What Were We Thinking? Selected Schar School of Policy and Government Op-Eds (August 2022)

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From the Washington Post:

Why the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ Is No Such Thing

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that, over the next two years, the Inflation Reduction Act is likely to change the inflation rate by less than one tenth of one percent — but it isn’t sure whether the change would be up or down.

—Steven Pearlstein

 

From the Washington Post:

The Virginia GOP Is Eroding Democrats’ Hold on Latino Voters

Where the loyalties of the fastest-growing segment of any population group in America go and how long they stay there are impossible to predict. But candidates and parties that do not ardently engage Latino communities do so at their considerable peril.

—Mark J. Rozell

 

From the Hill:

What’s Liz Cheney Thinking About 2024?

She could run for president as an independent, split the Republican vote in key swing states and throw the election to the Democrat.

—Bill Schneider

 

From the National Interest:

The Russo-Ukrainian War of Attrition: How Will It End?

Wars, however, do not necessarily end with one side militarily defeating the other. 

—Mark N. Katz

 

From American City and County:

Taking on the Heat with Tech: Cities Create Chief Heat Officers

Climate change has become a growing threat and technology in all sectors will need to step up and play a greater role in both mitigation and strategic planning. Here are just a few examples.

—Alan Shark

 

From International Business Times:

Climate Lawsuits Help U.S. Adversaries

Unfortunately, a group of American state and local governments impedes that effort. They are engaging in a litigation crusade to hold the fossil fuels industry responsible for climate change.

—Richard Kauzlarich

 

From Homeland Security Today:

ISIS and al-Qaeda on the Move in Africa, Intent on Spreading Their Influence and Jihadist Ideology

Al-Qaeda’s near-enemy strategy (i.e., the targeting of local regimes) and far-enemy strategy (i.e., the targeting of countries in the Western world), which it adopted after the 9/11 attacks on the United States, prioritize fighting against local governments that oppose jihadist ideologies. 

—Mahmut Cengiz

 

From the Washington Post:

Youngkin’s Overture in Petersburg Is a Masterstroke

What he’s doing is akin to what he did a year ago when he campaigned on local issues with deep resonance in the state’s Democratic-voting regions in cities and suburbs as well as conservative rural areas: public safety and public education.

—Mark J. Rozell

 

From La Opinión:

Narcoterroism: An Anti-Mexican Theme

Those who imprecisely and dishonestly use the internationally accepted definitions of terrorism and apply them to the concept of "el narco" or "organized crime" without any rigor, do enormous damage to Mexico and Mexicans, since they would be supporting an eventual armed intervention in this country with all the consequences that this entails.

 

—Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

From Taiwan Insight:

Nancy Pelosi’s Visit to Taiwan Did Go Through: A Major Milestone in Taiwan’s Relations with the Rest of the World

The main conclusion of the episode is that it was crucial that Speaker Pelosi stood her ground and pushed through her plans for a visit to Taiwan. It is a win for democracy and a major milestone in Taiwan’s relations with the rest of the world.

—Gerrit van der Wees

 

From the Hill:

The Gathering Political Storm in America

Differences based on religion, race, and education are not simply differences of interest, like business versus labor. They are differences of values and identity. Differences of interest can be negotiated and compromised. Differences of values and identity cannot.

—Bill Schneider

 

From the Washington Post:

Could a Prime-Time Turn Boost Elaine Luria This Fall?

Luria was calm and methodical, acquitting herself well before nearly 18 million Americans who viewed the panel’s second prime-time hearing. What she presented was memorable and chilling.

—Mark J. Rozell

 

From the Washington Examiner:

Yes, Conservatives Are Environmentalists

While Democrats are falling behind in their quest to fight climate change, Republicans are just getting started in their new era of introducing extraordinary energy solutions that will strengthen our country for generations to come.

—Sophomore Jorge Velasco

 

From Cyber Security Intelligence:

Flunking Cyber Education

We need to develop more classes that bridge that Middle Management gap—creating understanding of cyber needs and structure in both a policy way and a tech way.

—Ronald Marks

 

From the Diplomat:

There is No ‘New Normal’ in the Taiwan Strait—Yet

With all of this in mind, can the visit by Pelosi be labeled “provocative” or “unwise,” as described in a number of U.S. publications? The answer is negative. 

—Gerrit van der Wees

 

From the Hill:

Trump’s Document Dump: An Intelligence Community Debacle?

The Trump document fiasco points to one of the greatest intelligence failures since the Cold War. We need a presidential commission to review the circumstances and propose laws to prevent a recurrence. This ensures future good will come from this debacle. 

—Mark J. Rozell and Paul Goldman