Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Explosive Devices Add to Climate of Overheated Partisan Rancor

AP Photo/Jeff Martin 

Say what you will about Stranger Things, horror movies, and the new Sabrina show, but the biggest scares this Halloween seem to have come from Washington.

Numerous Democratic officials and outspoken Trump critics received packages containing pipe bombs last week, including Hillary Clinton, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, Barack Obama, Robert DeNiro and CNN.  14 packages in total were sent, allegedly by Cesar Sayoc, who was arrested Friday and made his first court appearance Monday.  Sayoc, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, could be sentenced to up to 48 years in prison.

 On the one hand, this marks a rather disturbing development in the increasing polarization between the two parties.  In response to the threats, some on the far-right (including Rush Limbaugh and Mr. Infowars himself, Alex Jones) pointed the finger at the Democrats, claiming liberals sent the packages to drum up fear among the left.  The packages are believed to have been more of a scare tactic than a legitimate assassination attempt.  Intimidation has always been an effective form of dissuasion.

While Mike Pence and other Republicans have condemned the threats, Trump's approach has been less than consistent.  He attempts to call for unity, seemingly out of obligation, and then turns around and blames the media for aggravating partisan divides.  As the New Yorker points out, Trump refuses to accept any responsibility for contributing to the rhetoric that leads to polarization and the acts of violence (as also seen in Pittsburgh) that can result.  He might not condone it, but he is certainly enabling it.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/nyregion/bomb-explosive-device.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/politics/bombs-sent-cnn-obama-clinton-soros.html?module=inline
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/politics/trump-bomb-cnn-obama-clintons.html?module=inline
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/25/politics/bombs-suspicious-packages-what-we-know/index.html
https://www.vox.com/2018/10/25/18022376/pipe-bomb-targets-packages-democrats-clinton-obama-soros-de-niro
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/nyregion/clinton-obama-explosive-device.html
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/why-donald-trump-cant-stop-attacking-the-media-over-the-pipe-bomb-packages
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/31/politics/pipe-bomb-suspect-doj-letter/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/clintons-obama-suspicious-packages/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/26/politics/suspicious-packages-arrest/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/25/politics/bombs-suspicious-packages-what-we-know/index.html
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Sunday, October 21, 2018

Cash blitz could boost Democrats’ House chances


Cash blitz could boost Democrats’ House chances, but their hopes of taking the Senate remain slim


 As the 2018 midterm elections draw nearer, Democratic candidates are setting new records in terms of campaign fundraising. Although Republicans are doing fine with their fundraising, raising about the same or more than the 2016 election, the Democrats are raising an unprecedented number of dollars ranging from the high six figures to millions of dollars. There seems to be a donor surge to the Democrats, fueled in part by small or infrequent donors. As a result, at least 90 Democratic candidates are raising more than a Republican incumbent with about 65 raising over one million dollars. With Democrats needing to flip 24 seats in the house to gain a majority, the chances of the Democrats taking the house are increasing.

 An example of how Democratic candidates are raising more than previous years can be seen in Texas. Texas' 21st Congressional District, which incorporates parts of San Antonio and Austin, has been held by Republicans since 1978, but this year, Joe Kosper, the Democratic candidate, raised $2.4 million, more than Chip Roy, his Republican opponent and more than 10 times more than the previous Democratic candidates in the district combined since 2008. 

 Looking at Kosper's fundraising, much of it came from out of Texas with money coming from New York, San Francisco and Washington illustrating a trend among most Democratic candidates: a significant amount of money raised came from online and around the country.

 However, Hillary Clinton out-fundraised Donald Trump by a 2-to-1 ratio and still lost. Republicans also have a lot of advantages from gerrymandering to the fact that they are incumbents in most battleground districts. Yet, with campaigning and advertisements being so expensive, and the out-fundraising of so many Republican incumbents, Democrats retaking the house is definitely achievable. 
Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/19/democrats-look-to-win-house-in-midterms-but-senate-chances-are-dim.html

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Heitkamp Apologizes for Embarrassing Error in Campaign Ad

Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters via National Review

Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D) of North Dakota recently issued an apology for using the names of sexual assault survivors in a campaign ad without their consent.  The ad, which was styled as an open letter to her opponent, Representative Kevin Cramer (R), identified 127 women as sexual assault victims--some of whom weren't even survivors, and many of whom were unaware that their names were being used.  Heitkamp and the women involved believe their names were obtained through a post circulating on Facebook. 

Needless to say...yikes.  That'd be the abbreviated analysis of this situation, at least.  There's a remarkable irony in a campaign ad advocating for victims of sexual assault failing to establish clear consent.  It's incredibly disappointing and a major blunder for Senator Heitkamp's team to mishandle information in this way.  Intentional or not, the campaign showed a staggering disregard for the privacy and safety concerns of its potential voters, a number of whom were initially planning to vote for Heitkamp but now refuse to support her.

It's becoming increasingly clear, however, that the person who stands to suffer the most damage from this egregious mistake is Heitkamp herself.  Despite being the incumbent senator, Heitkamp is running for reelection in a conservative state and has already come under fire for voting against Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.  North Dakota is considered a key seat in the battle for the Senate, and with Cramer currently leading her in the polls 53% to 41%, it seems unlikely that the Democrats will win the two seats needed to regain control.  Heitkamp's mismanaged campaign ad seems only to have added fuel to the fire, turning what was meant to be a show of solidarity with survivors into the perceived exploitation of personal trauma for political gain.

Sources:
 https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/17/politics/heitkamp-abuse-survivors-answers/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/us/politics/heitkamp-north-dakota-ad-apology.html?fallback=0&recId=1BjcUqUdNx5UNOkrV45AfSbkxo5&locked=0&geoContinent=NA&geoRegion=CA&recAlloc=contextual-bandit-home-geo&geoCountry=US&blockId=midterm-elections&imp_id=739146619&action=click&module=Election%202018&pgtype=Homepage

https://www.apnews.com/8f55736281fb487aaf68cb06b9fc3dbe

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/heidi-heitkamp-apologizes-outing-sexual-assault-survivors/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/06/politics/poll-of-the-week-heidi-heitkamp-is-in-trouble/index.html
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Saturday, October 20, 2018

Missing Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Confirmed Dead by Saudi Arabia

Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi has not been found after his last appearance of entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. He entered the consulate in order to retrieve marriage documents before the wedding. According to visual and audio recordings taken from the embassy, it appears that Khashoggi was murdered after being tortured and interrogated.

White House intelligence officials speculates that a security team of 15 Saudi Arabians were sent to Istanbul in order to capture Khashoggi and take him back to Saudi Arabia. Turkish officials place the blame due to the recording evidence that includes Arabic voices and sounds of beating. However, Saudi Arabian officials have repeatedly denied the allegations and claimed that Khashoggi left the building shortly after entering.

Due to the vague details behind the investigation, U.N. officials and lawmakers request for better action, suggesting economic sanctions to be placed on Saudi Arabia. However, due to Saudi Arabia’s high oil supply, President Donald Trump finds sanctions harmful to the American economy and employment. On October 11, Trump did state that there will be “severe punishment” if it was discovered that Saudi Arabia was behind the disappearance.

In a recent update on October 19, Saudi Arabia released information that confirms Khashoggi’s death due to a an argument that escalated into a fist fight, which ultimately led to his death in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul. Saudi Arabia has removed five high ranking officials from their positions and detained 18 Saudi Arabians based on the report. Trump called Saudi Arabia’s confirmation a “good first step” and finds their claim “credible,” but that the U.S. has not finished their investigation yet.

Virginia Mayo -- AP/REX.Shutterstock from TIME Magazine
In relation to our course, this story emphasizes a clear connection between the media and those in authority. As we have read about George W. Bush’s scripted press conference, it has been a common theme for the media to rely on the presidency for national news coverage and for the presidency to rely on the media to relay their political agenda. However, in modern times, the Trump administration has attacked the credibility of the mass media, emphasizing the sensationalization and bias in reporting. Therefore, the credibility of the media has been twisted in an exaggerated, but arguably reasonable (in some cases for bias), fashion. Even in an interview on 60 Minutes, Trump acknowledges that “[t]here's a lot at stake, maybe especially so because this man was a reporter,” suggesting that even he realizes his own battle with the media and the possible implications of being a reporter. As Khashoggi used to have ties with the Saudi Arabian royal family but then criticized the current government and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it is possible that the violence towards him was due to his criticism of the government who might think of him as a traitor, highlighting the dangers of a writer in light of countries who do not necessarily welcome dissenting opinions. As stated in the textbook, the media tends to focus on individuals rather than on groups. Therefore, the fact that this journalist was an American citizen and a journalist creates an interesting story for national news despite the millions of deaths happening in wars and natural disasters today.

In my opinion, it is disheartening to hear about any person’s death, but the circumstances under his situation and his status frustrate me due to the political climate. His reporter status endangered his life due to the criticisms he had for the Saudi Arabian government, criticisms that might have led to the violence and death. The idea that other countries do not have share similar ideas behind our 1st Amendment for freedom of speech concerns me because there would be less diversity and room for improvement if everyone was forced to have uniform values and was forced to stay quiet about possible critiques. If the media has to cater to those in authority, then the reality or truth of events can rarely be expressed, which might lead some people to falsely believing an overly positive story. It is quite suspicious that Saudi Arabia confirmed his death even though they kept denying that they had any knowledge, seeming that they wanted the publicity. While his death may be seen as one of many in modern times, he is being characterized as a “patriot” in the opinion article published by his fiance. I would agree with this “patriot” symbol in that he represents the importance of the whole truth, the idea of free expression and the connection between the media and the truth. As lawmakers, Trump, and the American public demanded for the truth, the current executive branch must figure out how to deal with this matter peacefully and tactfully, especially as we have economic ties with Saudi Arabia and would like to avoid another war. Khashoggi’s death serves as an important reminder to be cautious with other countries and to request the truth for any story, especially this suspiciously vague and haunting one. For a different take on this story, check out this Washington Post analysis article on the possible connection between Khashoggi's murder and Saudi Arabia's political message.

Sources: 

Image source:
http://time.com/5430093/saudi-arabia-khashoggi-dead/
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Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Republicans Won't Challenge Trump on Defense of Saudi Arabia

 
Alastair Grant/Associated Press
 
After the alleged murder of a Aaudi Arabian administration dissident who had begun working as a writer for the Washington Post, the Saudi government was quick to deny having ordered any such attack. And one unlikely ally came to say the same thing: the United States President. In typical fashion, Trump tweeted out that the Saudi Prince had  “totally denied any knowledge of what took place,” and that there may have been "rogue killers" - essentially the same propaganda line that the Saudi government would soon be spreading to its people.

Often times with statements like these, it ends up just being Trump who says something regrettable and In a conference with Secretary of State, but in this case, the rest of his administration seems to be taking the same note. Mike Pompeo, Mohammed bin Salman told him that “We face our challenges together — the past, the day of, tomorrow,” to which Pompeo replied, “Absolutely.” Considering that this "challenge" was the de-legitimization of a critical story about the murder of a journalist, it may be either confusing or chilling that we are going to be facing it together, as they said.

Though Republican congressmen have proposed placing some sanctions on Saudi Arabia, they have not significantly addressed the president Trump's role in this story. In theory, it should not be hard for a congressman to say that the president should condemn a credible political murder allegation, but this is a time of high party loyalty, especially to Trump. “I want to hear what Mike has to say before I decide what I think we ought to do,” Said Mitch McConnel, Republican Senate Majority Leader, in lieu of giving an opinion of his own on the issue. In a time where not even the Senate majority leader will express an opinion separate from that of the executive, one must wonder whether this political trend will reduce the independence of the legislature and presidency too far, when they share the same tightly bound party allegiance.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/world/middleeast/pompeo-saudi-arabia-turkey.html
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The Gender Wars: Men, Women, and the Midterms

Ethan Miller/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via CNN
Given the wave of controversies surrounding our current president, his administration, and the general sexual mistreatment of women, it's no surprise that the dynamics between gender and politics are a major source of interest coming into the midterms--and it seems that the partisan divide between women and men could play a huge role in the elections.  Generally speaking, women are more likely to oppose Trump (and vote Democratic) while men are more favorable (and tend to vote Republican).  The gender gap initially seen in the 2016 election results has carried over to his approval ratings, with the 12-point difference being twice that of his predecessors.  Both Gallup and the New York Times have attributed this divide to self-interest:  men who were initially wary of Trump have grown supportive based on his economic policies, while women have lost significant benefits provided by the Obama administration.  NYT's Thomas B. Edsall, however, points to more fundamental differences in biology and perception--Trump seems to personify traditional displays of "alpha" behavior and masculinity, which men may find appealing in an age of social upheaval.  Polls have shown that the 2018 midterm could have the widest gender gap to date, although Trump may not necessarily be a cause so much as a contributing factor in this divide.
Both the MeToo movement and the Kavanaugh confirmation have also further exacerbated partisan differences between genders.  Although Democrats are placing their hopes in women's increased political involvement and mobilization (a direct response to Trump's alleged sexual misconduct and history of misogynistic remarks, as well as Clinton's loss), backlash spurred by the Kavanaugh hearings against the trend of sexual harassment/assault allegations could work in the Republicans' favor.  The so-called "Kavanaugh effect" appears to be repelling both men and women from the center, in opposite directions.

 Historically, the current gap between men and women seems to resemble a similar gap from Reagan's election in 1980.  Back then, it was not necessarily that women were becoming more liberal, but that men were becoming more conservative.  This time around, the divide seems to be going both ways.  More women are running for office than ever, and only a third of women have said they plan on voting Republican in the midterms.  It's clear that women will play a key role in this election, though whether they can push the Democrats to victory against a strong (and male-dominated) Republican base remains to be seen.  Will we continue to see men and women divide along party lines into 2020, and how (if at all) will this affect presidential campaigns?

 Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/us/politics/trump-suburban-men-ohio.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/07/politics/poll-of-the-week-largest-gender-gap-on-record/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/12/opinion/trump-midterms-gender-gap.html
https://www.vox.com/2018/7/2/17528590/women-midterms-gender-gap-poll
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/12/midterms-gender-war-women-democrats-kavanaugh-voters-energized/1587840002/
https://news.gallup.com/poll/226178/gender-gap-trump-approval-bigger-predecessors.aspx
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Friday, October 12, 2018

Stock Market Takes a Two-Day Hit


People carry umbrellas while walking along Wall Street in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York.
People in front of the New York Stock Exchange
Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / Getty Images
On Wednesday and Thursday, the stock market experienced a significant sell-off, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, an index that measures the market strength as a whole, dropping over 1,300 points, or 5 percent, and the S&P 500, a similar index, dropping over 150 points, or 5 percent. This marks the largest decrease since earlier this year when the Dow fell over 2,000 points over the course of a week.

As with any significant change in the market, there is no singular cause, but some more specific scenarios reveal part of it. Tech and communications companies took a hit during the week, with AMZN (Amazon) down 8 percent and AAPL (Apple) down 5 percent, indicating that tariffs on Chinese imports imposed by the Trump administration, which stoke fears about increased costs, could be catching up with share prices. In addition, according to CNBC’s Jeff Cox, market experts believe that the Federal Reserve upping interest rates, which make company investment more costly, have also contributed to the recent sell-off, an opinion that is shared by the president, who called the Fed “crazy” when speaking to reporters in Pennsylvania (USA Today).
Generally speaking, the media has a greater impact on public opinion when stories are recent and when the public is not already well informed about the issue. With this story, both of these are true: the market drop occurred over the last couple of days, and the American public is not crazy about the intricacies behind economics. As a result, the immediate press coverage regarding this issue will more or less determine how it is perceived over the next few weeks. However, there is another wrench thrown into the press: the president. By being active and blunt on social media and with reporters, he dictates much of public opinion within his supporters. In this case, by attacking the Federal Reserve, he will probably decrease its favorability with Republicans and open up the approval gap between parties, which was at around 20% in 2014.

Sources:
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Taylor Swift Publicly Addresses Political Opinions

For the first time in her career, Taylor Swift gets political in public. This past Sunday on October 7th, Swift posted on Instagram about her political opinions and beliefs despite her former neutrality.

While Swift has been “reluctant to publicly voice [her] political opinions,” she has recently changed that mindset due to “several events in my life and in the world in the past two years.” Since President Donald Trump’s administration started two years ago, she could be referring to the policies and attitudes of the Trump administration and the #MeToo movement, especially since she recently sued a former radio disc host for allegedly inappropriately touching her.

In this post, Swift endorses Tennessean Democrats Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives, believing they have a past voting record that aligns with her values of racial, gender, sexual and orientation equality. These ideas that Swift advocates for Bredesen and Cooper demonstrate the changing demography of the United States where those who used to be the minority are slowly becoming the majority (minority majority) and wanting fair and equal representation.

On the other hand, Swift also denounces Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn who is running for Tennessee Senator. She highlights the idea that Blackburn does not support women or LGBT rights, citing Blackburn’s homophobic beliefs and examples of Blackburn’s voting record against Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and against equal pay as reasons to vote against the Republican candidate.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images from Insider
Due to her post, there has been a recent surge in voting registration. According to Kamari Guthrie, director of communications for Vote.org, in a Fox News article, there have been 65,000 voting registrations in a 24-hour period since her post. Among Tennessee residents, 2,144 voter registrations occurred within 36 hours of her post, which is about half of the Tennesseans who registered to vote.

Politicians and fans have responded to her opinions. While liberal fans are pleased with Swift’s support, other fans claim that it would be better if she did not dive into politics, only sticking with her music career. Trump, an avid supporter of Blackburn, publicly stated that Swift “doesn’t know anything about [Blackburn]” and that he likes “Taylor’s music about 25% less now,” emphasizing Trump’s support of Republican candidates and his mockery or dislike of Democratic and liberal values.

In a Fox News interview, Blackburn responded to Swift’s criticisms. Blackburn asserted that she advocates for equal and maximum pay for women, is actively involved in abuse shelters and child advocacy centers, and even directed the Music Modernization Act, which would help royalties, performance rights, etc. for songwriters. Therefore, Blackburn believes that she not only supports equality and safety of women, which would contradict Swift’s claims, but she also helped navigate a bill that directly helps songwriters and celebrities like Swift.

Conversely, Bredesen publicly voiced his excitement and appreciation for Swift’s praise and promise in voting for him, even incorporating Swift’s song lyrics for a clever tweet.

As textbook Chapter 6 talks about public opinion and action and Chapter 7 talks about the media, this article clearly relates to our chapter. Through Swift’s Instagram post and her acceptance speech at the American Music Awards, Swift, along with other celebrities, engages in political participation where she uses the platform and the electronic media to influence the selection of political leaders. Arguably, her 112 million Instagram followers and fans reach a larger audience than Fox News, causing her post to generate more attention than Blackburn’s response to Swift’s criticisms. Therefore, there is danger for each individual’s reputation due to the widespread impact and audience of electronic media and social media. However, whichever news receive more attention is also attributed to the idea of selective exposure where people pay attention to news that affirms their beliefs and rejects news that disagrees with their beliefs. Consequently, for example, conservatives might agree with the Fox News interpretation than with Swift’s post. In fact, celebrities like Taylor Swift can impact on a person’s political socialization (individual’s formation of political thoughts) or public opinion, as seen through her fans who admired or disliked her post. Her thoughts could influence a fan’s politics due to selective exposure by agreeing with Swift due to admiration and respect for her, impacting their political socialization.

In my opinion, Taylor Swift is obviously a major influence in our modern culture. And with 112 million Instagram followers, she definitely has the public platform to express her beliefs and message. The fact that her post caused 65,000 people to register to vote astonishes and delights me in that people are willing to vote with encouragement from  public attention and media, understanding the importance of voting. However, this huge platform also comes with caution and responsibility. I definitely support the importance of being aware of current events, being involved in choosing our representatives in government, and educating yourself in the world around us. I also support Swift in her political stance, pleased that she is using her platform for the good of education and voting in our society, especially in light of recent events in the Trump administration.

Aforementioned, fans of Swift have broken her record due to her political post, believing that she should not express such ideas. This belief reminds me of the main argument of those who side with the NFL’s coaches with Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the National Anthem, claiming that he should not express political beliefs on that platform and should only stick to football. I believe that any person should be able to express their political opinions due to the First Amendment’s right of freedom of expression. While some places, such as schools, prevent authority figures to express their political standing, I believe that a person who has this much influence should be allowed to say what they want to say. Of course, saying opinions without thinking beforehand is dangerous, and therefore, I advise that famous people should encourage their supporters to vote and to be aware of current events, outside of Hollywood. Her fans should not be upset with her for expressing her political belief since she even acknowledged other opinions and the importance of education in voting in her post, proving her open-minded attitude. The idea that Swift’s public opinions could jeopardize her career did not stop her from posting (even though she was reluctant in years past), which makes me admire her will and education. Her positive involvement in politics with her open-minded and fair beliefs help stimulate the younger generation in education and awareness. If you would like a different analysis on this topic, check out this CNN opinion article about Swift and her advocacy.

Sources:

Image Source:
https://www.thisisinsider.com/american-music-awards-taylor-swift-wins-political-message-2018-10
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American Student Denied Entry Into Israel

Alqasem Family via AP

     American student Lara Alqasem traveled to Israel last Tuesday hoping to start a law degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, but she got stopped at the airport and up to today has not even gotten past the airport. Alquasem is of Palestinian descent and has been suspected to be associated with the international BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) movement. BDS has established numerous controversial boycotts against Israel to promote Palestinian rights and power. One of these boycotts includes encouraging musicians not to perform in Israel - I remember the artist Lorde last year stirring a lot of controversy over cancelling her concert in Israel.

     Israel's government in response to BDS has passed legislation allowing them to refuse entry to "foreign nationals" that they believe are either harmful to Israel or are associated with BDS. Alqasem was about to be deported, but along with the Hebrew University, she is working to appeal the order, arguing that she has no affiliation with pro-Palestine groups such as BDS. However, the more heated issue is Israel's intolerance towards people of opposing viewpoints to maintain Israel's security and ideological/political purity at the expense of freedom of expression. Alqasem is expected to hear a verdict from a local court within the next couple of days.

Sources:
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Thursday, October 11, 2018

Son of Limo Company Arrested After Crash That Killed 20

CBS News

     In Schoharie, NY last Saturday, a limousine owned by Prestige Limousine Chauffeur Service lost control and drove off the road, crashing and killing all 18 of its occupants and 2 pedestrians. The tragic limo crash was the "deadliest transportation-related accident in the U.S. for nearly a decade, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NPR). The blame has been put on Nauman Hussain, the son of the owner of Prestige. Hussain was arrested and charged with criminally  negligent homicide on Wednesday, implying that he had allowed the 20 people to die in the crash.

     The negligent homicide charge makes sense, as reports on the incident have shown that the limo should have never went out in the first place. First, the driver, Scott Lisinicchia, did not have a proper license to drive the limo. Additionally, the limo itself had failed a safety inspection earlier. Lisinicchia's wife has spoken out, saying that her husband had mentioned his reluctance to drive some of the limos Prestige provided to him, rightfully worried about the safety of the vehicle. Prestige has had a recent history of its limos being ordered out of service.

     Hussain pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on bail today, but he is not completely free yet. He has had some history with the law, as in 2014 he was convicted of trying to switch identities with his brother who had a suspended license (CBS). Investigators could press additional charges on Hussain in the future, which could make him face up to several years in prison.

Sources:
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Democrats Agree to Confirm 15 Judges So They Can Go Home And Campaign

Chuck Schumer
Sen. Chuck Scheumer - Alex Brandon/AP Photo
 
Today, the Senate Democrats, under the leadership of their minority leader, Chuck Schumer, have agreed to immediately confirm 15 Trump-appointed judges, only selecting one to leave out of the deal. They could have delayed each one for at least 30 hours, so it would follow that they must be receiving some valuable concessions in exchange for this. Instead of policy concessions, though, the main reason for the deal has been said to be that in the congressional recess provided by this free time, they will be able to go to their home states and campaign for re-elections. From a political point of view view, their logic in doing this appears to be flawed, considering that, as there are more republican senators up for re-election, this will free more republicans than democrats to campaign. This issue is emblematic of another problem in U.S. Government: Our representatives often spend as much or more than half of their day raising money ("Call time"). And now they are just confirming a bunch of judges, for no policy gains, to do even more of that.

sad graphic congress
Instructional slide detailing an optimal schedule for DNC congress freshmen - HuffPost

Though I've been critical of this deal, it is worth noting that this deal may have some positive effect for the DNC, in reducing the outrage that republicans have against the "historic obstruction" of Trump nominees.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/28/politics/mcconnell-democrats-judges-deal/index.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-trump-judicial-nominees_us_5bbfc721e4b040bb4e806bd2
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/11/senate-democrats-judges-895168
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/09/democrats-kavanaugh-confirmation.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/01/14/the-most-depressing-graphic-for-members-of-congress/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1129ca35b94d
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Wednesday, October 10, 2018

President Donald Trump is NOT a Self-Made Billionaire?

A recent New York Times investigative article revealed that President Donald Trump was not the self-made billionaire he claims he is. In fact, Trump had allegedly utilized multiple loopholes and fraudulent schemes to maintain the wealth within his family.

Among other fraudulent methods, the Trump family seemingly undervalued their assets in order to avoid taxes and to pay little in taxes. For example, the Trump family created the company All County Building Supply & Maintenance, which was used to mark up purchases already made by employees and increased rent prices despite the stated purpose for providing Trump’s building with supplies. 

However, Donald Trump may be mostly guilty of deceiving the public and selling his family name as a brand through corporations, hotels, and buildings. Despite claiming that he only borrowed $1 million from his father and repaying him with interest, Trump actually borrowed around $60.7 million, where not much was repaid. In reality, Trump relied on his father much more than he says; when Trump was experiencing financial distress in 1990, his father extracted around $50 million from his own empire to help his son and also purchased $3.5 million in casino chips without bet at the Castle Casino where Trump owed a $18.4 million bond payment, helping Donald Trump pay off his loans and expenses. His “self-made billionaire status,” proclaimed by him and recognized by Forbes magazine, appears to be a myth due to the support and connections he received from his father. By building the brand name of “Trump,” Donald Trump climbed the social ladder more and expanded his reaches and influence for other places.

 Due to Trump’s public campaign as a “self-made billionaire,” the Washington Post conducted a survey in June 2018 by Nielsen Scarborough, which included 394 Democrats and 311 Republicans, in order to see people’s reactions to Trump’s claims and his possible lies. Based on the data, less people support Trump after hearing about his family’s path to wealth. The data represents an example of selective exposure and confirmation bias. Republicans and Democrats voted in similar manners with some difference before and after learning the news. Therefore, selective exposure can be seen as the Republicans still favored Trump (although to a lesser degree), believing he cared about his people, and thus, ignored his background. For the Democrats and Republicans, confirmation bias is illustrated because Democrats listened to the news and favored Trump even less, while Republicans seemed to ignore the news more and still favored Trump to a high, majority percentage. Although both parties favored Trump to a lesser extent, each side mostly held their opinions on Trump, demonstrating confirmation bias and selective exposure (by listening to information that reaffirms for the beliefs for Democrats and by ignoring information for Republicans) through the slight differences in beliefs before and after the information was presented.

Washington Post survey by Nielsen Scarborough of June 2018

 In response to the allegations, Trump and Trump’s lawyer, Charles J. Harder, released a written statement that refused the investigation’s claims, calling them “inaccurate” and stating that the Trump family “ensure[d] full compliance with the law.” Other media outlets, such as the Real Clear Markets, supported Trump in his self-made billionaire status, claiming that wealthy people have reaped riches through similar manners without any criticism.

In my opinion, Trump is notorious for spreading false claims about himself and the news. If these allegations are true, then his background becomes no exception to his repeated behavior of (ironically) spreading “fake news.” Admittedly, I am not a Trump supporter and this information makes me dislike him more. I find it hard to believe that he is for the people and that he is an honest and credible person if he has lied about his past (a lie that might have supported him in his campaign through the underdog idea) and has refused to release his tax returns, an action that makes him question his credibility. I, along with other Democrats, do not believe Trump supports the people based on his prestige, his policies (especially his immigration stance), and his character. The fact that other prominent people have incorporated similar methods does not surprise me, especially in the past, but that idea does not excuse our president from the dishonest behavior he allegedly committed in the past. This new information supports the idea that Trump sometimes lies in order to appear better and more appealing to his people, claiming his wealth is from his hard work when it might not truly be. Therefore, this news further weakens my trust in Trump. For a more professional insight, read this GQ’s analysis into the relationship between the upper class in America and Trump.

Sources:
https://www.gq.com/story/eat-the-rich-part-the-infinity
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Senate Confirms Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court

     
AP Photo

     Last Saturday, in a nail-bitingly close vote of 50-48, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh as an Associate Justice of the United States to replace former Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in July.  Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia was the only Democrat to vote yes on Kavanaugh. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced her intention before the confirmation that she would vote no, the only Republican to do so, but due to the absence of fellow Senator Steve Daines of Montana who intended to vote yes, as a courtesy to him Murkowski voted an effectively neutral "present," as a no vote from her wouldn't affect the outcome of the final vote. The rest of the senators voted the same within their respective parties, allowing the Republican majority to prevail.

    This is a huge win for Republicans, as by replacing the "swing vote" Kennedy with a more consistent conservative in Kavanaugh, there is now a conservative majority in the Supreme Court and therefore in all three branches of government. It is clear that the Republicans voted out of the interest of their party, even if any of them may have even slightly believed Dr. Ford's testimony. They will only continue their efforts to consolidate conservative power in the future, which should prompt Democrats to act quickly. Unless they can mobilize most of their party in the electorate to vote in the midterms, the Republicans will continue to have their way, as they have the majority in government.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court.html
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2018/10/07/kavanaugh-confirmed-322510
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Category 4 Hurricane Michael Makes Landfall


Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
A street in Panama City, Florida
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
On Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Michael made landfall on the southern part of Florida known as the Panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane, indicating 130-156 MPH winds, a strength The Weather Channel deems "unprecedented." Michael has since continued into Georgia, where wind speeds have slowed, but the hurricane has already caused storm surges of over 7 feet in Apalachicola, Florida, and over 5 feet in Cedar Key, Florida (TWC). Over 300,000 customers in Florida have lost power, and one death has been reported from a tree falling onto a house (NYT). Over the coming days, the hurricane is expected to cause damage in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, where states of emergency have already been declared (Newsweek).  

The response to Hurricane Michael and other large hurricanes that hit the United States is a prime example of the federal system in action. At the state level, agencies provide more localized aid. For example, in response to Hurricane Michael, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has brought in more tree-cutting equipment to clear roads and the South Carolina American Red Cross has helped provide shelter for people during Hurricanes Florence and Michael (WSPA). At the national level, FEMA, the agency responsible for managing natural disasters, provides more broad aid that the state and local governments are unable to finance or mobilize. For Hurricane Michael, FEMA has prepared search-and-rescue teams and has thousands of employees ready to aid the states affected wherever necessary (CBS News). While no natural disaster can be stopped, state and federal governments can use their varying scopes and resources to provide the best aid possible.

 Sources:
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