The Liberated Centrist

The last 5 years of an ever-volatile drug war have scarred the people of Mexico and changed the diplomatic and economic relationships between the US and its southern neighbor. In December 2006, the new President Felipe Calderon wasted no time executing his security policy. He deployed 50,000 federal troops to combat the cartels and dismantle their networks shortly after taking office. Seven-thousand into the southern state of Michocan , Calderon's home state where drug-related murders had reached 500 the year earlier. The total of violent deaths in association with organized crime over the past 5 years varies depending on source, but most agree that it has topped 40,000 in recent months. It  rose 60% in 2010  and although Calderon has claimed success on large drug seizures and capturing drug lords, that grim number still looms bringing some to question the effectiveness of his plan. How have Mexicans reacted to the ubiquitous drug war, and how wi...

On Thursday (11/10/11), dozens of socially-conscious students and community members gathered on the campus of the University of New Hampshire to express their frustrations and solutions to the current state of affairs in America. Two not-wholly different groups gathered on Thompson Hall lawn that day: one organized in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, and one rallied around capitalism and free markets as a counter-protest, organized by Young Americans for Liberty at UNH and UNH College Republicans . They stood a fair distance apart, but over the 2 hour protest a practical dialogue arose among the attendees about the causes and solutions to the ills that weaken America in support of an elite few over the many. Towards the end of the "stack," or speakers list, I submitted my name for a chance to address the assembly. Instead of devoting my time for comments on the future structure, organization or name for this group as most were discussing, I chose to spark an existential...