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The Week That Was: Global News In Review
Brief #114 – Foreign Policy Brief
by : Ibrahim Castro
A week-in-review of Global News, including surging violence in Ecuador, Iran’s strikes on Iran, Syria, and Pakistan, and more on the Ethiopia-Somaliland deal.
Can the Law Stop Trump from Becoming President?
Brief #117 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Abigail Hunt
If there were a Guinness world record for most felony indictments by a U.S. President, Donald Trump would be the winner by a good margin. Trump faces 91 state or federal felony charges in four separate jurisdictions in New York, Georgia, Washington D.C., and Florida.
Governor Abbott and “Illegal Immigrants”
Brief #116 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Abigail Hunt
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, deep in the heart of Texas, Governor Greg Abbott signed a law into effect giving state law enforcement a broader right to arrest individuals crossing into Texas illegally (set to go into effect in March 2024.)
America’s Declining Global Leadership Role
OP ED
by U.S. Resist News
As the world transitions into a complex geopolitical era marked by the rise of new powers and diffuse threats, the United States stands at a crossroads of influence and strategy. This Op Ed aims to delve into the nuanced aspects of American foreign policy, reflecting on its historical leadership and envisaging its path forward amidst these evolving challenges.
TikTok and Its Effects on Young People
Brief #106 – Technology Policy Brief
by : Steve Piazza
With an unwieldy number of users, TikTok already faces an uphill battle employing a security system that works effectively to protect its users. But with all the protections in place, workarounds still exist and savvy youngsters know how to exploit the loopholes.
Why Former President Trump’s Presidential Immunity Arguments Should Be Rejected
Brief #217 – Civil Rights Policy Brief
by Rodney A. Maggay
Presidential immunity in the United States is a legal doctrine that provides a defense for former and current presidents from certain legal claims. While the doctrine is not mentioned in the text of the U.S. Constitution or any federal statute, it has been recognized by United States Supreme Court case law, although in a rather incomplete fashion.
Abortion Restrictions Continue as Women Stockpile Medication
Policy Brief #169 – Health and Gender
by Geoffrey Small
With recent state developments in restricting access to abortion procedures, women across the U.S. are feeling the impact of their waning reproductive rights by taking precautions that were unimaginable in the Roe v. Wade era.
Fadi’s Story: The Challenges to Palestinian Identity
Brief #113 – Foreign Policy Brief
by : Aziza Taslaq
Fadi’s story sheds light on the resilience and determination of Palestinians facing identity challenges and calls for global recognition of their rights and a just resolution to the ongoing conflicts in the region.
Is Russia’s President Putin Afraid of Alexei Navalny?
Brief #112 – Foreign Policy Brief
by : Yelena Korshunov
Alexei Navalny is one of the leaders of the Russian opposition and a leading opponent of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. Navalny gained initial fame for his investigations into corruption in Russia.
What did Sam Bankman Fried Do and What Does it Mean for Cryptocurrency?
What did Sam Bankman Fried Do and What Does it Mean for Cryptocurrency?
Economic Policy Brief #57 | By: Arvind Salem| November 26, 2023
Photo taken from: npr.org
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Policy Summary:
On November 2, 2023, Sam Bankman Fried, the former CEO of FTX, one of the largest cryptocurrency trading companies, was found guilty of fraud and money laundering. Fried was found guilty on 7 counts of fraud, including wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering, all of which he took from customers of FTX for his own personal gain. His sentencing trial will be in March, in addition to his trial regarding allegations of foreign bribery.
This verdict is the conclusion of a yearlong saga that took down FTX, and later its CEO Sam Bankman Fried. In November of 2022, CoinDesk reported that the assets in FTX’s sister firm, Alameda research, also founded by Fried, were mostly in the form of an FTX token, FTT. This led to widespread concerns over FTX’s value due to the clear conflict of interest using FTX’s resources as assets for Alameda, leading to widespread withdrawals from FTX. To fix the crisis, FTX was in negotiations with rival exchange firm, Binance, to acquire its international division, but they backed out after conducting a due diligence study. Compounded with the Alameda research news, this led to mass withdrawals from FTX. These events led FTX to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The nail in the coffin, was a hack that stole $477 million from the company, although that number was arrived at by external analysts and not released by FTX themselves. Throughout the whole way, the company committed fraud to convince skeptical investors that the company was in good financial health, including using inflated valuations of speculative assets, and most glaringly hiding huge amounts of missing money, which we now know went to Fried, using fake balance sheets.
Shortly after, a class action lawsuit was filed in Florida against celebrity promoters of FTX, arguing that they misled customers by lending credibility to unregistered securities. If they were going to promote these securities, they were required to disclose the details of their financial agreements governing the endorsements under Florida law. FTX had a large number of celebrity endorsers including famous athletes Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, and Naomi Osaka, and most famously Shark Tank host Kevin O’Leary. The exchange was also famously close to closing a $100 million deal with Taylor Swift, who backed out after conducting her own due diligence study. This September, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and YouTube influencers Tom Nash and Kevin Paffrath all reached settlements concerning their endorsements of FTX.
For a month after FTX collapsed, it was unclear if FTX’s failure was due to any criminal activity from management, specifically its CEO, but in December 2022, it was announced that Sam Bankman Fried would face both federal civil and criminal charges for fraud and diverting FTX’s money for his own personal gain. Among other things, Fried used FTX funds to purchase homes in the Bahamas, sponsor the FTX Arena in Miami, buy a Formula One Racing Team, and contribute $93 million to various political campaigns. During his trial, nearly all of his top aides testified against him in exchange for leniency. He made the bold decision to testify in his own defense, but had his inconsistencies exposed during cross examination when the prosecution attorney brought up the stark contrast between his public and private statements. Additionally, Sam has been in prison since August, due to having his bail revoked after it was determined he tried to intimidate witnesses.
Under new leadership to oversee its post bankruptcy operations, FTX has announced that 90% of its available funds will go to customers. However management could only recover $6.9 billion in funds, leaving them $8.7 billion short to fully compensate their customers.
Policy Analysis:
The collapse of FTX and the corruption exposed in this trial represent the need for tighter regulation fthe cryptocurrency industry. This saga in specific, has drawn Congressional attention and many lawmakers are now recognizing the need for cryptocurrency regulations. Additionally, this highlights how prone to scams and fraud the cryptocurrency industry can be. If seasoned investors like Kevin O Leary were fooled, what hope does the average person have?
However, this trial also bears some good news for cryptocurrency. First of all, regulation might not even be a bad thing. The heightened consumer confidence could lead to more people joining, not less. After all, one of the chief allures of cryptocurrency would remain, the ability for its value to remain independent of any government, but a key downside, its lack of widespread acceptance and security, would be vastly diminished. However, it is worth noting that the idea of bitcoin as a hedge against inflation has taken a large blow due to the fact that bitcoin’s value plummeted, when inflation rose this past year, although that could be due to other factors. Additionally, the industry’s efforts to position Sam Bankman Fried as a bad actor taking advantage of cryptocurrency rather than FTX’s downfall being innate to the industry as a whole appear to be working. The barometer for the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin prices, indicate that cryptocurrency is recovering from its record lows after the collapse of FTX, although it still has not hit its peak that it enjoyed in late 2021 and early 2022. Moreover, companies in the traditional finance industry, like Blackrock and Fidelity, are moving into cryptocurrency: both have applications before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to introduce crypto ETFs, which would allow their customers to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency market in a secure way, and potentially lead to future growth for the cryptocurrency.
Engagement Resources:
- Coinbase is a cryptocurrency trading company that allows users to trade cryptocurrency. Readers interested in looking into other cryptocurrency trading sites other than FTX may wish to visit this site, and decide if it is something they would like to invest in after knowing all of the risks associated with it.
- BlackRock is a company that manages investments for clients that is looking to launch ways for their clients to get involved in the cryptocurrency market in a secure way. Readers who want to explore the cryptocurrency market in the future in a secure way may wish to explore Blackrock’s options in the future after SEC approval.
Be on the Lookout: Politicians Never Stop Campaigning
Be on the Lookout: Politicians Never Stop Campaigning
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #110 | By: Steve Piazza | November 21, 2023
Photo taken from: democraticaudit.com
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Policy Summary:
During the most recent Republican Presidential Debate, candidates made a hard sale expressing their unconditional support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas. In their own fashion, each called for the complete annihilation of Hamas while collectively promoting Republican Party ideological unity.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration, short of calling for a cease-fire, instead preferred leaning into an appeal for a humanitarian pause. Some feel Biden was hoping to tread lightly in order to win over Democrats demanding Israel to stop attacking innocent citizens in Gaza.
On either side of the aisle (WHAT DOES THAT PHRASE MEAN?), it’s clear they’re sending a message of concern about bloodshed. But it’s also understood that both sides aren’t taking any chances of being labeled anti-Semitic which could lead to serious losses at the ballot box.
A tenuous borderland exists between talk of problem solving and mere campaign strategies since the pursuit and/or maintenance of power cannot easily be separated out. In other words, anytime a political figure publicly says or does anything, it cannot be forgotten that it is, at its root, an attempt to secure a vote.
Policy Analysis:
When the Israeli Office of Foreign Affairs released a video that at first appeared as a kids ad for rainbows and unicorns but then quickly grew dark with the tragic statistics of the October 7 Hamas attack, the Likud Party may have indirectly been attempting to increase it’s recently won slight majority in the Knesset. That video has now been removed, but it’s indicative how governments with unlimited resources can easily and swiftly hawk messages to its populace, and beyond, in order to serve both its immediate and long term goals.
That the campaigning never stops certainly applies to how the well endowed parties in the U.S. allow politicians to operate. It’s most apparent in traditional, slick campaign ads over TV and radio, often sounding ominous and urgent regarding a possible takeover by dark forces of opponents.
This type of approach is no accident. Campaigns employ world class advertising agencies, often outside mainstream, to pull out all the stops when it comes to the art of persuasion. After all, appealing to emotions like fear and doom are a very popular, and effective, method.
But placing traditional campaign advertising aside, politicians are forever on the trail. It’s important to remember this during interviews, hearings, or even statements made before boarding a helicopter. Indeed, campaigning comes in all shapes and sizes, including unconventional messagings since suggestive influence is proven more effective than anything blatant.
President Biden’s Oval Office informational address to the nation regarding the White House support of Israel can also be viewed as indirect campaign pitch. Not only could it help him get a leg up on other candidates, it can also be viewed as an opportunity to counter Republican opposition to combining Ukraine and Israel aid.
Candidates themselves can also campaign without even being present. One example of this is Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s recent photo op. His handshake with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does send a message of U.S. support, but it also provides concrete evidence of Biden’s foreign policy involvement, something that will be useful for the President on the campaign trail.
What gets said on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives matters for legislation, but it’s also an opportunity to sell extreme ideology to voters. Republican speakers in support of Missouri Democrat Rashida Tlaib’s censure referenced the holocaust and the destruction of Israel, two emotionally incendiary issues that give fire to their 2024 primary campaigns.
Consider the chest pounding endorsements during the Republican debates that sounded more like a commercial for a household product. The use of phrases like “finish the job once and for all,” “wipe them off the map,” and “stone cold dead.” was akin to conditioning people to remember when it comes time to vote who will get the job done.
Candidates’ responses to events in Israel will most likely steal much of the focus during the election. But what must be taken into consideration is the separation of what’s really happening on the ground and what comes from the mouth of the candidates.
It will be important to observe how less traditional information sources, whether via social media, dissent channels, or town halls, line up with the candidates’ marketing as they follow their paths. More than ever, it’s up to citizens to know campaign rhetoric when they see it, particularly when it’s not during a sensationalized sixty second T.V. spot.
Engagement Resources:
- Here is an article from The Fulcrum, a pro Democracy site, which examines political advertising: https://thefulcrum.us/learning-to-recognize-political-rhetoric
- In the context of Hannah Arendt’s writing, this article reflects the problems related to truth in politics: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/hannah-arendt-and-politics-truth/
- Open Secrets is a resource to help track how money is spent during campaigns: https://www.opensecrets.org/
The New Supreme Court Ethics Code Needs More To Be Effective
The New Supreme Court Ethics Code Needs More To Be Effective
Civil Rights Policy Brief #214 | By: Rodney A. Maggay | November 20, 2023
Photo taken from: forbes.com
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Policy Summary:
On November 13, 2023 the Supreme Court announced that for the first time in its history the Court’s justices would be bound by an ethical code.
While the Supreme Court has never had a binding ethical code for the more than two hundred years of its existence, judges on the lower federal appeals and federal district courts have had to abide by an ethical code. The Code of Conduct for United States Judges for these lower court justices and judges is comprised of five canons. Canon 1 requires a judge to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary. Canon 2 requires a judge to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities. Canon 3 requires a judge to perform the duties of the office fairly, impartially and diligently. Canon 4 permits a judge to engage in extrajudicial activities that are consistent with the obligations of judicial office. And finally, Canon 5 requires a judge to refrain from political activity. The ethical code announced by the Supreme Court is similar to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges with minor textual changes.
However, the new Supreme Court ethical code is significantly different from the Code of Conduct for United States Judges in one fundamental way – there is no enforcement mechanism if a justice does not abide by one of the Canons. The determination as to whether a justice has followed or violated the canon is left to the individual justice. LEARN MORE
Policy Analysis:
The surprise announcement by the Supreme Court of a new self – imposed code of ethics for the Court was likely in response to the numerous scandals that have plagued the court within the last year. Specifically, the revelations of the numerous gifts and perks that Justice Clarence Thomas received and did not disclose as well as an undisclosed trip received by Justice Samuel Alito caused an uproar that some of the decisions by the Justices’ may have been improperly influenced by their relationship with Republican donors. The issuance of this new ethical code raises significant questions as to whether these scandals could have been prevented with this ethical code. A closer examination of the new ethics code reveals that the code is lacking in many areas that may render the code ineffectual in the long run.
One of the many criticisms of the new code raised by legal scholars is that the ethical code has no enforcement mechanism. What this means is that if there is a perception that a justice has violated one of the five canons there is no way to hold the justice accountable and no punishment or corrective course of action will be imposed on the justice. All of the federal appeals court judges and federal district court judges who are bound by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges face a complaint and grievance process and can have some of decisions made by them, such as whether to recuse from a case, reviewable from another court or panel. These are safeguards that lower federal court judges are subject to to ensure that the federal judges are not the one policing themselves. But these safeguards are noticeably missing from the new code issued by the Supreme Court. It does not seem appropriate that a justice could decide for him or herself whether or not he or she is in compliance with any of the canons. A tenet of the American justice system is that no person should be the judge or jury in his or her own case because of the obvious conflicts of interest in that scenario. That ability to hold a justice accountable is missing from this ethical code, which renders the code nearly worthless as a preventative measure.
The ethics code may also have been issued as a way to prevent Congress from crafting their own ethical code for the Court which would have left the justices helpless as they would not have much input into a code from Congress. But one interesting discussion about a possible ethics code from Congress was whether Congress had the authority to create one and impose it on the Court. Justice Samuel Alito was adamant that Congress could not constitutionally impose one on the Court as he believed only the Court had the power to do so. But in the light of the ethical lapses from Justice Thomas’ behavior and activities, some Justices (Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh) have quietly approved of the idea of an ethics code although they did not mention who should craft it. But history shows that the Supreme Court can write an ethical code with an enforcement mechanism for itself. The new code adopts older rules that regulates the teaching and speech giving activities of a justice, caps the amount a justice could receive teaching ($30,000 per year) and includes a process as to how a justice can be approved to teach a course of instruction. These safeguards demonstrate that third – party review of a justice’s activities are possible. These safeguards should be expanded to more activities than simply outside teaching.
And, there are plenty of models out there that the Court can emulate. Current Senate and House rules have limitations on what gifts members and staffers can accept. The Senate in Section XXXV has a detailed framework of rules with no gift more than $50 subject to other situations. And the House has a very detailed gifts guide in their House Ethics Manual. What this illustrates is that most government institutions have gift guide restrictions to prevent the kind of corruption and loss of confidence that has stunned the Supreme Court this past year. If other government institutions are worried about the appearance of impropriety of gifts of more than $50 than the Supreme Court should follow the same logic to prevent gifts of trips and other perks that exceed the hundreds of thousands of dollars in value that Justice Thomas and Justice Alito are believed to have received. Putting a cap on the dollar amount on what a justice could receive would be in line with what most government officials are required to abide by.
The new ethics code announced by the Court was a welcome first step but it does not nearly go as far as it needs to when compared to what other federal judges and other government officials have to follow. More is needed and the Court, and Congress, can add those additional safeguards if they should so decide. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
Engagement Resources:
- American Judicature Society – guide illustrating the ethical codes state judges are bound by.
- Brennan Center for Justice – a historical piece about an ethical and financial scandal that disgraced a Supreme Court Justice from the 1960’s.
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.
Republican-based Anti-Abortion Groups are Losing State Battles Over Reproductive Rights
Republican-based Anti-Abortion Groups are Losing State Battles Over Reproductive Rights
Health and Gender Policy Brief #168 | By: Geoffrey Small | November 20, 2023
Photo taken from: bloomberg.com
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Policy Summary:
Ohio has become the latest battleground to overwhelmingly vote in favor of abortion in the United States. 56.6% of Ohio voters approved a measure protecting reproductive rights on November 7th. This follows a pattern of Republican-held sovereigns, which include Kansas and Kentucky, to vote in favor of protecting abortions. States across the U.S. facing elections have upset Republican efforts to maintain the status quo in red states. The Democratic Party has consolidated their message to reflect public opinion, which indicate that the majority of Americans believe abortion should be legal. Republicans are struggling to maintain a consistent message, as anti-abortion activists have experienced infighting on how to administer laws post-Roe v. Wade. This analysis will explore how anti-abortion groups are losing the state battle, as reproductive rights organizations are declaring victories in Republican strongholds.
Policy Analysis:
Ohio wasn’t the only state to retaliate against Republican efforts related to abortion bans during this election cycle. The state legislature in Virginia has flipped control to the Democratic Party, after the November elections led to an upset for Republican candidates. Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin campaigned on a promise to sign an abortion ban if approved by the state legislature. Virginians responded by ensuring no abortion ban will be signed as long as the Democrats maintain legislative control. Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear also defeated promising Republican candidate Daniel Cameron by a wide margin. Republicans in Kentucky, who control a vast majority of the state legislature and other elected offices, are trying to understand why.
To understand how reproductive rights organizations and the Democratic Party have been so successful in recent elections, one can analyze what antiabortion groups are saying after the series of Republican upsets. Rev. Pat Mahoney is a prominent anti-abortion activist and chief strategy officer for Stanton Public Policy Center, which supports a network of anti-abortion clinics. He stated “hardly any Republican has handled this well,” noting that “they’ve been all over the map.” Mahoney explained “I live in Virginia. The state is doing well, the economy’s doing well, by all accounts. [Glenn] Youngkin is a relatively popular governor. Every ad I saw on television for every Democrat – I mean, a barrage of them – was how MAGA Republicans or pro-life anti-choice activists want to take women’s rights away. They were all about abortion.”
Mahoney’s statements reflect the Democratic Party’s unity on pro-choice and Republican disagreements on how anti-abortion laws would be administered. Multiple anti-abortion groups signed a letter to lawmakers stating “As national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women, and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women is not pro-life and we stand firmly opposed to such efforts.” However, there’s a major rift when it comes to extremist abolitionist groups like Abolish Abortion, which was founded by Bradley Pierce, a Constitutional Attorney who filed a brief during the Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Not only was he influential in helping pass draconian abortion restrictions in Texas, but he worked with Louisiana State Representatives in an attempt to pass a law that would allow prosecutors to criminally charge patients who receive an abortion as a homicide .
The message is clear for the Democratic Party, campaigning on a pro-choice platform will win elections. As Republican anti-abortion groups are fractured on how to handle their post-Roe v. Wade message, victories for Democrats and reproductive rights may be all but guaranteed.
Link to Donate:
Examining Competitive House Races in the Midwest
Examining Competitive House Races in the Midwest
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #109 | By: Ian Milden | November 20, 2023
Photo taken from: theguardian.com
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Policy Summary:
Democrats lost their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2022 mid-term elections. However, the small size of the Republican majority leaves Democrats with a path to re-take the House majority. This brief will take an early look at some of the races in the Midwest.
Policy Analysis:
Republicans shocked many pundits by only winning a four-seat majority in the House of Representatives during the midterm elections. There are a handful of seats in this region that Democrats can target, but the Democratic Party will need to make significant efforts to recruit the right candidates and support their campaigns. The Democratic Party has a recent history of not doing that in some of these districts in recent election cycles.
Nebraska’s second Congressional district supported Joe Biden’s Presidential Campaign in 2020, but it chose to send Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) back to the House of Representatives. The second district is based around Omaha and has been a swing district for the last decade. Bacon won the seat in 2016 by defeating Congressman Brad Ashford (D-NE). Efforts to unseat Congressman Bacon have not been successful due to nominating the wrong candidate and limited national support for the Democratic nominee. Congressman Bacon won reelection in 2022 by less than 7,000 votes. Bacon’s moderate profile and his military background appeal to the district, which has an air force base within its boundaries, so the candidate that Democrats recruit to run in this district needs to be sensitive to that.
Iowa’s first, second, and third districts were all under the control of Democrats after the 2018 elections, but Republicans have recaptured these seats. They are now held by Congresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02), and Congressman Zach Nunn (R-IA-03). Democrats have struggled to find the right mix of policy and messaging strategy to appeal to rural voters for several election cycles. Democrats are still capable of competing in Iowa, but poor performances have deterred the national party from investing substantial resources in the state. The 3rd district was the closest race in 2022, though Democrats were defending incumbent Congresswoman Cindy Axne (D-IA). Axne lost by slightly more than 2,000 votes in 2022.
Wisconsin’s third Congressional district flipped to Republican control in 2022 when Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) retired. This is a district in the Southwestern part of the state. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) won the open seat with less than 52% of the vote in 2022. Van Orden had a number of controversies that popped up during the campaign, including a report that he was among the rioters outside the capitol building on January 6th, 2021. Democrats invested very little in trying to retain the seat after Congressman Kind retired. The state supreme court recently gained a liberal majority, so a lawsuit could lead to changes in this district or others in the state of Wisconsin.
Michigan’s 10th district, which contains some of the suburbs north of Detroit, had a very competitive race in 2022. John James (R-MI) won the seat by less than 3,000 votes in 2022. Democrats did not expect the race to be that competitive last year, so they will likely invest in that district if they find a good candidate. Suburban voters have increasingly left the Republican Party in recent years due to concerns about the Republicans’ style of governing and the Republican Party’s focus on social issues.
Democrats will also have a few important seats to defend in the Midwest. Michigan’s 7th district, which is based in Lansing, will have an open seat race after Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) decided to run for the open U.S. Senate seat. The 7th district is a swing district with a slight Republican lean. Democrats will need to recruit a very good candidate if they plan on retaining this seat. Slotkin’s national security background and aggressive campaigning in areas that typically voted for Republicans helped her win close elections.
Redistricting made Michigan’s 8th district, which runs from Flint to Bay City, into a competitive district. The district is currently represented by Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI). Congressman Kildee won comfortably in 2022, but this is a race to keep an eye on if Republicans recruit a good candidate.
Illinois 17th District has been competitive in recent election cycles. Eric Sorenson (D-IL) won the seat in 2022 by about 8,000 votes after the seat was vacated by the retirement of Congressman Cheri Bustos (D-IL). Sorensen is running for reelection. This is a rural district in western Illinois, which is not an archetypical district for Democrats to be winning in.
One more issue to note is that Ohio’s congressional maps are currently facing a legal challenge for not complying with the state constitution’s new prohibitions on partisan gerrymandering. It is unclear what the resolution will be at this time for the 2024 elections.
Engagement Resources:
- DCCC Website, Official Campaign Arm of House Democrats, https://dccc.org/
War in Gaza Intensifies Internet Misinformation Concerns
War in Gaza Intensifies Internet Misinformation Concerns
Technology Policy Brief #101 | By: Mindy Spatt | November 19, 2023
Photo taken from: aljazeera.com
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Policy Summary:
Misinformation on the Internet is an urgent, worldwide concern according to UNESCO. The danger of false information spreading online has only intensified in the wake of the war in Gaza, and Twitter is one of the wort culprits.
Policy Analysis:
A survey by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, covering16 countries that collectively contain 2.5 billion voters, showed that the vast majority of people, 85%, are concerned about the harm disinformation can do, and 87% believe such harm has occurred in recent years. In addition, respondents reported that hate speech was prevalent; 67% of respondents said they has seen it online. For people under 35 that number was 74%.
“Social media platforms have …accelerated and amplified the spread of false information and hate speech, posing major risks to societal cohesion, peace and stability” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in a press release.
UNESCO released an action plan along with the study that included concrete steps social media platforms should take to curb misinformation. One of those is having a team of qualified moderators in all the main languages used on the platform that is robust enough to be able to control what’s being posted.
That is not the case on X/Twitter, where the war in Gaza has given rise to a huge amount of misinformation. According to advocacy group Free Press,
“Twitter is now inundated with grisly content and lies about the Middle East conflict,… a natural result of Elon Musk’s decision to lay off most of the company’s Trust and Safety team and gut the platform’s content-moderation rules.”
“With few left at the company to vet questionable and violent content, posts are often left unchecked to spread like wildfire,” Free Press said in a blog post that
specifically calls out Musk’s decision to elevate paid subscribers’ posts, regardless of whether the user’s identities have been verified.
Newsguard, a media organization that “provides transparent tools to counter misinformation for readers, brands, and democracies,” has also found rampant misinformation about the war on X/Twitter. Newsguard staff collect data points from “more than 35,000 news and information sources” to track the spread of false narratives online.
Newsguard launched the Israel-Hamas War Misinformation Tracking Center on October 11, documenting the spread of a rash of false narratives about the war. At the time Newsguard identified 14 unsubstantiated or false stories being spread through 22 million views on X/Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
Of those false reports 10 were found and shared on X/Twitter, including the false claim that Ukraine had sold weapons to Hamas; a video purporting to show Hamas fighters celebrating an Israeli toddler’s abduction and a completely fictional claim that CNN had staged footage of a news crew being attacked in Israel.
According to the Free Press, “Disinformation about the Israel-Hamas conflict is a horrific example of why we so desperately need better moderation and tech executives who put platform integrity — and saving lives —over their hunger for profits. The current conflict is a case in point and the reason Free Press and our allies have been calling for stronger vetting by platforms year round.”
Engagement Resources:
- Musk’s X egregious in its misinformation about Israel-Gaza war; EU threatens fines, Oct. 11, 2023
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/musk-x-twitter-social-media-misinformation-israel-gaza-war-eu-threatens-fines/ - Israel-Hamas War Misinformation Tracking Center: 45 Myths About the Conflict and Counting
https://www.newsguardtech.com/special-reports/israel-hamas-war-misinformation-tracking-center/ - Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms: safeguarding freedom of expression and access to information through a multi-stakeholder approach
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000387339
Navigating Identity and Strife: Hala’s Tale in the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Navigating Identity and Strife: Hala’s Tale in the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Foreign Policy Brief #100 | By: Aziza Taslaq | November 19, 2023
Photo taken from: sentinelassam.com
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In the heart of Um al-Fahm, “Mother of Charcoal,” a city in the Haifa District of Israel, lives an ordinary Palestinian Arab citizen; I will call her Hala for security reasons. Hala belongs to the “Arabs of 48,” referring to Palestinian Arabs who chose to stay in their homes in 1948 and opposed relocation to the West Bank, Jordan, or other regions. Hala works as a civil engineer in one of the Israeli companies. She collaborates with both Palestinian Arabs and non-Arab Israelis in her professional endeavors. She holds an Israeli ID, embodying a unique dual identity that brings both complexity and challenges amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Unveiling the layers of her experiences, Hala sheds light on the impact of the ongoing conflict on her daily life, perspectives, and aspirations for a just resolution.
An Identity Straddling Divides:
Hala finds herself in a distinctive position, being Palestinian Arab yet holding an Israeli ID. She succinctly captures the intricacy of her identity, stating, “I’m Israeli to some Arabs and Palestinian to Israelis.” In a land shared by Jews and Palestinians, where daily interactions intertwine lives, she highlights the stark contrast that emerges when conflict disrupts communal harmony.
Shared Lives, Different Realities:
Living together in a shared environment, which includes common places of work, social spaces and housing areas where different ethnic groups, religions and nationalities live side by side. Hala emphasizes the unity experienced in daily life. However, as conflict surfaces, a palpable divide emerges. Non- Arab Israelis have shelters to retreat to during times of war, while Palestinian Arabs like Hala find themselves without such refuge, exposed to a vulnerable reality.
Dismissal for Empathy:
Post the 7th of October, Hala notes a troubling shift in government actions. Students and employees expressing empathy for Gazan civilians face dismissals, labeled as a form of terrorism. This move curtails freedom of expression and stifles empathy, creating an environment of fear and suppression.
Freedom and Safety: A Precarious Balance:
Hala articulates the delicate balance she maintains between freedom and safety. Fearful of violence and hate speech from some non-Arab Israeli citizens in certain areas, she ventures outside only for essential tasks, primarily to places with a significant non-Arab population due to certain non-Arab Israelis engaging in violent actions against Arabs. The Israeli Knesset is promoting a provisional amendment to the Counter-Terrorism Law 2016. This amendment introduces a novel criminal offense known as “consumption of terrorist materials,” with a potential penalty of up to one year of imprisonment. In this way, they are restricting expression and access to Palestinian content, further encroaching upon Hala’s freedom, leaving her unable to share her thoughts or even engage with cultural and religious content like Quran verses.
Psychological Toll:
The conflict has taken a toll on Hala’s mental health. Constant exposure to distressing images and narratives from Palestinian, Israeli and international sources has left a lasting psychological impact. The fear, restrictions, and divisive environment have collectively contributed to a sense of insecurity and distress.
Justice as a Beacon of Hope:
Expressing a desire for a just resolution, Hala’s concept of justice encompasses an end to the conflict that respects the rights and dignity of all parties involved. Her plea reflects a longing for a harmonious coexistence where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, free from the shackles of conflict.
Uncertain Future Governance:
When contemplating the future governance of Gaza, Hala remains uncertain. However, her wish for peace extends to all, emphasizing the need for a resolution that fosters stability and security for everyone involved.
In unraveling Hala’s narrative, we glimpse into the intricate tapestry of an ordinary Palestinian citizen navigating the complexities of identity, freedom, and safety amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her story resonates with the broader challenges many Palestinians face, emphasizing the urgent need for a just and lasting resolution to bring about a more secure and harmonious future for all.
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Foreign Policy Brief #99 | By: Ibrahim Castro | November 19, 2023
Photo taken from: reuters.com
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Crisis in Congo
Growing conflict and escalating violence has now uprooted a staggering 6.9 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Years of warring rebel groups and frequent natural disasters have helped fuel one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world today. Most of those forced to flee their homes live in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika. The conflict in the DRC dates back to the the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Since then, the eastern DRC, bordering Rwanda, has been facing insurgency perpetrated by rebel militant groups. One such group responsible for the current fighting and displacement of civilians is the mainly Tutsi ethnic M23 rebels, which the DRC claim are backed by the Rwandan government. Rwanda’s current president, Paul Kagame, is a Tutsi and former opposition military commander, is credited with stopping the genocide. Though in recent years he has become a polarizing figure, and is also accused of helping back conflict in the eastern DRC. Rwanda repeatedly denies supporting M23, though a 131 page report by United Nations Security Council found that Rwanda has launched military interventions inside Congolese territory.The conflict is also in part fueled by the scramble for control of Congo’s vast mineral wealth, which is rich not only gold but minerals used in laptops, smartphones, and electric vehicles, and is thought to be worth up to $24 trillion. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Rwanda and Congo to de-escalate tensions and withdraw troops from their border regions.
Malaysia’s Cross Border Air Pollution Law
Malaysia’s parliament last week rejected a draft law aimed at stopping cross-border air pollution. The reasons given for not advancing the law, which would be the first of its kind, are the difficulties in obtaining information for prosecutions when done in territory that does not belong to the aggrieved party. Malaysia’s environmental ministry said evidence such as location maps, coordinates, landowner information and companies operating in the location of fires was difficult to obtain since the smog entering the country comes from Indonesia, outside of its borders and jurisdiction. Environmental groups are still pushing for the law to pass as air quality in the country continues to decline, last month pollution climbed to concerning unhealthy levels. Malaysia has called on Indonesia to stop the fires within its borders and even asked the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both it and Indonesia are members, to take up the issue. The law would have a large effect on climate responsibility and if passed may pave the way for similar legislation in other countries.
Panama Protests
Panama has experienced protests in the last two weeks that have shaken the small Central American country for the first time in decades. The grievances, at least on the surface, are due to a government contract that allows a Canadian company to expand its copper mining operations in Panama. Two protesters were killed this past Tuesday, authorities said, bringing the total deaths during the demonstrations to four. Panama’s constitution declares all mineral deposits the property of the state, to be extracted only by concession, yet this current contract was negotiated without the public’s knowledge, giving the company, First Quantum, the right to mine copper across a staggering 32,000-acre expanse on the country’s Caribbean coast for at least 20 years. The deal has resulted in the largest protests since Panama’s National Civic Crusade of 1987. The protesters say the government should instead of extractive mining, be promoting industries such as sustainable agriculture, fishing and tourism.
From a Square to a Triangle: An Analysis of Modern Issues in Education and Immigration
From a Square to a Triangle: An Analysis of Modern Issues in Education and Immigration
Immigration Policy Brief #135 | By: Rudy Lurz | November 19, 2023
Photo taken from: brookings.edu
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Policy Summary:
Immigration has long been a politically charged issue. Comprehensive immigration reform has been impossible in today’s polarized climate, and has not been seriously attempted since the George W. Bush Administration.
Education as a field typically distances itself from the activist rhetoric which plagues immigration reform efforts. Public school districts pledge to educate every student. District officials do not ask about the citizenship status of a child’s parents when enrolling students. If a student’s residence is within the district borders, and their immunization status is confirmed, they are enrolled. Federal education policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top emphasize that all students must be educated fairly and equitably. Therefore, the only documentation that matters is a student’s performance on state assessments, verification that they do not represent a public health risk, and confirmation that their address is in the school district.
Those established policies are no longer guaranteed in this contentious political climate. Culture wars have spilled into education. Sanctuary City laws have long been a target of right-wing activists. These laws ensure that law enforcement agencies do not ask about a person’s immigration status in the course of normal duties. Policy actors on the right often mischaracterize the laws and claim that they let criminals back on the streets. These laws remain, for the moment, legal. Likewise, if a parent is enrolling her children in a school, the district will ask for her address and whether her children are vaccinated against measles; but cannot ask whether she holds a valid green card. According to the letter of the law, every city is not a sanctuary city, but every public school district is a sanctuary.
Xenophobic policy proposals are often framed as a question of asset allocation. A frequent criticism of undocumented migrants is that government benefit programs cost money, and non-citizens should not receive benefits that rightfully belong to citizens. This has long been a contested argument associated with providing health care and other benefits for undocumented migrants. President Obama’s DACA initiative, which provided undocumented migrants who arrived as children with protection against deportation and access to work permits, has faced stiff challenges and multiple setbacks in federal courts. Fights against DACA, Sanctuary City laws, and access to government benefits have fueled anti-immigrant sentiment at the K-12 level and beyond. Proponents of anti-immigrant policies contend that if undocumented migrants should not receive social security or government-issued health insurance, then they should also not receive free or reduced lunch at schools. Some contend that they should not be able to attend public school at all. This calls attention to fundamental questions for American education. Is education a public or private good? If it is a public good, how does educating undocumented migrants contribute to the good of the country? On the flip side, how would denying undocumented migrants access to education impact the future of the United States?
Policy Analysis:
Supporters of pro-immigrant education policies are on sturdier ground than those who have utilized President Obama’s DACA initiative. FERPA provides students with strong rights to privacy in schools, especially sensitive data associated with education. It is the obligation of the executive branch to execute those established laws, and they have been affirmed by the judiciary throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries. President Obama might have over-extended his authority by pushing through the DACA initiative by executive order. Congress alone has the power to create laws. Depending on future court actions, supporters of the DACA initiative might have to start anew in Congress and individual state legislatures in order to protect immigrants who arrived as children from deportation.
On the other hand, through FERPA, children and their parents have established protection of their demographic data if that data is held by a public school. No matter how hard right-wing activists work to use education to find and remove undocumented migrants, they cannot legally get access to that information. Third party vendors with access to this information represent an end-around for the anti-immigrant activists who seek it. They know their responsibilities, however, and take the same measures as public officials in order to protect education data. Clever is an education technology company that helps districts manage data. Their CEO, Tyler Bosmeny, noted, “From our perspective, the best way to make sure a student’s immigration status isn’t getting out is to not have it in the first place.” In today’s tech climate, where ransomware attacks and data breaches are becoming more and more commonplace, this philosophy is a logical one.
That leaves other alternatives that seem rather punitive and cruel. Anti-immigration advocates can attempt to intimidate undocumented immigrants into not registering their children for free and reduced lunch programs, even though receipt of these benefits should not factor into the decision to grant permanent residence to that family. Fear of stepping out of the shadows keeps many families from signing up for the benefits their children are entitled to receive, and as a result, many kids go hungry. They can challenge books in the library with themes relating to immigration, and work to get them banned. They can stifle classroom discussions using so-called “anti-woke” policy measures.
From my point of view as a policy analyst, these measures seem not only cruel, but also foolish. The social safety net in this country was designed for a population with a robust base of young and middle-aged workers. In 1940, there were a little over nine million Americans over the age of 65, approximately 7% of the entire population. Today that number is over 55 million, nearly 17% of the U.S. population. Social Security and Medicare depend on young workers paying into the system and a smaller percentage of older folks using the benefits. American society looks less like the triangle of the 1940s and more like a square. If it transforms to an inverted triangle and there are more people collecting benefits than there are younger workers paying into the safety net, the whole system could collapse. That is precisely the risk America faces in the near future. The birth rate in the United States, like many other developed nations, has plummeted . Deaths exceed births in most areas of the country. In addition, people are living longer. That means they will be collecting benefits for 20-30 years after retirement, instead of 10-15.
The social safety net depends on young workers paying bills so older retired folks can collect benefits. In order to confront that demographic reality, America will have to produce a second baby boom. Convincing Americans to have more children is a difficult task, considering the cost of childcare. Alternatively, we can expand legal immigration and make life easier for those who are presently seeking refuge in the country. Right now, anti-immigration activists are talking about building walls to keep people out, while also seeking to make life as uncomfortable as possible for the undocumented migrants already in the country. In twenty years, we are going to be begging young immigrants to come in.
Education is a tremendous vehicle for improving innovation and creating buy-in for a country’s ideals and values. It should be used to inspire the next generation of Americans. It should not be used as a weapon to find and expel undocumented migrants who are seeking a better life. The children of those same immigrants could soon save the nation from economic collapse. Perhaps we should provide those kids with a hot meal and a good education instead of xenophobic vitriol.
Engagement Resources:
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
- U.S. Department of Education Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, and those seeking Asylum: https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/immigration-resources.html
What to expect from Speaker Johnson
What to expect from Speaker Johnson
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #108 | By: William Borque | November 19, 2023
Photo taken from: vox.com
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Mike Johnson was not expected to be in this position. The fourth-term Congressman out of Western Louisiana was not on many Bingo cards as the next speaker of the house…but here we are. Despite his low profile nationwide, Johnson was a somewhat known commodity inside the beltway, being seen at McCarthy’s side during the grueling 15 rounds of voting in January and throughout his tenure as Speaker. Johnson got his professional start as a constitutional lawyer, which tends to be a pretty good path for successful politicians (about half of all U.S Presidents were also lawyers). He worked on a variety of religious liberty cases, ranging from anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion cases to defending a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark (yes, that’s a real thing). But don’t get it twisted, Mike Johnson is one of the most extreme members of Congress.
When asked by Fox News host Sean Hannity about his beliefs, Johnson said “someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.” He has been staunchly against abortion, calling Roe v. Wade one of the worst judicial decisions of all time. Johnson also holds another viewpoint that many find questionable for a constitutional lawyer, regarding separation of church and state. “The founders wanted to protect the church from an encroaching state, not the other way around” he said in a 2022 podcast episode.
Speaker Johnson has stated several times that he plans to separate aid to Ukraine and Israel, something which he officially did by introducing a package on Monday that draws from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. While most Democrats support aid to Israel, many have said they will not support this bill because of where it draws funding. Another issue that Johnson faces is yet another looming government shutdown, which he has already said that he plans on changing positions from his predecessor by passing a continuing resolution (CR). CR’s keep the government funded at the current levels for a certain amount of time, and that is what the government is currently operating under.
Former Speaker McCarthy got lots of pushback from the conference for passing CR’s, mostly from the far-right Freedom Caucus who eventually ended up ousting him. Expect Johnson to pass a CR through the holiday season, as lawmakers hate nothing more than being forced to do their jobs when everyone else gets a break. A source in the House GOP conference tells U.S. Resist News that one of the reasons they believe the party rallied around Johnson was simply exhaustion. Johnson will be able to pass one CR to fund the government through the new year, but the real fight will begin in January or February when
It’s hard not to think that Johnson will be able to be an effective Speaker with the looming threat of removal—just like McCarthy before him. Johnson is already struggling to pass legislation with a razor-thin majority which may be a precursor for a struggling tenure as Speaker. Sources inside the House GOP say that members respect Johnson for his willingness to step into a rather undesirable job at the moment, but also that they feel they have a lot of leverage in terms of what legislation comes to the floor. Watch for some moderate Democrats to try to strike deals with Johnson as well, specifically folks like Jared Golden (ME-02), Mary Peltola (AK), and Matt Cartwright (PA-08). Their votes could be vital if the farthest right members of the GOP look to buck the party.
Watch to see how effective Speaker Johnson is in his first few weeks as the new Speaker of the House. If he drags his feet and can’t pass legislation or unite the party, we may very well be headed for another battle for the Speakership. The GOP has proven again and again that they can’t seem to legislative effectively—and the country will be watching closely to see if they can pull it together.