Author Archive
Professor calls for community policing in inner cities
Ray Diamond, professor at the Louisiana State University Law Center, called for the revival of community policing as a means of producing safer inner cities at an April 19 lecture in the Eck Hall of Law. In many cities, “crime has long passed from being a crisis into being a catastrophe,” Diamond said. He stated that the high levels of crime chase away business, harm the youth and the [...]
Princeton professor discusses the original intent of the Establishment Clause
Don Drakeman, venture capitalist, lawyer, and professor at Princeton University, spoke about the original intent behind the US Constitution’s controversial Establishment Clause during a talk givenat the Eck Hall of Law April 7. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” In the twentieth and [...]
Rising gas prices put economy’s growth in peril
Turmoil in the Middle East, the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, and increased domestic and global demand have pushed oil prices upward, threatening the fragile growth in the US economy. Sixteen of 23 economists surveyed by CNNMoney.com named high oil prices “the most serious risk facing the economy.”They worry that gas prices will continue to rise, which will have a suppressive effect on [...]
Professor discusses influences that shaped Lincoln’s worldview
Allen Guelzo, professor of history at Gettysburg College, spoke of the influence of the Enlightenment and capitalism on President Abraham Lincoln’s core principles. The talk was delivered as a part of the political theory colloquium entitled, “A. Lincoln, Philosopher” on March 21. Since he was a boy, Lincoln was a “persistent thinker,” consuming many books on diverse subjects such as [...]
Bayh calls for “principled compromise” to move nation forward
Evan Bayh, former US senator and former Indiana governor, spoke about the importance of striking the proper balance between individual freedom and the common good at the Debartolo Performing Arts Center on February 24. Bayh, a Democrat who won 5 statewide elections in Indiana, emphasized the essential value of individual liberty in the founding and history of the United States, but also argued [...]
German lawyer discusses state immunity lawsuit at International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice later this year will hear a lawsuit filed by the Federal Republic of Germany against Italy. In the suit, Germany claims Italian courts have illegally assumed jurisdiction by rewarding damage claims to citizens harmed by Germany’s occupation of Italy during World War II. Christian Tomuschat, professor of law emeritus at Humboldt University in Berlin, spoke [...]
What Lies Ahead?
Republicans and Democrats set to face off over the budget, jobs, and health care After two years of Democratic control, America’s government is once again divided. What strategies will the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House choose to pursue in the coming weeks and months? In separate interviews during the week of January 14, [...]
Newdow claims atheists are discriminated against, lectures on religious equality
Dr. Michael Newdow, an attorney, physician, and atheist best known for his attempts to strike “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, discussed the relationship between the US government and religion at the recent Political Theory Colloquium. Dr. Newdow focused his lecture on an article he wrote, entitled, “Question to Justice Scalia: Does the Establishment Clause Permit the Disregard [...]
Are liberty and equality compatible? ND professor and Cato senior fellow debate
Should the poor be able to take resources from the rich to meet their basic needs, either on individual basis or through the state? Notre Dame philosophy professor James Sterba and senior fellow at the Cato Institute Thomas Palmer dealt with this question as they debated whether liberty and equality are compatible. Sterba identified two sets of rights: classical liberal rights and welfare [...]
College Republicans seek a fresh start in 2010
After several years of maintaining a quiet presence on campus, the Notre Dame College Republicans begin the school year with a new administration that hopes to be more active, both on and off campus, in 2010. Club President and Rover Politics editor Josh Varanelli, Vice President Guillermo Pi, Secretary Amanda Randolph, , and Treasurer Michael DeJaegher, have several events and activities [...]
Goldman Sachs Under Fire in S.E.C. Complaint as President Pushes for Financial Reform
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently filed fraud charges against Goldman Sachs after months of speculation. The investment firm sold a sub-prime mortgage-backed security that was assembled by a hedge fund. The hedge fund, in turn, was betting on the mortgages to fail. The complaint is based on the allegation that Goldman misled its client, ACA Management, into thinking that the hedge [...]