2008 Woodie Awards
FeaturedEditor's Note: A Change in Attitude NeededWelcome to the first Princeton Progressive Nation (PPN) issue of the year! PPN is the only left-of-center political publication on campus, and we provide your only opportunity to write publicly from a liberal perspective on state and national political issues.Shifting the FocusA New Economic Agenda for the Working ClassBetween 2002 and 2006, the incomes of the wealthiest 1% of Americans increased over 50%. Yet at the same time, the poverty rate actually increased. Wages have stagnated and slipped, prices have escalated, and saving has become increasingly difficult. Many Americans are struggling to sustain their lifestyles as the costs of education, healthcare, and basic necessities, like food and gas, continue to outpace inflation.Health in Red and BlueThe 2008 presidential election is ripe with promise and ideology. Millions have engaged in activism in what many consider a contest for America's future. The next four years will either usher in unparalleled change or perpetuate a model of concentrated wealth that has characterized the conservative economic policies of the past eight years.A Step Backwards for Women, and for All AmericansIn June, after one of the longest, most bitter primary seasons in history, Senator Hillary Clinton ended her bid for the Democratic nomination for President. Although her campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, record numbers of voters came out in support of her candidacy, and she will forever be remembered in the annals of history as the first serious female contender for our nation's highest office.What do National Human Rights Institutions Do, Anyway?On August 15, 2008, the body of Atsutsé Kokouvi Agbobli, a former government minister and leader of a small opposition party in Togo, was found washed up on the beach of Lomé. The discovery happened after Agbobli had spoken out forcefully against the president the week before.Don't Ask, Don't TellUndermining Military ReadinessAmerica's military capacity is at the breaking point. Engaged in two counterinsurgency wars, numerous peacekeeping operations, and other routine overseas deployments, the United States ground forces have little reserve capacity to respond to new global crises.Looking for the Olympic LegacyThere are two opposing viewpoints concerning the legacy of the Beijing Olympics - some argue it helped push China along the path toward greater personal freedoms, while others believe it allowed China's still authoritarian government to gain unwarranted legitimacy at home and abroad. |