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Proposals For Enforcement Of The Supreme Court’s New Ethics Code
Brief #215 – Civil Rights Policy Brief
by Rodney A. Maggay
While there has been much uproar on the lack of an enforcement mechanism in the Supreme Court’s new ethical code, the fact of the matter is that there are numerous proposals out there that could fill in this glaring hole in the new code.
The Week That Was: Global News In Review
Brief #105 – Foreign Policy Brief
by Ibrahim Castro
Tensions between neighboring states, Venezuela and Guyana have shot up in recent weeks over a long-running territorial dispute.
Situation Update: The War in Ukraine
Brief #104 – Foreign Policy Brief
by Ibrahim Castro
This winter is likely to see a long and bloody stalemate in Ukraine according to analysts, with neither side backing down from offensives and counter offensives.
Climate Change and World Ski Competition
Brief #103 – Foreign Policy Brief
by Reilly Fitzgerald
Sports are known to be contributors to pollution, and thus to climate change. Sports, such as ski racing are outdoors. As much as it contributes to climate change, and it does contribute, it also is a victim of it too.
Facebook Faces Accusations of Palestinian Censorship Again
Brief #102 – Technology Policy Brief
by Mindy Spatt
Human Rights Watch documented the problem in an October 2021 report, finding that Instagram had removed hundreds of posts about a series of settler attacks on residents…
An Early Look at the 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Race
Brief #113 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Ian Milden
North Carolina has had competitive statewide races in recent years. While Republicans have won more consistently in federal races, Democrats have managed to win some of the statewide offices, such as the Governor’s office, on a consistent basis.
Redistricting and Gerrymandering Effects
Brief #112 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Inijah Quadri
The impact is profound: elections become less competitive, voter disillusionment rises, and elected officials face less accountability.
Republicans Bash Republicans
Brief #111 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by William Bourque
The GOP can’t seem to keep members in line or maintain a united front on anything, which makes it hard to imagine they have any chance of keeping the House or flipping the Senate. As always, we expect the presidency to be close…even if Trump runs from behind bars.
A Palestinian Prisoner’s Experience
Brief #102 – Foreign Policy Brief
by Aziza Taslaq
In Jenin, a resilient city in the West Bank, we find Ahmad, a soul molded by the complexities of life and the echoes of a turbulent past.
Democrats Vie to for a Vacant Senate Seat
Democrats Vie to for a Vacant Senate Seat
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #101 | By: William Borque | October 16, 2023
Photo taken from: cnn.com
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With the recent passing of longtime California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the already-fiery race for her seat has become more fascinating. Per law, California Governor Gavin Newsom named a replacement for the seat a day after Feinstein’s death. His selection followed his early promise of selecting a black woman, with former labor organizer and President of Emily’s List Laphonza Butler being tapped. Butler’s appointment has already led to some controversy amongst the current Senate candidates, with Butler refusing to state whether or not she will enter the race.
Current House representatives Adam Schiff (CA-30), Katie Porter (CA-47), and Barbara Lee (CA-12) are all active in the race, with Schiff leading most current polls. Porter is a staunch advocate against members of Congress trading individual stocks, and she garnered national media coverage when she questioned JP Morgan Jamie Dimon over low employee pay. Poll leader Schiff is more well-known for acting as House Impeachment Manager in the first impeachment of Former President Trump. Schiff was removed from the House Intelligence Committee by Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy when the GOP took control of the House in January. Finally, the third major candidate, Rep. Barbara Lee, is most well-known for being the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing military action after the September 11th attacks.
The question that many Californians are asking is if Butler will enter the race. While she declined to answer when asked on the day of her appointment, it would be foolish to imagine that she will be content with acting as a placeholder. The special election will be held in March of 2024, with the general election for the seat being held at the normally scheduled time in November.
Here at U.S. Resist News, we don’t think that Butler’s potential entrance into the race will have much of an impact. While her resume is impressive, she lacks the legislative experience of all three current frontrunners. Unfortunately, the potential impacts of Butler running would likely only hit Lee and Porter. Americans still pit individuals of the same gender against each other when deciding over their candidates. None of the candidates have a huge policy distinction that separates them from the rest, which likely makes the race easier for Schiff.
The Week That Was: Global News In Review
The Week That Was: Global News In Review
Foreign Policy Brief #93 | By: Ibrahim Castro | October 16, 2023
Photo taken from: washingtonpost.com
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Israel-Gaza War
The militant group Hamas launched a surprise assault inside Israeli territory this past weekend that has so far killed over 900 people and became the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Israel then formally declared war on Hamas, setting the stage for a major military operation in Gaza. During the attacks Hamas infiltrated military bases, towns, and took hostages. In retaliation the Israeli military began bombing the city of Gaza killing over 600 Palestnians and injuring another 2,500 . This new war comes on the heels of months of surging violence between Palestinians and Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation, warning his country would take “mighty vengeance” and Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, and said Israel would halt the supply of electricity, food, water and fuel to the besieged city. (U.S. RESIST DEMOCRACY NEWS will report more on this conflict soon>0
Armenians Flee Nagorno Karabakh
In late September following a 9-month blockade that prevented the flow of basic necessities like food and medical supplies, the Azerbaijani military conducted a military offensive against the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nearly the entire population of 120,000 ethnic Armenians have since been forced to flee the region.The return of the region under Azerbaijani control is likely to alter power dynamics in the South Caucasus, a region that for centuries has been at the crossroads of geopolitical interests of Russia, Turkey, and Western nations. A war for the region previously erupted in 2020, during which thousands were killed and thousands more displaced.
Russia, a longtime protector of Armenia, brokered a cease-fire and deployed about 2,000 peacekeepers to the region. Azeri President Aliyev has promised that Karabakh Armenians will continue to be able to practice the right to their own language and culture if they stay, but many Armenians have expressed concerns about violence and even ethnic cleansing. According to a decree given by the annexed region’s de facto President Samvel Shahramanyan, Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist as of January 1, 2024.
Kenya to lead military forces to quell unrest in Haiti
Last week the United Nations Security Council approved the deployment of international forces led by Kenya to curb escalating gang violence in Haiti. The level of violence in Haiti is reported to have reached comparable levels to that of a civil war. Now, in addition to Kenyan forces, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda have pledged to send personnel to the violence racked country. Haiti is led by the unelected government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and most gangs do not recognize him as a legitimate head of state. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere where more than half the population lives below the poverty line. The island country had previously requested international assistance over a year ago to curb the rising insecurity in the country, and welcomed the decision by Kenya and the UN.
Earthquake in Afghanistan
Last week more than 2,400 people were killed in earthquakes that hit Afghanistan, the earthquakes of magnitude 6.3 struck in the west of the country about 20 miles northwest of the city of Herat. These quakes were among the world’s deadliest this year, just after tremors in Turkey and Syria killed over 50,000 in February. The earthquake occurred in an area that historically has not experienced as many tremors. Villages affected are still trying to rescue survivors from under the rubble, the quakes will only compound the desperate situation in Afghanistan which is one of Asia’s poorest countries and has been ravaged by conflict for decades.
A Clash of Titans: FTC Chair Lina Kahn Takes on Amazon
A Clash of Titans: FTC Chair Lina Kahn Takes on Amazon
Technology Policy Brief #98 | By: Mindy Spatt | October 11, 2023
Photo taken from: bloomberg.com
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As a law student Lina Kahn authored a widely respected critique of Amazon’s market power. Now that she’s chair of the Federal Trade Commission will she be able to do something about it?
Analysis
A suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 states charging Amazon with anticompetitive strategies and unfair monopoly power was not a surprise, given FTC Chair Lina Kahn’s longstanding criticisms of the company. (See Technology Policy Brief #69 California Joins the Antitrust Chorus Against Amazon). The allegations in the suit, filed on September 26, center around a series of practices that the FTC alleges allow Amazon to “stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.”
One example is the Buy Box, a feature on Amazon’s site that recommends products to customers. Sellers interviewed by modernretail.com reported that inclusion in the Buy Box is essential to their success on Amazon. But the FTC says Amazon blocks sellers whose prices the company does not approve of, severely limiting access.
Other practices cited by the agency include tactics that punish sellers who offer lower prices on other platforms than they do on Amazon, pressuring sellers to purchase Amazon’s advertising services, inserting paid advertisements for Amazon’s own products in search results and charging exorbitantly high fees to sellers.. According to the FTC, these practices prevent price and product competition and prevent sellers from attracting a robust customer base.
“Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan in a press release. “[A]mazon is now exploiting its monopoly power to enrich itself while raising prices and degrading service for the tens of millions of American families who shop on its platform and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that rely on Amazon to reach them. Today’s lawsuit seeks to hold Amazon to account for these monopolistic practices and restore the lost promise of free and fair competition.”
Numerous commentators have suggested that the suit does not have good chances because Amazon’s overall market share, 38% of online sales overall, is well below the level that courts consider unfair, which is traditionally 60% or above. But there are several ways to look at Amazon’s market share. The FTC maintains that the barriers to entry it creates for other sellers are evidence of Amazon’s monopoly power. It also uses Gross Merchandise Value to measure Amazon’s market power. By that measure, the total value of goods sold to customers during a given time period, the FTC claims Amazon has more than 69% of the market share of the top 4 general merchandise platforms (Walmart, Target and eBay are the others).
The FTC concludes that “Amazon’s illegal, exclusionary conduct makes it impossible for competitors to gain a foothold. With its amassed power across both the online superstore market and online marketplace services market, Amazon extracts enormous monopoly rents from everyone within its reach,” and seeks immediate relief from the court in the form of an injunction to stop these practices. A breakup of the company is widely seen as unlikely, but the Commission might succeed in reigning in some of the most egregious practices detailed in the complaint.
Engagement Resources:
- Amazon Downplays Its Retail Might With This One Number, on Repeat, by Laura Hautala, Jan. 12, 2023, CNET https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/amazon-downplays-its-retail-might-with-this-one-number-on-repeat/
- Will the FTC’s Lina Khan succeed in breaking up Amazon? by Jon Gold, Oct. 2, 2023, Computerworld,, https://www.computerworld.com/article/3707811/will-the-ftcs-lina-khan-succeed-in-breaking-up-amazon.html
Trump’s Violent Tongue
Trump’s Violent Tongue
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #100 | By: Abigail Hunt | October 11, 2023
Photo taken from: businessinsider.com
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Like the plot point in the hellscape of a dystopian novel, Trump’s Truth Social network provides users a soapbox for vitriol and calls for violence. Trump himself is most guilty of using it in this matter. Recently, Trump’s criticisms of outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, peaked with the former President stating that Milley’s call to China following the January 6th insurgency was “an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH.”
This is not a new tactic – Trump’s called for Milley – a veteran of multiple wars who has served the U.S. in no less than nine foreign nations – to be tried for treason in the past. Trump’s outcry is pure hypocrisy, since his own administration ordered Milley to make that phone call and is himself accused of treasonous crimes. Milley is an outspoken and open Trump decrier, and as the top military official in the nation, his opinion carries weight. When threatened, Trump goes on the offensive with the basest form of communication – insults. When those insults cross the line into threats, we need to pay attention. How dangerous is it for Trump to use such loaded language of violence?
NBC News reported that the comments of several of Trump’s Truth Social supporters, made on his post about Milley, are violent, calling for a firing squad and execution. Trump’s vitriolic history includes suggesting we shoot immigrants in the legs and mocking Paul Pelosi, 82, whose skull was fractured by a middle-aged right-wing assailant, David DePape, in October 2022, when DePape broke into the Pelosi California home. Pelosi suffered a fractured skull and serious injuries to his hands and right arm. The New York Times reported DePape, 42, was “looking to interrogate” Nancy Pelosi, Paul’s wife and Speaker of the House, as follows:
“on an unspecified political matter, according to the federal complaint. If she told the ‘truth,’ he would let her go, but if she “lied,” he intended to break her “kneecaps,” forcing her to be wheeled into Congress as a lesson to other Democrats.”
Trump’s propensity for bragging about his own violent behavior is well documented. It has been 18 years since the 2005 audio recording made of Trump talking to Billy Bush from Access Hollywood on the set of “Days of Our Lives.” In the infamous recording, Trump said, “Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything,” in his bragging about getting away with sexually assaulting strangers thanks to his wealth and position.
In August 2017, far-right protestors descended on Charlottesville to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. Trump was interviewed in the aftermath of the violence that erupted and was quoted as saying there were “very fine people” on both sides of the protest. It is widely believed that Charlottesville was a lead-up to the 2021 Capitol debacle, and many of the protestors were there in Trump’s name.
Trump’s incitement of violent protestors, on January 6th, 2021, was dangerous. As an outgoing President of a faction already shown to be prone to violence, to actively encourage violent unrest should be considered treasonous, because it is. Rather than allowing Trump to glorify and incite violence without repercussion, he should be held accountable for his words. Even children know and understand not to “shout ‘fire!’ in a theater and walk away.” When we allow a politician to incite violence, we enter the realm of fascism.
Following the January 2021 raid on the Capitol, Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection produced a fact sheet on “threats and incitement to violence related to the election.” The fact sheet states that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which offers protections for freedom of speech and religion, does not protect any of the following:
- violent or unlawful conduct
- speech that incites imminent violence or lawlessness
- threats of violence, stalking, or harassing people
- crimes of violence intended to intimidate and coerce (considered terrorism under many states’ laws).
Thus, Trump’s rhetoric is not protected speech. A review of 2016 voters in the Presidential election shows that 52 percent of Trump’s supporters were male. The violent rhetoric sold men on Trump, but why? It is possible that if we find the answer to that question, it may point us in the direction of our healing.
Violence Against Women
Violence Against Women
Social Justice Policy Brief #149 | By: Abigail Hunt | October 11, 2023
Photo taken from: sbs.com.au
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It should cause us all consternation when society rewards men for spouting dangerous rhetoric, while it chastises and punishes women for expressing the same sentiments. In 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin posed with a severed costume head of Trump. As soon as her photos went viral, society cancelled her.
The year before Griffin was cancelled, an audio recording of Trump proudly describing both his failed sexual assault of a woman – “I moved on her like a bitch…” – and his tactic for approaching women in general – “grab ‘em by the pussy” – had made the rounds in the press and helped elect him to the Presidency. It was an eye-opening message to send the women of the nation. Trump spoke a language of violence against women, and he was applauded for it. The underlying misogyny in our world is not in any way hidden. It is an ingrained dislike of women that is increasingly rampant.
For a young woman in the U.S. by her mid-twenties, the odds are one in four she will experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports stark statistics – worldwide, one in three women suffer physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner. Victims, fearing blame or shame, will often fail to report an assault.
Considering the statistics – Women should be angry. Men are victims of simple assaults more often than women; according to Criminal Victimization Statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, last updated July 2023. However, excluding simple assaults, women are more often victims of serious violent crime.
Women are not allowed to be angry, however. A 2015 Arizona State University small-scale study of 210 undergraduates showed that angry men gained credibility with the student participants later surveyed, while angry women lost it. In much of western society, parents, coaches, and teachers tell boys from an early age to “suck it up and be a man” when they are sad, cry, or show any vulnerability. Sports, by design, rewards aggressiveness. Many contact sports glorify violence.
In American society, male figures with anger issues are often portrayed sympathetically in the media. The Incredible Hulk and the X-Men’s Wolverine are two characters with undeniable anger issues which have generated multimillion – if not billion – dollar franchises. Conversely, women with anger issues are seen as unhinged.
This past summer, the Barbie movie smashed records with a female-directed, female-led, female-centric film bashing the patriarchy. So far, the movie has grossed $1.4 billion in the 10 weeks since its release in theaters, ranking it #14 in worldwide popularity ranking for movies of all time. The central message of the Barbie movie is clear – the patriarchy is bad, bad for women, bad for Barbie, and even bad for men. Once Ken learns the patriarchy is not all about horses, he loses interest because, as the movie shows, the stress of the men running everything made him unhappy and irritable. The takeaway viewers are left with is that either side having total control is not good. The message that men and women should work together to buoy their weaknesses with one another’s strengths is something our Presidents, Congress, and all politicians must learn if we ever hope to rebalance our nation’s gross inequities in wealth, health, education, and quality of life.
Engagement Resources:
- World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations health agency connecting “nations, partners, and people to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health.” https://www.who.int/
- WHO. “Devastatingly pervasive: 1 in 3 women globally experience violence. Younger women among those most at risk: WHO.” March 9, 2021. Joint News Release. https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2021-devastatingly-pervasive-1-in-3-women-globally-experience-violence
- Criminal Victimization, 2021. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv21.pdf
Examining Competitive US House Races in the Northeast
Examining Competitive US House Races in the Northeast
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #99 | By: Ian Milden | October 3, 2023
Photo taken from: keystonenewsroom.com
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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 northeastern United States (outside of New York, which I already previewed).
Analysis
Republicans shocked many pundits by only winning a four-seat majority in the House of Representatives during the midterm elections. While Democrats control a lot of seats in the northeast (including every seat in New England), there are still important races in the region that can affect the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
The clearest target in the northeast outside of New York is New Jersey’s 7th district, which Tom Kean Jr. won in 2022 by defeating Congressman Tom Malinowski (D-NJ). Kean Jr. is the son of a former governor of New Jersey and served in Republican leadership in the New Jersey state legislature, so he is well-connected within the New Jersey Republican Party. Democrats will need to recruit a very good candidate if they are going to defeat him in 2024.
In Pennsylvania’s first district, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) holds a seat that often votes for Democrats for other offices. His family is well-respected in the district. The district is located in the suburbs near Philadelphia, which have voted for Democrats by increasingly large margins. It would take an exceptional candidate and a bad year for Republicans for Democrats to win this seat.
One long-shot district that Democrats should keep an eye on is Pennsylvania’s 10th district, which is represented by Scott Perry (R-PA). The district is near Harrisburg. In normal circumstances, Perry’s district is a district where Democrats should only expect to compete when Republicans are having a really bad year. However, this race could develop into a competitive race if Perry is further engulfed in the scandals related to Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. Congressman Perry’s phone has been seized by the FBI as part of this investigation.
There are a pair of Democrats in Pennsylvania who have districts that have become increasingly difficult for Democrats to win in. Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA) represents the 8th district based in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA) represents the 7th district, which is based in Allentown, which is directly south of Cartwright’s district. These two districts have blue-collar union towns, which Democrats have struggled to win in the last few election cycles. If Democrats continue to lose more voters who live in areas like these, these districts will eventually be represented by Republicans.
Another district in Pennsylvania that Democrats will have to defend is the 17th district, which is represented by Chris Deluzio (D-PA). This district is northwest of Pittsburgh. Deluzio is in his first term. He won the seat that was vacated by Conor Lamb (D-PA). Before Lamb won a special election, Republican Tim Murphy represented the district for nearly two decades before resigning due to a scandal.
Democrats will also have to defend an open seat in New Jersey’s 3rd district since Congressman Andy Kim (D-NJ) decided to run against Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) after Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges. Kim won the seat he now represents in 2018 by defeating incumbent Tom MacArthur (R-NJ). While Kim has done well in the past few elections, his seat is still in competitive territory.
The other major concern for Democrats defending seats in the northeast is Maine’s second district, which is represented by Jared Golden (D-ME). Maine’s second district does have a recent history of supporting Republicans including Trump in 2020. Golden was re-elected in 2020 when facing an underfunded opponent.
Both of New Hampshire’s seats could become competitive if Democrats are having a difficult election cycle. Chris Pappas and Ann Kuster are the current representatives of New Hampshire’s two congressional districts. Republicans have indicated that they will focus on trying to defeat Pappas since his district is less difficult for them to win in. However, New Hampshire Republicans have not had a good track record in recent years of recruiting and supporting candidates who can win federal offices.
Engagement Resources:
- DCCC Website, Official Campaign Arm of House Democrats https://dccc.org/
China’s Geopolitical Influence Around the World: Should We Be Worried?
China’s Geopolitical Influence Around the World: Should We Be Worried?
Foreign Policy Brief #92 | By: Inijah Quadri | October 2, 2023
Photo taken from: atlanticcouncil.org
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In recent years, China’s geopolitical influence has been expanding across continents, leaving a distinct imprint on global politics, economics, and societies. This influence is wielded through economic initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), tech dominance, diplomatic engagements, and soft power avenues such as Confucius Institutes. The rapid ascent has initiated a discourse evaluating the repercussions and urging the international community to decipher whether China’s expanding footprint should be a matter of concern, specifically concerning economic dependence, cybersecurity, and democratic values. The international community finds itself at a crossroads, where it needs to strike a balance between harnessing opportunities arising from cooperation with China and mitigating potential risks.
Analysis
Economic Dependence vs. Autonomous Growth:
China’s mammoth economic initiatives, such as the BRI, are seen as double-edged swords. On one hand, they promise to bolster economic growth in partnering nations through infrastructural development and increased trade avenues. On the other hand, they raise the specter of debt-trap diplomacy, whereby nations find themselves in a spiral of debt, essentially ceding significant control to China. Navigating this dynamic requires a nuanced approach, where nations engage with China but retain their economic autonomy through diversified partnerships and transparent agreements.
Cybersecurity and Digital Sovereignty:
China’s technological advancement comes with an intricate web of concerns surrounding cybersecurity and digital sovereignty. The deployment of Chinese tech infrastructure globally, including 5G networks, has raised alarms regarding potential espionage and data security. Countries are grappling with the choice between adopting advanced yet potentially vulnerable systems and safeguarding their digital landscapes. Addressing this issue calls for an international collaborative approach to formulating robust cybersecurity norms and standards, guided by the principles of transparency and mutual respect for digital sovereignty.
Democratic Values and Human Rights:
The rise of China presents a conflicting model juxtaposed against democratic values and human rights. The alleged human rights violations in regions like Xinjiang and the curtailing of freedoms in Hong Kong underscore the need for a global dialogue on preserving democratic values. The international community faces the imperative of fostering a dialogue that encourages adherence to universal human rights while engaging in constructive diplomacy with China.
Fostering Global Collaboration:
There are an increasing number of global issues that affect the well being of alll countries and all people; for example the issue of climate change where the well being of the planet cannot afford to have individual countries like China continue to expand upon their use of fossil fuels. Or global health issues where nations need to be united in fighting world-wide pandemics and cannot afford having counties like China remain secretive about the origins or spread of Covid 19 within their borders
To craft a pathway forward, it is pivotal to foster international collaborations grounded in mutual respect and understanding. Countries must work together to develop strategies that leverage opportunities for economic growth, uphold cybersecurity standards, and champion the principles of democracy and human rights.
Engagement Resources:
- Council on Foreign Relations (https://www.cfr.org/): The CFR provides in-depth analyses and reports on China’s geopolitical strategies and global relations, helping readers comprehend the intricacies of China’s evolving role on the world stage.
- China Power Project (https://chinapower.csis.org/): This initiative by CSIS delves deep into the various dimensions of China’s rise as a global power, offering insights into its economic initiatives, military advancements, and soft power instruments.
- Human Rights Watch (https://www.hrw.org/): For individuals keen on understanding the human rights dimension of China’s global engagements, HRW offers reports and analyses grounded in meticulous research, providing a comprehensive view of the prevailing human rights conditions in regions influenced by China’s policies.
The United Auto Workers (UAW): Who Are They? Why Are They On Strike? Why Does It Matter?
The United Auto Workers (UAW): Who Are They? Why Are They On Strike? Why Does It Matter?
Economic Policy Brief #55 | By: Arvind Salem | October 2, 2023
Photo taken from: clickondetroit.com
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The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy.On September 15th, The United Auto Workers (UAW) implemented a targeted (“Stand Up”) strike after the expiration of their 4 year contracts. The Union is on strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis: the first time that the union has struck against all three simultaneously in its history.
The UAW is implementing a targeted strike , where they call certain plants to strike, not all of them at once. This is an incredibly calculated decision, which allows the UAW to inflict the most harm by having the workers of the most profitable plants go on strike, while everyone else works. This means that the strike represents less of an expense for UAW (i.e. less money needed to support these workers from the strike fund) but inflicts the most damage on the auto companies. If all members of the UAW went on strike it would cost them $70 million a week: quickly draining their $825 million strike fund within three months, but now the UAW can support their workers for much longer (strikers currently get $500 per week in addition to health benefits). Additionally, if the companies attempt to cut costs by closing down facilities, the union members at those facilities will be eligible for unemployment benefits and not deplete the UAW strike fund.
UAW initially targeted GM’s Wentzville, Missouri (3,600 UAW members), Ford’s Michigan Assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan (3300 strikers),and Stellantis’ Toledo Assembly complex (5,800 strikers). This represents less than 1300 of UAW’s 145,000 members: less than 1% of UAW members.
The UAW strike comes at a time of record union activism: most prominently the strikes by Hollywood screenwriters and actors and raises for United Parcel Service employees in an agreement negotiated by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Additionally, these car companies are experiencing record profits, but essentially keeping in place the same agreements that workers took to help these companies stay afloat in 2008. The UAW argues that now is the time to pay back the concessions they made in 2008 and protect them in the future, while a key argument the automakers make is that they need to use their profits to invest in the costly transition to electric vehicles, where they are already behind non-unionized companies like Tesla.
The union’s specific demands relate to four main categories: wages, cost of living adjustments, eliminating the two- tiered payment system, and job security in the transition to electric vehicles.
The first demand, wages, is a demand for a 40% general wage increase for UAW members over a four year contract. The companies have offered a raise of approximately 20% due to pressure from the strike, but are still well short of the union’s demands. The union points to the Big Three’s profits of $21 billion total in just the first half year and the fact that they agreed, in 2007, to freeze their base wages for 4 years to help the company survive. Now that the company is doing good, the UAW argues that they should be compensated for all they gave up, especially given the fact that the highest paid CEO of the three (GM CEO Mary Barra) makes 362 times the median GM employee’s salary and the average hourly worker’s salary has dropped over 20% in the last two years when adjusting for inflation.
The second demand is for a robust cost of living adjustment (COLA) system to ensure that the gains are not eaten away by inflation. COLA was something that the UAW gave up in the 2007 negotiations, but has sorely missed throughout the last decade, particularly with the high inflation in 2022. If the workers had the old COLA formula, estimated to provide a 90% protection against inflation, their base pay would’ve increased almost the exact same amount as the crippling 9% inflation in the United States during the summer of 2022. The automakers have put a version of COLA on the table, but the union does not believe that it would meaningfully protect against inflation like the old formula did.
The third demand is to eliminate the two-tiered wage system. Workers who joined after 2007 were paid less than those hired before to do the exact same job. They also receive less healthcare and pension. In 2019, UAW and the companies agreed to an 8 year progression, where a new hire can work their way up to the pay of their pre-2007 peers over the span of 8 years. UAW is advocating for a 90 day progression, while the auto companies have countered with 4 years.
The fourth major demand is job security with the arrival of EVs. The UAW wants a guaranteed right to strike over plant closures and some compensation if plants shut down. The auto companies’ precise counter offers on this issue is unclear, but they are demanding the unilateral right to close and sell 18 facilities, which the UAW refuses to accept.
A week after the initial strike, on September 22, the UAW expanded their strike against GM and Stellantis to include all of their spare parts distribution centers, but notably excluding Ford from these extensions. The union said that Ford showed progress in their talks by notably reinstating a cost of living adjustment and granting the union the right to strike over plant closures. This new extension will add another 5,600 distribution workers to the 13,000 auto workers already on strike.
Analysis
A strike of this magnitude has multiple downstream effects on the economy at large and represents a key political moment for both parties to court the support of the UAW by showing solidarity at this time and make their position on organized labor clear through their actions.
Of course, the effects of the strike depend on how long it lasts and what actions the unions are willing to take, which is impossible to know at this time. However, even in such a short time, the strike could hinder economic growth, especially when the country faces other economic obstacles such as higher oil prices and higher mortgage rates. This strike may further short term inflation in the auto market and incentivize consumers to buy cars from non-union companies (many of which are foreign). The United States economy lost over $5 billion in the first 10 days of the UAW auto strike.
Most of the damage will not be done on a national level: but concentrated at the local level. Businesses around Detroit that typically serve these workers, such as restaurants, are adversely affected, since the workers do not have as much money to spend there. There is the danger that if this becomes a particularly long and expensive strike, automakers may start to move away from Michigan, taking countless jobs with them, which is what Boeing did in 2008: moving some production to anti-union South Carolina after a long strike.
Despite the economic hardship that this strike causes, it’s worth noting that overall support for the UAW strike has been trending upward, while support for the exact demands has been trending downwards, indicating that the American public has a broad pro-union sentiment, at least for now, despite not agreeing with their demands.
Both President Biden and Trump have used this strike to court the union’s support. President Biden joined the picket line on the 26th: the first modern president to visit a picket line, and a significant show of his support for organized labor. Notably, the union has not yet endorsed Biden in the 2024 election and while many workers appreciate his support, they said a visit from the president would not necessarily change their vote. The day after, in lieu of the Republican debates, Donald Trump visited a non-union auto parts supplier, looking to capitalize upon the UAW’s discontent with the Biden administration’s push for electric vehicles, which they believe will cost them many jobs. The autoworkers represent a powerful interest, which both presidents narrowly won and carries with it a great prize in the Electoral College. Both Trump and Biden are clearly trying to cement themselves in the UAW’s good graces before the general election. Biden seems to be courting union leadership by picketing with them, while Trump is mainly trying to court the vote of the union’s blue-collar base, by giving a speech that aligns with their interests but does not gain him favor with union leadership, as he gave it in a non-union manufacturer.
Engagement Resources
- UAW The UAW is the union organizing this strike. Those who sympathize with their cause may wish to donate to this organization.
- Ford Ford has been determined to be the most union friendly out of the three companies. Those who would like to reward them for that practice may wish to support them.
- Joe Biden for President Joe Biden has shown support for these workers and the union. Readers who agree with his actions in this issue may wish to donate or otherwise contribute to the campaign.
Congress to Blame for the Child Poverty Rate
Congress to Blame for the Child Poverty Rate
Health and Gender Policy Brief #165 | By: Geoffrey Small | October 2, 2023
Photo taken from: brookings.edu
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On September 12th, the Census Bureau released a report on the current poverty rates in the United States. The report indicated that the official overall poverty rate didn’t significantly change. Black individuals also reported 2022 poverty rates as the “lowest on record.” Despite the overall stability and positive trends across racial boundaries, one categorical poverty rate lies in stark contrast. The Census Bureau reported that between 2021 and 2022, child poverty has “more than doubled.” A Brookings Institute study illustrates why the child poverty rate has dramatically increased in the United States. This policy analysis will explore the benefits of the Child Tax Credit, an act that was allowed to expire by Congress, as the main factor contributing to the overall reduction of child poverty in 2021 and its drastic increase in 2022.
Policy Analysis
In 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which was a stimulus package designed to support Americans financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Child Tax Credit was part of the stimulus, which provided a historic increase from the original $2,000 per child to $3,000 for children 6 years and over, as well as $3,600 for children under 6. Families also received this stimulus in sums of $250 to $300 per child each month automatically. However, on December 30th, 2021, Congress let the American Rescue Plan Act expire by not voting to renew it. As a result, monthly payments stopped, and the credit reverted back to $2,000 per child. Senator Bernie Sanders was on record stating that the Senate did not have enough votes to move forward with continuing the Child Tax Credit. He blames centrist Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema for not pledging to vote in favor of a continued increase, which would ensure a majority vote. With Republicans maintaining a House majority, there was no hope for a vote in favor of continuing the increased tax credit.
The Brookings Institute conducted a study, which indicated that the Child Tax Credit reduced poverty across all states with different cost-characteristics. However, the most dramatic reduction was in states with a low cost of living and high poverty rate. As a result of this tax credit increase, The Census Bureau reported that child poverty fell to 5.2%, the lowest rate in history.
After Congress failed to renew the American Rescue Plan Act, the 2022 census reported the first increase in their supplemental poverty measurement since 2010, which is a more nuanced assessment when compared to the official poverty rate. More significantly, the rate of child poverty increased from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% in 2022. This rate has more than doubled since tax credits have reverted back to the original amount.
The Brookings Institute states that “child poverty is a persistent national issue with lifetime and intergenerational consequences.” When policies change, it is generally hard to place accountability on one branch of government, and it may take years to fully assess the impacts of these decisions. However, the evidence that has been presented in relation to child poverty between 2021 and 2022 holds an incontrovertible truth. As a result of congressional inaction, this branch of government is solely responsible for the drastic increase in the rate of child poverty. We must hold our congressional officials accountable by calling our representatives and urging them to atone for this grave error by renewing the child tax credit. UNICEF USA is an organization that is working to spread the word and help resolve the renewed child poverty crisis. Please consider donating to their movement.
Links to Donate:
Online Dating Evolution: Technology’s Influence on Modern Relationships
Online Dating Evolution: Technology’s Influence on Modern Relationships
Social Justice Policy Brief #148 | By: Inijah Quadri | September 28, 2023
Photo taken from: dailymail.co.uk
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In the burgeoning digital age, the realm of online dating stands as a testament to the evolution of relationships under technology’s sway. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and machine learning have redefined the rules of engagement in the pursuit of love. As dating transitions further into the digital sphere, the question of how technology influences autonomy, consent, and equity in romantic relationships has risen to the fore. The rapid transformation necessitates a deeper exploration of the ethical dimensions, calling for policy measures that facilitate safe and meaningful connections while preserving individual rights and freedoms.
Analysis
The Algorithm of Attraction:
As AI takes the reins in suggesting potential matches based on a plethora of factors ranging from shared interests to behavioral patterns, the mystery of attraction is being decoded into algorithms. However, this mechanization of matchmaking raises valid concerns over the natural spontaneity and unpredictability that characterize romantic relationships. While AI strives to find the ‘perfect match,’ it is imperative to ensure that technology serves as a facilitator rather than a dictator of romantic connections, preserving the human essence of love and attraction. Here are some suggested principles that can guide the pratice of online dating.
Informed Consent in Virtual Interactions:
Online dating platforms house an array of personal information, making informed consent more crucial than ever in safeguarding privacy and fostering trust. Users need to be unequivocally aware of the kind of information they share and with whom, averting potential misuse. This necessitates transparent and user-friendly privacy policies that empower individuals to control their digital footprints confidently. Moreover, platforms must invest in robust security measures, creating a safe environment that respects user consent and promotes respectful interactions.
Equality and Representation in Virtual Dating Spaces:
In the world of online dating, the design of platforms and algorithms can inadvertently influence user experiences and expectations. It is vital to champion diversity and inclusivity, ensuring that all users, irrespective of their background, find representation and feel seen and respected. Policies must encourage platforms to adopt a holistic approach, considering various cultural, racial, and personal nuances while creating algorithms to facilitate connections that are both authentic and respectful.
In navigating these emerging dynamics, a collaborative approach involving technologists, psychologists, relationship experts, and policymakers becomes essential. Transparent and user-friendly privacy policies, coupled with educational resources like those provided by The National Cyber Security Alliance, can foster a culture of informed consent, empowering users to navigate digital spaces safely. Collaborative efforts involving organizations like The Representation Project can also be a stepping stone to nurturing authentic and respectful connections. These can foster genuine connections while safeguarding user rights, encouraging educational initiatives to promote digital literacy in online dating, and fostering a culture of respect and consent, paving the way for a future where technology brings hearts closer, responsibly, and ethically.
Engagement Resources:
- The Online Dating Association (https://www.onlinedatingassociation.org.uk/): An organization committed to setting standards for dating services and ensuring a safe and positive experience for users through policy-making and ethical considerations.
- Centre for Humane Technology (https://www.humanetech.com/): A center dedicated to realigning technology with humanity’s best interests, fostering strategies and policies that prioritize well-being and promote respectful digital interactions.
- eSafety Commissioner (https://www.esafety.gov.au/): An Australian government website offering a range of resources, from educational materials to reporting tools, facilitating a safe and positive online dating experience for all users.