Paradise Lost - The Damage Done by the Tourism Industry in Hawai'i

Paradise Lost - The Damage Done by the Tourism Industry in Hawai'i

Drew Pagaduan
Macroeconomic Policy

For decades, people from the mainland U.S. and abroad have seen Hawai’i as an island paradise of beautiful beaches, local generosity, and stunning vistas. This has led to a massive tourist industry across almost all of the Hawaiian Islands which sees millions of visitors every year flock to its shores to pour money into pursuing their island fantasies. However, this vision of Hawai’i has a dark undercurrent — decades of colonialism and resource extraction have resulted in economic, ecological, and cultural damage done to the people and land of Hawai’i. Despite claims of promoting the well-being and way of life of the Hawaiian people, the tourism industry largely functions to extract the value of the land and labor of the people.

America’s Horrible Record on Refugees

America’s Horrible Record on Refugees

Ariel Siton
Politics, Government Current Events

Those who keep up with international news on a regular basis will most likely know about the current global refugee crisis. Headlines about refugees suffering while making the journey to Europe from the Middle East and Africa, as well as within Europe, leave audiences across the world shaken to the core. People encounter stories about desperate people trying to flee Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Belarus, Ukraine, and countless other countries to escape persecution, war, economic collapse, and other threats to lives and livelihoods in those countries. Many of those who are desperate are making the perilous journey to European countries, like Poland and Greece, among others. While the policies of these and other European countries, along with the European Union, do not address the underlying problems leading to the refugee crisis, it is still a significantly higher contribution than that of the United States.

The War on Labor

The War on Labor

Drew Pagaduan
Business Current Events

In recent months, organized labor has scored a major victory against one of the largest corporations in the world by unionizing the Amazon workplace, resulting in the first Amazon Labor Union. At the same time, employees at Starbucks locations across the United States have begun organizing to secure better hours, better pay, and better working conditions. However, these movements and others like them have historically encountered heavy opposition from state and corporate interests. This article will examine the history of anti-labor corporate practices in the U.S. and how these attitudes, policies, and histories affect the relationship between labor and corporations today.

Why America’s Economy Won’t Get Well Soon

Why America’s Economy Won’t Get Well Soon

Ariel Siton
Economics

If you watch the news about the current and future state of the American economy, you have likely heard nothing but depressing news. You have most likely heard that the American economy is heading towards a deep recession. You have also heard television news anchors and other commentators on social media platforms draw comparisons between the current state of the economy and its state in the 1970s and 1980s. These claims, while not entirely true, serve as a useful comparison to measure current developments in the U.S. economy. While this crisis is different from similar crises in the past, many of the same factors will extend the length of the current pitfall we as a nation are in. Nothing better illustrates the slowdown of America’s economy, among all sectors, than the recent hits to the the rental and for-sale housing markets.

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