Beyond Labels

A 360° Discussion of Foreign, National and Local Policy Issues

March 27: Banking System Safety

There have been several banks in the news over the last few weeks, starting with Silicon Valley Bank and followed by Signature Bank, Credit Suisse and, according to current market speculation, Deutsche Bank. And there has been plenty of news coverage of the ins and outs of each bank’s situation.

On Monday, we’ll consider:

  • What happened to each of these banks (and maybe others, such as First Republic Bank)?
  • How could it have been avoided?
  • Who’s at fault (what combination of management, the boards, the regulators, the administration, customers)?
  • How do we rate the response (to date) to these events?
  • Should deposit insurance be enhanced to cover more than the $250,000 limit?
  • And any other questions/observations the group would like to share.

Given the ample news coverage, I’m not going to post any particular links or resources. But feel free to post a comment with one (or more) if you wish.

March 20: Genocide

The term “genocide” has been used to describe a wide range of activities over the last several decades. On Monday, we’ll discuss:

  • how the term is defined in international law (and elsewhere),
  • how contemporary genocide is “policed,” prosecuted, and punished,
  • what sort of repercussions (reparations?) are appropriate for “contemporary” instances of genocide, and
  • how “historical” instances of genocide should be dealt with in the present.

Thanks to Steven K., here are some resources to consider:

March 13: The Arctic

On Monday, we’ll discuss the Arctic, particularly focusing on recent developments in shipping, mining and territorial claims as that body of water becomes more accessible and viable for commercial activity.

Here are some resources to consider reviewing before our meeting (some short, some long):

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