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Biden Administration Enables Task Force to Reunite Immigrant Families Separated during Trump Administration
Brief #123—Immigration
By Kathryn Baron
The Department of Homeland Security will establish a Family Reunification Task Force with the mandate of reuniting families who were separated during the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy. The Task Force will be led by Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, and involve substantial interagency coordination with the Department of Justice (settlement negotiation efforts), the Department of State (system for processing in-country requests for travel documents to enter the US), and the Department of Health and Human Services (facilitate services and support for effected families). The Task Force is expected to deliver a progress report by June 2, 2021.
After Intense Pressure Biden Raises Refugee Cap from Historically Low Trump Administration Figures
Brief #122—Immigration
By Kathryn Baron
Under the Trump Administration, the US held a historically low refugee cap of 15,000. On the campaign trail President Biden vowed to increase the limit for this fiscal year to 62,500 and ideally, to 125,000 for the following year. Biden emphasized the low Trump-era cap did not accurately depict America’s values as a “nation that welcomes and supports refugees.”
Trump’s Comically Bad Communications Platform and the Power of Engagement and Deplatforming
Brief #47—Technology
By Scout Burchill
After four months of radio silence, former president Donald Trump is back in the social media game, sort of. After hyping a return on a platform of his own, Trump finally launched a new section on his website called From the Desk of Donald J. Trump, touting it as “a place to speak freely and safely.” Billed as a “communication platform,” the new feature on his website is basically a micro-blog that Trump uses to post messages in his trademark Twitter style.
The sobering reality of a post-carbon world starts with lithium
Brief #116—Environment
By Todd Broadman
The Biden Administration has recognized what previous administrations have not: that carbon-based energy has been destroying our planet and must stop, that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to net zero by 2050. Recognition is a major step forward. Government action to replace our fossil fuel economy with renewables is a colossal task and one that Biden aims to tackle.
What we know is that carbon-free energy is actually more mineral intensive than its oil-based counterpart. There are some 35 rare earth minerals that are key components to making the transition from fossil-fuels to clean energy. Lithium has recently garnered much attention for its essential role in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power our next generation of EV cars. (Other essential minerals include aluminum, cobalt, copper, and nickel).
The April Jobs Report Contains Mixed Messages
Brief #116—Economics
By Rosalind Gottfried
The April reports showed that unemployment was 6.1%, up from 6% the previous month. There were 266,000 new jobs; a figure that fell short of the anticipated one million new jobs. This was on top of revised job estimates for March, which were down to 770,000 from earlier estimate of 916,000. The portion of the labor force teleworking went down from 21% in March to 18.3% for April. Unemployment went up among black workers; at 9.7% they were the only group to undergo an increase in unemployment. White unemployment was at 5.3%, indicating the duality of the job market on the basis of race. Women dropped out of the labor force, bending to the pressures of home and child care, with 165,000 leaving the workforce.
Facebook’s Oversight Board Upholds Trump Ban but Criticizes Indefinite Punish-ment
Brief #46—Technology
By Scout Burchill
On Wednesday, May 5th, Facebook’s Oversight Board issued its much anticipated ruling on the social media platform’s indefinite ban of former President Donald Trump for his posts following the January 6th riots at the Capitol. After a week-long delay due to over 9,000 public comments on the case, the Oversight Board decided to uphold Facebook’s initial decision to suspend Trump.
However, in the nearly 12,000 word ruling, the Board made absolutely clear that the indefinite suspension is “not appropriate” as it constitutes an “indeterminate and standardless penalty.” On this issue, the Board did not mince words in reprimanding Facebook’s arbitrary punishment. The Board wrote, “in applying a vague, standardless penalty and then referring this case to the Board to resolve, Facebook seeks to avoid its responsibilities.”
The Biden Administration Struggles to Find a Response to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Brief #111—Foreign Policy
By Reilly Fitzgerald
The Biden-Harris Administration has made it very clear throughout their first several months in the White House that their Middle East policy will be a divergence from the one that the Trump Administration had imposed throughout their term. The Trump White House’s Middle East policy was one of aggression and this was exhibited by assassinating Iranian officials, pulling out of the JCPOA (‘Iran nuclear deal’), consistently backing Israel, moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and other major decisions.
Earlier this week, Israeli and Palestinian tensions reached a high point as Palestinian militants (backed by Hamas) fired rockets into Israel. Israel has responded with violence as well and has killed numerous Palestinians. President Biden’s administration has said that it will maintain its support of a two-state solution; however, they did also express their support for Israel to be able to defend itself from attacks.
Lessons for the US from Colombia’s Universal Basic Income Program
Brief #111—Foreign Policy
By Brandon Mooney
This week, as center-left Democrats and some of America has begun to discuss universal basic income (UBI) and what welfare programs will look like in the post-pandemic future, I thought that we could look to the recent protests that rocked Colombia for an example of what not to do. For those who don’t know, UBI is a state-funded social program where a decided amount of money is sent to all citizens within a designated population group without the condition of a certain employment status or other test. Basically, it’s a regular check from the government to everyone within a selected population. Supporters of UBI have been calling for its adoption across the world as the pandemic has sparked mass unemployment, limited job growth, and tanked economies.
Congressional Representation and Electoral Votes Don’t Change Much in the 2020 Census Totals
Civil Rights; Congressional Representation and Electoral Votes Don’t Change Much in the 2020 Census Totals; May 2021 Policy Summary: In 1929, Congress passed the Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929. After battles between rural and urban factions in Congress, the act...
Privacy Under Attack: The Challenge of Data Commoditization in The Biden Era
Brief #32 – Technology
By Charles A. Rubin
Privacy Under Attack: The Challenge of Data Commoditization in The Biden Era
January 26, 2021
Policy Summary
The US Defense Intelligence Agency and other government entities routinely collect cell phone location data on US residents without a warrant, according to a memo reported by The New York Times on Friday January 22, 2021. The agencies buy the information on the open market from data brokers, who often get it from third-party apps running on users’ phones.
The practice reveals how intelligence agencies and potentially local law enforcement departments can track US residents without warrants despite a 2018 US Supreme Court decision that ruled warrants are necessary for the practice. Known as the Carpenter decision, the ruling held that the Fourth Amendment requires investigators to clear a higher bar before accessing data that can create a timeline of a person’s every movement.
Analysis
Our mobile devices provide us with tremendous utility in navigating unfamiliar terrain, finding missing devices, keeping tabs on our kids and locating the nearest gas station. They also harvest a tremendous amount of information about where we have been and how long we’ve been there. This is information that we freely share when we agree to an application’s terms of service. What we are likely not aware of is that the app providers often sell this information to brokers and that there is a lively, lucrative and largely unregulated market for this information.
The European Union in its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and several US States including California and Vermont have attempted to bring some transparency to the collection of user data but the fragmented nature of the US response to date has left the consumer with a confusing path to determine what information is shared and how widespread is the sharing. Purging this data is nearly impossible.
Federal privacy legislation was not necessarily a priority for the Trump administration and there is hope that the Biden team will give it the full attention it deserves. On Monday January 18, 202, Reuters reported that 40 advocacy groups sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling for a renewed focus on consumer privacy. A coalition of 11 groups urged Biden to create an independent U.S. data protection authority and commit to a federal privacy law within his first 100 days in office.
While we remain hopeful that the new administration will take steps to address this issue, for now, the consumer should be wary, familiarize themselves with the terms of service they have agreed to and shun those services whose practices seem unethical.
Engagement Resources
- The Pew Research Center has compiled a report – Americans’ Views About Data Collection and Security
- The National Conference of State Legislatures has worked to draft laws on the local level to address this issue.
- The International Association of Privacy Professionals is the largest and most comprehensive global information privacy community and resource. Founded in 2000, the IAPP is a not-for-profit organization that helps define, promote and improve the privacy profession globally.
- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation focuses on a host of critical issues at the intersection of technological innovation and public policy
Do We Need a Domestic Terrorism Law?
Brief # 5 Social Justice
Do We Need a Domestic Terrorism Law?
By Zack Huffman
January 25, 2021
President Joe Biden said that among his first priorities in office will be to pass a domestic terrorism law.
Renewed interest in anti-terrorism legislation comes after frenzied attendees from President Donald Trump’s January 6 rally in Washington DC, rioted at the Capitol while Congress was confirming the electoral votes from last November’s election. The insurrectionist crowd breached the capital, with so-called protesters breaking into legislators’ offices and ransacking the building.
Federal agents have since arrested dozens in the days after the riot. Charges against those arrested range from disorderly conduct and violent entry to making interstate threats and illegal possession of firearms. None have been charged with domestic terrorism. In fact the perpetrators of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing as well as any of the suspects in the string of politically-motivated mass shootings from the last decade were not charged with domestic terrorism, because it is not technically a separate offense.
Rather than a specific crime, domestic terrorism as a legal definition is a designation that allows enhanced investigation and surveillance measures of crimes such as murder, mass destruction and kidnapping. The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic offenses, such as the violent crimes listed above.
Analysis
President Biden co-authored the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995 which was intended to increase the federal government’s ability to prosecute international terrorism. The bill died before it could be voted on amid concerns from civil liberties groups. Key portions of that bill were later included in the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Biden bragged to the New Republic in 2001 that the then-pending USA PATRIOT Act borrowed from his own legislative work, so he already had experience on the issue even before he spent 8 years as vice president.
U.S. rep. Adam Schiff introduced legislation in 2019 that would have made domestic terrorism a specific crime. The law would have established domestic terrorism as a separate criminal charge for offenses that already carried stiff federal consequences. The new crimes would require prosecutors to prove political intent behind violent crimes, and those charges would have to be personally approved by the Attorney General or an acting equivalent.
Schiff’s bill failed to pass Congress – again, amid concerns from civil liberties groups. A report from the John Brennan Center for Justice criticized existing anti-terrorism laws, along with any new proposed terrorism laws, based on concerns over selective enforcement. For example, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Justice Department primarily targeted Muslims and Muslim organizations. Later the Justice Department focused its anti-terrorism efforts on animal rights, peace and social justice activism. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has failed to identify white supremacist mass shootings in Charleston, Pittsburgh and El Paso between 2015 and 2019 as acts of domestic terrorism.
Even if a version of Schiff’s bill were to be passed, it would have to be applied retro-actively against the rioters who forced their way into the Capitol. As it stands, the various participants that have already been arrested face sedition charges on top of trespassing, assault, destruction, theft or which ever other crime they committed in the Capitol.
Biden could also face opposition from members of his own party on the issue of domestic terrorism. US rep. Rashida Tlaib released an open letter, that was signed by nine other members of congress, pledging to oppose any expansion of “domestic national security or surveillance powers.” The legislatures cited COINTELPRO, a now-defunct FBI program that targeted civil rights and anti-war activism in the 1960s and 1970s, and the modern targeting of Black Lives Matter activists, among the federal government’s past abuses of authority.
“The Justice Department has a history of minimizing far-right violence while aggressively targeting minority activists and far-left protest movements,” said the report. Historically, this has been the case in the United States, as evidenced by the results of the Church Commission
Following the Watergate scandal, Democrats created a congressional committee, chaired in the House by rep. Frank Church, to investigate intelligence gathering agencies that spied on protest movements during the 1960s and 1970s. The Church Committee, which started its work in 1975, found that the CIA and the FBI had used mass wiretapping with the latter group starting a program called COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) that infiltrated and disrupted numerous political organizations. The covert work originally targeted the Ku Klux Klan, after three civil rights workers disappeared in Mississippi in 1964. A few years later the FBI switched its attention to the rising civil rights and black nationalist movements as well as anti-war activists and the New Left, as detailed in the Committee’s report on Intelligence of Activities and The Rights of America.
“It has demonstrated that intelligence activities have not generally been governed and controlled in accord with the fundamental principles of our constitutional system of government,” wrote Church in the report’s preface.
More recently, the federal government used similar monitoring and infiltration efforts against environmental and animal rights activists in the early 2000s during the George W. Bush administration.
For example, environmentalists Eric McDavid, Lauren Weiner and Zachary Jenson were all arrested for an alleged plot to damage or destroy the Nimbus Dam in California after a federal informant using the name “Anna,” seduced McDavid and coerced the trio to attempt the destructive scheme. Such instances will likely be brought up again by those who are wary of expanded anti-terrorism powers for the federal government.
“While we are not necessarily opposed to reforms to address the law enforcement and intelligence communities’ inability or unwillingness to seriously confront domestic white nationalist violence, we firmly believe that the national security and surveillance powers of the U.S. government are already too broad, undefined, and unaccountable to the people,” wrote Tlaib.
Learn More
Thomas, Ken and Sabrina Siddiqui. Jan. 7. 2021. Biden Says Rioters Who Stormed Capitol Were Domestic Terrorists. https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-says-mob-that-stormed-capitol-were-domestic-terrorists-11610046962
Thirteen Charged in Federal Court Following Riot at the United States Capitol
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/thirteen-charged-federal-court-following-riot-united-states-capitol
Crowley, Michael. Oct. 22. 2001. Rhetorical Question. https://newrepublic.com/article/61756/rhetorical-question
The Church Committee report on Intelligence of Activities and The Rights of America
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/94755_II.pdf
German, Michael and Sara Robinson.
Oct. 31, 2018. Wrong Priorities on Fighting Terrorism. https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2019-08/Report_Wrong_Priorities_Terrorism.pdf
Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s open letter
https://tlaib.house.gov/sites/tlaib.house.gov/files/NationalSecurityOpp.pdf
Aaronson, Trevor and Katie Galloway. Nov. 19, 2015. Manufacturing Terror.
State and Local Jurisdictions Need Federal Aid to Be Viable
Economic Policy
Brief #106
State and Local Jurisdictions Need Federal Aid to Be Viable
Rosalind Gottfried
January 25, 2021
Policy
State and local government budgets provide the bread and butter of fiscal life and, because of the pandemic costs, require a federal infusion of aid to accomplish maintenance of essential services. State and local governments provide major funding for infrastructure, services, and education. They outspend the federal government on goods and services and account for 15% of the GDP. They contribute more than 90% of the moneys for education and 80% of transportation spending. State Medicaid costs have been on the rise, especially in Republican states that did not take advantage of federal extensions of benefits to states. State and local entities employ more people than domestic manufacturing and and have lost 1.3 million jobs since March, representing the smallest workforce since 2001. These are budgetary elements which impact the availability of goods and services which contribute to quality of life, such as police, fire, and waste services.
Fiscal shortfalls are projected at 172-308 billion dollars through July 2022 and are expected to reach 450 billion dollars in three years. This is after considering the utilization of state rainy day funds ranging from 72-119 billion dollars (estimates vary by sources). The situation has been deteriorating with the lengthening pandemic shut downs and is more severe in localities that have not fully recovered from the Great Recession.
Revenue has been reduced as a result of the pandemic related unemployment, shuttered businesses, and healthcare expenses. Tax revenues from March to October were down by 4.1% from the previous year, with corporate tax down 6.7%; sales tax down 3.8%; and personal income tax down 2.7%. Some states fared better than others due to high income workers earning at home and to stock market earnings. In the second quarter of 2020, State and local spending was down 6%, the biggest drop since 1952. In the third quarter, spending dropped by an additional 4%.
Analysis
Generally, the two approaches to budget constraints are to cut spending and/or increase revenues. In the Great recession both strategies were utilized. In today’s pandemic neither of these scenarios seems feasible since there is still high unemployment and measures to help low and middle income people hold onto more fluidity are antithetical to raising taxes.
State and local budgets have two aspects. The first is the operating budget which pays out for salaries, services, and maintenance needs such as minor infrastructure repairs and is funded by annual revenues. The second is the Capital Budget which invests in major projects and is largely funded by long term mechanisms such as bonds. Local budgets can be supported by chapter 9 bankruptcy laws not available to the states. States, by law must operate with balanced budgets (except in Vermont). As states work through their revenue shortfalls and accrued rainy day funds they are facing deep cuts in services which they can ill afford. The federal government must step in if the quality life is not to sink more dramatically that is has in the past ten months, especially in the areas of education and health care.
In the CARES act of the early pandemic, state and localities received an infusion of 150 billion dollars, and the persisting conditions are promising to create ever larger budgetary gaps. Biden’s current stimulus plan includes an infusion of 350 billion dollars for states and localities and 400 billion in pandemic relief which includes money to schools. It would seem there is not time like the present to pass this plan.
Learn More
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/19/politics/state-local-government-congress-relief/index.html
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/how-covid-19-harming-state-and-city-budgets
https://fortune.com/longform/state-budget-deficits-covid-economy-predictions-outlook/
The Rise of White Nationalism in America
U.S. RESIST NEWS OP ED
The Rise of White Nationalism in America
By Erika Shannon
January 22, 2021
The recent attack on America’s Capitol has certainly confirmed what many have worried for a long time – that white supremacy is on the rise here in the U.S. With recent events, it can be seen that this is a fast-growing problem. These far-right extremists are often disillusioned Trump supporters who want nothing more than to create chaos and for Trump to remain in office, even though he lost the election fair and square. One of the problems is that we live in a world of social media heresy, where people are able to get others worked up with a few keystrokes and the click of a button. In fact, Facebook in particular is often used by right-wing extremists as a way to recruit, and sometimes train, new members. While social media websites attempt to take down groups or pages with white supremacist or extremist views for fear that they may be used to incite violence, it is impossible to make sure that people with these views do not find their way onto social media and share their hate-filled opinions. There are people who feel that occurrences like this are indicative of a free speech violation; however, it is legally up to websites to create their terms of use and handle violations as such. One thing that’s clear is that when people are given a platform to express hate, other like-minded individuals will find them; because of this, something must be done to ensure that they are unable to recruit new members or incite violence.
A burning question for many is who are these people? Often times, they are those you would least expect: your neighbor, mailman, doctor, or barber. People of all ages are involved with the white nationalist movement. Many members are associated with the alt-right and have conservative ideals. According to research by the Institute for Family Studies, white people with no college degree make up a large chunk of these white nationalists. This suggests that members of these hate groups are less educated, which means that education may be a powerful tool for fighting racism in America. Their research also indicates that white males in the lowest income group ($0-$29,000) are more likely to have a strong sense of white identity and solidarity. The research by IFS also shows that while a large chunk of white nationalists are 65 and older, there is not a huge age gap; this means that the amount of white nationalists across age groups is fairly uniform, and it can be inferred that children of white supremacists are being taught white pride ideologies by their parents.
The reason why people get involved with white supremacist groups is not exactly clear-cut. The attitude carried by members of these groups is one of superiority. Often these extremists have a strong sense of white identity, as well as a sense of white victimization for fear that they will one day no longer be the majority. According to the US Census Bureau, all racial and ethnic minorities are growing faster than whites here in America. By 2044, it is projected that the white non-Hispanic population will no longer be the majority. With that looming fact, there should be no surprise that white nationalists are coming out of the cracks to regain a sense of power. Other reasons for people becoming white nationalists can include a desire to feel significant, a need to blame their lack of success on another race, and of course, a sense of belonging among their white nationalist group members. These reasons seem to overlap with reasons why young men would join a gang, and to put it bluntly: white supremacist groups in America ARE gangs However, without the threat of police violence looming over them, gangs of white supremacists feel brave and emboldened enough to march our nation’s capitol with their faces exposed, and the names of their family business proudly emblazoned on their clothes. This boldness is what we, as American citizens, have to worry about. Members of white nationalist groups have a skewed view of the world, in which they are the biggest victims in society. With that mentality, we cannot be sure what they are capable of carrying out in order to give themselves a sense of significance and power. With hate crimes on the rise over the past decade, it is clear that more effort must be put forth to put a stop to the spread of white nationalism in the U.S.
Engagement Resources
- For more on the demography of right-wing extremists, visit this Institute for Family Studies webpage
- See Resources to Fight White Nationalist Groups During the Election Period and Beyond to see how you can help in the fight against white nationalism
Trump Issues Pardons and Creates Nuisances for the Biden/Harris Team on his Way Out the Door
U.S. RESIST NEWS Blog
The Trump Watch: A new U.S. RESIST NEWS Blog Post series intended to report on the activities of President Trump at the end of his Presidency and after he leaves the White House.
# 2 Trump Issues Pardons and Creates Nuisances for the Biden/Harris Team on his Way Out the Door
By Sean Gray
Trump’s last days were marked by chaos, scandal and general ineptitude. Donald Trump’s swan song as a one term president has been unlike any before him. Self dealing and empty bombast have been the cornerstone of Trump’s political brand. With his tenure at an end, those chickens have come home to roost. Trump faces a second impeachment trial for his inciting role in the siege at the Capital. His use of pardons is coming under close scrutiny. And though he mostly abdicated governing since failing to acknowledge his November election loss, he took care to try to impede the Biden administration before it begins.
Donald Trump was as likely to be impeached twice as any president ever will be. For all the partisan bickering over his conduct in office, he was seldom held to account in any meaningful way. There existed more appetite for doing so in the final hours of his term. Organizing and instigating the insurrection at the Capital building was apparently a bridge too far in the eyes of his Republican allies. So much so that 10 GOP House members, along with the entirety of the Democratic caucus voted for the Articles of Impeachment against him. That prospect was unthinkable last time around.
With his term of office ended, a potential Senate trial serves as more of a referendum on Trump as a political more than anything else. When a trial begins, it will be after Trump is already out of office. Also different than the previous Senate trial, when the jury was publicly and vocally in the bag, most of Trump’s GOP confederates have been quite open in their condemnation of his behavior. If convicted by a 2/3 majority after exiting office, Trump would lose his presidential pension and a host of related perks. Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, rather than whipping votes has told his Republican colleagues that their vote is ‘’one of conscience’’. No greater testament exists to how far Trump’s political star has fallen since his abortive coup on January 6th. Of most consequence in a post-presidency Senate trial would be a vote following conviction to bar Trump from holding office again, which would require only a simple majority. A vote to end Trump’s 2024 bid before it starts would serve as a thorough repudiation of him, at the risk of alienating an intensely loyal voting bloc.
Presidential pardon power is near absolute. Trump hasn’t shied from using it on felons in his orbit, as in the cases of Roger Stone or Paul Manafort. Once again he has demonstrated that norms are worthless if they’re ignored without consequence. Trump has treated his entire presidency transactionally on a personal level. His last few days have proven no exception. According to The New York Times, wealthy felons have spent good money to bend the outgoing president’s ear as he reviews the clemency process. Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor brought in to assist in the process has allegedly collected tens of thousands of dollars from deep-pocketed convicts looking to lobby Trump. He’s advocated on behalf of an imprisoned son of an Arkansas state senator, a Manhattan socialite who pled guilty in a fraud case, and Silk Road founder Russ Ulbricht. The lawyer brought in to assist this president with pardons and commutations monetizing the process is perhaps the most spot-on characterization of the Trump administration.
Former and current Trump attorneys John Down and Rudy Giuliani are also reportedly active in the pardon-lobby racket. Giuliani, who Trump has refused to pay for his recent legal work in relation to overturning the 2020 election, has taken the pay-for play scheme to audacious levels. Rather than mere ‘’access fees’’, Giuliani has taken an interest in the case of former CIA officer John Kiriakou. Kiriakou was convicted in 2012 for revealing the identity of a fellow CIA officer involved in torture overseas. Giuliani reportedly told Kiriakou a pardon would cost him $2 million, a price tag at which the latter balked. An associate of the former CIA officer informed the FBI of the conversation.
Such lobbying efforts appear to have been effective. A great many recipients of last minute pardons were wealthy, well-connected individuals; a fitting commentary on Trump’s political priorities from the beginning.
Steve Bannon, alt-right provocateur and Trump’s 2016 campaign manager was facing federal fraud charges related to swindling donors in the private financing of a southern border wall.
Eliot Brody, once-convicted fraudster and former head of the Republican National Convention pled guilty in October 2020 of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. He lobbied the Trump administration on behalf of the Chinese and Malaysian governments.
Each is off scot free and with seemingly little reason other than an intimate connection to Donald Trump. No other pardonees were as close to the seat of power, but convictions and accusations of fraud are the most prevailing trends among the other beneficiaries. A man awaiting sentencing in the Varsity Blues scandal received a pardon. As did the former husband of Fox News host, Jeannine Pirro, who had been convicted of tax evasion. Over a dozen pardons were issued to politicians of either party engaged in various acts of self-enriching misconduct. Some of the pardons issued did go towards more traditional and deserving recipients, such as those who’d served time, and shown a degree of contrition. But by and large, most of the issuances by Trump were a nod to the swamp he pledged to drain four years ago.
Unscrupulous as it may appear, neither Trump nor associates have run afoul of the law. Pardons are intended to ease punishment of offenders who’ve shown contrition, though it is not a hard-and-fast rule. The usual channel runs through a dedicated office within the Department of Justice. Dowd, Giuliani and Tolman are involved in what amounts to legal bribery. Their conduct violates the spirit of, but not the actual letter of the law. These ethical considerations provide ample food for thought without even mentioning an attempt by Trump to pardon himself.
Trump has still yet to and probably won’t acknowledge Biden as the legitimate president. As a parting gift to the incoming ‘’election, Trump has attempted to plant a few landmines for the Biden/Harris team.
In a letter to Congress, Trump has sought to freeze $27.5 billion in funding to key cabinet agencies. A provision in the 1974 Budget Impoundment and Control Act allows him to request freeze and rescind budget authority in specific areas. The proposed cuts, among them to the Environmental Protection Agency, mostly coincide with the ones rejected in Trump’s 2021 budget. With Democrats in control of all three branches of government, the move is unlikely to stick, or do anything more than delay inevitable funding to federal programs. Still, Trump’s attempt at forced austerity on his successor (after a term in which he ballooned the national debt) signal his intentions loud and clear.
With less than 72 hours left in his term, Trump nominated a political ally for the role of General Counsel at the National Security Agency. Michael Ellis is a former GOP operative and White House aide who also worked for blind Trump loyalist, Rep. Devin Nunes. He was involved in covering-up the call which led to Trump’s impeachment and fed disinformation to Nunes, which he used in an attempt to discredit Robert Mueller’s investigation. Such a partisan actor in what is supposed to be a strictly apolitical role would be problematic at anytime. For Trump to do so with less than three days remaining in his term is irregular and irresponsible. Politicizing intelligence helped Trump discredit information unflattering to him, and amplify intelligence he found agreeable, regardless of veracity. It also weakened national security and sowed confusion. Appointing a political hack to the top legal position in the NSA can only reinforce dangerous precedents. It also creates another headache for the incoming administration to contend with.
Trump’s budget maneuver is likely to be little more than a nuisance. Ellis’ appointment (to a civil service, not a political role) may be more difficult to undo. Notes of pettiness and sabotage may be detected in both. Each case was among several reported fires the Trump administration has started on the way out. It begs the question of what other nasty surprises await Biden/Harris upon assuming office.
Progress in Policing in 2020
Brief # 4 Social Justice
Policing in America Series: An ongoing series that covers efforts to reform policing in America, written by U.S. RESIST NEWS Reporter Laura Plummer.
Progress in Policing in 2020
January 19, 2021
Summary
Two-thousand and twenty was a year defined by unprecedented hardship. A deadly global pandemic ravaged the country and crippled whole sectors of the economy. A contentious presidential election divided the nation, and killings of black and brown people by police officers sparked yearlong protests against police brutality.
The Black Lives Matter movement gained popular support last year as it exposed the systemic racism inherent in American policing. More than any previous year, communities started organizing to demand comprehensive police reform and to hold their leaders and elected officials accountable. The following list explores the progress achieved in policing in 2020 at the federal and state levels.
Federal Level:
House and Senate Democrats unveiled the Justice in Policing Act to ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, improve reporting on police misconduct and make it easier to prosecute police officers for misconduct.
Senate Republicans introduced a bill to improve reporting in police departments, apply harsher penalties for falsified documents, provide funding for de-escalation training, and establish a commission for criminal justice reform.
U.S. representatives introduced a bill in the House to end qualified immunity.
House Democrats introduced the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act to implement national policing standards, require agencies to report data to the DOJ, and increase oversight.
Pres. Trump signed the Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, providing financial resources to departments that meet certain standards set by the attorney general.
State Level:
The Arkansas governor signed an executive order to establish a police task force to review its community policing policies.
California’s governor called for the banning of chokeholds. The California attorney general recommended key reforms.
Colorado passed a bill to ban chokeholds and tear gas, remove qualified immunity, require body cameras, prevent fired officers from being rehired, and hold officers accountable for not intervening.
The Connecticut governor required state police to stop using chokeholds and receiving military gear and to start using body cameras at all times. He signed a bill to increase oversight, review use-of-force policies, ban consent searches, investigate police shootings and weaken qualified immunity.
The Iowa governor signed a bill to ban chokeholds, prevent fired officers from being rehired, require anti-bias and de-escalation training, and weaken qualified immunity.
Massachusetts proposed several bills regarding use of force, hiring standards, and criminal justice reform.
The Michigan State Senate passed a bill to require mental health screenings for prospective officers and training in implicit bias and de-escalation for current officers.
The Minnesota State Legislature banned chokeholds and antiquated training programs, introduced trained peace officers, and improved investigations into fatal police encounters.
The New Hampshire governor issued an order on police reforms, including the use of body cameras by all state police.
New Jersey banned chokeholds and similar restraints.
The New York governor signed bills related to police misconduct, chokeholds, racial profiling, body cameras and reporting requirements. He also made departments come up with plans for reform in order to qualify for state funding.
Pennsylvania’s governor approved sweeping changes to policing, including background checks and mental health evaluations, a termination database, and training on use of force and de-escalation.The Rhode Island State Police agreed to obtain and use body cameras.
Tennessee House Democrats introduced a series of police reforms regarding use of force.
Analysis
At the federal level, most legislation introduced in the House in 2020 was not taken up by the Republican-controlled Senate. Only 14 states proposed significant changes to police policy last year and some of it was dead on arrival. In some cases, legislation is still pending. Readers can continue to put pressure on their governors and lawmakers to overhaul this historically racist institution.
Resources
- Contact President Joseph Biden online, or call the White House switchboard at 202-456-1414 or the comments line at 202-456-1111
- Contact your U.S. Senator
- Contact your U.S. Representative
- Contact your state governor
- Contact your state legislators
The Covid-era Classroom
Brief # 52 Education Policy
The Covid-era Classroom
By Emily Carty
January 21, 2021
The “traditional” classroom is facing an identity crisis. As teachers throughout the country have turned to remote learning or modified in-person learning, the classroom as we know it is changing. With distancing in the classroom, learning on electronic devices, and everyone in masks, the physical attributes of a modern classroom will certainly be different at least until the pandemic subsides.
So far teachers have been reporting several new aspects of the modern covid-classroom. The CDC has provided educational centers with guidelines for reopening and arranging classrooms so students and teachers will be safe. Many school districts have added onto those recommendations or have created more rigorous requirements for reopening. These requirements are the, by now, familiar six feet of distancing, directional walking patterns, and limited capacity of students indoors. While teachers are mostly required to wear masks, in some cases it’s up to the teacher to decide if students must wear them in the class. Either way, a masked classroom is a definitive marker that things have changed.
With little control over the space and desks spread six feet apart, classrooms in the Covid-era are literally and figuratively sterile. One resource for teachers suggests we consider if “we have signage that cares for all or produces fear.” Ensuring students feel welcome at school and in the classroom will be key to success. Teachers must work within these space constraints to create a learning environment with choice and safe movement. Educators are familiar with the model that choice and movement within the educational space is beneficial for learning. Providing students with spatial options, while having them remain near or at their desks will be challenging but likely necessary to promote engagement. This might look like mask breaks outside, standing near their desk for a portion of class, or even sitting on their desk. Since reading nooks and close discussion groups will be on hold, new ideas for movement in and outside will be crucial.
When it comes to classroom supplies, teachers worry about the extra costs and time that sanitation practices might require. While teachers don’t necessarily control the ventilation systems, and many are without classroom sinks for handwashing, building in sanitation and hygiene practices will be critical. Things like sanitation stations upon entering the classroom and wipes on desks, or individual sanitation kits instead, could be implemented and systematized for rapid use before instruction.
While these things are doable in theory, the cost of Covid is proving tough for teachers. The New York Times reported one teacher’s solution to the risk of contracting the virus — makeshift desk dividers from shower curtains. Another teacher spent nearly $2000 of their own money on Covid-related supplies. For one special education teacher and choir teacher, challenges of space, materials, and the physical appearance of the teacher with PPE have already made themselves apparent.
Minimizing contact with other students, and especially other classes or grades throughout the school day are the driving factors for school and classroom changes. Some hybrid-learning models require students to be on a zoom call with their peers at home or even across the classroom. This promotes community, but also ensures distance. Screens in the classroom can facilitate collaboration despite a distance. For schools in session, staggered bell schedules, students remaining in one classroom all day, and classes spread out into new spaces are the norm. Regulating when and where students can walk through the halls is also built into Covid-safe plans. With regard to lunch, some students are sitting six feet apart, on the same side of the table, so they can avoid facing one another. Some recommendations to normalize this new and ever-changing spatial order at school are to focus on routines to give students some sort of structure no matter where they are learning.
Another thing teachers are considering is repurposing existing spaces where possible. If students aren’t to be sitting directly next to one another, purchasing new desks or rearranging seats will be necessary. Additionally, classes might need to be moved so that there is more room. If possible using the gym or an outdoor space could be a way to maximize space between students and minimize the risk of Covid. It has also been recommended that schools use smooth and easy-to-clean surfaces (no more colorful class rugs!) in the near future, as it will make disinfecting surfaces much quicker and easier. Teachers have been doing this throughout the pandemic, but constraints of funding, space, weather, and safety are real. Not every school or teacher has the money, flexibility or weather to create a great outdoor classroom, buy protective gear to deck out the class and students, or replace old materials and decorations with easy-to-clean ones. Nor does every school have ample space for moving around, using empty rooms, or distancing students.
New teachers reflect on their first year during a pandemic, and while they expect things to be different, most are relatively positive that this era will turn out great because of the passion and love for education that teachers hold. While teachers are remaining strong, many US classrooms will be without the generous support from parents, paraeducators, and other staff who take on myriad tasks to ensure teachers can focus on teaching. With limited adults in the classroom to minimize risk of Covid, some teachers with large classes will have to revise strategies so that lack of in-class support won’t be an issue.
With all of these considerations, students and safety are being placed at the forefront. At the end of the day everyone is working with what they have, or don’t have, with safety being prioritized. As the pandemic rages on, schools will continue to refine their plan, with hopes set on Biden’s support for education. With increased and equitable financial support, schools will be able to do a better job at keeping everyone safe and learning throughout the pandemic.
Engagement Resources
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education — This membership association has resources for teachers and educators to advocate for policy and legislation related to schools, teaching, and professional development. It provides great tools for reaching out to your representatives, learning about relevant policy, and teaching equitably in the Covid-era.
National Education Association – EdJustice — NEA EdJustice provides lots of resources to take action for education justice. It puts students at the center and has a fabulous collection of resources addressing equity, racial justice, social justice, and more. Join their community to get updates on justice initiatives, sign petitions, or find resources for teaching and learning mindfully in Covid times.
Adopt A Classroom — Find a Teacher or School in your area and donate directly to them! This accountable and easy to use platform allows you to find educators in your area who need support and provides you with a way to directly contribute to them.
Learn More
- Metro Parent – Teachers going back to school
- Steelcase – Designing classrooms in post-covid times
- NYT – Educators on Post-Covid Classroom
- Hamilton.edu – Covid-era Classroom
- WRCB – BACK TO CLASS: What COVID-era classrooms look like in Hamilton County
- EdSurge – Classroom Design Considerations
- Reachout.com – Teacher’s guide to life and learning
- KSHB – First-time Teachers Reflect
- Market Watch – Teacher Feelings
Damage Assessment Continues One Month After Massive Cyber Attack
Brief #31 – Technology
By Charles A. Rubin
Damage Assessment Continues One Month After Massive Cyber Attack
Policy Summary
In December 2020 Solarwinds, a major provider of computer network monitoring software, revealed that several of its servers that were used to distribute software updates to customers had been compromised. The servers had been routinely delivering altered code to computer networks throughout the US government and corporations that gave nefarious actors unfettered access to communications and internal systems. The malware created multiple “backdoors” that could be exploited in the future. Further, this compromise had gone undetected for several months. One month later the full extent of the intrusion is still not fully understood and the amount of information that has been exposed has not been completely assessed.
Cybersecurity experts are in general agreement that the perpetrator was likely a state actor and most probably the Russian State security agency, the SVR, and specifically the group known as APT29 or more commonly referred to as Cozy Bear. President Trump has been dismissive of this assessment suggesting, without evidence, that China may be the culprit.
Analysis
There is an adage among cybersecurity professionals that there are two kinds of organizations; those that have been hacked and those that don’t know that they have been hacked. Because of the nature of this attack; hijacking and compromising the software supply chain, all networks that communicate over the internet should be suspicious and wary. It can only be presumed that any email or file has potentially been exposed. It is a frightening thought and a terrifying lapse in our defenses.
The US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has highlighted critical infrastructure as an active target in this attack, the Department of Energy is investigating a breach of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which maintains the US nuclear weapons stockpile, according to a report in Politico. Several major software vendors including Microsoft, Cisco and Alphabet (the parent company of Google) have reported breaches and probable theft of their source code raising concerns that further attacks based on information gleaned from that code could be imminent.
CISA, which performed admirably, in protecting the US election system in the November and January elections, was caught completely off guard by the scope of these violations. We can only hope that the cause of this was the Trump administration insistence that Russia was not a threat. A Biden Administration, we trust, will have a more sober and reality based approach to cyber defense.
Engagement Resources
- SANS Institute – Established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization, SANS is a go-to place for security industry professionals for education and analysis of security threats.
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) is part of the Department of Homeland Security charged with repelling attacks and informings the public.
- AISP – The Association of Information Security Professionalsthe is a leading organization for security professionals worldwide.
- Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) s a not-for-profit, international organization of information security professionals and practitioners.
Retired Military Veteran, A “Shy Voter”
U.S. RESIST NEWS Investigates
Americans on America: What My Country Means to Me
Americans on America is a U.S. RESIST NEWS investigative reporting series with ordinary Americans on the values that they believe their country stands for and what needs to be done to enable their country to live up to those values
# 2 Retired Military Veteran, A “Shy Voter”
I believe America has lost its core values, namely respect at home and abroad. Our democracy, freedom, and the right to privacy are all at risk.
By Linda F. Hersey
A rigged system that favored Democrat Joe Biden unseated President Donald Trump.
That is the blunt assessment of Election 2020 by a Trump supporter so timid about candidly expressing views that he declined to give his name or other identifying information during an hour-long interview with U.S. Resist News about America’s values that quickly veered into politics.
Nourished by a steady diet of conservative opinions on radio talk shows that he turns on before dawn each day, this voter expressed reluctance about sharing his own opinions publicly for fear of being judged and ostracized. He worried that friends and neighbors may recognize him.
Dubbed the “shy voter” during the 2020 presidential election, this retired white military veteran expressed anger, confusion and a sense of betrayal about his own perceived status in a nation undergoing vast changes in demographics and the economy, in what many experts call the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This “shy voter” admits to feeling left behind and marginalized.
There are many other voters just like him.
Has the U.S. Lost Its Core Values?
More important, he believes that the U.S. has lost its core values, namely respect at home and abroad. “I got respect from my service in the military. But there is a big decline in respect today,” he said.
What are the traditional American values that this voter cherishes the most – and feels are at risk? “Democracy, freedom and the right to privacy,” he said, quickly ticking off a list. “I’ve had the freedom to live and work where I want,” he said. “But all of this seems threatened today.”
He blames the decline he sees in American values on entitlement programs. “There has been a breakdown in society of values. People have unrealistic expectations about what the government should do for them.”
In an interview with U.S. Resist News, this so-called shy Trump voter admitted to voting the GOP ticket for most of his adult life. But he described the outgoing commander-in-chief as “the most important president of my lifetime. And,” he asserted, “The election was stolen right from under him.”
He said he admired Trump’s willingness to voice fears and concerns that people just like him share but keep to themselves.
Undercounting the ‘Shy’ Trump Voter
Dutch economist Arie Kapteyn, a researcher at the University of Southern California, aptly predicted that polls would undercount “shy Trump voters” like him, who were not disclosing their support for a second Trump term or the reasons behind it.
Robert Cahaly, founder of the Trafalgar Group polling company, echoed that conclusion prior to the election, telling Politico that it is difficult for many Trump supporters to talk candidly about their views: “We live in a country where people will lie to their accountant, they’ll lie to their doctor, they’ll lie to their priest. And we’re supposed to believe they shed all of that when they get on the telephone with a stranger?”
This “shy voter” – who served in the military for two decades prior to retiring — said he strongly identifies with Trump, whom he sees as a victim, just like himself. “Donald Trump and his entire family served this country, and never got a moment of peace,” he said. “Any country bumpkin can see he was robbed of his victory.”
Economic Structural Changes Lead to Uncertainty
He blames the struggling economy not on setbacks from the Covid19 pandemic but on people who are abusing the “welfare system and taking government handouts for generations.” A smaller government would serve everyone better, he argues.
Economists point to job layoffs from shelter-in-place orders to limit the spread of Covid19 for business slowdowns that may extend well into 2021.
In addition, there are structural changes in the U.S. and global economy under way that lead to uncertainty for many about the future, giving rise to the nationalism that Trump espoused.
Major disruptions in the U.S. economy and other advanced nations are occurring from automation of traditional jobs that used human labor, referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The growing knowledge economy, which has emerged in its place, has a smaller number of high-paying jobs filled by well-educated, technologically skilled workers, while middle and working class jobs have been “hollowed out.” That leaves increasing competition for low-paying, unskilled service jobs.
Trump, by contrast, presents supporters with an old-world view of the U.S. that is more about domination than the educational opportunities, cooperation and diplomacy required in a globalized digital economy. “Everything is moving too fast today,” said this voter. “I wish we could go back to simpler times.”
Engagement Resources
- Politico is an American political journalism company.
- Trafalgar Group is a U.S. political polling company.
- Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C., that informs the public about policy, politics and trends shaping America.
Biden’s Plan for an Ailing Country
Brief #104
Biden’s Plan for an Ailing Country
Rosalind Gottfried
January 17, 2021
Policy
President elect Joe Biden’s 1.9 trillion dollar stimulus plan provides a comprehensive assault on what ails America and reinstates some of the controversial elements rejected by Republicans in the $900 billion December plan. Most notable is a reinstatement of 350 billion dollars to bolster state and local budgets suffering shortfalls largely attributable to the pandemic crisis. It also includes 400 billion dollars of pandemic aid to vaccinate Americans and open schools. Biden set a goal to vaccinate 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office.
To address the needs of individuals and families, Biden is providing $1400 dollars in direct payments to individuals; up to $8000 in childcare tax credits; federal subsidies of $400 weekly for unemployment benefits through September; sustained pandemic relief payments to freelance and other workers not normally eligible for unemployment benefits; emergency paid leave; and rental aid. Grants to small businesses will also aid in sustaining the well-being of families.
Other provisions include raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour; increased funding for Community Health Centers and funding to mitigate the spread of the pandemic in prisons and jails. Additional programs to address the exponentially increasing crisis of hunger, particularly among children, are also addressed. Biden plans a broader set of programs to be proposed in February starting with raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
Analysis
Of course, all this hinges upon passage of the bills in Congress where the Democrats have a narrow lead in the House and are tied with Republicans in the Senate. Biden’s plan is 50% greater than the program passed in 2009 by the Obama administration in response to the great recession. That plan was narrowly passed among sharp dissension. Biden’s plan enjoys some support absent in the Obama era, such as from entities like the Chamber of Commerce. The pathway to success is tenuous at best. The Democratic leadership expects major Congressional resistance and is unlikely to get the 60 Senate votes needed to avoid a filibuster. The Democrats are hoping to invoke the budget reconciliation process to bypass the filibuster, a strategy Trump utilized to pass his 2017 tax cuts. In the February program Biden hopes to address job creation; infrastructure projects; clean energy programs, and more.
The stimulus will be funded by borrowing and the Biden administration suggests that this is not alarming because inflation and the interest rates are low. He is likely to argue that the top 1% richest Americans gained 1.5 trillion dollars in assets since the pandemic. Financial institutions are flush; JP Morgan posted profits of 12.1 billion dollars in the last quarter and BlackRock showed increases of 19%. The administration will refer to these trends to reassure policy makers and representatives that the country can cover an increased debt. The Democrats are planning major overhauls to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage programs which would build capital reserves and may ultimately lead to privatization of these government supported entities. Additionally there is pent up demand for goods and services and from personal savings that have accrued to some parts of the population during the pandemic shutdown which should bolster the budgets in the recovery.
In the coming weeks President elect Biden is expected to propose additional programs to address multiple crises in the country frequently cited in the news. These include economic recovery; virus containment; racial injustice; inequality; a financially and politically disaffected working and middle class; climate change; and myriad other issues reflected in new levels of partisan bickering. U.S. RESIST NEWS will provide our readers with information and analysis of Biden administration policies as they are rolled out.
Learn More
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/business/dealbook/biden-economy-deficit.html
Engagement Resources
https://joebiden.com/the-biden-emergency-action-plan-to-save-the-economy/
Biden’s program website