Center for American Awesomeness
Other Projects
Securing our Future: Raising the Social Security Eligibility Age to 68 to Prevent Long-Term Insolvency
Matthew Pihl
Will future generations experience the benefits of Social Security or will the government trust fund become depleted in the coming decades? "Securing our Future: Raising the Social Security Eligibility Age to 68 to Prevent Long-Term Insolvency" by Matt Pihl reveals a possible policy solution by raising the Social Security eligibility age to 68 years, which places American welfare on a more sustainable path as the United States faces rising life expectancies and a slow economic recovery.
Protecting the Eurozone
Ramya Gurunathan
In the past 5 years, the nations in the euro area, or the Eurozone, have been shaken by unending recessions, monstrous deficits, and rising unemployment. This has provoked growing skepticism over the benefits of the euro, and many have begun to favor downsizing or repealing the Eurozone all together. However, the people of Europe are not financially or politically equipped to handle dramatic changes to their currency, so it is important for the European Union to provide the support and regulation needed to protect the Eurozone.
Saving Africa: The Great Need to Promote Self-Sustaining Democracy in Africa
Joshua Zollman
The declining trend of democracy in Africa has serious implications for not only for Africans, but also for the United States and the world economy. Without democracy, human rights violations are rampant, wealth seldom finds the hands of the common African, and freedom is rare. Thus, there is a great need to promote self-sustaining democratic systems in Africa—democracies that will prove more enduring than many of the failing post-colonial, pseudo-democratic regimes. In order to achieve this, I suggest a three-pronged policy designed to promote democracy from its roots.
Crushing Party Politics
Joshua Zollman
In an age where everything in government seems polarized, we advocate for open primaries and independent voters. Allowing independents to have a voice in open primaries will open the door to other, less extreme candidates and smaller political parties.
Advocacy
Social Security: A Raise for our Future
Matt Pihl
Social Security: A Raise for our Future” is a TED Talk that reveals the necessity for the younger generation to advocate for policy changes as their distant retirement plans will be greatly impacted by the current welfare policies. This TED Talk on Social Security reform builds off research discussed in the Social Security issue brief and gives the message that it is never too early to start advocating.
Students Against Stereotypes
Jackie Proszysnki and Danielle Stoebe
Stereotypes are widely held but fixed and over simplified images or ideas of a particular person, place, or thing. They can be positive or negative and affect people across the globe. Sometimes they make us laugh, but can they actually have detrimental psychological effects on people? Its time to stop making these social snap-judgments because we can never be exposed to someone's true character until we get to know them.
Colbert/Daily Show Parody
Dan Antinori
Politics used to be such a huge part of American life. Now we usually just use it for humor. In my project I do a Colbert/Daily Show type video advocating for the political cause. In it I make fun of representatives for doing ridiculous things and try to get students our age to get more involved in politics.