Maxwell School News and Commentary

"Widespread public pressure can influence the U.S. Congress so that it corrects the unwise policies pursued by President Trump’s administration," writes Louis Kriesberg, professor emeritus of sociology. He suggests alternatives such as pursuing non-coercive inducements over military coercion, strengthening ties with Muslims, and understanding opposing perspectives.

"An Analysis of the House GOP Tax Plan," co-authored by Len Burman, Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics, examines the House GOP tax reform blueprint, which would significantly reduce marginal tax rates, increase standard deduction amounts, repeal personal exemptions and most itemized deductions, and convert business taxation into a destination-based cash flow consumption tax.

"Now is the time to find more and better ways to harness the $2 trillion in global R&D spending lying just beyond the Pentagon’s reach. It is also time for the Pentagon to incubate a larger volume of potential defense technologies to outpace an ever-growing range of threats," says University Professor Sean O'Keefe.

"I would hope that the new administration would take the time to learn from former officials and other experts about the importance of the South Caucasus countries to the United States," says University Professor James Steinberg.

Leonard Burman, professor of public administration and international affairs, opines that President Reagan "got people excited about the idea of fixing our broken tax system. It’s hard to imagine President Trump doing that.” 

Amy Ellen Schwartz, professor of economics and public administration and international affairs, says we need to have all of the "other stuff" such as school lunch, school buses, school facilities, and after school lined up to help make kids productive, successful people.

"Freedom of the press and speech are the critical defenses for protecting our democracy. To lose that protective function of a free press is simply a catastrophic and dangerous step closer to an authoritarian state," writes James Roger Sharp, professor emeritus of history.

"I have encountered multiple requests from international students...They are all asking questions related to whether they need to prepare more when they apply for visas...in light of the current administration," says Yingyi Ma, associate professor of sociology.