All Opinion
The education reform compromise heard round the USTo fix New Haven’s failing schools, the teachers union and mayor forged a rare compromise – a model for school districts and unions across the country in how to confront major challenges facing public education, without blaming each other, resisting change, or fighting in the streets.
Will America forget its veterans?Communities should work to ensure that troops coming home have a better transition than my husband and I did. Give them the chance to use the superb skills the military gave them. We never forgot about you while we were deployed. Don’t forget about us when we come home.
US poor need practical assistance – not marriage classesCongress diverts millions in aid for poor families to marriage classes, mistaking the correlation between being poor or of color and being an unmarried parent as a causal link. Studies show Americans value marriage regardless of income or race, and relationship classes are ineffective.
Cities could be wildlife refuges of the futureWith more species going extinct, we must consider the potential of urban environments to serve as refuges for the survivors. Studies show that cities can support, protect, and even evolve wildlife biodiversity, providing opportunities for innovative approaches to conservation.
Democracy’s dangerous decline in Egypt and TurkeyThe US can no longer afford to remain mute on the erosion of freedom in these two key Mideast powers. While certain interests may tempt Washington to emphasize stability over democracy, this is a mistake. A look to Russia shows the fallacies of engaging with autocratic regimes.
Iran: Kerry, Obama rhetoric threatens to derail diplomacyAn Iranian diplomat argues that the repeated threats of war against Iran in the official US vernacular are harmful to delicate, ongoing nuclear negotiations and undermine the rule of international law.
5 key regions that require more US attention The following regions and issues are among those critical to both short- and long-term US interests. They should draw greater US attention and diplomatic efforts.
Kerry’s focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace comes at great expenseWhile forging a peace deal that ensures the security of Israel and the dignity of the Palestinians is a worthy goal, it's a long shot. Secretary of State John Kerry's time would be better spent pursuing vital US interests in Africa, Asia, and the broader Middle East region.
How grass-roots peace can take hold in South SudanBringing peace to conflict-torn South Sudan will require more than negotiated cease-fires and UN aid. Key community leaders – especially women activists and church pastors – must work for local unity.
On Roe v. Wade anniversary: The past – and future – of US abortion politicsThe front lines of the abortion battle have shifted from the sidewalks in front of abortion clinics to state legislatures and the nation’s courts. The increasing professionalization of the antiabortion movement makes it clear that we are approaching a crossroads in the politics of abortion.
How to put US voters back in charge of their democracyThe Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United unleashed an era of unprecedented pay-to-play politics. Thankfully, steps can be taken to curb the outsize influence of big donors and super PACs and restore voters' trust in their political institutions.
Piecemeal negotiations with Syria opposition will only increase divisionFor a diplomatic solution in Syria, the international community must engage directly with the myriad opposition groups inside the country. Those groups also need support to start a dialogue among themselves and with the internationally recognized opposition outside of Syria.
Syria: What – and who – it will take to end the warThe Geneva II peace talks on Syria set to begin next week should lay the groundwork for a diplomatic deal to end the country's three-year civil war. In spite of differences, Russian, US, and Iranian strategic interests can align, but Iran must be allowed to play a role in negotiations.
Central African Republic needs UN peacekeepers nowThe UN must work to prevent the escalation of violence and preserve what progress has been made in the Central African Republic. With key support from the US, the Security Council should increase its efforts to deploy a better equipped, larger UN peacekeeping mission to CAR.
The time to regulate e-cigarettes is nowSwift regulation by the FDA will help preserve America's hard-won anti-smoking victory and help ensure that parts of the US economy do not, once again, become dependent on nicotine.
Global ViewpointObstacles to Syrian cease-fire aren’t insurmountableThe coming peace talks in Geneva provide hope for setting lines for a cease-fire in Syria. To draw those lines, three separate homelands must be created, with input by outside powers. Some will say this is impossible. Not so.
Human rights progress took a winding road in 2013Though the past 65 years have brought clear progress, a close-up look at the status of human rights today isn’t as encouraging. But change takes time. From this view, 2013 brought some notable advances.
A model for hold-your-nose dealmaking in CongressThe Murray-Ryan bipartisan budget deal was possible because of several key elements. The same approach must be applied to solving America’s ongoing, divisive fiscal problems.
How US can join El Salvador in combating international gangsKey security threats plaguing Central America, especially gang violence and organized crime, affect the US as well. That's why American support is crucial for new initiatives such as the one in El Salvador that combats gangs by addressing social ills and rehabilitating gang members.
The upside of a Boston snowstorm: meeting your neighborsAfter the storm hit, power outages and snowy streets put the regular urban hum on hold. During the pause, as hardy New England neighborhoods pulled out their shovels, communities were being built. People you didn’t know were suddenly your compatriots. And the ties endured.
