The 2012 campaign was supposed to be a nail-biter. Republicans were convinced they had an incumbent in the White House who was vulnerable, both because of the weak economy and because of deep-seated divisions among the electorate. The strategy was an old one for Republicans: find some kind of wedge to break the electorate in…
Soldiers of fortune and misfortune
The GI Bill provides a valuable service to those who have provided an invaluable service to America. After World War I, veterans returned home to a bleak outlook: the Great Depression was taking root and the benefits promised to them by the government weren’t being given out. Veterans were living on the streets that they…
Stamping out hunger
It’s the Dream to move to America, pull oneself up by the bootstraps through hard work and dedication, and eventually get to an ultimate, desired destination. It’s the Dream to provide for a family, have a safe and comfortable home, and to be considered one of the people. When people are in desperate situations and…
The vision thing
Election day is fast approaching. By this time next week Barack Obama will have been elected to a second term or Mitt Romney will have been elected the 45th President of the United States. Presidential elections are a quadrennial ritual in this country and at times they can seem tiresome, trite, or even downright toxic;…
The road less travelled by
With the fourth and final debate of the 2012 election cycle concluded, both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have entered the final sprint of the campaign. The debate on Monday was, ostensibly, to be a showdown, a battle between two competing visions of America’s role in the modern global community. During the Republican primary and…
The rise of Scottish independence
These are perilous times for national constitutions in the European Union. The present political order is slowly moving in a direction characterized by potent separatism that threatens to break up several states, some of them longstanding players on the international scene. If the devolved government of Scotland gets its way in a referendum planned for…
Collin Peterson predicts the end of the MCCL
Collin Peterson Predicts The End of the MCCL It’s not often a Congressman publicly calls organizations which previously endorsed him “extremists.” Tuesday, however, when noted Democratic candidates Collin Peterson, Al Franken, Kent Eken, and Ben Lien came to speak to Concordia, Mr. Peterson became one such anomaly. Collin Peterson, Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District Representative, has…
Guest post: Cobbers care about voting
Guest Post: Cobbers care about voting The current generation of college students has often been criticized for their lack of political involvement. However, a recent survey conducted at Concordia College reveals that Concordia students not only believe that voting is important, but that they believe their votes matter in the upcoming presidential election. In the…
The reality of presidential elections
This year, like many years, the two presidential candidates provide American voters not with a decision about who might be the best man for the job, but rather who would be the less worse option. Indeed, it is often the case that presidential elections amount to little more than an agonizing guessing game about which…
The rationale of getting high
This November, voters in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon will be voting on ending marijuana prohibition in those states. Marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes would then be similarly regulated. This addition to the ballot in those states shows that people feel that the legalization of marijuana should be looked into—and it’s just a matter of time before…