‘Cover Stories’ Archives
Is Peace Even Possible?
BY PATRICK CABELLO HANSEL I am writing this on the day that President Trump unveiled his proposed budget, the farthest thing from a “peace budget” that I can remember. It proposes a 10% boost in military spending, even though the U.S. spends more than the next 8 countries combined, and has been involved in more wars since World War II. (And let us ask ourselves as a people, why is every country that we have invaded since WW II been much smaller and poorer than ourselves.) It drastically cuts those things that make for peace: the arts, climate science, foreign aid””even Meals on Wheels. It seems we are regressing further and further away from real peace. But I am also writing this while listening to Mahalia Jackson. She sings to me: “It is well; it is well with my soul.” It”'s not a call of resignation, but a call of faith and hope in the midst of struggle. And we so need that today. Peace is not just the absence of war or violence, but the [...]
What We Know About Trump So Far
By LAURA WATERMAN WITTSTOCK American media and the press developed a habit of looking at the first 100 days of a new president”'s administration. It is a curious habit because most presidents, whether they serve one or two terms, have one or possibly two great successes, the exceptions being Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt and arguably one or two others. This rarity of greatness is partly attributable to a slow and inconsistent growth of the country”'s development of policies and laws. The administrative head of the country is expected to be a level-headed person having good diplomatic skills and an ability to keep the country out of hot wars while steering a steady course of economic growth and keeping the courts and Congress in check. Since Franklin Roosevelt, the country has come to expect more in services from its federal government, a new line from which there has been no retreat. Conservatives want less, liberals want more, but there has been no [...]
