HKS Authors

See citation below for complete author information.

Abstract

The presidential debate on Wednesday night is an opportunity for the candidates to discuss, exclusively, “domestic policy.” But that very division of “domestic” and “foreign” policy has always been forced. For all the talk about the meaning of these forums, the reason why debates can be so phony is because we’ve bought into the false notion that certain issues turn on and others turn off at our borders. It isn’t possible to discuss the budget without debating, for instance, the Pentagon’s bloat. That, in turn, requires a conversation about both our military adventures abroad and jobs at shipyards and factories at home. Education affects our children, but also our nation’s strength. And immigration policy, such as the Draconian laws in states like Arizona, reflects the security of our borders, but also our economic competitiveness and capacity to lure global leaders here.

Citation

Kayyem, Juliette. "Energy Policy Shows Fallacy of a Domestic Debate." Boston Globe, October 1, 2012.