W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y

Political Review

February 2010
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“I deeply regret using such a poor
choice of words.”
— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, apologiz-
ing after news surfaced that he described then-
Senator Obama as “light skinned with no negro
dialect” during the President primary.
“As opposed to standing outside
Fenway Park? In the cold? Shak-
ing hands?”
— Massachusetts Democratic senate candi-
date Martha Coakley, responding to a reporter’s
question that she was not campaigning actively
enough.
“Again we are tested. And again,
we must answer history’s call.”
— President Barack Obama, delivering his first
State of the Union.
“Not true.”
— Justice Samuel Alito, silently mouthing a re-
sponse during the State of the Union to Presi-
dent Obama’s critique of a recent Supreme
Court decision on campaign finance law
“I forgot he was black!”
— MSNBC host Chris Matthews, describing his
reaction to watching President Obama deliver
the State of the Union.
The Numbers
Majority
18
The margin of superiority currently
held by Senate Democrats
10
The widest margin of superiority
held by Republicans in the Senate
during the Bush administration
Retreat
1
The “yard line” White House politi-
cal advisor David Axelrod described
the Democrats on in terms of
passing comprehensive health care
reform at the end of 2009
5
The “yard line” White House Press
Secretary Robert Gibbs described
the Democrats on after the election
of Republican Scott Brown in the
Massachusetts special election
Jobs
208,000
The number of jobs shed by the U.S.
economy in the fourth quarter of
2009
600,000
The number of unemplyoed Ame-
rians who were removed from the
statistic of unemployment in the
fourth quarter because they gave
up trying to find a job
Politically Correct WUPR’S ONLY HUMOR
COLUMN SINCE 1776

Scott Brown Just Won the Senatorial Election

in Massachusetts. What do you think?

Take the quiz and find out!

by
Bryan
Baird
1)
How
did
you
first
hear
of
Senator
Sco6
Brown? 4)
Why
do
you
think
he
was
able
to
win
the
elecCon?
a)
The
Daily
Show,
when
Jon
Stewart
was
making
fun
of
him.


 a)
It’s
just
another
example
of
how
corporate
interests
are






(1
Point) 



exploiCng
the
religious
right
to
control
our
sham
of
a

b)
His
very
first
campaign
commercial,
when
his
pickup
truck
 



democracy,
man.

(1
Point)





charged
its
way
into
my
heart.
(2
Points) b)
He
won
by
standing
by
what
Americans
know
to
be
true:

c)
I
actually
just
heard
of
him
fiBeen
minutes
ago,
but
I
can
 



big
government
is
bad
government,
and
Obama
is
a
secret





already
tell
you
how
he
will
change
the
poliCcal
landscape.
 



Muslim
Communist
Nazi.

(2
Points)




(3
Points) c)
I
personally
don’t
know,
but
here
are
a
series
of
complex
d)
The
single
most
glorious
ediCon
of
Cosmo
ever.
(4
Points) 




graphs
and
numbers
to
make
it
look
like
I
totally
know

e)
I
met
that
punk
a
few
months
ago,
and
I
immediately
knew
 




what
I’m
talking
about.

(3
Points)




he
was
a
jackass.

(5
points) d)
Um,
have
you
seen
his
biceps?
They’re
GORGEOUS.



 




(4
Points)
2)
How
do
you
think
he
will
affect
the
health
care
debate
in
 e)
Probably
by
cheaCng.
Whatever.
He
can
have
it.
I
didn’t

the
Senate? 




want
it
anyway.

(5
Points)
a)
There’s
no
hope
leB.
Soon,
the
HMOs
will
begin
harvesCng
 





our
sCll‐living
organs
for
cash.

(1
Point) 5)
If
Sco6
Brown
tripped
next
to
you,
what
would
you
do?
b)
He
will
finally
give
us
a
chance
to
tell
this
President
that
 a)
I’d
make
some
comment
like,
“Typical
Republican:
so
much





we
won’t
stand
by
his
liberal
policies
of
taxaCon
and
racism
 



money
in
his
pockets
his
legs
can’t
even
hold
him
up





against
white
Americans.

(2
Points) 



anymore.”
Then
I’d
share
my
obvious
observaCon
with

c)
Not
only
is
this
the
death
of
health
care
reform,
but
our
 



Facebook
and
Digg.

(1
Point)




polls
indicate
that
there
is
a
65%
chance
that
he
is
the
top
 b)
Organize
a
protest
against
the
sidewalk,
which
was
clearly





contender
for
President
in
2012.

(3
Points) 



trying
to
sully
his
good
name
and
silence
the
American

d)
Wait,
he’s
a
senator?

(4
Points) 



people.

(2
Points)
e)
I
don’t
care.
I
hope
the
bill
includes
death
panels
and
they
 c)
Oh
God,
I
hope
somebody
put
the
video
on
YouTube
so





kill
his
grandmother.

(5
Points) 



we
could
conCnuously
play
the
clip
and
comment
about


 



how
many
views
it
has.

(3
Points)
3)
How
much
do
you
care
about
Massachuse6s? d)
Take
off
all
my
clothes
and
“accidentally”
lie
down
exactly

a)
Well
I
was
going
to
move
there,
but
I
don’t
think
I
can
any 




where
he
was
falling.

(4
Points)




more
if
the
moderates
are
in
control.

(1
Point) e)
I’d
laugh
and
bask
in
his
suffering,
just
like
that
stupid
news

b)
It
is
a
wicked,
vile,
baby‐killing,
and
totally
gay
place.

 



reporter.
That
will
teach
him
to
quesCon
me!

(5
Points)




(2
Points)
c)
Is
there
an
elecCon
going
on?
THEN
IT
IS
THE
MOST
 





















IMPORTANT
PLACE
IN
THE
WORLD.

(3
Points) 




































d)
I
don’t
care
much
for
it.
It’s
never
warm
enough
for
the
 Answers
on
Page
49





people
to
walk
around
naked.

(4
Points)
e)
I
can’t
stand
these
people.
I
wish
I
could
move
to
D.C.






(5
Points)


 The Washington University

Political Review February Edition

4 Andrew Luskin
Feeding Frenzy: Luskin rants.

CONTENTS
Jake Laperruque
The Second Annual WUPR Awards - The Wild and Wacky of 2009.

10 Lennox Mark
The U.S. Virgin Islands quest to create a constitution.

12 Hannah Shaffer
Understanding the housing bubble and rescuing homeowners.

16 Jake Laperruque and Greg Allen

Counting down the 20 events and 10 people that shaped the decade.

31 Mike Friend
Bill Clinton is Back! This Issue: Mr. Clinton goes to Shanghai, China!

32 Kirsten Miller
Looking back on the 18th birthday of the Euro.

35 Corey Donahue
How immigration is the next hot debate topic.

38 Alex Kaufman
Democratic Downslide—on the aftermath of Scott Brown.
40 Anna Applebaum
The National Guard’s new commericals: right out of Hollywood.

42 Dan Rebnord
What will it take for United States to be safe after 9/11?

44 Mike Brodsky
How to sift through America’s junkyard media.

46 Peter Birke
Analyzing the political implications of the U.S. Census.
 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
POLITICAL REVIEW
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF LAYOUT STAFF
GREG ALLEN KAITY LI
JAKE LAPERRUQUE BILLY ROH
RACHEL BRAUN
DIRECTOR OF DESIGN STAFF WRITERS
TYLER TRUSSELL
LENNOX MARK
SPENCER BERRY
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT MAX HAMILTON
MICHAEL BRODSKY
AMY PLOVNICK
BRITTANY PARKER
ANNA APPLEBAUM
MAX BENNETT
STAFF EDITORS PETER BIRKE
ANNA APPLEBAUM
REBECCA CRAIG
COREY DONAHUE
COREY DONAHUE
AMY PLOVNICK
JAY EVANS
HANNAH SHAFFER JOHAN OLOFSSON
SASHA FINE
COPY EDITORS GAVIN FRISCH
LAUREN WEISS MICHAL HYRC
JOHN MOYNIHAN ALEX KAUFMAN
AGNES TRENCH ANDREW LUSKIN
ALEX HOOGLAND KIRSTEN MILLER
SARA FICHMAN-KLEIN DAN REBNORD
DEREK SUN
WEB EDITOR SIDDHARTH KRISHNAN
BRYAN BAIRD WILLY CHOTZEN-FREUND
TAKA YAMAGUCHI
WEB DESIGNER
WILL JOHNSON EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATORS
LOUISE SMYTHE
TREASURER ANITA LANDREE
MARCUS WALTON CARTER MALOUF
KAITY LI
GRACE PRESTON
ART COORDINATOR
CHRISTINA BELDERSON
KELSEY ENG
CHRISTOPHER HOHL
KELSEY BROD
COVER ILLUSTRATOR HANNAH SHAFFER
VIDHYA NAGARAJAN
VIDHYA NAGARAJAN
SNOW POWERS
DIANA CHU
BUSINESS MANAGER
MIKE FRIEND CONTRIBUTORS
BETEL EZAZ
NEEL DESAI

THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY POLITICAL REVIEW IS COMMITTED TO ENCOURAGING AND

FOSTERING AWARENESS OF POLITICAL ISSUES ON THE CAMPUS OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
IN ST. LOUIS. TO DO THIS, WE SHALL REMAIN DEDICATED TO PROVIDING FRIENDLY AND OPEN
AVENUES OF DISCUSSION AND DEBATE BOTH WRITTEN AND ORAL ON THE CAMPUS FOR ANY
AND ALL POLITICAL IDEAS, REGARDLESS OF THE LEANINGS OF THOSE IDEAS.

SUBMISSIONS
EDITOR@WUPR.ORG
 by Andrew Luskin

The system—or
whatever semblance of one
there is—is broken. Big Media.
Big government. Big corporations. Big
everything. Were being spoon-fed
an understanding of the world
based on nothing but what
the system wants us to
feel. It makes me more
than angry. It makes me
mad as hell, and Im not going to
take it anymore! At a time like this, being
mad is the only way to stay sane. So cue
the madness, and shove the system
through the shredder.

4 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 …The
for jog
- up a Underwe
n a
a s a r rested h it e ful in impor ta r Bomber
an w W n
…A m nd the s t
to he etting of question modus o
’s
n a k e d arou , it was not aven f the : if he pera
ging kingly at th , b
e tim would his omb, an had been di brings
n
. Shoc
House ton… to re
th
e of
de b o dy h d h a db succe
n s
Bill Cli virgin ink the p ath? If so ave rem een take s-
s wo lacem , he ained n off
uld s m
tay t ent of th ight hav as it was
hat w e bom e
ay… b, or wanted
…It turns out that over three else h
quarters of the donations is 72
to the Tea Par ty Express, a
powerful Tea Par ty group,
was funneled into the same
consulting firm that founded
it. Another group, the Tea Par
ty Nation, channels all the
profits from merchandise dire
ctly into the founder’s wife’s
bank account. The Tea Par ty
Convention, scheduled for
early February, will cost atte
ndees $550 a ticket. That ts in
ticket will give attendees a cha f effor ped
nce to hear Sarah Palin, w it h relie a t ap
paid $100,000 for her speech, elp am
tell them that the govern- …To h e s id ent Ob sh. This is a
ment is exploiting them for mo P r Bu i
ney… Haiti, ident g Hait
r m e r pres h e la st thin
f o ; t
istake aster…
huge m another dis
is
needs

uggar, of
d Jim Bob D y
…Michelle an e, just had ed b
Arkansas an
d TLC fa m
y blind vited
t them to ia l l in
child. I expec t your card par t was n
their 19th det, bomb, he Quee t,
r an ot her; if you ge y c a y t f
shoo t fo ild is free. I’m Ar m Ar m he n ad l e
, ev ery tenth ch itish ublican mily. W ht he h dging
p un ch ed hasn’t filed B r
…A sh Rep oyal Fa uch sig , ju
at her uterus a lot
surprised th ag nst Jim
ai ri
an I et the R t how m d: “Not
ining order
for a restra e e
to m the cad nterject .” Damn
e …
Bob… e d p i n g
ask e Phili eari
c ’s w
Prin e tie he
h
by t

is
hat h
t l y said t m by get-
ecen assed hi ber was
ma r r test, m-
but
…Decem
…Oba er embar on a r Ital-
h t 3 l n u onth fo inister
dau g of 7 po
score is current complain…
l a bad m ards. Prime M the
a ygu in
tin g gh o ian bod was hit
derin ight t rlusconi the-
consi e has no r Sil v io B e
model o f a c a
h h a a s ever
bers, face w it
c lo s est he h
t h e after
dral; it’s church. Soon
come to
a VI was
House Ro
d
o p e B e nedict X Eve mass
a k e r of the ny that, P ristmas
issouri S p e
ed wit h fe lo at a Ch bright
r m e r M d c h a rg
en h an g.
it d tackled e aring a
…Fo
as arrest
ed an
oman, th m a n w an had
e t t o n w g e d a w o n e w r o n by a wo shir t. This wom the
J h e drug k y sex g e a t e th gin
assault a ft e r o f k in sa fe red sw xact sam the ex-
g a bout ot using
the e
er durin an for n nce migh
t tried t h e
earing
choked h t h e w o m h e r si le fore, w eatshir t
.
Jetton b
la m e d
” alth o u g h
his c a r e er year be h t red sw make
balloons, d . During e b r ig o
word, “ g r e e n
h being r o o fi e
eer fro m h is act sam trying t has a
to do wit ton removed a p he was
have had islator h
elped Either s job easy or she
r e , J e t w le g ’s outfit…
in the le
g is la t u
use the fe ll o
ted to security pope-tackling
t e e c hair beca b a n J e tton wan to en- dedica t e d
comm it
o n g a y sex, a a s n o w “legal
repeal a
ba n
angry th
at it w t irony…
t o n w a s o u r se .” Oh, swee
keep. Jet iate sexual interc
ev
gage in d Andrew
Luskin,
a
WUPR
staff
writer,
is
a
freshman

in
the
College
of
Arts
and
Sciences.

His
email
is

atluskin@artsci.wustl.edu

February Edition Washington University Political Review 5

 The
2009
WUPR
Awards!
(Presented by
Tiger Woods)

By
Jake Laperruque

Much like the decade it closed out, 2009 was a crazy year with
amazing highs, depressing lows, and a host of shocks along the
way. These insane and unexpected antics were present in
politics just as much as anywhere else, so without further adieu,
here are the WUPR Awards for the year of 2009:

The Jimmy Fallon Award For Messing Up

Your Damn Lines:
One
of
the
more
ceremonial
and
seemingly
easy
jobs
of
the

Chief
JusCce
of
the
Supreme
Court
is
to
administer
the
oath
of

office
to
the
President
to
officially
start
his
term.

Since
this
is

virtually
the
only
Cme
the
Chief
JusCce
ever
has
to
do
anything

on
camera,
you
would
think
John
Roberts
would
know
his
lines.


And
since
this
was
not
just
on
camera
but
being
viewed
by
the

enCre
country,
you
would
think
John
Roberts
would
know
his

lines.

And
since
this
was
a
historic
event
that
would
be
viewed

again
and
again
for
generaCons
to
come,
you
would
think
John

Roberts
would
definitely
know
his
damn
lines.

But
on
that
cold

January
morning
in
2009,
with
the
eyes
of
a
naCon
upon
him,

Chief
JusCce
John
Roberts
botched
them.












The
oath
of
office
isn’t
quite
as
difficult
as
a
Shakespear‐
ean
soliloquy
to
recite.

In
order
to
administer
the
oath
of
office,

you
must
be
able
to
memorize
a
mind‐blowing
single
sentence.


But
this
was
too
much
for
Roberts,
who
flubbed
the
statement

and
messed
up
the
order
of
the
words.

Roberts
and
Obama

caught
the
mistake
and
quickly
corrected
it,
but
it
was
a
less
than
 “Psst, Roberts, you know the Oath, right?”
shining
moment
for
the
Chief
JusCce. “Of course I know it! Geez, Thomas, you’d have to be a












It
should
have
been
a
funny
footnote
to
an
amazing
mo‐ real dumbass to mess that shit up.”
ment
in
U.S.
history,
but
the
insignificance
was
lost
on
some.


Even
aBer
Roberts
administered
a
repeat
oath
to
Obama
the
 followed
it
with
the
even
more
ridiculous
claim
that
Obama
was

following
day,
some
criCcs
complained
that
the
botched
state‐ a
secret
Kenyan.

Denial
is
the
first
stage.

The
second
is
anger.


ment
meant
that
Obama
was
not
actually
President.

ABer
this
 And
that
brings
us
to
.
.
.
noCon
was
quickly
dismissed
as
absurd,
Obama
haters
in
denial

6 Washington University Political Review February Edition
 The Kanye Award For Being Loud and
Obnoxious At An Inappropriate Time:
Couldn’t Joe Wilson have shown the
courtesy and decorum of other politi-
cians and silently Tweeted why he
hates the President throughout the
Joint Address to Congress?





England
has
an
excellent
tradiCon
in
 own
party
in
the
House

government
known
as
QuesCon
Time.

 and
Senate
–
Wilson
refused
to
publicly

During
QuesCon
Time
–
a
regular
occur‐ apologize
for
his
acCons.

One
would

rence
in
Parliament
–
the
Prime
Minister
 expect
that
Wilson
receive
scorn
for
his

answers
quesCons
from
members
of
the
 acCons,
and
he
did,
in
spades.

But
he
also

legislature.

It
is
a
rigorous
public
debate
 received
something
less
expected:
cash.


showcasing,
a
fantasCc
intellectual
discus‐ In
the
weeks
aBer
the
“You
Lie!”
inci‐
sion,
and
a
prime
example
of
how
democ‐ dent,
the
previously
unknown
Congress‐
racies
ought
to
engage
in
poliCcal
delib‐ man
from
South
Carolina
racked
in
over

eraCon.

Joe
Wilson
demonstrates
why
 $1,000,000
in
campaign
donaCons.

And

the
U.S.
Congress
isn’t
mature
enough
to
 Kanye
didn’t
even
get
a
VMA
for
being

handle
QuesCon
Time. rude.





Joe
Wilson’s
interrupCon
of
the
Presi‐
dent
during
a
Joint
Session
of
Congress

was
in
itself
an
appalling
breech
of
proper

eCquene
and
decorum.

But
what
was

even
worse
than
Wilson’s
inappropriate

shout‐out
during
the
President’s
speech

was
the
incident’s
aBermath.

Despite
the

urging
from
a
wide
array
of
groups
and

individuals
–
including
the
leaders
of
his


The World Is Flat Award

For Outsourcing Your Adultery:





People
don’t
value
a
good
sex
scandal
 ArgenCnean
woman’s
skirt.
the
way
they
used
to.

Back
in
the
day,
a
 




Things
went
downhill
from
there.

An

poliCcian
commiqng
an
affair
was
in
itself
 extramarital
affair
that
spans
two
conC‐
enough
of
a
disgrace
to
put
the
philan‐ nents
is
bad
enough,
but
it
then
became

dering
philanderer’s
job
in
jeopardy.

But
 known
that
this
was
not
a
single
incident

now,
cheaCng
isn’t
given
nearly
as
much
 but
an
ongoing
ArgenCnean
escapade,

anenCon.

Perhaps
it’s
because
extramari‐ with
Sanford
regularly
traveling
to
South

tal
adventures
have
become
so
common;
 America
to
visit
his
foreign
friend.

And

a
normal
sex
scandal
simply
isn’t
sexy
 then
there
were
the
leners.

Even
as

enough
to
garner
serious
news
coverage.

 Sanford
clamored
to
save
his
poliCcal

If
a
poliCcian
wants
to
make
headlines
 career
and
limit
the
damage
of
the
affair,

with
their
zipper
down,
they’ve
got
to
give
 the
media
released
a
series
of
love
let‐
the
story
some
addiConal
spice.

South
 ters
between
Sanford
and
his
mysterious
 “Look, I know it was a bit of a moral
Carolina
Governor
Mark
Sanford
was
 mistress.

In
the
emails
Sanford
espoused
 lapse . . . would you be less angry and
happy
to
oblige. romanCc
verse
such
as: judgmental if I quoted some Taylor





Sanford
started
his
sex
scandal
by
dis‐ 


“You
are
glorious
and
I
hope
you
re‐
Swift lyrics?”
appearing
for
a
week,
giving
no
noCce
to
 ally
understand
that.
You
do
not
need
a

anyone
about
his
whereabouts
and
send‐ therapist
to
help
you
figure
your
place
in

ing
the
state
into
a
panic.

The
Governor’s
 the
world.”
unknown
status
in
itself
began
to
gain
 


“Another
glorious
day
outside.
Hope
you
 




In
the
following
months
Sanford
was

naConal
news
coverage
unCl
his
office
 are
doing
well,
and
am
anxious
to
hear
 removed
as
Chairman
of
the
Republi‐
announced
that
Sanford
had
simply
been
 about
your
week.
Know
that
I
miss
you.” can
Governors
AssociaCon,
threatened

hiking
up
the
Appalachian
Trail.

Needless
 


“While
I
was
geqng
exhausted
with
 with
impeachment,
and
handed
divorce

to
say,
people
were
slightly
annoyed
when
 one
project
aBer
another
at
Coosaw
work
 papers.

Clearly
the
rest
of
the
country
did

it
became
known
that
in
reality
the
only
 week,
you
were
basking
(I’m
certain
glori‐ not
find
Sanford’s
story
of
love
to
be
quite

thing
Sanford
had
been
hiking
up
was
an
 ously)
on
the
beach.” so
glorious.
February Edition Washington University Political Review 7
 The Evacuate The Dancefloor Award
For Making Dancing Really Lame:





Celebrity‐reality‐TV:

The
combinaCon
 palled
to
see
someone
who
was
once
one

of
two
horrible
things.

It
is
also
the
low‐ of
the
United
States’s
leading
poliCcal

est
place
a
celebrity
can
fall.

Surrounded
 figures
reduced
to
such
standards.

On
the

by
other
has‐been
and
never‐was
“stars,”
 other,
I
lost
any
compassion
for
Tom
Delay

a
celebrity
appearing
on
such
coveted
 somewhere
in
between
Delay’s
leading

programs
as
“The
Mole:

Celebrity
Edi‐ role
in
the
Capitol
Hill
effort
to
control
the

Con”
or
“The
ApprenCce:

Celebrity
Edi‐ Terri
Schiavo
case
and
his
involvement

Con,”
is
probably
in
his
or
her
final
dismal
 in
the
Jack
Abramoff
scandal.

Struggling

moments
of
publicity,
one
that
will
be
 between
my
hatred
of
the
man
who

unflanering
and
unimpressive
and
likely
 encouraged
K
Street
to
take
over
Wash‐
end
with
the
pseudo‐star
geqng
(cue
 ington
and
my
hatred
of
seeing
a
naConal

the
annoying
voice,
hand
flip,
and
worst
 poliCcal
figure
reduced
to
twirling
to
the

hairpiece
ever)
“Fired!”
by
The
Donald.

 tango
(a
dance
Delay
chose
because
it

CelebriCes
on
reality
shows
are
by
and
 was
“macho,
arrogant,
and
aggressive!’”).


large
selling
their
dignity
for
a
final
15
 The
determining
factor
was
the
sheer

minutes
of
fame. unpleasantness
of
seeing
Delay
do
the






This
uner
piCfulness
of
celebrity‐ cha‐cha‐cha
to
“Wild
Thing.”

The
enjoy‐ Delay is a big supporter of
reality‐TV
status
leB
me
with
an
incon‐ ment
of
seeing
Delay
shamed
isn’t
worth
 “Dancing With The Stars” because it
solable
moment
of
dissonance
when
 being
forced
to
watch
him
gyrate
like
that.

 requires that Lance Bass dress up as
former
House
Majority
Leader
Tom
Delay
 Not
worth
it
at
all. a sailor and dance flamboyantly with a
decided
to
take
a
role
on
“Dancing
With
 WOMAN, just as God intended.
The
Stars.”

On
the
one
hand,
I
was
ap‐

The Dumb Poets Society Award For

Political Speeches That Sound Like
Something From Poetry 101:





The
2008
campaign
leB
Sarah
Palin
 Sensenbrenne:

“One
night
aBer
a
long

with
a
less
than
flanering
reputaCon
 day
of
campaigning,
when
the
haters
had

regarding
her
intelligence.

ABer
botched
 made
my
spirits
reach
a
nadir,
I
looked

interviews,
a
prank
phone
conversaCon
 into
Todd’s
eyes,
which
were
as
blue
as

with
Canadian
radio
show
hosts
posing
 the
stripes
on
Old
Glory,
and
too
repre‐
as
French
President
Nicholas
Sarcozy,
and
 senCng
truth
and
loyalty,
and
he
looked

a
series
of
scathing
SNL
imitaCons,
many
 back
at
me
with
a
twinkle
of
determina‐
people
were
leB
with
the
conclusion
that
 Con
which
I
hadn’t
seen
since
I
told
him

Palin
was
S‐T‐O‐O‐P‐I‐D
stupid. my
goal
of
having
another
baby
in
my






It
may
have
simply
been
the
over‐trying
 fiBies
and
naming
it
Tron,
then
did
I
know

of
an
underachiever,
or
perhaps
she
was
 for
sure
that
I
could
carry
on,
like
he,
and

giddy
from
the
freedom
of
not
having
to
 we,
have
done
together
all
of
these
years

answer
to
the
elite‐media‐elite,
or
maybe
 on
this
long,
Iron
Dog
race
of
a
marriage

it
was
just
to
prove
that
she
didn’t
put
the
 that
is
at
once
grueling
and
celesCal,

project
enCrely
in
the
hands
of
a
ghost
 onerous
and
majesCc.”)

The
best
criCque

writer;
regardless
of
the
reason,
when
her
 came
from
William
Shatner,
who
former

“Going
Rogue”
autobiography
came
out,
 “As I watched the arid landscape Tonight
Show
host
Conan
O’Brien
(who,

Palin
went
poet. it
should
be
noted,
is
far
superior
to
job






Palin’s
odd,
nature‐loving,
almost
 glide past, my hands and knees
stealing
jerk
Jay
Leno)
invited
to
perform

poeCc
wriCng
style
caught
immediate
 stung and I reflected on my fall... excerpts
from
the
book
in
poeCc
verse,

anenCon.

Many
reviews
and
publica‐ You’re bloodied. So what.” (Actual accompanied
by
a
bongo
and
trendy
poet‐
Cons
mocked
the
style.
Slate
went
so
far
 quote from Sarah Palin . . .really.) esque
mood
lighCng.

Shatner
nailed
the

as
to
create
a
“write‐like‐Palin”
contest,
 bit,
doing
nothing
more
than
reciCng
Palin

instrucCng
contestants
to
string
together
 word
for
word.

A
rare
breed
of
poliCcian,

random
descripCons
of
nature,
nonsequi‐ Sarah
Palin
is
someone
late
night
TV
can

tors,
and
not‐quite‐correct
grammar.
(A
 make
fun
of
while
giving
their
writers
the

shout
out
goes
to
contest
winner
Ann
 night
off.
8 Washington University Political Review February Edition
 The 1980s Stockbroker Award For
Becoming Incredibly Successful By
Acting Like A Coked Out Lunatic
two
drinks.
‐Whenever
Glenn
Beck
compares
Obama

to
a
fascist
or
his
administraCon
to
a
com‐
munist
regime,
two
drinks.
‐Whenever
Glenn
Beck
starts
crying,
drink

conCnuously
unCl
he
stops
crying.





By
the
Cme
you’re
ten
minutes
into
the

show,
you’ll
appreciate
the
fact
that
you

don’t
have
to
go
through
the
experience

sober.

“LOUD NOISES!”






Glenn
Beck
is
very
much
like
Howard
 ing,
whining,
Beck
has
made
himself
a

Beale,
but
even
crazier.

For
those
readers
 naConal
phenomenon
in
2009
by
turning

who
were
born
aBer
the
1970s,
Howard
 conservaCve
anger
towards
the
Obama

Beale
is
one
of
the
main
characters
of
the
 presidency
into
a
raw
emoCon,
devoid
of

1976
film
Network,
widely
considered
 logic
or
reasoning
or
inner
monologue.

to
be
one
of
the
best
movies
of
all
Cme
 Rather
than
criCquing
of
Obama
based

(if
you
have
Neulix,
use
it).

In
Network,
 on
silly
things
like
facts,
Beck
has
gained

news
anchor
Howard
Beale
suffers
a
men‐ hero‐status
among
Tea
ParCers
by
set‐
tal
breakdown,
leading
him
to
engage
in
a
 Cng
up
straw
man
arguments
on
a
daily

series
of
rants
on
the
air.
He
instructs
ev‐ basis
and
concocCng
theories
such
as

eryone
in
the
United
States
to
go
to
their
 health
care
reform
being
a
secret
plot
by

window
and
scream,
“I’m
mad
as
Hell,
 Obama
to
enact
reparaCons.

Oh,
and
did

and
I’m
not
going
to
take
it
anymore!”
 I
menCon
he
may
have
boiled
a
frog
alive

(It’s
actually
very
therapeuCc.)
Beale’s
 during
a
segment
on
his
show?
ailing
network
sees
his
raCngs
go
up,
 




If
you
are
curious
to
see
what
the

which
encourages
his
madness
and
leads
 Glenn
Beck
Program
actually
involves,
I

to
outbursts
of
ever‐increasing
ridiculous
 recommend
you
watch
it
under
the
fol‐
and
anger.

Sound
familiar? lowing
condiCons:





Glenn
Beck
is
completely
insane.
Exces‐ ‐Whenever
Glenn
Beck
menCons
a
con‐
sive
and
abhorrent,
Beck
says
oh
so
much
 spiracy,
drink.
without
ever
saying
a
damn
thing.

Throw‐ ‐Whenever
Glenn
Beck
twitches
uncom‐
ing
out
accusaCons
of
socialist
plots
and
 fortably,
drink. Jake
Laperruque,
WUPR’s
Editor‐in‐Chief,
is
a

conspiracy
theories
and
tangenCal
Ces
to
 ‐Whenever
Glenn
Beck
claims
America
is
 second
semester
senior,
and
may
be
going
a

Nazism
on
a
daily
basis,
the
stumpy
Beck
 on
the
road
to
socialism,
drink. liJle
crazy
as
a
result.

If
you
would
like
to
de‐
fuels
a
movement
of
absurd
unreality
 ‐Whenever
the
camera
zooms
in
as
Glen
 fend
one
of
the
losers
he
blasted
in
this
arMcle

with
anger.

Crying,
screaming,
squeal‐ Beck
screams
loudly
and
incoherently,
 or
rant
at
him
in
general,
he
can
be
reached
at

jakelaperruque@gmail.com.

February Edition Washington University Political Review 9

 WE, THE
ISLANDERS

The U.S. Virgin Islands’ Quest

To Create A Constitution

By Lennox Mark

10 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 A
consCtuCon
is
the
most
important
 deJongh
refused
the
forward
it. Donohue
issued
his
opinion
on
Dec.
23,
2009,

poliCcal
document
of
any
independently
func‐ Withstanding
poliCcal
pressure
and
 ruling
in
favor
of
the
peCConers.

Coning
body.
It
determines
the
terms
by
which
 gathering
the
support
of
other
dissidents,
Gov.
 In
issuing
the
writ
of
mandamus,
Judge

that
body
exists
and
establishes
its
very
nature
 deJongh
maintained
that,
ten‐day
deadline
 Donohue
stated,
“His
only
duty
regarding
the

of
government.
A
country
is
not
a
country
 or
not,
he
would
not
forward
that
document.
 proposed
consCtuCon
was
to
submit
it
to
the

without
one.
Even
non‐profit
organizaCons
 The
consCtuConal
convenCon’s
president,
Luz
 president
within
10
days
aBer
it
was
submined

and
secret
socieCes
have
established
consCtu‐ James,
and
secretary,
Mary
Morehead,
imme‐ to
him.”

Cons
that
dictate
their
day‐to‐day
operaCons.
 diately
filed
suit
against
Gov.
deJongh,
claiming
 On
December
31,
2009,
Gov.
deJongh

However,
without
a
consCtuCon
of
their
own,
 that
he
did
not
have
the
legal
power
to
with‐ sent
the
proposed
consCtuCon
to
Washington

the
U.S.
Virgin
Islands
is
a
Ccking
Cme
bomb
to
 hold
the
document
from
the
federal
govern‐ D.C.
with
an
adjunct
lener
staCng
his
own

poliCcal
exCncCon. ment.
The
peCConers’
ulCmate
goal
was
to
 inhibiCons
about
the
document
and
explain‐
Fourteen
islands,
one
Mediterranean
pen‐ ing
to
President
Obama
why
he
had
not
sent

insula,
and
the
Western
Sahara
are
the
only
 it
earlier.

remaining
districts
in
the
world
without
a
con‐ As
reported
by
the
Daily
News,
a
local

sCtuCon;
they
compose
the
United
NaCons
List
 newspaper,
Gov.
deJongh
stated
in
his
lener
to

of
Non‐Self
Governing
Territories.
The
16
exist
 the
president,
“The
most
general
and
gener‐
under
the
sovereignty
of
the
United
States,
 ous
reading
of
this
draB
consCtuCon
showed

France,
the
United
Kingdom,
or
New
Zealand.
 it
to
be
inconsistent
with
the
basic
tenets
of

Each
one
is
racing
to
produce
the
document
 equal
protecCon
and
fairness
as
established
by

that
will
grant
them
the
potency
to
govern
its
 the
United
States
ConsCtuCon.
As
such
it
was

own
internal
affairs
and,
for
some,
complete
 unacceptable
to
me
on
both
legal
and
moral

autonomy.
For
the
U.S.
Virgin
Islands,
this
 grounds.”

means
producing
a
document
that
the
U.S
 The
president
now
has
60
days
to
review

Congress
finds
suitable
and
worthy
of
being
 it
before
submiqng
it
to
Congress,
which
will

their
consCtuCon.
Currently,
this
unincorporat‐ in
turn
have
60
days
to
review
and
alter
it.
The

ed
territory
is
governed
by
the
Revised
Organic
 finished
product
of
Congress
will
be
returned

Act
of
1954,
a
flawed
draB
created
by
Congress
 to
the
Virgin
Islands
where
it
will
be
subject

more
than
50
years
ago
that,
among
other
 to
a
referendum
vote
as
to
whether
it
will
be

things,
fails
to
define
territorial
ciCzenship. enacted.
Should
the
referendum
fail,
the
enCre

Who
is
charged
with
this
overwhelm‐ process
of
convenCon
to
governor
to
President

ing
task?
Not
unlike
the
United
States
during
 to
Congress
to
territory
is
repeated.
the
years
of
its
nascence,
the
Virgin
Islands
 Despite
a
lack
of
interest
by
locals
and

has
created
a
ConsCtuConal
ConvenCon
to
 On
December
31,
2009,
Gov.
deJongh
 the
slow
progress
of
the
convenCon,
this
is

deliberate
on
the
maner.
The
fiBh
convenCon
 sent
the
proposed
consMtuMon
to
 not
a
maner
that
can
wait.
The
United
Na‐
has
been
in
session
since
2007.
ABer
years
 Cons
Special
Comminee
on
DecolonizaCon

Washington
D.C.

of
deliberaCon,
a
composed
draB
was
finally
 has
stated
that
it
hopes
all
non‐self
governing

produced
in
June
2009
for
the
territory’s
 territories
will
have
enacted
consCtuCons
by

governor,
John
deJongh,
to
forward
to
the
 force
the
governor
to
forward
the
convenCon’s
 the
end
of
2010.
UnCl
they
have
done
so,
the

U.S.
Congress
and
President
Barack
Obama.
 draB
by
means
of
a
writ
of
mandamus,
a
court
 U.S.
Virgin
Islands,
along
with
the
other
15

However,
inherent
within
the
document
 order
with
the
power
to
force
a
judicially
infe‐ dependents
worldwide,
will
conCnue
to
be
rel‐
were
clear
violaCons
of
the
Equal
ProtecCon
 rior
party
to
undertake
an
acCon. ics
of
colonialism.
UlCmately,
though,
as
in
all

Clause
of
the
Fourteenth
Amendment
because
 This
resulted
in
a
heated
legal
banle
 maners
that
affect
the
territory,
the
locals
can

naCve‐born
Virgin
Islanders
were
alloned
 in
the
Superior
Court
of
the
Virgin
Islands.
 do
nothing
now
but
sit
and
wait
for
a
response

certain
rights
and
privileges
that
were
denied
 In
the
Superior
Court
neither
party
argued
 from
Congress.
to
naturalized
ciCzens
who
migrated
to
the
 the
consCtuConal
components
of
the
draB.

territory
from
other
islands
or
the
mainland
 Ironically,
the
document
was
leB
wholly
out
of

United
States.
Members
of
the
consCtuConal
 the
courtroom
banle.
Instead,
the
war
of
the

convenCon
maintain
that
the
extra
perquisites
 words
raged
over
whether
Gov.
deJongh
could

granted
to
naCve‐born
ciCzens
were
simply
 withhold
the
document
when
both
U.S.
Public

to
make
up
for
their
lack
of
full
congressional
 Law
No.
94‐584
and
Virgin
Islands
Act
No.

representaCon
and
a
vote
in
naConal
elec‐ 6688
endowed
him
only
the
posiCon
of
middle

Cons.
Upon
receiving
the
document
on
June
1,
 man,
not
editor
or
detainee,
of
the
draB.
The

2009,
Governor
deJongh
was
legally
mandated
 peCConers
were
determined
not
to
allow
the

to
forward
it
to
Congress
and
the
president
 governor
to
aggrandize
his
execuCve
power,

within
ten
days.
However,
embarrassed
by
the
 just
as
the
governor
was
determined
not
to

lack
of
respect
for
U.S.
sovereignty
within
the
 look
like
a
figurehead
with
no
sense
of
how

document,
and
upon
referring
to
the
Anorney
 to
draB
a
proper
consCtuCon.
ABer
months
 
Lennox
Mark
is
a
freshman
majoring
in
PoliMcal

General
of
the
Virgin
Islands,
Vincent
Frazier,
 of
deliberaCon,
Superior
Court
Judge
Darryl
 Science.
 His
 email
 is
 lbmark@artsci.wustl.edu.











February Edition Washington University Political Review 11

 OLD
THIS by Hannah Shaffer

HOUSE Understanding the Housing Bubble

and Rescuing Underwater Homeowners

O
ne
does
not
need
to
look
hard
to
find
vicCms
of
the
current
economic
crisis
or,
as
economists
have
dubbed
it,
the
“Great
Recession.”

NaConally,
unemployment
is
at
10%,
which
is
dangerously
close
to
the
highest
rate
set
since
the
Great
Depression—10.8%
in
1982.

Gross
DomesCc
Product
(GDP),
the
primary
figure
used
to
gauge
economic
growth,
fell
by
6.1%
in
the
first
quarter
of
2009.
This
was

the
third
straight
quarter
in
which
GDP
had
fallen,
a
decline
not
matched
since
1975.
As
Americans
are
losing
their
jobs
and
as
real
median

American
income
is
falling,
college
tuiCon,
health
care,
and
other
services
are
becoming
exponenCally
more
expensive
in
real
terms.
GDP
did

increase
by
a
few
percentage
points
in
the
third
quarter
of
2009
(aBer
dipping
slightly
in
the
second
quarter),
although
there
is
sCll
a
long
way

to
go
before
we
reach
pre‐recession
levels.

There
is
no
trace
of
posiCve
indicators
on
the
housing
front.
Those
Americans
who
are
facing
or
have
already
faced
foreclosure
are
undoubt‐
edly
vicCms.
The
figures
are
staggering.
According
to
RealtyTrac,
an
organizaCon
that
tracks
foreclosure
filings,
there
were
a
record
2.8
million

properCes
with
foreclosure
filings
in
2009
and
a
120%
increase
in
foreclosure
acCvity
over
the
past
two
years.
In
Nevada,
one
of
the
hardest
hit

states,
one
out
of
every
ten
people
has
a
house
in
foreclosure.
The
most
startling—and
perhaps
perplexing—staCsCc
is
that
a
third
of
all
hom‐
eowners
who
have
mortgages
are
“underwater,”
which
means
that
they
owe
more
than
their
house
is
worth.

Worse
sCll,
the
end
is
nowhere

in
sight.
US
Bank
predicts
that
the
next
couple
years
will
see
seven
million
new
homes
in
foreclosure.
How did we get here?
Deflated
housing
prices,
bad
lending
pracCc‐ prices
could
not
conCnue
to
climb
indefinitely
 credit
machine.
In
other
words,
general
financial

es,
and
increased
unemployment
are
the
proxi‐ and
would
eventually
suffer
reverses
when
the
 sector
 reform
 permined
 or
 perhaps
 hastened

mate
 causes
 of
 the
 spike
 in
 foreclosures,
 but
 bubble
burst.
When
this
happened,
many
hom‐ the
 trend
 toward
 unsustainable
 consumpCon.

once
you
dig
a
linle
deeper,
you
discover
that
 eowners
were
leB
in
a
bind:
unable
to
sell
their
 First,
with
the
advent
of
credit
cards,
it
became

the
roots
of
the
crisis
lie
in
the
housing
bubble.
 homes
and,
at
the
same
Cme,
unable
to
service
 commonplace
for
individuals
to
carry
a
balance

This
phenomenon
will
remain
a
criCcal
marker
 their
huge
mortgage
debts.
 on
a
card
and
use
debt
to
finance
expenditures

of
the
past
decade
and
will
surely
be
debated
 Changing
 American
 consumpCon
 norms
 (whereas
before
it
was
common
only
for
firms

for
decades
to
come. would
not
have
had
much
effect
if
they
had
not
 to
debt‐finance).
Second,
the
Fed
kept
interest

Just
as
vicCms
are
everywhere
to
be
found,
 shiBed
while
credit
was
becoming
widely
more
 rates
rock‐bonom
over
the
past
decade,
which

so
 too
 are
 the
 guilty
 parCes
 and
 their
 unwit‐ accessible.
Indeed,
our
eagerness
to
“spend
be‐ also
 made
 it
 easier
 for
 homebuyers
 to
 afford

Cng
accomplices
in
fomenCng
this
bubble.
The
 yond
our
means”
powered
the
easy‐access‐to‐ more
expensive
homes.
American
 people
 were
 the
 unwit‐
Cng
 accomplices.
 This
 past
 decade

has
seen
a
shiB
in
U.S.
consumpCon

norms.
By
2007,
the
raCo
of
personal

expenditures
 to
 disposable
 income

rose
to
nearly
100%
(from
90%
in
the

1980s).
We
live
in
a
culture
in
which

we
 spend
 everything
 we
 earn—and

then
 some.
 This
 strong
 consumer

spirit
helped
the
United
States
in
the

recent
 past
 when
 Americans
 simply

spent
their
way
out
of
relaCvely
short

and
 shallow
 recessions.
 This
 reduc‐
Con
 in
 private
 savings,
 however,
 is

bad
for
long‐term
economic
growth.

It
seems
that
our
trend
toward
mass

consumerism
 is
 finally
 catching
 up

with
us.
Rising
 housing
 prices
 facilitated

and
were
facilitated
by
our
spending

mania.
 The
 spike
 in
 housing
 prices

early
in
the
decade
encouraged
lend‐
ers
to
extend
risky
loans
and
allowed

the
 American
 public
 to
 feel
 more

secure
 in
 its
 extravagant
 home
 pur‐
chases.
 In
 a
 worst‐case
 scenario,
 a

homebuyer
could
sell
his
house
and

make
a
profit
even
if
he
could
no
lon‐
ger
 afford
 his
 mortgage
 payments.

Some
 even
 pracCced
 “flipping”—
the
 deliberate
 buying
 and
 selling
 of

a
 home
 for
 quick
 profit.
 This
 is
 why

we
label
the
phenomenon
a
bubble.

The
 housing
 hype
 was
 ephemeral

like
 a
 bubble,
 and
 people
 were
 not

buying
 homes
 because
 of
 their
 in‐
herent
value,
but
merely
in
the
hope

of
 quick
 gains.
 Unfortunately,
 the

public
did
not
consider
that
housing

 Specifically
in
the
housing
credit
market,
the
 prices,
and
so
on. The
bursCng
of
the
housing
bubble
has
forced

adopCon
 of
 predatory
 “teaser”
 rates
 by
 the
 While
apporConing
blame
for
this
crisis
may
 many
market
cheerleaders
to
take
a
backseat,

banks—the
more
reckless,
guilty
actors
in
this
 be
graCfying,
it
is
important
to
remember
that
 as
many
righuully
quesCon
Gordon
Gekko’s
fa‐
drama—further
 encouraged
 risky
 investment.
 boom‐bust
 cycles
 may
 be
 inherent
 in
 a
 mar‐ mous
axiom,
“Greed
is
good.”
While
this
ques‐
A
 teaser
 rate
 is
 a
 low
 interest
 rate
 in
 the
 first
 ket
economy.
Wash
U’s
very
own
Hyman
Min‐ Coning
is
appropriate
in
light
of
recent
events,

few
months
or
years
of
a
mortgage,
followed
by
 sky
 (1919‐1996)
 predicted
 a
 cycle
 structurally
 the
apparent
truth
of
Minsky’s
theory
does
not

a
 sharp
 increase
 in
 rates.
 Taking
 out
 a
 second
 idenCcal
to
that
of
the
“housing
bubble”
in
his
 preclude
the
possibility
that
market
economies

mortgage
also
became
cheaper,
which
spurred
 general
theory
of
financial
instability
for
market
 remain
 superior
 to
 other
 economic
 systems.

mortgage
 equity
 withdrawal
 (MEW),
 such
 as
 economies.
 His
 theory
 suggests
 that
 during
 a
 That
said,
we
must
anempt
to
salvage
the
rem‐
borrowing
against
home
equity
in
order
to
fund
 period
of
prolonged
growth,
market
economies
 nants
of
our
financial
and
economic
implosion.

college
tuiCon.
This
speculaCve
euphoria,
how‐ tend
 to
 move
 from
 a
 stable
 to
 a
 speculaCve,
 The
federal
government
must
do
more
to
come

ever,
was
naturally
unsustainable.
Once
people
 unstable
financial
structure.
Put
differently,
the
 to
the
rescue
of
the
millions
of
Americans
who

began
to
default
on
their
loans,
housing
prices
 debt‐financed
 spending
 that
 led
 to
 the
 recent
 now
have
nowhere
to
live.
plummeted,
 which
 led
 to
 more
 delinquencies
 spectacular
 fall
 was
 inevitable
 given
 our
 eco‐
and
 foreclosures,
 which
 led
 to
 lower
 housing
 nomic
structure.

How should the government respond
to the foreclosure crisis?
The
 U.S.
 government’s
 inability
 to
 solve
 or
 fully
modified—a
far
cry
from
the
four
million
 were
anracCve
because
they
allowed
many
to

even
 miCgate
 the
 blow
 has
 led
 many
 to
 fear
 that
the
program
was
originally
intended
to
af‐ qualify
 for
 home
 or
 refinance
 loans
 that
 were

that
 the
 foreclosure
 crisis
 is
 intractable.
 Presi‐ fect.
Although
Obama’s
style
tends
toward
light
 otherwise
 out
 of
 reach.
 For
 many
 of
 these

dent
 Barack
 Obama’s
 well‐intenConed
 efforts
 prodding,
in
this
case
a
more
heavy‐handed
ap‐ duped
 homeowners,
 the
 introductory
 teaser

have
 certainly
 done
 linle
 to
 decrease
 housing
 proach
may
be
necessary. rate
has
expired
and
has
been
reset
at
too
high

woes.
His
program
to
prevent
foreclosures
has
 The
 White
 House
 needs
 to
 modify
 its
 own
 a
rate
for
them
to
keep
up.

featured
 giving
 banks
 financial
 incenCves
 to
 loan
modificaCon
program.
Many
who
are
de‐ Another
 roadblock
 to
 those
 facing
 foreclo‐
the
tune
of
$75
billion
to
“modify”
(decrease)
 linquent
 and
 nearing
 foreclosure
 for
 this
 up‐ sure
 is
 the
 depreciated
 value
 of
 their
 homes.

payments
for
strapped
homeowners.
This
pol‐ coming
year
cannot
afford
their
home
because
 When
 housing
 prices
 plummet,
 the
 princi‐
icy
prescripCon
may
sound
appealing:
readjust
 of
 the
 structure
 of
 their
 mortgage
 payments.
 pal
amount
of
the
loan
is
not
adjusted,
which

banker
 incenCves
 and
 minimize
 the
 messy
 in‐ Homebuyers
are
given
the
opCon
to
sign
up
for
 makes
the
consumer
the
primary
loser.
In
most

trusion
 of
 big
 government.
 Unfortunately,
 the
 an
 adjustable
 rate
 mortgage
 (ARM)
 or
 a
 fixed
 cases,
 unwiqng
 consumers
 should
 eat
 their

banks
have
set
themselves
up
to
profit
greatly
 rate
 mortgage
 (FRM).
 For
 a
 FRM,
 the
 interest
 losses.
ABer
all,
when
you
speculate,
you
must

from
 the
 late
 fees
 associated
 with
 delinquen‐ rate
for
payments
is
fixed,
and
for
an
ARM,
the
 assume
risk
of
losing
as
well
as
winning.
How‐
cies,
 and
 Obama’s
 financial
 incenCve
 is
 not
 interest
 rate
 is
 adjustable
 and
 oBen
 includes
 ever,
given
the
magnitude
of
the
problem
and

enough
 to
 counteract
 these
 perverse
 incen‐ “teaser
 rates”
 below
 2%.
 First‐Cme
 homebuy‐ the
gravity
of
the
consequences—losing
owner‐
Cves.
 Banks
 sCll
 benefit
 more
 from
 allowing
 ers
should
never
have
been
given
the
ARM
op‐ ship
of
one’s
home—having
the
public
pay
the

homeowners
 to
 bleed,
 the
 longer
 the
 bener,
 Con
(ARM
should
be
reserved
for
experienced
 enCre
 toll
 does
 not
 seem
 quite
 right.
 In
 addi‐
than
they
do
from
accepCng
the
government’s
 borrowers);
many
who
were
not
aware
of
the
 Con,
 inside
 the
 bubble,
 it
 is
 oBen
 difficult
 for

financial
incenCve.
Three
months
aBer
Obama
 risk
 they
 were
 taking
 on
 allowed
 themselves
 those
who
work
in
the
financial
sector
and
even

announced
 his
 program,
 Jenni
 Engebretsen,
 to
 be
 seduced
 into
 accepCng
 an
 ARM.
 At
 the
 for
economists
to
predict
the
bubble’s
bursCng.

a
 Treasury
 spokeswoman,
 esCmated
 that
 be‐ Cme
of
the
loan,
borrowers
are
oBen
told
that
 It
therefore
seems
unfair
for
homeowners
to
be

tween
10,000
and
55,000
loans
were
success‐ the
interest
rates
will
likely
fall
over
Cme.
ARMs
 held
enCrely
accountable
for
their
risky
invest‐
ments.

Since
 the
 federal
 government
 is
 already
 in‐
tervening,
it
might
as
well
judiciously
dole
out

rewards
and
punishments.
Rather
than
simply

rewarding
the
banks,
the
White
House
should

seriously
consider
legislaCon
along
the
follow‐
ing
lines.
First,
mortgage
companies
and
asso‐
ciated
banks
should
be
required
to
sell
homes

in
 foreclosure
 or
 nearing
 foreclosure
 back
 to

original
 homeowners
 at
 the
 home’s
 current,

real
value.
ABer
all,
the
best
the
bank
could
do

is
 to
 sell
 the
 house
 at
 its
 market
 value
 to
 an‐
other
consumer.
Second,
mortgage
companies

should
allow
those
who
originally
had
an
ARM

to
switch
to
a
tradiConal
30‐year
FRM.

This
 policy
prescripCon
is
not
a
soluCon
 for

everyone
facing
foreclosure.
Many
who
are
un‐
employed
would
sCll
be
unable
to
service
their

mortgage.
 However,
 it
 would
 be
 a
 significant

first
step
toward
staving
off
the
“third
wave”
of

foreclosures
 that
 is
 predicted
 to
 conCnue
 un‐
abated
 throughout
 2010.
 Undoubtedly,
 banks

would
resist
such
legislaCon,
since
they
would

lose
 the
 lucraCve
 fees
 associated
 with
 delin‐
quencies
 and
 the
 possibility
 of
 reselling
 the

homes
aBer
prices
have
rebounded.
The
White

House
 should
 ignore
 their
 protests
 and
 favor

the
 welfare
 of
 those
 who
 are
 “underwater”

over
 the
 bonom
 lines
 of
 banks
 and
 mortgage

companies.
This
could
even
act
as
an
incenCve

not
to
gamble
with
other
people’s
money—and

then
lose.


Hannah
Shaffer
is
a
sophomore
in
the
College
of

Arts
and
Sciences.
Her
email
is
hrshaffe@wustl.
edu.
20 Events
that shaped the
Decade
#20
Fidel Castro hands over power
What
seven
assassinaCon
anempts
could
not
do,
Cme
ulCmately
did.

#19
Medvedev elected President of Russia
Vladimir
PuCn
consolidated
power
and
increased
his
influence
in
Russia
and
around
the

globe
throughout
his
two
terms
as
president
in
the
2000s.

However,
when
his
second

term
was
up,
PuCn
managed
to
retain
power.

By
taking
the
role
of
Prime
Minister
and

leading
his
hand‐picked
successor
Dimitri
Medvedev
to
an
easy
elecCon
win
–
although

one
that
was
thought
to
be
rife
with
fraud
–
PuCn
has
ensured
that
his
control
over
Russia

will
conCnue
for
years
to
come.
 #18
Hu Jintao Takes
Control of China
Since
 the
 beginning
 of
 the
 People’s
 Republic
 of

China
in
1954,
power
has
only
changed
hands
five

Cmes.

This
in
itself
makes
Hu
Jintao’s
ascension
to

the
role
of
President
of
China
and
General
Secretary

of
the
Chinese
Communist
Party
highly
important.


The
significance
of
the
event
is
bolstered
by
the

rapid
rise
of
China
as
an
economic
power.

Under

his
 leadership,
 China
 has
 been
 able
 to
 conCnue

this
 astounding
 growth
 and
 expand
 its
 global

influence.
 
 At
 the
 same
 Cme
 China
 has
 seen
 an

improvement
 in
 its
 image
 throughout
 the
 world

and
increased
prosperity
for
its
people.

#17
Launch of Wikipedia
Already
 making
 strides
 in
 providing
 easy
 access

to
 informaCon,
 the
 Internet
 leapt
 forward
 in

January
 2001
 with
 the
 launch
 of
 Wikipedia.


Providing
 content
 on
 everything:
 the
 Banle
 of

Waterloo,
 Pulp
 FicCon,
 Toyota,
 Vasco
 da
 Gama,

the
 Wilhelm
 Scream,
 Ernest
 Hemingway,
 the

White
 Album,
 ConstanCnople,
 the
 Great
 Wall

of
 China,
 the
 2001
 World
 Series
 .
 .
 .
 the
 list
 is

never‐ending
and
ever‐expanding.

Wikipedia
has

caused
controversy
in
academia,
where
its
use
is

generally
frowned
upon,
and
in
poliCcs,
where
a

“Conservapedia”
alternaCve
has
emerged.

A
tool

to
spread
knowledge
and
share
culture,
Wikipedia

has
become
a
cultural
icon
itself.

Illustrations by Kelsey Eng (above) and Christina Belderson (below)

#16
The
“BriCsh
9/11”
couldn’t

London Subway Bombings
match
 the
 U.S.
 terrorist

disaster
 in
 terms
 of

human
 destrucCon—only

56
 people
 were
 killed—
but
 it
 did
 have
 similar

psychological
 effects.
 
 The

three
 successful
 subway

bombs
 were
 detonated
 by

cell
 phone,
 and
 all
 went

off
 within
 50
 seconds
 of

each
other.

The
revelaCon

that
 such
 readily
 available

means
 could
 lead
 to
 such

coordinated
 and
 organized

destrucCon
 one
 again
 let

the
 Western
 world
 know

that
it
had
every
reason
to

fear.

Illustration by Snow Powers

#15
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane
Katrina
devastated
the
city
of
New

Orleans,
 and
 its
 effects
 are
 sCll
 felt
 today.


Thousands
of
people
died
in
the
disaster,
and

the
city
suffered
nearly
$100
billion
in
damage.


The
 havoc
 of
 the
 hurricane
 was
 augmented

by
 the
 inept
 government
 response,
 causing

it
 to
 be
 not
 just
 tragic,
 but
 also
 one
 of
 the

most
 shameful
 moments
 of
 in
 modern
 U.S.

history.

Katrina
marked
a
turning
point
in
the

presidency
of
George
W.
Bush.

While
people

were
 split
 on
 Bush
 during
 the
 middle
 of
 his

tenure,
 aBer
 FEMA’s
 horribly
 mismanaged

reacCon
 to
 Katrina
 the
 president’s
 approval

began
 a
 downward
 spiral,
 leaving
 him
 with

linle
support
in
D.C.
and
across
the
country.
Illustration by Christopher Hohl
#14
Beijing Olympics
In
 the
 early
 1990s,
 Chinese
 leader

Deng
 Xiaoping
 said
 that
 China’s

grand
 strategy
 would
 be
 to
 “Hide

our
capaciCes
and
bide
our
Cme.”

In

2008
China
announced
that
it
would

hide
 its
 power
 no
 longer.
 China

spent
more
than
$40
billion
to
host

the
 Beijing
 games,
 which
 involved

the
 construcCon
 of
 an
 airport,

a
 stadium,
 and
 the
 relocaCon
 of

nearly
 1.5
 million
 people.
 
 ABer

the
 games,
 the
 country
 took
 a

much
 more
 aggressive
 posture

in
 its
 foreign
 relaCons,
 buying
 up

foreign
 corporaCons
 with
 valuable

resources
 and
 acCvely
 suggesCng

the
replacement
of
the
dollar
as
the

world’s
reserve
currency.

#13 Google buys YouTube

The
 Holy
 Grail
 of
 procrasCnaCon,

YouTube
 got
 a
 big
 boost
 in
 2006

when
 Internet
 giant
 Google

purchased
 the
 video
 mega‐site
 for

$1.65
 billion.
 
 YouTube
 conCnued

to
 grow,
 becoming
 a
 cultural

phenomenon.

With
its
easy
means

of
 uploading,
 embedding,
 and

viewing
video,
YouTube
turned
the

Internet
 into
 a
 democraCc
 video‐
medium.
 
 Now
 YouTube
 is
 a
 mass

means
 of
 expression,
 used
 by

millions
 of
 arCsts,
 advocates,
 and

outspoken
individuals
with
a
world

of
diversity.
 #12
Madrid Train Attack Whereas
 the
 anacks
 of
 9/11
 led
 to
 a
 surge
 in

President
 Bush’s
 approval
 raCngs,
 the
 2004

Madrid
train
bombings
resulted
in
the
Spanish

incumbent
 party,
 which
 had
 been
 ahead
 in

the
 polls
 prior
 to
 the
 anacks,
 being
 defeated.


Upon
taking
office,
the
newly
elected
Socialist

party
 quickly
 removed
 every
 Spanish
 soldier

fighCng
 in
 Iraq.
 
 Though
 many
 criCcized
 this

move
 as
 “leqng
 the
 terrorists
 win,”
 there
 is

linle
indicaCon
that
the
Spanish
people
regret

their
decision.

The
Spanish
Socialists
retain
the

presidency.

#11
Russian Invasion of Georgia
Russia
sent
shockwaves
across
the

world
in
August
2008
when
it
sent

a
 massive
 military
 force
 into
 the

country
 of
 Georgia.
 
 The
 Russian

military
 tore
 its
 way
 through

the
 small,
 relaCvely
 defenseless

naCon,
 leaving
 devastaCon
 in
 its

path.

This
excessive
show
of
force

was
likely
done
to
elicit
exactly
the

response
that
it
received
from
the

global
community:

those
who
had

dismissed
 Russia
 as
 a
 second‐rate

power
 since
 the
 fall
 of
 the
 Soviet

Union
 discovered
 a
 newfound,
 if

reluctant
sense
of
respect.

Perhaps

even
more
shocking
and
unsenling

was
 the
 world’s
 inability
 to
 reign

in
 Russia
 or
limit
 the
 impact
 of
 its

acCons.

Illustration by Kelsey Brod

 #10
Reelection of
Ahmadinejad
The
 June
 2009
 reelecCon
 of
 Iranian

president
 Mahmoud
 Ahmadinejad

became
a
global
event
when
controversy

quickly
 arose
 over
 the
 validity
 of
 the

results.
 Ahmadinejad
 likely
 maintained


#9
his
posiCon
through
mass
elecCon
fraud,

thereby
likely
limiCng
his
long‐term
ability

to
 hold
 onto
 power.
 The
 world
 watched

both
in
awe
as
millions
of
Iranians
took
to

the
streets
and
also
in
horror
as
peaceful
 Invasion of Afghanistan
protests
 were
 met
 with
 violence
 and
 A
 geopoliCcal
 point
 of
 great
 value
 since
 the
 reign

government
 crackdowns
 on
 freedoms
 of
 Genghis
 Khan,
 the
 U.S.
 and
 NATO
 invasion
 of

of
 speech
 and
 assembly.
 Ahmadinejad’s
 Afghanistan
in
October
2001
showed
the
impact
of

legiCmacy
 as
 the
 naCon’s
 leader
 controlling
 the
 small
 naCon
 that
 sits
 in
 the
 center

plummeted
in
the
global
community.

The
 of
the
world’s
largest
conCnent.

The
United
States’

tainted
elecCon
and
the
clerics’
backing
of
 overthrow
 of
 the
 Taliban
 and
 conCnued
 war
 in

Ahmadinejad
could
alter
the
course
of
the
 Afghanistan
has
had
a
seismic
impact
on
surrounding

Iranian
RevoluCon.

The
conCnued
rule
of
 naCons,
 defining
 the
 internaConal
 policies
 and

Ahmadinejad
could
drasCcally
impact
the
 posiCons
 of
 Pakistan,
 Iran,
 Russia,
 India,
 and

region
and
the
globe
for
years
to
come. many
 other
 naCons.
 
 The
 conflict
 itself
 conCnued

throughout
 the
 enCre
 decade,
 leaving
 thousands

dead
and
the
future
of
Afghanistan
uncertain.
 #8
Launch of the iPhone Illustration by Carter Malouf
While
 the
 iPod
 changed
 the
 f nu
ary
End Call

way
 people
 interact
 with


Ja
9

i
Min
all

music,
 the
 iPhone
 changed


dC
En

Mini SM
f S
the
 way
 people
 interact
 with

SM
everything.
 
 Ushering
 in
 the

Ja
S nu
ary
SM
Min
9 S

age
 of
 apps,
 the
 iPhone
 put


the
 ability
 to
 do
 anything
 in
 a

pocket‐sized
 device.
 
 Although

f En
dC
all
f Ja

Mi
ni
nu
ary

9
SM
S

dC
all

the
 business
 world
 had
 been


En

clicking
 away
 at
 Blackberrys


for
years,
the
iPhone,
launched

in
 2007,
 set
 the
 new
 standard

of
 cellular
 devices,
 starCng
 Ja
nu
ar
y
f

End
9

Cal
l

f
a
 norm
 whereby
 everyone

f
9

9 f
9

End Call

wants
 a
 smart
 phone
 for
 daily


f
9

use.
 
 The
 computers
 people


hold
 in
 their
 hands
 in
 2010

are
more
advanced
than
those

they
 installed
 at
 their
 desks

in
 2000.
 
 How
 this
 technology

conCnues
to
advance
and
what

people
do
with
such
abiliCes
in

communicaCon
 and
 gathering

informaCon
is
yet
unseen.

#7
Facebook Goes Public
Once
 a
 niche
 college
 network,
 Facebook
 became

a
 global
 force
 by
 opening
 itself
 to
 the
 public
 in

September
 2006,
 allowing
 everyone
 to
 create
 an

account.

Within
a
year
Facebook
had
jumped
ahead

of
 its
 sketchier
 rival
 MySpace,
 adding
 hundreds
 of

millions
of
new
users.

Now
the
second
most
visited

website
in
the
enCre
world,
Facebook
has
the
potenCal

revoluConize
 the
 way
 individuals
 communicate
 and

interact
for
decades
to
come.
#6
Fall of Baghdad
It
wasn’t
quite
the
fall
of
the
Berlin

Wall,
 but
 the
 image
 of
 Saddam

Hussein’s
statue
being
pulled
down

by
Iraqi
ciCzens
(now
known
to
be

a
 staged
 event)
 certainly
 seemed

like
another
blow
struck
for
human

freedom.
 
 Unfortunately,
 Colin

Powell’s
 “ponery
 barn
 rule”
 of

governance
proved
all
too
true,
and

U.S.
forces
remain
mired
in
Iraq.

#5
2000
Presidential
Election

Illustration by Carter Malouf

The
turn
of
the
millennium
campaign
that
pined
George
W.
Bush
against
Al
Gore
reflected
the
division

Americans
faced,
and
the
diverging
paths
the
country
could
take.

Bush’s
razor‐thin
elecCon
outcome

–
one
of
four
in
history
that
did
not
include
a
win
in
the
popular
vote
–
took
the
United
States
toward

a
never‐before‐seen
type
of
governing:
conservaCsm
mixed
with
Big
Government,
a
combinaCon

that
brought
about
unprecedented
policy
in
a
wide
range
of
issues
both
foreign
and
domesCc.
#4 Election of Barack Obama
Hailed
by
the
candidate
as
a
once‐in‐a‐generaCon

moment
 to
 change
 the
 United
 States,
 the
 2008

elecCon
 came
 at
 a
 Cme
 of
 uncertainty
 and

instability
 that
 seemed
 to
 confirm
 that
 it
 would

mark
a
pivotal
point
in
determining
the
direcCon

of
 the
 country
 for
 decades
 to
 come.
 
 While
 the

implicaCons
of
the
outcome
largely
remain
to
be

seen,
the
elecCon
itself
was
an
event
that
altered

the
naCon.

Obama’s
campaign
became
a
naConal

movement
 for
 change,
 sweeping
 up
 the
 country

in
 the
 cultural
 phenomenon.
 
 At
 the
 same
 Cme,

the
 campaign’s
 use
 of
 new
 technologies
 made

2008
 the
 first
 “Internet
 ElecCon,”
 permanently

reshaping
campaign
strategy
and
tacCcs.

And
at

the
end
of
it
all
Barack
Obama
shanered
one
of
the

United
 States’
 strongest
 glass
 ceilings,
 becoming

the
first
African
American
elected
President
of
the

United
States.

Illustration by Snow Powers

#3
Indian Ocean
Tsunami
Of
 all
 the
 events
 of
 the
 decade,
 none

had
 a
 more
 immediate
 impact
 than
 the

Indian
 Ocean
 Tsunami.
 
 Killing
 more

than
230,000
people
from
more
than
60

countries
 and
 leaving
 nearly
 1.7
 million

people
displaced,
the
earthquake‐caused

tsunami
 was
a
global
 disaster
of
biblical

proporCons
 and
 possibly
 the
 deadliest

natural
 disaster
 in
 human
 history.
 
 This

tragic
event
stands
as
one
of
the
strongest

reasons
that
the
2000s
is
oBen
described

as
the
Decade
of
Disaster.
 #2
Financial Crisis
of 2008
For
 a
 decade
 that
 seemed
 like
 it

would
be
defined
by
naConal
security

concerns,
 2008
 was
 a
 year
 in
 which

the
 economy
 was
 catapulted
 into

center
stage.

Brought
on
by
a
decade

of
 irresponsible
 overconsumpCon

and
the
housing
bubble,
the
financial

crisis
 brought
 the
 United
 States
 back

to
 earth.
 
 Meanwhile,
 growth
 in
 the

developing
 world
 chugs
 along,
 and

pundits
 are
 coalescing
 around
 the

idea
of
a
“post‐American
world.”
Illustration by Grace Preston

#1
September 11
September
11
turned
the
world
on
its
head
in
so

many
ways.

The
United
States’
status
of
strength

and
invulnerability
was
shanered.

InternaConal

and
diplomaCc
relaCons
were
drasCcally
changed

as
 the
 United
 States’
 inevitable
 response
 in

Afghanistan
reshaped
the
policies
of
countries

throughout
 the
 Middle
 East.
 
 The
 coverage
 of

the
event
and
its
aBermath
brought
the
once‐
daily
news
cycle
to
a
resounding
end.

A
War
On

Terrorism
was
launched,
one
that
seems
to
be

devoid
 of
 victory,
 defeat,
 or
 any
 possible
 end.


September
11
was
not
just
the
defining
moment

of
 the
 decade,
 but
 of
 our
 enCre
 generaCon.


OBen
 compared
 to
 Pearl
 Harbor
 and
 the
 JFK

AssassinaCon,
 September
 11
 is
 rightly
 labeled

as
the
moment
we
lost
our
innocence.
 10 People
who shaped the
Decade
#10
Ben Bernanke
While
 the
 decade
 came
 to
 an
 end
 with
 the
 economy
 sCll

struggling,
it’s
hard
to
imagine
how
dire
a
situaCon
we
would

be
 in
 today
 if
 not
 for
 Federal
 Reserve
 Chairman
 Bernanke’s

work
to
preserve
the
financial
system
amidst
crisis
in
2008.

Illustration by Louise Smythe

#9
Al Gore
Thought
to
be
knocked
off
the
naConal
stage

at
 the
 start
 of
 the
 decade,
 this
 Inconvenient

Icon
opened
our
eyes
to
the
perils
of
climate

change
 and
 made
 environmental
 issues
 hold

weight
for
society.

#8Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Faced
 with
 U.S.
 occupaCons
 of
 countries
 on
 Iran’s
 eastern
 and

western
borders,
Ahmadinejad
managed
to
turn
Iran
into
the
regional

powerhouse
of
the
Middle
East,
becoming
a
global
player
and
major

U.S.
adversary
in
the
process.

#7
Osama bin Laden
Illustration by Louise Smythe
The
head
of
the
global
terrorist

network
Al
Qaeda,
bin
Laden
leB

a
 bloody
 mark
 on
 the
 decade.


OrchestraCng
anacks
across
the

globe,
 bin
 Laden
 is
 responsible

for
 the
 death
 of
 thousands
 of

civilians
and
conCnues
to
affect

policy
on
a
global
scale.
 #6
Mark Zuckerberg
Entering
 the
 decade
 as
 a
 high
 school
 student,

Mark
 Zuckerberg,
 the
 creator
 of
 Facebook,
 exits

it
 as
 a
 global
 entrepreneur
 and
 the
 youngest

billionaire
 in
 history.
 
 Facebook
 has
 rebuilt
 the

way
 individuals
 define
 themselves
 and
 society

interacts,
with
Wall
Posts
and
Fan
Pages
becoming

the
most
common
outlets
of
expression.

#5
Barack Obama
Barack
 Obama’s
 rise
 to
 prominence
 is
 one

of
 the
 fastest
 and
 most
 interesCng
 in
 U.S.

history.
 
 By
 overcoming
 astounding
 odds
 in

a
 hard‐fought
 primary,
 building
 a
 naConal

movement
for
change,
and
shanering
barriers

in
 his
 elecCon,
 Obama
 has
 already
 made

history.

But
with
only
a
year
progressed
into

his
 presidency,
 his
 true
 legacy
 is
 yet
 to
 be

seen.
#4
Hu Jintao
At
 the
 start
 of
 the
 decade
 the
 path
 of
 China’s

future
remained
uncertain.

Under
the
leadership

of
 Hu
 Jintao
 and
 a
 focus
 on
 economic
 growth,

China
has
become
a
global
power
second
only
to

the
United
States
and
taken
a
role
on
the
world

stage
unprecedented
in
its
history.


#3
Vladimir Putin
Facing
decline
and
division
in
the
previous
decade,

Russia
resurgence
in
the
2000s
is
largely
due
to
the

role
 of
 Vladimir
 PuCn.
 
 By
 taking
 complete
 control

of
the
poliCcal
system,
expanding
Russia’s
influence

in
Eastern
Europe
and
the
Middle
East,
and
crushing

Georgia
in
a
brief
conflict
in
2008,
PuCn
has
enhanced

Russia’s
global
status
and
become
one
of
the
most

powerful
and
influenCal
people
in
the
world.
 #2
Larry Page and
Sergey Brin
This
 decade
 has
 been
 defined
 by
 the

development
 of
 Web
 2.0
 technologies,
 and

none
have
been
more
influenCal
and
important

than
Google.

In
the
last
ten
years
Page
and

Brin
have
used
Google
to
create
an
Internet

empire
 that
 puts
 unlimited
 informaCon
 at

every
individual’s
fingerCps.

#1 George W. Bush
Even
 in
 a
 decade
 of
 globalizaCon
 and

technological
 leaps,
 the
 former
 leader
 of

world’s
last
superpower
sCll
clearly
emerges

as
the
most
influenCal
person
of
the
decade.


Presiding
 over
 the
 global
 financial
 collapse,

pledging
 to
 fight
 the
 global
 war
 on
 terror,

leading
invasions
of
Afghanistan
and
Iraq,
and

dramaCcally
 altering
 U.S.
 domesCc
 policy,

George
Bush
leaves
a
tenuous
legacy
behind

him,
 but
 one
 that
 undeniably
 reshaped
 the

face
of
the
world
as
we
know
it.

What do you think?

Disagree
 with
 our
 choices?
 
 Think
 we
 le\

someone
 or
 something
 off
 the
 list
 that

deserved
 to
 be
 menMoned?
 
 Email
 us
 your

thoughts
 and
 opinions
 at
 editor@wupr.org.


We’ll
publish
your
feedback
in
our
next
issue.
Mr.
Michael Friend

Clinton
Goes to
Shanghai
Bill
Clinton
hangs
on
an
antenna
high
above

the
 Shanghai
 skyline.
 
 Mist
 slowly
 moves

“Skinemax
is
no
longer
allowed
in
Virginia?”

said
Clinton.

the
heat
of
a
sniper’s
laser
on
the
back
of
his

head.
 In
 a
 swiB
 move
 he
 grabbed
 hold
 of
 the

around
 Clinton
 as
 he
 clings
 to
 the
 only
 thing
 “Someone
 actually
 looked
 at
 my
 qualifica‐ belaying
 rope
 and
 swung
 himself
 through
 the

keeping
 him
 on
 the
 building
 –
 his
 presCgious,
 Cons?”
said
Geithner.


 window
of
the
33rd
floor.
Crashing
through
the

grey,
 almost‐Darwinian
 beard.
 He
 yawns,
 rub‐ “No,
this
is
much
worse.

Google
has
declared
 glass,
 he
 surprised
 two
 guards
 who
 he
 then

bing
 the
 bothersome
 mist
 from
 his
 eyes
 with
 war
on
Earth.” quickly
disarmed.
He
was
running
down
the
red

his
right
hand
while
taking
off
the
safety
of
his
 
 “How
 can
 Google
 do
 that?
 It’s
 the
 nicest
 carpet
of
the
hallway
towards
the
server
room,

gun
with
his
leB.
Clinton
anaches
himself
to
the
 company
I
know!”
said
Al
Gore.
“Their
mono
is
 when
 he
 suddenly
 heard
 the
 sound
 of
 dogs.

belay
and
leans
over
the
edge
of
the
building.
 ‘Don’t
Be
Evil.’”
 Clinton
looked
over
his
shoulder
just
in
Cme
to

Then,
like
a
swallow
diving
from
a
cliff,
he
leaps
 “No,
Al,”
said
Clinton,
shaking
his
head.
“We
 see
 the
 slobbering
 jaws
 of
 a
 deranged
 animal

out
into
the
mist.

As
he
falls
down
the
side
of
 recently
intercepted
a
secret
transmission
from
 going
for
his
throat.
In
one
deB
kick
he
knocked

the
building
he
passes
by
a
mulC‐colored
logo;

 Google’s
headquarters.
When
we
decrypted
it
 out
 the
 animal,
 whose
 mouth
 was
 foaming

the
leners
spell
out
Google.
 we
 learned
 that
 Google’s
 actual
 mono
 is
 ‘Be
 with
 rabies.
 Once
 he
 had
 reached
 the
 server

Ten
days
earlier…. Evil.’”
 room,
hacking
the
security
was
a
piece
of
cake.

The
secret
room
under
the
White
House
was
 “They
already
have
12
nuclear
missiles
under
 Clinton’s
 fingers
 flew
 over
 the
 keyboard
 like
 a

dimly
lit
with
blue
and
gray
lighCng,
the
chairs
 the
servers
where
they
store
all
the
Gmail
in
the
 piano
 virtuoso,
 cracking
 codes
 like
 they
 were

around
 the
 table
 were
 soB,
 but
 not
 too
 soB,
 world,”
Obama
said. the
skulls
of
his
enemies.
When
he
finished
he

and
 the
 tabletop
 was
 smooth
 as
 silk.
 Clinton
 “And
they
are
threatening
to
destroy
all
the
 took
out
his
top‐secret,
zero‐gravity,
perpetual‐
breathed
in
deeply
as
he
entered
the
room
and
 porn
on
the
internet
if
we
don’t
give
them
more
 moCon,
 deep‐frozen
 USB
 device
 (government

sighed,
“Ah,
the
octagonal
office.”
Al
Gore
said,
 uranium,”
said
Geithner.
 issue)
 and
 stole
 the
 codes.
 
 Clinton
 ran
 back

“I
haven’t
been
here
in
a
long
Cme.
It
is
nice
to
 “Clinton,
 I
 need
 you
 to
 go
 to
 Google’s
 least
 down
 the
 hallway,
 dodged
 past
 the
 army
 of

be
back
in
the
place
where
the
president
actu‐ secure
 corporate
 headquarters
 and
 steal
 the
 guards
and
jumped
out
of
Google
headquarters

ally
 works.”
 “Gentlemen,
 we
 should
 get
 down
 nuclear
 missile
 launch
 codes
 from
 their
 of‐ onto
the
street
below.
to
business,”
said
President
Obama,
“our
great‐ fice.
 Do
 you
 think
 you
 could
 do
 that?”
 asked

est
fears
have
been
realized.”
 Obama.

“Sarah
Palin
stopped
making
her
party
look
 Back
in
the
present…. Mike
 Friend,
 WUPR’s
 Business
 Manager,
 is
 a

sophomore
 in
 the
 Olin
 Business
 School.
 
 His

like
morons?”
said
Gore.
 
As
Clinton
fell
through
the
air
he
could
feel

email
is
sodiumsb@gmail.com

February Edition Washington University Political Review 31

 The
dollar
has
long
dominated
internaConal
markets
as

the
currency
of
choice;
it
made
up
more
than
70%
of
the

world’s
reserve
currency
at
the
start
of
the
millennium
and

acts
as
the
standard
in
commodiCes
from
gold
to
oil.

For

decades,
most
of
the
world’s
trade
was
denominated
in
dol‐
lars.

However,
in
the
past
ten
years,
the
greenback
has
faced

a
new
formidable
threat:
the
euro.

Despite
high
hopes
for

the
euro,
and
even
expectaCons
of
a
Euro
Era,
an
overthrow

of
the
dollar
is
unlikely
in
the
next
decade.

32 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 CirculaCon
of
the
euro
began
on
January
 The
power
of
the
euro
also
stretches
into

Political Review | Sept 12 2009
1,
2002.


The
Eurozone
now
encompasses
16
 the
poliCcal
and
monetary
policy
arena.

In

European
naCons
and
their
overseas
princi‐ order
to
join
the
eurozone,
aspiring
naCons

paliCes,
meaning
that
more
than
329
million
 need
to
meet
strict
fiscal
criteria,
such
as
low

people
officially
use
the
euro.

In
addiCon,
a
 inflaCon,
interest
rates
around
the
EU
average,

wide
swath
of
other
countries,
including
most
 a
budget
deficit
of
3%
or
less
of
GDP,
and
a

of
Africa,
peg
their
currencies
to
the
euro,
add‐ debt
raCo
smaller
than
60%
of
GDP.

These

ing
another
175
million
people
whose
paydays
 restricCons
give
the
EU
considerable
power

and
purchases
are
closely
linked
to
the
unit.

 over
the
spending
policies
of
naCons
in
the

Yet,
even
compiled
together,
the
eurozone
 currency
union.

The
European
Central
Bank

countries’
GDP
measures
to
only
75%
of
the
 (ECB),
formed
to
oversee
the
euro,
further

United
States’.

The
euro
has
the
most
coins
 limits
individual
naCons’
power
over
monetary

and
bills
in
circulaCon
of
any
currency,
though,
 policy.

The
ECB
is
focused
on
prevenCng
infla‐
and
it
is
quickly
being
adopted
as
a
reserve
 Con,
regardless
of
its
effect
on
employment

currency,
meaning
that
it
is
the
only
credible
 –someCmes
causing
governments
to
be
help‐
opponent
to
the
dollar’s
command
of
interna‐ less
in
prevenCng
job
losses
for
their
ciCzens.
Conal
economics. This
centralized
power
of
the
euro
has
been

The
euro
has
emerged
from
its
first
decade
 matched
with
calls
to
have
the
euro
replace

with
a
long
list
of
accomplishments.

It
was
 the
dollar
as
the
world’s
reserve
currency
and

introduced
to
boost
the
economies
of
the
 major
trading
unit.

Petroleum
exporCng
coun‐
European
naCons
that
would
use
it
and
has
 tries
have
already
worked
closely
with
a
range

met
its
aspiraCons.

Economists
generally
 of
countries
in
order
to
price
oil
in
a
basket
of

agree
that
its
launch
increased
trade
between
 currencies,
led
by
the
euro,
instead
of
in
dol‐
member
naCons
about
9%
over
the
growth
 lars.

The
euro
has
quickly
become
the
world’s

they
would
have
seen
had
they
conCnued
us‐ second
largest
reserve
currency,
at
more


ing
their
previous
currencies.

This
expansion
 than
26%
of
internaConal
reserves.

This
shiB

can
be
anributed
to
a
reducCon
in
transacCon
 increases
the
market
for
the
euro
and
allows

costs.

For
the
closely
linked
European
naCons
 European
naCons’
governments
to
have
lower

that
deal
frequently
with
each
other,
trade
 interest
rates
on
their
borrowings
and
expand

became
cheaper
as
uncertainCes
and
hedging
 government
spending.
decreased.

The
euro
removed
exchange
rate
 Yet
this
utopian
facade
has
started
to
crum‐
risks
and
disproporConately
helped
poorer
 ble
in
the
last
two
years.

The
recent
problems

naCons
in
Europe,
including
Ireland,
Spain
and
 of
the
Greek
government
have
pointed
out
the

Greece,
which
were
trapped
by
large
fluc‐ potenCal
disasters
that
await
the
euro.

With

tuaCons
in
exchange
rates.

Now
companies
 many
naCons
incorporated
into
the
euro,
there

and
consumers
can
buy
internaConal
goods
 are
countless
chances
for
problems
because

without
worrying
about
price
changes
because
 of
an
individual
government’s
irresponsibil‐
of
exchange
rate
swings.

Investors
also
benefit
 ity
or
natural
economic
fluctuaCons
across
a

from
increased
liquidity,
especially
in
smaller
 variety
of
industries.

Greece
has
a
public
debt

or
poorer
naCons,
because
bonds
can
easily
be
 that
is
125%
more
than
its
GDP
–
meaning
the

exchanged
for
bills,
thus
lowering
the
borrow‐ government
owes
more
money
than
the
enCre

ing
costs
and
boosCng
investment.

The
stabil‐ Greek
economy
will
make
this
year.

If
the

ity
associated
with
the
euro
also
increased
 Greeks
must
default
on
their
bonds,
investors

foreign
direct
investment
in
eurozone
compa‐ will
quesCon
their
confidence
in
other
Euro‐
nies,,
further
developed
European
economies,
 pean
naCons’
government
debt.

Analysts
had

and
laid
the
foundaCon
for
long‐term
growth. expected
that
naCons
who
fared
well
through

recessions
would
support
those
hardest
hit,


February Edition Washington University Political Review 33

but
the
ECB
has
told
Greece
that
it
will
receive
 the
next
decade.

The
future
of
the
Eurozone

no
money,
meaning
the
stability
of
Eurozone
 is
uncertain
aBer
the
recession
at
the
end
of

naCons
is
no
longer
guaranteed
by
the
central
 the
2000’s.

If
the
naCons
that
use
the
euro
are

bank.

 not
confident
in
its
future,
internaConal
trad‐
The
limitaCons
on
monetary
policy
for
 ers
and
currency
experts
are
unlikely
to
pick

individual
naCons
through
the
recession
has
 it
up
as
their
banknote
of
choice.

The
dollar,

held
euro
governments
hostage
to
centralized
 although
hard
hit
by
this
crisis,
has
remained

policymaking.

Because
any
approach
would
 strong
and
faces
linle
risk
of
default,
and

be
enacted
throughout
the
conCnent,
nuanced
 therefore
sCll
appears
to
be
the
safest
choice

and
effecCve
reacCons
to
the
recession
were
 for
investors.

The
euro
has
advanced
through

not
possible.

When
signs
of
life
returned
 the
past
decade
in
the
hopes
of
challenging

to
some
areas,
the
ECB
became
hesitant
to
 the
dollar
as
the
world’s
monetary
leader,
but

conCnue
expansionist
policies
that
could
 Eurozone
naCons
have
found
that
they
need
to

increase
inflaCon.

This
approach
has
slowed
 fight
internal
problems
before
their
currency

recovery
in
naCons
that
desperately
need
help.

 can
ever
hope
to
dominate.

This
banle
is

The
unified
economy
became
such
a
problem
 likely
to
wage
on
for
at
least
another
decade,

that
at
the
recession’s
lowest
point,
Eurozone
 meaning
that
a
Euro
Era
remains
a
concept
of

countries
were
discussing
the
break‐up
of
the
 the
future.

cooperaCon.
Kirsten
Miller,
a
WUPR
staff
writer,
is
a

The
past
decade
has
been
a
Cme
of
extraor‐
sophomore
majoring
in
Economics
and

dinary
growth
for
the
euro
and
its
economies,

Strategy.

Her
email
is
miller.ki@olin.wustl.edu
yet
they
face
significant
challenges
going
into


34 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 Political Review | Sept 12 2009

As
 the
 healthcare
 debate
 draws
 to
 a
 close,


Congress
sCll
has
a
lot
leB
on
its
plate.
Financial

reform
and
climate
change
legislaCon
are
two

divisive
and
upcoming
issues,
but
close
behind

them
 is
 immigraCon
 reform.
 Under
 President

Bush,
 Congress
 anempted
 but
 failed
 to
 pass

comprehensive
reform.
As
Congress
tries
once

more
 to
 address
 this
 issue,
 it
 must
 apply
 the

lessons
of
its
recent
failure.
Illegal
 immigraCon
 has
 become
 one
 of
 the

most
 important
 problems
 facing
 this
 country.

There
are
currently
12
million
unregistered

im‐
migrants
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 While
 the
 gov‐
ernment
has
increased
efforts
to
monitor
ports

and
 internaConal
 airplanes
 for
 terrorists,
 the

U.S.‐Mexico
 border
 sCll
 allows
 millions
 to
 en‐
ter
the
country
illegally.
In
addiCon,
banles
be‐
tween
Mexican
drug
cartels
have
escalated
over

the
past
year,
calling
anenCon
to
the
need
for

bener
border
enforcement.
The
Obama
admin‐
istraCon
has
bolstered
efforts
to
crack
down
on

these
gangs,
but
the
cartels
conCnue
to
thrive.

ImmigraCon
reform
will
 help
prevent
Mexican

cartels
 from
 bringing
 drugs
 and
 violence
 into

our
country.


February Edition Washington University Political Review 35

 The
 Obama
 administraCon
 has
 taken
 some
 criminal
 background
 check
 and
 learning
 Eng‐
acCon
 toward
 fulfilling
 its
 immigraCon
 goals.
 lish.
One
of
the
central
criCcisms
that
doomed

For
 example,
 it
 has
 followed
 a
 different
 en‐ immigraCon
reform
under
President
Bush
was

forcement
policy
than
that
of
the
Bush
admin‐ that
legalizaCon
of
illegal
immigrants
must
not

istraCon.
Rather
than
raiding
factories
and
de‐ precede
a
reducCon
in
illegal
immigraCon.
This

porCng
their
workers,
the
White
House
policy,
 issue
 is
 already
 being
 addressed.
 Since
 2007,

as
demonstrated
by
a
recent
audit
of
American
 the
Border
Patrol
has

hired
20,000
officers
and

Apparel,
is
to
fire
workers
who
are
deemed
to
 constructed
600
miles
of
fencing
along
the
U.S.‐
be
illegal
immigrants
and
prosecute
those
that
 Mexico
 border.
 While
 400
 miles
 of
 border
 re‐
employ
them.
While
this
is
fairer
to
the
undocu‐ main
unfenced,
and
some
sCll
criCcize
the
Bor‐
mented
workers,
it
is
not
a
sustainable
pracCce.
 der
 Patrol’s
 performance,
 these
 changes
 have

Reform
legislaCon
could
eliminate

the
need
for
 produced
a
sharp
drop
in
illegal
immigraCon
in

these
counter‐producCve
firings.
 past
year.

Recent
anempts
at
immigraCon
reform
have
 With
 unemployment
 at
 about
 10%,
 many

been
largely
unsuccessful.
From
2005
to
2007,
 Americans
 fear
 that
 immigraCon
 reform
 legis‐
the
Bush
administraCon
worked
with
Congress
 laCon
 take
 jobs
 away
 from
 U.S.‐born
 ciCzens.

to
 pass
 comprehensive
 immigraCon
 reform.
 A
 recent
 
 report
 by
 the
 Center
 for
 American

Both
 the
 House
 and
 the
 Senate
 passed
 bills,
 Progress,
 however,
 indicates
 otherwise.
 The

but
were
unable
to
reconcile
them
to
present
 report
 examines
 the
 effects
 of
 legislaCon

a
 final
 bill
 to
 the
 President.
 During
 another
 passed
in
1986
that
legalized
three
million
im‐
Congressional
 session
 in
 2007,
 President
 Bush
 migrants
and
claims
that
comprehensive
immi‐
worked
 closely
 with
 several
 Senators
 to
 pass
 graCon
reform
could
increase
the
U.S.
GDP
by

a
 compromise
 bill
 called
 the
 Comprehensive
 as
much
as
$1.5
trillion
over
ten
years.
Author

ImmigraCon
Act
of
2007.
It
included
measures
 Dr.
Hinojosa‐Ojeda
claims
that

immigraCon
re‐

for
 tougher
 border
 enforcement
 as
 well
 as
 a
 form
would
raise
not
only
the
GDP,
but
also
the


pathway
 to
 legalized
 status
 for
 illegal
 immi‐ wages
of
immigrants,
thus
reducing
their
ability

grants.
 The
 process
 included
 a
 points
 system
 to
undercut
American
ciCzens.
Since
illegal
im‐
that
 would
 be
 distributed
 based
 on
 English
 migrants
risk
deportaCon,
they
cannot
bargain

proficiency,
 educaCon,
 and
 job
 skills.
 It
 also
 for
higher
wages.
Full
legalizaCon
would
allow

included
 a
 guest
 employment
 program
 that
 them
 to
 do
 so.
 Comprehensive
 reform,
 which

would
give
some
immigrants
the
ability
to
work
 includes
 granCng
 legal
 status
 to
 illegal
 immi‐
for
up
to
two
years
in
the
United
States
before
 grants,
 would
 increase
 the
 wages
 of
 both
 im‐
being
 sent
 back
 to
 their
 home
 country.
 CriCcs
 migrants
 and
 American
 ciCzens
 as
 well
 as
 the

of
the
bill
condemned
its
confusing
points
sys‐ country’s
GDP
and
government
revenue,
which

tem
 and
 claimed
 that
 by
 granCng
 legal
 status
 will
help
pay
for
the
rising
debt.
to
millions
of
illegal
immigrants
before
securing
 The
 White
 House’s
 strong
 language
 on
 de‐
the
borders,
the
bill
would
encourage
illegal
im‐ porCng
criminal
illegal
immigrants
will
win
over

migraCon.
The
bill
went
down
in
flames
under
 some
 who
 argue
 that
 any
 illegal
 immigrant

the
 force
 of
 these
 criCcisms,
 and
 immigraCon
 must
be
deported
for
commiqng
a
crime.
Se‐
reform
was
abandoned.
 rious
criminal
backgrounds
are
a
necessary
re‐
Since
 President
 Obama
 has
 not
 achieved
 quirement
of
legal
status,
but
the
White
House

the
immigraCon
reform
he
promised
within
the
 should
be
wary
of
being
too
tough.
While
Janet

first
 year
 of
 his
 administraCon,
 he
 is
 already
 Napolitano
recently
cited
that
111,000
criminal

behind
 schedule.
 The
 White
 House
 plan
 has
 aliens
 had
 been
 caught,
 this
 number
 included

three
 central
 proposals:
 tougher
 enforcement
 those
that
just
had
minor
traffic
violaCons.
De‐
against
 illegal
 immigrants
 and
 employers,
 an
 porCng
 illegal
 immigrants
 for
 minor
 offenses,

improved
 system
 for
 legal
 immigraCon,
 and
 a
 such
as
jaywalking,
would
be
costly
and
unfair.

fair
path
to
legal
status
that
includes
passing
a
 In
 addiCon,
 
 some
 argue
 that
 
 guest
 worker


36 Washington University Political Review February Edition

programs
–
like
the
one
included
in
the
last
bill,
 port,
 and
 several
 Republican
 Senators
 have

which
sCll
has
Republican
support
–would
treat
 shown
 interest
 in
 geqng
 involved
 in
 the
 pro‐
guest
 workers
 have
 been
 treated
 like
 second‐ cess.
 
 Republican
 Senator
 Lindsey
 Graham
 is

class
ciCzens;
others
argue

that
deportaCon
is
 currently
co‐draBing
a
bill
with
DemocraCc
Sen‐
unfair.
Democrats
and
Republicans
must
come
 atory
Chuck
Schumer,
and
Senator
John
McCain

to
a
compromise
on
this
issue:
it
must
maintain
 helped
spearhead
the
previous
anempt
at
im‐
border
 security
 and
 hold
 immigrants
 account‐ migraCon
reform
alongside
DemocraCc
Senator

able
 for
 their
 acCons,
 but
 it
 must
 also
 allow
 Ted
 Kennedy.
 But
 biparCsan
 reform
 faces
 the

them
to
work
in
the
United
States.
 threat
of
grassroots

opposiCon,
especially
from

Democrats
 have
 long
 supported
 naConal‐ the
so‐called
Tea
Party,
which
opposes
any
bill

izing
 resident,
 non‐criminal
 illegal
 immigrants.
 that
gives
amnesty
to
illegal
immigrants.
The
far

But
Republicans
should
also
consider
support‐ right
will
almost
certainly
oppose
the
bill,
which

ing
 a
 legal
 status
 provision,
 if
 only
 for
 poliC‐ could
 make
 the
 debate
 very
 heated
 and
 force

cal
 purposes.
 Hispanics
 are
 one
 of
 the
 fastest
 Republicans
to
think
twice
before
compromis‐
growing
 minoriCes
 in
 the
 country
 and
 they
 ing
with
Democrats.

generally
vote
for
the
DemocraCc
Party.
Repub‐ ABer
 months
 of
 healthcare
 debate,
 immi‐
licans
 would
 be
 wise
 to
 avoid
 further
 antago‐ graCon
 reform
 sounds
 quite
 unappealing.
 But


nizing
 Hispanics,
 who
 currently
 view
 the
 GOP
 immigraCon
reform
is
criCcal
to
naConal
secu‐
as
 anC‐immigraCon.
 The
 Democrats
 must
 also
 rity,
and
the

millions
of
current
illegal
residents

appeal
to
their
base.
Some
argue
that
the
poliC‐ show
 that
 legislaCon
 is
 needed
 badly.
 
 The

cal
 Cming
 is
 not
 right
 for
 immigraCon
 reform.
 growing
poliCcal
power
of
the
Hispanic
voCng

Unemployment
is
high,
healthcare
has
reduced
 bloc
provides
a
powerful
incenCve
for

Repub‐
confidence
 in
 the
 government,
 and
 President
 licans
and
Democrats
too
cooperate,
or
at
least

Obama
has
lost
much
of
his
poliCcal
capital.
But
 compete,
 in
 the
 effort
 of
 draBing
 and
 passing


immigraCon
reform
is
criCcal
to
naConal
securi‐ reform
 legislaCon.
 Hopefully
 a
 biparCsan
 bill

ty
and
will
help
12
million

generally
law‐abiding
 can
 be
 passed
 that
 will
 appease
 both
 the
 leB
 Corey
Donahue,
a
WUPR
Staff
Editor,
is
a

residents

achieve
full
legal
status,
which
will
al‐ and
 the
 right.
 But
 that’s
 what
 some
 thought
 sophomore
majoring
in
PoliMcal
Science

low
them
to
begin
fully
paying
their
taxes.
 about
healthcare…. and
Economics.
His
email
is
corey.donshue@
ImmigraCon
reform
requires
biparCsan
sup‐ gmail.com.

February Edition Washington University Political Review 37

 The
 unthinkable
 has
 happened.
 Scon
 Brown,

the
preny‐boy,
pickup
truck
driving,
blue‐collar

millionaire
has
snatched
a
Senate
seat
from
the

iron
grip
of
Massachusens
Democrats.
Although

Brown
was
helped
by
the
apathy
and
compla‐
cency
of
the
DemocraCc
Party,
equal
blame
falls

upon
the
DemocraCc
candidate,
Martha
Coak‐
ley,
 given
 her
 failure
 to
 campaign
 effecCvely.

She
 misspelled
 Massachusens
 in
 a
 TV
 ad,
 ap‐
peared
eliCst
and
haughty
on
campaign
stops,

and
was
labeled
“cold”
by
news
outlets
like
the

Boston
Globe.
In
short,
Coakley
tossed
an
easy

elecCon
into
the
garbage.
In
a
last
ditch
anempt

to
save
the
elecCon,
Obama
shipped
up
to
Bos‐
ton
last
weekend,
but
to
no
avail.







The
seat
held
for
46
years
by
Ted
Kennedy,

the
man
who
labored
for
decades
to
pass
the

healthcare
 reform
 desperately
 needed
 by
 mil‐
lions
of
Americans,
will
be
usurped
by
a
boyish

State
Senator.
The
irony
is
painful:
by
38 Washington University Political Review February Edition
 in
2006
yet
inexplicably
opposes
healthcare

reform
on
the
naConal
level
will
usher
in
a
new

American
dark
age.
If
the
Republicans
regain

power
in
2012,
which
seems
likely,
the
United

States
may
resume
the
role
of
the
oblivious

world
bully
that
it
was
during
the
Bush
years.
The
poliCcal
pendulum
has
reached
as
far

leB
as
it
will
go
on
this
swing
and
is
now
begin‐
ning
its
journey
right.
Scon
Brown
is
the
man

who
set
the
United
States
on
its
new
poliCcal

trajectory.

Before
the
Democrats
come
close

taking
Kennedy’s
seat,
Brown
will
provide
 on
the
line
by
supporCng
Coakley,
yet
the
 to
passing
any
new,
significant
legislaCon,
they

the
crucial
41st
vote
needed
to
defeat
the
 good
ciCzens
of
Massachusens
(who
voted
for
 will
have
to
struggle
to
protect
Social
Security

healthcare
bill.
Kennedy
must
be
flailing
in
his
 Obama
over
his
Republican
counterpart
by
a
 and
Medicare
from
another
free‐market
as‐
grave.
 26%
margin)
ignored
his
pleas.

If
he
com‐ sault
and
to
prevent
more
impulsive
interna‐
The
impending
doom
of
healthcare
is
just
 mands
no
respect
in
Massachusens,
there
isn’t
 Conal
acCons
and
reacCons.


the
Cp
of
the
iceberg.

With
41
Republicans
 much
hope
that
he
will
find
favor
anywhere
 The
pundits
would
have
you
believe
that

in
the
Senate,
the
enCre
DemocraCc
agenda
 else.

With
no
real
legacy
(what
has
he
accom‐ Brown’s
elecCon
was
a
reflecCon
of
a
burgeon‐
will
hit
a
brick
wall.
(Republicans
now
have
the
 plished?)
and
a
dim
legislaCve
future,
Obama
 ing
Republican
movement,
of
a
naCon
that
had

ability
to
filibuster
any
bill.)

A
second
sCmulus
 might
as
well
change
his
campaigning
slogan
to
 already
begun
to
swing
right.

However,
this

package:
dead.

Immigrant
amnesty:
dead.

 “no
we
couldn’t.”

Even
worse,
sans
legislaCve
 may
not
be
the
case
at
all
Perhaps
the
elec‐
Cap‐and‐trade
or
any
measure
to
combat
the
 trophy
to
display
to
the
American
electorate,
 Con’s
outcome
was
simply
the
result
of
a
lame

dire
climate
crisis:
dead. Obama’s
reelecCon
chances
are
grim.
 Democrat
who
shot
herself
in
the
foot
and
an

Hurricane
Scon
has
just
begun
to
wreak
 The
elecCon
of
this
representaCve,
a
man
 overzealous
media
anxious
to
report
a
poliCcal

havoc
for
the
Democrats.
Obama
put
himself
 who
voted
for
a
universal
healthcare
iniCaCve
 coup.

But
the
very
same
movement
that
pun‐
dits
have
invented
may
actually
be
on
the
Hill’s

horizon.

As
Obama’s
agenda
fails
to
bear
fruit,

and
as
the
Democrats
are
blamed
for
their
in‐
ability
to
stem
unemployment
and
to
legislate

effecCvely,
the
United
States
may
swing
with

devastaCng
momentum
to
the
right.



So
bravo,
Martha
Coakley,
you
have
pulled

defeat
from
the
jaws
of
victory.

And
bravo,

Scon
Brown,
your
ego
and
desperate
spotlight‐
seeking
have
cost
the
United
States
its
best

hope
in
decades.

Bravo.


Alex
Kaufman,
a
WUPR
staff
writer,
is
a

freshman
in
the
College
of
Arts
and
Sciences.


His
email
is
akaufman10@gmail.com

February Edition Washington University Political Review 39

 Anna
Applebaum

I
n
a
crowded
movie
theater,
the
lights
fade
as
the
screen
goes
black.
Music
swells
–

dramaMc,
forceful,
terrifying‐
as
a
trailer
opens.
Vivid
shots
of
soldiers
in
faMgues

flash
on
and
off
the
screen
juxtaposed
with
charged
words:
“Failure
is
not
an
op‐
Mon.”
Images
of
guns
and
tanks
bombard
the
audience,
supplemented
with
shots
of

mud
and
mire,
storms
and
tempests.
Yet
this
is
no
acMon
movie
recounMng
famous

war
baJles,
nor
the
depicMon
of
an
apocalypMc
clash
set
someMme
in
the
future.
It

isn’t
even
a
documentary
about
modern
warfare.
So
what
is
this
trailer,
with
its
scenes

of
heroic
combat
and
its
booming
operaMc
music,
really
about?

40 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 
 “At
 This
 Moment”
 is
 an
 adverCsement
 for
 1916.
This
law
called
for
the
organizaCon
of
var‐ Soldiers.”
Indeed,
according
to
the
Department

the
NaConal
Guard.
Both
a
promoConal
and
a
 ious
state
miliCas,
which
are
overseen
by
their
 of
 Defense,
698,100
members
 of
 the
NaConal

recruitment
tool,
it
is
playing
in
movie
theaters
 respecCve
 state
 governors.
 The
 governors
 are
 Guard
 have
 been
 acCvated
 to
 federal
 service

across
the
country.
At
first
glance,
the
trailer
is
 the
leaders
of
the
state
NaConal
Guard
and
may
 since
 September
 11.
 This
 is
 an
 astonishing
 in‐
shocking
 in
 its
 blatantly
 militarisCc
 depicCon
 call
up
the
members
of
these
miliCas
for
acCve
 crease
relaCve
to
NaConal
Guard
parCcipaCon

of
 the
 NaConal
 Guard.
 In
 contrast,
 a
 previous
 service
 in
 response
 to
 domesCc
 emergencies
 in
U.S.
wars
in
the
past.

NaConal
 Guard
 promoConal
 video
 featured
 a
 and
 disasters.
 InacCve
 service
 tradiConally
 in‐ The
increasing
militarizaCon
of
the
NaConal

song
called
“CiCzen
Solider”
by
3
Doors
Down,
 cludes
drills
and
training
several
Cmes
a
month.
 Guard
reflects
the
strange
nature
of
U.S.
fighCng

with
 lyrics
 that
 focused
 on
 the
 ciCzen
 rather
 The
members
of
the
state
NaConal
Guard
may
 forces
in
general.
The
NaConal
Guard
was
creat‐
than
 the
 solider.
 That
 trailer
 had
 countless
 also
 be
 called
 up
 for
 service
 at
 a
 federal
 level
 ed
parCally
as
a
concession
to
states’
rights
and

images
 of
 the
 NaConal
 Guard
 helping
 in
 the
 in
the
case
of
a
naConal
emergency,
to
fend
off
 parCally
 as
 a
 force
 that
 could
 respond
 quickly

aBermath
 of
 natural
 disasters,
 reuniCng
 fami‐ invasion,
 or
 for
 duty
 during
 Cmes
 of
 war.
 This
 and
 efficiently
 to
 individual
 states’
 emergen‐
lies,
and
responding
to
domesCc
emergencies.
 federal
branch
of
the
NaConal
Guard
is
known
 cies.
 The
 units
 are
 supposed
 to
 be
 used
 as
 a

Interspersed
throughout
the
video
were
shots
 formally
 as
 the
 NaConal
 Guard
 of
 the
 United
 federal
force
only
as
a
last
reserve.
Yet
the
dis‐
of
NaConal
Guard
parCcipaCon
in
historical
bat‐ States.

 CncCon
between
the
Guard
and
the
U.S.
Army,

tles,
but
not
many
of
the
NaConal
Guard
on
ac‐ However,
local
miliCas
existed
in
the
United
 Navy
and
Marines
is
blurring.
Without
a
draB,

Cve
service.
Yet
this
new
trailer
appears
almost
 States
in
as
far
back
as
the
17th
century.
In
1636
 military‐trained
 personnel
 are
 scarce
 and
 vol‐
solely
concerned
with
acCve
military
service.
It
 the
Massachusens
Bay
Colony
formed
groups
of
 unteers
are
difficult
to
come
by.
However,
the

is
 quite
 telling
 that
 the
 song
 for
 the
 new
 pro‐ roaming
miliCas
to
protect
themselves
against
 source
of
recruits
for
the
NaConal
 Guard
usu‐
moConal
trailer
is
Ctled
“NaConal
Guard
–
Call
 anacks
from
the
NaCve
American
tribes
in
the
 ally
comes
from
a
slightly
different
pool
of
ap‐
of
the
Warrior.”
 area.
 These
 early
 groups
 eventually
 evolved
 plicants,
who
want
less
of
a
commitment
than

So
is
this
new
trailer
promoCng
new
and
dif‐ into
 the
 presence
 of
 state
 miliCas
 when
 the
 serving
 in
 the
 other
 military
 branches
 would

ferent
values
for
the
NaConal
Guard?
Clearly,
it
 United
 States
 gained
 its
 independence
 in
 the
 require
of
them.
This
provides
a
ripe
opportu‐
is
targeCng
a
specific
audience,
namely
the
kind
 late
 18th
 century.
 The
 term
 “NaConal
 Guard”
 nity
to
gain
more
soldiers
for
combat,
especially

of
person
who
would
not
be
averse
to
joining
 arose
when
a
New
York
regiment
honored
the
 with
recent
increases
in
troops
in
Afghanistan.

the
Army,
Navy
or
Marines.
This
new
direcCon
 Marquis
 de
 Lafayene
 by
 adopCng
 the
 name
 The
 NaConal
 Guard
 trailer,
 with
 its
 blunt
 pro‐
indicates
 an
 emphasis
 on
 acCve
 military
 duty
 of
 his
 celebrated
 French
 force,
 the
 Garde
 Na‐ moCon
of
military
service,
is
an
especially
po‐
for
members
of
the
NaConal
Guard,
a
concept
 Conale
de
Paris.
In
the
20th
century
the
Guard
 tent
indicator
of
that
fact.
And
unCl
the
wars
in

quite
different
from
the
tradiConal
“one
week‐ provided
140,000
men
during
the
Korean
War,
 Iraq
and
Afghanistan
are
over,
it
seems
unlikely

end
a
month,
two
weeks
a
year”
slogan
of
the
 180,000
 men
 to
 aid
 West
 Berlin
 in
 the
 1961
 that
this
militarisCc
approach
will
cease.
Mem‐
organizaCon.
 Perhaps
 the
 most
 interesCng
 Berlin
Crisis,
and
more
than
63,000
soldiers
for
 bers
of
the
NaConal
Guard,
grab
your
guns.

quesCon
this
new
trailer
raises
is
whether
the
 OperaCon
Desert
Storm.

video
is
encouraging
a
trend
toward
the
milita‐ In
 recent
 years
 the
 number
 of
 NaConal

rizaCon
of
the
NaConal
Guard
or
responding
to
 Guardsmen
called
up
to
federal
service
has
in‐
a
change
that
has
already
occurred. creased
dramaCcally.
According
to
the
NaConal

The
NaConal
Guard
as
it
is
known
today
was
 Guard
 website,
in
 2005
“half
 of
 the
 U.S.
 com‐ Anna
Applebaum,
a
PoliMcal
Review
Staff
Editor,

is
a
freshman
in
the
College
of
Arts
and
Scienc‐
officially
created
by
the
NaConal
Defense
Act
of
 bat
 brigades
 in
 Iraq
 were
 composed
 of
 Guard

es.
Her
email
is
a.applebaum@wustl.edu

February Edition Washington University Political Review 41

securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecu-
securitysecuritysecurity
securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecurity
securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecurity
securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecurity
stysecuritysecurityse-
securitysecuritysecuri-
securitysecuritysecurit
securitysecuritysecurity
securitysecuritysecurity
securitysecuritysecuri-
in a
Post-9/11 World
Dan Rebnord

In
September
2001
terrorism
was
not
a
new
 have
planned
many
plots
against
U.S.
interests.
 men
 were
 arrested
 for
 conspiring
 to
 blow
 up

concept
in
the
United
States.
Planes
had
been
 In
December
2001,
BriCsh
ciCzen
Richard
Reid
 the
Sears
Tower
(now
Willis
Tower)
in
Chicago.

hijacked,
embassies
had
been
bombed,
and
po‐ hid
explosives
in
his
shoes
and
anempted
to
ig‐ In
 August
 2006,
 approximately
 24
 men
 were

liCcal
leaders
had
been
taken
hostage—all
with‐ nite
a
fuse
on
a
flight
from
Paris
to
Miami.
The
 arrested
in
the
United
Kingdom
for
conspiring

in
recent
memory—but
September
11
changed
 plane’s
passengers
and
crew
apprehended
Reid
 to
 blow
 up
 ten
 planes
 en‐route
 to
 the
 United

everything.
 Suddenly,
 the
 United
 States
 was
 and
 the
 plane
 made
 an
 emergency
 landing
 in
 States
using
liquid
explosives.
This
past
Novem‐
confronted
with
an
enemy
that
used
terrorism
 Boston,
 where
 he
 was
 taken
 into
 custody
 by
 ber,
Army
Major
Nidal
Malik
Hasan
opened
fire

as
a
weapon
to
destroy
thousands
of
innocent
 the
F.B.I.
In
May
2003,
Iyman
Faris
was
arrested
 on
his
fellow
soldiers
in
Fort
Hood,
Texas
killing

lives
on
U.S.
soil. and
accused
of
planning
to
collapse
the
Brook‐ 12
and
injuring
dozens
more.
On
Christmas
Day,

Since
 September
 11,
 terrorist
 organizaCons
 lyn
Bridge
in
New
York
City.
In
June
2006,
seven
 Umar
Farouk
Abdulmutallab
anempted
to
blow


42 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 -
up
 a
 plane
 heading
 to
 the
 United
 States
 from
 potenCal
weapons. botched
 Christmas
 Day
 anack,
 intelligence
 of‐
Amsterdam
using
explosives
that
were
hidden
 Isaac
Yeffet,
the
former
head
of
security
for
 ficials
 believe
 that
 Al
 Qaeda
 leaders
 in
 Yemen

in
his
underwear.
The
summary
released
by
the
 the
 Israeli
 airline
 El
 Al,
 argues
 that
 these
 re‐ have
 “trained
 and
 equipped...viable
 opera‐
White
 House
 aBer
 the
 anempted
 Christmas
 acConary
 responses
 by
 the
 T.S.A.
 and
 United
 Cves”
to
strike
U.S.
targets.
Unfortunately,
it
is

Day
 anack
 reminds
 us
 that,
 “On
 a
 great
 num‐ States
security
are
merely
“patches”
to
a
secu‐ probably
only
a
maner
of
Cme
before
we
begin


-
ber
 of
 occasions
 since
 9/11,
 many
 of
 which
 rity
 system
 that
 is
 intrinsically
 flawed.
 In
 both
 to
see
terrorist
anacks
in
the
United
States
sim‐
the
 American
 people
 will
 never
 know
 about,
 the
cases
of
Richard
Reid
and
Umar
Farouk
Ab‐ ilar
 to
 those
 of
 the
 London
 subway
 bombings

the
 tremendous,
 hardworking
 corps
 of
 ana‐ dulmutallab,
both
explosives
and
a
willing
and
 in
2005.

lysts
across
the
counterterrorism
community… able
detonator
were
somehow
allowed
onto
an
 By
 dismantling
 the
 regimes
 of
 naCons
 that

worked
day
and
night
to
track
terrorist
threats
 aircraB.
In
addiCon,
it
was
not
security
or
intel‐ harbor
terrorists,
we
have
made
it
more
difficult


- and
 run
 down
 possible
 leads
 in
 order
 to
 keep


their
 fellow
 Americans
 safe.”
 In
 other
 words,

many
other
terror
plots
have
been
discovered

ligence
 personnel
 that
 foiled
 these
 plots,
 but

the
 bravery
 and
 quick
 thinking
 of
 the
 passen‐
gers
and
crew.
According
to
Yeffet,
the
United

for
Al
Qaeda
leaders
to
plan
and
execute
terror

anacks.
 However,
 what
 we
 are
 more
 likely
 to

see
as
we
enter
the
new
decade
is
an
Al
Qaeda


y-
and
 foiled,
 but
 this
 informaCon
 has
 not
 been
 States
 ought
 to
 mirror
 El
 Al’s
 airline
 security
 that
relies
much
more
heavily
on
local
leaders

released
to
the
public
in
the
interest
of
naConal
 procedures,
which
go
beyond
what
an
individu‐ to
radicalize
Islamic
youth,
rather
than
a
hierar‐
security.
 That
 being
 said,
 the
 government
 has
 al
is
carrying
onto
the
plane.
That
airline
inter‐ chy
that
plans
terror
anacks
from
the
top.
This

yet
to
convince
many
Americans
that
they
are
 views
every
single
passenger
before
he
or
she
 decentralized
approach
will
make
it
much
more

in
fact
safer
now
than
on
September
10,
2001.
 boards
an
aircraB,
regardless
of
race,
religion,
 difficult
for
the
intelligence
community
to
track

Considering
the
ongoing
anempts
of
Al
Qaeda
 age,
 naConal
 origin,
 etc.,
 to
 determine
 what
 down
terrorists,
as
there
will
be
far
less
contact

and
 other
 terrorist
 organizaCons
 to
 anack
 the
 kind
 of
 threat
 each
 individual
 person
 poses.
 between
Al
Qaeda
operaCves
and
leaders.
As
a

United
 States,
 as
 well
 as
 the
 difficulCes
 the
 As
a
result,
El
Al
has
not
experienced
a
terror‐ result,
the
United
States
must
take
a
close
look

United
States
has
faced
in
its
wars
in
Iraq
and
 ist
anack
in
nearly
40
years.
So
why
hasn’t
the
 at
its
own
intelligence
organizaCons
and
create

Afghanistan,
our
security
seems
uncertain. United
States
begun
implemenCng
many
of
the
 changes
where
informaCon
is
not
being
shared

According
 to
 publicly
 available
 records,
 procedures
that
have
made
El
Al
the
most
se‐ and
 applied
 to
 prevent
 terror
 anacks.
 In
 both

Richard
 Reid
 was
 the
 first
 terrorist
 to
 anempt
 cure
airline
in
the
world?
The
most
oBen
cited
 the
 Fort
 Hood
 shooCng
 and
 the
 foiled
 Christ‐
an
anack
on
U.S.
soil
aBer
September
11.
As
a
 reason
 is
 that
 El
 Al
 is
 simply
 a
 much
 smaller
 mas
Day
anack,
the
F.B.I.
and
C.I.A.
had
infor‐
response
 to
 this
 anempted
 “shoe
 bombing,”
 airline
 than
 most
 of
 the
 major
 United
 States
 maCon
that
the
two
men
responsible
for
their

passengers
 are
 now
 required
 to
 remove
 their
 carriers
and
therefore
can
implement
such
ex‐ respecCve
anacks
were
potenCally
dangerous,

shoes
 as
 they
 pass
 through
 airline
 security
 tensive
security
procedures.
The
United
States
 yet
nothing
was
done.
This
must
change
as
we

checkpoints.
 When
 the
 plot
 to
 blow
 up
 airlin‐ would
need
to
spend
a
tremendous
amount
of
 enter
the
new
decade,
or
many
more
terrorist

ers
 headed
 to
 the
 United
 States
 using
 liquid
 money
in
order
to
equip
airlines
with
the
nec‐ anacks
are
sure
to
occur
on
U.S.
soil.
explosives
was
foiled,
the
TransportaCon
Secu‐ essary
training
programs
and
specialized
agents

rity
 Authority
 implemented
 a
 new
 policy
 that
 that
El
Al
uses.

denies
passengers
the
ability
to
bring
liquids
or
 Even
if
the
United
States
were
to
implement

gels
in
large
quanCCes
onboard
aircraB.
In
re‐ many
of
El
Al’s
security
procedures,
that
would

sponse
to
the
most
recent
Christmas
Day
plot,
 only
secure
the
airline
industry
from
terror
at‐
the
 T.S.A.
 has
 begun
 seriously
 considering
 the
 tacks.
 Buses,
 trains,
 and
 civic
 infrastructure

Dan
Rebnord,
a
PoliMcal
Review
Staff
Writer,
is

use
of
full
body
scanners
to
allow
officials
to
see
 could
sCll
be
targets
for
terrorist
organizaCons.
 a
 sophomore
 majoring
 in
 PoliMcal
 Science.
 His

through
a
passenger’s
clothing
in
order
to
find
 According
 to
 informaCon
 gained
 since
 the
 email
is
drebnord@wustl.edu

February Edition Washington University Political Review 43

 bias
a commentary on self-education
michael brodsky

44 Washington University Political Review February Edition

 Nelson
Mandela
once
remarked,
“EducaCon
 ments
they
make,
the
evidence
they
cite,
and
 he
 updates
 regularly.
 Luigi
 Zingales
 is
 a
 young

is
the
most
powerful
weapon
which
you
can
use
 the
tone
in
which
their
opinion
is
presented.
 economist
 at
 the
 University
 of
 Chicago
 who

to
change
the
world.”
While
this
Nobel
Laure‐ One
caveat:
make
sure
that
the
arCcle
stems
 also
 serves
 as
 a
 correspondent
 to
 the
 Finan‐
ate’s
words
ring
true,
it
is
important
to
remem‐ from
 a
 respectable
 source.
 A
 brief
 Google
 or
 cial
Times.
He
is
knowledgeable
and
arCculate

ber
 that
 the
 definiCon
 of
 “educaCon”
 is
 two‐ Wikipedia
search
of
the
author
can
provide
in‐ on
all
things
economic.
At
the
risk
of
parroCng

fold.
Not
only
does
it
encompass
knowledge
of
 valuable
 informaCon
 about
 his/her
 reliability,
 popular
opinion,
I’ll
admit
that
I
appreciate
the

social
history,
the
sciences,
and
economics,
but
 background
and
experience
with
the
topic.
 perspecCves
 of
 Thomas
 Friedman
 and
 Fareed

also
 an
 understanding
 of
 the
 pervasive
 issues
 My
 favorite
 Website
 is
 RealClearPoliCcs. Zakaria.
Both
are
incredibly
well‐informed
and

facing
our
world
today.
It
is
our
responsibility,
 com,
 an
 non‐parCsan
 U.S.
 poliCcal
 news
 web‐ persuasive.
 Although
 these
 next
 two
 persons

as
ciCzens
of
a
democraCc
naCon,
to
make
in‐ site
 that
 aggregates
 the
 best
 arCcles,
 polling
 are
 not
 recurrent
 contributors
 to
 any
 publica‐
formed
decisions
when
we
cast
votes
for
repre‐ data,
 speeches,
 blogs
 and
 think
 tank‐based
 Con,
 lawyer
 Theodore
 Olson
 and
 business
 ex‐
sentaCve
officials.
But
perhaps
of
even
greater
 research
 available.
 The
 site
 is
 updated
 twice
 ecuCve
David
Goldhill
have
penned
arCcles
that

consequence
 is
 the
 cultural
 progress
 that
 we
 a
day
and
sports
both
morning
and
aBernoon
 I
would
encourage
everybody
to
read.
Olson,
a

can
all
influence—individually
as
well
as
collec‐ ediCons.
For
those
whose
interest
lies
primarily
 lifelong
conservaCve
and
prominent
legal
prac‐
Cvely—when
we
are
well‐versed
in
the
maners
 in
foreign
affairs,
there
is
a
complementary
site
 CConer,
 recently
 wrote
 a
 compelling
 piece
 in

at
hand. called
 RealClearWorld.com.
 Both
 do
 a
 terrific
 defense
of
same‐sex
marriage.
Goldhill,
on
the

So
 the
 quesCon
 necessarily
 arises:
 where
 job
of
amassing
well‐wrinen
arCcles
that
fall
on
 other
hand,
published
a
comprehensive
exposé

should
 we
 turn
 to
 educate
 ourselves?
 What
 both
ends
of
the
poliCcal
spectrum.
 of
the
American
healthcare
system
that
not
only

sources
 can
 we
 trust
 to
 present
 factual,
 bal‐ Of
 the
 media
 outlets
 that
 RealClearPoliCcs
 offered
a
descripCve
and
thorough
criCque,
but

anced
news?
 draws
from,
my
favorite
domesCc
ones
are
the
 provided
realisCc
policy
soluCons.


It
is
essenCal
to
stay
up
to
date
with
current
 Wall
 Street
 Journal,
 New
 York
 Times
 and
 For‐ Remember
‐
it
is
not
important
for
a
piece
to

events,
 but
 I
 prefer
 not
 to
 invest
 most
 of
 my
 eign
 Policy.
 Although
 all
 of
 these
 sources
 are
 be
 imparCal.
 In
 fact,
 I’ve
 come
 to
 realize
 that

Cme
 in
 raw
 news
 accounts,
 regardless
 of
 the
 fantasCc,
they
simply
aren’t
enough.
It
is
crucial
 the
best
ones
usually
aren’t.
Though
I
said
this

newspaper
 or
 media
 outlet
 from
 which
 they
 to
peer
at
every
issue
through
a
foreign
lens
‐
 once
 already,
 it
 merits
 repeaCng:
 we
 should

come.
It
is
undoubtedly
important
to
skim
the
 one
 that
 is
 removes
 your
 parCcular
 poliCcal
 expose
 ourselves
 to
 arCcles
 of
 every
 poliCcal

headlines
 and
 to
 delve
 deeper
 into
 stories
 of
 perspecCve
and
offers
a
different
point
of
view.
 persuasion
and
then
come
to
an
educated
and

significance;
 however,
 aside
 from
 presenCng
 I
 love
 reading
 arCcles
 from
 the
 Economist,
 Fi‐ well‐informed
 conclusion
 on
 our
 own.
 In
 so

factual
 news,
 most
 arCcles
 offer
 scant
 analy‐ nancial
Times,
the
Guardian
and
the
Times;
in
 doing,
 we
 take
 a
 criCcal
 step
 toward
 realizing

sis.
 Your
 Cme
 would
 be
 bener
 spent
 reading
 many
 cases
 I
 actually
 prefer
 them
 to
 naConal
 Mandela’s
insighuul
aphorism.
relevant
 op‐eds
 (an
 abbreviaCon
 of
 ‘opposite
 news
sources.
All
of
RealClear’s
sources
are
fan‐
the
 editorial
 pages,
 although
 oBen
 confused
 tasCc,
and
I
promise
you
 that
wading
 through

for
‘opinion‐editorial’).
Such
arCcles
offer
both
 any
 of
 them
 would
 provide
 a
 most
 rewarding

insight
 and
 analysis,
 presenCng
 the
 writer’s
 experience.

perspecCve
on
a
given
issue.
I
suggest
that
you
 As
 far
 as
 individual
 writers
 are
 concerned,

read
columns
of
 both
 conservaCve
and
 liberal
 I’m
 a
 parCcularly
 big
 fan
 of
 Gideon
 Rachman,

persuasions
in
order
to
bener
acquaint
yourself
 the
chief
foreign
affairs
commentator
for
the
Fi‐ Michael
 Brodsky,
 WUPR’s
 Director
 of
 Content,

with
 arguments
 of
 both
 poliCcal
 persuasions.
 nancial
Times,
who
produces
some
great
work
 is
 a
 sophomore
 in
 the
 College
 of
 Arts
 and
 Sci‐
ences.
He
can
be
reached
at

michaelbrodsky@
Read
these
arCcles
criCcally:
consider
the
argu‐ and
 also
 keeps
 an
 interesCng
 linle
 blog
 that
 wustl.edu.


February Edition Washington University Political Review 45

 by Peter Birke

In
2010
the
United
States
will
perform
its
decennial
census.
In
democracies,
people
are
power.
Accordingly,

the
consCtuConally
mandated
census
will
be
more
than
just
a
count
of
the
naCon’s
persons.
The
census
goes
a

long
way
toward
shaping
the
poliCcal
landscape
of
the
next
decade.
It
determines
everything
from
the
alloca‐
Con
of
federal
funds
to
the
apporConment
of
Congressional
seats.
With
these
poliCcal
implicaCons
in
mind,

let’s
look
at
some
of
the
quesCons
the
2010
Census
will
answer.


February Edition Washington University Political Review 46

 Which
party
will
have
the
upper

hand
as
a
result
of
the
census?

In
the
short
term,
data
points
to
the
Repub‐
licans
gaining
a
slight
advantage.
DemocraCc

strongholds
in
the
Northeast
and
Midwest
are

projected
to
lose
seats
while
solidly
Republican

states
such
as
Texas,
Utah,
and
Arizona
are
set

for
big
gains.
However,
the
rapidly
changing

demographics
in
the
Southwest
may
provide

a
silver
lining
for
Democrats.
Hispanics
are

the
fastest
growing
minority
in
the
United

States
and
account
for
much
of
the
populaCon

growth
in
the
Southwest
region.
They
are
also

a
demographic
that
overwhelmingly
voted

for
Barack
Obama
over
John
McCain
in
2008.

If
this
voCng
trend
conCnues,
states
such
as

Texas
and
Arizona
could
become
banleground

states
by
the
end
of
the
decade.
Look
for

both
parCes
to
increase
their
efforts
to
cater

to
Hispanic
voters
in
the
next
decade
as
they

recognize
the
importance
of
this
crucial
voCng

demographic.


WHICH
STATES
STAND
TO
GAIN
FROM
THE
CENSUS?
WHICH
ONES
WILL
LOSE?

The
census
is
used
to
determine
how
the
435

Congressional
 seats
 are
 apporConed
 among
 two
 seats
 while
 Illinois,
 Iowa,
 Massachusens,

the
states.
Generally,
a
state
gains
a
seat
if
its
 Michigan,
New
Jersey,
New
York,
Pennsylvania,

populaCon
growth
rate
exceeds
that
of
the
na‐ and
 Katrina‐ravaged
 Louisiana
 will
 each
 lose

Con
as
a
whole.
As
has
been
the
case
since
the
 one.
One
thing
to
consider
is
the
effect
a
reces‐
1970s,
 Americans
 migrated
 to
 the
 South
 and
 sion
has
on
migraCon.
Data
shows
that
migra‐
West
in
the
last
decade.
According
to
the
latest
 Con
to
the
Sun
Belt
has
decreased
in
the
past

esCmates,
Texas
will
be
the
biggest
winner,
with
 three
years.
This
slowdown
can
be
anributed
to

a
potenCal
gain
of
three
seats.
Arizona,
Florida,
 the
real
estate
bubble
of
2007‐08
and
the
sub‐
Georgia,
 Nevada,
 South
 Carolina,
 Utah,
 and
 sequent
 recession,
 with
 places
 such
 as
 South

Washington
 all
 stand
 to
 add
 one
 seat
 to
 their
 Florida,
Las
Vegas
and
Phoenix
especially
hard

Congressional
delegaCons.
On
the
other
hand,
 hit
by
the
housing
market
crash.

the
Northeast
and
the
upper
Midwest
conCnue
 Peter
Birke,
a
WUPR
staff
writer,
is
a
freshman

to
hemorrhage
seats.
Ohio
is
predicted
to
lose
 in
the
College
of
Arts
&
Sciences.
His
email
is

pebirke@wustl.edu.

February Edition Washington University Political Review 47

SAMURAI Puzzle provided by www.djape.net

S U D O K U
Use digits 1 through 9 to fill in the grid.
Each row and column within a 9x9 box as
well as all 3x3 grids should contain only
one of each digit. The five boxes cannot
be solved independently of each other.

SCORING GUIDE FOR THE SCOTT BROWN QUIZ ON PAGE 1

Congratulations! You Are:

5‐9
Points:
A
Liberal
VicCm
‐
Scon
Brown
is
a
sign
that
your
reign
is
coming
to
an
end.
With
only
59
seats

in
the
Senate,
the
Democrats
might
as
well
give
up
now
and
let
the
Republicans
return
to
stepping
on
your

rights
for
the
sake
of
their
corporate
sponsors.
At
least
now
you
don’t
have
to
blame
Obama
for
all
the
bad

stuff
that’s
sCll
happening
in
the
country.

10‐14
Points:
A
Victorious
Teabagger
‐
Scon
Brown
is
a
symbol
of
triumph
for
your
efforts.
If
you
could,

you
would
gladly
pack
your
American
flag
into
the
back
of
his
pickup
truck
and
drive
with
his
two
daugh‐
ters
into
the
sunset.

15‐19
Points:
An
OverenthusiasCc
Pundit
‐
Scon
Brown
is
simply
the
latest
in
a
string
of
talking
points

about
“game‐changers,”
“referendums,”
and
“voter
outrage.”
As
soon
as
polls
show
that
people
don’t
find

him
interesCng
anymore,
you’ll
completely
forget
about
him
unCl
he’s
up
for
reelecCon.

20‐24
 Points:
A
 Sexually
UnsaCsfied
 Housewife
 ‐
 You
 know
 Scon
 Brown
 first
 and
 foremost
 as
 a
 nude

model,
and
all
this
victory
means
is
that
your
favorite
picture
of
him
is
now
being
repeatedly
broadcast

on
every
major
news
network.


25
Points:
Martha
Coakley
‐
You
lost
the
elecCon.
You
blew
it.
Get
over
yourself.

February Edition Washington University Political Review 48

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