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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist

(he/him/his)

Email: shahab-khan@uiowa.edu

Shahab Khan is an opinions columnist at The Daily Iowan. He is a junior majoring in international relations and Economics with a minor in Arabic. His writing primarily focuses on economic and public policy.

All content by Shahab Khan
Photo by Ayrton Breckenridge

Senior Column | An ode to all the rejects

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
May 4, 2023
The Burlington Trailways location on the corner of Court Street and South Dubuque Street seen on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

Opinion | Local transit should be prioritized

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 30, 2023
An Iowa City Police car is seen near the Iowa City Police Department in Iowa City Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.

Opinion | Reform instead of defund

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 28, 2023

Yes

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 25, 2023
Protestors cross at the intersection of North Dubuque Street and East Jefferson Street on Saturday, April 1, 2023.

Opinion | The war on the transgender community

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 11, 2023
Opinion | CCS pipelines are necessary

Opinion | CCS pipelines are necessary

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 2, 2023

No

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 28, 2023
Opinion | Regional banks (probably) should not exist

Opinion | Regional banks (probably) should not exist

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 23, 2023
Opinion | Gun violence and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Opinion | Gun violence and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 21, 2023
Seventh-grader Ace Drumbarger speaks during a transgender rights protest at the Pentacrest on Friday, March 11, 2022. Drumbarger spoke about their experiences being transgender and wanting to compete in sports. “Being transgender has nothing to do with capability of athletes.”

Opinion | Protect transgender kids from Iowa politicians

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 27, 2023
The Iowa House convenes during the first day of the 90th Iowa legislative session at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The house swore in Pat Grassley as speaker of the house.

Opinion | Academic tenure is under attack for all the wrong reasons

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 14, 2023
Opinion | I was wrong, Amtrak would not be a great investment for Iowa City

Opinion | I was wrong, Amtrak would not be a great investment for Iowa City

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 7, 2023

Lower age to 20

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
January 31, 2023
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a watch party for Iowa Republicans on Election Day at the Hilton Downtown in Des Moines on Nov. 8, 2022.

Opinion | School Choice: A terrible policy with terrible consequences

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
January 22, 2023
Opinion | The case against cutting property taxes

Opinion | The case against cutting property taxes

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
January 18, 2023
Opinion | A critique of 'South Park'

Opinion | A critique of ‘South Park’

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
December 11, 2022

The optimist

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
December 6, 2022
Infographic by Jami Martin-Trainor.

Opinion | Iowa’s Democrats are getting bulldozed

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
November 29, 2022
The Iowa City City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022.

Why the affordable housing location model had to go

Shahab Khan, Opinion Columnist
November 13, 2022
Opinion | Why Iowa City needs Amtrak

Opinion | Why Iowa City needs Amtrak

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
November 7, 2022

You’re on Your Own, Kid

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 31, 2022
Opinion | What is going to cause the recession

Opinion | What is going to cause the recession

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 23, 2022
Photo Illustration by Isabella Cervantes (Isabella Cervantes/The Daily Iowan)

Opinion | Drinking is not essential for student social life

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 19, 2022

Yes

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 11, 2022
Opinion | Automation is good for the economy

Opinion | Automation is good for the economy

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 2, 2022
Opinion | A few thoughts on journalistic objectivity

Opinion | A few thoughts on journalistic objectivity

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 27, 2022

Opinion | Political violence is not the answer

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 19, 2022
Opinion | The need for a tax on capital income

Opinion | The need for a tax on capital income

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 12, 2022
President Joe Biden reacts during his visit at the POET Bioprocessing ethanol plant in Menlo, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.

Opinion | Why the President Biden debt relief plan will create more problems

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 11, 2022
Opinion | Why single family zoning exacerbates the Climate crisis

Opinion | Why single family zoning exacerbates the Climate crisis

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
August 29, 2022
The Iowa State Capitol is seen before the opening of the 2022 Legislative Session in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022.

Opinion | It’s time to expand Medicaid

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
August 21, 2022
A voter fills out their ballot on Election Day at Horace Mann Elementary School in Iowa City on Nov. 2, 2021. This year’s election is centered on local city councils and school boards.

Opinion | Will Democrats avert electoral doom?

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 24, 2022
Opinion | Alleviating the potential CRISPR market failure

Opinion | Alleviating the potential CRISPR market failure

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 19, 2022
Opinion | CRISPR and gene editing is the future

Opinion | CRISPR and gene editing is the future

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 12, 2022
The United States Supreme Court Building is seen on Sunday, April 3, 2022.

Opinion | Originalism is a political movement disguised as judicial philosophy

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 3, 2022
Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Iowa City on Monday, June 27, 2022.

Opinion | Gas prices explained

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 28, 2022
Opinion | It's time for a new tax regime

Opinion | It’s time for a new tax regime

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 24, 2022
Opinion | The liberal case for supply side reform

Opinion | The liberal case for supply side reform

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 16, 2022
Contributed photo Shahab Khan.

Opinion | Jordanian journals: Despotism in the desert

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
May 4, 2022
Contributed.

Opinion | Observations in democratic erosion: A case study of Turkey

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 20, 2022
An ally in West Amman.

Opinion | Jordanian Journals: Suez, Saddam, and strategic rivalries, how the U.S. continues to shape the Middle East

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 22, 2022
Contributed.

Opinion | Jordanian Journals: A clueless Iowan navigates an Arabian City

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 7, 2022
A sign at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

Opinion | How 20th century philosophy explains modern public health reactions

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
January 26, 2022
Granulated white cane sugar in a sack with a scoop.

Opinion | The US sugar program: why Americans pay more for sugar

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
January 18, 2022
Opinion | SpongeBob SquarePants as an exploration of Existentialism

Opinion | SpongeBob SquarePants as an exploration of Existentialism

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
December 9, 2021
Iowa 3rd Congressional District-elect Cindy Axne speaks to supporters during the statewide Democratic candidates' watch party at Embassy Suites in Des Moines on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.

Opinion | Raising the SALT cap is a really bad idea

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
December 7, 2021
Opinion | How secularizing America has become the best thing for Christians

Opinion | How secularizing America has become the best thing for Christians

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
November 29, 2021
A customer receives her first dose of the vaccine on Saturday, April 12, 2021. Hartig Pharmacies were administering the Pfizer vaccine at a clinic held at the Al-Eman Mosque.

Opinion | The hypocritical nature of Conservatism

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
November 16, 2021
Opinion | The curious case of the overpaid American physician

Opinion | The curious case of the overpaid American physician

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
November 7, 2021
Courtesy of Getty Images.

Opinion | The case for strong unions

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 31, 2021
Oct 16, 2021; San Pedro, Calif., USA; Cargo ships wait to be off loaded at the Port of Los Angeles. Supply chain issues have caused shortages of goods throughout the country with cargo ships waiting off shore in Southern California to off-load. (Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY)

Opinion | Iowa, inflation, and the supply chain

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 28, 2021
Opinion | The monetary system, explained

Opinion | The monetary system, explained

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
October 17, 2021
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) speaks to a crowd on Thursday, April 1 at an Iowa GOP regional reception in Cedar Rapids at the Elmcrest Country Club.

Opinion | A how to guide on how to destroy an economy

Shahab Khan, Opinion Columnist
October 10, 2021
Solar panels are seen outside of the Johnson County Administration Building on April 23, 2018.

Opinion | Iowa needs to provide solar power

Shahab Khan, Opinion’s Columnist
October 3, 2021
Hogs occupy pens at a confinement facility in Ayrshire, Iowa, in this file photo.

Opinion | Hog monopolies hurt farmers and consumers

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 27, 2021
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers a speech during The Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday, July 16, 2021. Members of the crowd cheered when Gov. Reynolds brought up legislation that banned mask mandates in public schools.

Opinion | The Southernification thesis and its consequences

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 19, 2021
USA flag detail, closeup view. American flag background texture.

Opinion | Building a better Democratic Party

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 12, 2021
Syringes for the COVID-19 vaccine lay on a counter at the VA Medical Center in Iowa City on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. The center received the Modern vaccine for its employees.

Opinion | It’s time to implement vaccine mandates

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
September 8, 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the COVID-19 response and the vaccination program during an event at the State Dining Room of the White House on May 4, 2021, in Washington, DC. President Biden set a new goal to have 70% of adult Americans with at least one shot and at least 160 Americans fully vaccinated by July 4th, 2021.

Opinion | Tariffs and protectionism hurt Iowans

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
August 30, 2021
New shade structures at the pedestrian mall on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.The new shade structures are a collaboration between the Iowa City Downtown District, artist and architect Michael LeClare, Dan Kuenzi of City Construction Lacy Sexton of Sexton Design.

Opinion | Prioritize people over cars

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
August 25, 2021
An apartment building is seen in Iowa City on Saturday, April 21, 2018.

Opinion | Want to make Iowa City more affordable? Build more high-rises

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 25, 2021
Pile of white pills or capsules on yellow background

Opinion | How the government can lower drug prices

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 19, 2021
A group of people pose for their portraits and to show their signs on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Iowa Citizens for Community Change held the rally on the Riverside Dr. overpass.

Opinion | The need for green economic policy

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 13, 2021
Opinion | Iowa’s hiring headaches, explained

Opinion | Iowa’s hiring headaches, explained

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
July 5, 2021
Person holding a cloth face mask.

Opinion | Reflections on the end of the COVID-19 pandemic

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 27, 2021
The words “Black Lives Matter” is seen written in chalk at a Juneteenth celebration hosted by Iowa Freedom Riders on June 19, 2021.

Opinion | A nuanced exploration of Critical Race Theory

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 20, 2021
Photo Illustration by Raquele Decker.

Opinion | Manufacturing an inflation crisis

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
June 15, 2021
An individual waits outside before an away football game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020 in Downtown Iowa City.

Opinion | Walking is not only cool, but economically sound

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
May 5, 2021
A For Sale sign is seen on Nov. 17, 2020. With families wanting larger homes to inhabit while being stuck at home due to COVID-19, real estate companies are doing notably well.

Opinion | Rent is too high

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 19, 2021
President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg meet with a bipartisan group of House members on infrastructure in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 4, 2021. (Oliver Contreras/Pool/Getty Images/TNS)

Opinion | Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Plan, explained

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 11, 2021
Photo Illustration by Raquele Decker.

Opinion | Working out the effects of a minimum wage increase in Johnson County

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
April 5, 2021
President Joe Biden speaks during the first formal press conference of his presidency in the East Room of the White House on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Opinion | The economics of refugee resettlement

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 29, 2021
Contributed.

Opinion | Nuclear energy provides a solution for climate crisis

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 21, 2021
Photo Illustration by Raquele Decker.

Opinion | It’s time to end the Unbanking crisis

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 14, 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden holds in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington D.C., on March 3, 2021.

Opinion | The American Rescue Plan helps struggling Iowans during the COVID-19 pandemic

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 9, 2021
A pair of local republicans stand against a tv monitor playing the Fox News Election Coverage at the Joni Ernst Republican watch party at the Des Moins Marriott Downtown on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 . Republicans from across the state have gathered to watch the results of the 2020 General Election.

Opinion | SF-292 and the new anti-democratic bent of the Republican Party

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
March 3, 2021
Gov. Kim Reynolds listens during a conference at the GuideLink Center in Iowa City on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The new crisis center is a collaborative project between the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and community partners, and focuses on providing mental health and substance use care. It will have a soft opening on Monday.

Opinion | Public-private partnerships can help Iowa win the war against COVID-19

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 21, 2021
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks with reporters outside the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol Building on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Opinion | Iowa lawmakers should support the Family Security Act

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 16, 2021
Opinion | Require financial literacy courses at the UI

Opinion | Require financial literacy courses at the UI

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 11, 2021
Gov. Kim Reynolds prepares for the State of the State Address within the house chambers of the Iowa State Capitol Building on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 in Des Moines. Tuesday marks the second day of the 2021 Iowa legislative session, in which Gov. Reynolds will give her address in the evening.

Opinion | Iowa should not promote charter schools

Shahab Khan, Opinions Columnist
February 9, 2021
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