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WWS Reacts: Rolling Back Net Neutrality? May 03, 2017
WWS Reacts: Rolling Back Net Neutrality?
Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai outlined a plan last week to reduce government oversight over high-speed internet service providers. The plan would curb significant portions of the net neutrality rules established in 2015, formally known as the Open Internet Order. These policies forbid governments and corporations from controlling internet access and also legally reclassified broadband as a public utility (like electricity, water or sewage) — something Pai says stifles investment and innovation. The FCC is currently seeking comment on whether current net neutrality rules should remain in effect; it will be voted on…
WWS Reacts: Trump’s Tax Cut Plan April 28, 2017
WWS Reacts: Trump’s Tax Cut Plan
President Donald Trump announced an outline of his new tax plan this week, proposing sharp reductions in individual and business income tax rates and a new tax code that could significantly benefit the wealthy. Listed in a series of bullet points, the plan proposes lowering the business tax rate from 35 to 15 percent. For individuals, Trump proposed doubling the standard deduction, which would likely ease the tax burden on some Americans. We discussed the Trump Tax Plan with esteemed economist Alan Blinder, Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and…
Synthetic Gas Would Cut Air Pollution but Worsen Climate Damage in China April 28, 2017
Synthetic Gas Would Cut Air Pollution but Worsen Climate Damage in China
Severe air pollution has plagued China's industrial regions in recent decades, a situation that has received worldwide attention thanks to photos of Beijing and other smog-blanketed Chinese cities.More than just an eyesore, China's smog has created a public health crisis that has led the Chinese government to declare a war on air pollution. In addition, as part of the Paris climate agreements, China has committed to peaking its CO2 emissions by 2030 or sooner. A new study led by researchers at Princeton University analyzes a conflict between these goals in China's plans to use synthetic natural gas, a fuel derived from coal that is relatively free of…
Politics & Polls #41: Trump’s First 100 Days April 27, 2017
Politics & Polls #41: Trump’s First 100 Days
The first 100 days of Trump’s presidency have been a whirlwind of victories and setbacks, leaving Americans with mixed opinions about President Trump and how the next four years could unfold. While his approval ratings are at historic lows and he has yet to enact any major legislation, his supporters have been pleased with the burst of executive actions and his defiant stand against the political establishment.How has President Trump done in his first 100 days, and how does he compare to past presidents? Why is the first 100 days in office used as a barometer in the first place? Do these presidential beginnings predict the course of an entire term?In…
WWS Reacts: Le Pen vs. Macron in France’s Presidential Election April 26, 2017
WWS Reacts: Le Pen vs. Macron in France’s Presidential Election
In their first round of voting, French citizens advanced Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron — two candidates outside of the traditional left-right party structure — through to the May 7 presidential run-off. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist from En Marche!, his newly formed social-liberal movement, has never held elected office. Le Pen, on the other hand, has been a long-time leader of France’s far-right party, the National Front, which was founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who himself acceded to the second round of the presidential election in 2002. (Note: Marine Le Pen did step down from this leadership role as of April 25). The first-round…
Politics & Polls #40: The 115th Congress with Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) April 20, 2017
Politics & Polls #40: The 115th Congress with Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.)
From Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election to the looming federal budget negotiations, the 115th U.S. Congress currently has a full plate. What other challenges might today’s Congress face in the months ahead?In this episode of Politics & Polls, Professor Sam Wang interviews Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ) about what’s next for the Affordable Care Act and how Rep. Lance has been handling recent (and sometimes contentious) Town Hall meetings.A key “moderate conservative” in the Republican caucus, Rep. Lance shared his views about maintaining key payments to keep health care insurers afloat. He also talked about what it would take for him…
Princeton School of Public and International Affairs logo on a grey background.
Woos Help Trentonians Tackle Tax Season April 18, 2017
Woos Help Trentonians Tackle Tax Season
Today is Tax Day in the United States. Many U.S. residents struggle with the daunting task of preparing accurate income tax returns, or paying the necessary fees to do so — whether for the use of online software such as TurboTax, or a visit to an independent tax accountant.For the past four years, local low-income clients at Trenton’s Arm in Arm food pantry have received free tax preparation from graduate students of the Woodrow Wilson School. The volunteer work allows the students to witness policy topics playing out in the real world, such as how the Earned Income Tax Credit can increase refunds for low-income residents.“Our tax system can be pretty…
Princeton School of Public and International Affairs logo on a grey background.
The Fight for Democracy in the Western Balkans April 18, 2017
The Fight for Democracy in the Western Balkans
Emerging democracies face all sorts of challenges, from ensuring freedom of the press to addressing human rights deficits. A fall 2016 graduate policy workshop, “Managing Elections in Fragile States,” took students more than 4,500 miles from Princeton, to research the successes and challenges of electoral processes in the Western Balkans — specifically Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.These countries have undergone democratic transitions since the end of communism; however, signs are emerging that progress made since the 1990s is unraveling. Most recently, Serbia elected Aleksandar Vučić to its presidency; he will assume the office on May…
Trust in Local Community Leads to Better Long-Term Decisions Among the Poor April 13, 2017
Trust in Local Community Leads to Better Long-Term Decisions Among the Poor
Would you rather receive $100 today or $125 in three months? Recent studies show those at the lowest income levels typically choose the $100 now, favoring immediate rewards over larger, delayed payoffs. However, this type of short-term decision-making often leaves individuals worse off financially, making it increasingly difficult to escape destitution in the long run.Escaping cycles of poverty may depend on how much a person feels he or she can rely on their local communities, according to research led by Princeton University. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study finds that low-income individuals who trust their…
Politics & Polls #39: National Security with Gen. David Petraeus April 13, 2017
Politics & Polls #39: National Security with Gen. David Petraeus
Last week, a chemical weapons attack killed dozens of Syrians, prompting President Donald Trump to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on a Syrian airbase. Meanwhile, concern about North Korea’s nuclear arsenal builds, with satellite images hinting at another detonation test.Plus, there are ongoing national security issues: The scandal with Russian intervention in the 2016 election has loomed large over each decision the Trump administration makes in international relations, while President Trump’s Twitter habits and attacks on the intelligence community have generated tension in Washington.How will such emerging and continued threats endanger national…
Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber
Princeton-Fung Global Forum Asks if Liberty Can Survive the Digital Age April 12, 2017
Princeton-Fung Global Forum Asks if Liberty Can Survive the Digital Age
While the internet has undoubtedly been an unparalleled source of information and connection, it also has proven to be one of the most powerful tools for breaching privacy and security. Understanding the balance between privacy and security — and how it affects liberty and democracy — was the theme of the fourth Princeton-Fung Global Forum held March 20-21 in Berlin. About 450 industry experts, scholars and students, as well as 30 reporters and editors from German and American media outlets, gathered to hear 40 speakers discuss liberty in the digital age. The two-day forum, "Society 3.0+: Can Liberty Survive the Digital Age?" was organized by…
WWS Reacts: Neil M. Gorsuch Confirmed to Supreme Court April 12, 2017
WWS Reacts: Neil M. Gorsuch Confirmed to Supreme Court
With a final tally of 54 to 45, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the 113th justice of the Supreme Court. Justice Gorsuch’s confirmation puts an end to a yearlong saga regarding who would fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s vacant seat. It also fractured certain political conventions as Senate Republicans used the “nuclear option” to end the filibuster and bring the nomination to a vote with a simple majority. The effect was that Gorsuch could be confirmed with a simple majority rather than a supermajority of 60. We discussed the confirmation with Jonathan Kastellec, an assistant professor at Princeton’s Department…
Politics & Polls #38: Unraveling the ‘Trump-Russia Saga’ April 06, 2017
Politics & Polls #38: Unraveling the ‘Trump-Russia Saga’
As the investigation into Russia’s interference with the 2016 U.S. election continues, President Donald Trump continues to call the story “fake news,” “phony,” and “a total scam,” mostly by way of Twitter. He also continues to try to change the conversation by making groundless allegations, particularly his claim that President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower. What do we know for certain about Trump’s connection to Russia? And what else might be revealed as the Senate and House intelligence committees continue their investigations?To better unravel this ongoing news story, Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Sarah Kendzior, a St…
WWS Reacts: Renewing Ties with Egypt April 04, 2017
WWS Reacts: Renewing Ties with Egypt
President Donald Trump welcomed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the White House on Monday, confirming that Egypt would find a “great friend and ally in the United States.” The meeting signals a shift in U.S.-Egyptian relations following years of tension between the two countries. We discussed what renewing ties with Egypt will mean for the United States with Amb. (Ret.) Daniel C. Kurtzer, lecturer and S. Daniel Abraham Professor in Middle Eastern Policy Studies. Kurtzer served as U.S. ambassador to Egypt from 1997 to 2001 and as U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005. Q. President Donald Trump recently pledged support for Egypt and…
Politics & Polls #37: On the Same Team? Trump’s Dynamics with Congress March 30, 2017
Politics & Polls #37: On the Same Team? Trump’s Dynamics with Congress
Shortly after the bill to replace the Affordable Care Act was pulled, President Trump called The Washington Post’s Robert Costa to discuss what happened. The President had a “defiant and even-tempered tone," says Costa. The defeat in the House introduced Trump to the realities of the legislative process and Congress' factions. How will Mitch McConnell fare in securing the Senate votes needed to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court? What can these events tell us about Trump’s evolving relationship with and influence over Congress? Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Robert Costa for the latest episode of Politics & Polls. Costa is…