The New Statesman 12/13/2011 By Mehdi Hasan Secular commentators dismiss religion as a malign force in the world. But from Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi to the Arab spring, faith is inspiring the new peaceful protest. The names Yahya Shurbaji and Ghiyath Matar might mean little to people outside Syria. […]
Huffington Post 12/05/2011 By Michael Shank, Joaquin Phoenix and Dot Maver Look at 2011’s most significant events, those that will have an indelible impact on our future. We saw new wars, revolutions, record-breaking global population growth, climate-related disasters and poverty and income inequality statistics. We also witnessed innovative efforts to […]
Washington Life Magazine 12/2011 By Michael Shank, Joaquin Phoenix and Dot Maver Several new organizations are proving that peace saves more than lives Look at 2011’s most significant events, those that will have an indelible impact on our future. We saw new wars, revolutions, record-breaking global population growth, climate-related disasters […]
Huffington Post 12/01/2011 By Michael Shank and J.J. Messner With the excitement about Moammar Qaddafi’s downfall beginning to fade, Libya’s new management has begun governing and reconstructing the war-torn nation. Plenty of attention is being paid to the governance angle: Is the National Transitional Council a legitimate, representative body? When […]
Politico 11/25/2011 By Michael Shank With Washington blaming supercommittee failure on partisanship and lackluster presidential leadership, it is worth taking a different track, examining the system not the parties operating within it. This is important for America because it’s drifting from fundamentals that kept it strong. The Institute for Economics […]
Politico 11/24/2011 By Michael Shank The best political book I read this year and one that I encouraged everyone to read while I was working in Congress for U.S. Rep. Michael Honda is “The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger.” After reading the book, which is authored by […]
FINANCIAL TIMES 11/23/11 By Michael Shank Sir, With reference to “Come on – Cuba needs help, not hindrance to progress” (November 18): as illuminated in a 98-page report this month from the Center for Democracy in the Americas, Cuba’s recent economic reforms are indicative of a new resolve. President Raúl […]
Politico 11/20/2011 By Michael Shank A report released earlier this month by nonprofit groups Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that 30 of the top 300 companies paid no taxes at all or used loopholes to end up with negative tax rates. Washington’s […]
Huffington Post 11/16/2011 By Michael Shank The fact that America’s biggest companies paid no federal taxes may come as no surprise to Washington. The report released earlier this month by nonprofit groups Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that 30 of the top […]
Huffington Post 11/14/2011 By Michael Shank Things are changing quickly in Cuba. Last week, on November 10, the Cuban government, under President Raul Castro’s leadership, launched its most progressive economic reform initiative yet by legalizing the sale and purchase of private property. For Cuba watchers and Castro critics, this was […]