Trump emphasizes renewing efforts to replace Obamacare if he wins second term

Former President Donald Trump has called to revive his efforts to scrap and replace Obamacare if he wins the 2024 presidential election, saying he is "seriously looking at alternatives" if he wins a second term. 

Trump had previously attempted to repeal Obamacare, or more formally known as the Affordable Care Act, back in 2017 during his presidential term, which ended up failing on the senate floor as a result of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) siding with Democrats to keep Obamacare in place. Republicans were merely one vote away from repealing the law and Trump called it "a low point for the Republican Party" on a recent Truth Social post. 

Trump's comments garnered some rebuke from Democrats, especially President Joe Biden's campaign - "My predecessor, once again ... called for cuts that could rip away health insurance for tens of millions [of] Americans and Medicaid," Biden said Monday at the White House. "They just don't give up. But guess what? We won't let these things happen." Biden's campaign will even run new TV ads this week in swing states to highlight the president's efforts to lower some prescription drug prices and draw attention to Trump's call to replace Obamacare.

Republican senators have generally expressed some hesitance toward Trump's efforts during interviews on Monday evening. "We've gotten so far down the road now that it's almost technically impossible to do that. But there is a way to get rid of all the bad and hopefully put some good back in place," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said. 

"I don't see that as being the rallying cry. I really don't." Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va) also said that evening.

About 6 in 10 Americans say they have a favorable opinion of the health reform bill that was first signed into law back in 2010, according a May 2023 KFF poll. Biden's Health and Human Services Department says that more than 40 million are insured through coverage "related to provisions of the Affordable Care Act" as well, highlighting the scope of impact that it has on the American people and the potential effects it can have if Trump were to carry out his plans of scrapping the program if he wins the 2024 election. 

Sources:

Washington Post

Politico

The Hill

U.S. News

ABC News

Three Palestinian college students shot in Burlington, Vermont, in suspected hate crime

Around 6:25 pm on Saturday, November 25th, a gunman shot and wounded three 20 year-old Palestinian men near the University of Vermont in what investigators suspect was a hate-motivated crime. Two of the victims were wearing keffiyehs - traditional black-and-white checkered scarfs that have now come to symbolize Palestinian solidarity  - at the time of the shooting, and one of the victims has been reported as "seriously injured" according to authorities. 

The three men were walking during a visit to the home of one of the victims' relatives when they were confronted by a middle-aged white man wielding a handgun, firing four shots at the men in total. The Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding, a Palestinian advocacy organization, said that the victims were reported to have been speaking to each other in Arabic and were verbally harassed by the assailant before the attack, while local police say that the gunman did not say a word before he carried out the attack. The shooting came amid a rise in anti-Islamic and anti-semitic incidents reported around the United States since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7th.

The three victims were identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ahmed, who are juniors attending Brown University, Haverford College, and Trinity College respectively and graduated from Ramallah Friends School, a secondary school in the West Bank. Despite their injuries, all three men are expected to survive and recover. Numerous figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the presidents of the victims' respective colleges, have spoken out in sympathy for the young men and their families. 

"It is shocking and deeply upsetting that that three young Palestinians were shot here in Burlington, VT. Hate has no place here, or anywhere. I look forward to a full investigation," Sanders said in a statement denouncing the shooting.

Around Sunday 3:30 pm ET, police detained Jason J. Eaton, 48, who is suspected of being responsible for the shooting. He was subsequently arrested and awaiting to be arraigned on Monday. 

Sources:

Reuters

CBS

Associated Press

New York Times

Rep. George Santos Believes He Will Be Expelled

 

Source: NBC

New York Representative George Santos claims he knows he will be expelled from the House during a X Spaces, a conservative social media, live stream. A bipartisan investigative group found Santos guilty of misusing campaign funds for a variety of personal purposes including but not limited to luxury stores, adult websites, and cosmetic procedures, then made the campaign to file false or incomplete reports.

Source: CBS

A resolution started by Rep. Michael Guest, who acted as the Chairman of the Ethics Committee and Mississippi Republican, has been introduced to the house. Santos responded calling Guest an obscenity and saying he would not resign believing the report to be a political opposition hit piece at best.

During a three-hour livestream, Santos accuses his congressional colleagues of much worse misconduct, such as voting while drunk or adultery. Santos accuses his former colleagues of bias claiming this precedent, referring to the ethics committee investigation, means you are guilty until proven innocent and will take accusations and use it “to smear, to mangle, to destroy you and remove you from society.”

When Rep. Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, pressed Santos on why he wouldn’t resign, Santos responded saying he hasn’t been found guilty of anything. 

Sources:

NBC

CBS

ABC

Former Police Officer, Derek Chauvin, Stabbed in Prison, Raising Prison Concerns

    Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis Police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd in 2020, actions which sparked the BLM movement and earned him 22.5 years in prison, was stabbed in prison this Friday. As the Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, confirmed, he was stabbed but is now in stable condition. Ellison expressed sentiments for the event, saying, "I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence. He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence."

Derek Chauvin addressing the court at his 2021 prosecution Source: AP News

    While Chauvin's actions were certainly inexcusable, his punishment should be dealt with through the law, not revenge, though many would hope it is. The government's goal is to administer this punishment and its failure to protect one of the most high-profile inmates in the entire country is unclear and bodes poorly for the system. 

The Federal Correctional Institute in Tuscon, Arizona, where Derek Chauvin was being held. Source: NYTimes

    The United States' prison system has been ruthlessly scrutinized for a great number of reasons: from the unreasonably high number of incarcerated individuals, the highest per capita in the world, (Statista) made up disproportionally of minorities. To incidents like this, call the safety of the roughly 1.68 million prisoners in the US into question.

    Safety incidents like this have become increasingly common, as the Justice Department's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, pointed out the prison bureau's failure to improve procedures for high-profile inmates in two separate reports this year (NYTimes). Regardless of what you think of Chauvin or the other high-profile inmates who have been targeted, prison is a place for one's punishment to be dealt out in isolation from society, not vigilante, or physical revenge. It is clear from these incidents and from decades of terrible prison circumstances, that the Justice Department, and government as a whole need to improve its treatment of prisoners.

Sources:

NPR

CNN

The Guardian

AP News

Politico

NYTimes

Statista

3rd Exchange of Hostages for Prisoners Completed in Israel-Hamas War

 This Sunday, Hamas released 17 hostages including one 4 year old Israeli-American girl named Avigail Idan. Idan was taken captive by Hamas soldiers after witnessing both her parents be killed in front of her at the Kfar Aza kibbutz. President Biden commented on the situation saying: "Today she's free, and Jilly [first lady of the US Jill Biden] and I, together with so many Americans, are praying for the fact that she is going to be alright." 

Source: BBC

This release took place during the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the longest break in fighting since the attacks occurred on Oct 7th. This 4 day break was the result of a deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas shall release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel will free 150 Palestinian prisoners. All released are women and children. Hamas said it would seek to extend the ceasefire after the four days were up. Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel has issued a video statement addressing the possibility of freeing an additional 10 hostages for each additional day of truce. As of the posting of this post no agreement for the extended ceasefire has been released.

Sources:

BBC

PBS

NYTimes

CEO of DeSantis Backing Super-PAC Resigns

     On Wednesday, Chris Jankowski, the Chief Executive Officer of the Super PAC, Never Back Down, which has backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' bid to be the Republican Party's Presidential Nominee, resigned, stating to Reuters that "Never Back Down's main goal and sole focus has been to elect Governor Ron DeSantis as President. Given the current environment, it has become untenable for me to deliver on the shared goal and that goes far beyond a difference of strategic opinion."

Source: Reuters

    Super PACs are not allowed to participate in presidential campaigning, despite this, DeSantis and Never Back Down have pushed the limits on these rules, with the Super PAC taking over expenses generally covered by the campaign itself. With more than $80 million of funding, Never Back Down, held a massive door-knocking program, hosted DeSantis events, and even covered the cost of some of his private plane rides. These actions seem to fly blatantly in the face of rules against Super PACs campaign participation, a rule designed to prevent the rich from having a major financial influence on campaigning, while instead, this and many other concentrations of economic power are able to focus their power directly for that goal. 

    Despite almost breaking this law, it seems a further attempt to push the rules is the reason for the Super PAC splintering. This law says that Presidential Campaigns cannot communicate campaign strategy with Never Back Down, resulting in some strategic disagreements. In the past few weeks, several of DeSantis' closest allies have complained about the Super PAC airing ads attacking rival Nikki Haley, believing it reflected poorly upon DeSantis as well, which many speculate is the reason for Jankowski's resignation.

Source: Washington Post

    Never Back Down's COO, Kristin Davidson will take over as CEO, in what borders on open strategic collaboration between DeSantis and massive political donors. As we discussed in class, the line between Donors and Presidential Campaigns, while clear in that they should not mix, is constantly pushed by these groups and nearly every Campaign since Watergate, to the point where although separate on paper, they Never Back Down and the DeSantis campaign seem suspiciously coordinated in their efforts towards his nomination. An effect that highlights the ineffectiveness of this law, and indicates a similar rewriting to what we saw after Watergate is needed if the government is going to enforce the campaign rules they indicate are important.

- Gabe Anagnoson

Sources:

Washington Post

NYTimes

Reuters

Fox News

Federal Appeals Court Deals Major Blow to The Voting Rights Act

 

Source: Politico

On Monday, the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that private individuals and organizations are not allowed to sue under Section 2 of The Voting Rights Act, which prohibits the voting practices that discriminate based on race or color. Originating from an Arkansas redistricting case, the opinion of the panel of three judges was written by Trump appointee David Stras; the other two judges were George W. Bush appointees. 

The decision, which affects Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, states that only the US Attorney General can sue under Article 2. This is a major blow to the Voting Rights Act, as prior to the decision, a vast majority of the Article 2 lawsuits have been brought by private plaintiffs, such as civil rights organizations, who have the time, manpower, and funds to ensure the law is enforced. The DOJ severely lacks the same resources, and ultimately only pursues a few cases annually, so making Article 2 lawsuits exclusively the right of the DOJ would lead to poor enforcement.

Source: TNR

The original case comes from an Arkansas redistricting case in which only 11 out of the 100 Arkansas districts were majority-black, despite 16.5% of the population being black. There is a chance that the entire 8th Circuit will review the case, but it is more likely that the case will be appealed to the Supreme Court, creating a showdown that will affect voting rights for years to come.

As we studied in class, our voting system is deeply flawed and undemocratic, and measures to further weaken the small amount of democracy we have pose a grave danger to our freedom. If the 6-3 republican majority in the Supreme Court rules upholds the current opinion, then the already excessive amount of gerrymandering and voter discrimination will skyrocket. It is integral for American democracy that we fight back against the regression of American civil liberties that we have witnessed in the past few years.

-Ethan Deng

Sources:

• Politico
• CNN
• NPR
• NBC
• AP News
• TNR

Argentina Elects Far-Right Libertarian Javier Milei as President

Source: BBC

On Sunday, Argentina elected far-right outsider Javier Milei as its president, beating out his rival Sergio Massa. The former TV pundit turned politician has drawn comparisons to former US and Brazilian presidents Donald Trump and Jair Balsonaro from his far-right, anti-establishment views. Milei's campaign leveraged anger towards the current government due to rapid inflation and increasingly high poverty levels to defeat opponent Sergio Massa, securing 56% of the vote. 

One of the largest promises Milei made on the campaign trail was the "dollarization" of Argentina if he was elected president. "Dollarization" is the process of switching out the preexisting local currency in exchange for the US Dollar. This promise was made amidst economic turmoil as the Argentine Peso experienced hyperinflation, passing the 120% mark of year-over-year inflation, according to the International Monetary Fund(IMF). Dollarization would essentially shut down the Argentine Central Bank, and all currency-related decisions would be made by the US, with Argentina having no say.

Milei has also advocated for other radical measures to bring Argentina back to the economic prosperity that has been long lost since the early 1900s, such as militarizing the prison system and privatizing healthcare, which has previously been kept public. 

Source: Reuters

While not the ideal candidate for many, Milei's anti-establishment rhetoric resonated deeply with many Argentinians who have struggled in recent years. To many Argentinians, Milei represents hope for change, as they have lost faith in the current government. 

It is too soon to say with certainty what lies in Argentina's future, and a leader with such strong libertarian ideals has never been elected to such a large country, but Milei's presidency will most certainly have impacts that go beyond Argentina and the next four years. Regardless of whether or not Milei can turn the Argentine economy around, it will have a significant impact on their South American neighbors; especially Brazil, who voted their far-right populist out of office a year prior. If Argentina under Milei performs well, it would weaken left-wing parties across South America, with the inverse being true as well. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the Argentinian people, regardless of whether or not they like him, to hope that Milei's reform works. No one wants to see another disastrous presidency join a long list of Argentinian disasters that have come and gone in years and decades past.

- Ethan Deng

Sources:

• BBC
• CNN
• Reuters
• IMF

California Democratic Convention events cancelled due to Pro-Palestine demonstrators demanding ceasefire

Demonstrators asking for a cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine war gathered inside and around the California Democratic Party convention SAFE Credit Union Convention Center on Saturday, causing evening events to be shut down. Many California Democrats have been meeting in Sacramento this weekend to consider candidate endorsements for the upcoming primary in March. Such discussion includes the Senate race between four candidates, including three current members of the House of Representatives.

Starting as a sit-in demonstration of around 200 led by Jewish Voices for Peace Action and the California Progressive Alliance inside the convention center hosting the Democratic Convention, increasing numbers led the protesters to flock to the streets surrounding the center. This led the party officials to cancel the evening convention events “for the safety and security of our delegates,” including “caucus meetings, hospitality suites, and VoteFest taking place at the convention center.”

Protesters march for a cease-fire in Sacramento (Common Dreams)

Earlier that day, some activists disrupted the speeches of the U.S. Representatives Adam Schiff and Katie Porter during the Senate candidates' forum, while many cheers could be heard as Representative Barbara Lee called for an end to the war where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed or maimed. This difference in ideas could have impacted the distribution of votes, as Lee led the group with over 41% of the delegate votes, although Schiff was close behind at around 40%.

Among the protesters is Sacramento Coalition for Palestinian Rights member Adeeb Alzanoon, who said: “We want to stop the genocide against my people in Gaza.” He expresses great concern regarding the conflict, adding that he has “lost 42 of my extended family.”

Similar protests have been occurring in major cities all over the world, all demanding for a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war in Gaza. Such cities include Washington DC, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Dakar, and Istanbul, consisting of thousands of people all protesting against the violence of the war. Unlike the crime that could be seen at those larger protests, though, only two security guards were injured during the demonstrations, while the Sacramento Police Department reported no arrests or cases of vandalism. Still, unreported incidents and other minor aggressive clashes between individuals or with security likely happened, as discipline is hard to maintain in a large group of protesters.

Protesters grapple for a banner inside the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center (The Times of Israel)

Sources: 

Washington Examiner     Common Dreams     CBS News     ABC10     The Hill     KCRA     Al Jazeera

Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady and Mental Health Advocate, Dies at 96

Rosalynn Carter, ABC News

Rosalynn Carter, former first lady and wife of former President Jimmy Carter, passed away at the age of 96 this Sunday. Carter had entered hospice care in November this year and was diagnosed with dementia six months prior. She is remembered not only by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren but also for her significant contributions as First Lady and her nonprofit work after former President Carter lost his reelection to Reagan. 

Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter during 75th wedding anniversary, NBC News

As first lady, Rosalynn Carter was a political force of her own, and during Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign, she was claimed to be “her husband’s most influential political adviser,” according to the U.S. News & Political Report at the time. Carter also often listened to Cabinet and National Security Council meetings to gain a better understanding of Jimmy Carter’s decisions as president. She also often served as an international envoy and learned Spanish for her trips to the Caribbean and Central and South America. In meetings with these nations, she discussed human rights, demilitarization, and opioids. 

Additionally, Rosalynn Carter was a staunch advocate for mental health and hoped to destigmatize mental health. Her interest began in 1966 during her husband’s first run for governor, where she told TIME, “One day I made a remark that I might work with people with mental illness… And the more I thought about it and found out about it, the more I thought it was just a terrible situation with no attention. And I've been working on it ever since.” Carter worked as honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health and worked for policy change and reform in how mental health was treated in the United States.

Her advocacy work did not end with her term as First Lady; she founded the Carter Center with her husband in 1982. The nonprofit organization worked on increasing knowledge on mental health, housing the homeless worldwide, aiding farmers in developing nations, and much more. The Carter Center attempted to nearly eradicate Guinea worm disease in Africa and managed to reduce it from 3.5 million cases per year in 186 to a mere 30 in 2017 (ABC News). Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999 by President Bill Clinton for their work with the Carter Center. 

 From The Carter Center

Rosalynn Carter will forever be remembered for her work that helped improve countless lives. Jimmy Carter announced shortly after her death, saying, “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” She will be mourned not only by her family but countless “U.S. political figures, world leaders, social justice icons, and celebrities” (USA Today). 

- Amit Shilon

Sources: 

• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/19/rosalynn-carter-dies-nation-reaction/71647635007/ 

• https://time.com/5359393/rosalynn-carter-dies/#:~:text=Together%2C%20they%20founded%20The%20Carter,Center%20Mental%20Health%20Task%20Force. 

• https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-first-lady-rosalynn-carter-dies/story?id=55565598

• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/rosalynn-carter-former-first-lady-dies-rcna62862 

Images: 

• https://www.cartercenter.org/ 

Pedro Sánchez’s re-election as Spanish prime minister leads to protest of 170,000 against his amnesty deal

The re-elected Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez congratulated by

People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo at the Spanish Parliament (Gzero)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was reelected in a parliamentary vote on Thursday (November 16th, 2023), representing the Partido Socialista Obrero Español or Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. This election ended the four-month long deadlock in this year’s election for prime minister, but the country is not out of trouble yet, as hundreds of thousands protest the prime minister’s amnesty deal used to gain support.

Similar to the US presidential election, the Spanish election does not employ a direct democracy but instead a representative democracy. A similar electoral system is used, but instead of electors being picked for each constituency in the Electoral College, the vote is by the members of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of Spain’s legislative branch. The members of the Congress are directly elected by each constituency, and the number of members per constituency is proportional to population

The deadlock occurred when Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the Popular Party could not find enough support for an absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies despite having the most votes. This deadlock finally ended months later with the second round of voting, where Sánchez gained the support of Catalan separatist parties.

In order to gain the critical support of two Catalan separatist parties, Sánchez agreed to sign an amnesty deal for the pardon of Catalan separatists whose crimes root from efforts towards succession ever since 2012. Such efforts include an informal vote held in 2014 that highlighted high backing for independence and an independence referendum by the former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont in 2017. The amnesty deal may pardon up to 1,400 politicians, all in exchange for votes from Catalan separatist parties in the election. Among the politicians is Carles Puigdemont, who since the Catalan independence referendum in 2017, has been a well known fugitive “considered public enemy No. 1 by many Spaniards”(AP News).

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont among a crowd at a demonstration supporting the referendum (New York Times)

Critics, including groups of Spanish judges and the Spanish Council of the Judiciary, point out that the amnesty deal was unconstitutional and a threat to the rule of law. The amnesty agreement undermines the power of the judiciary, creating a new committee that goes over each amnesty case and avoids the risks of judges impacting the deal.

International trade lawyer and founder of España Mejor, a nonpartisan political organization supporting political involvement, Miriam González Durántez commented on the amnesty deal, stating that amnesties “must be deployed in exceptional circumstances and with the utmost care because they imply a conscious breach of the principle of equality before the law”(Financial Times). Despite that, Prime Minister Sánchez still went through with the amnesty deal, creating what Durántez described as a “direct assault on the separation of powers” where “international condemnation [is] unequivocal”.

Even several bishops expressed their opposition towards the deal, claiming there is a “spiritual crisis” in Spain and stating that “the unity of Spain is in danger”. The archbishop of Valladolid, Luis Argüello, also voiced his opinion on the issue, sourcing the division of political views to the increased praise of autonomy leading to a shift in the popular culture from one of public interest to one focused on self interest.

Ever since the proposal of the amnesty bill a few weeks prior to Pedro Sánchez getting sworn in on Thursday, thousands have gathered daily to protest the bill. Today was the largest protest yet, with around 170,000 people gathering at the center of Madrid, including the opposing party leaders Alberto Núñez Feijóo(People's Party) and Santiago Abascal(Vox). Many bring the arguments stated by judges and bishops, believing that Sánchez’s selfish use of the amnesty deal threatened the rule of law and the separation of powers.

Hundreds of thousands of people protest against Sánchez's election through the amnesty deal. (France24)

Sources:

Financial Times     Catholic News Agency     France24     Euronews     Reuters     AP News

Additional Reading:

News:

Al Jazeera     LA Times     Wall Street Journal     Reuters     The Guardian

Info about how the PM is elected in Spain:

Catalan News 

Opinion Pieces:

El País     The Guardian     Financial Times 

Will Mike Johnson Pass His Budget Plan and Prevent a Government Shutdown?

New Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, now faces a similar task that got his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, removed as Speaker of the House, creating a federal budget plan to prevent a government shutdown.

Republican Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson       Source: ABC News

But what would a government shutdown entail? After a federal budget plan is not passed, federal agencies have no plan for spending money that is approved by Congress. The Anti-Deficiency Act, passed in 1884, prohibits federal agencies from spending money without Congressional approval. As a result, federal agencies cannot pay their employees, and thousands get put on furlough while essential government workers, such as law enforcement, work without pay. While federal employees are paid retroactively when the shutdown ends, they need a stable income in the present, not the future. 

With the upcoming federal funding deadlines this Friday, Johnson needs to create a funding plan that will both gain some Democratic votes and not alienate far-right members of Congress. His approach was to create a complex temporary funding plan with two deadlines in January and February to finalize budgets. This plan would keep the government from shutting down but faced opposition from the Republican House of Representatives caucus called the Freedom Caucus. Member and Texas Representative Chip Roy said on X (formerly known as Twitter) that “I 100% oppose” in reference to House Speaker Johnson’s plan. While the Democrats seem open to his plan, they are still in the process of discussing it, according to a senior House Democratic aide. 

Source: U.S. News

Since the GOP majority is so small, Johnson needs to alienate as few far-right members as possible to get the bill passed with only Republican votes or gain even more Democratic support at the expense of the far-right. Will Johnson be able to pass his funding plan to prevent a government shutdown? One only has to wait until Friday to see.

- Amit Shilon

Sources: 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/13/politics/mike-johnson-shutdown-house-gop-government-budget/index.html 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/13/government-shutdown-mike-johnson-house-republicans/ 

https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2023-11-13/markets-economy-awaken-to-looming-government-shutdown-inflation-data-and-biden-xi-meeting 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/26/what-government-shutdown-means-2023 

 

Trump Echoes Nazi Propaganda in Veterans Day Speech

On Veterans Day, President Donald Trump held a campaign event in Derry, New Hampshire. After quickly providing a tribute to America’s veterans, Trump proceeded to berate President Biden and the left.

(Source: CNN)

During his speech, Trump vowed to “root out…the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.” Trump’s provocative language—especially his description of his political opponents as vermin—draws comparison to Nazi rhetoric used to dehumanize Jews. For example, in 1942, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler asserted that if he had to send German youth to fight and die in World War II, then he also had “the right to eliminate millions of an inferior race that multiplies like vermin.”




Moments later, Trump claimed that “[America’s] threat is from within.” He appeared to warn that these internal foes are a greater threat than the US's foreign opponents: “If you have a capable, competent, smart, tough leader: Russia, China, North Korea, they're not going to want to play with us.”

(Source: TNR)

The dehumanizing language Trump employed against his political opponents has drawn significant backlash. Many critics, such as Timothy Naftali, a senior research scholar at Columbia University, compare Trump’s rhetoric to that of a dictator. Naftali suggested, “The language [Trump used] is the language that dictators use to instill fear.” Naftali further argued that “When you dehumanize an opponent, you strip them of their constitutional rights to participate securely in a democracy because you’re saying they’re not human. That’s what dictators do.”




One of Trump’s campaign spokesmen, Steven Cheung, responded by claiming that “those who try to make that ridiculous assertion are clearly snowflakes grasping for anything.” However, I believe that Trump’s speech reflects a significant political issue in the US: the rise of far-right extremism. From the Proud Boys to the January 6 Insurrection, right-wing extremism has become a visible presence in United States politics. I believe that these extremist movements, with their vocal support of authoritarianism and fascism, pose a significant threat to democracy in the United States. One can only hope that in the upcoming elections, logic and moderation will prevail over hate and radicalism.

-Konstantinos Paparrizos

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/12/trump-rally-vermin-political-opponents/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/11/us/politics/trump-new-hampshire-veterans.html

https://newrepublic.com/article/176877/trump-vermin-speech-nazi-language

https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/11/12/trump-compares-political-foes-to-vermin-on-veterans-day-echoing-nazi-propaganda/?sh=1b0ca2917229

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/11/politics/trump-new-hampshire-primary-biden/index.html

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/proud-boys-leaders-sentenced-prison-roles-jan-6-capitol-breach

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/adolf-hitler-on-cruelty-1942

Pella, Iowa Voters Narrowly Protect Libraries; Another Case Among Many

    Earlier this week (Nov 7, 2023), residents of the rural town of Pella, Iowa, narrowly voted against increasing the Board of Trustee's power over public libraries. "Resolution 6442" failed to pass with 2,042 no votes against the 1954 yes votes. This resolution would have given the Board the power to ban, among other books, the book "Gender Queer: A Memoir," by Maria Kobabe. Ultimately, while this resolution failed to pass, it is only one of many similar attempts to restrict the freedom of libraries all over the nation. 

Source: Miami New Times

     In many states, libraries are under siege. In Santa Rosa, Florida, just a day prior the vote in Pella, members of the far-right "Moms for Liberty" group marched to the local sheriff's office demanding a police probe into a school library that allegedly contained a young adult novel with "risqué" passages -- likening it to the adult Playboy magazines. It should be noted that the book in question, "Storm and Fury" by Jennifer L. Armentrout, is rated for ages fourteen to eighteen by Barnes and Noble. Thankfully, the case went nowhere, with the sheriff county simply closing the case. However, the basis on which the Moms for Liberty filed their complaint, HB 1069 - which requires schools to remove books alleged to contain sexual content until the complaint resolved, and the "Don't Say Gay" laws - which prevents the teaching of sexual orientation until after high school - are still rampant throughout the state, with other states copying. 1,400 similar incidents were recorded in Florida last year, with 625 in Texas, 333 in Missouri, and 281 in Utah. 

  Until decisive action can be taken, scenarios like the ones in Florida will only continue to happen. Narrow, reactive votes can delay the inevitable, but I believe governments on all levels should be proactive. Libraries represent an accessible hub for knowledge, and restricting this knowledge will certainly raise concerns over violations of the First Amendment. Can librarians and teachers talk about LGBTQ+ even informally? These concerns are not even limited to the LGBT community; this can form a precedence for deniers of American history. What if a governmental authority insists the Civil War was not because of slavery? I may just be paranoid, and this may just be a slippery slope, but I do not want to find out. 

-Janus Sucharitakul 

Sources: 

https://who13.com/news/pella-voters-narrowly-reject-resolution-to-give-city-council-power-to-restrict-public-library-books/ 

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-moms-for-liberty-member-demands-criminal-investigation-over-fantasy-novel-18181127 

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/new-sex-education-bill-closer-to-becoming-law-in-florida-but-what-does-that-mean-for-students/3002814/

Infants born with Syphilis Rising All Over America

    

Trepona pallidium, the bacteria behind syphilis (Source: NYT)

     Syphilis is one of the most rampant sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in America. Spread through sex with a partner who already has the disease, syphilis presents itself in sores, headaches, and eventually mental confusion. However, syphilis can also spread to newborns from positive parents. For babies, the effects are much more dire: damaged organs, bones, vision, and even stillbirth are all possible effects. According to the data released last Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in 2022 -- resulting in 231 stillbirths. For comparison, ten years ago, only 355 babies were born with syphilis. Tragically, each case is considered a "never event" - tragic outcomes that should never happen - because of how preventable the disease is. A single treatment of penicillin, an antibiotic that has been in use for over 80 years now, is almost always sufficient to prevent infected mothers from passing the STD. Unfortunately, a lack of testing, budget cuts, and even available medical care have contributed massively to this rise. 

Rise in Newbon Syphilis Cases (Source: CDC)

    According to the CDC, as of 2021, more than 70% of people in the U.S live in counties with a high rate of syphilis - 4.6 cases per 100,000 people - yet many pregnant women do not get tested with their OBGYN, at most seeing their local E.R. which are not equipped with the tools to test and treat patients over repeated visits adequately. This issue is especially prevalent in states that have banned abortion, interestingly enough, with places like Mississippi requiring women to drive hours on end to seek adequate medical care -- something which may not be possible when these same citizens are struggling to get by. Furthermore, budget cuts have neutered the ability of more willing states to adequately respond to the growing crisis. In May, Congress agreed to retract approximately $27 billion in unspent block grant funding allocated for Covid-19. While I actually agree with many aspects of this decision, the deal also cut two years of funding dedicated towards state health departments hiring disease intervention specialists. States, such as Louisiana, used this funding to employ 28 of these specialists to dedicate themselves to syphilis-related programs. However, the loss of funding cut half of the available money towards these programs.

    Syphilis in newborns is extremely deadly and sometimes fatal. However, it is also highly preventable. To ensure such a tragic loss of life never happens again, I believe more efforts should be made to increase the availability of both syphilis tests and treatments. While budget plans have already been tied to larger overarching budgets (the Covid-19 one for example), I believe that a categorical grant specifically tied to syphilis prevention in newborns will go a long way to stopping this ever-increasing, yet highly preventable, epidemic. 

https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/stdfact-syphilis.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s1107-newborn-syphilis.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/health/syphilis-babies.html 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/07/health/dire-increase-in-syphilis-infections-in-babies/index.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/newborn-syphilis-cases-reached-dire-levels-cdc-says-rcna123856