JOBS POLICIES, ANALYSIS, AND RESOURCES
Latest Jobs Posts
Was Obama Our First Multiracial President?
U.S. Resist News Op Ed
By Ron Israel
There is an excellent new HBO documentary on the President of Barack Obama -our 44th President. Much of the documentary focuses on Obama’s efforts (many of them outstanding ) to deal with race and racism, It points out the inner conflict of Obama being the first “black” President and his desire to be seen as a President for all Americans; of his deliberate outreach to black Americans who almost universally supported him, though some felt he could have done more to address racism and the economic needs of the black community.
The U.S. House Select Committee Investigates the January 6 Attack on the Capitol: Part 1
Brief #26 – Social Justice
By Erika Shannon
In the aftermath of the overtaking of the U.S. Capitol Building by insurrectionists on January 6th of this year, there was the question of who would be investigating the events that occurred. Originally, there was a proposal to form a National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex; however, there was a Republican filibuster of the proposal to create this “January 6 Commission” in May, with not enough votes to break the filibuster.
Nearly Half of Haiti in Ruins After Earthquake and Gang Violence: See What You Can Do to Help
Brief #130 – Foreign Policy
By Erin Mayer
Southern Haiti is still recovering from the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck in August. The disaster left over 2,200 deaths, 12,000 injuries and decimated over 53,000 homes in it’s wake. For an island nation still reeling from disasters of the past, how is the United States lending a hand today?
Abortion is No Longer a Criminal Act in Mexico
Brief #129 – Health & Gender
By S Bhimji
Just a few days ago, the Mexican Supreme court ruled that women in the Northern State of Coahuila should not be prosecuted for terminating a pregnancy.
For much of Mexico’s history, abortion has been restricted in most parts of the nation. But this move by the Mexican Supreme court is of historic significance as it advances the rights of women.
Texas Allows Anyone to Openly Carry a Gun
Brief #25 – Social Justice
By S Bhimji
There is no question about it- crime is up in almost every major city. Carjackings, random shootings, home burglaries, and violence are everyday news. While some folks want to defund the police, Texas has decided that it is time to take care of the problem at its core. Recently, the Lone Star state passed a law that permits individuals to carry handguns in public without any training or a permit.
Instigators of Racially Targeted Robocalls Need To Be Held Accountable
Brief #172 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On August 24, 2021 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a $5,134,500 fine against John M. Burkman, Jacob A. Wohl and J.M. Burkman and Associates, LLC. Mr. Burkman and Mr. Wohl are political consultants based in Virginia. And J.M. Burkman and Associates, LLC is a political lobbying firm registered in Virginia.
What Lies Ahead for Afghanistan
Brief #129 – Foreign Policy
By Adrian Cole
The Brits, the French, and the Germans have all left, and as of August 31, the Americans have wrapped up their airlift operation and departed as well.
What happened?
Part 2: Drought and Our Plans to Deal With it are Running Dry
Brief #126 – Environmental Policy
By Todd J. Broadman
This brief is another segment to help further explain the megadrought in the U.S. Southwest. The megadrought now encompasses Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of California, Colorado and New Mexico. This region has undergone chronic drought conditions since 2000, the year that the Lake Mead reservoir (the largest in the U.S. and now at an historic low) was considered close to full.
Afghanistan : What To Do Now with the Taliban?
Brief #128 – Foreign Policy
By Reilly Fitzgerald
The last time the Taliban was in power of Afghanistan was for approximately 20-25 years prior to 9/11. The Taliban has, as they are trying to tell the world, changed a bit from their previous reign; though, they are still highly religious and conservative. The United States, and every nation who aided the United States in the war, will have to start to deal with the Taliban as a governmental entity that is representing the people of Afghanistan. The United States, and its allies, will in their dealings with the Taliban be confronting their largest foreign policy failure in the last twenty years.
Biden’s Global Vaccine Distribution Plan: More Than Just a Show
Brief # 107 – Health and Gender Policy
Biden’s Global Vaccine Distribution Plan: More Than Just a Show
By Justin Lee
June 5, 2021
Policy Summary
On June 3rd 2021, President Biden announced a plan to distribute over 25 million COVID vaccines globally; a new and separate initiative to the already $4 billion US has committed to COVAX. Under this agreement, 19 million doses will be dedicated to COVAX, which will distribute 6 million doses to Latin America and the Caribbean, 7 million doses for south and southeast Asia, and 5 million doses for Africa. The remaining 6 million doses will be shared with countries experiencing surges and US partners and neighbors.
Analysis
The implications from this plan goes further than a mere “be a good guy” persona. Americans and world leaders should embrace this plan as a recognition and extension of several objectives from the Biden administration:
Recognition the COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis that requires a global response
As all 50 states have relaxed COVID restrictions and vaccination among adults surpassed 50%, it is easy for Americans to forget that COVID continues to rampage across the world. High-density countries such as India, Brazil, and Japan continue to struggle with alarming COVID positivity rates, crumbling health infrastructures, and inability to gain access to vaccine supply. New variants continue to emerge from these COVID hotspots, and the possibility of a total vaccine-resistant variant is always possible (though unlikely).
As long as the world continues to see COVID hotspots, countries will still have to remain vigilant and the pandemic cannot come to an end. This plan is a sign of recognition the Biden administration acknowledges this fact and understands the importance of getting COVID under control via vaccines for the benefits of public health and local economies.
Restoration of the US being a global leader and advocate for public health
Much to the dismay for the rest of the world, the previous administration pulled out of the WHO, spread misinformation about COVID, and failed to implement mask mandates. The Biden administration has and continues to take a drastically different approach in leading initiatives to control and end the COVID-19 pandemic. From set vaccination goals to implementing global dose distribution plans like today, President Biden continues to instill confidence and guidance to other global leaders and allies that public health is a priority and a human right; not a privilege.
Engagement Resources
>> Learn More
Helpful links:
White House: Statement June 3rd 2021
CNN: Biden Plan for Vaccine Sharing
Trust for America’s Health is a public health policy and research organization that advocates for a nation that values the health and well-being of Americans. Their organization has valuable information regarding health policies and issues on a federal and state level, and also actively publishes reports regarding public health on their website. To find more information or to get involved, use the link below:
The American Public Health Association is an organization aimed to Improve the health of the public and achieve equity in health status. As the main publishers for the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Health newspapers, APHA educates the public on public health, policy statements, and advocacy for public health. To volunteer or become a member, use the link below:
Anti-Abortion Laws to Face the Supreme Court
Brief # 108 – Health and Gender Policy
Anti-Abortion Laws to Face the Supreme Court
By Erin McNemar
June 5, 2021
Policy Summary
While abortion has long been a controversial topic in American politics, there has been a recent increase in policies attempting to restrict a women’s right to chose. Last month, legislators in Texas worked to pass laws shortening the amount of time women have to make a decision regarding terminating their pregnancy.
The Texas law comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision to review the Mississippi Abortion law beginning next session. This will be the first time the majority conservative leaning court will hear cases that will directly impact Roe v. Wade.
Analysis
Texas’ Heartbeat Ban
Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 8, also known as the Heartbeat Ban, into law. The law prohibits abortions from occurring if a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This can occur as early as six weeks in some pregnancies, which is before many people know they are pregnant. The state requires that providers are to check for a fetal heartbeat prior to performing an abortion.
Similar to other anti-abortion laws, the ban does make the exception for medical emergencies but not for cases of rape or incest. The law even goes as far as bringing civil charges against those that perform abortions if the heartbeat is detected and those who “knowingly engage in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion through insurance or otherwise,” after the discovery of a fetal heartbeat.
Individuals will face a $10,000 fine for every abortion performed or facilitated.
Mississippi & the Supreme Court
In 2018, then Governor Phil Bryant signed Mississippi’s 15 week abortion ban into law. Like the current Texas law, some exceptions for abortion are made for medical emergencies or “severe fetal abnormality.” However, the law does not make any exception in the cases of rape or incest. A federal judge in Mississippi struck down the law in November of 2018. Then the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in December of 2019.
After being rescheduled dozens of times, the Supreme Court has agreed to review the case during their next session. The Mississippi law directly impacts the ruling of Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion nationwide prior to viability, which can happen around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
If the conservative court is to rule in favor of the 15 week abortion ban, it is likely we will see many Republican states implementing laws challenging Roe v. Wade as well. Laws such as the Heartbeat Ban in Texas have the potential to become increasingly common with the Supreme Court not standing in the way. However, it is important to note that a ruling supporting the 15 week abortion ban would not simply make abortion illegal. It would however give states the ability to make their own rules regarding abortion.
Engagement Resources
- Learn more about Roe v Wade.
- Read more about what the Mississippi case could mean for Roe v. Wade.
- Contact Planned Parenthood for resources.
- Reach out to your senators and representatives to take action!
- To keep up to date on the latest health & gender policy news, SUBSCRIBE HERE!
Biden Administration Announces Intent to Expand US Immigration System
Brief # 124 – Immigration Policy
Biden Administration Announces Intent to Expand US Immigration System
By Kathryn Baron
June 3, 2021
Policy Summary
Recently, the Biden Administration announced its intent to expand the existing American immigration system. The administration’s goal is to reverse anti-immigration efforts from the Trump Administration that led to lower levels of foreign workers, families and refugees, and numerous procedural hurdles.
Biden seeks to allow more foreigners to move to the US, particularly high-skilled workers, victims of human trafficking, refugees and asylum seekers, farm workers, American Indians living in Canada, and families of Americans living abroad. He seeks to address the backlogs in the immigration system by expanding virtual interview and electronic filing capacities and restoring operations for foreign employers through H-1B visas (intended for special and high-skilled workers). Biden also intends to start a new citizenship program for individuals and foreign entrepreneurs who wish to start businesses and/or create jobs for American workers.
Additionally the administration intends to reboot the program (U-visas) that provides pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who help law enforcement by cooperating with policy and testifying in court when necessary. US immigration officials are working on regulations that would allow migrants to seek asylum if they are victims of domestic violence and/or have relatives who were persecuted. During the Trump Administration, Attorney General Barr attempted to end protections for these individuals.
Lastly, the Biden Administration hopes to expand immigration opportunities for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, especially LGBTQ+ refugees hailing from countries where same-sex marriage is banned and/or members of the LGBTQ+ are often persecuted and oppressed.
Analysis
Under Trump, the average time to approve an employer-sponsored green card doubled, there is an 80% backlog on applications dating back to 2014 (now hovering around 900,000 cases), and the average approval time for U-visa programs has gone from five months to five years. Conservative activists and policymakers vow to stop Biden’s plans to expand the US immigration system, as it would reverse their previous efforts to lower levels of immigration.
Engagement Resources
- The National Immigration Law Center: an organization that exclusively dedicates itself to defending and furthering the rights of low income immigrants and strives to educate decision makers on the impacts and effects of their policies on this overlooked part of the population.
- The ACLU: a non-profit with a longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the individual rights and liberties the Constitution and US laws guarantee all its citizens. You can also donate monthly to counter Trump’s attacks on people’s rights. Recently, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the separation of families at the border.
- Center for Disease Control: the CDC provides updated information surrounding COVID-19 and the US responses
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Through the Department of Homeland Security’s website, this link provides additional information regarding the Obama era program.
Democracy Now | The Lethal Nexus: Mass Shootings and Domestic Violence
The Lethal Nexus: Mass Shootings and Domestic Violence
Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan
June 3, 2021
You know the United States is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic when the pace of mass shootings gets back to “normal.” As of June 2nd, there were 244 mass shootings in the U.S. this year. That’s one to two per day. The place and time of the next of these horrific acts is unknown, but that one will happen is a certainty. Then another, and another. One consequence of the number of mass shootings in the U.S. is that we possess data related to the crimes, which show a correlation between mass shooters and domestic violence. A majority of the men who commit mass shootings (and men commit at least 97% of them) also have a history of domestic violence. That knowledge, along with sensible, fully-enforced gun control measures, could help stem the epidemic of mass shootings that blights our society, and save the lives of women threatened by intimate partner violence.
Early in the morning of May 26th, as workers at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail hub prepared trains for the morning commute, employee Samuel Cassidy, 57, arrived and within an hour embarked on a shooting rampage, killing nine of his coworkers before taking his own life. He had three pistols with him, as many as 32 magazines, at least some of which were illegal in California, and dozens more guns at home. The guns he used were all registered and purchased legally.
Cecilia Nelms, Cassidy’s ex-wife, told the New York Times that he said of his coworkers several times, “I wish I could kill them.” Nelms and Cassidy divorced in 2004 after 10 years of marriage, during which time Cassidy became increasingly given to fits of rage and uncontrollable anger with her. In 2009, Samuel Cassidy sought a restraining order against an ex-girlfriend. In her court filing rebutting his accusations, the ex-girlfriend detailed occasions when Cassidy raped her and other times when he attempted to do so. She described episodes of his alcohol-fueled mood swings and violent rages.
“The nexus between firearms violence and domestic violence is a particularly lethal one,” Julia Weber of the Giffords Law Center and an expert on domestic violence policy, said on the Democracy Now! news hour. “We have over a million women alive today in the United States who have been shot or shot at by male partners. We have 600 women a year, at least, who are killed by their intimate partners as a result of firearms violence. That’s one about every 14 hours or so.”
Giffords is the gun violence prevention organization co-founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in Tucson while meeting constituents in a shopping center parking lot on January 8th, 2011. She survived, with brain injuries that she continuously works to overcome. Six people were killed by the mass shooter that day, and twelve were injured.
Julia Weber described some of the actions that would help stop perpetrators of domestic violence from committing acts of mass violence: “Getting the firearms from someone who currently owns firearms and becomes prohibited. Ensuring that we have universal background checks, so that if someone who is prohibited attempts to purchase firearms or ammunition, they would be denied. We also need to do a much better job addressing misogyny and domestic violence from the start — recognizing that there’s real harm that occurs as a result of gender bias.”
A recent study from researchers at the University of Indianapolis found that “[m]ale abusers with guns who take the lives of their intimate partners are much more likely to take the lives of others at the same time.” The study also summarized earlier findings that “the presence of a firearm in the home has been shown to increase the risk of death in domestic violence situations as much as five-fold.”
In 2020, Bloomberg News published a study of 749 mass shootings, finding that 60% of those mass shootings were perpetrated during an act of domestic violence or by a man with a history of domestic violence. Bloomberg also found that mass shootings perpetrated by domestic abusers had a consistently higher body count.
The COVID-19 pandemic trapped countless women at home with their abusers, sparking increased calls to domestic abuse hotlines. There was also a surge in gun purchases. Small Arms Analytics reported that, in a country already awash with over 300 million guns, more than 26 million guns were sold in the U.S. in 2020.
Two necessary steps to stop mass shootings is to deny men who beat and abuse women at home the freedom they currently enjoy to buy and own guns, and to take violence against women seriously, strengthening the laws and institutions that protect them from their abusers.
——————-
Amy Goodman – Award-winning investigative journalist and syndicated columnist, author and host/executive producer of Democracy Now! www.democracynow.org
Denis Moynihan is a writer and radio producer who writes a weekly column with Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman.
One Hundred Years After the Destruction of Black Wall Street, the Community Still Suffers Economic Violence
Brief # 16: Social Justice
One Hundred Years After the Destruction of Black Wall Street, the Community Still Suffers Economic Violence
Rosalind Gottfried
May 31, 2021
Policy Summary:
On this Memorial Day it is time to remember the post-Civil War achievements of Black communities and the violence suffered to halt their progress. One hundred years ago today, the thriving Tulsa community known as Greenwood was incinerated by two days of riots, replete with arson firebombs, and dynamite dropped from airplanes above. The entire Black community was ravaged, leaving 300 dead, thousand homeless, and businesses permanently lost. Thirty five city blocks were razed in the riot and the ultimate cost to the community can never accurately be assessed.
The history was literally wiped out as police reports, news articles, and any other remnants of its existence disappeared. Many were unaware of the existence of the community until the 2019 Watchman HBO series dramatized it, re-introducing it to public consciousness. As a consequence, the Oklahoma school curriculum now covers the massacre. Other thriving Black communities developed in the early twentieth century including Durham, NC, Richmond VA, and Rosewood Florida; the latter also met with destruction.
The cause of the Tulsa massacre is debated; some attribute it to a young white woman’s assault by a Black teenager. However, the woman in question denied the assault and refused to be a foible for racist police actions, stating that she did not wish to be “used” in that way. Underlying reasons are likely more systemic; Black affluence threatened the white “ownership” of success or perhaps there were plans to run the railroad through the areas and the Black community just happened to be the desired corridor. Tulsa had a strong anti-Black, anti-Native American, Anti-Communist culture and shortly before the massacre a Jewish man was lynched and burned there.
Policy Analysis:
In communities like Greenwood, prosperity was not only stopped but regressed, possibly never to be recovered. Other historical acts have been perpetrated against citizens ranging from Native American “relocation” to the internment of Japanese during WWII. But persistent white economic hegemony has been prevalent and embedded into the country’s economic systems. It has been demonstrated that African Americans, and other people of color as well as immigrants, have been subjected to discrimination in student loans, real estate, farm loans, housing practices, pay scales, unionization and other related practices. A study just released showed that African American individuals were four times more likely to be evicted than their white counterparts by corporate landlords, even when holding constant the social class of the tenants and their communities. The time for discussion regarding these practices seems passed while the moment to institute reparations appears upon us.
Engagement Resources:
Documentaries of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre
Aid to Black Farmers Sparks Backlash
Brief # 117: The Environment
Aid to Black Farmers Sparks Backlash
Katherine Cart
May 31, 2021
Policy Summary:
Intentional social inclusivity is, once again, generating backlash and the vexed use of the word “all” is causing reaction to a highlighting and attempted remediation of historical discrimination. The March 2021 American Rescue Plan (ARPA) released by the Biden Administration included a $5 billion dollar package designated for the support of “socially disadvantaged farmers.” In the bill’s language these include Black, hispanic, indiginous and other nonwhite farmers.
As discussed previously, minority farmers have received significantly less aid than white farmers. This disparity is the unmistakable upshot of deeply entrenched racism within the systems of the USDA and its many local farm offices, generally staffed by white county officials. The Aid package seeks to uproot such racist establishments, find equilibrium in farming aid – in part by attempting to assuage with financial support the long-standing, disproportionate financial burden minority farmers have hoisted.
Aid release and the relieving of large scale farm loans for minority farmers began within the spring months of 2021. Now, as the federal government takes monetary steps to amend centuries of social injustice within farming communities, some white farmers are retorting to the shifting balance of aid distribution (in a year of great and universal need) and espousing such slogans as “All Farmers Matter,” the phraseology of which , in 2021, is remarkably familiar.
Disregarding the specific intent of the $5 billion aid package to remediate past established racial discrimination, one group of five white Midwestern farmers have filed a lawsuit against the USDA. The lawsuit stresses the exclusion of white farmers from the farm aid bill. The lawsuit repeats, in detailing each of the five plaintiffs, “[plaintiff] has three 4 direct loans with FSA and would otherwise be eligible for the loan-forgiveness program in Section 1005 of ARPA, except that he is white.” The plaintiffs are dairy, cattle, corn and other major crop farmers of significant acreage. They seek no specific aid or inclusion within the ARPA, but only to legally conclude that the ARPA’s exclusion of white farmers from loan forgiveness and other aid is unconstitutional.
Policy Analysis:
Racially discriminatory practices within the USDA are notorious. A 1990 House Committee on Government Operations report describes entrenched racism and sexism within USDA loan programs; in 1997 the USDA released a Civil Rights report detailing the agency’s discriminatory practices; the 1999 Pigford v. Glickman settlement allows Black farmers to apply for $50,000 cash awards, but the convolutions of application process and lack of awareness exclude many farmers; an additional $1.2 billion was appropriated by Congress in 2010 for Pigford II. All this (though multitudes of injustices and legal confirmations of injustices are left unmentioned) to say that the USDA’s systematic, injurious discriminatory policies have long been confirmed. Their history and persistence is established and undebatable. In an opening statement to the House Committee of Agriculture in March 2021, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack affirmed that “the [USDA’s] history of systemic discrimination against Black farmers has been well-documented.”
The fair inclusion of historically excluded, underrepresented groups has sparked a linguistic backlash.. The Black Lives Matter movement inspired such idioms as: All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter. The language of inclusion is precarious; one should not need to say “black lives matter, too,” or “black farmers matter, too,” in an effort to include those majority groups who have long enjoyed the larger handout. Indeed, groups who have for so long enjoyed sustained federal and social support that that aid can be taken for granted. The plaintiffs and their peers, decrying alleged reverse racism, now say with the submission of the lawsuit that All Farmers Matter. Which is not untrue, but disregards the direct purpose of the ARPA’s farm aid package to attempt to level a playing field long unbalanced by federal practices.
USDA has begun a review of the complaint. The lawsuit may solely serve as means to give prominence to the debate of what qualifies as discrimination paralleled in so many sectors as of late. Across the country, outside of government offices and courts, the conversation continues.
Engagement Resources:
Congressional Research Service. (2013, May 29). The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers. EveryCRSReport.com. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RS20430.html.
Civil Rights at the United States Department of Agriculture: A Report by the Civil ACtion Team February 1997 Retrieved May 28 from: https://static.ewg.org/reports/2021/BlackFarmerDiscriminationTimeline/1997-crat-report.pdf?_ga=2.45691367.2133131730.1622112124-1993943889.1622112124.
House Committee on Government Operations Report 1990 Retrieved May 27 from: https://static.ewg.org/reports/2021/BlackFarmerDiscriminationTimeline/1990_House-Report.pdf?_ga=2.107737537.2133131730.1622112124-1993943889.1622112124.
Faust V. Vilsack 2021 Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Retrieved May 27 from: https://will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Vilsack-Draft-complaint-v12.pdf.
Opening Statement of Thomas J. Vilsack Before the House Committee on Agriculture – Remarks as Prepared. USDA. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 May from: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/03/25/opening-statement-thomas-j-vilsack-house-committee-agriculture.
Criminal Charges Levied Against the Former President
Brief # 20 – Elections and Politics
Criminal Charges Levied Against the Former President
Zack Huffman
May 31, 2021
Policy Summary:
For four years, President Donald Trump was able to use his position as Commander in Chief to shield himself from legal action for alleged crimes committed both during and before his time in office. Four months out from President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Trump is starting to feel the burn of no longer having the presidential shield to protect him.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on May 18, that her office was now pursuing a criminal investigation into the Trump Organization. Previously, James’ office had been pursuing a civil investigation into allegations that the Trump Organization, which owns Donald Trump’s many real estate properties, had either inflated or deflated the value of its properties in order to obtain loans or avoid taxes, respectively.
While it is significant that a state attorney general is now criminally investigating the former president, James is not the only prosecutor seeking criminal charges against him.
Policy Analysis:
Criminal charges require a higher burden of proof in court, but they also carry more severe penalties, such as a prison time. Expanding the investigation to include possible criminal charges indicates that James’ office believes it may have enough evidence, or may be able to obtain enough evidence to meet the stricter criminal standard.
The New York AG had already been conducting a civil investigation into the former president’s company, based on suspicion that the company inflated the value of its assets in order to obtain large loans against them, while at the same time undervaluing the same property and claiming income losses to avoid having to pay a fair share of taxes.
James’ move indicates that she may be working with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who has been investigating criminal charges into the Trump Organization for two years now, allegations that the Trump Organization paid hush money to women with whom Trump slept, including adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Vance’s investigation has expanded to the Trump Organization’s alleged tax shenanigans as well as fraud related to the actual value of assets used as collateral for bank loans. Earlier this year, Vance’s office finally obtained years of Trump’s tax records, after a lengthy legal fight that went as far as the Supreme Court of the United States before Trump ultimately lost.
Vance recently announced, on May 25, that his office had convened a grand jury, which indicates that Vance believes his office has enough evidence to make formal criminal charges.
Both James and Vance are also investigating former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg for tax fraud both personally and in his role as Trump’s CFO. There is a possibility that if either prosecutor comes down hard enough on Weisselberg, they might be able to flip him and turn witness against Trump, similar to what happened in 2018 with Trump’s former lawyer-turned-convict, Michael Cohen.
Fulton County’s District Attorney Fani Willis, who represents most of Atlanta, Georgia, announced on March 15 that she was opening a criminal investigation of Trump, himself, over his allegedly attempting to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find more votes” to overturn his electoral loss in the Peach State.
Unlike the investigations in New York, the Georgia case focuses on actions that took place during Trump’s presidency rather than before he took office.
Trump dismissed the shift to a criminal investigation in New York as a partisan attack against him in a rant on the blog he introduced following his permanent ban from Twitter.
“This is purely political, and an affront to the almost 75 million voters who supported me in the Presidential Election, and it’s being driven by highly partisan Democrat prosecutors,” he wrote.
The last four years should have taught us that Trump, the country’s only twice-impeached president, has a bad habit for surviving when it appears that the legal walls are closing in. That said, on paper, there is good reason for Trump to not be too optimistic.
Engagement Resources:
CNN: New York attorney general adds ‘criminal capacity’ to probe of Trump Organization. https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/18/politics/new-york-attorney-general-trump-organization-criminal-probe/index.html
Associated Press: Trump’s taxes in hand, Manhattan DA’s probe heats up. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-taxes-new-york-prosecutors-investigation-218987d4dbac510158c35d5850f5e492
Slate: How N.Y. Prosecutors Might Get a Key Witness to Flip on Trump. Jennifer Rodgers, Martin Sheil. 5/26/21. accessed on 5/26/21. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/05/vance-grand-jury-weisselberg-trump-flip.html
Mother Jones: Emails Tie Top Trump Exec Allen Weisselberg to Yet Another Trump Financial Scandal
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Fulton DA’s investigation into Trump heads to grand jury. https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/fulton-das-investigation-into-trump-heads-to-grand-jury/GI6UQWVVLJGCPMCCBKDES5FJ4Y/
From the Desk of Donald J. Trump. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/desk
Republicans Introducing State Bills, Restricting the Citizen Ballot Initiative and Popular Referendum Process
Brief # 163: Civil Rights
Republicans Introducing State Bills, Restricting the Citizen Ballot Initiative and Popular Referendum Process
Rodney A. Maggay
May 31, 2021
Policy Summary:
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Populist and Labor Movements in the United States helped usher in reforms, such as referendums and initiatives, that paved the way for direct democracy mechanisms to be implemented in a number of states.
The referendum allows a ballot measure to be placed, with a minimum number of signatures, on the voting ballot for the citizens of a state to vote whether to repeal or keep a state law. Initiatives are measures which permit, with a minimum number of signatures, an issue to be placed on a future ballot to be voted on by the citizens of the state. Initiatives vary by state with some allowing for initiatives only for state constitutional amendments or for state statutes (some states permit the initiative for both) while some permit the initiative to be placed on the ballot if the state legislature does not pass the measure. The purpose of these initiatives is to give citizens a way to directly suggest and approve constitutional amendments or new state laws that might otherwise not be considered at all by unresponsive state legislators. While the details vary, every state now has some form of initiative and referendum process that permits citizens to approve or deny new amendments and new state laws.
In Arizona, Republican state representative Tim Dunn introduced a resolution that sought to increase the threshold for a ballot initiative to pass from a majority to 55% of the vote. In Mississippi last week, the state Supreme Court completely invalidated the entire state ballot initiative process in a case involving the state medical marijuana program. Gov. DeSantis of Florida recently signed legislation that limits the amount of contributions a person may make to a ballot initiative campaign among other technical requirements, such as limiting how many signatures can appear on a single sheet of paper. In South Dakota, Republicans limited the time period to collect signatures to cold winter months and required that canvassers could only wear state issued identification when collecting signatures. And finally in Missouri, Republicans sponsored bills that increased the number of signatures required to qualify for the ballot and increased the threshold for a ballot initiative to be approved, up from a majority to two – thirds of votes cast for a ballot initiative. LEARN MORE
Policy Analysis:
The initiative and referendum process has been around since the beginning of the twentieth century in the U.S. and is an important tool for citizens to participate directly in a democracy. When state legislators are unresponsive or slow to act on the desire of their constituents and the entire electorate the ability to put issues up for direct approval or not by citizens has proven to be a valued tool. The initiative has been used for both sides of issues ranging from minimum wage, medical marijuana and gun rights. In California, two of the most famous propositions included Proposition 8 in 2008 which banned same – sex marriages (before being overturned later) and Proposition 13 in 1978 which capped property tax rates in the state. So why are Republicans introducing bills to restrict the initiative and referendum laws in their states?
The easiest and most logical answer is because Republicans and conservatives are trying to stem certain policies that are popular with young and progressive voters. These are policies that are sweeping the nation and conservatives are starting to acknowledge that many, likely a majority of citizens, support these policies that are in opposition to traditional Republican and conservative social policies. State legislators can no longer ignore citizens by refusing to bring issues for a vote in their legislative chamber. Increasing the minimum wage has long been a desired Democratic policy so instead of waiting for something to happen in a traditionally red state the initiative has been a way to connect with voters who might be open to supporting the issue. Marijuana is no longer seen as a dangerous drug but something that has medicinal benefits. But older, conservative voters are still opposed to the issue and so the ballot initiative is a way to directly appeal to voters who are slowly coming around to acceptance of medical marijuana.
While Mississippi in a state supreme court ruling completely took down their state’s initiative and referendum process, the restrictions and limitations in other states illustrate that those states are simply trying to make it harder to place issues on the ballot for no conceivable reason. There have been no instances of fraud. Limiting contributions serves no purpose whatsoever. Nor does increasing the number of signatures or the threshold number of votes to pass on the ballot. What this trend shows is that Republicans and conservatives are simply trying to cut off an avenue for innovative new proposals that they disagree with to pass. Citizens have been using the initiative and the referendum process for more than a century now and there have rarely, if ever, been problems. It is only when important issues have widespread support do these state bills limiting the use of the initiative and referendum process start to appear in state legislatures around the country. For the Republicans to offer anti – initiative and referendum bills at the same time they are offering voter suppression bills sends a mixed message about Republicans and if they truly stand for the democratic process. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
Engagement Resources:
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) – breakdown of the initiative and referendums available by states.
Ballot Initiative and Strategy Center (BISC) – webpage of center working to utilize ballot initiatives to energize minority communities and a new progressive base.
_____________
This brief was compiled by Rod Maggay. If you have comments or want to add the name of your organization to this brief, please contact Rod@USResistnews.org.
The Republican Party: Who’s Up Next?
Brief # 19 – Elections and Politics
The Republican Party: Who’s Up Next?
By William Borque
May 26, 2021
With President Biden now leading this country, many analysts shifted their attention to the 2024 presidential election, where Republicans will once again have a chance to bring the balance of power back to their side of the aisle. The question, however, is who they will choose to lead their party in a key time that will decide the direction of the party for decades to come. Some suggest that they should re-nominate President Trump in an effort to revitalize his political and historical image after the tumultuous end to his presidency. Others suggest his son, Donald Trump Jr, a similarly polarizing and loud-mouthed public figure. Yet another suggestion, along the same vein, is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a well known Trump supporter and ardent conservative. DeSantis is seen as the favorite to secure the nomination, but there are still plenty of others who may sneak into the picture in the coming months and years.
Ron DeSantis: +150
Ron DeSantis is one of America’s most recognizable governors, which may do him as much harm as good if he ends up running for the highest office in our nation. His pandemic response was nothing short of a disaster, much like the rest of our country, and Florida quickly became a hotbed for anti-mask demonstrations during this long pandemic. However, with life slowly returning to normal, pandemic response is less and less important to voters, who may instead focus on Florida’s quick opening as opposed t0 the lives lost due to the DeSantis’s poor decision-making. Many Republicans see DeSantis as a similar politician to Trump, who attracts large and raucous crowds with aggressive behavior and rhetoric. We think DeSantis is most likely to be the nominee, but an upset in his upcoming 2022 gubernatorial race may knock him down a few pegs before he can take a step to the presidency.
Donald J. Trump +250
President Trump is still one of the favorites to be the republican nominee because of his immense donor base and his still-loyal supporters. Of course, many aren’t certain that Trump’s can withstand another presidency, as his scandal-filled past almost led to him becoming the first President to be removed from office. If his party can re-unify and his supporters don’t move on, he could be a formidable opponent yet again. However, it is worth noting that his age may become a factor, especially if running against a much younger slate of opponents. Regardless, the former President will be hard to beat within the republican party, which makes him a favorite to attempt to take back his post at the helm of the GOP.
Donald Trump Jr +600
Don Jr, as many supporters affectionally call him, is as much a politician as his father. His career has all been essentially handed to him on a silver platter, like his father before him. Many Trump supporters would gladly support the eldest of the Trump children, and many republicans would be glad to support him if it meant staying in favor with their party. Additionally, Trump could use much of his father’ s money and immense donor base, which could give him a head start on what looks to be a stacked ticket for the Republican nomination. Finally, it is worth noting that Don Jr is a very good speaker and has the same ability as his father to rile up a crowd, which comes in handy when campaigning. We think that Jr has an outside shot at the nomination, and we place his odds at +600.
Mike Pence +450
Former Vice-President Pence was seen as the quiet, subdued arm of the executive branch during his time there, which was something that many non-Trump supporting republicans respected. Pence may have stunted his chances slightly by not taking a stronger stand against the January 6th insurrection, but most folks won’t take that into account when choosing a nominee. Pence has a long track record of being a staunch conservative, with lots of his focus being on abortion and taking away the right for women to choose. If chosen as the nominee, I suspect that Pence would select a figure closer to Trump as his running mate, perhaps Eric or Don Jr, to confirm to Trump-conservatives that he plans on continuing their legislative plans. However, he lacks the charisma and energy that Trump radiated on the campaign trail, which makes us feel as though he might not be suited for another long and arduous campaign. We place his odds of becoming the Republican nominee at +450.
Nikki Haley +500
Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations, is another favorite to seek the Republican nomination. Haley, who served under Trump, was more critical of him than many in the administration, which means she could capture both Trump-supporting conservatives as well as those who opposed him. Haley resigned as ambassador to the UN in December 2018 following a series of allegations that were proven false. Haley ran for the 2016 nomination against Trump and was an ardent supporter of Marco Rubio after she dropped out. Many sources think that she has the infrastructure to run a hard campaign, and with South Carolina being a key presidential state, Haley could be involved in the Republican ticket as a VP candidate if she doesn’t scoop up the nomination herself. Haley is a strong traditional conservative and would send a clear indication that the party wishes to move in another direction if she is picked as the nominee. We place her odds
The Complex US Relationship with Taiwan
Brief # 114 Foreign Policy
The Complex US Relationship with Taiwan
By Will Solomon
May 26, 2021
Policy Summary:
For the last several weeks, the world’s focus has rightfully been on the horrific, American-backed Israeli assault on Gaza. Even as a ceasefire (hopefully) takes hold in that region, events continue to unfold elsewhere on the planet. One potential flashpoint remains the island of Taiwan.
The history of modern Taiwan is complex, and essentially begins with the Republic of China’s retreat to the island, in 1949, after effective defeat on the mainland by Mao Zedong and the People’s Liberation Army. The legal status of Taiwan (and the People’s Republic of China) has since been complex, and shifting. At this point, most states have some level of diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but stop short of full recognition. China does not recognize Taiwan as independent, per its “One-China policy,” and Taiwan typically has a limited status in international institutions.
But functionally Taiwan is independent, maintaining its own government and military, and its primary defense partner is the United States. Taiwan’s independence has led to a robust economy and, since the 1990s, an essentially democratic political system. Though struggling recently, for much of the last year Taiwan had one of the world’s best responses to COVID-19.
However, tensions around Taiwan have significantly grown over the last decade, as it is squeezed by a rising China and the United States’ “pivot to Asia.” There is widespread concern of potential military conflict around Taiwan, and regardless of whether a full-on war breaks out, the island remains one of the most contentious diplomatic hot-spots in the world.
Analysis:
The American relationship with Taiwan has changed substantially over time. While from 1955 to 1980 the US maintained an explicit defensive pact with the island, this was abrogated by the 1979 American normalization of relations with China. Still, the US continues to be a major booster of Taiwan, and sells the island significant armaments.
Taiwan plays a highly important economic role in the world today. It is the world’s leading manufacturer of semiconductors, an essential component in most advanced electronics (and, notably, one affected by climate change and issues of water use). Taiwan also has significant manufacturing and agricultural industries.
Increasingly, China has made aggressive gestures around Taiwan, routinely violating its airspace, probing its defenses, and asserting claims in the South China Sea. China claims Taiwan as part of the country, and its recent assertion of something like direct rule in Hong Kong serves as a potential harbinger—albeit on a smaller scale—of ending the status quo with respect to Taiwan. And conflict has happened before; there have been three Taiwan Strait Crises, and with so much military in the region now (the US also continues to send warships through the Taiwan Strait) it may happen again.
Consequently, China is increasingly a major topic of interest in US domestic political discourse, and “China hawks” in the US are increasingly vocal about the need to defend the island. Trump was characteristically undiplomatic, taking a direct phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, a violation of typical US-China norms. If more tactful, Biden has essentially taken the same view, in keeping with his aggressive posture towards China. As noted, the US continues to deploy warships to the area, and has conducted training exercises with the Taiwanese military, both actions seen as offensive by China.
Ultimately, the complexity of this conflict suggests the US take a nuanced posture. Anti-war voices are absolutely correct that a war with China would be devastating—for all involved, especially the Taiwanese people. Moreover, rising tensions with China are having ugly domestic political ramifications, contributing to the rise of anti-Asian racism in the US.
But it’s also important to recognize that many feel the threat of war is overblown, and that much of the impetus for the “pivot to Asia,” and obsession around the defense of Taiwan, is to boost domestic military spending, and give lucrative contracts to weapons manufacturers. It is difficult to deny the truth of this, particularly as the American defense budget steadily balloons and dwarfs up to the next 10 largest countries’ budgets, combined.
Ultimately, the US should probably treat Taiwan as a sensitive issue in an American-Chinese relationship that is more complex than the one island. Other issues—particularly joint American-Chinese efforts to mitigate climate change, and to ensure a reliable vaccine supply for the entire world, as well as address future pandemics—should take the front seat. Taiwan’s independence is important, but the US need not purposelessly antagonize China—to little effect, aside from increasing regional tensions—and should instead stay focused on behaving strategically, and working to address vital and immediate issues in the world today.
Engagement Resources:
https://quincyinst.org — “The Quincy Institute is an action-oriented think tank that will lay the foundation for a new foreign policy centered on diplomatic engagement and military restraint. The current moment presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring together like-minded progressives and conservatives and set U.S. foreign policy on a sensible and humane footing.”
https://www.democracynow.org — “Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues.”
https://tomdispatch.com — “TomDispatch [regularly publishes] three original articles weekly on subjects ranging from the American way of war and this country’s ‘forever wars’ to economic inequality to the climate crisis.”