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The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Brief #153 – Foreign Policy Brief
by: Abran C
In this week’s global news review, we delve into the escalating protests in Venezuela, the violent far-right riots sweeping the UK, and the assassination of a Hamas leader that threatens to ignite further conflict in the Middle East. As governments topple and tensions rise, stay informed on the critical developments shaping our world.
Whose Republic Can Protect Democracy?
As the 2024 election approaches, the battle over the true meaning of American democracy intensifies, with Biden, Trump, and the Heritage Foundation each claiming to protect the Republic envisioned by the Founding Fathers. This high-stakes debate over civics and power could reshape the future of U.S. governance, as the electorate grapples with the competing visions for America’s political soul.
Putin and Trump’s Connections: Onstage and Behind the Scenes, Part 2: “I got along with Putin.”
Brief #152 – Foreign Policy Brief
by: Yelena Korshunov
Donald Trump’s close ties with Vladimir Putin, highlighted by his controversial praise and diplomatic approach, bring the spotlight back to the unsettling Putin and Trump connections. As Trump proposes a peace plan for Ukraine, these connections raise critical concerns about the future of U.S. foreign policy and global security.
Current Events in a Post-Roe V. Wade Era
Policy Brief #175 – Health and Gender
by: Geoffrey Small
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the United States is grappling with a rapidly shifting landscape of reproductive rights, marked by new policy proposals, legal battles, and state-level legislation. This article delves into the ongoing turmoil, highlighting key events and their profound impact on the future of abortion access in America.
The Challenges of Appealing The Trump Classified Documents Case
Brief #229 – Civil Rights Policy Brief
by: Rod Maggay
The Trump classified documents case presents a pivotal moment in legal history, as the dismissal by Judge Aileen Cannon and subsequent appeal by Special Counsel Jack Smith challenge established legal precedents. As the case navigates through the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, its outcome could have far-reaching implications for the 2024 presidential election and the rule of law.
Resilience and Tradition: The Political Heartbeat of West Texas
Brief #135 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by: Morgan Davidson
West Texas, a region defined by its rugged independence and deep-rooted conservatism, stands as a political powerhouse with its unwavering support for traditional values and industries like oil and agriculture. Amid rising challenges like water scarcity and healthcare disparities, the resilience of its people and their fervent participation in elections underscore the indomitable spirit of this often-overlooked corner of the Lone Star State.
Putin and Trump’s Connections: Onstage and Behind the Scenes, Part 1: The Russian Trace
Brief #151 – Foreign Policy Brief
by: Yelena Korshunov
The intricate and often clandestine ties between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have captivated global attention, intertwining political maneuvers with allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As new revelations emerge, the depth of Putin and Trump’s relationship continues to unfold, raising critical questions about the geopolitical implications of their mutual influences.
Olympic Games Political and Social Issues, Early Update
Brief #150 – Foreign Policy Brief
by: Reilly Fitzgerald
As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games commence, the event is already overshadowed by criminal activity, doping scandals, and significant missteps in representation, raising serious questions about the integrity of the Games. With the Seine’s murky waters and security threats looming, this monumental celebration of sport finds itself at a tumultuous crossroads between tradition and modernity.
AI: Is It Worth the Climate Cost?
Brief #113 – Technology Policy Brief
by : Mindy Spatt
AI’s rapid rise is accelerating energy consumption and greenhouse emissions at an alarming rate, posing a serious environmental threat that rivals pandemics and nuclear war. With data centers and extensive computational workloads driving this surge, the urgent question remains: do we truly need this technology given its staggering climate cost?
Ocean Coral’s White Skeletons Send a Stark Message
Ocean Coral’s White Skeletons Send a Stark Message
Environment Policy Brief #168 | By: Todd J. Broadman | May 30, 2024
Featured Photo: www.carbonbrief.org
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Coral worldwide is in the midst of a fourth mass bleaching event according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Huge stretches of coral reef have turned white or are losing color , primarily due to warm ocean temperatures. These bleaching events do not necessarily kill off the corals, yet mortality usually follows such events. Current average ocean temperatures, say most scientists, exceed the threshold for coral reef survival and their prognosis is that between 70% and 90% of reefs will die off within the next decade if they do not make a recovery.
In arriving at this conclusion the NOAA gathers satellite data which records ocean temperatures over a long period of time. Scientists also gather data directly through on the ground observation. The accumulated heat stress indicates an intensity of bleaching not seen before. So somber are their reports that there is jubilation when they find stretches of reef that have not been bleached.
“We have crossed the tipping point for coral reefs,” according to ecologist David Obura, with Coastal Oceans Research and Development. “They’re going into a decline that we cannot stop, unless we really stop carbon dioxide emissions.” The beautiful coloration seen in coral is due to algae. Algae lives inside coral and has a symbiotic relationship with coral tissue. The bleaching or whiteness happens when algae leave coral due to stress. If the algae loss persists over a long period of time, the coral will then die.
While this process is unfolding, there is a U.S. federal agency focused on coral reefs: the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF). The USCRTF was established in 1998 by Executive Order with a mission to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. Historically, the USCRTF has helped build partnerships and strategies, yet has carried out minimal on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. Other federal agencies that partner with the USCRTF include: the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). The USCRTF has gone so far as to have “approved a resolution recognizing coral reefs of U.S. states and territories as national, natural infrastructure.” This resolution “encourages” the use of federal funding to help conserve and restore coral reefs. They aim to “fortify the nation’s commitment” to coral reefs. These faint intentions fall short of effective policy-making.
While coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, they deliver vital benefits for marine ecosystems and economies. A full quarter of marine life depends upon coral reefs for shelter, food, and spawning. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network estimates that every year coral reefs provide about $2.7 trillion in goods and services, from tourism to coastal protection. Recreation generates about $36 billion from snorkeling and scuba diving tourism. Coral reefs are a natural protective barrier against storm surges and large waves.
ANALYSIS
In March of this year, global average sea surface temperature (SST) reached a record monthly high of 21.07C (69.93F), according to the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service. Neal Cantin, a coral biologist with the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, outlines the stakes: “We’re certainly in a new regime. Corals clearly aren’t keeping up.” As a consequence, 75 percent of the Great Barrier Reef, an area the size of Italy, has experienced bleaching this year, the fifth bleaching event in the last 8 years. Since 1950 nearly 90 percent of the live corals in the Florida Keys have been lost. A 2005 bleaching event in the Caribbean around Antilles and Puerto Rico saw a loss of 50 percent. This alters the entire ecosystem of the surrounding oceans; like having “a rain forest without the rain forest trees.”
What we know is that the time gap between one bleaching event and the next is getting shorter. And those gaps are critical because they are a time window for the corals to recover. Corals need time – nine to twelve years – for the waters to cool so that the life-giving algae returns. More and more of them will not recover and left as “graveyards of calcium carbonate skeletons” which will erode and break apart.
Interventions such as breeding corals in labs will do little to stay the mass death of this species. Anticipating possible extinction, scientists are placing coral larvae into cryopreservation banks, as well as breeding corals with more resilient traits. As David Obura underscores, “When a 50- or 100-year-old coral dies, it takes at least that length of time to replace it. And we just don’t have that kind of time anymore.” As with other species, what has taken millennia of biology to develop is undone in a few generations of human environmental disregard. The spectacular beauty and place of coral is no match for an anthropocentric worldview with oil at its center.
Engagement Resources:
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ The National Ocean Service provides data, tools, and services that protect our ecosystems and enhance climate and economic resilience.
- https://www.barrierreef.org/ collaborates and invests in innovative ideas and designs real-world, scalable conservation programs in Australia and the Pacific.
- https://insideclimatenews.org/ provides essential reporting and analysis on climate change, energy and the environment, for the public and for decision makers.
Don’t miss out on the latest insights from our dedicated reporters – subscribe to the U.S. Resist Democracy Weekly Newsletter. Your support is vital in safeguarding fearless, independent journalism. If you value our content, please consider donating today to help protect democracy and empower citizenship.
Story of Pulitzer winner Vladimir Kara-Murza, an oppositionist imprisoned in Russia: Part 1
“Others will come to take our place.”
Story of Pulitzer winner Vladimir Kara-Murza, an oppositionist imprisoned in Russia: Part 1
Foreign Policy Brief #143 | By: Yelena Korshunov| May 30, 2024
Featured Photo: www.independent.co.uk
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Russian publicist, politician, and historian Vladimir Kara-Murza was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for comments in his articles published in The Washington Post. In its statement on May 6th the Pulitzer Committee said that Kara-Murza “won for passionate columns written at great personal risk from his prison cell, warning of the consequences of dissent in Vladimir Putin’s Russia and insisting on a democratic future for his country.”
The death of Alexei Navalny, a major figure of Russian political opposition, right before the president’s election in Russia, strengthened voices demanding to free the other political imprisoners. One of them is Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been languishing in jail in Russia since April 2022 for treason after he spoke out against the war on Ukraine. Kara-Murza survived two poisonings in 2015 and 2017, and in 2023 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, the longest term an oppositionist had been sentenced to in Russia. Despite the fact that Kara-Murza was diagnosed with polyneuropathy of the legs, which may be a consequence of assassination attempts. In September 2023the court sent him to a correctional colony in Omsk (city in Siberia) as they did to Aleksei Navalny. And exactly the same way they led Navalny to his death, at the beginning of 2024 officials placed Kara-Murza in a single cell, isolating him from any communication with other prisoners.
In April, 2023 a number of charges were brought against Kara-Murza. He stood accused of treason for public speeches in the US and Europe. He spoke about “state terror” for political reasons, election fraud, and human rights violations in Russia. He also called Russia an aggressor country in the war with Ukraine. By these actions, according to Russia’s investigation, he “created threats to the external security and territorial integrity” of the Russian Federation. Investigators insisted that one of the events at which Kara-Murza harmed Russia “out of selfish motives” was the ceremony of presenting the Helsinki Committee award to political prisoner Yuri Dmitriev
Treason is the most severe, but not the only charge. Kara-Murza was also accused in spreading “fakes” about the army and for collaborating with the undesirable organization Free Russia Foundation. The foundation was declared undesirable in 2019. In 2021, according to investigators, Kara-Murza organized an annual conference on political prisoners at the Sakharov Center — with money from Free Russia.
On March 15, 2022, Vladimir Kara-Murza spoke about what was going on in Russia at the Arizona House of Representatives. Russia investigated his speech and then announced that Kara-Murza “deliberately spread false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces to bomb residential areas, maternity hospitals, hospitals and schools” in Ukraine.
Later, a second criminal case was opened for work in a “foreign or international NGO [Non-Government Organization], in respect of which a decision was made to recognize it as undesirable.” Kara-Murza was accused of collaborating with the undesirable organization Free Russia Foundation. Treason was the third and most serious charge, the sanction of which provides for up to 20 years in prison. Kara-Murza is charged with three episodes of treason: speeches at the NATO Assembly, at the Helsinki Committee in Oslo and in the USA.
During the announcement of the verdict, it was noted that Kara-Murza has dual citizenship: in addition to Russia, he is a British citizen and has a residence permit in the United States. The announcement was attended by 40 diplomats from 25 countries, including the US, Great Britain, France, Canada, and Germany. The imprisoned politician’s wife, Evgenia Kara-Murza told the BBC she is sure that “sooner or later Volodya [Vladimir Kara-Murza] would be accused of high treason.”
Engagement Resources
- The Pulitzer Prizes: Vladimir Kara-Murza, contributor, The Washington Post, https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/vladimir-kara-murza-contributor-washington-post
- Letter to Secretary Blinken. Vladimir Kara-Murza, https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_blinken_vladimir_kara_murza_2024.pdf
- AP: Russia Critic Kara-Murza Wins Pulitzer for Passionate Columns Written from Prison Cell, https://apnews.com/article/vladimir-kara-murza-pulitzer-commentary-column-writing-db7f9cf85d5843c99f287bb240d52389
Stay informed with the latest insights from our dedicated reporters by subscribing to the U.S. Resist Democracy 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.
Checking in on 14 Years of Obamacare: Part 3
Checking in on 14 Years of Obamacare: Part 3
Health and Gender Policy Brief #174 | By: Geoffrey Small | May 22, 2024
Featured Photo: www.npr.org
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March 2024 highlighted fourteen years since The ACA (Affordable Care Act) has been enacted. When it was passed more than a decade ago, there were three primary goals of the ACA, or more popularly referred to as Obamacare. According to HealthCare.gov, the first was to make affordable health insurance more available for the American public. The second goal was to encourage states to expand their Medicaid coverage to all individuals whose income is significantly below the federal poverty level. Finally, the ACA would provide federal support to “innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.” This part in the series will analyze the ACA’s impact on innovative medical care, and the delivery methods designed to save the American public money.
Policy Analysis
When the Affordable Care Act was first administered, a conference held by the Board on Health Sciences Policy, Board on Health Care Services, and the Institute of Medicine published a presentation Leveraging the Affordable Care Act and Information Technology to Innovate. The presentation’s primary focus was using the ACA to enable a better disaster response. The consensus from expert speakers concluded a “Social-Health” information exchange must include community-based service organizations, where health care providers focus on the person as a whole. This includes housing, shelter, and other social needs, along with acute medical care. Using data analytics to engage in preventative health care can help reduce costly medical disasters. Also, hospitals could meet the ACA community benefit requirement by engaging in a health information exchange with their local community. Telemedicine was another big factor on sharing expertise remotely and extending medical care workforce capacity. Finally, educating the community on new healthcare technologies must be administered in a user-friendly capacity, so it’s easier to learn and use.
Despite expert opinions on creating a road map for innovative affordable healthcare, a recent Washington Post article concluded that the ACA efforts still haven’t found “the magic pot of money.” Pilot projects in preventative care run by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, after the ACA was administered, were projected to save 2.8 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office. However, it ended up costing the government 5.4 billion within the first decade. This was due to the fact that medical care providers needed to treat a lot of minor issues to prevent a serious health crisis.
Estimating cost projections in the healthcare industry is extremely complicated. Especially in the U.S. where healthcare is not universal. Strictly mandating lower medication costs can lead to companies abandoning accessible medicines for Americans. Average U.S. physician salaries are approximately twice as much compared to their European colleagues. However, enforcing lower salaries can create a political quagmire for a healthcare system that is already overwhelmed with staffing issues. Telemedicine has thrived in post-pandemic society, but the impact of COVID-19 has reduced the cost-saving-projections that we’re initially estimated.
Overall, the ACA has helped the American public navigate the costly healthcare system. The United States is the only post-industrial country that does not have universal healthcare. The evidence presented in this three-part series makes it abundantly clear that the ACA, although helpful, should be a stepping stone to affordable universal healthcare.
This is the third part in a series. For Part 2 of the Obamacare series, click here. For the rest of the series, click here.
Stay in-the-know! Always get the latest updates from our reporters by subscribing to the U.S. Resist Democracy Weekly Newsletter, and please consider contributing to ‘Keeping Democracy Alive’ by donating today! We depend on support from readers like you to aide in protecting fearless independent journalism.
Clean Skies: The Potential of Electric Aviation
Clean Skies: The Potential of Electric Aviation
Environment Policy Brief #167 | By: Inijah Quadri | May 23, 2024
Featured Photo: www.abcnews.go.com
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The electric aviation industry is poised to redefine air travel, ushering in an era of sustainability and innovation. As the world grapples with the escalating threats of climate change, the aviation sector, traditionally a major source of carbon emissions, is under increasing scrutiny. Electric aircraft, leveraging advancements in battery technology and electric motors, offer a promising solution by significantly reducing both greenhouse gases and noise pollution. This burgeoning sector not only aims to revolutionize the way we fly but also promises to reshape regional economies, influence global trade patterns, and accelerate the transition towards renewable energy sources.
Analysis
The shift towards electric aviation is expected to have profound environmental and economic impacts worldwide. Electric planes emit zero operational greenhouse gases, which could drastically lower the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. For instance, the aviation industry contributes about 2-3% of global CO2 emissions annually, and transitioning to electric aircraft for short to medium-range flights could potentially cut these emissions by over 50% in the next few decades.
Moreover, electric planes are significantly quieter than conventional aircraft, reducing noise pollution and potentially allowing for more flexible flight operation hours without disturbing surrounding communities. This noise reduction could enhance property values and quality of life for residents near airports, potentially transforming airport vicinities into more desirable areas.
The economic impact of electric aviation extends beyond environmental benefits. The development of electric planes is driving substantial investment in new technologies and infrastructure, such as high-capacity battery systems and electric charging stations at airports. Companies like Airbus and Boeing are heavily investing in electric propulsion technologies, indicating a significant shift in
Current projections suggest that electric-powered commercial aircraft could enter service as early as 2035, with prototypes and limited operations starting even sooner. Major advancements in battery technology and regulatory approvals over the next decade will be crucial to meet these timelines and ensure that these planes can operate over increasingly longer routes.
Despite its potential, the electric aviation industry faces significant hurdles. Current battery technology offers limited energy density, restricting the range and payload of electric aircraft primarily to shorter routes. This limitation underscores the need for continued research and development. Governments and private sectors must collaborate to fund initiatives aimed at enhancing battery technology, similar to the European Union’s Clean Sky initiative, which aims to develop sustainable and innovative aeronautical technologies.
Infrastructure adaptation is another critical area. Airports will require new charging stations and maintenance facilities specifically designed for electric aircraft. Policy frameworks must support the establishment of these facilities through subsidies and tax incentives, encouraging airports to invest in the necessary infrastructure.
Regulatory support is also crucial to facilitate the transition to electric aviation. Policies need to be adapted to ensure safety standards and operational regulations are in line with the technological specifics of electric aircraft. Additionally, international cooperation on regulatory standards can help streamline the deployment of electric aircraft globally.
As the electric aviation industry ascends, it is imperative that stakeholders across the globe — governments, businesses, and civil societies — collaborate to overcome the technological and infrastructural challenges. Only through a concerted effort can we fully realize the potential of electric aviation and ensure a sustainable future for global air travel.
Engagement Resources
- International Air Transport Association (IATA) (https://www.iata.org/): Provides resources on the latest developments in aviation technology and sustainability practices, including electric aviation.
- Electric Aviation Group (https://www.electricaviationgroup.com/): A consortium focused on accelerating the adoption of electric aircraft by providing technical and regulatory guidance.
- Clean Sky (https://www.cleansky.eu/): A European initiative dedicated to developing innovative, cutting-edge technology to reduce aircraft emissions and noise levels.
- The Aerospace Technology Institute (https://www.ati.org.uk/): Offers information on advancements in aerospace technology, including projects related to electric propulsion and sustainable aviation.
- The Environmental Defense Fund (https://www.edf.org/): Advocates for environmental policies that include sustainable aviation solutions, focusing on reducing aviation’s impact on climate change.
Don’t miss out on the latest insights from our dedicated reporters – subscribe to the U.S. Resist Democracy Weekly Newsletter. Your support is vital in safeguarding fearless, independent journalism. If you value our content, please consider donating today to help protect democracy and empower citizenship.
Harvey Weinstein’s Cornerstone Conviction Overturned
Harvey Weinstein’s Cornerstone Conviction Overturned
Social Justice Policy Brief #165 | By: Devyne Byrd | May 22, 2024
Featured Photo: www.telegraph.co.uk
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The New York Court of Appeals overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction in a 4-3 decision. The Court found that the trial judge improperly allowed testimony against Weinstein from other women that contained uncharged alleged prior sexual acts against people other than the complainants in the case. The Court stated that the testimony “served no material non-propensity purpose” and that the trial court’s decision to allow the defendant to be cross-examined about the allegations chilled the defendant’s right to testify. They ordered a new trial.
The initial trial of Weinstein was a cornerstone victory of the #MeToo movement. Weinstein was accused by over 80 women of sexual assault and sexual harassment spanning decades throughout his career. The trial drew intense media attention and crowds with protesters gathering to chant “rapist” outside the courthouse. His case being remanded comes after Bill Cosby, another cornerstone conviction of the #MeToo movement,had his case overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Judge Singas touches on the blows to the movement in her notable dissent to the New York Court of Appeals decision, calling out a “disturbing trend of overturning jury’s guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence.” She went on to state that by excluding evidence of past acts the majority’s decision excludes important context. “This conclusion deprives juries of the context necessary to do their work, forecloses the prosecution from using an essential tool to prove intent, ignores the nuances of how sexual violence is perpetrated and perceived, and demonstrates the majority’s utter lack of understanding of the dynamics of sexual assault.”
Although the conviction was overturned, Weinstein remains in prison on subsequent convictions of rape and sexual misconduct for which he was sentenced to 16 years. His legal team has stated their intentions to appeal these convictions as well. However, the Manhattan District Attorney has intentions to retry Weinstein and his accusers have stated through their attorneys their intentions to testify again. In the interim, the New York Senate is set to pass a bill that will update the rules of evidence in trials to clarify that judges can admit testimony about a defendant’s alleged prior sexual offenses.
Engagement Resources
- Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 Rape Conviction Overturned. Here’s What Happens Next – An article explaining the background of the Weinstein trial and the potential paths moving forward.
- Albany’s push to close legal loophole that let Harvey Weinstein off the hook appears to be in limbo – An extended discussion on the New York Senates bill to address witness testimony in sexual assault cases.
Wanna stay in-the-know? Always get the latest updates from our reporters by subscribing to the U.S. Resist Democracy Weekly Newsletter, and please consider contributing to ‘Keeping Democracy Alive’ by donating today! We depend on support from readers like you to aide in protecting fearless independent journalism.
A Journey Through Words: An Interview with Palestinian Writer Rula Arafat
A Journey Through Words
An Interview with Palestinian Writer Rula Arafat
Foreign Policy Brief #142 | By: Aziza Taslaq| May 10, 2024
Featured Photo: www.electricliterature.com
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“But I have the heart of a child… I cannot easily get used to absence. You will find me crying, sobbing, and drenched in my tears. I defy my pride and continue to wait.” – Rula Arafat.
Rula Arafat, 32, is a Palestinian writer from Nablus, often referred to as “Little Damascus.” Her love for writing is so profound that she couldn’t be content with a single text. Instead, she emerges from between the letters with novels. What started as short stories no more than 10 pages long evolved into large books and series. Her curiosity and ambition drove her to become a writer whose works are read just as she reads the works of others.
Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Rula Arafat, a distinguished writer and novelist.
Aziza Taslaq (US Renew): Thank you for joining us, Rula. To start, can you tell us about the nature of your literary works and the themes you explore?
Rula Arafat: I write about love and peace, hope and war, injustice and corruption, homeland and exile. I write with every emotion and for every feeling we live, whether by desire or force. Writing is a message, an expression, a quiet scream in the face of the emotions we experience, whether in joy or sorrow.
What inspired you to enter the world of writing?
Rula Arafat: Writing is a response to all the pains that torment us inside. It listens to us and allows us to release that black energy that may have lived inside us for years, unable to be expressed simply because we didn’t find the right person to listen. We write to heal from the pain.
What does writing do for you personally? What do you gain from it?
Rula Arafat: The reward I receive is the feeling of satisfaction that I have a voice that can be heard, even if it’s through phone screens or laptops. I have a voice reaching all corners of the earth, telling me I am human. I have the right to speak, express, be angry, and advocate for myself, those I love, and my homeland.
Have you written anything about the current war on Gaza?
Rula Arafat: Yes, I have written many texts and recorded some of them. My novel, which I have been working on for years, covered the events of the Gaza War in 2020. I made further adjustments to it to keep up with what has been happening to us since October 7th, up to our current moment of the harsh war on Gaza.
Have you written anything about peace?
Rula Arafat: I have written a lot about peace and for peace. It is the awaited hope we spent our childhood, adolescence, and youth waiting to achieve. I am terrified that I will spend my old age and elder years waiting for peace as well.
Which writers do you look up to and why?
Rula Arafat: There are many writers, especially when the focus is on Palestine and the Palestinian cause. The great ones include Ghassan Kanafani, Radwa Ashour, Mourid Barghouthi, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Hussein Barghouthi, Sahar Khalifeh, and Bassem Khandakji.
Is there a particular tradition or style of writing that is recognized among Palestinian writers?
Rula Arafat: The beauty of Palestinian writers who write and sing for Palestine lies in how they mention its streets, alleys, memories, dreams, and hopes. A Syrian friend once told me after reading a Palestinian novel, and he always reads my writings and admires them, that for the first time, he felt that every Arab has a Palestinian part within them. He felt that his Palestinian identity did not differ or contradict his Syrian identity. He felt as if he had walked the streets of Palestine, peeked out from its windows, prayed in Jerusalem, eaten Jaffa oranges, visited our churches and mosques, and tasted our food and sweets. This is the significant role of the Palestinian writer, making you feel that you are one of us, touching with your feelings and hands everything they write and convey to us as if we live inside the novel as if we are its heroes.
Thank you so much for your time, Rula. Your words resonate deeply, and we look forward to more of your impactful writing.
Rula Arafat: Thank you. It was a pleasure speaking with you.
Exclusive Text by Rula Arafat:
“This is Gaza… where humans and stones have grown accustomed to crying. Its trees shed leaves not just for one season but for many long seasons. Gaza has lived through five seasons! A harsh winter, a dry autumn, a spring without flowers, and now a scorching summer. And in between all of them, an unending season of devastating rockets that tirelessly destroy whatever they see, be it humans, trees, or stones.
This is Gaza, where children are now without parents, and parents are without children. Every family has lost a part or all of its members. Gaza, the patient and resilient, continues to offer its souls in heaps for the homeland, in vast quantities and with incredible generosity. It is the epitome of all kinds of generosity. Oh, Arabs of miserliness, shame, and darkness!”
Stay informed with the latest insights from our dedicated reporters by subscribing to the U.S. Resist Democracy 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 Swing States Series: #1 Pennsylvania
The Swing States: #1 Pennsylvania
A new, pre-election series.
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #130 | By: Abigail Hunt | May 23, 2024
Featured Photo: www.state.gov/states/pennsylvania
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In March 1861, British King Charles II of England granted William Penn a parcel of land in the new kingdom across the ocean in order to settle a posthumous debt his father owed to Penn’s. That twist of luck is today the state of Pennsylvania, the site of the 1774 and 1775 Constitutional Congresses, where Americans signed the Declaration of Independence, and where traitors to the Crown formulated their plan to revolt. As such, Pennsylvania was a flagship colony of the emerging nation that became a keystone state in the formation of our United States of America. Appropriate then that the colony which helped launch a nation be a key battleground state in the current presidential election.
In 2020, winning the votes of Pennsylvania’s electors cinched Biden the Oval Office. Likewise, it was a mark thaxt helped Trump win the Presidency when in 2016 the state went red for the first time in decades. Today Biden has an edge in the state – he’s a Scranton boy, born and bred. If voters prefer to vote for someone like themselves, Biden might well carry the state again in part by virtue of being a former neighbor.
Pennsylvania has the sixth highest youth voter turnout rate – 32 percent. Since his Inauguration Day, Biden has held good on his word to eliminate student debt, chipping away at it consistently despite resistance from the grand ol’ party. Millennials are the largest population group in the U.S. The oldest Gen Z kids are finally old enough to vote. Boomers are dying at a rate of 2,000/day, more than 2.5 million/a year. It may be that the reality of mortality is the single most significant determining factor in this year’s election and those yet to come.
Most Pennsylvania voters live in urban areas. Just 22 percent of citizens make their homes in rural communities. As this is the case, Trump and Biden must consider the weight such issues as homelessness and access to affordable housing must carry in the state. Per the 2020 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania’s citizen breakdown is 78 percent urban and also about 78 percent white.
Pennsylvania is a closed party system, meaning only Democrats and Republicans vote in the primaries, and about 1.3 million people were not allowed to vote in the last election. This year’s elections in the state leave both the state House and Senate up for grabs. Currently, the state’s 48th governor, former state Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D), is backed by a Democratic House and hindered by a Republican Senate. The House has the edge by just two votes, and there sits an empty seat to be filled which is, historically, concretely Republican. The Democrats have only had the majority since 2022, when Pennsylvania redistricted, and 16 seats flipped from Republican to Democrat.
Gender is an important factor in today’s elections – 51.1 percent of the state is female, and 48.9 percent male. Approximately 4.1 percent of the population identifies as queer or LGBT. Data from the Center for American Women and Politics shows that, overwhelmingly, women of all colors lean Democratic, with Biden’s support being strongest among black women – tracking at more than 90 percent approval no matter what entity is providing the statistics.
According to a 2023 Pew Research report, voter turnout in the past three elections has been higher than previous years, and the 2020 election voter turnout had the highest rate since 1900, approximately 2/3rds of the eligible voters, or approximately 66 percent of registered voters. Eight million more members of the Gen Z generation have aged into the voting population in just the past couple of years, a not-at-all insignificant number. By 2029, it is estimated there will be approximately 61.3 million still living Baby Boomers of the original 76.4 million born after World War II. By that time, the elderly will comprise about 20 percent of the nation’s population.
On the state and national levels, key issues of the past persist – abortion access, cannabis legalization, student debt forgiveness, health care access, the humanitarian crisis at our southern border. New and prevalent issues for this election cycle and the coming presidency particularly include the war between Israel and Palestine and how to handle issues with AI and personal and intellectual property. However, the most important issues for citizens are those that most directly affect them – namely, the daily cost of living and how inflation factors into that statistic, access to affordable housing, employment opportunities, health care access – things that directly affect them and their quality of life.
Engagement Resources
- Tufts University. The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. State-by-State Youth Voter Turnout Data and the Impact of Election Laws in 2022. https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/state-state-youth-voter-turnout-data-and-impact-election-laws-2022
- Ballotpedia. Party control of Pennsylvania state government. https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_of_Pennsylvania_state_government
- Kate Huangpu. Spotlight PA, National Public Radio. Public Broadcasting System (PBS). April 18, 2024. https://whyy.org/articles/pennsylvania-election-2024-competitive-legislative-districts/
- UCLA School of Law. Williams Institute. LGBT Proportion of Population: Pennsylvania. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT&area=42&sortBy=percentage&sortDirection=descending#ranking
- Rutgers-New Brunswick Eagleton Institute of Politics. Center for American Women and Politics. Gender Gap: Voting Choices in Presidential Elections. https://cawp.rutgers.edu/gender-gap-voting-choices-presidential-elections
- Hartig, et al. Pew Research Center. Voter Turnout: 2018 – 2022. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/voter-turnout-2018-2022/
This is the first article in a series of articles about U.S Swing States, for the rest of the series please click here.
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A Better Path to Repaying Student Loan Debt
A Better Path to Repaying Student Loan Debt
Recapturing Lost Momentum
Education Policy Brief #91 | By: Rudolph Lurz | May 25, 2024
Featured Photo: www.tucsonsentinel.com
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In March 2020, President Trump signed the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security). This froze student loan interest, suspended collection efforts for defaulted loans, and paused student loan payment requirements for millions of Americans. The pause was originally designed to end in September 2020.
The repayment pause would be extended twice more by President Trump and another four times by President Biden. Both President Trump and President Biden knew that restarting student loan payments would throw a wet blanket on the sluggish economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. For almost three years, Americans with student loan debt lived in a state of limbo.
Progressives on Biden’s left advocated for broad student loan forgiveness during the 2020 presidential campaign. Senator Elizabeth Warren urged President Biden to cancel $50,000 of student loan debt for each borrower via executive action. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez advocated for higher amounts. For students with six figures of student loan debt, $10,000-$50,000 would not make much of an impact once student loan payments were restarted.
In August 2022, President Biden announced that he was canceling $10,000 of federal student loan debt for households with combined incomes of $250,000 or less, and $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. Biden announced this measure to coincide with what was to be a final extension of the repayment pause through December 2022. This action was announced under the same authority that granted the Department of Education to alter student loan repayment plans due to the emergency declared as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There was general bipartisan support for using emergency authorization to pause student loan repayments. Both President Trump and President Biden did that multiple times. However, outright forgiveness was a different story, especially in the summer of 2022. By that point, the country was weary of restrictions such as mask mandates and social distancing. With unemployment surging above 10% in many regions, and businesses closing their doors, pausing student loan repayments in 2020 and 2021 made sense. More than two years after the first repayment pause, with the economy recovering, it was harder to justify.
Conservatives seized on Biden’s move and roundly condemned the measure as elitist and extravagant. Why should plumbers and farmers with high school diplomas be asked to pay the bills of wealthy liberals with art history degrees? Moderate Democrats also spoke out against the measure. Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator from West Virginia, called the plan reckless and noted that it was projected to add $400 billion to the U.S. federal debt.
President Biden and his allies in Congress tried to paint Republicans as hypocrites for accepting federal debt relief for their businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while simultaneously criticizing students for accepting much lower amounts of loan forgiveness. $10,000 was a drop in the bucket next to the hundreds of thousands of relief that Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Mike Kelly received.
While this allowed Biden to score some political points, his legal arguments were much weaker. Biden declared an end to the Covid-19 public health emergency in April 2023. Shortly thereafter, in a 6-3 ruling in the Biden v Nebraska case, the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s student loan forgiveness proposal. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, noted that President Biden overstepped his authority in using emergency powers to permanently cancel student loan debt. This was especially evident after President Biden declared an end to the public health emergency he was using as justification for the proposal.
Analysis
I am the head coach of a high school debate team. Through a random draw, we received the assignment of arguing against federal student loan forgiveness. We won that round handily.
The opposition argument is the better argument. As Senator Manchin noted, there are numerous existing pathways to federal student loan forgiveness. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives student loans after ten years of working for a federal, state, or local non-profit organization. Graduates with advanced degrees can often earn high salaries in the private sector. The PSLF program provides incentive for these graduates to pledge a decade of their lives in service to their communities. The country needs high-quality teachers, police officers, and nurses. The PSLF program, combined with income-based repayment plans that cap payments at a low percentage of take-home pay, provides affordable pathways for graduates to escape crippling debt.
President Biden and Senator Warren are absolutely right to note that student loan debt places a heavy burden on millions of Americans. I am one of them. I had $138,000 in student loan debt when I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with my doctorate.
I am well on my way to student loan forgiveness through the PSLF program and have knocked over $50,000 off of my loan totals. My ten years will be up before my loans are repaid. I believe a decade of public service is a much more convincing rationale for loan forgiveness than the mass loan cancellation plan originally proposed by President Biden.
It seems that President Biden has also come to this realization. A month ago, the Biden Administration issued a press release detailing plans for expanding student loan forgiveness through PSLF and keeping monthly payments low through income-based repayment plans. The Biden Administration has also been active in canceling or reducing the debt of graduates from predatory for-profit institutions which took students’ money and then either closed outright or issued degrees which were not worth the paper they were printed on.
These arguments are much more potent than blanket student loan forgiveness. The Democratic Party built its brand as a defender of working Americans in the face of corporate greed. President Clinton forged a coalition of nurses and teachers that helped him achieve victory in the 1992 and 1996 elections. Giving wealthy college graduates loan forgiveness and asking all taxpayers to pay for it goes against every principle that built the modern Democratic Party. It provides free fuel to the silly argument of the MAGA movement which aims to portray Democrats as elitists and President Trump, with his golden toilets and multiple bankruptcies, as a champion of the working man.
Proposing broad student loan forgiveness was a political blunder. President Biden should continue to hammer Republicans for accepting loan relief from the federal government while refusing graduates the right to accept similar debt forgiveness. However, public servants present a much better contrast to those Republicans than wealthy college graduates getting a free $10,000 check.
President Biden’s 2024 campaign should look to President Clinton’s 1992 campaign for inspiration. American voters have much more respect for nurses, teachers, firefighters, and police officers than the entitled students who demanded food delivery after vandalizing and occupying campus buildings.
PSLF is good for the country and for graduates seeking relief. The path to victory runs through the political center. If President Biden attempts to appease the political left at the expense of the traditional Clinton coalition of nurses and teachers, he will soon join President Carter as a one-term President.
Engagement Resources
- Further details about the PSLF program and eligibility: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service#qualify
- Detailed information of the Biden v Nebraska SCOTUS case: https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/biden-v-nebraska-2/
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A Primer on The Electoral College
A Primer on The Electoral College
The first in a series on the 2024 Presidential Election
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #129 | By: Abigail Hunt | May 14, 2024
Featured Photo by Indy Silva / U.S. Resist News, 2024
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To discuss the divvying up of votes in a U.S. Presidential election, one must consider the effects of the Electoral College. As this is the first in a series, it will discuss the Electoral College system more in-depth.
The Electoral College allocates a state’s electoral votes based on how its citizens vote. Twice in the past 30 years, this system has resulted in the loser of the popular vote getting the White House, giving us George W. Bush, and the Iraq War, Trump, and January 6th, among other things. If the United States had a straight popular vote for President, the way every other election in the U.S. is determined, and every leader of every nation across the globe except our own, we would instead have the Presidents elected by the people – Al Gore and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Electoral College Analysis
From the Constitution Center online, Article II, Section I, Clauses 2 and 3 of the U.S. Constitution state, in part, as follows:
Clause 2: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
Clause 3: The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot…. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President.”
There was a lot of other language in this provision resulting in less-than-ideal situations later – such as when, in 1800, Thomas Jefferson tied his own Vice President running mate (both bested the opposing candidate), Aaron Burr, who upon learning of the tie refused to back down. The House of Representatives chose President Jefferson. In today’s world the chances of a tie in a presidential race are astronomically low.
The strange rules governing the Electoral College system have racist origin. At the time of its conception, the South had a large slave population. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Constitutional delegates decided on the 3/5ths compromise – only three out of every five slaves would be counted. At the time, no one but white men had a political voice, and they were designing the system. It was almost a century later that the 15th Amendment granted all men the right to vote regardless of ethnicity. About a century after that, laws were still being passed to enforce the 1870 ratification.
Why do we have to live with a 137-year-old system invented by a bunch of dead racists? No other country in the history of humanity has ever elected a leader using such a system. No other nation in today’s world uses this system. For the past 50 years, a majority of Americans are consistently in favor of replacing the electoral college system with a popular vote. There have been more than 200 legislative attempts to change the electoral college system. Early on, several Amendments and Clauses added to the Constitution further delineated the electoral college process. If we could change it then with an amendment, we can amend it now. It would stand to reason those congressional politicians, if truly representing the will of the people, would have abolished the electoral college system long ago. That we have not done so is quite telling.
Engagement Resources
- National Archives. Distribution of Electoral Votes; https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/allocation
- Codrington III. Brennan Center for Justice. The Electoral College’s Racist Origins; https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/electoral-colleges-racist-origins
- Constitution Annotated. Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S Constitution. Article II, Section I; https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/#:~:text=Before%20he%20enter%20on%20the,Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States
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The Week That Was: Global News in Review
The Week That Was: Global News in Review
Foreign Policy Brief #141 | By: Abran C| May 10, 2024
Featured Photos: www.nationofchange.org, www.nytimes.com, www.opendemocracy.net
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UK- Rwanda refugee deal
In the UK, authorities have begun detaining migrants to deport to Rwanda, a policy the UK high court previously declared unlawful. Rwanda has agreed to recieve asylum seekers for economic aid. The total payment will be at least £370 million over five years, according to the National Audit Office. If more than 300 people are sent to Rwanda, the UK would pay a one-off sum of £120 million, with further payments of £20,000 per individual relocated. The policy has drawn major criticism from human rights organizations and faces major logistical issues, humanitarian concerns, and the possibility that a future Labour party government will scrap it. The UK government has declared Rwanda a safe country to receive refugees, and it is the threat of being sent there that is meant to deter people from entering the UK and attempting to seek asylum there.
Irregular migration has increased in recent years, but it’s not the driver of the problems facing the UK, including its ongoing political, cost of living and housing crises. The law is part of a broader strategy by the Sunak government and the Conservative Party to win favor as they struggle to maintain support in the lead-up to The UK’s national election this year.
Brazil Floods
The death toll from a series of catastrophic floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 83, while 276 people are reportedly injured, at least 111 people are missing, and 121,000 people displaced, according to the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul. Brazilian President Lula da Silva asked Congress to recognize a state of public calamity for the heavy rains. The Floods have destroyed roads and bridges in several cities triggering landslides. Rio Grande do Sul’s governor emphasized that the death toll could still substantially increase as rescue workers gain access to more of the region.
Global military spending
Global military spending hit a record high of $2.4 trillion in 2023 after increasing by 6.8% from the previous year, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Military expenditure has been rising for nine years straight, and is up in all regions of the world for the first time since 2009. Russia and Ukraine, which are actively at war, topped the list of the countries that increased their military spending the most, by 51% and 24%, respectively.
The war between Russia and Ukraine also drove military spending higher elsewhere, prompting countries to think differently about their security. Tensions and war in the Middle East also significantly contributed to the rise in global military spending. Spending in Israel, already one of the most powerful militaries in the region, rose 24% to $27.5 billion. US weapons reportedly accounts for some 15% of Israel’s defense budget, although the Biden administration is threatening to block the use of such aid if it is used to attack Rafah. Military spending was not evenly spread out because as the report said, “world military expenditure is highly concentrated among a very small group of states”. The United States remained the biggest military budget at $916bn, representing 37% of the world’s military spending. China came in a large but distant second with $296 billion, and Europe as a whole has seen military spending increase to a total of $594 billion in 2023.
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