By Jon Burkart (PO ‘24) In 2008, the Great Recession struck. And in its wake, upwards of 20 states cut public spending: Ohio was one of them. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. And while the future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: austerity is returning. In some states, it has already made a return. On May 6, 2020, just months into the pandemic, Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine...
Jon Burkart (PO ’24) If the past 6 months have proved anything, it’s that nothing is wholly immune to COVID-19. Institutions of higher education (IHE) are certainly no exception. On October 15th, National Student Clearinghouse reported that average undergraduate enrollment for the fall 2020 semester is down 4%, and overall enrollment is down 3% compared to last year. This trend has hit four...
By Jon Burkart (PO ’24) Before a crowd in Pittsburgh, Joe Biden promised voters: “I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking.” It’s no wonder then, that running-mate Senator Kamala Harris was quick to reiterate Biden’s stance during the October 8th Vice-Presidential debate. The industry that employs nearly 32,000 people in Pennsylvania alone has...
By Jon Burkart (PO ’24) “A $1.5 trillion crisis” “…exceeds accumulated car loans and even credit card debt” “…43 million Americans held federal student loans” “…roughly seven million borrowers are in default” Year after year, these punchy phrases populate news headlines, underscoring the unending...
