From The Hill:
Democrats Have 23 Candidates But Just One Issue: Electability
General election voters do not value party loyalty. They want a president who is independent, not somebody else's man. In 1968, Hubert Humphrey was LBJ's man. Walter Mondale was Jimmy Carter's man. Al Gore was Bill Clinton's man. The only vice president who benefited from the office was George H.W. Bush. He won in 1988 because voters really wanted a third term for Ronald Reagan. They wanted Reagan's man.
Joe Biden is Barack Obama's man. That's an advantage for him in the Democratic race.
—Professor Bill Schneider
From World Politics Review:
Mounting Pollution at Home Threatens South Korea’s Leadership on Climate Policy
If anything drives the conversation in South Korea today over the environment and climate issues, though, it is air quality, particularly in the major cities, where a large majority of Koreans live. While China and India still dominate the global rankings for poor urban air quality, two South Korean cities—Busan and Seoul—made it to the top 50 in late May. As I found out recently, Seoul has days where the bad air quality is all anyone talks about. Schools are investing in indoor sports facilities, as one indicator of rising social concern about the impact of the poor air on public health.
—Ellen Laipson, director of the International Security Program
From TRT World:
Japan Prime Minister to Visit Tehran, with Energy Security the Main Concern
Any tension or conflict in the region from which Japan imports energy or on a route it travels may increase the oil price, resulting in a significant negative impact on Japan's economy as well as other major oil importers. Japan is therefore attempting to play an active diplomatic role in the Middle East to decrease the impact of tensions in the region. As the fourth largest consumer and importer of oil in the world, the largest importer of liquid gas (LNG) and the second largest importer of coal after China, it has no choice but to mediate regional Middle Eastern risks.
—Visiting Research Scholar Omid Shokri
From The Morning Call:
Your View: Why We Should Not Bail Out Coal, Nuclear Plants
Looking beyond Pennsylvania and Ohio, natural gas is largely responsible for America’s position as a global leader in reducing carbon emissions. Increased use of natural gas has replaced coal in power generation, reducing carbon emissions from electricity generation in the U.S. to historic lows. When paired with increased renewable generation, natural gas can be the centerpiece of a secure energy system that will help us achieve important environmental benefits. It is time for the Trump Administration to pull the plug once and for all on this bad idea. Bailing out less competitive power plants in the midst of an American energy boom is a path to folly.
—Distinguished Visiting Professor Richard Kauzlarich
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Three Trade Cases to Rein in Trump’s Tariffs
Presidential actions — even when the president argues they are not reviewable by courts — are indeed subject to judicial review. This is what is called the rule of law. Congress makes the laws, and all laws and executive actions must comply with the U.S. Constitution to uphold the structure of the federal government and to preserve individual rights. This is the essence of America’s exceptionalism.
—Professor Stuart Malawer
From the American Thinker:
Congress Edges Toward Greater Transparency
The long-term vision for real reform is complete financial transparency of government spending. Gone are the days of insider backroom congressional deals and oblique spending bills. Now, citizens who fund the government have the right to know where and how their money is being spent. Technology has made real-time reporting of both what is spent and what we achieve with the spending available for the first time. Let’s hope this modernization continues.
—Professor of Public Policy David K. Rehr
From Asia Times:
Will Israel’s Pivot to Asia Affect Ties with the U.S.?
However, it’s still worth opening our minds to the potential shift. Trade in the billions of dollars takes on political value for politicians and industry leaders. They begin to have a vested interest in keeping those relationships steady. Should US-China relations move in a more adversarial direction, Israel may be faced with some difficult tradeoffs. The dilemmas will sharpen if a post-Trump administration walks back the over-the-top embrace of hardline Israeli positions, creating friction in that key relationship. And rising anti-Semitism in many Western countries will erode Israelis’ trust in the West.
—Ellen Laipson, director of the International Security Program