The Ripon Forum
Volume 54, No. 4
October 2020
In this edition

by LOU ZICKAR
“There are some things you don’t want to be right about.” That was Mac Thornberry’s response when he was asked following the 9/11 terrorist attacks how it felt to have introduced a bill to establish a Homeland Security Agency six months before…
The Fight Against COVID-19 and the Lessons of 1918

A Conversation with John Barry about his 2005 book regarding the Great Influenza pandemic 102 years ago and the lessons that can be learned today.
Better Connecting Rural America

by SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO
If we can communicate with humans on the moon, surely we can find a way to deliver reliable broadband here on Planet Earth.
When a Pandemic and an Epidemic Collide

by LISA HOWLEY
Since the pandemic began, more than 40 states have reported increases in substance- related deaths.
EXIT INTERVIEW

From the Republican Revolution of 1994 to the global pandemic of 2020, the Texas Republican 26 and retiring lawmaker reflects on some of the
more notable developments over his 26 year congressional career.
MEETING THE THREAT

by DEB FISCHER
According to the Nebraska Senator, dangerous activity by Russia and China underscores the importance of enacting the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.
Transatlantic Relations in Flux

by ANDREW MICHTA
We are at an inflection point after three post-Cold War decades, and the choices confronting the U.S. when it comes to its relations with Europe will shape transatlantic relations going forward.
Seven Years into China’s Belt and Road

by DAVID DOLLAR
American officials have criticized the program as “debt trap diplomacy.” While it is hard to find evidence of debt trap diplomacy, there are real concerns about debt sustainability.
Outcompeting China: A Roadmap for the U.S.

by CLARK PACKARD
Rather than decoupling the two largest economies in the world, there is a smarter approach to confronting legitimate problems posed by China’s economic model.
The Importance of India and the Growing Chinese Threat

by RUP NARAYAN DAS
Amid rising tensions with China, the relationship between the U.S. and India has been transformed from one of estranged democracies to engaged democracies.