US Opinion and Commentary

“VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on these policies.” — VOA Charter

Showing Archived Posts

  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
  • >

Zika Is Coming, but We’re Far From Ready

Posted May 23rd, 2016 at 1:02 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Zika is not “coming” to the United States: It is already here….It is not a question of whether babies will be born in the United States with Zika-related microcephaly — it is a question of when and how many.

Why Women Should Vote for Women

Posted April 6th, 2016 at 4:25 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Democratic and Republican women will offer three times more feminist bills than their male counterparts will.

Odds Rise of Democratic Victory

Posted April 6th, 2016 at 1:34 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

If Mr. Trump prevails, many Republicans are likely to stay home on Election Day, and more than a few will quietly support the Democratic nominee. If he falls short on the first ballot and is denied the nomination, he and his supporters will cry foul, and a formal party split would be likely.

Paradigm Shift With Iran Has Uncertain Future

Posted January 18th, 2016 at 10:47 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

By Barbara Slavin The last few days have witnessed major milestones between the United States and Iran, including implementation of a landmark nuclear deal, a prisoner exchange and resolution of a financial dispute that goes back to the severing of diplomatic relations between the two countries 36 years ago. It’s all been rather breathtaking given […]

America Needs Iranian Cooperation

Posted January 15th, 2016 at 3:54 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The recent strife between Saudi Arabia and Iran, regional powers that have commanding influence in the Sunni and Shia worlds respectively, has made the Middle East even more volatile. By pursuing legislation to sink the Iran deal, the U.S. Congress will be adding fuel to the fire.

The State of the Union

Posted January 13th, 2016 at 3:32 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The president offered an upbeat portrait of America during his final address, but also acknowledged the destructiveness of Washington gridlock “It’s one of the few regrets of my presidency, that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better.”

Obama’s Final Pitch

Posted January 11th, 2016 at 2:24 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The White House has already hinted at the tone and focus of President Barack Obama’s last State of the Union address. Positive. Forward looking. And, most of all, the president is expected to counter Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s decidedly negative, and often time offensive, narrative of the country. While these annual speeches often come off as ceremonial and full of unfulfilled promises, this one — Obama’s eighth — is a marker. After he utters his final words “…and God bless America,” the race to replace him will have officially begun.

Obama Appears Ready for Another Attempt to Tighten Gun Laws

Posted January 1st, 2016 at 10:45 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

“I get too many letters from parents, and teachers, and kids, to sit around and do nothing.”

Why This Budget Deal Won’t Save Us

Posted October 30th, 2015 at 10:31 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The Freedom Caucus will be waiting to provoke another crisis in 2017.

By George, This Might Be the Answer to Washington’s Party Problems

Posted October 27th, 2015 at 10:31 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

George Washington was not a fan of political parties…. Our first president said the spirit of party “agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another,” and occasionally leads to “riot and insurrection” as well as “heartburnings.”

Recipe for American Success

Posted October 12th, 2015 at 10:07 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

…Attention to our economy and its core foundations will probably be the most important legacy of political leaders today — as has often been the case in the past. We would do well not to lose sight of this historical truth.

GOP Chaos: The New Normal?

Posted October 9th, 2015 at 1:07 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Turmoil in the Republican Party erupted again this week with the sudden withdrawal of Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to replace outgoing House Speaker John Boehner, who has barely concealed his exhaustion over the dramas of governing the unruly caucus. House Republicans quickly regrouped to try to fill the gap, but it appears few are willing to step up to the plate. The optics look bad – but not to Tea Party conservatives, who may feel emboldened in their mission to shake up business as usual in Washington.

Like Big Tobacco, Big Guns Should Pay for the Damage It Causes

Posted October 9th, 2015 at 10:01 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The time has come for another major industry, the $43 billion firearms and ammunition business, to recognize the damage its products are doing to American citizens and to begin compensation to individuals who have been harmed, as well as to the social institutions that bear an unfair burden because of the actions of a few.

Chaos Is the GOP’s New Normal

Posted October 9th, 2015 at 8:37 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The insurrection that propelled billionaire Donald Trump into the lead for the GOP nomination and ultimately made House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) surrender his gavel in frustration rages on unabated. This was no mere summer skirmish. If anything, the rebellion is gaining strength.

President Obama Needs to Fight for His New Trade Deal

Posted October 6th, 2015 at 8:40 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

…Monday’s agreement is just the end of the beginning for TPP: Obama still has to get Congress to pass it, and that’s no done deal.

  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
  • >