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Who really won the Debt Ceiling Compromise?
Brief #54 – Economic Policy
by Arvind Salem
On June 3, 2023, just two days before a disastrous default and government shutdown, President Joe Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 to suspend the debt ceiling until 2025.
The Republican Presidential Candidates’ Positions on Abortion
Brief #79 – Elections & Politics Policy
by Abigail Hunt
Overall, each candidate supports banning abortion at some level, limiting women’s access to care and cementing our international infamy of having the worst maternal health outcomes of any developed nation, at a rate of more than 17 deaths per 100,000 births.
Will Social Media for Youths be the Next Big Tobacco?
Brief #162 – Health & Gender Policy
by Geoffrey Small
On May 23rd, The United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory about the effects of social media on youth mental health.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY 2024 PLATFORM SUGGESTIONS PART 1: EDUCATION
OP ED
U.S. Resist News
Democrats should counter Republican curriculum interference and book banning and strike a positive tone about the needs for all children in the United States to have access to a quality education.
Law Prohibiting Chinese Nationals From Buying Real Property Being Challenged In Florida
Brief #205 – Civil Rights Policy
by Rodney A. Maggay
On May 22, 2023 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation, the ACLU of Florida and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) along with a number of other entities filed a lawsuit in the federal district court for the Northern District of Florida.
What Makes Good Immigration Policy and Why Does it Matter?
Brief #134 – Immigration Policy
by Arvind Salem
With the expiration of Title 42, a pandemic era immigration policy that allowed the United States to turn away immigrants seeking asylum due to public health concerns, the United States…
The Ukraine Crisis Situation Update #23
Brief #79 – Foreign Policy
by Abran C
On June 1, 2023, Russia launched a pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, killing 3 people including a 9 year old and her mother.
Fintech Loans: Breakthrough in Payday Lending or Just Another Way to Bilk Consumers?
Brief #91 – Technology Policy
by Mindy Spatt
Earned Wage Access app users are living paycheck to paycheck, and being sucked into loans that hide their full costs, which can add up to the same 400 percent APR payday lenders charge.
Expanded Border Technology Raises Human Rights Concerns
Brief #90 – Technology Policy
by Steve Piazza
The 4th Amendment, amongst other things, protects civilians against warrantless actions by the government.
Congress Needs to Act on Bills Regulating Data Brokers
Congress Needs to Act on Bills Regulating Data Brokers
Technology Policy Brief #79 | By: Steve Piazza | February 21, 2023
Header photo taken from: Pavlo Gonchar / Getty Images
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Photo taken from: Sean Gallup / Getty Images
Policy Summary
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Ever since Congress enacted the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 it has been unable to secure legislation to increase privacy protection that better reflects the technologies of today.
Over the past few years, several bills have been introduced in Congress that are specifically targeting data brokers, or companies that use AI and other methods to collect and organize personal information for the purpose of selling to businesses or law-enforcement:
- S.1265 Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act (2021)
- H.R.8152 American Data Privacy and Protection Act (introduced 2022)
- S.4408 Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2022
Though the activity is a positive sign for the public, the lack of speed in passing these and others are examples that the trend to do nothing still lingers.
Policy Analysis
Information may be power, but it is also a lucrative business. A number of corporations have recognized the value of information as a commodity by mining, cleaning, and bundling a myriad of personal data into manageable packages for other businesses to easily use.
These data brokers have benefited from the uses of advances in technology that allow for the algorithms of AI to obtain specific information from individuals who relinquish it into the public arena just by using the Internet. Every time somebody visits a website and clicks “allow” so that others can access its content, they are agreeing to share any information provided, even if it’s just the links they click on in passing.
As a result, simple key strokes have resulted in an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
Some data brokers are familiar companies, like Experian and Equifax, which operate under a benign mission of credit agencies but still sell information for profit. Others, like Oracle and Cisco, benefit from information obtained in the popular networking platforms they are more noted for. But the largest data brokers, like Acxiom LLC and Epsilon, are not quite household names, and that’s because selling personal information behind the scenes is mostly what they do.
And for a little perspective on how big is big, according to some analyses, Acxiom may be processing the data on more than 2.5 billion people it obtained from over 62 countries.
In the U.S, data brokers take advantage of a number of loopholes in laws that allow them to take public information and profit from it despite jeopardizing the privacy of individuals.
The number of regulatory bills that Congress has proposed are an indication of the recognition that action is needed. The delay in passing them is an indication that the data brokers lobbying efforts have been paying off. Companies have paid up to nearly $7 billion to see that those efforts have stalled.
Chart taken from: Lobbying Disclosure Act / Politico
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Chart taken from: Privacy Bee
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But even if the regulations are in place, enforcing them is the issue. With information swapped in fractions of a second and stored in clouds, it’s very difficult and very expensive for government agencies to keep pace with private efforts to share data.
Data brokers buy their information from firms that rely directly on personal data (e.g. credit card companies) or they may get it from records available to the public, like those pertaining to taxes, public utilities, or court proceedings. They then organize the data intro marketable formats in order to sell to other interested parties.
Why does all this matter? The ease of information gathering from purchases, cookies, audio selections, phone calls, and other activities can be aggregated into user profiles through the linking of similar data points. Then, the ubiquity of personal information, whether accurate or inaccurate, subjects innocent people to everything from financial peril to the weaponization of information against women seeking reproductive health care or those most vulnerable to racial injustice.
The problem may not solely be the fact that people are sharing, often unknowingly, their personal information and searching habits. But the problem is clearly the lack of transparency of and restrictions on companies in obtaining information and what they do with it. Even taking something that’s in the public domain and making it private for profit is specious and invasive in many ways.
This is not to say that action is impossible. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2018 requires transparency and the option for individuals to request for data to be removed. Several other states have followed suit. Elsewhere, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (2018), what the CCPA is based on, is considered to be a model for the world.
Hopefully, existing bills and others gain traction soon and things can change. Until then, users might help themselves to think more about what’s being allowed.
Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
Privacy Rights.org provides programs and comprehensible information on privacy laws and individual rights. For more information, visit https://privacyrights.org/
Just Future Laws is a group of legal advocates who work for social justice by empowering individuals and communities. To see how they are involved in their work to prevent abuses by data brokers, click here.
Demand Progress is a nonprofit organization that attempts to hold the government accountable in a number of areas, including how it protects individuals’ privacy.
The National Consumer Law Center advocates for economic justice for people with limited resources. Learn more at https://www.nclc.org/ .
An Early Look at the 2023 Mississippi Governor’s Race
An Early Look at the 2023 Mississippi Governor’s Race
Elections & Politics Policy Brief #63 | By: Ian Milden | February 16, 2023
Header photo taken from: The Daily Leader
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Photo taken from: The Associated Press / The Clarion Ledger
Policy Summary
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Three states hold elections for governor in years before the Presidential Election. This brief will look at the governor’s race in Mississippi, the only race this year where it is currently clear who the nominees will be. This brief will also discuss some current issues in Mississippi politics that could become important issues in the campaign.
Policy Analysis
Governor Tate Reeves (R-MS) is running for a second term. Reeves has previously served as the lieutenant governor and state treasurer, where he held both positions for eight years.
Reeves defeated the last Democratic statewide officeholder, Attorney General Jim Hood, in 2019 by five points. In most circumstances, an incumbent Republican governor in the deep south is not a vulnerable incumbent. Reeves is a significant favorite to win reelection, but multiple issues in Mississippi politics are dragging down his popularity.
Rural hospitals have been closing at an alarming rate. The state health officer informed the Mississippi state legislature at the end of 2022 that 38 rural hospitals were at risk of closing in the near future due to funding issues. Many states, including states run by Republican governors, have expanded Medicaid to help hospitals keep their doors open.
Mississippi is one of the few states that has not expanded Medicaid, despite polls showing strong support for expanding Medicaid in the state. Governor Reeves is opposed to Medicaid expansion and has asked legislators to block it. Reeves has also criticized officials in the state who have openly supported expanding Medicaid, which is increasing tension within the Republican Party.
In addition to healthcare being a significant campaign issue, the Reeves Administration is facing a significant and growing scandal with the Department of Human Services. The Department of Human Services operates many programs to help people and communities. These include programs funded by the Federal Government, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The misuse of these funds has become the biggest public fraud case in state history.
Photo taken from: Rogelio V. Solis / The Associated Press
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An investigation conducted by the state auditor’s office found that millions of dollars intended for use as part of federal anti-poverty programs was diverted to wealthy individuals, including retired professional athletes such as Brett Favre, to fund projects that were not related to anti-poverty initiatives. Favre has paid some of the funds back, but the state auditor’s office is suing Favre for the rest of the funds. Favre is asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed. The state auditor’s office has also filed lawsuits against other individuals and entities to recover misused funds.
The former director of the Department of Human Services has already pleaded guilty to multiple crimes related to the Department’s fraudulent use of funds. Other individuals who received and misused funds have also pleaded guilty to financial crimes or are facing criminal charges from state prosecutors. Favre has yet to be indicted, but there is no indication that the investigation has concluded.
Photo taken from: Rogelio V. Solis / The Associated Press
Governor Reeves has attempted to blame his predecessor, Governor Phil Bryant, but records show that the fraud started during the Bryant Administration and continued during the Reeves Administration. Reeves was also the lieutenant governor under Bryant. Reeves has also fired Brad Pigott, the lawyer who was handling the civil fraud cases related to this scandal. The governor has accused him of getting improperly involved in state politics. Pigott said that he was only doing his job.
The federal government has not been heavily involved in this case even though federal dollars were fraudulently used. State Auditor Shad White worked with the local district attorney’s office on the initial indictments without contacting the federal government. White was appointed to be the auditor by Governor Bryant when the position became vacant. Bryant helped White win the election when his appointed term expired. Given the close relationship between White and Bryant, there are concerns that Mississippi’s state government won’t do a full investigation into this public fraud case.
The likely Democratic candidate for governor is Brandon Presley. Presley serves on the Mississippi Public Service Commission. The Mississippi Public Service Commission is responsible for regulating public utilities. Presley previously served as the mayor of a small town called Nettleton, Mississippi. Presley is not well-known in the state, but he is running on an anti-corruption platform that fits well with the state’s current environment. The anti-corruption platform may help Presley win the white voters he needs to compete statewide, which most Democrats have struggled with in Mississippi.
Early polls show that the race for Governor is starting in the margin of error, and polling data shows that voters are very concerned about the welfare scandal. While Mississippi remains an extremely hard state for Democrats to win in, Presley might have a chance to win if the scandals around Reeves’ administration continue to grow.
Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
Brandon Presley’s Campaign Website
https://www.brandonpresley.com/
Democratic Governors Association Website
Judicial Credibility At Issue In North Carolina Supreme Court Case
Judicial Credibility At Issue In North Carolina Supreme Court Case
Civil Rights Policy Brief #200 | By: Rodney A. Maggay | February 20, 2023
Header photo taken from: Kira Lerner / States Newsroom
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Photo taken from: Photo by Samantha Lewis / The Daily Tar Heel
Policy Summary
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In 2018, North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment that would require a voter to present a valid photo ID in order to vote in – person. In response, North Carolina’s Republican majority state legislature enacted S.B. 824, which would implement the amendment even though Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the bill. The issue of a voter ID as a requirement to vote is controversial and multiple lawsuits in federal and state courts challenging the amendment soon followed.
In 2018, the case North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. Raymond was filed in federal district court. That case resulted in the court temporarily blocking the voter ID law from going into effect. That order was then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which reversed the district court blocking the voter ID law.
While that case moved through the federal courts, a similar case in the North Carolina state courts proceeded to challenge S.B. 824. The case was heard before a three – judge panel who determined, after a three – week trial, that racial discrimination was a motivating factor to enact S.B. 824. As a result, the bill was held to be in violation of the North Carolina state constitution. The case was then appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court, which affirmed in December 2022 in a 5 – 4 vote the trial court’s decision to permanently block the bill from taking effect. The decision presented a concise and thorough analysis demonstrating why the bill was flawed from a constitutional standpoint.
However, the 2022 North Carolina mid term elections for the state supreme court changed the composition of the court. The state supreme court changed from a 5 – 4 Democratic majority to five seats on the court now being occupied by Republicans. And as a direct result of this change, Republicans in the North Carolina legislature appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court again for a re-hearing on the case that permanently blocked S.B. 824. In a surprising move, the Supreme Court agreed to re-hear the case and set a date for oral arguments for March 15, 2023. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
Policy Analysis
What is remarkable about the decision of the North Carolina Supreme Court to grant a re – hearing is that a grant for a re – hearing is exceedingly rare (a re – hearing by the North Carolina Supreme Court has been granted only twice in the last thirty years) and that it was only granted after the composition of the court was significantly changed.
What the grant of re – hearing for the two cases (the second case is about gerrymandered maps) illustrates is a reason why there has been a decline in the credibility of courts (e.g., Supreme Court of the United States) and the judiciary for the last few years. Gov. Roy Cooper was right on point when he criticized the decision to re – hear by saying “Rehearing cases because you don’t like the previous outcome isn’t how our judicial system is supposed to work.”
He went on to say further that “[T]he meaning of the constitution doesn’t change when new judges are elected.” This is a direct result of the divisive nature of politics today. When politicians and voters engage in extreme “end of democracy” rhetoric and insist that only they know what is right, they become more inclined to take actions that should be left alone instead of maybe reaching out to make compromises with their colleagues.
By not accepting the finality of a court decision, politicians are further destroying the credibility of the judicial system by sending out the message that a court can be manipulated for partisan ends if new and more favorable judges and justices are installed. It’s a slippery slope that politicians and members of the judiciary should not embark on.
Photo taken from: Carolyn Kaster / The Associated Press
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Another disappointing aspect of the order granting a re – hearing is how it diminishes not just the credibility of the persons serving on the court but the words, analysis and legal reasoning put forth by the court. Justice Morgan, a member of the court wrote that the court has implemented high standards and provided thorough and studied legal analysis of the issues based on written submissions and oral arguments heard.
The decision initially holding S.B. 824 unconstitutional was done with precision and care and with a respect for legal precedents. But if the case is re – heard, a decision overturning that decision will further destroy the credibility of what the court has to say in the future because most will understand that the new reasoning put forth is blatantly partisan.
There will be less and less trust in the words coming from the court because people will know that the outcome was likely decided beforehand and the legal analysis was only written to fit a political agenda.
Judges are to be neutral and the judiciary is supposed to offer a fair and impartial hearing but those attributes will not mean much if reasoned and thoughtful legal analysis and settled rules can be overturned for partisan ends. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
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.
Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
Brennan Center for Justice – analysis of Holmes v. Moore case holding S.B. 824 unconstitutional.
Southern Coalition for Social Justice – press release and analysis from non – profit group criticizing North Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to grant a re – hearing to Holmes v. Moore case.
The Week That Was #4
The Week That Was #4
Foreign Policy Brief #170 | By: Abran C | February 16, 2023
Header photo taken from: Sergey Ponomarev / The New York Times
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A new series to catch you up on the top stories that occurred around the world last week.
Screenshot taken from: Al Jazeera
Turkey & Syria Earthquakes
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Last week two powerful magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes struck both Turkey and Syria causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The earthquakes have been called the worst natural disaster of the century by the World Health Organization. The death toll currently stands at more than 40,000 between the two countries, with another 100,000 people hospitalized, and millions homeless. Rescue teams continue to search for any remaining survivors in the mountains of rubble, but efforts have turned more towards recovery than rescue.
Dozens of countries have sent aid into Turkey, where currently more than 200,000 national and international relief workers are present. Aid however has been slower to reach Syria which is still embroiled in civil war. International sanctions have made it so relief is not able to enter into the country in many cases, and Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad has been resistant to allow aid to reach areas controlled by opposition forces.
Syria has already been facing a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced due to war and the destruction brought about by the earthquake will exacerbate the already dire situation within the country. In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been criticized for his response to the natural disaster, recently he made statements attempting to reassure a country that was already suffering from economic hardship before the quake struck. “Nobody should have any doubt: This nation overcame many disasters, we will overcome this one, too”, he said.
Security in the Asia-Pacific
The leaders of Japan and the Philippines met last week and agreed to increase defense alliances in response to both countries’ worries of an expanding Chinese influence in the region.
The defense arrangement signed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will allow Japanese troops greater access to Philippine territory.
The countries will also hold joint training exercises to help respond to the growing number of natural disasters and humanitarian needs due to extreme weather events brought on by climate change. Philippine President Marcos’s agreement with Japan comes shortly after US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin reached an agreement with the Philippines, allowing the US more access to the countries’ military bases.
During the same week North Korea held a military parade where it showed off its largest new missiles. The ceremony featured its new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Photo taken from: Kimimasa Mayama / Associated Press
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North Korea’s military parades are closely watched by foreign governments and experts as they often feature newly developed weapons that it intends to test or deploy.
Pyongyang says its weapons development programmes fall under its sovereign right to self-defense, and are necessary because of aggressive policies and actions towards it by the United States and allies like South Korea and Japan.
Brazilian Amazon Deforestation Drops for the First Time in Years
Photo taken from: Reuters / Ueslei Marcelino
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped by 61% in the first month of 2023, which can in large part be accredited to left-leaning President Luiz Lula da Silva. Experts caution that while the decrease in deforestation is a good sign it’s still too early to celebrate. Deforestation decreased but has not stopped, satellite data collected by the space research agency Inpe showed that 64 miles of forest were cleared last month, though that’s down from the 166 miles lost in January 2022.
The large-scale deforestation experienced throughout the last few years occurred under the watch and encouragement of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who allowed incursions into indigenous territory to mine for resources. Brazil, now under its new government, has launched raids against the illegal gold miners who are responsible for the humanitarian crisis in the country’s largest Indigenous reservation.
For years, Yanomami Indigenous leaders have said the expansion of illegal mining into their territories was causing widespread environmental degradation, violence, and disease and action is now finally being carried out to assist in the humanitarian and environmental emergency.
Facebook’s Advertising Practices Run Afoul of Privacy Protection Rules in Europe
Facebook’s Advertising Practices Run Afoul of Privacy Protection Rules in Europe
Technology Policy Brief #53 | By: Mindy Spatt | February 14, 2023
Header photo taken from: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press
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Photo taken from: Tolga Akmen / Getty Images
Policy Summary
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A groundbreaking decision by European regulators is pushing Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to make changes to its advertising policies. The ruling goes further than any US authority has gone in limiting Facebooks’ ability to collect users’ data. Meta is expected to appeal.
Policy Analysis
Meta’s terms-of-service agreement, the long statement that a user must accept in order to gain access to Facebook and Instagram, got it in the cross hairs of Ireland’s Data Privacy Board, the lead EU regulator because Meta’s European headquarters are in Dublin.
Included in the agreement is permission for Meta to collect the users’ data and use it for their personalized ad business.
The Board determined that the placement of user’s legal consent to share their data within the terms of service was in violation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, which requires the user’s consent to data sharing. The problem is that there is no other way to sign up for Facebook or Instagram and no way to opt out of the data collection, let alone an opt-in, which what privacy advocates have long called for.
If the decision is finalized and enforced, Meta would need to change its surveillance and consent practices, and the way it’s core advertising works. Targeted ads could no longer be sent to users unless they had affirmatively consented to it. Meta could pivot to “contextual ads” which are based on the content a user is interacting with.
Those changes wouldn’t be required here in the US, where no similar federal privacy protections exist. But any changes that Meta makes as a result of the ruling could affect users in the United States due to the difficulty of applying different rules to users in different countries.
Infographic taken from: Council of the European Union
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Over in Great Britain, Meta faces additional pressure from Foxglove, a non-profit that “fights to make tech fair for everyone,” Tanya O’Carroll, a campaigner with the group, is suing Facebook under UK data laws. Her claim is based on the same required terms of service as the EU decision.
The extent to which Facebook’s ad business relies on profiling is hard to fathom; it produces over $100 billion a year in revenue According to O’Carroll, Facebook has assigned 700 different tracking categories to her. Historically, Facebook has tracked users by gender, race, sexual preference, politics and, all important for advertisers, whether they have children.
Another UK based nonprofit, Global Witness, tested the way Facebook’s targeting works by running a series of ads and found that:
• 96% of the people shown an ad for mechanic jobs were men
• 95% of those shown an ad for nursery nurse jobs were women
• 75% of those shown an ad for pilot jobs were men
• 77% of those shown an ad for psychologist jobs were women
Here in the US, efforts like the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act of 2022 (See Technology Policy Brief #63) have failed to enshrine any privacy rights into federal law. The closest equivalent to GDPR is California’s Consumer Privacy Act, which establishes a state privacy protection agency.
Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia also have data protection laws, but as of yet no authority requires Meta to offer users an affirmative, opt-in consent option to being tracked. And an opt-in, which would require Meta to convince users that its targeted ads were desirable, doesn’t seem to be on the table anywhere.
Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
State Privacy Legislation Tracker
https://iapp.org/resources/article/us-state-privacy-legislation-tracker/
California Privacy Protection Agency https://cppa.ca.gov
IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGRESS
IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGRESS
U.S. Resist News Op Ed. | By: U.S. Resist News | February 15, 2023
Header photo taken from: Reuters
Photo taken from: Francis Chung / Politico
IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGRESS
The current ineffectiveness of Congress is one of the biggest threats to our democracy. Increasingly Americans are losing faith in the ability of Congress to pass meaningful legislation and respond to their needs. In this Op ED U.S. RESIST NEWS Reporters offer practical suggestions that will enable Congress to act as the legislative body the founders intended it to be.
Establish Term Limits for Senators and Representatives
The absence of term limits encourages Congressmen and women from becoming more focused on staying in power than in serving their constituents or voting their conscience. It helps dampen the opportunities for new voices and perspectives to be heard.
In recent years there has been some movement within Congress to establish term limits but it has not gotten enough support. We encourage the President and leaders of both parties to put this on their agenda, and pass a bill that limits each Senator and representative to two terms. We also recommend reducing the length of a term of a Senator from six to four years.
Infographic taken from: Daily Signal, US Term Limits
Abolish Gerrymandering
Infographic taken from: Priceonomics
Gerrymandering describes the intentional manipulation of district boundaries to discriminate against a group of voters on the basis of their political views or race. In many states the responsibility for determining voting districts rests with the political party in power.
It is very tempting therefore for the party in power at the state level to arrange voting districts in ways that favor them.
One way around this is for states to appoint independent commissions and give them the responsibility for redistricting. This is a practice being followed in several localities right now. It needs to be adapted by all states.
Do Away with the Filibuster
The rules in the U.S. Senate currently allow any senator to filibuster a bill by not letting it come to a vote until 60 of the 100 senators agree to stop debate. With today’s Senate evenly split, this means no votes can occur except on budget and rules questions (on which a simple majority wins).
Although the filibuster is intended to promote compromise, it doesn’t work that way; so when either party doesn’t like a proposal, they simply filibuster it and prevent a vote altogether. We believe the filibuster is outdated and should be eliminated.
Photo taken from: Tracy Matsue Loeffelholz
Reform Campaign Finance Laws
Photo taken from: Our Common Purpose
In a 2010 case called Citizens United, the Supreme Court overturned certain long-standing restrictions on political fundraising and spending – transforming the entire political landscape of the country.
Most notably, Citizens United granted corporations, nonprofits, and unions unlimited political spending power. This has resulted in large increases in the budgets and costs of running political campaigns, favoring those candidates with deep pockets and ties to the corporate world.
If Citizens United were overturned it could open up Congressional races to more people who are knowledgeable and care about issues but who can’t afford the money needed to compete.
Overturning Citizens United would require federal, state, and local governments to regulate, limit, or prohibit political contributions or expenditures, including those made by a candidate, and would require any permissible political contributions and expenditures to be publicly disclosed.
Strengthen Congressional Ethics
Congress needs to make and enforce stronger rules that govern the ethical conduct of its member. Members should be required to undertake an ethics background check before they can be seated or even run for office. Congress also needs to enact a rule that prohibit stock trading by its members.
Limit the Amount of Topics Addressed in a Legislative Package
Too often the passing of a legislative package includes additional bills that are unrelated to the focus the legislation. These bills are allowed to be included in order to assure additional votes for the legislation. The result of this practice is legislative packages that contain a hodgepodge of laws that get buried in the overall legislation but which may offend many voters once they learn about them. This practice needs to be stopped. Each legislative bill should be voted upon separately on its own merits.
Prohibit the Political Banning of Member Committee Assignments
Each political party should have the right to appoint its own members, with relevant experience, to Congressional Committees. The Speaker of the House and the Ruling Party should not have the ability to ban someone from another party to a Committee assignment. We need to end the practice of “revenge appointments.”
Establish a Congressional Citizen Report Card
An independent bi-partisan Commission should be established to annually issue a Report on the effectiveness of Congress. The Report should provide the pubic with information on such effectiveness indicators as the number of bills that were proposed, the number that passed; the number that had bi-partisan support; the number of funded bills that met or exceeded goals, and the ways in which the funding in bills was allocated across the states
The Ukraine Crisis: Situation Update: #19
The Ukraine Crisis: Situation Update: #19
Foreign Policy Brief #169 | By: Abran C | February 13, 2023
Header photo taken from: Getty Images
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Photos taken from: Reuters
War continues to rage almost one year on…
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We are now a week out from the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The war has led to huge loss of life, damaged economies, created food shortages worldwide, caused political divisions within alliances like the EU and NATO, and continues to threaten the security of all of Eastern Europe. This weekend Ukraine’s top military commander said the country’s forces are holding their ground along the front line in the eastern region of Donetsk, including the besieged town of Bakhmut, where some of the fiercest battles of the war are currently taking place.
The fighting by the Russians in this region is being waged and managed by the private mercenary company, The Wagner Group. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, recently said that Russia must capture the strategic city of Bakhmut in order to proceed with their war campaign. This signals that if and when Bakhmut is captured it will only serve as a stepping stone for further aggression. Though the Russian forces over the course of the war have had trouble obtaining and maintaining territorial gains and avoiding heavy casualties.
The UK ‘s Ministry of Defence said this weekend that over the past two weeks, Russia has suffered its highest rate of casualties since the beginning of the invasion. It is estimated that the number of Russian troops killed and wounded in a year of war is about 200,000. A signal that the war has gone and continues to go disastrously for the Kremlin and Valdimir Putin. On the Ukrainian side a verified total of 7,155 civilians have been killed as a result of the fighting, though this is likely below the true figure.
Heavy Weaponry
In a speech to the European Parliament on February 9, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated requests for military support against Russia, linking Ukraine’s fate to that of Europe as a whole, “Free Europe cannot be imagined without free Ukraine,” Zelensky said. Earlier this month in response to Ukrainian pleas for military aid the German government approved the delivery of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, something Germany had previously been reluctant to do.
The Leopard 2 was originally designed in the 1970s for the West German army in response to Soviet threats during the Cold War. They are built to move quickly over a variety of terrain and confront enemy armor, they are also widely used among other European countries and could be more easily sent over as a single unit of heavy weapons to Ukraine by multiple countries.
Photo taken from: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP
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The U.K. has also pledged to send some of its Challenger 2 tanks and is considering sending fighter jets, while the U.S. has said it will send M1 Abrams tanks. Russia sees the decision to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine as a very dangerous escalation of the war.
States Continue Efforts to Remove Facts from History
States Continue Efforts to Remove Facts from History
Education Policy Brief #60 | By: Steve Piazza | February 6, 2023
Header photo taken from: MGN
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Image taken from: Education Week / Emma Patti Harris and Eesha Pendharkar
Policy Summary
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Six states have recently signed into law restrictive measures regarding the teaching of race in K-12 schools. New laws in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Tennessee consist of, amongst other things, measures prohibiting anything appearing on a list of “divisive concepts.” Similar legislation that barely failed last year in Alabama is re-emerging, while Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia has joined in the fray by signing an executive order brandishing such a list.
These specified restrictions do not include actions by 23 states that have either banned, or are in the process of banning Critical Race Theory in curricula despite the fact that evidence of its existence as any formal, systematic instruction remains unsubstantiated.
By contrast, California, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Washington have passed laws that are antithetical to restrictions on teaching about race. These nine states require expanding the focus on cultural and diversity studies in an attempt to encourage inclusion and reduce potential for negative attitudes and behavior inspired by hatred.
The results of these and similar actions indicate that states are moving in opposite directions when it comes to teaching about race.
Policy Analysis
Attempts by some political entities to modify or whitewash facts in curricula have far reaching consequences. Rather than allowing for the good judgment of practitioners working closely on sensitive topics with scholars, academics, school leaders, and parents, the reckless and opportunistic actions of elected officials affects the stability of the entire school community.
This is especially true in terms of curriculum, where classroom content and lessons can be reduced to what’s implicit in the extreme language of political grandstanding. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ recent criticism of how race is taught and his call for bans on unpleasant topics is a good example.
Last year, Florida passed the controversial Stop WOKE Act, which included restrictions on the handling of racism in classrooms. The stated purpose of the law was to prevent “discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress.” Yet, such restrictions only promise to perpetuate it, something the state more recently had a chance to prove.
In January, DeSantis reacted strongly to a leaked proposal of the College Board’s AP History course redesign by threatening to ban the course in state schools. His stance was that elements of the course were not only inaccurate, but were a violation of state law.
Calling the syllabus a political agenda that affects students, DeSantis said ”…we don’t believe they should have an agenda imposed on them when you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory.”
This resulted in protests and threats by liberals across the country, most notably by Illinois Governor J.B Pritzker. Pritzker said in a letter to the College Board printed in the Chicago Sun Times that the state would reject the curriculum’s final draft if modified “in order to fit Florida’s racist and homophobic laws.”
Document screenshot taken via Twitter
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He goes on to state, “One Governor should not have the power to dictate the facts of U.S. history,” calling the Florida Governor and his allies “extremists.”
The state objected to topics that include Black Lives Matter and queer black women, terms like intersectionality and systemic marginalization that address discrimination, and works by select African Americans writers, such as Henry Louis Gates, Te-Nehisi Coates, and Michelle Alexander.
The College Board claims that it did not bow to political pressure from Florida’s Governor and its Department of Education. Teresa Reed of the University of Louisville and member of the committee drafting the course, told NPR that the whole thing is a misunderstanding.
Reed says “There are other elements of the course that are still under construction, one of which is a very powerful online platform called AP Classroom which supports all AP courses.”
Debate on race and curricula is nothing new. And if anything, our imperfect history has shown we must understand that present rhetoric amounts to desperation by opportunists looking to advance their political standing.
Decision makers have to come clean and admit that they know it’s okay for students to feel uncomfortable about the past. What’s left out matters, and historical facts are not optional.
Censoring history is only sacrificing one select group of kids’ discomfort for another, while at the same time jeopardizing the stability of a civil society all students will someday be responsible for maintaining.
Engagement Resources
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For a look at efforts to restrict and expand curricular content on race, click here: https://www.chalkbeat.org/22525983/map-critical-race-theory-legislation-teaching-racism
Texas Freedom Fighters is an example of a group that that is inclusive while fighting censorship and misinformation in curricula https://tfn.org/#
The National Council for Social Studies stands behind truth in the teaching of history: https://www.socialstudies.org/current-events-response/response-attacks-social-studies-education-state-legislatures-and-local
This is an example of state legislation (enacted in Massachusetts, 2021) requiring instruction in grades 6-12 about genocide for the purposes of combatting racism: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2021/Chapter98
George Santos and the Character of Congress
George Santos and the Character of Congress
Elections and Politics Policy Brief #62 | By: Maureen Darby-Serson | February 9th, 2023
Header photo taken from: Reuters
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Photo taken from: Haiyun Jiang / The New York Times, New York Post
Policy Summary
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George Santos, elected to the House of Representative through an upset in a New York seat, has been at the center of several scandals since the election. What first became a question of his resume soon turned into legal questions about where campaign finances came from.
Santos first became under fire when news outlets were unable to confirm his educational and employment background. The college he had claimed to have graduated from and the financial firms he claimed to work for stated they had no record of him being there.
Lying issues soon became legal issues as questions about a 2008 Brazilian check fraud case came to light. This case was reopened this year and is pending in court. In addition, Santos was charged with theft in 2017 but the case was later dismissed. He was charged after multiple checks written in his name bounced after he tried to buy dogs from a dog breeder.
This past week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated the Santos would be referred to the House Ethics Committee. In addition, Democrats introduced a resolution to expel Santos from the House of Representatives.
Policy Analysis
What does this mean for Santos, politics, and the Democrats? George Santos is under a lot of pressure, both politically and legally. While he needs to tread lightly, he continues to stand up for his claims and states he has not lied. He also says he has not done anything illegal.
Every vote is a key vote for the Republicans in the House. If Santos was to resign or be removed, a special election would likely take place. With his win being such a small margin and the seat being historically Democrat, the Republicans may lose that seat and that vote.
Republicans have been split on the topic of George Santos. Some of them openly criticize him and callfor his removal while others have backed him. If Sanstos survives as a Representatve his character will be anotherv stain on the character of Congress.
Photo taken from: Brigette Stelzer
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Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/nyregion/george-santos-ny-republicans.html
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/02/the-everything-guide-to-george-santoss-lies.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/house-ethics-committee-probe-george-santos/index.html
The GOP’s Alarming Opposition to Raising the Debt Ceiling
The GOP’s Alarming Opposition to Raising the Debt Ceiling
Economic Policy Brief #52 | By: Caroline Howard | February 7, 2023
Header photo taken from: Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call
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Photo taken from: CNN
Policy Summary
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The United States is currently heading toward the path of a debt default, for the first time in the nation’s history. This could have catastrophic effects not only on the American economy but on the entire world economic order. The country already went past its debt ceiling in January, going over the 31.4 trillion dollar limit it set for itself in December 2021. On the 19th of January, when it was official that the debt limit had been passed, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that she was taking “extraordinary measures” in order to keep the United States current on all of its obligations. These measures mainly include stopping investments in different investment funds for government employees. She said that after a debt ceiling agreement is passed and signed, they will resume the investments as usual.
Speaker McCarthy had a meeting with President Biden to discuss the debt ceiling last Wednesday, and came out of the meeting hopeful, saying “I think that at the end of the day, we can find common ground.” The Washington Post reported on the fifth of February that members of the GOP caucus have pushed forward seven ideas that they want in a potential debt ceiling deal. One idea that is being floated, is massive cuts to domestic discretionary spending. The proposal would set discretionary spending at what the government spent during the 2022 fiscal year.
Most government programs, except for military spending or veterans benefits, would get a potential 20% cut. This would mean less funding for programs like Pell Grants, and energy assistance for impoverished Americans. Other ideas include cutting spending on Medicare and Social Security. However, this is not a very popular option, and McCarthy even assured reporters after the meeting that cutting spending to Social Security or Medicare is off the table.
Other ideas include undoing Biden’s funding of the IRS, which would cut about 80 billion dollars from federal spending over the next ten years while eliminating the estimated 204 billion dollar increase in government revenue over the same period of time. Or, as some Republicans are saying, we could just default on the debt entirely. Representative Andy Biggs tweeted on the 17th of January that ”We cannot raise the debt ceiling. Democrats have carelessly spent our taxpayer money and devalued our currency. They’ve made their bed, so they must lie in it.”.
Policy Analysis
All of these options definitely have major downsides for the most impoverished among us. Taking massive spending cuts to vitally needed programs that will result in too many unneeded deaths will only cause harm to this country. Republicans are tied to the military-industrial complex, and will never cut a dime to the part military spending, which is scheduled to reach over 800 billion dollars this fiscal year.
This massive amount of spending always increases with little to no debate as to why we need to continually funnel money into weapons contractors every year.
However, when a person is impoverished and just needs a little bit of help to get by for that month, every penny that’s spent is scrutinized. Going back on IRS funding will only help the rich benefactors that donate to the GOP, and drive the US into even more debt, because the IRS will lose the ability to track down money owed by high income tax-payers.
The U.S. defaulting on its debt would be one of the most disastrous outcomes of this whole situation. Our credit rating will be downgraded again, and investment in our economy will shrink.
Chart taken from: Reuters
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If the U.S. can’t get its act together and actually solve this crisis, the consequences for everyone involved will be severe, maybe even with the dollar losing its standing as the world standard for economic trade.
Engagement Resources
Click or tap on resource URL to visit links where available
Congressional Budget Office: https://www.cbo.gov | Since 1975, CBO has produced independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency’s economists and budget analysts produce dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: https://www.cbpp.org | We are a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone — regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status — has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.
Economic Policy Institute: https://www.epi.org | The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank created in 1986 to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in economic policy discussions. EPI believes every working person deserves a good job with fair pay, affordable health care, and retirement security.