the Houthis, a well-organized group of Shia rebels, put current interim President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi under house arrest, leading to his resignation. Hadi fled the capital city Sana’a in late January and settled in his hometown of Aden, where he claimed the legitimate government resided. He […]
The Controversy Around Hillary
Hillary Rodham Clinton. One would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t know the name. Hillary—spelled with two l’s—Clinton made a name for herself first at Wellesley College where she became the first student to deliver a commencement address in 1969. The speech was so great, it received a standing ovation and was reprinted in […]
Russia Looks East
In a move that may further isolate Russia in the eyes of the West, Pyongyang and Moscow have formed a new year of friendship alliance that will deepen political and economic ties between the two countries. In his first trip outside North Korea since taking the reins of power in 2011, Kim Jong Un will […]
Learning to Listen: Napolitano and UC Tuition Protests
“We don’t have to listen to this crap,” Janet Napolitano was caught on video saying at a recent UC regents meeting. The “crap” she was referring to was a student demonstration that occurred during public comment when about 30 students stripped off their clothing to reveal their undergarments and threw fake money at the regents, […]
What’s Up Their Sleeves?
There was a recent New York article written by Vanessa Friedman discussing Michelle Obama’s fashion choices when she toured Asia to promote the “Let Girls Learn” education campaign. In the article, Friedman expresses her surprise that the First Lady chose to wear more traditionally feminine outfits such as a bright yellow patterned dress unlike the […]
An Agri-Culture of Settlement
Increasingly serious labor shortages are putting America’s conveniently low food prices at risk. Yet, Obama’s recent executive action on immigration does little to assuage the agricultural labor crisis and could possibly exacerbate the shortage. The shortage problem is challenging the agriculture industry to adapt and may lead to the establishment of a more efficient food […]
A Possible Return of Partisan Gerrymandering
As the Arizona State Legislature resumes its fight to reinstate gerrymandering for congressional districts, California may also witness the rebirth of gerrymandering in future elections. The case, Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has decided to hear oral arguments from Arizona attorneys on March 2 and […]
Mr. Xi Jinping, Tear Down This (Fire)Wall
In Beijing, signs throughout the city read: “Patriotism, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Virtue.” Like most political slogans, this particular one relies heavily on wishful thinking and an element of deception. China ranks 22 out of 50 OECD economies in innovation, a surprisingly low number given the prowess of the Chinese economy. Innovation itself is synonymous with taking […]
The Empty Ballot
On House of Cards, Frank Underwood quipped, “Politicians can’t resist making promises they can’t keep.”[1] As the ASUC elections dawn upon Berkeley, our fledgling politicians await unknowing freshmen on Sproul Plaza, hoping to sell overambitious platforms and promises they won’t be able to fulfill. Those who have survived this rite of passage in previous years avoid […]
Ebola Ethics
Sporadically emerging from its natural reservoirs, the Ebola virus has recently captured global attention. Looming over West Africa, the Ebola pandemic has been transmitted and transported over national boundaries, now finding itself on U.S. soil. But the Ebola virus is not new; this disease was first noted in Zaire, the predecessor of the Democratic Republic […]
The Murder of Avijit Roy
On February 26, Bangladeshi-American blogger Avijit Roy was murdered in the street by religious extremists in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Roy was an avid advocate for secularism and spoke out constantly against religious extremism. Because of his blog posts and books, he was repeatedly threatened online, including by his suspected assailant, and told that he would be […]
Jon Stewart: The End of an Era
Almost sixteen years ago, Jon Stewart replaced Craig Kilborn on The Daily Show, while Kilborn stole his way onto The Late Late Show. Yet that failure seems to have been his last, for there is no doubt that Jon Stewart is the founder of the late night fake news show genre, and that his show’s […]
Fighting Off the Bias
“Mo’ money, mo’ problems” is a refrain uttered by the hip-hop loving, Notorious B.I.G. obsessed 11-year old Eddie Huang, star of ABC’s new hit television show Fresh Off the Boat. There are two very interesting things about the previous sentence. The first is the phrase, “fresh off the boat.” The second is Eddie’s last name, […]
Twilight for Late Night’s Old Stars
The late night TV show industry has progressed in its short history from the likes of Johnny Carson and David Letterman to the more sharp-tongued and politically focused Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. In fact, many of these late night comedy shows have become news sources capable of rivaling traditional shows on FOX or MSNBC. […]
ANWar: The Historic Fight for Alaska’s Wilderness Heats Up
As Obama looks to the end of his presidency, he’s turned to the Arctic North to put some heat on his environmental detractors. In January 2015, President Obama designated 12.3 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness, the largest formal designation of its kind. President Obama’s conservation legacy has long been […]
Viable Ambassadors or Bona Fide Embarrassments?
“Viable Ambassadors or Bona Fide Embarassments?” was originally published in the Davis Political Review on December 9, 2014. What do a soap opera creator, a public relations executive, and a hotel mogul all have in common? Sure, all three donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the 2012 Obama campaign for president. But Colleen Bradley […]
Swinging Red for Rand Paul
“Is government inherently stupid?” the Republican Senator asked the young Californian crowd; attempting to joke. Although, perhaps the real humor would lie in the odd circumstance of a right-winger’s hopeless attempt to court a distant, difficult, and deeply democratic demographic. “No…” was the answer; as unexpected and strange as the question’s proposer. However, laughter followed […]
The Ferguson Verdict
On November 24th, a St. Louis County grand jury of twelve came to the decision that white Police Officer Darren Wilson acted lawfully. He was on trial for shooting unarmed black teen Michael Brown six times, ending his life on August 9th 2014. Only 11 days after the death of Brown, the St. Louis grand jury […]
Breaking the Ice: The Politics of the Arctic Council
Arctic policy has been frozen in United States political conversation for years. However, in May of 2015, the US will take over chairmanship of the Arctic Council, an understated organization for the Arctic. This comes in a time of expanding opportunities in the Arctic as well as rising tensions where caution is the lingua franca […]
Voting Rights and Voting Wrongs
Electoral law is in vogue for state legislatures this year. Facing the monumental Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder last year, some states are free to pass new electoral laws. These new laws are designed to prevent voter fraud by implementing more rigorous voting practices. These include requiring voter identification, cutting early voting, […]
Immigration Reform: The Echo That Can’t Be Ignored
The loud words “We need relief now!” echoed through the ballroom and paused President Obama mid-sentence. Open heckling, shouts, and insults met the President when he attended the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Awards Gala for the first time during his second term on October 2nd. The very demographic President Obama had once been proclaimed a “champion” […]
The Re-Tea-Blican Party: Is This the Return of the Prodigal Party?
By Merrill Weber The Mississippi River divides Mississippi from New Orleans just like the Tea Party divides the Republican Party. After incumbent Thad Cochran dealt Chris McDaniel a losing hand in June’s runoff election, Tea Party candidate McDaniel turned to the Mississippi GOP for redemption. Unsurprisingly, the GOP dismissed McDaniel’s circumstantial accusations, leaving the Mississippi […]
Why a Loss for Hillary in 2016 Means a Win in 2020
Hillary Clinton will not win the Presidency come November 8th. When one leaves partisan backing and brinkmanship at the door it is clear that, due to a hundred years of political examples and an election cycle as old as the two party system, the writing is on the wall and the writing is red. For […]
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Farm Bill
The Agriculture Act of 2014, this year’s farm bill, faced a difficult road to passage this time around. After the 2008 farm bill expired at the end of 2012, it suffered a stunted nine-month extension as part of the fiscal cliff deal. Then, after six months of debate and a limited extension, the bill […]
The United States Without Net Neutrality
A war is being waged for the Internet, and governments, activists, and everyday people are trying to gain as much control as they can. Democratic governments and authoritarian governments are in ideological conflict over whether the Internet should be free or restricted, anarchists are hacking into government websites and trying to evade law enforcement, and […]
A “Venezuelan Spring”?
On February 4, 2014, a female student was raped on a university campus in the western state of Tachira, Venezuela, spurring student protests across the country. The conflict escalated quickly when three students were killed in clashes with security forces at a rally on February 12. With inflation at 56%, the fifth highest murder rate […]
Can European Data become a Reality?
This past February Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel made a proposal for reduced telecommunications dependence on the US, instead developing Europe’s own “data hub.” Undoubtedly this move reflects an increasing sense of distrust between Germany and the US given recent reports of the US National Security Administration’s extensive surveillance of foreign allied leaders, among other targets. […]
Tenure on Trial
In 2012, a study of fifteen year-olds from 34 developed countries ranked U.S. students 17th, scoring 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading. Yet the U.S. ranked 5th in spending for students. As a student from Los Angeles Unified School District, these dismal scores make complete sense to me. Amid the constant […]
Making Markets Moral
Headlines from the past few months would suggest that justice is finally being served for the 2008 financial crisis. The Justice Department recently reached a record $13 billion settlement with JPMorgan for fraudulent lending practices. A Bank of America manager may even go to jail over similar charges. However, even the record size JPMorgan settlement […]
The Snub Heard ‘Round China
My mom and I seldom talk about politics because of the language barrier and also because I need her to pay my tuition. But a month ago, she asked me why Michelle Obama snubbed Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, by not going to the Obama-Xi summit meeting. I told her that […]
Free Speech and the Right to Curse at a Police Officer
Most pedestrians of Sproul Plaza have probably noticed that the University of California Police Department (UCPD) has been cracking down on bicyclists in recent weeks, handing out dozens of tickets to students in violation of the university’s ”Dismount Zone” policy. A relatively unknown and ignored rule, the Dismount Zone is a designated area on south campus where bicyclists are required […]
The Young and the Homeless
Written by Marine Chalons As the busiest street in Berkeley, Telegraph Avenue is a window into two worlds. Everyday thousands of students march up the street until it dead-ends in Sproul Plaza, where the nation’s finest public university awaits them. But to others of the similar age, Telegraph is not part of the daily commute. […]