The Consensus

The Georgetown Bipartisan Coalition’s student publication. The Consensus aims to provide a platform for students to express their policy opinions and foster civil political debate.

Why Not Amy?

by George Zhai In the last Democratic presidential candidate debate, one out of the twelve candidates on stage best articulated a blueprint for Democrats to defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. This candidate was not the co-front runners, former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, nor was it Vermont Senator … Continue reading Why Not Amy?

Renewable Energy: Innovation and International Security

By Thomas Rausch In recent decades, renewable energy (i.e., solar power, wind energy, geothermal energy, etc.) has become a topic of partisan discussion. Both conservatives and liberals argue about whether renewable energy production should be pursued. Opponents contend that it’s too expensive and impractical. Proponents say that it’s profitable and easier to implement than traditional … Continue reading Renewable Energy: Innovation and International Security

Open Fire and a Pig’s Head: The International Spread of Antisemitism and Islamophobia

By Jacob Imber On the morning of Saturday, October 27th, a gunman opened fire during a service at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. Eleven people were killed and six were injured, including police officers and congregation members. Officials identified the suspected shooter as forty-six-year-old Robert D. Bowers and linked him to several … Continue reading Open Fire and a Pig’s Head: The International Spread of Antisemitism and Islamophobia

Qatari Oil: A Microcosm of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

By Jacob Imber Last week, Israeli officials confirmed a groundbreaking deal to funnel Qatari oil into the Gaza Strip for a six month trial period. This arrangement is intended to improve the quality of life for Arab refugees living in Gaza who rarely have access to consistent electricity. In the past, these types of agreements … Continue reading Qatari Oil: A Microcosm of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

House Ways and Means Committee Takes on Bipartisan IRS Reform

On Friday, April 13, the House Ways and Means Committee reported favorably on a package of bills intended to reform and modernize the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Sponsored by two Democrats and three Republicans, the set of bills is expected to pass the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Several of the bills are designed … Continue reading House Ways and Means Committee Takes on Bipartisan IRS Reform

Taiwan Bill Receives Unanimous Bipartisan Support and Chinese Condemnation

On March 16, 2018, President Trump signed H.R.535, the “Taiwan Travel Act” into law, after the bill passed the House of Representatives by a voice-vote and the Senate with unanimous consent. The legislation was authored by Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH), and it allows and encourages the US government to send officials to Taiwan to meet … Continue reading Taiwan Bill Receives Unanimous Bipartisan Support and Chinese Condemnation

Omnibus Spending Bill

by Lindsay Tausch On Thursday, March 22, the House of Representatives passed a $1.3 trillion bipartisan spending bill that will fund the federal government until the end of fiscal year 2018, which runs from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. The massive “omnibus” package combines several appropriations bills, which Congress would ordinarily pass individually … Continue reading Omnibus Spending Bill

Bipartisanship Leads to Legal Marijuana in the Green Mountain State

On January 22, Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana through its state legislature. H. 511 was signed into law by conservative governor Phil Scott (R) after being passed by the Green Mountain State’s Democratic-controlled legislature. The law legalizes possession of one ounce of marijuana and two mature plants for individuals over the age … Continue reading Bipartisanship Leads to Legal Marijuana in the Green Mountain State

Trump to Propose New Drug Plan

by Jack Brownfield President Trump is set to propose a new plan to tackle the country’s growing opioid abuse problem, a focus of his 2016 campaign. The proposal contains a range of new policies designed to attack the problem from both the public health and law enforcement angles. That is, Trump hopes to both increase … Continue reading Trump to Propose New Drug Plan

Trump Administration Floats “Food Box” Plan

by Jack Brownfield One idea contained in the White House’s proposed 2019 fiscal budget took many observers by surprise. The proposal, championed by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, would replace roughly half the money provided to low-income families through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with boxes of food. Instead of giving recipients food stamp … Continue reading Trump Administration Floats “Food Box” Plan

Russian Indictment

Recently in Washington, D.C., a federal grand jury resulted in the indictment of thirteen individuals from Russia with fraud and other charges related to the 2016 presidential election. The base of the operations is said to be in St. Petersburg, where the 13 who were indicted worked on a three-year scheme to influence the election. … Continue reading Russian Indictment

Responses to the Parkland School Shooting

By Lindsay Tausch On Wednesday, February 14, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz gunned down 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Cruz used an assault rifle that authorities believe he purchased legally, despite having a “significant” history of mental illness. Republicans and Democrats alike have voiced their horror at yet another mass shooting … Continue reading Responses to the Parkland School Shooting

Dow Fluctuations

by Kelly Wert The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a stock market index of 30 large American companies, has had an erratic week.  At the beginning of 2018, the Dow reached a record high of 26,616.71 points on January 26, inspiring great confidence in the market.  However, shortly after this record growth, the Dow hit records … Continue reading Dow Fluctuations

Changing Standards for Air Pollution

By Jack Brownfield While President Trump’s relationship with environmental groups has been rocky, recent decisions by members of his administration have created even more conflict. On January 25, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a memo revising how hazardous air pollution sources are classified. While supporters argue that the change will cut regulation while keeping strong … Continue reading Changing Standards for Air Pollution

Trump’s First Year – A Reflection

By Chloe Li Donald Trump has been America’s president for a little over one year. In January 2017, Trump was sworn into office amidst cheer and protest. In the past year, Trump’s presidency has undeniably been a source of turbulence, debate, and political coverage. Trump is clearly not an ordinary or conventional president, which was … Continue reading Trump’s First Year – A Reflection

Congress Takes Bipartisan Action on Native American Rights

In a year already marked by a government shutdown, unanimous passage of legislation that would substantially improve a group of Americans’ lives was probably seen as unlikely. And yet, with the signing of the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 on January 29, Congress has markedly improved the lives … Continue reading Congress Takes Bipartisan Action on Native American Rights

A Bipartisan Year in Review

As only 13% of Americans approve of Congress’s performance in 2017, many Americans would likely be surprised that lawmakers on both Capitol Hill and throughout many of America’s statehouses have been able to find common ground. While it is true that most of the national bipartisan legislation that has passed is relatively insignificant, such as … Continue reading A Bipartisan Year in Review

Sexual Harassment Prevention in Congress Transcends Partisanship

From the beginning of October, America has slowly begun to confront its public secret of sexual harassment. While many of the accused predators have been entertainment and media moguls like Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Mark Halperin, and Charlie Rose, politics has also begun the lengthy process of recognizing its persistent culture of sexual harassment. Although … Continue reading Sexual Harassment Prevention in Congress Transcends Partisanship

Outcry Over Elephants

By Jack Brownfield A couple weeks ago, President Trump announced that his administration would not remove the current ban on importing elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia. Trump’s statement came after widespread and bipartisan outcry over the proposed change from the Interior Department. The incident was a perfect example of common sense and decency transcending … Continue reading Outcry Over Elephants

Highway Trust Fund Paves Way for Bipartisanship

By Ethan Knecht Arguably, it is the most important issue Americans never think about. Without it, Walmart, health care, public education, family vacations, Amazon.com, broadband internet, and even America’s national security would be in jeopardy. The Unite States’ interstate highways connect every corner of the country from Madawaska, Maine to Imperial Beach, California, and every … Continue reading Highway Trust Fund Paves Way for Bipartisanship

Trump’s Asia Tour

By Chloe Li Recently, President Trump embarked on his tour of Asia. Trump just finished the last leg of his trip in Manila, and he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hanoi. During this five-nation trip, Trump visited Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Notably, this twelve-day trip is the longest presidential … Continue reading Trump’s Asia Tour

Moving Toward the Radical Center – The Hoya

Thanks to the Radical Center Column for considering GBC as part of the solution to polarization! Political student groups play a foundational part in shaping our society and we’re proud to work with both College Democrats and Republicans to refine our politics. Larkin: Moving Toward the Radical Center

Swimming Against the Tide on Abortion

By Jack Brownfield America’s two main political parties seem locked in a race towards extremism on abortion. Examining their platforms from year to year, we see both Republicans and Democrats increasingly unwilling to allow for compromise on the issue. The problem is not that Republicans are generally pro-life and Democrats pro-choice, but that their platforms … Continue reading Swimming Against the Tide on Abortion

Metro Funding Crisis Prompts Bipartisan Compromise

by Ethan Knecht The District’s transportation system has faced a myriad of crises over the past decade. With delayed trains, broken infrastructure, and severe accidents like train crashes and fires, what was once America’s premier transit system has fallen into disarray. For the Georgetown students, local commuters, and tourists who use the Metro’s rail and … Continue reading Metro Funding Crisis Prompts Bipartisan Compromise

A Multifaceted Approach to Gun Violence

By Jack Brownfield After every horrific mass shooting, Americans of all political backgrounds propose policies that they believe could address this serious issue. While everyone wants to reduce gun violence in the United States, liberals and conservatives typically have radically different ideas about possible solutions. The former focus on gun control measures ranging from universal … Continue reading A Multifaceted Approach to Gun Violence

Obamacare Senate Bill News Roundup

By Chloe Li The political spotlight has recently been on the bipartisan Senate bill of Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash) which aims to stabilize Obamacare and decrease the federal deficit. The bill’s focus, according to Alexander and Murray, is to “benefit taxpayers and low-income Americans, not insurance companies.” Despite strong … Continue reading Obamacare Senate Bill News Roundup

Moving Forward

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