Huffington Post 01/31/2012 By Michael Shank It is ironic that Amish and Mennonites — arguably some of the least politically active Christian sects in America — settled in some of the most politically important regions of the country, in states that are critical for their primary caucus value or swing […]
Author: Michael Shank
Climate Change Fight Includes Private Sector
ROLL CALL 01/25/12 By Michael Shank and Melissa Powell With last month’s climate talks in South Africa postponing specific carbon cuts until 2020, it is clear that something more than mere nation-state commitments will be needed to counter climate change and reduce global warming. With nations reluctant to recommit to […]
Time for the Peace Vote?
WASHINGTON POST 01/24/12 By Michael Shank It is ironic that Amish and Mennonites — arguably some of the least politically active Christian sects in America — settled in some of the most politically important regions of the country, in states that are critical for their primary caucus value or swing […]
With Climate Change a Non-Starter Among Republican Candidates and Congress, Private Sector is Picking Up Slack
Politico 01/14/2012 Huffington Post 02/02/2012 By Michael Shank With climate change a non-starter in Congress and among Republican presidential candidates, it is becoming clear that something more than mere nation-state commitments will be needed to counter climate change and reduce global warming. With nations reluctant to recommit to another climate […]
Measuring the Cost of Violence
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER 01/12/12 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) Homicide, other violent crimes, incarceration, policing, and guns are costing this country hundreds of billions of dollars, and millions of jobs, every year. According to conservative estimates by the Institute for Economics and Peace, if the United States […]
What My Amish and Mennonite Forefathers Would Think About My Job in Congress (and Why I Left)
Huffington Post 01/09/2012 By Michael Shank If my Amish-Mennonite forefathers could see me now, I wonder what they would say. If I sat down with America’s first Amish bishop (my 6th great-grandfather) or the first Mennonite bishop in Virginia (my 5th great-grandfather), how would they feel about my working in […]
Consumers, Business Carry the Ball on Climate Change
Vancouver Sun 12/26/2011 By Michael Shank and Melissa Powell As Canada withdraws from the Kyoto Protocol and United Nations climate talks conclude – postponing carbon cuts until 2020 – it is clear that something more than mere nation-state commitments will be needed to counter climate change and reduce global warming. […]
A Peace Dividend We Should All Want
THE HILL 12/21/11 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) In light of Congress’s failure to wrestle up short-term cost-cutting measures for our country, we must not lose sight of longer-term concerns about the sustainability of our deficits, debts and, ultimately, our budgets. While we tempt deadlines now, […]
House Punt on Payroll Deal Highlights Need for Radical Reform
Huffington Post 12/21/2011 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) In light of Congress’s failure to wrestle up short-term cost-cutting measures for our country, we must not lose sight of longer-term concerns about the sustainability of our deficits, debts and, ultimately, our budgets. While we tempt deadlines now, […]
Eight Ingredients for a Peaceful Society
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 12/19/11 By Michael Shank What makes for a peaceful society? Hot spots from Congo to the Middle East would benefit from such knowledge. But so would the United States, which, at home, isn’t always so harmonious and abroad, is still at war in Afghanistan. The Institute for […]