Julia Cataneo

Maplewood

Research and Editorial Assistant at American Enterprise Institute

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Articles

A Bit of Context on Trump v. Harvard

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

The conversation about Trump v. Harvard has now veered perilously close to the time-worn explanation for why faculty meetings take forever: “Everything’s been said . . . but everyone hasn’t had a chance to say it yet.” Spot-on takes have been penned by Mitch Daniels, Ben Sasse, Ilya Shapiro, and Stanley Kurtz, while Steven Pinker mounted as reasonable a defense of Harvard as one can.
We Should Be Worried About “Section 899”

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

The version of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) passed by the House of Representatives includes a new set of “retaliatory” taxes on inbound foreign investment called Section 899. Since its passage, there has been growing concern about these taxes. The Wall Street Journal editorial board disagrees, calling the panic “odd” and based on a misunderstanding. Section 899 has two parts.
Defense Reform-Effectively Turning Worthy Goals Into Action

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

The preference of President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth for the military to rely more heavily on commercial solutions to tough problems is well known and grounded in the assumption that avoiding development of specialized capabilities when possible while taking advantage of America’s innovative power will advance military capabilities faster and save money. It is tough to argue with that.
More Good News Out of Florida

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

Amid the flurry of public protests, violence, and unending threats against the Jewish community on college campuses, the American public has seen the corrosive influence of faculty on student bodies; professors have promoted violence and discrimination against those whom the principles of DEI hold to be oppressors.
Ukraine’s Drone Triumph and Implications for America’s Defense Posture

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

On Sunday, Ukraine conducted a stunning series of drone strikes on multiple Russian military bases. According to an early assessment by the Institute for the Study of War, the large-scale and simultaneous attack consisted of first-person view drones that successfully landed multiple blows at four Russian strategic air bases. One of these bases, Belaya, located deep inside Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast, is approximately 3,000 miles from Kyiv.
Let’s Hope Europe Gets Its Tech Act Together

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

It’s common on social media for Americans to mock Europe for its lack of tech titans. Sometimes frustrated Europeans join the (not always) good-natured ribbing. And with good reason, as new pieces in the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal highlight. In the Financial Times, columnist Rana Foroohar argues that the US is clearly racing away from Europe in AI adoption.
Where Everybody Knows Your Name

3 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

When I was in high school, I would try to complete all of my homework before 9:00 p.m. so that I could sit down with my Dad to watch Cheers on Thursday nights. Many of the characters on the show mirrored those I knew in my life. Norm Peterson—an accountant and painter—always had his stool along the bar and was one of the show’s anchors and most popular characters.
Will Washington Be Blindsided by South Korea’s June 3 Presidential Election?

4 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

The Washington foreign policy establishment is about to get a wake-up call. Next week South Korea will go to the polls and elect a new president. The overwhelming favorite in this election is Democratic (Minju) Party leader Lee Jae-myung. Polymarket is currently handicapping his odds of winning at 96 percent. American diplomats, foreign policy analysts, and overseas correspondents have been remarkably insouciant about this potentiality.
“Equitable Grading” Deserves an F

4 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

This week, San Francisco schools superintendent Maria Su announced that her school system would be adopting an “equitable grading” framework—and then quickly relented (at least temporarily) in the face of immense blowback. The respite is a good thing for San Francisco’s students. But this clash isn’t over, and, more importantly, is only the latest instance of a pernicious trend.
Another Step Forward in Removing NEPA as a Barrier to Building

4 weeks ago | aei.org | Julia Cataneo

America’s infrastructure paralysis just got a much-needed nudge. The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County represents more than new limits on environmental reviews. It’s another step in a long-needed course correction for a nation that has forgotten how to build. Let’s hope for more steps to come. As is unfortunately typical in many cases involving reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, the facts are maddening.