JOBS POLICIES, ANALYSIS, AND RESOURCES
Latest Jobs Posts
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.
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/
__________________________________
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
__________________________________
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/
__________________________________
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/
__________________________________
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/
__________________________________
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/
__________________________________
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/
Redistricting and Gerrymandering Effects
Redistricting and Gerrymandering Effects
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #112 | By: Inijah Quadri| December 4, 2023
Photo taken from: https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/
__________________________________
Redistricting is a democratic process involving the redrawing of electoral district boundaries to reflect population shifts. This ensures that each district has roughly equal population numbers, maintaining the principle of “one person, one vote.” However, when redistricting is manipulated for political gains, known as gerrymandering, it becomes a contentious issue. Gerrymandering distorts the electoral map by creating districts that favor a particular party, undermining the principles of fair representation and democratic governance. This practice can lead to legislators who are more concerned with satisfying the extremes of their party rather than the broader electorate, thus polarizing political discourse.
Analysis
Gerrymandering often involves tactics like “cracking,” where a voting group is split among several districts to dilute their influence, and “packing,” where a group is concentrated in one district to reduce their influence in others. Such practices have been observed in states like Texas, Maryland, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, leading to disproportionate representation. The impact is profound: elections become less competitive, voter disillusionment rises, and elected officials face less accountability. Gerrymandering not only sways the outcomes of elections but also shapes legislative priorities, often not aligned with the actual needs or beliefs of the populace.
Gerrymandering also frequently results in the division of communities with shared interests or identities, particularly impacting minority groups. By diluting their voting power, these practices hinder their ability to elect representatives who advocate for their needs. The long-term effects include reduced political engagement and a sense of disenfranchisement among these communities.
Legal Challenges and Reforms
The U.S. Supreme Court has historically addressed issues of racial gerrymandering but has been more hesitant in cases of partisan gerrymandering. Of course, the legal landscape is complex, with various rulings and standards applied inconsistently across states. However, there’s a growing trend toward reform. This is why states like Colorado and Michigan, among a few others, have established independent commissions to oversee redistricting, aiming to remove partisan bias.
Technological Advancements
Advances in data analytics and geographic information systems (GIS) have transformed redistricting into a precise science. Parties can use detailed demographic data to create highly optimized electoral maps. While these technologies offer the potential for fairer redistricting, they also raise ethical concerns about privacy and the manipulation of electoral boundaries.
Conclusion
The issues of redistricting and gerrymandering are issues affecting democratic governance in the United States. While gerrymandering presents significant challenges to the principles of fair representation and electoral integrity, there are pathways to reform. Legal battles, technological advancements, and heightened public awareness and engagement are crucial in shaping a future where redistricting processes are transparent, fair, and reflective of the true democratic will of the people.
Engagement Resources:
- Brennan Center for Justice (www.brennancenter.org): Advocates for fair redistricting practices.
- League of Women Voters (www.lwv.org): Provides analysis and resources on gerrymandering cases and their impacts.
- Princeton Gerrymandering Project (gerrymander.princeton.edu): Offers educational materials and interactive maps explaining gerrymandering.
Republicans Bash Republicans
Republicans Bash Republicans
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #111 | By: William Bourque | November 30, 2023
Photo taken from: https://news.yahoo.com/
__________________________________
With the GOP in seemingly everlasting disarray, Speaker Mike Johnson has somehow already managed to land himself in a cauldron of hot water. News has recently come out about Johnson’s financial situation, or lack thereof. It has been reported that Johnson does not have a personal bank account or savings, which many Americans find incredibly strange. He hasn’t reported any investments or large savings bonds either, which makes many wonder about where he gets money to send his children to college or save for retirement.
For the rest of the GOP, it seems that Congress has become the perfect place to stage a Royal Rumble, with several high-profile dustups amongst their ranks. For starters, Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy can’t seem to keep his hands to himself, allegedly elbowing Congressman Tim Burchett in the back. Burchett has been a McCarthy detractor for some time and was one of the 8 Republican members who voted to remove McCarthy. The entire incident occurred in a tunnel beneath the Capitol, with several reporters and aides witnessing the exchange. GOP sources say that both Burchett and McCarthy have shown lots of frustration with each other in Conference meetings, sometimes coming to the point of screaming matches.
The other coming together was between Senator Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters President Sean O’ Brien during a HELP committee meeting. An ongoing Twitter (X) beef spilled into reality and the two of them almost duked it out on the committee floor. The beef is derived from several tweets from O’Brien which made fun of Mullin’s height—he was caught standing on a stepstool during a debate to appear taller. Senator Bernie Sanders acted as the adult in the room, admonishing Mullin for his un-senatorial behavior.
Back on the House side of things, Representative George Santos is facing a slate of indictments related to fraud that he engaged in during his campaign. The House recently voted to expel Santos, but the measure was voted down after a handful of Democrats stood by the rule of law, arguing that Santos deserved due process. Notably, they also said that if convicted that they would vote to expel, but not until the courts had been able to determine fact from fiction. Since then, the House Ethics Committee has published a shocking report detailing the hundreds of violations Santos has committed. Many members who said they would wait for rule of law have now said Santos should resign or be expelled.
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. Watch this space to see how Speaker Johnson struggles through more spending fights in the new year—and maybe has to referee a few brawls in conference meetings.
A Palestinian Prisoner’s Experience
A Palestinian Prisoner’s Experience
Foreign Policy Brief #102 | By: Aziza Taslaq | November 30, 2023
Photo taken from: https://english.elpais.com/
__________________________________
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. His journey, marked by hardship, unfolds against the backdrop of the Israeli Occupation, a tale intricately woven with personal sacrifice, resilience, and a fervent yearning for justice.
Ahmad, an alumnus of Al-Quds Open University with a degree in Marketing, bears the indelible scars of an encounter with the Israeli Occupation a decade ago. In 2013, he was arrested without a specific charge and plunged into the abyss of administrative arrest. For two long years, he languished behind prison walls, a captive of circumstance. His confinement was a canvas painted with isolation – no glimpse of family, no avenues of communication. Unjustly beaten, Ahmad’s spirit weathered the storm of arbitrary oppression.
Upon his release, the embrace of sunlight felt like liberation. Kneeling on the soil, he prayed, and in his father’s tears and his mother’s gaze, he discovered the true essence of freedom. Yet, the psychological shackles persisted, camouflaged beneath the veneer of a seemingly everyday life.
In the wake of the recent events post-7th October, Ahmad, now a storyteller of his people’s strife, delineates the harsh reality. For him, it’s a tale of Israeli Occupation that eclipses homes, generations, mental well-being, and joy. “We live in the West Bank, and there’s no Hamas here,” Ahmad emphasizes, questioning the inexplicable treatment meted out by the Israeli occupation.
Defying the dehumanizing discourse, Ahmad disputes the terrorist label unjustly applied to his people, asserting, “We transcend mere humanity,” highlighting the inherent resilience and resistance woven into their identity. Ahmad raises a crucial question: is it rational to succumb to psychological projection? They aim to subject us to the difficulties that they themselves endured over the years.
The impact on Ahmad’s life extends beyond the psychological realm; it seeps into the economic fabric. The agony and death in Gaza and the West Bank have reverberated, causing the economic upheaval that cost Ahmad his job. The company, unable to navigate the tumult, left its employees stranded.
Amid this turmoil, Ahmad calls for a truce and a ceasefire. In contemplating solutions, he cautiously considers a two-state interim arrangement, recognizing the impracticality of coexisting identities. “Either we or they,” he ponders, acknowledging the complexity of a region where narratives clash like titans.
Ahmad concludes: “Let’s name things by their real names; it’s an enduring 75-year occupation and persecution, spanning beyond the confines of Palestine and Israel, encompassing even the Hamas-free West Bank. It’s vital to redefine the narrative; what might be labeled as terror is, in essence, our resistance and self-defense when confronted with the ceaseless pain and suffering inflicted upon us. Beyond the geographical battle lies a quest for identity, justice, and recognition in a world that often turns a deaf ear to our plight.”
Ahmad’s narrative reflects his aspirations and struggles in a world that doesn’t know a lot about Palestinian youth and their stories.
The History of the Israel-Hamas War Thus Far
The History of the Israel-Hamas War Thus Far
Foreign Policy Brief #101 | By: Abran C | November 30, 2023
Photo taken from: https://foreignpolicy.com/
__________________________________
Start of the Current War
On October 7 2023, Hamas militants carried out an attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 civilian Israeli’s and over 200 hostages taken into the Gaza strip, most of whom have yet to be released. Following the attacks, Israel responded by launching “Operation Swords of Iron,” with the stated goal of eliminating Hamas. It imposed a complete siege on Gaza, blocking food, water and fuel from entering, and launched a ground offensive that saw its troops enter deep into the besieged territory. Amid the bombardment, Gaza residents were directed by Israel to evacuate their homes in the north and move southwards towards the strip’s border with Egypt. Israel’s war on the strip has resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 Palestinian civilians, with thousands more missing and believed to be buried under rubble, and in hospitals which continue to report deaths from wounds, disease, starvation, and thirst creating a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Background on What Has Happened In Gaza
The Gaza Strip is the smaller of the two internationally recognized Palestinian territories that is situated on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Gaza is 25 miles long and 5 miles wide, it is bordered by Israel to the east and north and Egypt in the southwest. Israel occupied Gaza from 1967 to 2005, when it then withdrew its troops and settlers from within the strip. Though it has continued to exert complete control over the territory’s sea, airspace and land crossings, effectively confining Gaza’s two million residents within a fence that surrounds the limits of the strip. Israel acknowledges the blockade and walling off of the Gaza strip and its residents and claims that it is necessary for security purposes. The vast majority of Gaza’s residents are descendants of refugees whose ancestors either fled or were forced out of their homes decades ago in what is now Israel proper in an event referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba. Roughly half of Gaza’s population is children, the besieged territory is also one of the most densely populated places on earth with about 42,000 people per square mile. Israel has agreed to four hour pauses in bombing daily and a trickle of humanitarian aid that the UN has said is only a drop in the ocean compared to what’s actually needed.
The United Nations has referred to Israel’s actions to besiege and attack the Gaza strip indiscriminately as a form of collective punishment and illegal under international humanitarian law. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that more than 1.7 million people in Gaza are now internally displaced and without homes to return to. More than half a million people are currently seeking refuge in facilities run by the UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Many, if not most, will be unable to return home because of the vast damage in the north and the continued presence of Israeli troops there.The UN and most major international human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights watch have said that Israel’s forcible displacement of people from their homes amounts to war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
The Hostage Exchange Deal
Last Tuesday, after 46 days of Israel’s offensive, a deal brokered by Qatar set in place a four day pause in fighting and secured the release of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those released by both sides are intended to be women and children. In 2014, when Israel last launched a major land invasion in Gaza, it took 49 days for both sides to implement a ceasefire deal, but that brought major fighting to an end for several years.
As we go to press, after 3 days the terms of the hostage exchange arrangement appear to be holding. Hamas has so far released 60 hostages including Israeli women and children, Thai nationals and one Filipino hostage. Israel in turn has released 180 Palestinian prisoners, mainly women and children and youth under the age of 18. In addition the number of humanitarian assistance trucks allowed into Gaza has been increased to 100 daily, though that amount is still far below the amount of aid that is needed.
Recently the 4 day pause has been extended by three days; but no one is sure what will happen after the end of the pause on Thursday. Israel has intimated it is willing to allow the pause to continue on a day to day basis as long as Hamas releases more hostages each day. Hamas may go along with this as it has been badly hurt by Israeli bombing and needs more time to regroup. But who knows?
International Responses to the War
Much of the world condemned the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023. In the wake of the attacks the US and many Western countries have expressed unequivocal support for Israel. Leaders of major Western powers, the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, have all since visited Israel and pledged military support. The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a plan to provide $14.3 billion in military funding to Israel and President Biden has asked Congress to approve a broader $106 billion spending package for military funding to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine though the wider spending bill has yet to be approved. Additionally, President Biden said previously that there was “no possibility” of a permanent ceasefire and the European Union has also refrained from calling for an end to hostilities and up until the current ceasefire, suspended all humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories.
Conversely, much of the global south has been far more critical of Israel’s response to the attacks, and demonstrates the ever growing division in the international community. Though many countries around the world expressed sympathy for Israel after the attacks on October 7th, Israel has since also received international condemnation for its bombardment of Gaza and the resulting enormously high civilian death toll. A growing number of countries have severed ties or recalled their representatives from Israel. Bolivia and South Africa have severed diplomatic ties with Israel, while Bahrain, Belize, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Jordan and Turkey have all recalled their ambassadors from the country and emphasized the need for a cease-fire and urged the Israeli government to follow international law.
Additionally, diplomats from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico have strongly condemned Israel, calling for an immediate end to hostilities. Brazilian President Lula da Silva has called for Hamas to release all of the Israeli hostages and has said that Israel in its response is committing a genocide in Gaza.The UN secretary General Antonio Gutteres told reporters on Monday that Gaza has become a “graveyard for children”, with more than 4,100 killed since Israel’s bombardment of Gaza began. The Secretary General also detailed that more journalists and United Nations aid workers have been killed over a four-week period than in any conflict in at least three decades, “more United Nations aid workers have been killed than in any comparable period in the history of our organization” he said.
Fall Out of the War
The Israeli parliament recently passed an amendment to the country’s counterterrorism law that introduces the consumption of terrorist materials online as a criminal offense. The standard for what constitutes terrorist material is vague and dozens of arrests have already been made of Israeli Arab citizens. The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel has slammed the law as “one of the most intrusive and draconian legislative measures ever passed by the Knesset since it makes thoughts subject to criminal punishment”.
Islamophobia and antisemitism are seeing sharp increases across the US after the outset of the war between Israel and Hamas last month. According to a new report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), the Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization received what they called an unprecedented spike in requests for help, revealing that the recent increase in Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment across the US mark a 216% increase over the previous year. The Anti-Defamation League reported a nearly 400% increase in antisemitic incidents reported this year over last year. Meanwhile republican presidential candidates such as Ron DeSantis have added to the growing xenophobia with comments such as that the United States should not take in any Palestinian refugees if they flee the Gaza Strip because they “are all antisemitic”, and actions like the republican led House vote onTuesday to censure Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who is the only Palestinian American in Congress over criticism of Israel. The Biden administration has warned schools and colleges that they must take immediate action to stop antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses, citing an alarming rise in threats and harassment.
This war and its ramifications is a developing story and will continue to be reported on.