Read

What We're Reading

From headlines on North Korea to commentary on the importance of school principals, here's a look at what the Bush Institute policy teams have been reading in the news this week.

This week’s headlines were focused on potential upcoming talks between the United States and North Korea. In National Review, Jonah Goldberg highlights the human rights atrocities of the North Korean government and warns: “The regime has been willing to starve its own people in the pursuit of nuclear weapons…Negotiating with North Korea may be the right thing to do, but our negotiators should understand the monstrosity they’re dealing with.” His thoughts echo the Bush Institute’s own policy reports on the country, including recommendations on combining the human rights and security issues, and Light Through the Darkness, which defines a new path forward for improving the human condition there.

In The New York Times this week, David Brooks writes that “Good leaders make good schools,” highlighting the point that principals are key to student success. Later this month, the Bush Institute will launch its first module of the School Leadership District Cohort, part of the School Leadership Initiative, which aims to dramatically improve the way our nation’s principals are prepared and supported through districts’ talent management of school principals and ensuring that school districts have the knowledge and tools to attract and retain effective principals.

Also this week, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Russia for its interference in the 2016 presidential election. Critics of America are quick to compare Russian efforts with America’s actions abroad. But Bush Institute Human Freedom Fellow Thomas Melia writes in The Atlantic that there is no comparison. He describes the distinction as “the difference between programs to strengthen democratic processes in another country, versus efforts to manipulate another country’s election in order to sow chaos, undermine public confidence in the political system, and diminish a country’s social stability.” The Bush Institute’s Spirit of Liberty report reflects this sentiment as well, affirming that America must lead the strengthening of freedom around the world.