Articles by Taylor Lybrand

The phrase "democratic deficit" is somewhat of a wonky term usually only used in the world of political science nerds. But its basic meaning is simple: it is the situation that comes about when a government does not have much input from its citizens. Obviously, no level of government in the United States can be labelled "undemocratic," but in the context of the expectations that Americans have for their representative governments, the situation in Virginia is somewhat concerning. On April 15, ...

NATIONAL -- The higher education system has hit some turbulence recently. In February, a group of students claimed that they would not pay back student loans for their time at institutions under the umbrella of Corinthian Colleges. These students claim that the "predatory empire pushed hundreds of thousands into a debt trap." The situation has gotten so bad that a group of Democratic U.S. senators sent a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan strongly urging the U.S. Department of Education...

Over the past month or so, several media outlets have made a big deal about the fact that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's education does not include a bachelor's degree, and have speculated on how this could affect a potential 2016 presidential run. Some have taken to the media to defend him, claiming that "many college degrees don't signify much besides a limited ability to show up on time," or that having a degree does not "necessarily even produce a leg up economically." Vox stated that ...

Earlier this month, the White House released a statement outlining "the America’s College Promise proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students,". The free community college proposal, which would see "students earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree," brings up an important question: will college students who would normally go straight into 4-year colleges start attending community college for their first two years if President Obama's plan is put into action...

The possibility of renewed U.S.-Cuba relations makes one wonder something about history: has opening up a communist country's market led to more freedom for its citizens? The Fiscal Times claims that new interaction with Cuba could result in over $4 billion worth of exports from the U.S. to Cuba. This is a large increase in products going into Cuba's economy. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has suggested that there is an issue with growing Cuba’s economy through renewed U.S.-Cuba relations. ...