President Obama is set to announce his deficit reduction plan which will include $1.5 trillion in new taxes. The plan will also look at the so-called “Buffett Rule,” named after billionaire Warren Buffett, which would set a new tax rate for those making more than $1 million a year. The following Boston University experts are available to comment on all aspects of the President Obama’s plan:
Tom Whalen, associate professor of social science and an expert on American politics and the American presidency. He can be reached at 978-888-3131; tjw64@comcast.net.
Officials of the European Union have announced they will delay making a decision on an $11 billion installment of a bailout loan to Greece until October. International relations professor Vivien Schmidt is a long-time EU watcher and author of Policy Change and Discourse in Europe. She offers the following comment:
"This is a very dangerous game that the EU leaders are playing.
"The problem is that the brinksmanship with regard to the second Greek bailout is not a calculated decision to try to squeeze more out of Greece while appeasing national publics in, say, Finland or Germany. Rather, it is the same muddling through that has caused the fear in the markets.
"My best guess is that the markets will respond as they have to the slow responses and lack of leadership, by continuing to bet against the weakest members of the eurozone."
Joan Salge Blake, clinical associate professor of nutrition and a registered dietician, weighs in on the controversy surrounding how "The Dr. Oz Show" yesterday aired a segment about unsafe levels of arsenic in many brands of apple juice. The FDA, however, has called the show's testing methods "erroneous" and "misleading" since they only looked at total levels of arsenic rather than distinguishing between the organic and inorganic types. The agency asserts that apple juice is safe and does not contain harmful levels of arsenic.
According to Salge Blake:
"Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment as well as from contamination by humans. Inorganic arsenic is the harmful kind, so just like with cholesterol, getting a measurement of total arsenic doesn’t say very much.
"The FDA has been tracking the potential contamination in apples and other juices for years and concludes that there is no evidence of any public health risk from drinking apple juice.
"However, on another note, children ages 2 to 18 years consume more than half of their fruit intake as juice. Unfortunately, 100% juice lacks the fiber in whole fruits and when consumed in excess, can displace other healthy beverages, such as fat-free and low fat milk. While 100% fruit juice can be part of a well-balanced healthy diet, the majority of American's daily fruit intake, young and old, should be from whole fruit."
Contact Salge Blake at 617-353-7470; salge@bu.edu.
Recently released audio recordings of Jacqueline Kennedy reveal candid comments by the former first lady about her husband, Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other issues facing the country in the early 1960's. Tom Whalen, a professor of social science, is an expert on American politics and the American presidency. He is also the author of Kennedy versus Lodge, an analysis of a political rivalry between two powerful Massachusetts families which spanned nearly half a century. Whalen is available to offer insight on Mrs. Kennedy's comments. He can be reached at 978-888-3131; tjw64@comcast.net.
In today's edition of BU Today, several professors and administrators reflect on how the U.S. and world have changed in the decade since the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Kevin Lang, professor of economics, an expert on labor economics. He can be reached at 617-353-5694; lang@bu.edu.
Tom Whalen, associate professor of social science, an expert on American politics and the American presidency. He is also a regular contributor to PoliticoArena. He can be reached at 978-888-3131; tjw64@comcast.net.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry continues to lead in the polls since entering the GOP field of presidential candidates. Boston University social science professor Tom Whalen, an expert in American politics and the American presidency, gives his view on what Perry's surge means:
"I think the Perry surge is more about Mitt Romney dropping the ball politically. He was the front runner and now, all of a sudden, Rick Perry occupies that space in the Republican Party. And the reason is that GOP voters are not satisfied with Romney as an alternative or Michele Bachmann. Rick Perry, by default, is the front runner because conservatives in the party feel familiar with him, comfortable with him as a candidate."
The following Boston University experts are available to offer commentary, analysis, and insight on political issues facing America:
Tom Whalen, associate professor of social science and an expert on American politics and the American presidency; Regular contributor to PoliticoArena. He can be reached at 978-888-3131; tjw64@comcast.net.
John Carroll, assistant professor of mass communication and an expert on media criticism and political advertising. He can be reached at 617-353-3493; carroll7@bu.edu; Twitter: @johncarroll_bu.
Tobe Berkovitz, associate professor of advertising and an expert on media strategy and political advertising. He can be reached at 617-353-7724; tobetv@bu.edu; Twitter: @tobetv
