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The Future of Quality Education Lies in the Past: How Liberal Arts Education Provides a Way Forward for Critical Thinking
Brief #89 – Education Policy Brief
by: Rudolph Lurz
Exploring the intricate interplay between STEM and liberal arts education, Rudolph Lurz unveils a compelling narrative advocating for a balanced approach to fostering critical thinking in American schools. By spotlighting the overlooked value of liberal arts disciplines, Lurz ignites a crucial conversation about the future trajectory of quality education in the United States.
Young Black Voters Lack Enthusiasm for Presidential Candidates
Brief #124 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by: Abigail Hunt
Amidst growing disillusionment, young Black voters find themselves disengaged with the 2024 presidential candidates, expressing concerns over issues like access to education and socialist programs. This lack of enthusiasm underscores a broader sentiment of frustration with the two-party system’s failure to address the needs of a new generation.
Texas v. Biden Immigration Clash: Policy Standoff and Legal Implications
Brief #156 – Social Justice Policy Brief
by: Arvind Salem
Amidst Republican criticism of President Biden’s perceived leniency, Texas asserts its authority by implementing its own immigration enforcement measures, leading to legal battles over policies like Wire Fencing and Texas SB 4, now subject to Supreme Court rulings.
Why Can’t We Agree on Foreign Aid?
Brief #121 – Foreign Policy Brief
by: Arvind Salem
Amidst ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the US offers financial aid rather than direct military involvement. However, recent negotiations over aid have been fiercely debated, illustrating the entrenched partisan divide in the country. Despite bipartisan support for aiding both nations, stubborn factions within each party hinder any potential compromise.
The Effort To Impeach Secretary Mayorkas
Brief #123 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by: Abigail Hunt
The political circus around Washington D.C. continues to bring new acts to the stage. Recently, House Republicans charged Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security, guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors for his alleged mishandling of the border crisis.
An Analysis of the Presidential Immunity Ruling By The Appeals Court
Brief #219 – Civil Rights Policy Brief
by Rodney A. Maggay
On February 6, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in ‘United States of America v. Donald J. Trump,’ rejecting the former President’s defense against allegations of inciting the January 6th riot, affirming the principle of legal equality for all, regardless of office.
A Guide to Third (3rd) Party Candidates
Brief #122 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by: Courtney Denning
Independent and third party politicians have a long history of impactful campaigns even though they rarely win. Because of the controversiality of both the Democratic and Republican frontrunners in the 2024 presidential elections, many voters are looking towards a third option.
Ceasefire Resolutions Roil Local and National Politics
Brief #120 – Foreign Policy Brief
by : Mindy Spatt
US advocates for a Gaza ceasefire face resistance, even in liberal enclaves. While the resolutions’ impact on the war is uncertain, there’s no question that they will have an influential impact on upcoming elections and politicians’ futures, even at the presidential level.
How Conservatives Are Trying To Block Voters From Voting On Abortion Rights
Brief #218 – Civil Rights Policy Brief
by Rodney A. Maggay
After Roe v. Wade was overturned, seven states held votes on abortion rights. Both red and blue states had measures to expand protections. Following victories for pro-abortion activists, GOP-led legislatures are seeking to tighten referendum rules to hinder ballot qualification.
Mark Meadows
Mark Meadows
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #115 | By: Abigail Hunt | December 18, 2023
Photo taken from: https://www.nbcnews.com
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Mark Meadows looks hungover in his mugshot, taken August 24, 2023, at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. His bloodshot eyes leer into the camera – it is not a good look. One of Trump’s 18 co-defendants, indicted in October 2023 on charges for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, Meadows has good reason to drink. Among the evidence cited against him is a text sent to a state official that reads: “Is there a way to speed up Fulton county signature verification in order to have results before Jan 6 if the trump campaign assist financially.” It is almost impressive how thoroughly he provided damning evidence against himself in a single message. The central theme of the text is clear – it is an attempt to subvert the election process.
In 2012, Mark Meadows was first elected to Congress at the age of 53 as a U.S. Republican Representative for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. Before that, he earned an associate degree from the University of South Florida in 1980, which may be the last time we know for a fact he read – or was at least supposed to have read – a book. Meadows’ history is a study in unremarkable-ness – he developed real estate, owned a sandwich shop, and worked as a manager for a Tampa-based electric company.
Meadows filed in 2015 to remove John Boehner as Speaker of the House. He backed the wrong horse with Ted Cruz in the 2016 Presidential election. Since the group’s founding, Meadows has been billed by media as a leader of the far-right wing of the GOP, The Freedom Caucus. However, there’s no membership list to this huge and influential group with all of a rumored 29 members, so attributing that to Meadows is just speculation. What else? He advocated defunding health care. He sat on some committees. He is married with a couple of kids, staunch in his conservatism, and is unnecessarily vocal about his Christianity (Christians are the majority, y’all. Calm down.). Today, Meadows has traded that track record – rather stellar in its beige-ness – for billing as co-defendant to one of the most notorious political criminals in U.S. history. What a rise.
Now Trump’s co-defendant but once his White House Chief of Staff, pundits say Meadows is potentially Trump’s Achille’s heel. Meadows’ personal knowledge of Trump’s behavior and communications could be damaging if the testimony of Meadows’ own top aide, Cassidy Hutchinson, is any indication. Hutchinson’s testimony against Trump during the 2022 January 6th House committee hearings included the roles that Meadows played in aiding Trump. Hutchinson has remarked that Meadows’ clothes often smelled like a bonfire (because he is alleged to have helped Trump burn documents). She also described how Meadows told her Trump privately confided to Meadows that he had lost.
In September 2023, Meadows’ attorneys filed an order in federal court requesting that court to assume jurisdiction over his case. The federal judge denied Meadows’ request, writing, “Assuming jurisdiction over this criminal prosecution would frustrate the purposes of federal officer removal when the state charges allege – not state interference with constitutionally protected federal activities, but – federal interference with constitutionally protected state actions.” As is standard practice, Meadows’ attorneys filed an appeal to the judge’s ruling, which will be heard by a three-judge panel on Dec. 22, 2023.
Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and Meadows are considered by prosecutors to be the “key three” of the laundry list of defendants and, as such, will not be offered plea deals. Will Meadows be Trump’s comeuppance? At this point, there are few who can answer that question – Meadows, Trump, and possibly their attorneys. It is likely that even the district attorney has no idea of what information Meadows has socked away. Prosecutors requested the deadline for plea deals be set for June 2024. As each of the lesser co-defendants takes a deal, it is another card falling, but it is the trials of the key three that look to bring the house down.
Engagement Resources:
- Ballotpedia’s record on Mark Meadows, https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Meadows_(North_Carolina)
- Federal Judge Rejects Meadow’s Removal Request, https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/federal-judge-rejects-meadow-s-removal-request
- Direct link to the denial ruling, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23945272-govuscourtsgand319225690?responsive=1&title=1
The Medium is the Manipulation, Part 3: How Politicians Use Social Media to Spin Falsehoods
The Medium is the Manipulation, Part 3: How Politicians Use Social Media to Spin Falsehoods
Technology Policy Brief #103 | By: Steve Piazza | December 17, 2023
Photo taken from: stimson.org
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This series looks to explore the extent to which campaign ads and speeches as well as policy setting of political candidates employ deliberate strategies of disinformation and fallacy to not only discredit their political opponents but also add to the continued abusive miseducation of the U.S. populace and thus further increase the national divide. Campaign ads are not in and of themselves policy, but their message reflects a candidate’s or party’s policy of sorts, namely on how far it is willing to go to get what it wants.
Policy Summary
Republicans have long accused social media platforms of exhibiting a bias to the left and thus have taken their fight to court. Over the past 18 months, the party has been defending laws that have been attempting to curb what they claim is a tendency for social media companies to favor their opponents.
Though Democrats feel that social media is ripe with hate speech, they downplay the talk of bias. The party describes Republican litigation as an attack on legislation preventing hate speech that continues to divide the country and erode the already crumbling foundations of democracy.
But this has not stopped either side from investing heavily in social media ads, which allows for them to reap many of the platforms’ intrinsic benefits, particularly the movement of disinformation that leads to confused and misled voters.
Policy Analysis
It isn’t difficult to see why political campaigns are drawn to social media platforms.The rapid messaging allows for candidates to stay in sync with opponents and potential voters. The 200% return on investment doesn’t hurt either.
But perhaps one of the most important attributes is that posts are difficult to identify as formal advertisements. Because they are embedded within videos or threads, there’s often very little to distinguish messaging made by campaigns from those of the average user. Campaigns can be more negative and perhaps take more liberty with the truth than they would on television and radio.
This is huge, when you consider the number of users. The top two social media platforms, YouTube and Facebook each have over 2 billion users, while Instagram and TikTok have 1 1/2 billion and 1 billion respectively.
Such extraordinary numbers explain why so much has been spent on social media political campaigns during the last several election cycles. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton spent $72 million on Facebook and Instagram in 2016, and then an astonishing $217 million in 2020. In fact, they posted nearly 3.4 million tweets, or 14,000 a day, in October alone that year.
But the number of posts alone does not explain the movement of disinformation. In no small part that is left up to the ability of average users to interact and share what they come across, and often without verifying sources.
It’s also the adverse nature of the ads themselves. As anybody remotely familiar with the way information travels, negative material spreads at the speed of light in comparison to anything not so provocative.
It’s understandable that blatant, harsh criticism of opponents makes for good social incendiary effects. Donald Trump’s use of his own platform, Truth Social, provides plenty of evidence of this. But it’s the less subtle ways social media is being used that make deluding people harder to detect.
For example, Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy begins a Tok Tok message stating “The GOP establishment does NOT approve of this message & it’s pathetic I’m the only candidate with the stones to say it:….” But soon after baiting viewers with simple nuance, he tries to have it both ways by switching to typical Republican criticism of select elements of the Democratic platform.
Social media platforms are also an opportunity for less popular candidates, mainstream or otherwise, to easily promote themselves as more viable than perhaps they are. Marianne Williamson, who is a longshot Democrat, creates a presidential-like presence on TikTok. Even those already elected can increase celebrity status. Take Representative Jeff Jackson, a Democrat from North Carolina, who boasts 1.6 million users on Tik Tok. He’s been called by Roll Call the most popular Congress person on the platform, notwithstanding that he’s stated publicly TikTok should be banned.
And then there are political advertisements that do not look like political advertisements. For example, META’s ad library searches indicate that the Trump Store is extremely popular, making it a convenient way to peddle merchandise that helps spread political viewpoints. Or, some items in the form of simple, matter of fact memes are prolific and gain traction, like the hoax perpetrated on Facebook that President Biden was promising $6400 to anybody over 25 years old. It’s difficult to discern who or what was behind the disinformation, but it is one more example of how voters are easily deceived.
To their credit, social media companies have developed policies to address political advertising in an attempt to combat disinformation. These include the use of watermarks (Microsoft) and disclaimers (META).
To their discredit, language in guidelines and esoteric identifiers are not enough to enlighten unsuspecting users. These actions haven’t been as effective as they ought be, and amount to continued abuse of each platform’s own membership.
Lets’ just hope we don’t find ourselves endlessly chasing our tails and losing precious time attempting to expose the relentless falsehoods in political statements while reality tiptoes by and presents dire consequences for all people.
Engagement Resources:
- To get a sense of how popular political messaging is on social media, you can check out select data on individual platforms. Click here for an example of a Meta filtered search.
- Detecting ads is one thing, verifying the validity of what’s being said is another. Here is a list of fact checking projects, like the popular University of Texas at Arlington’s Claim Buster, compiled by the Credibility Coalition: https://credibilitycoalition.org/credcatalog/project/claim-buster/
Trump’s Support Among Black Voters
Trump’s Support Among Black Voters
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #114 | By: Abigail Hunt | December 17, 2023
Photo taken from: npr.org
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Recent poll results published in the New York Times claim Trump’s support among Black voters has increased to more than 20 percent. The Times, in conjunction with Sienna College, polled voters from potential swing states and report their findings that 22 percent would vote for Donald Trump, while about 70 percent of those polled backed a re-election of President Biden. If those numbers are accurate, that is almost triple the number of Black supporters Trump had in 2020, a strong indication that Trump is not out of the running, at least in the minds of those disillusioned with the current administration. Such a change would be recorded in history books – the last time a Republican earned more than 20 percent of the Black vote was decades ago.
The alleged shift of support of POC from Biden to Trump may be more likely a shift from one party to another – disillusioned with the status quo maintaining their own interests, Black voters may simply just be fed up with inaction and hopeful that Trump, even with his temper tantrums, will be more proactive in passing legislation from which they might benefit. Trump was President when we received COVID relief payments, which lifted millions of children out of poverty during the period of disbursement. Pandemic-era financial relief programs expired under Biden, and it is no stretch of the imagination to understand how those facts might influence how any citizen feels about their President.
Philip Marcelo, with AP News reported in July 2023 that Trump has a documented history of racism dating back to the 1970s when the federal government sued Trump for discrimination against black apartment owners. The following decade, Trump made headlines by stirring up racist fervor over the “Central Park Five” case, helping influence the public opinion of the defendants in the case. The defendants, five young Black men, are now known as the Exonerated Five after DNA evidence proved them innocent. The perpetrator was a convicted rapist who confessed in 2002. Each of the young men served between five and 13 years in prison. In 2008, Trump was a mouthpiece for the birther movement questioning Barack Obama’s legal right to the presidency. Trump and his cohorts at that time claimed President Obama falsified his birth certificate and was from Kenya. Of course, who can forget Trump’s grand claims that all illegals crossing the border “are rapists!”
CNN reported in August that rumors of Black voters abandoning Biden in favor of Trump were unfounded, and in December 2023, Juan Williams with The Hill reiterated the same, reporting that most polls show Black voters prefer Biden over Trump at an “eight-to-one ratio.” Information is easily manipulated. The 2024 election is just under a year away. While one poll or another may set a tone and provide an early indication, the first real signs we will see of who supports who come in mid-January 2024 in Iowa. What matters is not what Donald Trump’s favorite skin type is (we all know it’s deep fried and comes in a bucket from KFC), it is what kind of legislation he will enact and how that legislation affects people. That is what matters for any candidate, and in particular Biden and Trump, who each have served a term in the White House. Everything else is just noise.
Unveiling the Path to Peace: Insights from Post-Conflict Palestine
Unveiling the Path to Peace: Insights from Post-Conflict Palestine
Foreign Policy Brief #106 | By: Aziza Taslaq | December 14, 2023
Photo taken from: https://arabcenterdc.org
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In the West Bank city of Jericho, I engaged in a meaningful dialogue with Sanad, a member of The Palestinian General Intelligence Services. He shared perspectives on the aftermath of the Israeli-Palestinian war, offering insights into the challenges of reconstruction, the evolving political landscape, and the persistent efforts toward a peaceful resolution.
Sanad highlighted the significant obstacles in reconstructing Gaza after the war. The widespread destruction and immense losses have left a lasting impact. Despite the tough road ahead, he remains hopeful that international support can breathe new life into Gaza. However, he pragmatically acknowledged that reconstruction is a lengthy process.
The governance of Gaza emerged as a delicate issue. Sanad clarified that the Palestinian Authority (PAU) has no interest in controlling Gaza at present. With Hamas in charge, the PAU prioritizes stability, opting to avoid internal conflicts that could compound post-war challenges.
Sanad then emphasized the PAU’s steadfast commitment to the two-state solution. He stressed the need for both Palestine and Israel to dedicate themselves to this vision. The PAU envisions a sustainable and peaceful coexistence, aligning its goals with ongoing international efforts to resolve the longstanding conflict.
Gender equality became a central theme in our conversation. Sanad passionately highlighted The PAU is dedicated to advancing gender equality across legal, political, economic, and social realms. This commitment involves enacting legal reforms to eliminate discrimination in family and employment laws, promoting equal opportunities for both genders. Through empowering programs, the PAU equips women with education and resources for active participation in education, the workforce, and leadership roles. Priority is given to ensuring equal access to education and addressing gender disparities. Efforts extend to fostering workplace equality, combating gender-based violence, and increasing women’s representation in decision-making processes. Collaborating internationally, the PAU seeks to exchange best practices and collectively address global challenges, ultimately working towards a society where men and women enjoy equal rights, opportunities, and freedom from discrimination.
Discussing future elections, Sanad acknowledged the uncertainty due to the current situation. While welcoming all parties to participate, he personally favored Fateh as the most eligible candidate. This perspective offered a nuanced glimpse into the diverse opinions within Palestinian politics.
Our conversation then shifted to the Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission, a pivotal entity in Palestine. Sanad explained its role in implementing international decisions on settlements, walls, and occupation. Under Minister Muayad Shaban’s leadership, the commission aspires to a future free of walls and settlements, advocating fervently for Palestinian rights and confronting challenges posed by occupation.
Navigating the delicate matter of recognizing Israel’s right to exist, Sanad clarified the PAU’s nuanced position. Framed within the principles of a two-state solution, the PAU’s recognition reflects a careful balance between acknowledging Israel’s existence and advocating for Palestinian rights.
In conclusion, Sanad’s insights provide a comprehensive understanding of post-conflict Palestine. The intricate challenges demand a nuanced approach, and the PAU’s commitment to a two-state solution, gender equality, and active engagement with international bodies underscores a strategic pursuit of peace and prosperity. As the region navigates these complexities, the shared vision of a homeland free of walls and settlements stands as a beacon of hope for a brighter future.
Proposals For Enforcement Of The Supreme Court’s New Ethics Code
Proposals For Enforcement Of The Supreme Court’s New Ethics Code
Civil Rights Policy Brief #215 | By: Rodney A. Maggay | December 11, 2023
Photo taken from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/
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On November 13, 2023 the United States Supreme Court announced that it would be adopting an ethical code for the Court for the first time ever. While the set of ethical canons is similar in many respects to a code that many lower court federal judges have to abide by, the code adopted by the Supreme Court differs in one significant way – there is no enforcement mechanism. What would likely happen in practice at the high court is that enforcement of the new code would be up to each individual member of the Court, in effect a situation where each Justice would be policing his or her own conduct.
However, a number of proposals have been put forth to remedy this gap in the new Supreme Court ethics code. Glenn Fine, an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, has proposed a permanent investigative office be created to investigate complaints at the court, similar to an inspector general office. The non – profit group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has proposed a panel of retired judges to review ethical issues and recusal motions. And, just this past summer before the high court adopted an ethical code a Senate bill named the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency (SCERT) Act was introduced in the chamber. The bill is much more comprehensive and addresses more issues and imposes additional requirements (e.g., requirement for a panel to issue a report explaining their findings, rules on gifts). The bill, introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, was actually approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by an 11 – 10 vote. However, passage by the full Senate chamber on the SCERT bill seems unlikely. LEARN MORE
Analysis
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 lack of a way to enforce any ethical code on the Supreme Court was a known flaw that had been discussed even before the Supreme Court made their announcement. Sen. Whitehouse’s SCERT bill in the summer of 2023 even predated the Supreme Court’s announcement in November so government officials knew that this issue was one they were going to fight over. But with numerous proposals out there, the fight does not have to be a lengthy or protracted one.
A common theme found in the proposals supported by Professor Fine, the non – profit group CREW and the SCERT bill is that there be an independent panel to review the ethical scenarios faced by the justices. The proposals may differ in the details but it is the composition of panels and staffing by non – sitting Justices that make these proposals stand out. This is important because what the proposals are trying to do is eliminate the Justices from policing their own conduct and determining for themselves whether their course of conduct is ethically proper or not. Under the proposal supported by Professor Fine, the Justices would be subject to a review from an inspector general like office. Under the proposal supported by CREW, it would not be a permanent investigatory office but a panel of retired judges convened by the Chief Justice (or another non – Justice official to ensure another layer of neutrality). And under the SCERT Act, the bill proposes that a rotating panel of chief judges from the federal appeals court be convened to review ethical complaints. These proposals are similar on one major point – that an independent office or panel made up of non – Justices should review complaints in order to enforce a code of professional responsibility on the high court. Until individual Justices are removed from policing themselves, any ethical codes or standards will be meaningless.
All of these proposals also offer different standards and obligations and even if neither of the proposals were adopted it would still be good sense to pick bits and pieces of the best aspects of each and try to include them in a final version. The proposal of a permanent investigative office similar to an inspector general’s office is one that needs to be seriously considered and one that could help restore the reputation of the high court. By having a permanent office, the public would be assured that there would always been an office ready to go at a moment’s notice to investigate ethical complaints instead of waiting for a panel to be convened which could be delayed by weeks or months. The report requirements of the SCERT Act could also be implemented as the statutory obligation to write a report on why they accepted a gift or why they did or did not recuse themselves from a case would force a Justice to put their thinking officially down on paper and let the public know their legal rationales for why they took the action they did. The Supreme Court may be hesitant to adopt these proposals but even if they resist, these proposals can be implemented by Congressional action. Congress is empowered by the Constitution to determine what cases the Court may hear and the number of Justices that sit on the high court so there is no question that Congress can also impose additional requirements such as an ethical code. While the SCERT bill so far is the only proposal that has come from Congress, adding the other proposals supported by Professor Fine and the non – profit group CREW to a Congressional bill would be a way for Congress to make those proposals mandatory should Congress find a way to get it approved by both legislative houses.
Regardless of what a final ethical code with enforcement mechanisms would look like, there are numerous proposals floating around out there and enough options for a full and robust enforcement mechanism to be pieced together and grafted on to the new code adopted by the Supreme Court. LEARN MORE
Engagement Resources:
- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – non – profit group’s analysis of the Supreme Court’s new code of ethics and what is lacking in the code.
- Brennan Center for Justice – non – profit group’s analysis of the new code of ethics for the Supreme Court and why they deem it likely to fail.
This brief was compiled by Rod Maggay. If you have comments or want to add the name of your organization to this brief, please contact rodwood@email.com.
The Week That Was: Global News In Review
The Week That Was: Global News In Review
Foreign Policy Brief #105 | By: Abran C | December 10, 2023
Photo taken from: https://netivist.org
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Venezuela-Guyana territorial dispute
Tensions between neighboring states, Venezuela and Guyana have shot up in recent weeks over a long-running territorial dispute. Last weekend Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro got the victory he sought in a referendum on whether to claim sovereignty over an oil-rich area of neighboring Guyana. In dispute is a 62,000-square-mile border territory around the Esequibo river, an area which is mainly jungle, and an offshore site where massive discoveries of oil and gas have been made. Both countries claim ownership of the territory, which is sparsely populated and whose border was agreed in a 1899 decision when Guyana was still part of the British Empire. Companies such as Exxon Mobil, China’s CNOOC and US Hess already began oil production in Guyana back in 2019.
Maduro said last week he would authorize oil exploration in the Esequibo and that all companies already operating offshore Guyana have three months to leave. Exxon has said border disputes are for countries and relevant international bodies to solve. Maduro’s government still has not explained what actions it might take to enforce results of the vote.
Putin’s visit to the Middle East
Last week Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare tour to the Middle East during which he visited Saudi Arabia after a short trip to the United Arab Emirates. The meeting was part of Russia’s quest to stake out a more influential role in the Middle East, with oil cooperation and the Israel-Hamas war on the agenda. Both Saudi Arabia and Russia, called for all OPEC+ members to join an agreement on output cuts in order to curb a recent drop in oil prices. The Russian leader has made very few international trips after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him in March, accusing him of illegally transporting Ukrainian children into Russia. Neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia have signed the ICC’s founding treaty, and thus are not obligated to arrest Putin when he enters their territories.
Maori protests in New Zealand
Thousands of Maori protesters took to the streets across New Zealand last week, objecting to policies of the new government that the Maori say will unravel decades of indigenous progress. The country’s new conservative government, which was sworn in last week, has said it will scrap the Maori Health Authority, repeal legislation designed to prevent the removal of Maori children from their families and minimize Maori language use in public service. The government has also said it would review the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which upholds Maori rights, including their right to autonomy as they are the country’s original inhabitants. The treaty was an agreement reached in 1840 between the British and indigenous Maori. While it is not a formal legal document, it forms the basis of New Zealand’s constitution, which includes the protection of Maori interests. Critics say the moves are an attack on four decades of legislative decisions and the new government will likely face many legal challenges in its attempt to undo Maori gains.
Situation Update: The War in Ukraine
Situation Update: The War in Ukraine
Foreign Policy Brief #104 | By: Abran C | December 10, 2023
Photo taken from: https://apnews.com/
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Military Aid to Ukraine
An agreement to provide billions of dollars in new military aid to Ukraine has stalled in congress. Republicans blocked a sweeping foreign security assistance bill to provide $110.5 billion in funds for Ukraine and Israel in order to press for more control of immigration via the US southern border with Mexico. At the same time Kyiv has agreed with two American firms to jointly manufacture vital 155mm artillery shells in Ukraine, although production will not start for at least two years. Kyiv and Washington have signed a letter of intent to speed up weapons co-production and data exchange. Ukraine leaders likely hope that the country can become more integrated into the West’s military landscape by promoting joint weapons production and supplies through a common defense industry setting.
Hungary Opposes Ukraine’s Entry Into EU
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned EU leaders to keep Ukraine accession talks off the bloc’s agenda at an upcoming summit. Hungary’s ruling party submitted a resolution to parliament calling on the government to not support the start of talks on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Distrust of Orban has been running high in Brussels after a bitter 13 years in power where the Hungarian leader and EU clashed over the rights of the LGBTQ community and migrants in Hungary, as well as tightening state controls over academics, the courts and media. Additionally Hungary has continued to maintain ties with Moscow, even as the EU has imposed sanctions against Russia. The European Commission currently is withholding nearly 22 billion euros from Hungary over concerns about corruption and perceived backsliding of democratic norms under Orban.
War in Winter
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. Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive in early June that though it was off to a rather slow start, by some estimates took back half the land Russia had seized earlier in the year. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has forsworn any negotiations while Russia sits on Ukrainian soil, Western intelligence assessments warn that battlefield movement could stagnate until well into 2024, bringing the war closer to the frozen conflict that many observers fear plays to Putin’s plans.
Climate Change and World Ski Competition
Climate Change and World Ski Competition
Foreign Policy Brief #103 | By: Reilly Fitzgerald | December 10, 2023
Photo taken from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/
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The pinnacle of world ski racing is the FIS World Cup. The season begins in October on the glaciers of Sölden, Austria and ends at the end of March in Saalbach, Austria. The World Cup circuit takes athletes all over Europe and North America. As a winter sport, in the era of climate change, there are complications each season – races get canceled, postponed, or delayed with great frequency (in some cases hours or minutes before they are about to start, or in the middle of the race). This year, the men’s speed race circuit (the events known as downhill and super g) has been off to a rough start with two out of two downhill race events canceled due to weather. The first speed race was going to be a downhill held on the Zermatt-Cervinia track, the first course to begin and end in two different countries (Switzerland and Italy, respectively). Then, the second set of speed races on the calendar in Beaver Creek, Colorado, were canceled as well.
Analysis
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. Winters are warming, and snowfall has reduced across Europe and North America. The reduction in winter precipitation has led to several ski areas across both continents shutting down, permanently. The World Cup circuit includes 45 race events held at over 20 different venues. There are four events that athletes, men and women separately, compete in: slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom (or super g, as it is called), and downhill. Super G and downhill are considered the ‘speed events’, these events are on courses that are more than a mile in length and need perfect conditions, as skiers may exceed 90 to 100 miles per hour.
However, the start to the speed event season has been a pretty slow one. So far, there have been two sets of races and they have both been canceled. The first, was two downhill races on the Zermatt-Cervinia course (which has athletes begin in Italy and end in Switzerland); and the second was in Beaver Creek, Colorado, for a pair of downhill races this past weekend. Both venues canceled their races due to weather conditions not allowing the races to proceed safely. Ironically enough, the races in Beaver Creek were canceled due to heavy snowfall and wind. The speed skiers are heading back to Europe for this weekend’s races in Val d’Isère, France.
Some athletes compete in all four of the disciplines on the World Cup schedule; these skiers are known as ‘all-rounders’. They keep track of the points they earn in all four disciplines and then the skier with the most points at the end of the season is the reigning Overall Champion. These skiers, with 45 races on the calendar, have the most grueling seasons; especially when looking from a travel and pollution standpoint.
Norwegian slalom skier, Henrik Kristoffersen, made headlines the other week when climate activists interrupted a World Cup slalom race in Gurgl, Austria; in fact, he had to be restrained from getting into a physical altercation with the protestors (instead, he decided to hurl snowballs at them). The protestors threw orange paint into the finishing coral which caused a significant delay to the race, and thus the light conditions changed and the final racers were at a significant disadvantage. Kristoffersen’s anger was not regarding the protest of climate change, which he thinks should be done civilly and through the ballot box, but that the protesters ruined the chances of an athlete earning a living by ruining their race chances.
The World Cup ski racing circuit is facing a crisis of conscience in some ways. The organizers, the athletes, the venues are all on the same page that climate change threatens the way of life for winter sports of all varieties; however, the alpine ski racing calendar is so jam-packed with fitting in 45 races between the end of October and the end of March that there is zero room for error when it comes to rescheduling races; or as some have proposed, an entire overhaul of the race season schedule to accommodate a later start to the season. According to DW News (a German organization), there has been criticism of ski racing in Austria, especially, as it relates to the preparation of glaciers for the purpose of ski racing. The Rettenbach Glacier which hosted the season opener had to be prepared with bringing in stored snow, and using excavators to remove the edge of the glacier as part of the preparations. The destruction of the environment is not only part of the logistics of ski racing through the numerous flights, car travel, and tourism that is produced; but also the preparation of the events themselves are not entirely eco-friendly.
According to DW News, again, climate scientists, such as Jules Boykoff at Pacific University in Oregon, suggest that the ability to even host Winter Olympic events in countries that are able to experience wintery conditions will be significantly reduced to about 10 nations by 2040. This has led to the proposal to rotate amongst those potential countries in the future; but there is a significant amount of hesitation by the citizens of these potential places. The Winter Olympics set to take place in 2026 hosted by Milan-Cortina, Italy, have already begun their preparations and have decided to not construct a new bobsleigh and luge track due to the protests of locals about the environmental impact this construction would cause, according to the Associated Press; this means those events could be hosted in Austria or Switzerland, it remains unclear still.
Ironically, as European cities debate their ability, or willingness, to host these events. Saudi Arabia, a known mega-investor in the world of modern sports, has won the bid to host the 2029 Pan-Asian Winter Games. They have invested $500 billion to create a futuristic mega-resort that will host skiers for three months of the year and other sports the rest of the year. The resort-city is called Trojena. It will be interesting to see how, if, or when, the World Cup ski racing circuit will make its way to this Saudi Arabian resort as Europe and North America face reduced snow totals and protestations from locals about the impacts of winter sports on glaciers, and other ecological impacts.
Engagement Resources:
- DW Article – https://www.dw.com/en/alpine-ski-world-cup-grapples-with-climate-challenges/a-67257154
- Trojena Resort Article (Al Arabiya) – https://english.alarabiya.net/infocus/2023/08/18/Exclusive-Saudi-Arabia-s-NEOM-reveals-significant-progress-on-snow-resort-Trojena-
- POW and FIS Climate Action Dispute – https://skiracing.com/pow-and-fis-climate-action-dispute/
Facebook Faces Accusations of Palestinian Censorship Again
Facebook Faces Accusations of Palestinian Censorship Again
Technology Policy Brief #102 | By: Mindy Spatt | December 10, 2023
Photo taken from: https://act.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has a history of censoring pro-Palestinian content on its platforms. Now, an announced policy to limit comments on posts related to the war on Gaza and the shutting down of Palestinian news sites and individuals have sparked urgent concerns about censorship and caught the attention of Senator Elizabeth Warren, who tweeted that Instagram’s “reported removal and suppression of Palestine-related content raises serious questions. I’ve got a bill to require more transparency from Big Tech platforms and protect against algorithmic discrimination.”
Analysis
Meta has censored pro-Palestinian content in the past. 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 of Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighborhood in Jerusalem, including reposts of content from mainstream news organizations that could not “reasonably be construed” as attempts to incite violence or hatred.
According to The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media (7amelh.org), a non-profit organization that advocates for Palestinian digital rights, the scale of the takedowns and suspensions …[was] egregious and pronounced.”
In response, Meta commissioned a study by the independent consultancy Business for Social Responsibility. BSR found that that Meta’s action during the Sheik Jarrah attacks had an “adverse” impact on Palestinian users’ freedom of expression, political participation and ability of to share information. Apparently Meta didn’t learn much from those findings as the company has openly instituted policies limiting comments on posts about the war in Gaza and is once again engaging in widespread blocking of news and information.
Between October 7 and November 14 of this year, 7amelh.org’s Observatory of Human Rights found over 1,447 violations of Palestinian rights, involving both the censoring of Palestinian voices and the flourishing of anti-Palestinian hate speech. Many of those violations were on Meta’s platforms which, the group says, are over-moderated, shadow-ban Palestinian content, block the Palestinian flag emoji and censor pro-Palestinian hashtags but not pro-Israeli ones.
Journalists and established news sites have also been censored and blocked. According to the independent Quds News Network, an established site with 10 million followers, their pages in both Arabic and English were deleted from Facebook despite there being no violations of Meta’s standards in the content. The network had been shut down by Facebook in the past. Over on Instagram, Let’s Talk Palestine, with 300.00 followers, found it’s account locked. Al Jazeera has reported that authors, activists, journalists, filmmakers and regular users around the world have said posts containing hashtags like “FreePalestine” and “IStandWithPalestine” as well as messages of support for civilian Palestinians are being blocked.
Amelh.org one is one of 50 human rights and civil society organizations that have called on tech companies to “immediately take strict measures to protect their users from harm in light of the escalating events in the region.” The groups say current events have “inevitably led to increased discrimination against Palestinian content and a rise in anti-Palestinian racism”, demonstrating “the critical link between the digital realm and the reality on the ground.”
Engagement Resources:
- Warren, Graham Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Rein in Big Tech, July 27, 2023, https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-graham-unveil-bipartisan-bill-to-rein-in-big-tech
- Platforms Must Stop Unjustified Takedowns of Posts By and About Palestinians by Karen Gullo and Jillian C. York, Nov. 8, 2023, Electronic Frontier Foundation
- https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/11/platforms-must-stop-unjustified-takedowns-posts-and-about-palestinians
An Early Look at the 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Race
An Early Look at the 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Race
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #113 | By: Ian Milden | December 4, 2023
Photo taken from: https://www.wunc.org/
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North Carolina is one of the few states that holds elections for Governor during the same years as Presidential Elections. This year’s election for Governor is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the country. This brief will take a look at the race before the March primaries.
Analysis
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. Incumbent Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) is term-limited out of office in 2024 after serving two terms as Governor and the state Attorney General for four terms before that.
The Democrats are likely to nominate current Attorney General Josh Stein (D-NC). Stein has won two competitive races for Attorney General on the same ballot as Governor Cooper. Before that, Stein served as Cooper’s deputy in the state Attorney General’s office. Stein also served in the North Carolina State Senate. The Democratic party has coalesced around Stein and many prominent current and former federal and statewide officials have endorsed Stein.
Republicans are expected to have a competitive primary between Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson and state treasurer Dale Folwell. Fowell had a long career in the North Carolina state legislature before he became the state treasurer. Robinson is the favorite to win the Republican nomination, and he was recently endorsed by Phil Berger, the Republican leader in the state senate. Robinson won the Lieutenant Governor’s office in 2020 when the previous Lieutenant Governor, Dan Forrest, decided to challenge Roy Cooper for the Governor’s office and lost. North Carolina elects the Governor and Lieutenant Governor separately. The Lieutenant Governor’s role is largely ceremonial in North Carolina other than breaking ties on state senate votes. Robinson had not been in public office before he was elected Lieutenant Governor in 2020.
Since Robinson’s candidacy for the Governor’s office was announced, he has come under scrutiny for some of his past comments. After the Parkland, Florida school shooting, Robinson mocked the shooting survivors. He also appeared on the podcast of a conspiracy theorist and criticized the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Robinson also once spoke in support of shooting protesters. Robinson has also spoken positively about genocidal authoritarian leaders like Adolph Hitler and Mao Zedong. He has gained popularity with Republican activists for his controversial statements about guns, abortion, and the LGBTQ community.
Democrats may prefer to run against Robinson in the general election because his controversies may persuade unaffiliated voters, suburban voters, and moderate voters to support Stein in the general election. Democrats have struggled to consistently win statewide races in North Carolina due to increasing struggles in rural areas that have not been offset completely by gains in urban and suburban areas. Democrats have relied on ticket-splitting voters to win the Governor’s office and Attorney General’s office in the past two election cycles. The number of ticket-splitting voters is declining, and the margins in these races have been extremely narrow.
Regardless of whom the Republicans decide to nominate, I would expect the race to remain competitive until the general election arrives in November of 2024.
Engagement Resources:
- Josh Stein’s Campaign Website, https://www.joshstein.org/
- Democratic Governor’s Association Website, https://democraticgovernors.org/