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The Politics of Funding Climate Disasters
Back in the 80s, the United States on average faced what would now total a billion-dollars in natural disaster relief about every four months. The latest estimates from The Fifth National Climate Assessment find that our country is hit with a billion-dollar disaster every three weeks.
The Fight for Freedom: A Dad’s Perspective
One of the key components of Kamala Harris’ campaign is the effort to reclaim the meaning of the word “freedom.” This concept has been foundational throughout American history, yet over time, the focus on what it means has shifted.
Election Integrity and Voter Suppression Concerns in Swing States
In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the intersection of election integrity and voter suppression has become increasingly contentious, particularly in battleground states like Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Mexico swore in its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon has led to over 2,000 civilian deaths. The UK agreed to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Record-breaking fires continue to devastate the Amazon.
How Algorithms Amplify Right Wing Disinformation
Donald Trump’s bizarre rants about Haitian immigrants eating dogs, televised during the US presidential debate, were immediately challenged and disproven on air and afterwards.
The Unfinished Story of Our Right to Vote Part One
This is the first in a series examining the Right To Vote in the United States. The first part of this series will examine the Right To Vote as derived from the United States Constitution.
Recounts, Lawsuits, and Headaches: How Certification of the Election Could Stall
In 2000, George W. Bush won the election against Al Gore. This was after months of legal proceedings, recounts, and political maneuvers, turning the 2000 election into one of the most controversial in American history.
Ukraine is Borrowing a Strategy from Robert E. Lee. Can it Avoid Pickett’s Charge?
In 1863, the Confederate States of America was in an untenable situation. The Union blockade had suffocated the CSA’s economy. Vicksburg was under siege. Its fall would cut the Confederacy in two along the Mississippi River.
Partisan Echoes & Information Silos: Navigating the Media Landscape of Rural West Texas
More and more, politically aware Americans seem to be having entirely different conversations based on their political affiliations. It’s a running joke in left-leaning media that one would have to frequent fringe message boards like 4Chan or platforms like Truth Social to understand what Trump is talking about.
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Foreign Policy | By: Abran C | August 26, 2024
Featured Photo: Collage by Indy Silva for U.S. Resist News, 2024
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Colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox virus particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory. Bsip | Universal Images Group | Getty Images
Mpox Outbreak
The World Health Organization last week declared mpox a global public health emergency following the outbreak of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its export to neighboring countries, countries in Europe and Asia. Mpox is a viral infection which spreads through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and lesions filled with pus. While usually mild, it can be fatal. Ongoing conflicts in parts of Africa — such as the DRC, where a large number of displaced people have relocated to refugee camps — have also worsened sanitation conditions and accelerated the spread. So far this year, more than 15,000 cases and at least 537 deaths have been reported from the outbreak in the DRC, according to the WHO. The WHO’s director for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, has said that the Mpox outbreak is “not the new Covid” and that it can be stopped with international cooperation.
Ukrainian servicemen ride military vehicles from a crossing point at the border with Russia, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Sumy region, Ukraine August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi/File Photo
The Ukraine War Enters Russia
Ukrainian troops began an incursion into the Kursk region of Russia in early August, marking the most extensive advance by Kyiv’s forces in the nearly three-year-long war. The Ukrainian army’s incursion into the Kursk region has highlighted the vulnerabilities of the Russian army, dealt a massive blow to the narrative that Russia was safe from reprisal, reinvigorated Ukrainian morale, and left Russian President Vladimir Putin appearing weakened.
As many as 10,000 Ukrainian troops are expected to be involved in the incursion. This is the first time foreign troops have invaded and held Russian territory since Nazi Germany in World War II. Ukrainian officials state that they aim to establish a buffer zone to inhibit shelling of their territory from the Kursk region. The operation is also thought to be aimed at forcing Russian troops to regroup from battles in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow has been making slow but steady advances. Analysts suggest that the capture of Russian territory could strengthen Ukraine’s hand in any eventual negotiations to end the war.
A member of the Sudanese Armed forces walks between damaged buildings, almost one year into the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Omdurman, Sudan, April 7, 2024. REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig/File Photo
Sudan: 500 Days of War
For nearly a year and a half, Sudan has been battered by a brutal civil war between the country’s army and a militia known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has devastated the country and triggered the world’s largest refugee crisis. Sudan has a population of 50 million people and over 10 million of them have been displaced.The country is also grappling with a cholera outbreak in refugee camps, with over 350 cases of the disease have been recorded in recent weeks.
The conflict in Sudan, has had devastating consequences for millions of people, but is not as geopolitically important as Ukraine or Gaza to the West. As a result it is usually under the radar when it comes to political and media attention. Experts have confirmed that starvation at a massive camp for displaced people in Darfur has grown into famine, and that about 25.6 million people, or more than half of Sudan’s population face acute hunger. Previous peace talks in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain both failed and fighting has continued unabated. However, a new round of peace talks aimed at ending the war have recently started in Geneva, although neither warring side is actually participating in the negotiations.
Migrants waiting for a boat to take them from the Indigenous community of Canaán Mebrillo to Puerto Limón, Panama, after a days-long walk across de Darien Gap, May 2022. © 2022 Human Rights Watch
US-Panama Migrant Deal
This week the first flight of deported migrants left Panama as part of a new strategy to reduce the number of people reaching the US southern border.The US and Panama signed an agreement in July that aims to close the passage of migrants through the Darien Gap. The Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama has become a key corridor for migrants traveling overland from South America through Central America and Mexico to the US. The Darien Gap has become one of the most treacherous migration pathways in the world. Migrants must often be assisted by smugglers known locally as guides who charge the vulnerable people large sums to make the crossing, and are known to threaten, assault and rob migrants.
Passage through the Darien Gap brings migrants from South America, the Caribbean, and many other countries to Panama in the hopes of reaching the United States and Canada. A record 520,000 people are estimated to have crossed the jungle last year. The US has pledged $6 million in funding for migrant deportations from the Central American nation to reduce crossings at its own border. Transit countries such as Panama and Mexico have come under increased pressure from Washington to tackle the highly contentious migration issue during the US election year.
For more updates, articles, in-depth analysis and weekly reviews on Global News, click here.
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Will Google’s Antitrust Battle Lead to Real Change?
Will Google’s Antitrust Battle Lead to Real Change?
Technology Policy | By: Mindy Spatt | August 26, 2024
Featured Photo: www.reuters.com
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Google’s stranglehold over Internet searches is undeniable and starts for most consumers by purchasing a phone, tablet, or computer that has Google pre-installed. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia recently ruled that this arrangement and others like it have allowed Google to create an illegal monopoly, paving the way for potential remedies ranging from a breakup of the company to changes in some of its most lucrative business practices. That’s assuming that Google’s appeal, which could take years, isn’t successful.
Analysis
The Department of Justice (DOJ) along with the state Attorneys General of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas sued Google in 2020; later, a group of 35 states, along with Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, filed a similar suit that was tried at the same time as the original Justice Department allegations.
In a press release, Bill Barr, the US Attorney General at the time, said the suit “…strikes at the heart of Google’s grip over the internet for millions of American consumers, advertisers, small businesses and entrepreneurs beholden to an unlawful monopolist.” At that time, Google’s market value was $1 trillion (it is now $2 trillion), and it accounted for almost 90 percent of all search queries. This dominance, alleged the DOJ, was won by employing tactics including exclusionary agreements requiring that Google be the preset default search engine on billions of mobile devices and computers worldwide, prohibiting preinstallation of a competitor and making Google undeletable.
Google’s exclusive contracts proved to be an obstacle for search engine upstart DuckDuckGo in seeking the default search engine agreements for its private search service. DuckDuckGo’s CEO Gabriel Weinberg testified in the case, saying that Google’s default deals with browsers and other platforms prevented DuckDuckGo from effectively competing in the search engine market.
Judge Amit Mehta agreed with Weinberg that Google had monopolized the search field, saying “Time and again, Google’s partners have concluded that it is financially infeasible to switch default General Search Engines or seek greater flexibility in search offerings because it would mean sacrificing the hundreds of millions if not billions, of dollars that Google pays them as revenue share. These are Fortune 500 companies,” he added, “and they have nowhere else to turn other than Google.”
In the wake of the decision, Bloomberg, the NY Times, the Guardian, and CNBC all ran stories headlining the possibility that the court would order a breakup of the companies, but most commentators have said that outcome is unlikely.
Asheesh Agarwal, a former DOJ and Federal Trade Commission official, predicts that “the court is likely to order a somewhat narrow remedy that leaves Google’s business model in place. [It] could simply forbid Google from signing longer-term exclusive contracts with distributors or paying its business partners to set Google’s search engine as the default.”
Weinberg of Duck Duck Go has called for the exclusive agreements to be banned, but that would not guarantee that his service or other competitors could snag more of the market. Google argued that its dominance was due to the superiority of its product, and Mehta noted in his decision that “Google is widely recognized as the best (general search engine) available in the United States.”
A sell-off of a non-search engine asset is possible. If Google were ordered to divest a small part of its company, its Chrome browser or its Android mobile operating system, for example, those products might be prevented from favoring Google.
Another potential remedy under consideration is to require devices and browsers to ask consumers to choose a search engine when they first set up their devices. Bill Echikson a Senior Fellow for the Center for European Policy Analysis’s Digital Innovation Initiative, points out that “Europe ordered such a change in 2020, implementing a choice screen for Android devices. It failed to dent Google’s dominance in Europe… which has remained above 95 percent.”
For his next step, Judge Mehta has ordered the parties to submit a proposed schedule for the remedies stage of the proceeding, which will be a separate trial to address fixes for the antitrust violations he found. Between that and Google’s appeal the impacts of the decision are likely many years away.
Engagement Resources:
- Mathew Ingram, The Google Antitrust Decision Could Dramatically Change the Internet. Or not. Aug. 8, 2024; https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today
- Sumit Sharma, The DOJ’s Google Search Case – What Next?, Aug.16, 2024; https://www.techpolicy.press/the-dojs-google-search-case-what-next/
- Bill Echikson, Google Antitrust: Clear Verdict, Unclear Outcome, Aug. 14, 2024; https://cepa.org/article/google-antitrust-clear-verdict-unclear-outcome/
- 5 Things to Know About US v. Google by Asheesh Agarwal, Aug. 14, 2024; https://thehill.com/opinion/4826994-google-antitrust-case-impact/
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The Swing States Series: #3 Arizona
The Swing States Series: #3 Arizona
Elections & Politics | By: Abigail Hunt| August 20, 2024
Featured Photo: www.pacaso.com
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From 2010-2022, Arizona’s population increased 11 out of 12 years l. World Population Review logs the state’s 2024 population at just shy of 7 and a half million. Although it is the sixth in the nation in size, most of the state’s population is in one county, Maricopa, which houses nine of the 10 largest cities in the state, including more than four million citizens. For the past 70 plus years, Arizona has gone red for every presidential election save two instances – when the state went blue for Bill Clinton in the 1990s, and most recently for Joe Biden in 2020.
The state has about a 57 percent employment rate. Approximately 33 percent of the state’s citizens have a bachelor’s degree or higher, slightly lower than the national average of 35.7 percent. More than 67 percent are homeowners. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, the single largest employee group in the state are the 1.4 million people working in management, business, science, and arts occupations. The state’s Gross State Product (GSP) is $434.4 billion annually, per IBIS World, and the highest-grossing industries in the state are Third-Party Administrators and Insurance Claims Adjusters ($51.4 billion), New Car Dealers ($30.1 billion), and Drug, Cosmetic, and Toiletry Wholesaling ($26.8 billion). Arizona ranks 18th in the nation in state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per Statista.com.
Approximately 31% of Arizona’s population is Hispanic, per Pew Research Center. As the state ranked 4th in the nation in the size of Hispanic population, will Arizonans vote for a man who called all Mexicans rapists? In late August 2016, Katie Reilly with TIME Magazine compiled a list of Trump’s comments about Mexicans. Among them were, “They are not our friend, believe me,” he said. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” is a quote from June 2015. And an older one is, “Sadly, the overwhelming amount of violent crime in our major cities is committed by blacks and hispanics-a tough subject-must be discussed” (June 5, 2013, Trump’s own Tweet, on X, formerly Twitter).
Arizona is third in the nation in Native American population and is home to more than 405,000 Native Americans, approximately 5.4 percent of the state’s population. Comparatively, black citizens number more than 450,000 and make up 5.67 percent of the state’s population.
To understand the state’s two-party breakdown, there are some terms needed: per Ballotpedia, a government trifecta exists “when one political party holds majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and the governor’s office” and a government triplex is “when one political party holds the following three positions in a state’s government: governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.”
An Arizona Mirror article published August 12, 2024, details how Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake is hemorrhaging supporters to the Democratic camp, where historically Republican voters are signing up to vote for Ruben Gallagos and Kamala Harris. The muddled government and voter exodus across party lines colors the state purple.
Arizona ranks 31st out of 50 states in the number of hunting licenses per person, with 4.2 percent of the population in possession of a hunting license, beating Texas, which comes in at 33rd with 3.9 percent. Arizona ranks seventh in the nation with 258,691 gun licenses. Being in the top ten for gun ownership certainly shows that any discussion of new gun laws will twist some heads. Trump’s assassination attempt could revive pleas to the government for greater mental health care awareness, a necessary and worthy investment. Healthcare is one of the priorities of Arizona voters, and mental health care is an important part of overall wellness.
Another major concern for Arizona is the rising heat. According to the Maricopa County Department of Health, the number of heat-related and -caused deaths has increased for more than the past ten years. Two-thirds of the deaths were those in their 50s or older. Most were male, many were homeless. Arizona is 12th in the nation for elderly population. As the elderly age and are less able to care for themselves, fear, like of dying of heat stroke in your own home due to limited mobility and no air conditioning, becomes real.
Voters 65 and over make up 28 percent of the state’s registered voters. Voters aged 18 to 34 are 26 percent of the voting population; as the eldest and youngest groups, they hold near equivalent voting power, however, the elders choose to exercise their right to vote far more often.
Will there be another attempt to file false elector votes? It seems Trump & Co. are focused on their new Project 2025 plan, which is too horrific and absurd to detail here. By spring of this year, it seemed that election season already had one foot in the grave. After his shooting, Trump was circling the wagons and preaching unity. His Vice-Presidential candidate choice is J.D. Vance, of Hillbilly Elegy fame. Trump appeared to be a poised for takeoff. Kamala Harris filled out the ticket with Tim Walz as her VP choice, and his solid Midwestern dad persona has humanized Kamala. Trump and Vance’s attempts to paint Harris as a “weird, cat lady” backfired spectacularly. Harris and Walz pointed out just how weird Trump and Vance are themselves, and because it is kind of true, the two have made a big scene in the media about how “not weird” they are, which just makes them seem all the more strange.
Background Resources on Arizona
- Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Informatics. 2022 Heat Deaths Report. https://www.maricopa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5652
- Project 2025. https://www.project2025.org/
- Arizona dot vote. Adrian Fontes, Secretary of State. https://www.arizona.vote/
- C. Sievers. Republicans line up to support Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris. August 12, 2024. https://azmirror.com/2024/08/12/republicans-line-up-to-support-ruben-gallego-and-kamala-harris/
- USA Facts. Our Changing Population: Arizona. https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/arizona/
- U.S. Census Bureau. Arizona. https://data.census.gov/profile/Arizona?g=040XX00US04
- World Population Review. Arizona Population 2024. https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/arizona-population
- World Population Review. Black Population by State 2024. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/black-population-by-state
- Homeland Security Digital Library. Shooting at Gabrielle Giffords’ ‘Congress on Your Corner’ Event. https://www.hsdl.org/c/timeline/shooting-gabrielle-giffords-congress-corner-event/
- Pew Research Center. Key facts about Hispanic eligible voters in 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/10/key-facts-about-hispanic-eligible-voters-in-2024/
- The Anti-Defamation League. The Mindset of Jared Lee Loughner. https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/The-Mindset-Of-Jared-Lee-Loughner.pdf
- Statista. Gross domestic product of the United States in 2023, by state. https://www.statista.com/statistics/248023/us-gross-domestic-product-gdp-by-state/
- Citizens Clean Election Commission (CCEC). https://www.azcleanelections.gov/arizona-elections/debate-information/data
- CCEC Infographic: https://storageccec.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/docs/778-Cropped-Survey-Infographic.pdf
- M. Gongloff. Bloomberg. How Long Can We Keep Living in Hotboxes Like Phoenix? July 24th, 2023. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-07-24/heat-wave-can-we-keep-living-in-places-like-phoenix
Background on the Candidates
- Woman who accused Donald Trump of raping her at 13 drops lawsuit. November 5, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/04/donald-trump-teenage-rape-accusations-lawsuit-dropped
- Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse, awards accuser $5M. May 9, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db
- Katie Reilly. Here Are All the Times Donald Trump Insulted Mexico. TIME Magazine. August 31st, 2016. https://time.com/4473972/donald-trump-mexico-meeting-insult/
- J. Glanszner. Fau/Mainstreet Poll: Arizona and Nevada Too Close to Call. Florida Atlantic University. May 23, 2024. https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/may24arizonanevadapoll2
Other Reading:
- United States Sentencing Commission. Quick Facts on sexual abuse offenders. https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/quick-facts/Sexual_Abuse_FY18.pdf
- Statista Research Department. Mass shootings in the U.S. by shooter’s race/ethnicity as of December 2023. Jul 5, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/476456/mass-shootings-in-the-us-by-shooter-s-race/
- 2024, Gramlich. What the data says about crime in the U.S. April 24th, 20]=24. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/24/what-the-data-says-about-
- crime-in-the-us/
This is the third article in a series of articles about U.S Swing States, for the other editions please click here.
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Artificial Meat and Global Food Security: A Sustainable Future?
Artificial Meat and Global Food Security: A Sustainable Future?
Foreign Policy | By: Inijah Quadri | August 20, 2024
Featured Photo: www.genengnews.com
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Artificial meat, also known as cultured or lab-grown meat, has emerged as a revolutionary development in the global food industry. It offers a promising solution to the growing concerns over food security, environmental sustainability, and ethical issues related to conventional meat production. With the global population expected to be well over 9 billion by 2050, the demand for meat is projected to increase significantly. However, traditional meat production is unsustainable due to its extensive use of land, water, and energy resources, and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
The global artificial meat market is valued at over $240 million and is expected to grow significantly. For instance, in the United States, fast food chains like Burger King and McDonald’s have introduced plant-based options to their menus. Burger King offers the Impossible Whopper, while McDonald’s has tested the McPlant burger. Supermarkets such as Tesco and Walmart have expanded their range of plant-based products, reflecting a growing consumer demand for meat alternatives. However, traditional meat consumption, particularly beef, pork, and chicken, remains high in countries like the USA, Brazil, the European Union, and Argentina. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that global meat consumption will increase by 14% by 2030, driven by population growth and rising incomes in developing countries.
Artificial meat is produced by cultivating animal cells in a controlled environment, bypassing the need for animal slaughter. This technology not only reduces the environmental impact of meat production but also has the potential to provide a reliable and scalable source of protein to meet the global demand. Despite its benefits, the widespread adoption of artificial meat faces challenges related to consumer acceptance, regulatory approval, and economic viability.
Analysis
The global food security landscape is complex and influenced by various factors including economic conditions, climate change, and geopolitical events. The COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have exacerbated food insecurity, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to ensure a stable food supply.
In addition to cultured meat, plant-based meat products have gained popularity. Products such as soy-based tofu, tempeh, seitan, and newer innovations like the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat cater to different consumer segments. These plant-based alternatives are often marketed towards environmentally conscious consumers, vegetarians, and vegans, as well as those seeking to reduce their meat intake for health reasons.
Artificial meat offers a sustainable alternative to traditional meat production. It requires significantly less land and water, and produces fewer greenhouse gases. According to a study by the World Bank, the global food security situation is slowly stabilizing, but disparities between income groups are widening. Low-income countries are particularly vulnerable, facing increased levels of food insecurity and requiring substantial financial support to establish safety nets.
Cultured meat could play a crucial role in addressing these disparities by providing a more efficient and sustainable source of protein. However, its acceptance varies across regions is influenced by cultural, religious, and economic factors. High meat consumption in wealthier countries suggests a substantial market potential for cultured meat, as consumers in these markets may be more open to adopting innovative food products.
Consumer acceptance is pivotal for the success of artificial meat. Studies indicate that while environmental and ethical benefits are key, concerns about taste, texture, and safety also persist. Education and transparent communication about the production process and benefits of cultured meat can help in overcoming these barriers. Governments and regulatory bodies also need to develop clear guidelines to ensure the safety and quality of artificial meat products.
The integration of artificial meat into the global food system requires a multi-faceted approach involving stakeholders from various sectors. Policymakers must collaborate with industry leaders, scientists, and society to create supportive policies and infrastructure. Investments in research and development, as well as subsidies and incentives for producers and consumers, can accelerate the adoption of artificial meat.
By leveraging the potential of artificial meat, we can take significant strides toward achieving global food security, reducing environmental impact, and creating a more sustainable and equitable food system for future generations.
Engagement Resources:
- The Good Food Institute (https://gfi.org/): An international nonprofit that supports the field of cellular agriculture and the development of cultured meat.
- From Fauna (https://fromfauna.org/): A nonprofit organization focused on accelerating the development of plant-based and cultured meat, eggs, and dairy.
- World Food Programme (https://www.wfp.org/): The food assistance branch of the United Nations, addressing global hunger and promoting food security.
- Believer Meats (https://www.believermeats.com/): A company specializing in the production of cultured meat, aiming to make it a sustainable and affordable food source.
- Cultured Meat Symposium (https://www.culturedmeatconference.com/): An annual event that brings together industry experts, scientists, and policymakers to discuss advancements in cultured meat technology.
Stay informed with the latest insights from our dedicated reporters by subscribing to the U.S. Resist Weekly Newsletter. Your support is crucial in safeguarding fearless, independent journalism. If you appreciate our content, please consider donating today to continue in helping to protect democracy and empower citizenship.
The Rise of ‘Weird’ and the New Framing of Anti-Abortion Policies
The Rise of ‘Weird’ and the New Framing of Anti-Abortion Policies
Health & Gender | By: Allie Amato | August 14, 2024
Featured Photo by Indy Silva for U.S. Resist News, 2024
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If the vast majority of American adults agree obtaining an abortion should be a personal choice, then why do we keep seeing access restricted? The dissonance between the American people and their government on reproductive health and abortion access is objectively odd. This is seemingly a partisan issue, but KFF polling actually finds at least 45% of Republican women support a law guaranteeing a right to abortion. Democratic women feel even stronger about abortion rights. Yet, there are men in power pushing restrictive legislation, and making decisions for women about their bodies. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have boiled this down to the now-trending word, “weird.”
Following the announcement of JD Vance being former President Donald Trump’s V.P. pick, Harris’ campaign posted a statement on X, calling Vance, “weird and creepy” for his stance on reproductive healthcare. Walz has been describing Trump and Vance as weird to the press and has since doubled down on that take. Searches on Google for “weird” have skyrocketed in recent weeks, prompting frantic rebuttals from not only Trump and Vance but also other prominent Republicans. Not to much avail, because Vance’s approval ratings are now plunging.
ANALYSIS:
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court made the regressive decision to overturn a ruling made decades ago, Roe v. Wade, a case that legalized abortion. Weird is an effectual way to describe the fact that the highest court in the United States is made up of people appointed by politicians instead of peers voted into office by the public. Especially since conservative justices are why we continue to see abortion rights stripped away. Overall, most people are in favor of a woman’s right to choose, with more than 60% of both men and women supporting legal abortion. Comparatively though, research from Gallup shows a slim majority of men consider themselves pro-life, while 45% are pro-choice and 6% have no opinion at all. These numbers exemplify how too many men staunchly and unjustly believe they know what’s right for bodies that aren’t theirs; bodies that are made and operate so differently from their own. Because of these arguably weird opinions men hold, women must once again fight for their right to autonomy, a battle already won in the 70s.
In a turn of events, the characterization of Trump and Vance’s politics as “weird” has encouraged voters to think more critically about the innate creepiness of anti-abortion policies. The former president is infamous for the nicknames he gives opponents and rivals, typically having the upper hand in lasting campaign messaging. Think “Crooked Hillary” or “Sleepy Joe.” While V.P. Harris and President Joe Biden share similar stances, her campaign’s simple labeling of “weird” cuts through in a way that’s clearly resonating with the American people. Maybe because weird is a term the public is intimately familiar with and knows exactly what it looks like. Oddly enough, Right-wing author and host, Matt Walsh, explained the success of the “weird” phenomenon well saying it is due to the fact that the word is “visceral” and in turn “moves people.” However, the question remains whether this messaging is enough to help Democrats garner more support with election day just three months away.
Both Trump and Vance have made their own accusations of Harris and Walz being the “weird” ones. If we’re measuring weirdness by each candidate’s opinion on the governmental oversight of women’s bodies, Harris and Walz are closer to “normal” on that spectrum. Harris has long supported abortion rights, even back during her time in the Senate. This year she also became the first President or V.P. to visit an abortion clinic. Walz last year, signed legislation that codified abortion rights into Minnesota state law. Then there’s Trump and Vance, we’re talking about two men with a proven history of weirdness and creepiness. Trump’s stance on abortion has varied throughout the decades. During his current campaign run, he’s expressed that abortion policies should be left up to each state’s discretion, and as recently as June urged an anti-abortion group to stand up for “innocent life.” The former president is also responsible for appointing some of the most conservative lawmakers to the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of the overturn of Roe v. Wade. As for running mate Vance, he’s previously identified as “100% pro-life” and last fall opposed an amendment to Ohio’s Constitution codifying the right to abortion and contraception. The rise of weird may be fascinating and somewhat puzzling, but the cold hard truth is Iowa just became the 22nd state to impose far-reaching restrictions on abortion access. It’s unclear if just messaging can turn the tide of bodily autonomy, at least though people are seeing abortion access and reproductive healthcare through a new lens.
ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES:
- The National Network of Abortion Funds is a collection of grassroots organizations that work to support people facing financial and logistical barriers to abortion access. They’re “determined to build a world where all reproductive options are valued, accessible, and stigma-free.”
- Reproductive Freedom for All is an organization that mobilizes members fighting for abortion and contraceptive access, paid parental leave, and protection from pregnancy discrimination. They also emphasize the intersectionality of these issues and how they connect to democracy reform, as well as LGBTQIA and civil rights.
- National Abortion Federation is a professional association of abortion providers. They help connect people to healthcare resources as well as provide unbiased information about abortions through the toll-free National Abortion Hotline. Those looking for care or guidance can call this number: 1-800-772-9100.
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The Week That Was: Global News in Review
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Foreign Policy Brief #153 | By: Abran C | August 09, 2024
Featured Photo: Collage by Indy Silva for U.S. Resist News, 2024
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Venezuela’s security forces clashed with large crowds of protesters BBC News: July 29, 2024
Election Protests in Venezuela
In the two weeks following the July 28, 2024, presidential elections, protests have grown across Venezuela. Current President Nicolas Maduro claims to have won a third term. But the opposition has claimed the election was stolen through electoral fraud by the current regime. As thousands of people continue to demonstrate across Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has claimed that his campaign has proof to show he won the election.
The opposition claims to have been able to acquire more than 80% of the vote tally sheets from the country proving that they won. The US State Department last week released a statement proclaiming Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of the Presidential elections in Venezuela.The country’s electoral authorities have not yet released the tally sheets for the 30,000 voting machines. The electoral body’s website has been down, and it remains unclear when the tallies would be released. The Maduro government has arrested 2,000 protestors. At a recent rally in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, Maduro pledged to detain more people and send them to prison.
Protestors throw a garbage bin on fire outside a hotel in Rotherham, Britain, August 4. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
UK Far-Right Riots
This past week far-right anti-immigrant rioters have attacked mosques and hotels housing asylum-seekers in cities around the UK. The unrest was sparked by the spread of misinformation about the identity of the suspect in a stabbing that killed three young girls in the community of Southport. The suspect was falsely identified as an immigrant and a Muslim, when he was in fact a British national and christian. The revelation of the attacker’s true identity did not quell the racist attacks against minorities across the country.
There have been riots in more than 20 places across Britain, from Sunderland in the northeast to Manchester in the northwest, to Plymouth in the southwest and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Most of the attacks have involved groups of hundreds of far-right rioters targeting immigrants, minorities and specifically Muslims, with police vehicles being set alight and bricks, bottles and other objects thrown at mosques, while other businesses have also been vandalized or looted.
Ismail Haniyeh was the head of Hamas’s political office. 3 Aug, 2024
Assassination of Hamas Political Leader Ismail Haniyeh
Former leader of Hamas’ political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed last week in Tehran where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian). The killing is widely believed to have been carried out by Israel. Iran has threatened to respond harshly as the killing occurred on its soil, viewing it as a huge breach of its territorial sovereignty. The news of the assassination has stoked fears about a wider regional conflict in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza, now in its 10 month. Haniyeh was seen by many diplomats as a moderate compared to more hardline members of Hamas. Mediators say the assassination has thrown off efforts to procure a ceasefire-hostage deal in Gaza. The Egyptian government, which has been a key mediator in the conflict, has condemned what it has called “Israel’s dangerous policy of escalation” and warned against “the nonsense policy of assassination and violation of the sovereignty of states”. Hamas this week named Yahya Sinwar, as its new leader. Sinwar has acted as the leader of Hamas’ military wing thus far. He is considered more hardlined than Haniyeh, has been at the top of Israel’s kill list since the Oct. 7 attack, and is sought for arrest by the International Criminal Court.
Bangladesh’s army chief says an interim government and new elections will be announced, BBC, August 8, 2024
Protests Topple Government in Bangladesh
Weeks of anti-government protests have toppled the long-time serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and a new interim government will be formed to transition the country away from its outgoing autocratic leader. The now former prime minister Hasina, a former pro-democracy icon, has fled to India. The protests began in early July as peaceful demands from university students to abolish quotas in civil service jobs, which mandated that a third would be reserved for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s war for independence. The campaigners had argued the system was discriminatory and needed to be overhauled. Although their request was largely met, the protests soon transformed into a wider anti-government movement. During the protests over 300 people were killed. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus will now head Bangladesh’s interim government until new elections can be organized.
For more updates, articles, in-depth analysis and weekly reviews on Global News, click here.
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Whose Republic Can Protect Democracy?
Whose Republic Can Protect Democracy?
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #136 | By: Rudolph Lurz| August 10, 2024
Featured Photo: www.lawliberty.org
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“A Republic…if you can keep it.”
Joe Biden quoted Ben Franklin during his Oval Office address explaining his withdrawal from the 2024 campaign. He used Ben Franklin’s words to urge his supporters to carry the banner of the ideals of the Founding Fathers and avoid falling into the trap of autocratic rule. President Biden, and now Vice President Harris, have made “defending democracy” a central theme of the Democratic Party’s campaign.
This same quote from Franklin is used by the Heritage Foundation to stress that America is a Republic, not a democracy, and measures must be taken to ensure that government remains limited in order to protect essential liberties. Such measures include defending the Electoral College and the ability for U.S. Senators to serve as many terms as they would like. Preserving the Republic, according to the Heritage Foundation, means “tempering egalitarian zeal and moderating the hope for a perfectly just democracy.”
President Trump himself called Joe Biden “the destroyer of democracy” at the beginning of the 2024 campaign, and blamed President Biden for a weaponization of the justice system against political opponents and turning America, in Trump’s words, into a Third World country.
The Heritage Foundation, President Biden, and former President Trump all claim to be the true defenders of the Republic, and two out of three quote Ben Franklin to prove their points.
Who is right? Whose Republic will America be in 2025?
Civics in the Spotlight
The defense of American democracy seems better suited for a high school civics debate than a presidential campaign. In most campaigns, it was a conceded point that both Democratic and Republican candidates agreed on basic civic principles.
This is no ordinary campaign. Low civics competency compounds these issues. In 2022, just 22% of American 8th graders were proficient in civics. In a recent survey of college students, over 50% of those contacted could not identify basic aspects of American government. 60% could not name the term limits of members of the U.S House of Representatives or U.S. Senate. Over 70% did not know that Kamala Harris was President of the Senate (28% named Joe Biden in this role). Over 50% could not name the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (John Roberts).
The GOP base seems remarkably consistent with their messaging on this issue, despite the gap in education levels between the Democratic base and the Republican base.
In 2016, following victory in the Nevada caucus, Donald Trump proclaimed, “I love the poorly educated,” which instantly became a meme on social media. His supporters felt the designation was unfair, because he also stated in his victory remarks that he won the highly educated as well as all other demographic categories of voters. Almost a decade later, the data suggests that those with lower education levels are much more likely to support former President Trump. In a recent Pew Research poll, taken just before President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election, Mr. Biden led Mr. Trump among college graduates 50%-37%, while Mr. Trump had a sizable lead among those with no college degree (48%-34%).
Mr. Trump has good reason to love the poorly educated, because they are among his strongest supporters. Across social media, there is a consistent theme from Mr. Trump’s supporters stating, “We are a Republic, not a Democracy.”
From the average Trump foot soldier on social media to the erudite fellows at the Heritage Foundation, the GOP is on message with that declaration.
What’s the problem if both Heritage and President Biden quote Ben Franklin and laud the virtues of the American Republic? Does the American electorate have the civics competency to navigate the dueling messages?
Analysis
The vitriol and personal attacks which often follow Republic/Not Democracy social media posts offer clues to why Team Trump is amplifying civics. It’s not about civics. As I highlighted in a previous post analyzing GOP education policy, these measures are about consolidating power, not educating the public.
Despite the fact that nearly 70% of American college students could not name James Madison as the “Father of the Constitution”, Americans generally have positive feelings about their country’s founders. Mention things like the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, or The Federalist Papers and one would generally find a receptive response from the average citizen. Hamilton was a hit on Broadway and Hollywood. Americans know who these people are and love them.
Most Americans, even highly educated ones, do not have the civics competency levels to read deeper into what the Founding Fathers were actually saying. Confirmation bias is a problem. If Team Trump says that former President Trump is the true defender of the American Republic, those who lean right are likely to repeat Team Trump’s talking points on this issue. Those in the middle who recognize Hamilton from a musical but have never read The Federalist Papers will hear both parties quoting the same people and shrug the entire issue off as a draw.
The issue here is that even a draw benefits former President Trump. A more careful reading of The Federalist Papers, along with further analysis of recent work from conservative intellectuals, reveals that the intent behind this push for civics is about power, not liberty. They are using Hamilton, Madison, and The Federalist Papers as a Trojan Horse to prepare the American public for more executive power. The person intended to wield this power is Donald Trump during his second term in office.
When that power is wielded to curtail decades of democratic progress, the line of “We’re a Republic, not a Democracy” will be used to explain that everything is ok.
That is not what the Founders wanted when they forged the American Republic. They were wary of demagogues using the mob to grasp more and more power. They set up the checks and balances of the government to ensure that American liberty was safeguarded from these demagogues.
Donald Trump resembles the demagogues depicted by Hamilton and Madison more than Hamilton or Madison themselves.
Our Republic is dependent on civil and strenuous debate in the public sphere. Whoever wins the election in November should engage with critics instead of demanding that they kiss the ring of their feudal lord and swear fealty.
It is great that civic education is back in the spotlight. It is important that it is not used as a tool to bring the populace back into the shadows, erasing decades of social progress. To keep Franklin’s mission intact, we must actually read the works of the Founders. The Republic that President Biden mentioned in his Oval Office address requires defense. It’s our job to keep it.
Engagement Resources
- The Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”: Project 2025 | Presidential Transition Project
- Full Text of The Federalist Papers: Full Text of The Federalist Papers – Federalist Papers: Primary Documents in American History – Research Guides at Library of Congress (loc.gov)
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Putin and Trump’s Connections: Onstage and Behind the Scenes, Part 2: “I got along with Putin.”
Putin and Trump’s Connections: Onstage and Behind the Scenes
Part 2: “I got along with Putin.”
Foreign Policy Brief #152 | By: Yelena Korshunov | August 09, 2024
Featured Photo: www.npr.org
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Best Buddies
On February 22, 2022, when Russian troops had already spread along Ukrainian border ready to start in preparation of thanattack, Donald Trump described Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “genius” and “savvy,” praising him for a move that has provoked sanctions and universal condemnation from the U.S. government and its trans-Atlantic allies. “I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius.’ Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful,” Trump said in a radio interview with the conservative The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. “He used the word ‘independent’ and ‘we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace.’ You gotta say that’s pretty savvy.”
When later Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine in one day, it sparked immediate concern of the Ukrainian government that Trump’s simplistic plan would involve the U.S. attempting to cede Ukrainian land to Russia. In September 2023 at an interview on Meet the Press, NBC’s journalist Kristen Welker asked Trump about his plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Emphasizing his positive relationship with Putin, Trump claimed that “there was nobody tougher than me on Russia…I got along with Putin. Let me tell you, I got along with him really well. And that’s a good thing, not a bad thing,” Trump said. “He’s got 1,700 nuclear missiles. And so do we. But, look, that’s a good thing. Getting along is OK. But I got along through strength.”
In January 2024, giving an interview on FOX news, Trump said that it’s worth getting along with leaders of countries that have nuclear weapons. He recalled his good relationship with Putin and noted that if Hillary Clinton had become president in 2016, a nuclear war would have already begun. “You know, it’s good to get along with people like Putin… I had negotiations with Chairman Xi, I have excellent relations with them. If Hillary Clinton had won, you would have had a nuclear war with North Korea, Kim Jong Un. I got along with him too,” Trump said.
This year, on February 10th, CNN reported that Trump said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense. “NATO was busted until I came along,” Trump stated at a rally in Conway, South Carolina. “I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.’ They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ They couldn’t believe the answer.” Trump said that “one of the presidents of a big country” at one point asked him whether the U.S. would still defend the country if they were invaded by Russia while they “don’t pay.” “No, I would not protect you,” Trump recalled telling that president. “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”
Russia’s Reaction to the Attempted Assassination of Trump
The recent assassination attempt on Trump was followed by an immediate reaction by Russia’s officials. According to the RBC (Russia’s TV news channel) the Kremlin linked the assassination attempt to the political atmosphere in the United States. The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov commented on TV that “the style of work of the US presidential administration is to resolve issues by force without seeking compromises, including in world affairs. We are talking about economic pressure through sanctions, political pressure, or the use of coercive methods, military force, but now the violence has actually been transferred inside the United States.”
According to Peskov, “the threat to Trump’s life was obvious to everyone after many attempts to eliminate him as a candidate from the political arena through legal means. “
Trump’s Peace Plan Supports Putin and Disregards NATO
A day after officially accepting the Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced they conversed by phone, as the U.S. presidential race hangs over the future of the war in Ukraine. According to both sides, this conversation was more traditionally diplomatic, with Zelenskyy congratulating Trump on officially becoming the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. Zelensky stated that he also emphasized the importance of the US support for Ukraine amid a third year of Russia’s invasion and added that he and Trump agreed “to discuss at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting.”
Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war in Ukraine if reelected in November, going so far as to state he would negotiate peace before he assumes office in January, and has disparagingly called Zelenskyy “the greatest salesman of all time” for his efforts to secure billions of dollars in military, economic and humanitarian aid from Washington. Later, Trump said in a social media post that he will “end the war” and that “both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence.” However, Trump did not elaborate on the terms he would accept.
Vladimir Putin doesn’t make a secret out of his attempt to rebuild the former Soviet Union by forcefully returning its 15 ex-republics under his governess. Russia’s politicians persistently speak about Finland and Poland that once were a part of the “great Russian Imperia”. Considering Donald Trump’s steady avoidance of discussing the terms of peace and his personal relation with Russia’s president, could his peace plan involve handing away Ukrainian territories? If so, would this not increase Russia’s revanchist appetite for other sovereign countries’ lands?
This is Part 2 of a running series on Putin and Trump’s connections. For Part 1, please click here.
Engagement Resources
- Trump ‘compromising’ claims: How and why did we get here? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427
- Trump calls Putin ‘genius’ and ‘savvy’ for Ukraine invasion, https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/23/trump-putin-ukraine-invasion-00010923
- Trump says he would encourage Russia to ‘do whatever the hell they want’ to any NATO country that doesn’t pay enough, https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/10/politics/trump-russia-nato/index.html
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Current Events in a Post-Roe V. Wade Era
Current Events in a Post-Roe V. Wade Era
Health and Gender Policy Brief #175 | By: Geoffrey Small | August 08, 2024
Featured Photo: www.pbs.org
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More than two years have passed since The Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade. The Court upheld a 2018 law in the State of Mississippi that prohibited abortion operations after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal organization, authored the main model the 2018 Mississippi legislation administered. The Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Mississippi’s only abortion clinic, challenged the prohibitive law by suing State Health Officer Thomas E. Dobbs. As a result of multiple State District and Fifth Circuit court appeals, which all ruled against Mississippi’s legislation, the case was presented before the Supreme Court. In 2022, the Court’s decision to uphold Mississippi’s law led to a major reversal in Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision protecting the general constitutional right to have an abortion. It also reversed Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a ruling that ensured states’ abortion laws were not overly restrictive. As a result of this reversal, a wave of policy proposals, legal challenges and state legislation has been enacted. This has created a constant upheaval in U.S. reproductive rights. This series will explore these current events that will impact abortions throughout the United States.
Policy Analysis
On July 29th, President Joe Biden wrote an Op-ed for the Washington Post unveiling his plans to reform the Supreme Court. He cites two major decisions that led to these proposals; the recent Trump v. The United States decision declaring a president has immunity for official acts and the recent decision that reversed Roe v. Wade. In the Op-ed, Biden proposed the “No One is Above the Law Amendment” to the Constitution, which declares no immunity for crimes a president committed during his time in office. Biden’s second proposal enacts 18-year term limits on Supreme Court Justices. His third proposal is creating a binding code of conduct for justices, which require them to disclose gifts, refrain from political activity, and recuse themselves from cases where they, or their spouse, have a financial conflict of interest.
The following day after Biden’s Oped was released, Mylissa Farmer a woman from Kansas City, sued the University of Kansas Health System for refusing to give her an abortion that was deemed medically necessary. She is accusing the University of violating federal laws on emergency room treatment in 2022. The filed federal lawsuit may be the first post-Roe v. Wade case against a hospital. Farmer suffered a premature rupture of membranes at 18 weeks of pregnancy. The pregnancy was determined to be no longer viable and an abortion was needed for Farmer to avoid major health complications. However, at the time of her emergency, the state of Kansas was in the process of deciding on a referendum to eliminate the right to abortion in their constitution. The hospital refused to treat Farmer because it was deemed too “risky” in a “heated” political environment. The referendum ultimately did not pass and the right to abortion was upheld. Farmer stated that the hospital had violated the Emergency Medical Treatment Labor Act, which requires hospitals to stabilize patients with medical emergencies, as well as Kansas anti-discrimination laws.
Until reproductive rights are enshrined in the U.S. constitution, policy proposals, lawsuits, and state laws will continue to change the landscape in accessibility to abortions in the United States. This series will continue to provide the current events that highlight reproductive instability in a post Roe v. Wade environment.
Engagement Resources
Document Resources
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/29/joe-biden-reform-supreme-court-presidential-immunity-plan-announcement/
- https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/lbpglmaxlvq/Farmer v University of Kansas complaint 7-30.pdf
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The Challenges of Appealing The Trump Classified Documents Case
The Challenges of Appealing The Trump Classified Documents Case
Civil Rights Policy Brief #229 | By: Rod Maggay | July 29, 2024
Featured Photo by Indy SIlva for U.S. Resist News, 2024
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Policy Summary: On July 15, 2024 Judge Aileen Cannon of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed the case United States v. Trump. The case was popularly known as the “classified documents” case because it pertained to Donald Trump’s retention of classified government documents after he left the White House. The basis for Judge Cannon’s order was that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith violated the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Two days later the United States Department of Justice approved and Special Counsel Smith filed an official notice of appeal. LEARN MORE
Policy Analysis: Judge Cannon’s decision to dismiss the classified documents case against former President Donald J. Trump is a difficult decision to comprehend. It is a questionable decision to understand because of the numerous legal precedents it simply sweeps aside and ignores. There are numerous legal authorities that suggest that the case should not have been decided in the manner Judge Cannon decided the case.
But Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team and the government are going to have another chance to plead their case to bring the case again as two days after the dismissal, Mr. Smith and his team filed a notice of appeal. But the appeal is not for certain and can go in different directions.
The most routine and expected way is for the appeal to go to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which handles appeals from cases originating in Florida federal courts. The Eleventh Circuit has already heard appeals from Trump cases coming out of Judge Cannon’s courtroom and their decisions have been highly critical of decisions and rulings that Judge Cannon has made. Ever since Judge Cannon decided to ignore legal precedent and dismiss the classified documents case, many legal scholars believe that bringing an appeal to this appeals court is the best chance to overturn Judge Cannon’s order of dismissal because of their direct criticisms of how she has handled Trump’s case before. They will not be hesitant in criticizing Judge Cannon. An appeals court will likely not allow stand a federal district court judge simply deciding to ignore settled law and decide a case contrary to what other courts have already decided with regard to the constitutionality of the appointment of a special counsel. However, one of the challenges of taking an appeal to this court of appeals is that it will likely delay the case and almost certainly will prevent the case from being tried before the November 2024 presidential election.
An alternative route that Jack Smith and his team could take is a direct appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Jack Smith had tried this before when he appealed directly to the Supreme Court in the election interference case being heard in a Washington D.C. federal court regarding the issue of presidential immunity. The Supreme Court then refused to hear this expedited appeal direct from a district trial court. Only later did the Supreme Court accept the appeal but only after the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled against Trump. An appeal to the high court might face similar hurdles. An appeal would certainly help expedite the case but a ruling from a conservative leaning court could complicate matters tremendously. An appeal to the highest court of the land might result in a decision that might validate Judge Cannon’s dismissal of the case and end the case completely. This is the risk of having this court with a conservative majority getting involved.
Now is just a wait and see moment. Based on information from the briefing notice from the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Jack Smith and his team of attorneys have until August 27th, 2024 to submit their opening brief. After that, a responsive brief from Mr. Trump and his attorneys will be due near the end of September 2024 with Mr. Smith allowed one last reply brief around the middle of October. After that, it is anyone’s guess when the appeals court will issue a ruling but almost certainly not before Election Day. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
Engagement Resources
- VOA News – history of special counsel investigations.
- PBS – history of special counsels with more analysis of the cases and legal issues involved.
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 rodwood@email.com.
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