Homeless Shelter in Millbrae

    On September 12, 2023, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to purchase two hotels and turn them into homeless shelters. These hotels would be located in Millbrae and South San Francisco. In total, this plan would be able to bring 120 permanent residences for the homeless people of our community. Furthermore, the residents of these shelters would have access to healthcare and counseling. 

    On a 4 to 1 vote, the board agreed to purchase the Millbrae residence for $33 million and separately, they agreed to purchase the South San Francisco residence for $11 million. While this seems like a very optimistic plan, many locals are protesting the addition of homeless shelters. 

(photo of the Millbrae Residence)

    Some members of the community are concerned about increased tax rates as well as the safety of their children at a school near the shelter. Around 60 people protested the decision, urging supervisors to postpone and reconsider the decision. Even the mayor of Millbrae is opposing the sale, stating that the city is losing a vital source of revenue. 

    Although there are oppositions against this plan, ultimately San Mateo County has made their decision, despite all the backlash. I thought that this decision revealed the sense of superiority that the county has over the cities, and found it similar to the scope of the federal and state governments. Under the Constitution, specifically the Supremacy clause that we learned about, federal law trumps state law. I saw a connection here, where the county ruling trumped the city ruling.  

    I think that this issue is difficult to comment on, especially from someone not directly affected by the decision. On one hand, I believe that homelessness is a huge problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Anyone who has walked in San Francisco can attest to how sad and sometimes scary seeing people living on the streets can be. Recently, there were also tents that showed up in Downtown San Mateo's Central Park. The reality is that lately, affordable housing is hard to come by. I also think that as a community, it is important that those who are able to give back should provide for the homeless. However, I also agree with citizens that having a homeless shelter near a school and within a community could potentially be scary, if not dangerous. 

Websites used:

https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/news/county-purchase-two-hotels-convert-supportive-housing-key-step-countys-functional-zero 

https://localnewsmatters.org/2023/09/15/community-upset-as-san-mateo-board-allows-to-turn-millbrae-hotel-into-homeless-housing/

https://www.ktvu.com/news/controversy-over-buying-la-quinta-inn-in-millbrae-for-homeless

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/peninsula/millbrae-hotel-housing-homeless-people/3316072/

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/county-plan-to-purchase-millbrae-hotel-approved-despite-pushback/

https://hoodline.com/2023/09/millbrae-community-divided-over-33-million-hotel-conversion-for-homeless/

Trump Calls DeSantis' Abortion Ban "A Terrible Mistake"

 Currently, Florida bans abortions for anyone who is past the 15-week mark of pregnancy, but according to NBC's "Meet the Press,” Florida Governor Ron Desantis is "willing to sign a five-week and six-week ban."  After the interview, former president and front-runner in the GOP presidential primary Donald Trump criticized Florida Governor Ron Desantis saying that this is "a terrible thing and a terrible mistake." 

    According to the Washington Post, this new six-week ban that Desantis is willing to approve excludes situations for "rape, incest, medical emergencies and 'fatal fetal abnormalities'." Though these situations would be exceptions, in reality, women don't find out if they're pregnant or not by the six-week mark. If they do, making the decision to abort a baby can be detrimental to a woman or couple's mental health and can't be made in a couple weeks or days. A fetus is viable at 24 weeks and at this point abortions are extremely rare unless the mother is in danger or that it's known the fetus won't survive once it has been delivered.

    Trump has declined to mention or give his opinion on when an abortion ban is appropriate but according to the New York Times he said he'd negotiate with both sides and "end up with peace on [this] issue for the first time in 52 years." 

    This past spring, Desantis approved and signed the six-week ban in Florida this past spring. Even some Republicans who are usually pro-life are starting to worry that DeSantis has gone too far on this issue.

    Before Roe v. Wade was overturned it was the federal government's decision about when abortions should and shouldn't be legal. Thus, abortions were legal everywhere in America. After the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, it became a decision at the state level meaning any state could ban or put restrictions on abortions.

    Personally, I think having access to abortions is a human right. As we have learned in class, the 14th Amendment in the Constitution provides every citizen with the right to life, liberty, or property as well as equal protection of the laws. Therefore, up until the baby is viable, a living human, and can survive on its own should be able to be aborted if a woman or couple chooses to do so. It is her body, her choice. The federal or state government shouldn't be able to control what a woman chooses to do to her body.

- Carissa H.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/17/us/politics/trump-meet-the-press-abortion-desantis.html

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/17/politics/donald-trump-abortion-2024/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/09/17/trump-abortion/

Morocco Earthquake

    On September 8, 2023, a devastating earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. The earthquake killed 2,900 people and injured about 5,500 others. Houses and villages were completely destroyed, crumbled and flattened to the ground. One person said that it only took 10 seconds for their entire village to disappear. 

    Many European countries are frustrated that Morocco is only accepting limited assistance from foreign countries. It is commonly being compared to Turkey, which suffered earthquakes in February. Turkey immediately appealed for international help following their earthquake, and recieved aid from 90 countries. As a result, rescue teams from all over were able to save hundreds of people. In contrast, Morocco seems to be taking a much more closed off approach to disaster relief. 

    About 60 countries including the US, France, Germany, and Italy have voiced their willingness to aid Morocco. US Secretary of State says the US "reached out immediately to the Moroccan government to offer any assistance that we can provide," yet the US is still waiting for Morocco to accept aid. It seems as if France is in a similar situation, since Morocco has not accepted their offer for aid. While Morocco hasn't formally declined aid from these countries, it has accepted aid from Britain, Qatar, Spain and the United Arab Emirates, calling those countries "friendly countries." 

    The reasons behind Morocco not accepting aid are still unknown. Many speculate that Morocco refuses to receive aid from France because of current tensions between the countries. It seems there is a political rift between Morocco and France, but also possibly a personal one between their leaders. Yet, French foreign minister Catherine Colonna claims that "We are ready to help Morocco. It's a sovereign Moroccan decision and it's up to them to decide," showing no signs of aversion. Others believe that Morocco refuses to accept aid for merely logistical reasons, stating that having people rush in from unknown places could be confusing and could potentially slow down the process of providing relief. 

    However, the underlying politics of the situation are pretty apparent. From 1912-1956, France had control over Morocco by imposing a protectorate. Morocco then became independent in 1956 and established a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, meaning the monarch serves mostly as a symbolic head of state. Present King Mohammed VI then announced changes making Morocco a constitutional monarchy. This means that the monarch has some political powers. Some people believe that Morocco's government is too centralized, claiming it seems authoritarian. However it still appears that Morocco has a federalist government, which as we learned means 2 or more levels of government have formal authority over the same area and people. Morocco has both a monarch and a parliament ruling over the nation.

    Yet, taking all of this into account I believe that the decision to not accept aid was out of pride rather than necessity. Instead of worrying about national pride and appearances, I think the Moroccan government should be rushing in as much aid as possible to hopefully save those affected by the earthquake. The lives of the people should be of the utmost importance. 

Websites used:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/africa/morocco-earthquake-village-atlas-mountains/index.html 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/11/morocco-earthquake-foreign-aid/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/morocco-earthquake-macron-tries-to-soothe-tensions-after-frosty-response-to-offer-of-aid 

https://apnews.com/article/morocco-earthquake-aid-france-a2d73090f60978aad7725fe03d29f98b

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/12/is-morocco-accepting-aid-certain-countries-political-reasons#:~:text=Only%20search%2Dand%2Drescue%20teams,numerous%20offers%20from%20governments%20worldwide. 

https://www.passblue.com/2023/09/14/the-un-is-still-waiting-to-be-invited-by-morocco-to-help-with-its-post-quake-disaster/#:~:text=Fouad%20Abdelmoumni%2C%20a%20Moroccan%20human,not%20need%20aid%20from%20outsiders. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66773427 

 

The Recent Flood Tragedy in Libya

 

(Credit: Nikolay Nikolov/The New York Times)

        Over the weekend, torrential downpours caused two dams to burst near the coastal city of Derna, with the death toll currently at around 11,000 people and thousands more still missing. Whole buildings were destroyed and cars were swept away, blocking exit routes, and are now restricting rescue aids and first responders from being able to get to people. The storm had previously passed through Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria, killing around a dozen people, so one should wonder, what was different about Libya's situation and infrastructure that caused so many deaths?

        Over the past 10 years, Libya has experienced multiple wars, political strifes, and power struggles, resulting in the diverting of funds from things like their infrastructure. The money, however, isn't the problem, as Libya has access to the largest oil and gas reserves on the African continent. A 2021 brief from the Climate Security Expert Network suggested that an intense storm would put the country at risk of severe infrastructural damages, yet the project to fix it was put on the back burner. The budgets for the dam to be repaired were reportedly allocated, but no contractor was ever there. Later, hydrologist Abdul Wanis Ashour came out and stated that in his research on the dams he found problems "in the cracks present", but that none of the political elites in his country who knew about the problems did anything about them.

(Credit: Deutsche Welle)

        In my opinion, the Libyan government should have done a lot more to prevent the loss of its citizens and destruction of its infrastructure, but due to its overwhelming complacency it wasn't able to. There were extremely poor warning and evacuation notices that didn't do their job and weren't enforced by the authorities. I feel that in the future in order to prevent tragedies like this from occurring, there must be laws put in place to ensure the safety of a countries people. Hopefully this unfortunate tragedy will serve as a warning for other countries who are putting themselves in the same position, preventing it from happening to any other unsuspecting and innocent people.

       Through this event, one can identify parallels to the U.S.'s early development as an independent nation. The framers of the constitution were primarily focused on deciding how to regulate power within the country, developing a system of checks and balances and a separation of powers. They only later implemented the Bill of Rights, which defined people's individual freedoms. Similarly, Libya has focused on the struggle of power rather than the protection of its people.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/middleeast/lethal-factors-leading-to-libya-floods-intl/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/16/world/middleeast/libya-dams-warnings.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/they-knew-fury-libyans-that-warnings-went-unheeded-before-flood-2023-09-15/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/world/middleeast/libya-floods-dams-collapse.html

Tense diplomatic relations between Canada and India

(Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

After the G20 Summit in New Delhi, diplomatic relationships between Canada and India seem tense, and trade talks between the countries have been paused. Supposedly, at the summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met on the sidelines and had a tense exchange in which Modi expressed concern about “anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.”

Although the movement to establish an independent Sikh nation called Khalistan has been going on for several decades, because Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside of their home state of Punjab in India, Sikh Canadians have been hosting demonstrations for the movement there recently. According to Modi, the protestors are “promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.” However, Trudeau expressed concern about foreign interference in Canadian politics, and said that he would defend freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

Canadian trade minister Mary Ng is postponing a trade mission to India that was supposed to occur in early October. Although the announcement of the postponement came with no stated reasons, Ng has mentioned to reporters that both parties are simply taking time to reflect on the negotiations. Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal gave a similar reason, claiming that the two countries need to make sure they are on the same page “geopolitically and economically.” However, he also mentioned that there were issues of concern to India that they are hoping to get resolved before proceeding, likely referring to the tensions over Sikh secessionist protests.

(Credit: Left – David Kawai/Bloomberg; Right – Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images)

Before the G20 summit, Indian-Canadian trade relations seemed to be progressing fairly well. In 2022-23, two-way trade between the two countries was worth $8.16 billion. Additionally, nine rounds of negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) had already taken place since the countries relaunched the initiative in March 2022. The countries had been discussing various sectors, including automobiles, agriculture, and information technology, and aiming to sign an initial trade agreement this year, however, talks have now been paused, with both sides saying they are taking time to reflect.

It is interesting to note how different sources have portrayed the issue. Some, like Bloomberg, use more uncertain or neutral words, such as “contentious” and “allegedly,” while others, such as Reuters and Hindustan Times seem to favor one side over the other. Whereas Reuters describes how Modi “scolded” and “snubbed” Trudeau at the G20 conference, and only met with him informally on the sidelines as opposed to a formal meeting like he hosted with other world leaders, Hindustan Times mentions multiple times the supposed promotion of “secessionism” and “extremist” and “subversive” elements. Although the basic story in all three sources remains the same, the use of certain quotes or strong words can leave the reader feeling that one country is to blame more than the other.

This is reminiscent of the disagreements between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the Constitution, specifically through Federalist 10 and 51 and Brutus 1. All three of these sources mentioned the same phrase, “ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” but each gave it a positive or negative spin. Whereas Madison praised this as an effective way to keep the government in check, Brutus criticized this as ineffective because people would constantly be clashing against each other rather than making progress forward. Ultimately, both sides were a little bit right.

Canada Postpones Trade Mission to India in Early October as Tensions Rise | Bloomberg

Canada trade minister is postponing a planned trade mission to India | Reuters

India puts FTA talks with Canada on hold over subversive moves | Hindustan Times 

Biden pays visit to Vietnam

(Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

    This past week, after attending the G20 summit in India, President Biden stopped by for a two-day trip to Vietnam. Despite the historical tensions between the two countries — only fifty years ago, the United States was engaged in one of the most infamous wars in its recent history — the relationship between the two countries seemed to be strong. Formally, the relationship between the two countries has been elevated to a “comprehensive strategic relationship,” two levels higher than what it was previously. For Vietnam, their relationship with the US is in the highest level of their hierarchy, on par with their relationships with Russia and China.

    Biden’s visit to Vietnam comes as part of a broader effort by his administration to strengthen and maintain relationships with nations in the Indo-Pacific region. Apart from meetings with Indian leaders during the G20 summit in New Delhi, Biden has also met with leaders of the Philippines and Australia, and made a three-way arrangement with Japan and South Korea at Camp David. With China’s increased aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, it is evident that Biden’s recent focus on the region is at least partially motivated by this, even though China was never specifically brought up in Biden’s meeting with the general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

    “It’s not about containing China,” Biden said. “It’s about having a stable base in the Pacific.”

    So far, China has not responded with aggression to Biden’s involvement with a country it has strong economic ties with, however, in the days before Biden visited Vietnam, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, warned Biden to “abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game mind-set, … [and] abide by the basic norms of international relations.”

(Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

    Though mutual security concerns over China were an important subtext for the meeting, one of the main focuses during the meeting was shared economic interests. Specifically, Trong and Biden discussed more cooperation in cloud computing, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence, and revealed that Vietnamese Airlines had purchased fifty Boeing 737 jets from the United States. With the Biden administration aiming to improve prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and Vietnam wanting to improve its own prosperity, some, such as former US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, describe the relationship as a “win-win.”

    With all that was brought up in the meeting explicitly or implicitly, something that seemed to be noticeably lacking was a discussion of human rights violations. Vietnam’s Communist Party hardly hides their violations of human rights, including more than 150 political prisoners who were “peacefully exercising basic civil and political rights” and several others in detention who will be tried by a Communist-controlled court. With the US declaring itself a champion for human rights across the globe, several figures of human rights organizations, including Carolyn Nash, Amnesty International’s Asia advocacy director, have called out this convenient ignorance of human rights in favor of economic and diplomatic gain.

    “[The Biden administration is] sending a message that the U.S. is willing to tolerate blatant failures to protect and uphold human rights," Nash said.

    Though Biden claims he has raised human rights with every person he has met, many believe that private conversations are not enough to address the problem, and Vietnam must understand that there will be consequences for their abuses.

    Of course, as commander-in-chief, Biden is designated by the Constitution to maintain diplomatic relationships with other countries. What the Constitution does not mention however, is the need to address human rights issues in other countries. This is a feature of American democracy that came much later, when America shifted from a more isolationist state to an interventionist, and eventually, a global superpower. Interestingly, human rights, even for US citizens themselves, are not mentioned in the Constitution, and were only added in the Bill of Rights as part of a compromise with the Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution. Thus, the fact that the United States puts economic concerns before human rights is nothing new, but we can only hope that pressure from human rights organizations will result in a deal similar to the Bill of Rights in which human rights issues are championed after diplomatic relationships with Vietnam have been strengthened sufficiently.

Biden Forges Deeper Ties With Vietnam as China's Ambition Mounts | The New York Times

Biden accused of sidelining Vietnam and India rights over strategic interests | Reuters

The significance of Biden’s trip to Vietnam in the face of China’s growing influence | PBS NewsHour 

The Ongoing Battle for Clean Air: EPA's Delay in Ozone Standard Tightening

    

    Balancing air quality standards with cost and political issues has long been an issue for the US Government. Ground-level ozone - also known as smog - has been a major climate issue for the past few decades. A sharp rise brought about by increasing industrialization and motor vehicles has caused ozone levels in the atmosphere to spike, getting to a point where many scientists have become fearful for the future of the earth if things don’t change.

    Despite scientists recommending to lower the acceptable levels of pollution, EPA Administrator Michael Regan has initiated a new statutory review of ozone standards, which is projected to have a resolution after the 2024 election. He wrote in a letter to the EPA advisory panel last month, “I have decided that the best path forward is to initiate a new statutory review of the ozone (standard) and the underlying air quality criteria”. 

    Many have criticized this decision, and I view this situation as a morals vs. economics/politics debate. Of course everyone wants cleaner air for the public, as this has many health benefits for everyone. However, the elected representatives in government are supposed to theoretically know more than the general public about matters (as discussed in Chapter 1), and in this situation I certainly think they are considering issues such as money and politics in this decision. 

    This delay of possible new ozone laws doesn’t seem like it would immediately have much of an impact right now, but it would hinder new regulations from being put into place, such as gas car laws or restorative policies. Additionally, there has been speculations that the ozone layer will be restored by 2050 but that was a projection assuming countries continue to reduce harmful carbon emissions, and with the delay of new ozone regulations this will only push back the estimate and allow for more toxins to be pumped into the atmosphere at least from the US.

EPA delays new air quality standards for ozone pollution until after 2024 election | US Environmental Protection Agency | The Guardian

Environmental Protection Agency Delays New Ozone Pollution Standards Until After the 2024 Election (usnews.com)

Environmental Protection Agency delays new ozone pollution standards until after the 2024 election - ABC News (go.com)

Ozone layer may be restored in decades, UN report says - BBC News

Navigating COVID: The Biden Administration

The COVID-19 lockdown was a tough and trying time for all of America, and many were eager to put the idea of a pandemic behind them as soon as the lockdown ended. However, the virus is still rampaging across the country, with new variants of SARS-CoV-2 such as BA.2.86 or Omicron emerging seemingly every day.     In the summer of 2022, both President Biden and the First Lady, Jill Biden, caught COVID. They had little to no symptoms and recovered quickly, and after President Biden ended the national lockdown last spring, they have generally lived like the pandemic was behind them.     This Monday (Sept 4 2023), Jill Biden caught COVID for the second time. President Biden has tested negative multiple times, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says that President Biden “will be masking while indoors and around people”.     The Bidens’ encounter with this virus demonstrates the policies that the US Government has passed in response to COVID-19, and also how the various systems of government work together to pass laws. Relating back to the division of powers that James Madison brought up in the Federalist #51 paper and the system of checks and balances, neither the President nor Congress could pass laws by themselves. Instead, they both have to work together and in the response to COVID-19, many rules and actions were put in place to battle the virus, such as vaccines/boosters, masking, social distancing, and more.     While in online forums many have criticized vaccines, commenting on how Jill Biden still caught COVID after being double vaccinated and double boosted, I believe that isn’t really the purpose of vaccines. According to the CDC, vaccines are meant to “[protect] people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying”. In the Bidens’ case, this has definitely been the case as they have only had minor symptoms.     An outside take on the current situation that I agree with - “In essence, the White House believes that with masks, vaccines and tests widely available, Americans can take as many — or as few — precautions as they want.” - Alexander Nazaryan, Yahoo News     To conclude, the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the U.S. government's ability to respond to a public health crisis. President Biden's administration has pursued a science-based approach, and recent developments with the First Lady's diagnosis highlight the ongoing challenges that America still faces with COVID.

Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19, and White House hunkers down as nation faces small wave

(msn.com)

First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19 again, while president tests negative (yahoo.com)

The politics of Congress's COVID-19 response | Brookings (brookings.edu)

Benefits of Getting A COVID-19 Vaccine | CDC

China’s Uncertain Economic Future

     Western sanctions, a slow Covid reopening, and government economic crackdowns are putting the Chinese economy at risk. According to Reuters, China’s economic growth is forecasted to decrease by 0.5% between 2023 and 2024. While such a decrease may not look troubling to the outside observer, the decline marks a soon to be end to China's exponential economic growth which has lasted for the better part of 30 years.

Besides advantageous trade deals made with Russia in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, there has been limited positive economic news within China. On August 17th, Evergrande, China's largest property developer, filed for bankruptcy in New York. This was done following two years of attempted financial restructuring following the developers default and subsequent financial collapse. In a 2022 estimate by The Guardian, China's property market composed 20-30% of GDP. Real estate is a big deal in China, and an over reliance on one asset class coupled with a superficial, risky, and levered economic environment poses a risk to China's ambition to become the new “world economic superpower”.

According to the Financial Times, land and home prices have fallen by 5% annually. The minimal diversification within the Chinese economy results in such a decline having a much larger effect. Built upon tranches, high interest rates (while be it declining) make paying creditors more challenging, resulting in a higher risk of default. While it is not the prime demographic for property ownership, a growing unemployment rate among young people could result in a higher vacancy rate for rental properties (and a subsequent decline in rent prices), which would negatively impact landlords who owe dues to creditors.

The current Chinese economy is a facade of growth that hides mountains of debt. Falsifying economic data, unrealistic optimism, and building ghost cities will not solve the problems from within. Rather, the implementation of regulation on developers and the creation of greater investment opportunities (both in the private and public sector) away from real estate might save the Chinese economy from collapse. Borrowing and lending with the risk of no return is not a sustainable business model. Everagrande's collapse was heard around the world, and has revealed some of the flaws of the Chinese economic system. Many economists forecast an impending global recession come late 2023 or early 2024. Through this impending event, the resilience and strength of the Chinese economy will be once again tested, with unpredictable results awaiting on the horizon.

Brennan P

Sources

https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/china-2023-gdp-growth-forecast-cut-50-45-2024-economists-2023-09-12/

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/inside-downfall-embattled-property-developer-china-evergrande-2023-08-31/

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/25/china-property-bubble-evergrande-group

https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-outlook-financial-crisis-property-crash-rebound-japanification-growth-2023-9

https://www.ft.com/content/7beb34d5-5437-43b7-a114-3836be0d2fc5

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/08/opinion/china-youth-unemployment-xi.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2023/08/05/recession-forecast-still-right-for-late-2023-or-early-2024/?sh=301bf2885cf1

https://www.forbes.com/sites/earlcarr/2022/05/27/is-evergrande-actually-chinas-lehman-brothers-moment/?sh=73673f406c79

Why America Must Support Ukraine

    There is a growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine. In a poll conducted by CNN, 71% of Republicans stated that “the US has done enough to support Ukraine”. Many leading Republican candidates including former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have advocated for a decrease in American military assistance for Ukraine. Generally, Republicans argue that domestic affairs such as the Maui Wildfires and illegal immigration from Venezuela and Central America trump international causes such as Ukraine.

 

    From my perspective, I disagree with this argument. My father and his immediate family left Ukraine (formerly the USSR) decades ago. They immigrated to the United States to access greater economic opportunity and escape anti-semitism that was rampant at the time. Many other family members left following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster where radioactive material posed a hazardous risk to those living in Kyiv and the greater northern Ukraine (as well as those living in Southern Belarus). Following the collapse of the USSR and the subsequent emergence of a Ukrainian state, some, while be it not all, began to immigrate back to the country. When the war began, my uncle fled his home in Kyiv with what clothes, money, and documents he could fit in his backpack. He ended up in Den Haag, where the Dutch government has provided assistance to him and many other refugees during these difficult times.

    In 30 years of existence, the Ukrainian state has been plagued by turmoil. Russian sponsored separatists in the Donbas have led to instability in the East. The invasion of Crimea in 2014 further destabilized the country. Until recent reforms under Zelenskyy, oligarchs dominated the Ukrainian political scene, resulting in a more elitist than participatory democracy. According to data published by the Council of Europe Economic Crime and Cooperation Division in 2018, Ukraine is second to Russia for the most corruption in Europe.

    I agree with the claim made by some Republicans that Ukraine is not a perfect democratic nation. However, that doesn't mean that we should discredit Ukraine's right to become one. When former President Victor Yanukovych refused to strengthen ties with the EU despite overwhelming opposition to his decision from the Ukrainian people, they protested. This protest evolved into a revolution to overthrow the Yanukovych government which acted as a proxy for Russian interest. This resulted in a much more free and democratic Ukrainian state.

    The Ukrainian people want a better future, and are willing to do what is needed to achieve one. Even though it has technically been independent since 1991, through unwanted influence and the tyrannical actions of Putin's Russia, Ukraine has lacked the self determination to control its own destiny. The early and militarily weak United States would have failed to achieve independence from the much larger Britain if not for the assistance of the French. I see a parallel between this history and American support for Ukraine today.

     A truly independent Ukraine is impossible without American support. Ukraine fights for many of the same reasons the colonists fought for: independence, self determination, and liberty in the face of tyranny. To support these principles while preventing another from achieving them is hypocrisy. As the war wages on and peace is far from reach, it remains essential that Americans hold hope for Ukraine. Victory is not guaranteed; however without support defeat is. We have come too far to go back, and if we truly believe in freedom, we need to continue backing those who are fighting for it. While the United States is not obligated to be the world's policeman, unchecked tyranny makes the world less safe. As elections approach, the future of Ukraine becomes once again uncertain. Regardless of who you support politically, take a second or two to research your preferred candidate's stance on Ukraine. Vote with your own values in mind and be mindful of how your preferred candidate's policy will impact everyone, including the people of Ukraine. I may be biased; however, I ask you to consider my perspective and argument when developing your position on American support for Ukraine.

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/04/politics/cnn-poll-ukraine/index.html#:~:text=Republicans%20broadly%20say%20that%20Congress,the%20US%20should%20do%20more.

https://www.coe.int/en/web/corruption/completed-projects/enpi/newsroom-enpi/-/asset_publisher/F0LygN4lv4rX/content/ukraine-most-corrupt-country-in-europe-after-russia

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/maidan-massacre-anniversary-ukraine-remembers-bloody-day-protests-n973156

Escaped Convict, Danelo Cavalcante, still on the Run Amid State-Wide Manhunt

At a Monday news conference, Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens believed Cavalcante was still hiding in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but they are currently considering other counties where Cavalcante may be hiding out. Law enforcement officials categorized Danelo Cavalcante as extremely dangerous, and are warning all citizens in Pennsylvania to proceed with caution. It is now known that Cavalcante had stolen a 2020 Ford Transit van outside the search perimeter and drove it 25 miles north to a former colleague's house in search of support. It is also known that Danelo Cavalcante was last seen clean-shaven and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt with a dark baseball hat.

34-year-old Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township on the morning of Thursday, August 31. According to ABC News, "Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on Aug. 16 for fatally stabbing his former girlfriend 38 times in front of her two young children in 2021". Cavalcante was sentenced to life without parole for the murder of 33-year-old Deborah Brandao, his former girlfriend.

It still isn't clear if this state-wide search will soon become a nation-wide search at the federal level. Currently, under U.S. laws, a manhunt that is kept within state borders is still dealt with by a state’s government. When a wanted fugitive crosses the state border, this manhunt now becomes a federal matter involving federal officials. Though at this rate, it seems as if this manhunt for Cavalcante will soon become a federal matter as we are seeing him easily travel out of a highly supervised search perimeter.

Pennsylvanian law enforcement are currently offering a $25,000 reward to anyone who is able to provide information that can lead police to Cavalcante’s arrest.

Carissa H.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/escaped-convict-danelo-cavalcante-spotted-altered-appearance-pennsylvania/story?id=103064127

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/11/us/danelo-cavalcante-inmate-search-pennsylvania-monday/index.html

https://abcnews.go.com/US/convicted-murderer-escapes-pennsylvania-prison/story?id=102842159