All Commentary
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The Monitor's View: Looking for Obama's agenda in Syria
As killings in Syria worsen, more people look to Obama for action. But the mental preparation for action doesn't start with the White House.
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The Monitor's View: Is an end to war-time rape at a tipping point?
The G8 nations agreed Thursday to a British plan to go after those who rape in war zones, hoping to end this atrocity as a weapon in conflicts. Perhaps this big-power move will mark a historic shift in ending a global problem.
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Why we're hard-wired for best practices
Whether on Capitol Hill or in isolated desert communities, people tune into each other to find out what works. The adoption of "best practices" seems to be embedded in human nature.
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Opinion: Opponents of Medicaid expansion put politics over people
The rejection by several Republican-led states of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion to provide health care access to millions of America’s poor isn’t just partisan politics; it’s immoral. It’s not too late to press state leaders to put people ahead of partisanship.
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Opinion: Immigration reform needs consensus on flow of foreign labor
The US must adjust the future flow of immigrants – low-skilled guest workers and educated foreigners alike. Immigration reform must include incentives for legal immigration, recognize the employment needs of US citizens, and create a flexible system that can adjust over time.
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The Monitor's View: A path to peace in land, resource disputes
A Taiwan-Japan agreement on fisheries near the Senkaku islands sets a model for China in avoiding dangerous moves on island claims.
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Opinion: Obama must throw North Korea a curve ball – a helping US hand
The US can exploit Pyongyang and Kim Jong-un's pride by shelving the nuclear issue for now, engaging in talks, and offering substantial aid and investments that boost North Korea's economy and helps its people 'help themselves.' This can break the cycle of threats and blackmail.
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Opinion: Senate deal on background checks aside, outdated tracing system hurts gun control
Though Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey have reached a deal on background checks, a key piece of the White House’s gun control plan is still at risk of failure. The federal government is using 1960s era technology to trace guns used in crimes. The system must be updated.
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The Monitor's View: Are gun politics too complex? Simplicity would help.
As the Newtown families plead for Congress to act, lawmakers – and President Obama – admit to the complexity of gun issues. Scholars on simplicity offer some ideas.
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Opinion: To break the cycle of North Korea threats, US must put Kim on his heels (+video)
To break the cycle of threats from North Korea, the United States must take a much more assertive stance. Leader Kim Jong-un must be put on the defensive by sending him a clear warning of preemptive action if America and its allies find themselves threatened.
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Opinion: Equal Pay Day: Raising minimum wage will help women – and the economy
Women – and their families – are disproportionately affected by the low US minimum wage. Equal Pay Day serves as a stark reminder of that reality. Raising the minimum wage would boost the economy, and it would help close the gender wage gap.
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4 ways US can boost cyber security
The US needs a proactive cyber foreign policy that goes beyond naming and shaming. Here are four steps the US can take to bolster its diplomatic efforts to address cybersecurity threats.
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Gordon Brown: Girls' empowerment movement is a global game-changer
Girls, not adults, are forming a liberation movement – demanding their rights, especially to education. They've organized child-marriage-free zones, demonstrations to support Malala Yousafzai, petitions against child labor, and a growing movement exposing child trafficking.
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Opinion: Why it's no longer the chummy 1990s for Turkey, Israel
President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are working hard to repair relations between Turkey and Israel. They deserve credit for their efforts. But much has changed for both countries since they cooperated in the 1990s, and progress toward rapprochement will likely be slow.
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The Monitor's View: What made Margaret Thatcher special in her time
Margaret Thatcher's leadership qualities were essential for Britain and the world of the 1980s, but her failings also provide lessons for leaders today.
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What does amnesty accomplish?
The last big immigration amnesty in the United States took place in 1986. As the US considers immigration reform, the Monitor examines the costs and benefits of that decision -- and catches up with some of the almost 3 million people it affected.
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Readers Write: What real US tax reform could look like
Letters to the Editor for the April 8, 2013 weekly print issue: If the US only taxes individuals (not businesses) with a personal income tax and a retail sales tax, the savings to governments, businesses, and families would be enormous. Another idea: Do away with income tax, initiate a three-tier flat tax with no exemptions, and then initiate a national sales tax.
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The Monitor's View: Can hope replace North Korea's fears?
The escalation of fear between North Korea and the US reveals the danger of relying too much on fear of retaliatory nuclear attacks as a strategy for defense. The difficult task of replacing North Korea's fears with hopes of peace and prosperity must continue.
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Opinion: What poetry could teach a divided America
A good poem reminds us not only of who we are, but what it’s like to be someone else. Such exercises in empathy can strengthen our capacity for compromise. America would be better off if more of us read poetry this National Poetry Month – and throughout the rest of the year.
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Opinion: Iran nuclear talks: Citizen diplomacy would build trust
As the next round of nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers begins today in Almaty, Kazakhstan, both Iran and the United States should encourage their citizens – clerics, scientists, athletes, doctors, artists, businessmen, and teachers – to meet and work together.
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