Week 13: Synthesis - How Thomas L. Friedman Views Society

By observing his column for about a month, one can see that Tom Friedman views society through a largely liberal lens and is particularly interested in international current events, and the impact that these events will have on the future of the world and the future of the US. His ardent support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its efforts to work with the Department of Transportation to increase the average mileage made by all cars manufactured by US automakers shows his concern for the state of the current environment, and how he believes that the government should intervene in order to encourage a more 'green' America. This belief is shared by mostly liberals, because many conservatives believe that the US government has no right to 'restrict' private businesses with deals like the one in process between the EPA and the Dept. of Transportation. Tom Friedman also displays a concern for the world as a whole and shows how his views are not always US-centric by discussing the protests in Syria in his column. He discusses the impact that the protests in Syria will have on the stability of it's government, and the potential impact that this could have on the rest of the Middle East (and maybe even the USA).