Clint7981's Blog

The following is my letter published by the Detroit Free Press in response to their editorial on immigration:

I commend the Detroit Free Press for supporting the Department of Justice’s decision to contest Arizona’s new immigration law, but the prescriptions offered are reminiscent of worn-out Republican talking points. Bolstered immigration legislation will not solve the problem. The answer lies in embracing free-trade and extending that principle to the labor market. Conservatives who traditionally support free trade should remember that borders have the effect of restricting the free exchange of services, which is bad news for an already ailing economy. Also, increased immigration only makes the economy stronger, a fact observed by virtually all economists. If President Obama and congressional Democrats voted to loosen up current immigration restrictions, Democrats could reclaim support from their discouraged liberal base while simultaneously pleasing the rising libertarian voting bloc. Hopefully, the president can garner enough political will to adopt a new immigration policy of free-trade by opening up our borders.

The following letter is in response to UCB School of Law Dean Christopher Edley's New York Times op-ed:

Christopher Edley’s proposal (“Let Treasury Rescue the States,” July 7) fell short of a realistic solution to current fiscal hurdles. In claiming that states could pay back the U.S. Treasury by accepting less future federal dollars, Edley failed to address how existing programs would be paid for were funds advanced for other purposes. The answer is in the form of higher taxes or spending cuts, a scenario he claims would undermine the federal stimulus. He further claims that states would repay the Treasury including interest with no expense to the federal government. Yet he fails to explain that the expense would instead be felt by increased taxes to pay interest. Ultimately, Edley’s premise that extending current recovery efforts can improve the economy is flawed. If Edley wants the suffering expedited, he will abandon his opposition to balanced budgets and instead favor free-market solutions, including decreasing debt and spending.

The G20 summit recently held in Toronto, Canada has gained much press due to the clashes between protesters and police. However, SFE summer intern Clint Townsend of the University of North Texas delves into the deeper issues under discussion by these powerful leaders in his commentary published July 4 on Amarillo.com. The full text of his article can be found here:http://www.amarillo.com/stories/070410/opi_opin8.shtml

Clint discusses the need for more fiscal and monetary restraint on the part of the world’s largest powers in solving the current economic turmoil still plaguing many parts for the world. Clint notes the fear that many European states have over looming deficits in light of the unfortunate fate of states like Greece and remarks:

“For once it seems as though the United States should heed the advice of Europeans and support initiatives to ease pressures on the government credit card.”

He also cites the United States’ ongoing wars and unnecessary foreign involvement as reasons for our precarious financial state. Initial solutions for the U.S. would involve the ending of PAYGO and reformed interest rate policies.

SFE encourages such informed commentary from students and hopes to see more student leaders make their voices heard in the debates of our day.