For the sake of democracy the US media pack needs to rediscover its teeth

Jan 13, 2017 02:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

In the style of some thuggish boxing promoter at a weigh in, the US president-elect, Donald Trump, gave us a clear and unsavoury flavour of the style of White House press conferences to come. And its not tasting...

Rule by the lowest common denominator? It's baked into democracy's design

Jan 12, 2017 14:59 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The Trump victory, and the general disaster for Democrats this year, was the victory of ignorance, critics moan. Writing in Foreign Policy, Georgetowns Jason Brennan called it the dance of the dunces and wrote that...

Why we need to take Jeremy Corbyn's earnings cap idea more seriously

Jan 12, 2017 14:27 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

When Jeremy Corbyn floated the idea of a cap on high earnings in his first big speech of 2017, the Labour Party leader ran into hot water and quickly expanded the idea, mentioning other methods of curbing excessive pay. He...

Global Geopolitics Series

Putin, the political technologist

Jan 12, 2017 08:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The 35-page dossier published by Buzzfeed alleging collusion and conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian state in pursuit of what the Kremlin calls active measures against Hillary Clinton not to mention the...

Expenses reform is easy and essential – the only thing lacking is politicians' resolve to do it

Jan 12, 2017 05:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

What is it that too many politicians dont get about the inappropriate use of taxpayer-funded expenses and the need to reform federal political donations laws and establish a federal anti-corruption body? The answer to...

Exxon's Rex Tillerson and the rise of Big Oil in American politics

Jan 11, 2017 18:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

How Big Oil Bought the White House and Tried to Steal the Country is the subtitle of a book that tells the story of a presidential election in which a candidate allowed money from big oil companies to help him win office...

Threats of violent extremism in Bangladesh are a symptom of deeper social and political problems

Jan 11, 2017 18:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Since gaining independence in 1971, Bangladesh - the worlds third-largest Muslim majority country has made remarkable social and economic progress. Once branded a basket case, the rate of the countrys social progress is...