Monthly Archives: November 2012

Is this a Democracy?

Posted on November 30, 2012 by jackgoldstone

America has a wonderful democratic constitution.  But it’s not working anymore, at least not the way it was designed to.  The Senate was intended to give each state an equal weight in deliberations, to ensure that a majority did not … Continue reading →

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Morsi’s Power Grab and Return

Posted on November 27, 2012 by jackgoldstone

A couple of weeks ago, when writing an essay on the trajectories of the Arab revolts for a book chapter to appear in 2013, I wrote the following: ” [In Egypt] The level of broader education and civil society organization is … Continue reading →

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Happy Thanksgiving (and thanks for Gaza’s cease-fire)

Posted on November 22, 2012 by jackgoldstone

Today on Thanksgiving we have some things to be thankful for. The cease-fire in Gaza is holding (so far).  This is important not only to stop the killing, but also because it represents a breakthrough in the relationship between President … Continue reading →

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Gaza and Israel

Posted on November 19, 2012 by jackgoldstone

It was inevitable that a new conflict would emerge in Palestine.  The Arab Spring emboldened those who thought Egypt might be more supportive of pressure on Israel.  The heroism of Syria encouraged those seeking to challenge a powerful foe.  And … Continue reading →

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The Cost of Catching Up: Guest Blog by Sophia Foster

Posted on November 16, 2012 by jackgoldstone

As President Obama wrestles with the fiscal cliff, and Europe seems to be falling over its own precipice, it is useful to think again about the fundamentals of GROWTH, as growth is the only path out of our debt and … Continue reading →

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Back to Business — A look ahead at the Global Economy

Posted on November 13, 2012 by jackgoldstone

Over the past few months, I have been traveling to the BRIC countries, trying to understand their role in the world economy (Turkey will be next month).  Here are my thoughts (this from an essay published in e-International Relations this month): GLOBALIZATION AND … Continue reading →

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Here we go again (as Obama capitulates….)

Posted on November 9, 2012 by jackgoldstone

For a micro-second, there was hope.  John Boehner seemed to offer something in the spirit of compromise.  More importantly, newly re-elected President Obama had leverage — if the Republicans did not cooperate with him, a massive tax increase would fall … Continue reading →

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The New Electorate

Posted on November 8, 2012 by jackgoldstone

You will see lots of comments on the changing demography of the American electorate.  According to the Washington Post Obama bested Romney by 71%-27% among Hispanic voters, a margin that was crucial to his victories in the swing states of … Continue reading →

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Obama wins — but will anything change?

Posted on November 7, 2012 by jackgoldstone

The US election of 2012 was remarkable for its lack of surprises.  Obama won basically the same states he won in 2008.   His victory was based on overwhelming majorities among minorities and strong leads among women and the young, especially … Continue reading →

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Decision Day?

Posted on November 5, 2012 by jackgoldstone

Despite billions spent in campaigning (much like Coke vs. Pepsi) there is no indication of a fundamental change in the election prospects.  Obama remains likely to win re-election through the magic of the electoral college, which will give him a … Continue reading →

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