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Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy
Going to War for Human Rights? (Foreign Policy Brief #206)
With Israel and Iran now having engaged in a direct war, trading attacks on each other’s cities, and the US carrying out attacks inside Iran, there’s a high chance that the US could be dragged into a full on war. It’s a prospect that is causing fear in many in the United States, but also being pushed for by others. Regime change has come up as one of the goals of the war and there are those in the US who are in favor of going to war and overthrowing the Iranian government.
The Week That Was: Global News in Review (Foreign Policy Brief #205)
For over 12 days Israel and Iran exchange strikes after their long-time conflict hit a flashpoint following Israel’s surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear program and assassination of Iranian leadership. The attack kicked off a sequence of events that has left hundreds reported killed and put the United States at risk of being dragged further into the war. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently stated that Iran has been enriching higher amounts of uranium and in breach of the non-proliferation treaty. While also confirming that the agency had not found “any proof” of an effort to develop a nuclear weapon by Iran.
2026 World Cup and President Trump’s Policies (Foreign Policy Brief #203)
The United States and its neighbors have long had a successful, and peaceful (mostly) existence. The United States, Canada, and Mexico have had free-trade agreements; entered into military alliances together; fought in wars together. However, since the inauguration of President Trump, these relationships have been tested – dramatically. The White House has called for Canada to become the “51st State”; the United States has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”. Publicly, President Sheibaum and Prime Minister Carney, of Mexico and Canada, respectively, have criticized President Trump and his policies both from afar and in-person.

Technology

Technology
Social Media Platforms Pursue Hatred While Claiming to Promote Free Speech
Amid the current political unrest, citizens have voiced their concerns through social media. Voicing one’s differences of opinions without government interference is an American right, but that right has since been under attack.
AI Wars Are Escalating: The US vs. China, Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman, and JD Vance vs. the World.
JD Vance’s appalling speech at the Paris Artificial Intelligence Summit announcing that the US will not agree to minimal international safety standards or consumer protections was not surprising given the Trump administration’s deregulatory fervor and fervent billionaire support. But with lucrative government contracts hanging in the balance, two of those billionaires are feuding. Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI, recently said no to Elon Musk’s offer of $97.4 billion to purchase his company. Musk also heard no from 21 technology workers at DOGE, formerly the US Digital Service, who quit their jobs saying they refused to use their skills to “dismantle critical public services.”
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy Technology Policy Brief #125 | By: Mindy Spatt | January 24, 2025 __________________________________ Summary Predictably, a law banning TikTok was in effect for only a few hours on January 19. The Biden administration’s...

Environment

Environment
Don’t Expect Trump 2.0 to be Climate Friendly
Don’t Expect Trump 2.0 to be Climate Friendly Environment Policy #177 | By: Todd J. Broadman | January 10, 2025 Photo by Documerica on Unsplash __________________________________ POLICY SUMMARY President-elect Trump is set to take office on January 6, 2025 and has...
What Happened to Climate Change as a Political Priority?
In the midst of escalating environmental crises, climate change has surprisingly taken a backseat in political discourse. Despite initial commitments from the Biden administration to combat climate change through initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the Inflation Reduction Act, significant challenges remain. As fossil fuel production reaches unprecedented levels and partisan divides deepen, the urgency to prioritize climate policy faces increasing obstacles, leaving many to question the future of our environmental commitments.
The Politics of Funding Climate Disasters
Back in the 80s, the United States on average faced what would now total a billion-dollars in natural disaster relief about every four months. The latest estimates from The Fifth National Climate Assessment find that our country is hit with a billion-dollar disaster every three weeks.

Education

Health & Gender

Health & Gender
Checking in on 14 Years of Obamacare: Part 3
Policy Brief #174 – Health and Gender
by: Geoffrey Small
Fourteen years after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), its impact on innovative medical care and cost-saving measures remains mixed. While Obamacare has expanded access and encouraged preventative care, the anticipated financial savings have not fully materialized, highlighting the ongoing complexity of achieving affordable healthcare in the U.S.
Women’s Health Research Gets Its Priorities Straight
Policy Brief #173 – Health and Gender
by: Abigail Hunt
President Biden’s executive order on Women’s Health Research marks a significant step toward prioritizing gender-inclusive medical studies. The move aims to rectify historical gender biases, significantly impacting women’s health care policies.
Checking in on 14 Years of Obamacare: Part 2
Policy Brief #172 – Health and Gender
by: Geoffrey Small
This article examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Medicaid expansion across states. Despite the ACA’s goal to make health insurance more accessible and to encourage Medicaid expansion, some states have resisted, leading to ongoing debates and policy changes regarding healthcare coverage and access.

Immigration

Immigration
An Update on Trump’s Mass Deportation Efforts (Immigration Policy Brief #141)
As we enter the second month of Donald Trump’s return to office, his stance on immigration remains as hardline as ever—if not more extreme. He has ramped up his rhetoric against so-called “criminals,” but communities across the country are feeling the tangible effects of his deportation policies. Friends, neighbors, workers, and community members are being forcibly removed, leaving behind fractured families and economic instability.
Exploring Different Types of Immigrants & Immigration Realities (Immigration Policy Brief #140)
The Trump administration has recently begun redefining its view on what it sees as the appropriate options for gender in the education system. The newly released Trump executive order on “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” released on January 29 seeks to prohibit federal funding for schools that are teaching gender ideology and critical race theory in the classroom.
Who’s Being Deported? Our Neighbors, Friends, and the Workforce (Immigration Policy Brief #139)
Given the start of the Trump era and ICE raids occurring across the country it is timely to remind people who immigrants are and more importantly who they are not. The initial figures released by ICE at the start of the new era of raids on immigrants reported that they had arrested 472 people on average in the first 3 days.

Economic Policy

Economic Policy
Navigating Inflation: A Comprehensive Analysis
Brief #61 – Economic Policy Brief
by: Arvind Salem
As inflation rates surge, consumers face mounting pressure on their wallets, with prices soaring in key sectors like housing and groceries. Amidst political debates and policy clashes, understanding the root causes and potential solutions becomes critical for navigating the economic landscape.
Cryptocurrencies: Economic Implications and Challenges
Brief #60 – Economic Policy Brief
by: Inijah Quadri
The rise of cryptocurrencies heralds a new era in the global financial landscape, offering decentralized alternatives to traditional fiat currencies. With the potential for enhanced financial inclusion and transactional efficiency, cryptocurrencies present both opportunities and challenges in reshaping the future of finance.
A Primer on Our Housing Crisis
Brief #59 – Economic Policy Brief
by Devyne Byrd
Although the United States is a global economic force, its economic prosperity has not extended to those citizens who are suffering from a dire housing crisis. As wages have not risen to align with these issues, many Americans have been priced out of both the homebuying and rental process, leading to mass evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness.
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