Something unusual is developing in New York City: a tense dynamic between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo, the two leading candidates competing for mayoral office. And despite Donald Trump’s efforts to sway voters towards Cuomo, Mamdani has continued to eclipse Cuomo in nearly every poll, with Emerson College’s most recent findings placing Mamdani in the lead by 29 points.
Read moreWhen discussing the 2024 Republican primary, we must keep one thing in mind — former president Donald Trump will in all likelihood be renominated. Polls show Trump maintaining a substantial lead over every challenger.
Read moreRepublican George Santos is the House Representative for the 3rd District of New York. After a failed run for office in 2020, Santos defeated his Democratic opponent in the November 2022 election. In late December 2022, news broke that Santos had lied about his resume. On December 26, Santos conceded that he had embellished his resume and apologized, but stressed that he did not break any laws. Just two days later, however, the Nassau County District Attorney opened an investigation into Santos's questionable background. Since then, Santos has been accused of a plethora of lies, from lying about working for Goldman Sachs, to misusing campaign funds, to stealing money from a GoFundMe for a veteran's sick dog.
Read moreA few months ago, Akhil Reed Omar, a professor at Yale University, came to Skidmore. He was giving a talk about the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the future of the Supreme Court - both topics I am interested in. But that is not why I attended this lecture. I attended this lecture because I wanted to ask him a specific question.
Read moreAs October winds down, Americans begin to anticipate Election Day. Every year on the second Tuesday of November, American citizens show up to vote, an act long perceived as their civic duty. This year’s election is slated to be particularly contentious, with many vital policies on the ballot, including abortion rights. The overturning of Roe V. Wade in June 2022 left access to abortion care in the hands of state governments. Furthermore, against the backdrop of a mostly conservative Supreme Court, the longevity of various civil rights acts are at risk. For example, hearings regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act approach in early November. Regardless of a person’s stance on these issues, voting is an American hallmark of making one’s voice heard. Though 2022 is not a Presidential election year, it is still crucial to vote at the local level. Whether you plan on voting via mail-in ballot or in person, here is everything you need to know to be voter-ready for Tuesday, November 8.
Read moreOn March 30, the states of Oklahoma and Arizona joined the growing list of states which prohibit transgender women and girls from playing in female sports divisions. Both laws are rooted in the claim that trans athletes have an unfair advantage due to higher levels of testosterone before transition, and that this makes sporting competitions unfair. The vast majority of the individuals leading this charge against trans sport participation have no past history of caring about women’s sports or women’s rights in general. These are not unrelated, but part of a reaction to the last few decades of progress on LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights.
Read moreI asked my brother, Nathaniel, how he was getting acclimated to his new school. “It’s a ghost-town, Stephanie,” he replied, “everybody left.” My brother was referring to the American embassy kids who had left.
Read moreThe unfortunate reality highlighted, once again, by this year's COP is that we cannot rely on our governments, their theatrical conferences, and various overly optimistic speeches given by political leaders to be the catalyst for change needed to curb the catastrophic climate destruction. That being said, the greater attention this year's conference received and subsequent voices of dissent towards the inaction of our current leaders have been an encouraging sign for the future and changes that are hopefully soon to come.
Read moreAs the first Election Day since the tumultuous 2020 Presidential election, tensions were riding high and the results would be indicative not only of the respective candidates, but also of how the nation felt about the Biden Administration. The results of the election could have been predicted and was not particularly unusual given the events of the past year. Nonetheless, this past election cycle and its results are concerning signs for Democrats as to what will come in future elections.
Read moreIn her interview with The Skidmore News, Commissioner Dalton detailed her plan for implementing effective communication between the community and city hall, supporting the city’s police and fire services, and advocating for nonpartisan elections in Saratoga Springs.
Read moreCapital Region native Ron Kim is the only Democratic candidate in next week’s mayoral election. After spending eight years on the Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals and two terms as Commissioner of Public Safety, Kim is now dedicated to improving Saratoga’s infrastructure, reinvigorating democracy and restoring trust in the government. This week, The Skidmore News sat down with Ron Kim to discuss his platform, goals for Saratoga Springs, and how he envisions Skidmore students as actors in this work.
Read moreOn September 17, the little known holiday of “Constitution Day,” Skidmore College Political Science Professor Beau Breslin’s new book was the subject of Skidmore’s academic celebration. The book, titled “A Constitution for the Living,” takes up the theme of generational Constitutional reform and explores the theoretical history of the Constitution had it been re-ratified every generation.
Read moreYou may be surprised that 714,153 Americans are taxed without representation. How is this possible? The answer is simple: Washington D.C. is not a state. Why isn’t D.C. a state? The answer to that question is complicated and is currently inspiring a heated debate in Congress.
Read moreProportional representation would undoubtedly make other parties more competitive and gain more representation in Congress. But, altering our electoral method would be nearly impossible to implement into our current system of government. Additionally, it would generate extremist parties that would gain representation in government, as seen in eastern Europe. A two-party system may be inconvenient for distinguishing politicians in the same party, but it keeps extremists in check. There may be intra-party disagreement on issues, but that just means that voters need to understand that every politician is more nuanced than their party label.
Read moreDuring his campaign, Biden made a bevy of promises not limited to a quick vaccine rollout, better healthcare options, an overhaul of the immigration system, new policies to combat climate change, and official administrative projects to promote racial equity. Is he successfully fulfilling his promises? And if not, what could he be doing better? Skidmore students answered these questions and shared their thoughts on the matter.
Read moreThe Skidmore student body prides itself on stepping outside of our bubbles to understand what it is like in the shoes of others. Another privilege that must be acknowledged, educational privilege, is one that we all share as students. The War On Normal People is a book that I believe every current college student or alum must read in order to better understand the experience and future of being “normal.”
Read moreFollowing the first Presidential debate, which can only be described as catastrophic, it was hard to anticipate what the mood for Wednesday’s Vice Presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Senator Kamala Harris (D) would be.
Read moreThe virus, combined with an array of variables, including a polarizing political divide, have made the 2020 Presidential Election incredibly extraordinary. Or, as Professor Mann puts it, “incredibly volatile,” marking it as one of the most unprecedented in recent history.
Read moreAs a woman with ambition during a period where a woman’s silence was expected and intelligence undervalued, Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not just persevere through her struggles, she reformed existing rules to help future generations. Being the second female and first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg’s personal experiences with discrimination only served to motivate her.
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