Roundtable: What does American “strength” mean in the 21st century?
The Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy presents its second roundtable for the spring 2012 semester. This roundtable will focus on the question posed by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius: What does American “strength” mean in the 21st century? Is it a recovery of the kind of power and prerogative the United States had, say, in the Ronald Reagan years? Or is it something more aligned with changes … Read More
Quick Hit: ‘We the People’ Losing Appeal
I read this story in the New York Times on Monday and found it both fascinating and troubling. “We the People” Loses Appeal with People Around the World” Here’s a brief quote: In 1987, on the Constitution’s bicentennial, Time magazine calculated that “of the 170 countries that exist today, more than 160 have written charters modeled directly or indirectly on the U.S. version.” A quarter-century later, the picture looks very … Read More
Opinion: The Politics of National Interest
The “Halftime in America” ad from Chrysler that I found so compelling angered Karl Rove. Go figure. You could simply chalk it up to different political perspectives—and that might be true, but not in the way you would think. I’ll explain. Democrat or Republican, I’m drawn to candidates who put the nation ahead of party. Liberal or conservative, I’m attracted to public servants who seek common solutions to common problems. … Read More
Quick Hit: Halftime in America
Forget about the football game last night–I know I’m trying to. The halftime ad from Chrysler with Clint Eastwood was remarkable, though, not simply for it’s length and expense, but for its emotional power. It’s halftime America, and our second half is about to begin. It tapped something basic in the psyche of America: the idea that hard times don’t define us; that together we can do anything; that tomorrow … Read More
ANALYSIS: How do you solve a problem like Iran?
The confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program appears to be heading toward a crescendo—and that’s not the same as a resolution. To be sure, talk of western or Israeli military action against Iran’s nuclear program has been at a low boil for years, now. In recent weeks, however, the intensity has increased and spiked on Thursday, February 2, when Washington Post columnist David Ignatius wrote: [U.S. Defense Secretary Leon] Panetta believes … Read More
A Blog is Born
To launch the Pell Center Blog, we proudly present the following imagined dialogue: You: Another blog? Us: Yeah, another blog. You: Why should I care? Us: Because we’re going to be interesting AND informative. You: That’s what every new blog author says. Us: Didn’t you notice? We all-capped “and.” You: Not persuasive. Us: Just like the vast majority of other blogs. So right out of the gate, we’re already in … Read More