Monday, October 30, 2017

Twitter Bans Russian Advertisements

Articles:
http://www.npr.org/2017/10/26/560276801/twitter-says-it-will-ban-ads-from-russian-news-agencies-after-interference-in-20
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/26/twitter-bans-ads-from-russia-today-and-sputnik-over-election-interference

Image result for twitter ads

Twitter has announced that they will begin blocking Russian Advertisements because of their interference with the 2016 elections. They will additionally be giving away 2 million dollars already earned from Russian advertising. Advertisements from RT Sputnik have been backed by the Kremlin, and their is no question that the Kremlin's agenda is carried out through these platforms. Russian officials have stated that this is a violation of the freedom of expression.

I personally believe that Twitter has the right to block any advertisements that they don't stand behind. If they don't like the idea of the Kremlin using their platform to persuade viewers, then I don't think there is a problem blocking their ads. Only when the government itself is blocking speech of others does this become a problem.

Optional Questions: 
On a previous post about RT, it was unanimously decided that the news outlet's voice should not be suppressed. Is it different when it comes to advertisements? Do you agree with Twitter's choice?
Do you think Russia's attempt to interject itself into American media is especially concerning?
Why do you think Twitter decided to block Russian ads? Was this a selfless act or does this benefit the company in some way?

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Warner Denounces Tech Companies' Involvement in Politics

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/29/technology/mark-warner-tech-critic-russia.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourth_amendment

Image result for social media icons

   Mark Warner, a Democrat, senior Senator from Virginia, and a tech millionaire, surprised the public last week by declaring that big technology companies such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google allowed for corruption of the election platform last year. Russian-linker accounts were able to buy political ads and spread foreign propaganda, and yet these companies still refused to disclose enough information for officials to track the hackers. While Warner, also the top Democrat on the senate Intelligence Committee, is fighting to tighten regulations on tech companies and pass a law that forces them to disclose who paid for digital political ads, because he believes that tech companies still aren't fully aware of the potential for political chaos that free-flowing digital media create.

   Personally, I believe that Warner is wise to call for investigation into the murky business partners of these big tech companies, because their reluctance to release information regarding the election from last year sounds like they are clearly trying to hide the fact that they allowed corrupt foreign sources to leak propaganda. However, as a Democrat I am biased, and many Republicans will argue that imposing such strict regulations on private businesses and companies is potentially infringing their fourth amendment right to privacy. The 4th amendment states "[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause." Thus, although the amendment aims to prevent the government from unreasonably intruding and extracting private information, it specifically refers to "the people," as in individual citizens. Thus, do you think the 4th amendment should apply to corporations as well? Why or why not?
  

California father wants to take back guilty plea in rape, murder of 14-year-old daughter, report says

Fox News

Mark Mesiti was convicted for the rape and murder of his daughter, Alycia Mesiti-Allen. He reportedly admitted to the crimes to avoid facing the death penalty, but he is now attempting to revoke his guilty plea. Investigators have found documented evidence that Mesiti overdosed his daughter with drugs, including anti-depressants and meth, and then sexually assaulted her. Prior to her death, Mark was granted custody of Alycia because her mother was "deemed unfit to care for [her]" (Fox News), though at the time it was known that Mark held previous charges of bank fraud and a DUI. He was also operating a meth lab at the time of the decision of custody, but it is unclear whether the court knew.

While it seems unlikely that Mark will be able to make a plea of innocence considering that there are photos and other proof that he abused Alycia, it is shocking that Mark was even able to obtain custody of his daughter with his record. It draws attention to the flaws of the judicial system regarding child care and how Alycia's life could have potentially been saved if the courts had done a more thorough check on Mark's status, especially when authorities were aware of crimes he had already committed. Child safety should take precedence over ensuring that the child stays within the family. 

Some could argue that the 4th amendment would protect a case like Mesiti's and should guarantee his right to privacy, however others, like myself, find it more important to ensure that the child has a secure environment and it is significant to invade privacy of the parent in the best interest of the child.     Do you think that the court is partially to blame for Alycia's death? Why or why not?


Extra fat protects Florida dog during bear attack

Fox News

On Tuesday, October 24, Frika the overweight miniature pinscher was attacked by a bear. Her owner accredits her survival to her extra fat content. She weighs 15 pounds, about double the weight of the average healthy dog of her breed. People have responded to the story by criticizing the owner for allowing the dog to reach this unhealthy weight, but others are more forgiving since the extra pounds were able to protect her from danger. The owner claims that Frika's veterinarian said "she's just really hearty," which, given the image, is questionable. 

One could argue that the owner should be allowed to provide any diet that he chooses for the dog, but animal rights activists would argue that dog owners must be more responsible. Given the circumstances that being overweight saved Frika's life in this rare occasion, do you think that it is more important to uphold owners rights or protect the animal's health?

Puerto Rico Cancels Contract with Whitefish Power

Articles:
NPR
Washington Post

Image:

     The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has cancelled a contract with Whitefish Energy to repair Puerto Rico's electrical grid. This contract was controversial because Whitefish Energy is only a two-year-old company that only employs two people. The way Whitefish Energy operates is by contracting their jobs to other companies that actually complete the project. This contract was also controversial because Whitefish Energy is based in Whitefish Montana, the hometown of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and he has several other connections to the company. While this contract was not made by Zinke, his connection to the company made the deal quite suspicious.
     Do you think this deal was a sign of government corruption? Do you think Puerto Rico was right to cancel the deal?
     Note: I'm sorry if this post seemed disjointed, I was very busy today and was quite tired when I wrote this. “We apologize for the inconvenience.” - if you get this you are amazing.

Continued Conflict in Myanmar

Articles:




To provide a basic summary of the conflict in Myanmar, the Buddhist majority is violently pushing out the Rohingya Muslims. The Myanmar authorities having been killing off Rohingya for over a year, and conditions have only been getting worse. There have been few Rohingya retaliations against this ethnic cleansing by Rohingya militia, that have ultimately added fuel to the fire. Almost 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have left the country, and those that remain are blocked off from aid by the Myanmar government. A majority of the civilians don’t believe that the Rohingya belong in the country, and many deny that the systematic killing of the Rohingya by the Myanmar military is taking place.


Just recently, Buddhist Nationalists hosted a march in one of Myanmar’s largest cities to advocate for a larger, stronger military. Many of these nationalists consider the Rohingya to be illegal intruders, even though they’ve been there for generations.


I believe this issue to be more than worthy of U.S. support. The US has already planned to provide financial aid to Rohingya who have fled Myanmar, amounting to $32 million, but I don’t believe this to be enough. There are still many killings happening at the moment, and financial aid isn’t something that can help. Additionally, the UN so far has only issued warnings to Myanmar about the crisis, and they’ve yet to get seriously involved.


Optional Questions:
Should the UN get more involved? So far they’ve only given warnings and attempted to provide aid, which has been blocked by the Myanmar government.
Should the US get involved beyond aid?

Buddhism is, to my knowledge, a peaceful religion. Do you think religion has anything to do with the conflict in Myanmar? What do you think has caused this sudden violence towards Rohingya Muslims?

Trump’s Approval Rating Drops to Lowest Level Yet in New NBC News/WSJ Poll

NBC News

According to new polls conducted by NBC News, Trump's current job approval rating has reached the lowest of his presidency. 38% of the population (with a margin of error of 3.27%) approve while 58% disapprove. NBC accredits this decrease to his recent claims about former presidents not calling families of fallen soldiers, dismaying the family of Sgt. La David. T. Johnson by saying that he "must've known what he signed up for" (NBC News), as well as members of the Republican party criticizing him. The article further breaks down approval ratings by political party affiliation and both Democrats and Independents have an overall higher disapproval rating than approval, while Republicans have a significantly higher approval rating than disapproval.

Trump frequently angers the public through his verbal assertions (i.e. the aforementioned incident with Sgt. Johnson, his criticism of Puerto Rican leadership during times of crisis). Do you think that his approval rating will continue to fall as a result, or do you think that his firm supporters will uphold/increase the ratings over time?

Trump Hesitant to Commit to Hurricane Maria Relief Efforts

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/59ea1e4be4b0542ce4290d0d?section=us_politics

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/09/world/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-cnnphotos/
 Image result for hurricane maria puerto rico damage
   
   From September through the beginning of October, Hurricane Maria, which was classified as a deadly level 5 storm, slammed the coast of Puerto Rico. With sustained winds of 175 mph and torrents of heavy rain, the island's entire infrastructure was obliterated. Over three million people were left without power, homeless, food and water, and means of communication. Trump immediately took to Twitter, preaching the importance of offering humanitarian aid in times of crisis and helping Puerto Rico get back on its feet. As promised, the U.S.'s FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) dispatched response teams to Puerto Rico, however now President Trump is repetitively publishing tweets such as "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!" 

     Considering that the federal government intends to aid Texas in its recovery from Hurricane Katrina for years to come, it seems unjust and, frankly, discriminatory that Trump views Puerto Rico (an American territory!) as a lower priority. Pictures and reports from sources in Puerto Rico indicate that the relief efforts are far from sufficient, as many people still don't have access to even safe drinking water, and are instead force to drink from wells next to a Superfund (nuclear waste cleanup) site. Thus, I believe that Trump should discard any financial or political reasons he has for withdrawing emergency aid and focus on his humanitarian obligation of providing food, water, shelter, and safety to millions of Americans struggling in the aftermath of a horrific disaster. 

Do you believe there is a discrepancy between the importance of helping Texas recover vs. helping Puerto Rico? What are the possible economic and political effects of choosing to continue helping Puerto Rico, and how do you think will the public respond to this?

Free Market Capitalism at work: Why the explosive growth of e-commerce could mean more jobs

Main Article



Despite worries that automation and the boom of e-commerce might cut jobs, several case studies across the United States are showing the opposite; that the current trends of automation might indeed serve to help job growth.

For example, when the e-commerce retailer Boxed opened an automated warehouse in Union, New Jersey, many people feared layoffs-after all, a robot can do for free what a person does for at least 8.44 per hour. However, something completely different happened. Workers found their jobs to be significantly less demanding than in the nearby manual warehouse in nearby Edison-instead of moving products across a factory floor, employees simply could stand at workstations while the products came to them in conveyer belts. And because the new system was so efficient, Boxed was able to accommodate a third shift to the work day. “We’re not looking to do the same work with half the people,” said Rick Zumpano, vice president for distribution at Boxed. “Since we’re growing, we need everyone.”

Why did automation boost jobs? Because of two reasons: the first is that automation boosts efficiency and the supply of the product or service, which enables the market to accommodate more jobs. The second is that every robot and automated task has a small army of coders, engineers, repairmen, and technicians, creating-you guessed it-even more jobs. This is nothing new-when the cotton gin was first invented in 1793, the end result was a glut of African slaves being imported across the Atlantic to work in cotton fields all across the south.

While this trend is on a small scale now, perhaps the growth of automation will drive more companies to invest in automated tasks. How could this effect the way blue and white-collar America works?

Saturday, October 28, 2017

North Korea Rouses Neighbors to Reconsider Nuclear Weapons

Main Article



As North Korea continues their nuclear buildup and their rocket program which can hit East Asian and American cities, American allies in the region are considering going nuclear themselves. Two of the most prominent nations considering the nuclear option include Japan (which hasn't had the best experience with uranium) and South Korea (of which 60% of the population favors a nuclear program.)

In South Korea, President Moon Jae-In has often expressed that a South Korean nuclear program would only make things worse with both the North and with the United States, and for the most part, he's following precedent; until recently, only a small fringe called for armament. But that's not to say that the country would be completely closed to the option. “If the U.N. Security Council can’t rein in North Korea with its sanctions, we will have no option but to withdraw from the Nonproliferation Treaty,” said conservative politician Won Yoo-Chul.

But perhaps the most alarming nation considering nuclear bombs is Japan. Japan, the only country to have been attacked by a nuclear device, already has sworn off nuclear bombs, singing multiple Non-Proliferation Treaties. It's already assumed that Article 9 of the Japanese constitution is extended to nuclear bombs, but under the already hawkish Shinzo Abe, that might change. Shigeru Ishiba, the Defense Minister who could challenge Abe, has openly challenged the lack of debate regarding the issue. Even Mr. Abe himself has expressed sentiments towards the North mirroring his American counterpart.

Normally I'd be against peace through force of arms, but now, I'm not so sure. In a nuclear war against North Korea, it wouldn't be San Fransisco or Washington D.C. that would be on the first line of targets for the north-it would be Seoul, Osaka, or Tokyo, larger cities with larger populations. Given Mr Trump's isolationist message on the campaign trail, perhaps this isn't the most criticism-worthy option.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Spain Dissolves Catalan Parliament, Moves to Seize Control of Region


Main Article

Flag of Catalan separatism

The Spanish government dissolved Catalonia’s parliament, ordered the region’s leaders to step down and set new legislative elections for Dec. 21 after lawmakers there declared an independent republic, setting up the potential for new clashes.
This is in the wake of the October 1st referendum in the Spanish province of Catalonia, which concerned a possible independence from the rest of the country and an establishment as a separate sovereign state. The referendum was called in response to calls for Catalan independence; the Catalan people have their own culture, language, and set of national values separate from the rest of the country. The region also is responsible for 15% of Spain's GDP, and also boasts the major European city of Barcelona. The referendum was expected to pass, but Spanish authorities seized control of the ballot boxes and cancelled the referendum.

The Spanish government has worked quickly to seize control in the country in what can only be described as reminiscent to the era of Francisco Franco, a dictator who ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. This shutdown of autonomous power culminates in the most recent decision by the national government. 


Thursday, October 26, 2017

American Airlines Receives Complaints Involving Racial Discrimination

Articles: 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-26/american-airlines-leads-u-s-carriers-in-racial-bias-complaints
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41754457

Image result for American airlines


Over the last 20 months, there have been 29 complaints of racial discrimination. Four among them have been cited as examples by the NAACP of discrimination under American Airlines. One of these four examples had happened to one of the NAACP state chapter presidents, who was removed from his seat after responding to discriminatory remarks by a couple of other white passengers. In another incident, a black passenger was moved to coach despite her first class ticket, whereas her friend -who was white- was allowed to stay in first class.

As a result of these incidents, NAACP has issued a “travel advisory,” warning African American passengers of the discrimination in question. NAACP representatives have been invited to American Airline’s headquarters in Texas to discuss these incidents.

I wouldn’t shrug off these accusations. American Airlines has a history of discrimination towards its passengers. American Airline’s History of discrimination makes me question why this airline has the most amount of discrimination complaints. I can’t be sure exactly why, but I would guess that many of these cases arise as a result of weak enforcement of American Airlines employees; they’re given too much authority over their flights. If American Airlines adopted better guidelines to ensure it’s employees don’t abuse their powers, we might have ourselves a solution to this problem.

Optional Questions:
How worrisome do you find these claims of discrimination?
Would you argue that American Airlines is a good representation of the state of racial affairs in America?
Why do you think American Airlines has a history of discrimination problems?
Does it attract discriminatory employees or does its corporate culture allow for these incidents to happen?

What could American Airlines do to reduce the amount of such incidents?

Pres. George HW Bush Accused of Sexual Assault

Articles:
NPR
CNN
Fox News (don't read before referenced in post)

Image: (look at the red circle)

     President George HW Bush (the older Bush) has been accused of sexual assault by two women. Frankly based on this picture in which you can fairly clearly see Bush's hand peering out from below the waist of the woman on his right (your left). I think the more interesting thing is how Fox News reported it (please read the article, especially the title, now). They reported that Bush has been accused of 'sexual assault' which i believe is implying that the author either doesn't believe the accusations, or, perhaps more harmfully, believes that the accusations do not constitute sexual assault.
     Do you think that the way President Bush acted was inappropriate? Do you think the way Fox News presented the accusation shows bias or contempt for the accusers? Finally, this is the third President in the last five presidents to be accused of sexual assault (joining Clinton and Trump), what do you think we can do to prevent this kind of behavior from politicians and other men in power?

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Congress Approves New Disaster Relief Bill


Article:
Washington Post

Image: Aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico

     On Tuesday the Senate approved a bill that authorizes the use of 36.5 billion federal dollars on disaster relief from hurricanes and the recent wildfires in California. This story isn't all that complicated but the part about it that I find the most interesting is that the Senate approved this bill with a vote of 80-19. This shows a clear willingness for bipartisanship in the face of disaster.
     My question to all of you is: Do you think that politician's willingness to negotiate with the other political party in the face of disasters like the recent storms and wildfires is a good sign for bipartisan ship, or do you see it as a bad sign that the two political parties seem to only be able to work together when the country is literally falling apart?

Russian news outlet RT has influence in American media



Articles:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-state-news-outlet-rt-thrives-on-youtube-facebook-1508808937

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/technology/youtube-russia-rt.html


Image result for RT channel

RT has a large presence on YouTube with over 2.2 million subscribers, 2.1 billion views, and 4.5 million followers on Facebook. This Russian news organization openly bombarded Hillary’s reputation during the 2016 presidential election, drawing attention to the email incident, and make accusations, such as her having hidden ties with Islamic extremists, or being in very poor mental/physical condition. Twitter even reported that RT had spent almost 300 thousand dollars to “promote tweets to US users” (WS journal). YouTube recently removed RT from a list of channels that had premium advertisers, denying any political motives for doing so.

I don’t doubt that RT is a platform for propaganda, used by Russia to influence American politics. Social media has given RT free reign to spread whatever false information they desire, and because they aren’t violating any of the guidelines set forth by such media platforms, there is nothing that can be done to impede their influence.

I don’t think that RT should have to be penalized for trying to influence the American people through propaganda. Even though RT has gathered a large amount of views and subscribers, I know that YouTube subscribers aren’t invested in RT’s content; they don’t pay for their subscription. Also, I don’t think censoring RT would reflect good on America. Taking away a major freedom just because of Russian propaganda would be going overboard.  


Optional questions
Has social media allowed for more false information to go around?
Does social media pose any benefits in American politics?

Do you think RT should have the freedom to spread false information to carry out their agenda? If not, where should the line be drawn when it comes to other countries influencing American Politics?

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Transitional Brexit deal must be agreed this year, City warns government





The City of London (the small half-mile financial hub of Europe, not to be confused with the city itself) has warned the May Government that businesses will start activating their Brexit contingency plans, move away from London, and set up shop elsewhere in Europe unless the May Government and Parliament can enact a transitional deal with the European Union by the end of 2017. 

In a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond before next month’s budget, Catherine McGuinness, the most senior policy official at the City of London Corporation – the local authority for the Square Mile -- said the UK was facing a “historically defining moment” and warned that the timetable for business to prepare for transition was “tightening very rapidly.” 

The implications of McGuinness's message are clear: unless the May Government and the EU leadership comes up with a plan fast, banks and businesses will leave London, taking thousands of jobs with them in the process. Many Britons know all too well about the days before the financial boom of the 90's that lead to London as a financial hub for Europe and the world-a world of frequent Dole lines and austere Thatchernomics. This reality is already happening already, with individual banks and businesses enacting and devising contingency plans.

However, the path towards a final Brexit deal is unclear-the Conservative party, aided by UKIP and a plurality of eurosceptics, advocates for a "hard Brexit" where the UK will break completely away from the EU-the EU would regard the UK like Japan or Brazil, with no connection between the two entities at all. However, the Labor Party and most other groups advocate for a "soft Brexit" like in Norway and Switzerland, where some ties with the EU could remain. For example, Britain could leave the Schengen free-movement zone and not have to make any contributions to the EU, but still could remain in the single market or participate in the EU Erasmus Student Exchange program. 

At this point, it doesn't matter wether Brexit helps or hurts Britain economically-the decision has already been made by the British people, and they voted to leave. I personally favor a soft Brexit-if Britain could remain in the single market, for example, they'd still benefit from the presence of European banks and businesses without tariffs-but if the British people truly do have a desire for strong borders, then perhaps they could negotiate an exit from the Schengen Zone.

How could Brexit and it's aftermath affect the way the world does business? Do you favor a soft Brexit or a hard Brexit? If a soft Brexit, what aspects should Britain keep, and where should they part ways with the European Union?

Trump and Corker Escalate Battle Over Taxes, in Personal Terms

Article Link






President Trump renewed his attacks on Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) on Tuesday, chastising him for his skepticism over a $1.5 trillion tax cut. Mr. Corker responded by going on national television to say that Mr. Trump was “debasing” the United States and that the president struggled with the truth.


In a tweet on his personal account, the President responded by stating that Corker "couldn't get elected dog catcher in Tennessee" and that as the chair for the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, "helped President O give us the bad Iran Deal." Corker responded by referring to the White House as a daycare center in a responding tweet.

This virtual shouting match between the President and Senator Corker bodes ill for the President's relationship with the upper house of the United States Congress. President Trump has a history of hostility with the Republican-held Senate (even bearing hostility towards his fellow republicans in the Senate), from the contentious Cabinet hearings to Trump's vows that he'd work with "Chuck [Schumer] and Nancy [Pelosi]" on the issue of the debt ceiling in open defiance of the Republican leadership. Trump's fight with Corker even put a key vote on tax reform in jeopardy (which barely passed 51-48.)

I'm honestly shocked at the way Trump is not taking advantage of his situation-many Republican senators and representatives in the majority of both houses of Congress expected a good relationship with the president, if not a stooge in the White House who could help along the republican agenda once in office. I'm also wondering how this adversarial relationship could affect possible impeachment and removal proceedings (should such proceedings ever occur.)

Appeals Court Grants Detained Teen Abortion

Articles:
LA Times
Washington Post

Image:

     Today the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled in favor of Jane Doe (pseudonym), a 17-year-old detained by federal immigration authorities in the state of Texas, and mandated that the federal authorities allow her to have an abortion.
     This 6-3 ruling came after a three judge panel (of the same court) overturned a lower court's ruling to allow Doe to seek an abortion. The decision by the Appeals Court simply sent the case back to a lower court in which the judge promptly reinstated the previous ruling (allowing Doe to seek an abortion) and mandated that the government "promptly and without delay" transport the teen to a Texas abortion provider.
     Conservatives say this ruling opens up a precedent for unaccompanied minors being able to obtain abortions on demand. Liberals say that the government can not restrict a woman's right to an abortion even if she is undocumented and a minor. What do you think? Should Doe be allowed to have an abortion? Does Roe v. Wade apply to undocumented immigrants and/or minors?

Monday, October 23, 2017

Russian Radio Presenter Stabbed in the Neck

Moscow Times Article
Secondary Article


Tatiana-Felgenhauer.jpg

Earlier today, Tatyana Felgenhauer, a radio presenter for Russian news station Ekho Movskvy, was stabbed in the neck in her newsroom. Officials are unsure of the motive, but conclude that it was likely a personal attack. Russian news agency Interfax says that Felgenhauer knew the alleged attacker and the attack had nothing to do with her journalism, though RIA Novosti (used to be Russia’s international new agency) backs what Russian police have said about the attack being personal.

Boris Grits, the attacker, claims that he has “I’ve only known the victim telepathically for 5 years,” and that Felgenhuaer has “been sexually harassing me for 2 months. Every night, using telepathic means of contact, she entered and sexually harassed me” (Moscow Times).

Many journalists, however, believe that the attack was caused by the growing hostility of Russia’s political climate. The editor in chief of Ekho, Alexei Venediktov, supports this claim by citing the arson attacks in response to the movie based on Russia’s last czar (Nicholas II).

Rex Tillerson makes an unannounced visit to Afghanistan


Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a sudden quick stop to Afghanistan to meet with President, Ashraf Ghani, following a suicide bombing on Kabul that killed 15 people this past Saturday. Tillerson was only on Afghan ground for 2 hours before leaving for Qatar as a part of his week-long Middle East visit. What was actually discussed in the meeting has not been publicly announced, however, it most likely points to defense strategies for Afghanistan in order to prevent other attacks like the one on Saturday.

The suicide bombing also took place the day after more suicide bombings at mosques outside of Kabul killed almost 60 people. The attacks haven't been claimed by anyone yet, although ISIS seems to be the ones behind it. Back in August, President Trump announced a strategy for the war in Afghanistan, which put a focus on pressuring Taliban to the point of surrender and would concentrate less on nation-building.

Tillerson's visit in Afghanistan also prompted a step up with security after Taliban forces launched a rocket attack that was aimed for Defense Secretary James Mattis, who already departed the country. The visit also came after a stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he called for foreign fighters in Iraq to go home and let the Iraqi people deal with situation themselves.

I personally find it suspicious that Tillerson would secretly take a visit to Afghanistan. Even though i understand it might spark criticism if he does announce the visit it is still his job to visit countries and deal with foreign policies. Who knows what they might have talked about? Maybe it's something about the recent bombings or maybe it could have been something else.

Why do you think Tillerson made this pit stop unannounced? What do you think was discussed between Ghani and Tillerson? Do you believe that ISIS could be the ones responsible for the attacks?

CNN Article
Picture Link

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Republicans Pass Fiscal Budget in Senate, Hopes for Tax Reform


29906170001_5385440886001_5385423264001-vs.jpg

This Thursday, the Senate passed a budget for fiscal 2018. The House must create its own budget and the two budgets from the houses will be compared and compromised on in order to create the finalized budget for 2018. The tax reforms that Republicans aim to implement will determine how they obtain the budget, and many Republicans are hopeful that this will be the start to their promised tax reforms, and framework for these tax reforms has been announced. After the failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, successful tax reforms are extremely important for approval rates.


This framework “calls for just three tax rates -- 12%, 25% and 35% -- but allows for the possibility of a fourth,” which is a large simplification of the seven current tax brackets. The issue is that this would decrease the government budget, and is “expected to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion” over ten years (Barret and Mattingly). This new plan would increase the tax rate on the lowest bracket by 2%, which for the cap income for this bracket would mean an additional $186.5 lost to taxes, which most likely would’ve gone to necessities. It also means that for each person earning the lowest income for the highest tax bracket, the government will collect $19,246.44. Republicans hope that this amount saved by the rich will be put back into the American economy.


However, examples of previous tax cuts have shown that they don’t always stimulate the economy. For example, Bush’s tax cuts “added 1.7 trillion dollars to the national debt over 10 years.” In addition, Louisiana’s governor Bobby Jindal supported the largest tax cuts in the state’s history. Currently, “Louisiana’s budget shortfall is projected to reach $1.6 billion next year and to remain in that ballpark for a while” (Dreher), and Jindal, who refuses to raise taxes, took millions out of funding from health care and higher education. According to Representative Patricia Smith, “We’re going to end up placing fees and all kinds of things on ordinary citizens, just so Jindal can say on the presidential campaign trail that he didn’t raise taxes,” meaning that citizens will still have to make up for the budget shortfall even though Jindal didn’t raise their taxes.


Even though the Republican tax reforms and Louisiana’s tax system aren’t the same, I believe that Louisiana’s situation paired with past national tax cuts make a strong case that they don’t create lasting stability. In Louisiana and during Reagan’s presidency, there was a (relatively) brief surplus of money which eventually crashed. While the framework of the tax reform is not terribly drastic to my understanding, it still cuts down government revenue a lot, which means that the government will have to cut funding from certain programs (likely health care and possibly education). I understand why people who believe in a smaller government would support tax cuts, tax cuts can create debt that only an even bigger government than what we currently have (FDR's New Deal expanded government to proportions it had never been before, and even though that debt wasn't caused by tax cuts, the solution is big government and tight regulations).

Afghanistan's Capital Attacked, Leaves Dozens Dead

Article 1
Article 2
Timeline of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
Public Confidence Survey


Kabul_UNAMA.jpg


On Saturday in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, a gunman opened fire in a Shia mosque during prayer and killed at least 39 civilians. The Islamic State has since claimed the attack, though has not provided evidence. There was also an attack on a Sunni mosque in the Ghor province with left 20 civilians dead.


In addition, (also on Saturday) a suicide bomber killed 15 Afghani army cadets. The Taliban claimed this attack. Including this incident, 250 lives were taken due to bombings this week. The three bombers on Saturday took 74 lives.


Kabul has been attacked more than 10 times this year alone. After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 1993, it has been very unstable despite the adoption of a new Constitution (that has some similarities to the American constitution, including a three branch government) in 2004. A 2015 survey by the Asia Foundation found that “57.5% of people across the country believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, and 67.4% fear for their personal safety.” This shows that less than half of Afghani citizens believe that what their government is doing is right, and almost 70% live in fear.

Does the fact that America gave support to the anti-communist Mujahidden forces that became the Taliban make America responsible in helping Afghanistan achieve stablity? If so, to what extent?