Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Public Policy

July 02, 2009

International Aid Closes, Effective Immediately

In a blow to international relief work, the Spring Lake-based International Aid has announced that it is ceasing operation, effective immediately. CEO Dr. Gordon Loux cited a “perfect storm” of fiscal hardship: “We have tried to turn it around and we’ve sent out a number of appeals,” he said. Continue Reading...
July 02, 2009

U.S. Doctoral Degree Prestige in Science, Engineering, Economics

A recent NBER working paper, “Internationalization of U.S. Doctorate Education,” takes a look at trends in doctoral degrees awarded by American institutions in the physical sciences, engineering, and economics. From the abstract, “The representation of a large number of students born outside the United States among the ranks of doctorate recipients from U.S. Continue Reading...
June 30, 2009

The Ultimate Green Job

Speaking of “green” jobs, here’s the ultimate green job: Maybe we’d all be better off if our federal lawmakers took their own jobs this seriously. Continue Reading...
June 26, 2009

Movie Review: Gran Torino Works

Clint Eastwood’s 2008 project Gran Torino has recently been released on DVD, and what a delight it is. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a Korean War vet and retired auto worker whose wife has just passed away. Continue Reading...
June 16, 2009

Discussion on ‘Whither Central Banking?’

Today Sam Gregg’s article ‘Whither Central Banking?’ appeared in the blog of the Whitherspoon Institute, Public Discourse.  In light of Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel’s criticism of central banking Gregg takes a thoughtful analysis on improving central banking to help aid our recovery from the financial crisis we currently face. Continue Reading...
June 12, 2009

Greening Jobs

A great deal of focus in the midst of the economic downturn has been on “green” jobs, that sector of industry that focuses on renewable sources of energy and that, according to some pundits and politicians, heralds the future of American economic resurgence. Continue Reading...
June 10, 2009

CST and Health Care

One of President Obama’s campaign promises was health care reform, and he is now trying to follow through. Last year I looked at the respective candidates’ health care proposals in light of Catholic social teaching. Continue Reading...
June 08, 2009

Keeping up Giving amidst a Downturn

I had occasion to ask a leader in a denominational global relief agency today whether he had seen any decline in North American interest in addressing international poverty, given the recent economic downturn. Continue Reading...