Biden says the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily in a China invasion

 

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo.

Evan Vucci/AP

On Monday, President Joe Biden said the U.S. military would intervene if China attempted to forcibly overtake Taiwan. However, the White House said it doesn’t anticipate a change in U.S. policy. Biden stated that, while the U.S. agrees with the One China policy that acknowledges Taiwan to be part of China, the policy doesn’t acknowledge Beijing’s control of the island. While the U.S. has supplied weapons to Taiwan, it hasn’t made itself clear on whether it would militarily defend the island in a Chinese attack. Biden has been visiting various countries in Asia in efforts to unite them in the fight against China’s efforts to increase its powers with surrounding countries. 

China responded by expressing “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition,” maintaining that it won’t tolerate meddling in its “internal affairs.” Xi Jinping maintains that “reunification” will occur between Taiwan and China. Tension has been high with the Chinese military’s war planes close to the island.  

Biden also likened China’s potential invasion of Taiwan to Russia’s attack on Ukraine and continued with warnings against China, stating that efforts to forcibly shift the status quo will not be accepted. 

Questions: 

1. Why do you think Biden made such an unequivocal warning that surprised even his top administration officials?

2. Do you think the U.S. would intervene militarily in the circumstance of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan? Explain. 

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/23/politics/biden-taiwan-china-japan-intl-hnk/index.html 

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/23/1100655012/biden-says-u-s-intervene-with-military-to-defend-taiwan

Shanghai to lift lockdown on June 1

 Shanghai announced that its months-long lockdown will end on June 1. 

People queue for COVID-19 tests in Shanghai. 

Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images. - Business Insider

In compliance with China’s zero-COVID policy, Shanghai implemented a stringent lockdown on March 28 to curb the growth of Omicron cases. However, the lockdown, which spanned seven weeks, quickly spiraled into a dystopian-like nightmare, as travel became extremely limited, thousands of people were sent to quarantine centers following a positive test or exposure, teams of people in white suits entered homes to spray disinfectant, and complaints regarding shortages of food and other resources arose. 

The Communist Party restricted discussion regarding its approach, stating it would not accept criticism. As shops and factories were closed, the economy suffered heavily. Shanghai factories will need to pick up production again with the lockdown lift, which may be difficult: for instance, Tesla shut its Shanghai factory for three weeks, but despite reopening, challenges obtaining parts have slowed its production. Shanghai’s port is also struggling with a tremendous backlog. China’s statistics bureau reported that retail sales by more than 11% year-over-year in April. Many analysts foresee a GDP slump: according to CNBC, “Goldman Sachs analysts reduced their forecast for China's GDP from 4.5% to 4%, adding that they do not expect to see an increase before the second quarter of 2023.” Furthermore, there are fears that China’s extreme lockdown patterns could decrease investments in China.

While Shanghai’s lockdown will end soon, the long-term ramifications of the economic shutdown it caused will continue to affect people and businesses. As consumers and businesses learn to adapt to these changes, shifts may result. 

Questions:

1. How have/will global manufacturers adapt their production in consideration of the Shanghai lockdown?

2. How do you predict consumers’ purchasing habits may change following the Shanghai lockdown?

3. Summarize the Shanghai lockdown’s impact on the economy using terms we studied in macroeconomics, including the impact on its GDP, employment, investments, etc. 

Sources: 

https://www.businessinsider.com/shanghai-lockdown-restrictions-starbucks-apple-economy-supply-chain-2022-5 

https://www.bbc.com/news/59882774 

https://www.bbc.com/news/59882774 

Canada bans Huawei Technologies from 5G networks

Amidst concerns about China’s cyberespionage, Canada has banned Huawei Technologies, a Chinese telecommunications equipment company, from 5G networks. All members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, including Australia, Britain, New Zealand, the U.S., and now Canada, are restricting Huawei technology use. 

"A woman wearing a face mask walks past a Huawei store temporarily closed due to coronavirus-related restrictions in Beijing, Thursday, May 12, 2022. China's leaders are struggling to reverse a deepening economic slump while keeping a 'zero-COVID' strategy that has shut down Shanghai and other cities.

Mark Schiefelbein/AP" - from NPR.org 

Cyberespionage is a cyberattack in which an unauthorized user steals sensitive information for the purpose of taking advantage of a company or government (VMware Glossary). Huawei is the largest provider of network gear for phone and internet companies. The U.S. places the company under strict scrutiny due to security concerns. Last year, China, the U.S., and Canada performed a prisoner swap “involving a top executive from Huawei who had been charged with fraud by the U.S.” (NPR). After Canada arrested Huawei’s CFO, who is also the founder’s daughter, on a U.S. extradition request, China put two Canadians in jail. China sent them back to Canada at the same time U.S. authorities allowed Huawei’s CFO to return to China. 

A big concern is China’s cybersecurity law, which requires companies in China to use equipment and software that shares their data and communications with China’s Cybersecurity Bureau. The law does not grant exceptions to foreign companies, and VPNs are barred, which means any entity that engages with Huawei could be exposed to violations of data protection. 

While Huawei’s founder adamantly denies that the company engages in cyberespionage, Huawei has been associated with data breaches and involvement with intelligence officials. In 2018, France’s Le Monde discovered that Huawei had installed a system in the African Union’s headquarters that stored the AU’s data on unknown servers in Shanghai (FP). In 2020, “Senior security officials in Uganda and Zambia told the Wall Street Journal that Huawei technicians played a direct role in helping their governments spy on political opponents, and that Huawei staff had encouraged security officials to travel to Algeria to study Huawei’s ‘intelligent video surveillance system,’ which Uganda subsequently purchased for $126 million” (FP). According to the Wall Street Journal, Huawei has had a history of allegations of intellectual property theft and questionable conduct. In 2019, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute released a report revealing Huawei’s involvement in Xinjiang’s surveillance and detention camps, demonstrating its involvement in Uyghur persecution. 

Considering Huawei’s less-than-perfect track record and potential for danger, limiting its reach may be a good option. 

Questions:

1. How should countries further bolster their security and enforcement against potential cyberespionage? 

2. What supply chain issues could arise from cutting out Huawei? 

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/20/1100324929/canada-bans-chinas-huawei-technologies-from-5g-networks 

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/30/huawei-china-business-risk/#:~:text=Reports%20alleging%20that%20China%20and,an%20agent%20of%20Chinese%20espionage. 

National Baby Formula Shortage - A Failure in the Market

Over the course of the pandemic, we have experienced shortages in grocery stores – the most prominent images being empty shelves and harbored container ships. Supply shortages have definitely impacted consumers, people in communities. Unfortunately, a major supply shortage is currently affecting babies and toddlers. There is a massive national shortage of baby formula.

A major plant in Michigan that makes baby formula was shut down in February, and has not reopened. As a result, stores have reported stocking 43% less baby formula than usual. Parents all over the US have been desperately trying to get formula, fearing not being able to feed their children. Carrie Fleming is one of these parents, a mother of a 3 month old. As the New York Times conveys, “Her 3-month-old daughter, Lennix, can tolerate only one brand of formula, and Fleming could not find it anywhere near her. She finally located four small cans in New York — for $245.” For many families, baby formula is an absolute necessity. Like Fleming, babies may require formula because of an allergy. Babies may also be not able to drink breast milk, or lower income mothers may not have time to breastfeed. So, a shortage of baby formula is absolutely devastating.

Connecting to the economics lesson, the supply of baby formula (strained by the pandemic) has fallen behind with the demand from growing families. The baby formula supply chain is especially impacted by this strain, likely because of the relative monopoly that three companies hold over the baby formula market. If there were many businesses producing baby formula, I believe that the closure of one plant wouldn’t affect the whole market so devastatingly. 

There is a bit of hope though. I’ve seen women on social media volunteering to give their breast milk to other families in need, and breast milk banks have been collecting donated breast milk. Reading the NPR article, economists are suggesting solutions like importing formula from foriegn countries (despite its high taxes and regulation) and more government regulation. I personally support the idea of more government regulation, specifically in regulations encouraging and supporting more baby formula producers to enter the heavily dominated market.

Questions:

1. What is your reaction to this supply chain issue?

2. What solutions do you agree with? Or, what solutions do you propose, based on principles of economics?

Sources:

https​​://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/13/briefing/baby-formula-shortage-us-economy.html

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/17/1099587513/economists-are-weighing-in-on-americas-baby-formula-shortage

Recession... But When?

 

The last time the US was in a recession was in the year 2007 to 2009. Disastrous times for people living in the country. Recessions usually occur due to a drop in confidence by the consumer, business failure, and other factors that come into play with the same end result. According to the Federal Reserve History, GDP fell 4.3 percent, unemployment rates rose to 9.5 percent and even reached 10 percent at a certain time. During the “Great Recession” home prices began to fall to about 30 percent, everything began to drop in value. And this was all happening because specifically, supply was outrunning demand and the housing market was going to flames. Recessions means suffering, and now there has been murmurs and paranoia of a new one on the way. 

Credit: Washington Post

According to Yahoo News, experts warn of an economic downturn, with the only way of an intervention seeming to be policy making.  A very noticeable characteristic is the stock market as at the moment some company shares are plummeting, with Target going down 26% and quarterly profits, reported earned shares per a three month interval, dropping 52%, reducing business finance. The Washington Post informs that the Federal Reserve has raised interest rate by 0.75% leading to banks raising their brow at anyone wanting to get a loan. With overstocking and poor sales the market is receiving unexpected blows, the ones that hurt the most. Through CNBC, it is informed that chief economist Gus Faucher predicts a recession to not happen this year, but rather it will be a build up, and that it will hit in a year or two. 

Questions:

1. How likely is a recession this year?

2. What can be done to prevent an eventual recession?

3. What policies can be put into place?

Sources:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-may-barreling-toward-recession-190815179.html

https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-recession-of-200709

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/20/us-economy-is-nowhere-near-a-recession-this-year-says-economist.html

Monkey Business? No, Monkeypox.

Originating from Central Africa, the disease isn’t that well known due to most cases being dormant since the 70s, initially being discovered in the 50s by researchers working with a lab monkey. It’s transmitted through actions such as coughing and sneezing saliva, and respiratory droplets doing the rest of the work. Symptoms of the disease are very similar to the infamous smallpox as it originates from the Orthopoxvirus family. Most cases outside of Africa have come from international travel with no spread. Monkeypox symptoms include fevers, backaches, chills, and many more symptoms that are relative to our very own  COVID-19. However the most notable features comes with the physical impediments which are an excessive amount of rashes and blisters that cover the entire body. What’s relevant about this now is that it has finally seen some rapid spread around the world.

We have learned to live with Covid-19 and accommodate its needs in order to survive. As time passed first came the waves, as things seemed to begin to sort out and the Earth was catching its breath, a surge of Covid cases would hit and it was back in business. At the same time, news of different variants emerging made it clear to everyone that this mutable disease was never ending. As of today, Massachusetts is the home to the very first American case of a disease known as Monkeypox. What’s interesting to note is that this disease is physically noticeable, therefore predictable and easy to isolate from. But this cannot distract you from the fact that this disease has had an outbreak of sorts around the world. With reports brought forth by Nature.com there have already been 120 confirmed cases around the world, alarming scientists and leaving them and everyone else wondering as to why this is happening. And according to AP News, scientists say that for these cases to be appearing in different parts of the world means that the disease transmissions have been present for some time. Luckily, this disease has a low fatality rate (3-6%) with most cases going away with time, proper care, and a vaccine.  Not being likely to spread further than it already has, let's hope I don’t jinx myself. 

Questions

1. How likely do you think a Monkeypox spread is?

2. Does animal exportations or international travel play bigger part in the spread?

3. Would you rather get Covid or Monkeypox?

Sources:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01421-8

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/20/what-is-monkeypox-and-how-dangerous-is-it-cases-are-rising-globally.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/18/monkeypox-faq/

https://apnews.com/article/science-health-africa-france-56c405d91f650a41593a4a03c0ab9d79

Relieve Me, Biden. Relieve My Debt!

   Money is on everyone’s mind. However at this point in time many students are thinking about how they are going to pay their way through college. How much will scholarships cover, where will money be pulled from, and how much will be from their own pockets. Many resources cannot cover it all and therefore what ends up happening is the price tag of such education becomes a burden in the background, as it is always there, but mostly focused on after graduating. According to Credible, the average student loan debt for newly graduated 4 year students is $28,400 and the national average, students who have already graduated, a crisp $39,351.  From the years 2019 to 2021 student loan debt has increased $5,697. All of this money, depending on the financial situation of one and the amount, is a hassle to pay. It’s cumulative obviously to the individual but also the country as the federal student debt is sitting at $1.57 trillion. 

With the US having sunken into the abyss of debt targeting student debt would all for some relief. President Biden has started to forge a relief plan to alleviate millions of their debt with debate circulating around how much money will be given. According to CNN, it seems that $50,000 was a proposal given to the president by many, most notably Elizabeth Warren, but the White House has clarified that the amount that President Biden is willing to work with is $10,000. Most of the aid has come from stoppages on interests and payments have brough relief, but no progress to the overall goal of reducing federal student loan debt.

 

Credit: The Boston Globe 

The talks of action did not come without criticism. According to Business Inside, Senator Mitt Romney and his fellow Republican lawmakers have brought forth a bill in an attempt to combat Biden’s promise of getting rid of student loan debt. This retaliation involves the Student Loan Accountability Act: “It would prohibit Biden's Education, Justice, and Treasury Departments from taking any action that would cancel or forgive student-loan borrowers'' (Insider). This act would also apply to any previously existing student loan debt assistance program. The reason some Republicans are proposing this is because they believe that it will contribute to inflation and will overall be a waste of time due it not being too believable to them.  Personally, who wouldn’t want some help to get rid of some debt. Jesus get your mind together people… looking at you, Romney!  

Questions 

1. How much should be taken off of a student’s balance?
   2. What do you think of Republican efforts to take down Biden’s plan?
   3. Do you think the Republican plan has any chance of going through?

Sources:

https://www.credible.com/blog/statistics/average-student-loan-debt-statistics/#average-debt-recent-graduates

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/28/politics/student-loan-debt-joe-biden/index.html

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/01/opinion/student-loan-forgiveness-is-savvy-political-move-right-thing-do/

New Inflation Data Shows Record High Prices

  Inflation in March was at its highest in the past 40 years. As of right now, it is currently too early to see if we are past the peak, but inflation has been going down and will hopefully continue to do so. This comes as a result of multiple issues around the world. COVID Stimulus has played a role in inflation, though how much it contributed is still debated among policymakers. Another factor in the high inflation rate would be a large spike in demand for commercial products in the US and the rest of the world in combination with supply not being able to keep up leading to a rise in prices. The US has also seen a rapid spike in job growth which further contributes to the issue which could lead to a wage-price spiral. Supply changes around the world are still not fully recovered from the pandemic either, and likely will not be back to what they were beforehand for some time. According to The Guardian, airfares have gone up by 40 percent in the past 3 months. The war in Ukraine has led to a large increase in gas prices as well as also interfering with the already struggling supply chain for products around the world. 

From a New York Times survey of about 1900 people, the items that have been most impacted by rising prices are food and gasoline. The federal government has attempted to help mitigate gas prices by slowly releasing gasoline from a reserve that they have access to. These price increases are most likely due to the war in Ukraine contributing to ongoing supply chain problems. Another large market that has impacted many is the housing market. A Pew Research survey indicated that 49% of its respondents considered affordable housing to be a large problem in their area. In response to the recent inflation that the government has seen, the federal reserve is looking to raise interest rates to bring things back in line with the norm. However, increasing interest rates has the potential to send the US into an economic recession, and this looming threat has also hurt the stock market. 

Credit: New York Times

    The American people are divided on what truly caused the large spike in inflation. A survey from the New York Times shows that around 45 percent of respondents greatly blame rising prices on the pandemic and supply chain disruptions. About 30 percent of respondents also believe that relief plans and the Ukraine War contributed “a lot” to inflation. However, 30 percent of respondents on the survey also believed that those same factors did not factor into inflation at all. In my opinion, all 4 of the factors have played large roles in increasing prices and while it may not be ideal, overstimulating the economy would have been better than not stimulating enough. Other factors are relatively outside of the government’s control, and so not much can be done to lower inflation other than increasing interest rates. That being said, the risk of a recession has been hurting the stock market and if one were to actually occur, it would be even worse. Should the federal government raise interest rates, they should do so while airing on the side of caution and seeing if a lower increase can slow things down enough for the time being.

Questions:

1. What do you think the government should do to mitigate the effects of inflation?

2. Do you think that the government could have done a better job with stimulus and how it handled support packages concerning the possibility of inflation?

3. What do you notice most about rising prices in your day-to-day life?

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/11/business/inflation-cpi-report-april

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/learning/whats-going-on-in-this-graph-march-30-2022.html

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/11/us-inflation-consumer-price-index-figures

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/09/upshot/where-americans-have-noticed-inflation.html?campaign_id=29&emc=edit_up_20220310&instance_id=55379&nl=the-upshot&regi_id=52022771&segment_id=85183&te=1&user_id=7cc6d9cd8f523e256ae41958ee8a9cb5

North Korea Announces It's First COVID Outbreak

     

    On May 12, 2022, North Korea reported its first-ever COVID-19, and they go as far as to claim that this marks the nation's first infection ever. This is likely false, however, as despite North Korea’s secretive and private nature as a country, there have more than likely been cases within the country before now. It has also been confirmed that the Omicron variant is what has caused this recent outbreak. Many speculate that the only reason that this outbreak has hit international news is because of how it originated in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital. Another point of evidence that people look to when supporting this idea is the fact that COVID-19 cases are labeled as “fevers” because North Korea lacks proper testing procedures and testing kits. Fifty people have been confirmed dead as of May 15, 2022, with many more speculated to come due to the country’s lackluster healthcare system. However, the true scale and scope of the original outbreak are unknown as of writing. 

    Part of why this outbreak is such large news is because almost all of North Korea’s citizens are completely unvaccinated. In fact, North Korea has declined multiple aid bundles that included vaccines. They rejected 3 million vaccines from China and another 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines over the course of the pandemic. These rejections have allegedly been over concerns about the vaccine's side effects. According to an infectious-disease expert at Seoul National University, it is too late into the outbreak at this point for vaccine distributions to make a large difference, and an estimated 34,000 people could die due to North Korea’s poor healthcare and an overall lack of resources. 

    While many parts of the country have gone into full lockdown, one sector of the country has not shifted much, the military. Shortly after the announcement of the outbreak, North Korea fired its 16th round of ballistic missiles into the ocean continuing its military efforts. The nation’s military has been accelerating missile tests for some time now. Shortly after the nation’s initial response to the outbreak did not go well, Kim Jon Un ordered the nation’s military to get involved with support efforts and even lambasted his own officials for an “irresponsible work attitude” in regards to how they handled the implementation of lockdown procedures. 

Questions:

1. How do you see this outbreak going?

2. How much do you think will come out from this outbreak news-wise?

3. Do you think that this outbreak will make North Korea more accepting of foreign aid packages?

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-covid-kim-jong-un-rcna28949

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/05/16/north-korea-coronavirus-outbreak-kim-criticism/

https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-pandemics-south-korea-north-0e0cb1be7a3878a771124dcdcbdba06c

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/05/11/north-korea-coronavirus-omicron/

Republican Senator looking to change copyright

 

    About one week ago, republican Senator Josh Hawley(MO) proposed a bill to limit copyright protections to about half of their current duration. As of writing, copyright protections last up to 95 years, the proposed bill would limit them down to 56 years. The more interesting part of this bill, however, is the part where it will apply retroactively to copyrights that were made before the bill if it were put into action. This is interesting because of the US’ general policy of staying away from retroactive laws, even going as far as to have ex post facto laws be specifically labeled as unconstitutional. However, this law has a very small chance to pass due to how there are currently larger issues at play. To add some general background on copyright, it is stated to protect “original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture”(copyright.gov). Copyright also protects unpublished works if they meet other criteria. 

    The main target of this bill is Disney and more specifically their copyright over the character of Mickey Mouse. Disney has extended their copyright over the character, as well as copyright protections as a whole in two cases. They first lobbied to have it extended in 1976, and then did so again in 1998. The conflict between Disney and the republican party began when Disney stood openly against Florida’s “Don’t say gay” laws and later stopped sending political donations to the state of Florida. This is involved in a larger idea with the republican party to limit the power and influence of corporations that are “pandering to woke activists”(Sen. Josh Hawley). It’s important to distinguish, however, that according to “deadline,” the bill would not “ include a provision to delay implementation for up to 10 years. ” Another interesting detail about the bill is that it does not explicitly target Disney, but it only applies to “entertainment and theme park companies with a market capitalization of more than $150 billion”(deadline). This type of roundabout targeting of certain companies seems to apply that the bill would not pass if it were full copyright reform. 

    The main point of interest for me, however, is how senator Josh Hawley is a potential contender for the 2024 presidential election. This bill has attracted more media attention than most small bills like it, but the decision to target Disney specifically definitely contributed to its press coverage. This could be a potential play from the senator to make their name more recognizable or to begin to make himself more well known before the election. 

Questions:

1. Do you think that this copyright bill could pass in the current senate?

2. Do you believe that the retroactive application of this bill sets a concerning precedent for future bills to hit the senate floor?

3. Do you think that this could help the senator make a name for themselves before the upcoming 2024 election cycle?

Sources:

https://deadline.com/2022/05/disney-copyright-josh-hawley-copyright-1235020896/

https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-introduces-bill-strip-disney-special-copyright-protections

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#:~:text=What%20does%20copyright%20protect%3F,%2C%20computer%20software%2C%20and%20architecture.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-copyrights-targeted-in-bill-proposed-by-sen-josh-hawley-1235144054/

13 Dead after Deadly Shooting in Buffalo, NY

 

    On Saturday, May 14th, an 18-year-old white man named Payton S. Gendron carried out a shooting that killed 13 people, 11 of whom were African American at a supermarket in Buffalo NY. Four of those who were killed worked at the store, and others were community figures. The trip to Buffalo is over 200 miles from Gendron’s hometown of Conklin, and he allegedly arrived one day before the shooting to “conduct reconnaissance”(NPR). The attack was live-streamed on twitch but was taken down approximately 2 minutes after the shooting began. He arrived in tactical gear and body armor strong enough to survive a bullet from a security guard. By the time police arrived Gendron had his gun pointed to his neck and he was put under arrest. Gendron is currently being charged with first-degree murder and potentially faces life in prison without parole. 

    Leading up to the attack, Gendron posted a 180-page racist and anti-Semitic “manifesto” to the online message board “4-chan.” This post contained plans for the attack as well as a full host of anti-Semitic and racist claims. Gendron consistently cites the “replacement theory” conspiracy as justification for his actions. This conspiracy claims that Black people seek to replace White Americans entirely in society and has even seen some mention from large right-wing names such as Tucker Carlson. The document also states that Buffalo was the target because how it had the “highest number of Black people in his vicinity”(NBC). Tucker Carlson has come under scrutiny due to his rhetoric surrounding the replacement conspiracy theory. Gendron also stated within his manifesto that critical race theory is “a part of a Jewish plot and a reason to justify mass killings of Jews.” 

Before the shooting Gendron was already a white supremacist and anti-Semite. He allegedly began following the replacement conspiracy around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to follow these ideas. He also threatened to cause a school shooting last year. As a result, he was given a mental evaluation and no other known punishments. This leads many to wonder how he was able to buy a weapon in the first place. Not to forget to mention that the massacre was carried out using an AR-15 assault rifle that had an extended magazine that was illegal in the state of New York. He also had another rifle and a pistol in his car which authorities discovered after the shooting. This means that he either acquired the weapon illegally or brought it across state lines after buying it elsewhere. 

    The fact that shootings like this continue to happen within the United States is a travesty and a horrible stain on the country as a whole. The fact that these continue to happen, and yet barely any action has been taken to reduce the second amendment is honestly horrifying. The racist motivations for the attack highlight how radical people can become through online media platforms, and how they could or should be held accountable for what comes from them.

Questions:

1. How is this different from the Kyle Rittenhouse case last year?

2. What are your thoughts as to how authorities dealt with the situation?

3. With shootings like this becoming so common, do you believe that the second amendment has a place in modern America?

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fox-news-tucker-carlson-fresh-scrutiny-buffalo-mass-shooting-rcna29084

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-suspect-posted-apparent-manifesto-repeate-rcna28889

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/15/1099028397/buffalo-shooting-what-we-know

Senate Fails to Pass Bill to Protect Right to Abortion, Rallies Continue

Last Wednesday, in response to the SCOTUS opinion leak on abortion rights, Democrats attempted to pass new legislation codifying Roe v. Wade and protecting individuals’ right to abortion. Such legislation would write a “constitutional right to abortion into federal law” (The Washington Post). For legislation to pass, the Senate needed to secure 60 votes. However, abortion advocates in Senate fell short with 51 Senators in opposition and 49 in support of the bill. Broken down, this opposition accounts for all 50 Republican Senators and 1 Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin. According to Manchin, legislation was too broad, allowing the expansion of abortion, rather than “simply codifying Roe” (NYT). While an unfortunate outcome for hopeful abortion activists, Senate Majority Leader Schumer and other Democrats also saw this bill as a call to action to mobilize voters amidst the upcoming midterm elections. Schumer explains, “Elect more pro-choice Democrats if you want to protect a woman’s freedom and right to choose.” 

Amidst the leak, thousands of individuals across the nation have continued to rally for abortion rights, hopeful to increase voter engagement and protect women’s rights. As Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, explained, “We will not back down, and we will not forget those who put politics over our health and rights.” The recent Senate vote demonstrates just how polarizing the Senate is and highlights how important these next midterm elections will be. Moreover, continuing to rally support will be a critical tool in order to persuade legislators and constituents of women’s right to abortions. 

​​

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/14/dc-bans-off-our-bodies-protest/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/11/abortion-senate-vote/?itid=lk_inline_manual_16

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/11/us/abortion-roe-v-wade-senate-vote

https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000008349850/abortion-rights-march-new-york.html

Questions: 

What are your reactions to the recent Senate vote?

How do you think these rallies impact the current situation?