Bucknell Institute of Public Policy Archives

Diversity is not a delusion, but colleges have it all wrong: Let’s talk about the (D)-word

December 5, 2019

Conversations about diversity require knowledge about not only your identity, but the ways in which your identity influences other identities. It is hard to have a conversation about diversity when we leave out the main arguments which we oppose, in hopes of not “triggering” others. Heather Mac Donald’s ...

BIPP: Analyzing survey results on the opioid epidemic

Julia Pacifico, BIPP Intern

November 22, 2019

The opioid epidemic is undoubtedly a humanitarian crisis. Deaths from opioid overdoses have increased almost six times since 1999. The misuse of opioids continues to grow. The Department of Health and Human Services reported that approximately 130 people die every day from opioid-related drug overdo...

BIPP: Call your congresswoman today!

Nikki Marrone, BIPP Intern

November 14, 2019

The 116th Congress is composed of the largest number of women in the history of the United States of America; we the People elected a Congress composed of 23.7 percent female members. Yet, while any stride in the fight for gender equality is significant, it is evident that we can do more to ensure that...

BIPP: How will the changing political climate affect abortion rights?

Annie Lindenthal, BIPP Intern

November 8, 2019

On Oct. 29, U.S. District Court Judge Myron Thompson delivered a preliminary injunction against Alabama’s almost-total abortion ban, also known as the Human Life Protection Act. Created by Republican state legislators in May 2019, the bill would have gone into effect in mid-November. Had it not been...

BIPP: Trump, Turkey and the Syria question

Harry Morris, BIPP Intern

October 31, 2019

On Oct. 6, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of troops from northern Syria after being requested to do so by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The previously American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that had helped the United States figh...

BIPP: LeBron kowtows to the CCP

John Angileri, BIPP Intern

October 25, 2019

Most of the few NBA players, coaches and officials who have said anything about the league’s issues with China (namely Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet about Hong Kong and subsequent fallout) have been careful not to say anything that might harm the league’s or their own individual...

It’s time to say goodbye to the Electoral College

Annie Maley, BIPP Intern

October 10, 2019

The Electoral College is one of the most crucial components of the American political system; yet, it is shockingly one of the least democratic. To give a short description of a fairly complicated process, the Electoral College elects U.S. presidents through a system of electors. Each state has a different...

BIPP: Impeachment: a polarizing process

Harry Morris, BIPP Intern

October 4, 2019

A recent poll conducted by YouGov shows that a majority of Americans approve of the recent impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump. But when taken into account political persuasion, it is clear that the nation is still divided. Democrats overwhelmingly approve of the inquiry, while about...

The U.N. Climate Summit 2019: A symbol of American environmental apathy

Annie Maley, BIPP Intern

September 27, 2019

A sixteen-year-old sailing across the ocean, hundreds of marches, inspiring speeches by climate activists — all proclaimed a global call to action on Sept. 20 for national governments and institutions to address climate change. This outpouring of support for comprehensive environmental policy made...

Soros and Trump: In agreement?

John Angileri, BIPP Intern

September 19, 2019

George Soros, billionaire liberal financier and founder of the Open Society Foundations, offered some (rare) praise as well as some criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump in his Sept. 9 op-ed posted in the Wall Street Journal. He admired the strong stance that the Trump administration has taken towards...

BIPP: In Memoriam: Martin Feldstein, 1939-2019

Trey Gaither, BIPP Intern

September 11, 2019

An infamous quote popularly attributed to Winston Churchill reads, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” This quote encapsulates the life of late Harvard economist Martin Feldstein (1939-2019). From his earliest days as a public figure in the United States,...

Sexual Harassment in America: Is Joe Biden Creepy or Caring?

Nicole Marrone, BIPP Intern

April 25, 2019

Politician Joe Biden – who is also an expected Democratic presidential candidate for the 2020 election – has recently come into the media spotlight because of his hugging habit. Former Nevada lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Lucy Flores has claimed that Biden’s embrace made her incredibly uncomfortable,...