Sydney: The United States does not have a moral obligation to help other countries financially. However, our sense of fairness and our moral compass ensures that we do. There are many good reasons to assist other countries. The best one of these is to provide humanitarian relief. There are many poor nations around the world who are unable to provide adequate help to their citizens when disaster strikes. It is also interesting to consider that ‘nation–building’ is now considered important in countries where the army has been waging war. Iraq and Afghanistan are two good examples. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Debt relief for poor countries?
Sydney: There should definitely be debt relief for poor countries. Many of the poorest countries have had decades to pay back all their debt and simply have not been able to do it and there is little chance that they will in the coming decades. In some ways creditors are partially to blame for the situation these countries are in. In a lot of cases lenders gave money to regimes who they knew wouldn’t be spending aid money on the citizens of that nation. So these people are suffering now paying back money they never benefited from in the first place. It is good to see the IMF and various other nations beginning to address the issue of debt relief but the slate needs to be wiped clean if these nations are ever going to give their citizens the life they deserve. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: With recent developments in Michigan, are unions going to become obsolete?
Sydney: Unions have certainly been under fire lately. The recent events in Michigan have greatly weakened the power of unions and it seems likely that this will continue. Many politicians are also critical of unions, especially on the Republican side. It almost seems that the unions have become a scapegoat for the state of the U.S economy with claims they are holding big business (among other things) to ransom. However, unions are important because they protect workers’ rights and help ensure they receive fair pay. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: With the recent Sandy Hook school massacre, is it time to reconsider the issue of gun control?
Sydney: The answer to this question is a resounding yes and it is heartening to hear that the President is keen to make changes. However, this is something easier said than done. The NRA is one of the most influential political lobby groups in the United States and they will not allow changes to the law without a fight. Their suggestion that all school Principals should be armed is a clear indication that the Sandy Hook massacre has not altered their views. The Republicans are also unlikely to support any significant changes to the law. Having said this it is possible that President Obama might be able to get agreement from Congress to introduce a law to ban the sale of assault weapons. This is a law that was passed by the Clinton administration but later expired as part of a sunset clause. Continue reading
10 Ways the Federal Government Can Save Money…Almost Immediately
Submitted by Digger Cartwright
The massive federal budget deficits of the last several years have resulted in an unprecedented increase in our national debt. Since President Obama came to office, the national debt has soared from $10 trillion to nearly $16 trillion, a 50% increase. This uncontrolled federal spending and the accompanying increase in the level of national debt cannot continue. Otherwise we will find ourselves in the same situation as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other countries whose massive social programmes have led them to financial collapse. If we do not control the amount of federal spending, stop deficit spending, and stop increasing the national debt, several things will ultimately happen. This isn’t speculation, it is simply economic fact what will eventually happen: Continue reading
Are There Benefits of Higher Gas Prices?
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: Gas prices seem to be rising constantly, and historically are at high levels. If you asked most people if there were any benefits as a result the answer would most probably be a resounding no. And at a time when the economy is in a bad state and many people are out of work high gas prices ensure that American families continue to be squeezed financially. However the news is not all bad. It may seem difficult to believe but high oil prices do provide some benefits, and not just to the oil companies. In this article we will examine some of these benefits and see who is benefitting. Continue reading
Do the Super PACs Undermine Our Democratic System?
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: Super PACs (Political Action Committees) are organizations that can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, unions and corporations as long as they do not make contributions to candidates or parties, or collaborate with them in their spending (which is also unlimited). These Super PACs have been the subject of much controversy with many votes believing they should be illegal and that they have too much influence. Even their advertisements have been criticized. But in a country which values the right to free speech should people be banned from expressing their political opinion publicly? Democracy gives everyone the right to have their say. Isn’t that what those contributing to the Super PAC’s are doing? What this question boils down to is the debate over whether there is too much money being spent on and in politics. Continue reading
Do We Have A Moral Obligation To Help Others (Part I)?
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: Most people, when considering this question, would form an image in their mind of helping an old lady across the road, or coming to the aid of someone who had fallen over. These are examples of situations that we might experience throughout our lives, either as the person helping, or the person being helped. Of course, the ‘others’ referred to in the title of this article may not just be friends, or people who live in our community. They may be other citizens of our nation who we may never even meet. In even broader terms ‘helping’ may refer to giving foreign aid in order to assist people living in other countries. Continue reading
Do We Have A Moral Obligation To Help Others (Part II)?
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: The second part of this article will examine the extent to which we should help our fellow countrymen and women, and those of other nationalities. This assumes that we have a moral obligation to help them. And based on the first part of this article I believe the answer is yes we do have an obligation. Continue reading
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent The first part of this article discussed the need for the US Government to be smarter in the way it determines foreign policy, particularly in a military sense.
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: For far too long the U.S. concept of foreign policy has been inextricably tied to ‘military policy’ or ‘defense policy’ – another ridiculous and misleading euphemism for overseas military action. In this article I will argue that policy makers need to fundamentally recalibrate their foreign policy in an integrated way that benefits the security and economy of the nation. Continue reading
Thinking Outside The Boxe 