Ryan Zettle

Last month, in Surfside, Florida, Champlain Towers South partially collapsed while hundreds of residents and their guests slept. The collapse left many residents homeless and many others dead and injured. Experts demolished the half of the building which was still standing, in order to safely use heavy machinery in the search. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Cava said recovering victims was “moving forward with great urgency.” in order to bring closure to the victims’ loved ones who have spent weeks by the phone waiting for news. Rescue workers from Florida and several other states have worked amid oppressive heat and in dangerous conditions. Miami-​Dade County Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said Friday two crew members suffered injuries while working. One was “cardiac in nature” while the other injury was a laceration that required stitches, he said. Both crew members received medical attention and are in stable condition.  “We know that there will be long-term impacts for the teams on the front line,” Levine Cava said. “They have given so much of themselves in these first two weeks.”

Collapse Death Toll Reaches 79

“This is a staggering and heartbreaking number that affects all of us very deeply,” Levine Cava said about the death toll, which has risen to 79. “All those who have passed … are leaving behind loved ones. They’re leaving behind devastated families. The magnitude of this tragedy is growing each and every day,” she said. Levine Cava said 53 people have been identified and 51 sets of loved ones have been notified. There have been 200 people accounted for. Alan Cominsky said taking care of the mental health of first responders is a priority of city officials. Levine Cava said officials have added peer support personnel at the fire stations.  The Rev. Juan Sosa of St. Joseph Catholic Church met with other spiritual leaders at the collapse site, where heavy machinery worked in the rubble and mourners left flowers and photos. He said faith leaders hope to bring peace to the grieving families. “I’m hoping that they have some closure as we continue to pray for them,” he said. No one has been found alive since the first hours after a large section of the 12-story Champlain Towers South collapsed on June 24.

What the State is Doing to Help Condo Collapse 

“The pile that was originally at four or five stories is now almost at ground level,” Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said, adding that he was impressed by the recent progress of the efforts. Hope of finding survivors was sustained by emergency personnel after workers demolished the other half of the building. Voids where survivors could have been trapped did exist but no one was found alive. Paraguay’s foreign minister said in a radio report, the sister of the country’s first lady was among those found. “We ask people for their solidarity and a prayer,” he said. “In the face of a tragedy, Paraguayan people must show their traditional solidarity.” State and local officials have promised financial assistance to families of the victims and residents who lost all their possessions. Teams have also developed a procedure for collecting and returning personal items. A cat, named Binx ,was found alive near the site and reunited with its family from the ninth floor. That is one of the bright spots, in an otherwise heart-breaking story.

 At least six lawsuits have been filed by families. The collapse has sparked greater scrutiny of condo owners associations. The state of Florida collected $13.7 million in fees from condominium owners associations and other various rentals in 2020. The money wasn’t used for its intended purpose; instead, Florida’s legislature swept $5 million of it into the state’s general fund in a practice that some legislators are questioning heavily in the recent week after the tragedy. Authorities have launched a grand jury investigation into the collapse.

Written by: Erin Malloy

During a revolutionary court testimony on June 23 from Britney Spears, the princess of pop loudly spoke-up about the abuse she endures from her conservators, family and management team. Britney Spears gave an emotional, 23-minute testimony over the phone during a remote hearing before Los Angeles court. During her testimony she pleaded with Judge Brenda Penny for freedom from an abusive conservatorship. After Britney’s testimony, her father, Jamie Spears, filed to oppose the permanent appointment of Jodi Montgomery as the Conservator of Britney’s Person. The Conservator of the Person deals with issues surrounding Britney Spears’ medical and personal issues. Britney made allegations against Jamie Spears, conservator of her estate, and Jodi Montgomery, saying they tightly control her finances, career, personal life and even reproductive system. A representative for Jodi Montgomery issued a statement saying, “Jodi has not prevented Britney from having children” and “supports Britney’s path to no longer needing a conservatorship of the person.” Many members of Britney’s team have resigned from their positions since the testimony was released.

People on Britney’s Team Step Down

Britney’s Manager

Larry Rudolph, Britney Spears’ long-time manager, officially announced he was resigning. He officially informed her conservators, Jodi Montgomery and Jamie Spears with the following statement:

“It has been over 2 1/2 years since Britney and I last communicated, at which time she informed me she wanted to take an indefinite work hiatus. Earlier today, I became aware that Britney had been voicing her intention to officially retire. As you know, I have never been a part of the conservatorship nor its operations, so I am not privy to many of these details. I was originally hired at Britney’s request to help manage and assist her with her career. And as her manager, I believe it is in Britney’s best interest for me to resign from her team as my professional services are no longer needed. Please accept this letter as my formal resignation. I will always be incredibly proud of what we accomplished over our 25 years together. I wish Britney all the health and happiness in the world, and I will be there for her if she ever needs me again, just as I always have been. Larry Rudolph”

Rudolph’s resignation came days after Bessemer Trust, the California company that handled Britney’s estate with Jamie Spears, requested to be removed as co-conservator.

Bessemer Trust

The Bessemer Trust cited Britney’s claim of “irreparable harm to her interests” as their reason for dropping out of the conservatorship. The Bessemer Trust explained, since they were invited by Britney Spears to join the conservatorship in November 2020, they believed she was in the conservatorship willingly. “Petitioner has become aware that the Conservatee objects to the continuance of her Conservatorship and desires to terminate the conservatorship, Petitioner has heard the Conservatee and respects her wishes.” Bessemer Trust manages around $100 billion in assets spread over 11,000 trusts, according to its website. The Bessemer Firm leaving Britney Spears’ conservatorship gives the arrangement a gloriously unsure future.

Britney’s Lawyer

Britney Spears’ lawyer, Sam Ingham, who has represented her since she was first placed under a conservatorship in 2008, is asking to be dismissed as her lawyer. Ingham was appointed by the court in Britney’s case against her wishes after the lawyer originally hired was removed from the case. Sam Ingham is billing Britney’s estate an estimated $10,000 a week to act as her lawyer, which adds up to roughly $520,000 per year. By comparison, Britney’s estimated 2019 living expenses came to just under $450,000. Ingham is not the only lawyer who is being paid by Britney’s estate.

She is forced to pay the lawyers she is fighting. Court documents show that Jamie Spears’ lawyers billed nearly $900,000 for four months of work from October 2020 to February 2021. The charges include things such as hundreds of hours of “responding to media requests” at a rate of $500 to $900 per hour. Ingham could file to be dismissed as soon as Tuesday, according to TMZ. Ingham is “upset” and believes Britney Spears “mischaracterized his work” in the statement calling the conservatorship abusive. A statement that recently has been back up even farther by a 911 call that has come to light.

Britney Calls 911 for Conservatorship Abuse

An investigation published by The New Yorker mentions a 911 call Britney Spears made the night before her hearing June 23. The report by Ronan Farrow and Jia Tolentino says Britney called 911 to report herself a victim of conservatorship abuse. Britney’s team “began texting one another frantically” after the call. “They were worried about what Spears might say the next day, and they discussed how to prepare in the event that she went ‘rogue.’” Emergency calls are public record in California, but not in Britney’s case because the call is part of an ongoing investigation. Spears is set for another conservatorship hearing later this month on July 14.

Written by: Erinn Malloy

Champlain Towers South, a 12-story, 1980s apartment building, partially collapsed around 1:30 AM June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Florida. The collapse left numerous residents of the small Miami beach community dead and injured. Many people are still unaccounted for. Crews are still searching the debris of Champlain Towers South for bodies of residents and survivors. What could have caused the 136-unit building to collapse? Champlain Towers had recently undergone minor construction and roof work that included a crane, but many buildings undergo similar maintenance. There are major risks when building on the shifting sands of a barrier island. Could these conditions have contributed to the horrific accident?

What is the current death toll?

No survivors have been pulled from the rubble since the first day of the collapse. Experts demolished the standing section of Champlain Towers South in order to make searching conditions safer for rescue crews. The current death toll is 32, Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, said Tuesday, July 6, 2021. 26 of those victims had been identified. Levine Cava said 113 people remain unaccounted for, although “only around 70 of those are people we have been able to confirm were in fact in the building” when it collapsed. Over 191 residents have been accounted for and officials have expressed hope of finding survivors in pockets of rubble. Now that the remaining part of the building has come down, rescuers can safely use heavy equipment in the search. Rescue efforts resumed just 20 minutes after the demolition of the remaining section of Champlain Towers South complex. Before the demolition, a huge search for family pets used drones with thermal imaging. First responders used ladders and cranes to place animal traps on balconies and search hiding places in closets and under beds, no pets were found. Residents in nearby buildings were told not to evacuate during the demolition, they were instructed to stay indoors and turn off air conditioning due to dust. Officials made the decision to demolish the remaining section of the building due to tropical storm Elsa’s expected arrival in the state. 

Will Tropical Storm Elsa Affect the Search?

Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall on the southern coast of Cub, Monday. The tropical storm brought flooding rains, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was forecast to approach western Florida on Tuesday or Wednesday. “There was the very real potential that this storm could have knocked down the building down the wrong way on top of the pile, which would have effectively ended the search and rescue,” said Surfside Mayor, Charles Burkett, at a news conference Monday. The storm is now expected to hit just north of Miami-Dade. This means the search for survivors can continue, except in the case of lightning. “The news is pretty positive, impact on Surfside will be incredibly, incredibly minimal,” Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis said. Ron DeSantis had issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for fifteen counties in anticipation of Tropical Storm Elsa. Miami-Dade County was removed as forecasts changed. The county is still under a state of emergency due to the collapse of Champlain Towers South. As of Monday, July 5, 2021, the outer bands of the storm had reached surfside. The search for people in the debris of Champlain Towers South had to be suspended due to lightning making conditions unsafe, crews resumed searching Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Charles Burkett vowed rescue efforts would continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week until everyone was out of the rubble. “I’m very hopeful we’re going to be seeing some miracles in the coming days,” he said. 

Why did the building collapse?

A 2020 study conducted by Shimon Wdowinski, a professor at Florida International University, found that the building had been sinking for decades. Nearly three years before the Champlain towers South collapsed the complex was made aware of the pool deck was causing “major structural damage,” according to filings. Among the filings released by Surfside authorities, a 2018 field survey report from Morabito Consultants found the concrete structural slab underneath the building’s pool needed repairs. “Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially,” the report said. The report did not warn of any imminent danger, at the time, but is now the focus of inquiries that include a grand jury examination. It is still unknown what exactly caused the building to collapse. Video from a security camera inside the building, shows the ceiling breaking apart and falling in a hail-like fashion before the entire apartment began to rumble, then the camera goes black. Some witnesses say they saw water rushing out from underneath the structure before the collapse occurred. Survivors from the part of the building that did not collapse say their entire apartments shook before and during the collapse of Champlain Towers South. 

Witness Reports of the Collapse

Adriana Sarmiento and Roberto Castillero recorded a video of concrete debris and gushing water in the underground parking garage of Champlain Towers South minutes before it collapsed. The couple was standing outside their nearby hotel when they began to record after hearing a loud crash. The video shows water coming down and concrete rubble appears to have fallen. Sarmiento said she and Castillero ran into the street, screaming and waving trying to get residents to evacuate, but they could not understand her. The couple witnessed the Champlain Towers South collapse up close and sustained minor injuries. 

Barry Cohen, former vice mayor of surfside, said he was deep asleep when a bang, he thought was a lightning storm, woke him up around 1:30 a.m. “I realized that it didn’t stop. It just kept on going for 30 seconds,” Cohen, 63, told CNN. When Cohen opened the door to his apartment, “there was huge pile of rubble and dust, just havoc is all that I could think of.” Cohen and his wife attempted to open outside doors along the way down to the basement and parking garage of Champlain Towers South. There was dust everywhere and water in the garage was “pouring out of pipes in the ceiling,” and already up to their shins. The couple went back to their apartment and yelled for help from their balcony. “I was yelling to the Surfside Police to identify myself because I was a former vice mayor of Surfside,” Cohen said. “I was yelling and screaming to the fire department to get the hook and ladder truck up to us so we could get out of there.” Neighbors joined them on the balcony. “I thought the building was unstable,” Cohen explained. “I was worried it was going to completely go down.

Nicholas Balboa was walking his dog nearby when the Champlain Towers South collapsed. Balboa quickly made his way to the back of the building, where he heard a voice coming from the debris. “A little boy, couldn’t have been more than in his preteens,” Balboa told CNN. “Then I saw an arm sticking out of the wreckage, and he was screaming, you know, ‘Can you see me?'” Balboa and another proactive witness attempted to free the boy; the two people were unable to remove the debris safely. “He was just screaming, ‘Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me.'” Balboa stayed with the boy and was able to signal to a police officer using the flashlight on his phone. Rescuers arrived and successfully pulled the boy out.  

Sharon Schechter, 60, says she believes she was only one of two people who survived from her floor when the Champlain Towers South collapsed. Schechter said she was asleep when she began hearing noises that were followed by shaking and rumbling. “It felt like the whole building was shaking,” Schechter said, she then went to look out the window. “I said, ‘Oh my god, where’s the building? There’s no building.” She quickly grabbed her dog and tried to evacuate, along with other residents, down the only staircase but rubble was in the way. “We were screaming ‘Help! We are here! Come get us!’ It was pitch black. It was like ‘Titanic,'” she said. The group ended up taking their chances crossing the destruction to escape the building. “We are finding our way out until we get to some light.” Schechter said she had to carry her dog over rubble and across the tops of cars in the dark. As soon as she got out, all she could think about were her neighbors still inside. “I feel like I’m mourning every minute for someone in the building,” she said.

“You’re going to have a lot of mental health impacts from people who were able to get out. Obviously, the families who lost somebody, that is going to be the most devastating. But I have spoken with a number of the folks who were able to get out. This is a really harrowing experience,” Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, said at a news conference. “You literally have people that, if their unit had been 20 feet in another direction, they would have been in rubble. And their neighbor had never been heard from again.” DeSantis pledged Monday that support and resources would be available for families navigating the collapse, both in terms of insurance and other needs. 

Officials have made it clear other high-rise buildings in the area will undergo more rigorous inspection processes. A group of officials did initial inspections of every building in the area, evacuating at least two. All other buildings are required to have professionals inspect the structure, electrical and plumbing system within a certain amount of time after the initial round of inspections spurred by the collapse of Champlain Towers South. Will this tragedy affect the future of high-rise buildings in similar places? One thing is for certain, this unfortunate accident will continue to affect the Surfside community and the U.S. as whole. 

As we are right in the middle of summer vacations, hanging out by the pool, and enjoying the sparkling fire flies around us, and the dazzling display of fireworks this 4th of July weekend, we also remember the colors of the Red, White, and Blue.

What’s in a Name?

The most common name for the American Flag is one that we have known for years and years, Old Glory. This was the name given by Captain William Driver, he was a shipmaster from Salem, Massachusetts in 1831. As he was setting sail on one of his long journeys on board of the brig Charles Doggett, as he rescued mutineers of the Bounty, some of his friends gifted him with a flag of twenty four stars, as he opened up the flag and allowed it to blow in the wind, he exclaimed “Old Glory!”

Rebranding

Another name given to the American Flag is The Stars and Stripes. Nobody knows for certain who designed the first American Flag, but, Congressman Francis Hopkinson seems most likely to have designed it, and a few historians believe that a seamstress named Betsy Ross made the first one.

World Wide Fame

The patterns and colors of the American Flag are very recognizable around the world for many, the Flag stands for Valor, perseverance, and justice. Many people don’t know the great significance of each of the colors that the flag displays. The thirteenth stripes represent the thirteen original colonies.

History in the making

On July 4, 1776, congress adopted a resolution giving permission to a committee to design a seal for the U.S.A. The purpose of this was to reflect the beliefs of the Founding Fathers and to declare the sovergn victory of the new Nation. This did not even become a reality until June 20, 1782. In heraldic such as seals, each element of the flag has a special meaning. Even all of the colors have special meanings. The colors of Red, White, and Blue did not have any meanings for the Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, according to Charles Thompson, who served as the Secretary of the Continental Congress said that the colors of the Great Seal did have special meanings.

United We Stand

The colors of the pales, which are the vertical stripes are those used in the flag of the United States of America, each individual color is very unique and special in the design of the flag.

Red signifies hardiness and valor, White signifies purity and innocence, Blue signifies the color of the Chief, the broad band above the stripes signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

The Star is a symbol of the heavens, and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial, the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.

Enclosure

The placing of a fringe on the flag is optional. Fringe is used on indoor flags only because, if it was used on an outdoor flag, it would deteriorate quickly. The fringe is considered honorable enrichment only, and it was used by the US Army from 1895-1925. The Attorney General’s Opinion states that the fringe does not appear to be regarded as an integral part of the Flag.

The gold trim is generally used on ceremonial indoor flags that are used for special services. It is believed to have first been used in a military setting.

One Banner

The American Flag is definitely one of the most prominent and powerfully moving symbols that defines and represents The United States Of America. To this day, many veterans and fallen soldiers have fought in the foreshadow of the American Flag with great courage and while not all fought for the same reasons, everyone fought for all that our flag represents, and that is the reason why we choose to remember the Red, White, and Blue in our hearts and minds this 4th of July weekend. Thank You to everyone who has served, who is serving, and who will serve. It’s because of you and your sacrifices that you make daily that we are free. May we always remember, and never forget.

Written by: Gary Taylor

Britney Spears has been a hot topic in the media almost since her birth December 2, 1981. We need to bring attention to the recent development in the 39-year old’s battle against her own family and State of California. There are allegations of Britney being forced to take medication, work long hours up to seven days a week, and go to therapy up to 3 times a week against her will. Here is a timeline of Britney’s career and how her life is controlled by conservatorships of both her finances and person. 

Timeline of Britney Spears Career 

Britney Spears was 8 years old and went to New York to be on the Mickey Mouse Club. She was rejected at her audition for being too young. She spent the next three years at the professional performing arts school center. At 10 years old Britney won the first round of Star Search then lost the second round. 

1993 – 1994

Britney joined the sixth season of Mickey Mouse Club when she was 11 years old. The next year Mickey Mouse Club was canceled so Britney Spears went home to Kentwood, Louisiana and attended Parklane Academy. Britney said in many interviews, this time of her life was “boring.” (After being on Mickey Mouse Club and living life as a “child star” for a moment, it makes sense why Britney would consider regular life a little boring.) 

1998 – 1999

Britney Spears joined Jive records at 16. She flew to Sweden to record her first album “Baby One More Time.” When Britney returned home, she embarked on a mall tour around the USA. According to the people around her the shows went from a small crowd of people who gathered as she sang to huge crowds gathering to see her. This small tour is followed by her first real tour opening for ‘N sync. In 1999, “Baby One More Time” is released when Britney Spears is 17, it is number one on Billboard 200. 

2000 – 2001

At 18 Britney Spears released “Oops… I Did It Again,” which sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and went on her next tour. She also performed at the VMAs and announced she was dating Justin Timberlake who she had known since Mickey Mouse Club. The next year Britney Spears performed “Slave for You” during the VMAs with a live snake and tiger which angered PETA. She also released the “Britney” album. 

 2002 – 2003

At 20 years old, Britney Spears topped the Forbes Celebrity 100. She also played in “Crossroads.” She Broke up with Justin Timberlake and gives Michael Jackson a birthday cake which he mistook for some type of award. In 2003 Madonna and Britney Spears kissed live at the VMAs; it was seen by many fans as “the queen of pop crowning the princess of pop.” Britney released “in the Zone” and became the first female artist to have four albums debut at number one. Britney received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

2004 – 2005

Britney married Jason Alexander in Vegas, and the marriage was annulled 55 hours later. Britney suffered a knee injury during shooting for “outrageous.” She then became engaged to Kevin Federline and their relationship was public domain on the show, “Britney and Kevin: Chaotic.” The two got married that fall and Britney took a step back from her career to start a family.  Britney Spears was 22 when she gave birth to Sean Preston September 14, 2005. 

2006 -2007

Britney spears was seen driving with her son on her lap and says it was because her and her child feared the paparazzi banging on the sides of the car. Britney guest starred on “Will and Grace” and did a cover for Harpers Bazaar. Jayden James is born later in the year then Britney and Kevin filed for divorce on November 7, 2006. The next year Britney Spears went to a rehab facility in Antigua for less than a day. The next day she was in California, and she shaved her head. She was sent to many treatment facilities and lost custody of her kids in October. She released “Blackout” and performed at the VMAs. 

2008 – 2009

 After locking herself in a bathroom with her children, Britney Spears had her visitation rights suspended due to police involvement with the incident. She was put on involuntary psychiatric hold and released February 6, 2008. Britney guest starred on “How I Met Your Mother” and performed at the VMAs. She won best female video, best pop video, and video of the year for “Piece of Me” and released “Circus” in December. Temporary Conservatorship over Britney’s finances and person is granted to Jamie Spears, Britney’s father, then it was made permanent in October 2008 by L.A. superior commissioner Reva Goetz.Britney went on MTV, “Britney for the Record,” during this special Britney tells the world “It’s bad. I’m sad.” Guinness Book of World Records recognized Britney Spears the following year for five albums released at number one. Womanizer hit number one on hot 100 list and Britney went on the Circus tour. 

2010 -2013

Britney Spears started dating manager Jason Trawick. Britney released “Femme Fatale,” but was dealing with multiple lawsuits, including a sexual harassment suit from her former bodyguard. Britney Spears became a judge on X-Factor in 2012. The following year she announced her and Trawick’s split as well as she would not return to X-Factor. Britney then announced she would do a two-year residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas called “Britney: Piece of Me” starting December 27. 

2014 

Britney Spearsreleased her lingerie line called “Intimate: Britney Spears.” Clark County, Nevada, proclaimed November 5th as “Britney Day” on the Las Vegas Strip. A court appointed attorney expressed concerns over Jamie Spears drinking, as it related to the Conservatorship. The judge did not remove Jamie in any fashion at that time. 

 2015 – 2018

Britney Spears announced that her residency at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas would last for two more years. Britney released “Glory,” in 2016. That same year she told a private investigator she was “tired of being taken advantage of.” She was speaking about the abusive conservatorship she was and is currently being held under. In 2018, Britney was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards with the Vanguard Award, an award that goes to a performer for making a difference in promoting and supporting equality.

2019

 Britney Spears announced that she was going on work hiatus in order to focus on her family due to her father’s health issues. This comes around the same time she cancels her next Vegas residency, “Britney: Domination.” Britney announced that she would be taking “me time” after it was reported that she checked into a mental health facility to cope with her father’s health issues. Followers of the #FreeBritney movement had speculation she was sent to the facility against her will. In April 2019 Britney checked out of the mental health treatment facility after undertaking an “all-encompassing wellness treatment.” During a court session that May, Britney said she felt she was sent there for wanting to change dance moves in routines during practice. In August, Jamie Spears was served with a restraining order after a physical altercation with Britney’s 13-year-old son. In September, Jamie was replaced by Jodi Montgomery as conservator of Britney’s person, but Jamie would continue to reside over Britney’s finances. 

 2020 

Britney Spears announced that she accidentally burned down her home gym; some of the #FreeBritney movement say it was on purpose because she was tired of being forced to maintain a perfect body image. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny declined Britney’s application to remove her father as her conservator of finances but said she would consider petitions “down the road” to remove her father as the head of her estate. This decision was made, despite Britney telling the judge she feared her father. The judge did order the Bessemer Firm of California be added to the financial conservatorship. 

2021

 Britney Spears appeared remotely in court to request her conservatorship be lifted, calling it “abusive.” During the hearing, which was leaked by an anonymous source, Britney spoke for more than 20 minutes. Britney says she felt she had been forced to perform, was given no privacy and was made to use birth control, take medication and attend therapy sessions against her will. Britney also requested her father be removed from the conservatorship. Judge Brenda Penny denied the request, which was first filed by Britney’s attorney Samuel D. Ingham last November. Ingham is expected to file a new petition, requesting that the conservatorship be ended. It is unclear why he is yet to do so. 

Why Should the Conservatorship End?

 California law says a conservatorship is justified for a “person who is unable to provide properly for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,” or for someone who is “substantially unable to manage his or her own financial resources or resist fraud or undue influence.” This is generally used for elderly people at the end of their lives to manage their medical needs and estates. A fortune of more than $60 million comes with a lot of people who want to “help” for the wrong reasons. If Britney can work seven days a week, in what way is she unfit to control her own life? The court closely guards the inner workings of  Britney’s conservatorship but Some aspects have been revealed in documents. 

What does the Conservatorship Do?

The conservatorship has the power to restrict Britney’s visitors. During the leaked court audio Britney says she is unable to see friends who only live 8 minutes away, most of which she met in AA. It arranges visits with her sons since Kevin Federline has full custody. It has the power to take out restraining orders in her name, which it has used more than once to keep away people deemed shady. Some of the #FreeBritney movement believe this power is abused in order to keep outsiders from helping Britney. It has the power to make her medical decisions and her business deals. She said at the recent hearing that she has been compelled to take drugs against her will, such as Lithium. She admitted to being “unable to make decisions or have conversations” while on the drug. Could this have been a way to manufacture the image of Britney being unable to make decisions for herself?

Britney has been kept from having an intrauterine device for birth control removed and has been required to do performances when she did not want to, which she compared to sex trafficking. “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a key role in punishing me… they should be in jail,” Britney said. Britney can get married, but the conservatorship must approve it, as with other major life decisions. Britney said that she wants to get married and have another child but has been denied that chance. The mandatory secrecy of medical records has kept the reasons why Britney Spears must remain in the conservatorship hidden, but it apparently involves psychiatric issues. A recent filing said that she was not capable of giving consent for medical treatment. Britney’s father and his attorneys have emphasized that she is especially susceptible to people who seek to take advantage of her money and fame. Britney made claims during the most recent hearing that leads us to believe that is exactly what the people around her are doing, under this mask of “we are helping Britney.”

The Most Recent Hearing

Britney Spears has stated through her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingram III, that she will not perform as long as her father remains a conservator of her $60 million estate. During the Hearing in June of 2021, Britney Spears said she was unaware she could petition the court to end the conservatorship, until now. “I deserve to have a life. I worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two- to three-year break and do what I need to do,” she said during the statement. “I feel ganged up, I felt left out and I feel alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anyone does by having a child and a family. Any of those things.” “I’m not here to be anyone’s slave,” Britney Spears said while appearing in Los Angeles court remotely via telephone. “I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It is a lie. I thought that maybe if I said it enough, I would maybe become happy because I have been in denial. I have been in shock. I am traumatized … I am so angry it is insane. And I’m depressed.” Britney went on to say, “the people who did this to me should not be able to get away and walk away easily,” she told the courtroom. “I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.” 

What does Britney’s Father say?

Britney Spears’ father maintains he has not had conservatorship over his daughter’s person since 2019. He has released statements saying the claims Britney made must be investigated. However, there are claims of abuse from even before Jodi Montgomery took over as conservator. While Britney Spears was critical of both Montgomery and her father, she singled out her father for some major criticism. She accused him of loving his power over her. “I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it,” Britney said. “The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter 100,000%.” The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 14th. Many #FreeBritney fans are hoping Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end her conservatorship for good. There is a list of Celebrities and influencers a mile long who support Britney in her fight to end the abuse she endures day to day. That list includes people like Iggy Azalea, who recently spoke out despite being forced to sign and NDA in 2015. “During the time we worked together in 2015, I personally witnessed the same behavior Britney detailed in regard to her father last week and I just want to back her up & tell the world that: She is not exaggerating or lying.” Iggy says, Britney’s father controlled things like how many sodas Britney could drink and brought Iggy the NDA moments before the performance. James spears said if Iggy did not sign it, she would not be allowed perform on stage with Britney. During the hearing Britney Stood up for herself in the court and said, “It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to,” she said. “The conservatorship should end. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.” 

It seems Britney’s handlers have been misleading people about her mental health for years. There are many people in Hollywood who do crazier things then Britney ever did, you do not see the state of California giving their rights away. It is unclear why Britney should stay under conservatorship when she can articulate the reasons why she should not be under it. This conservatorship seems like a stripping of rights, and from the outside it looks like the state of California has failed Britney Spears, so far. We can only hope Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end the conservatorship and the judge will finally see fit to #FreeBitney.

In today’s time where cryptocurrency and digital currency are making a huge leap in the finance world, it is no surprise Israel is testing a digital version of the shekel. The Bank of Israel has for some time now been working on its Digital Currency. The development is in advanced stages and Deputy Governor Andrew Abir said the country has run a pilot test. Israel is not the first country to go digital. A few South American countries have already fully made the change to digital currency, some even recognizing Bitcoin as currency. Efforts to develop digital currencies are rolling out in over 60 countries currently exploring and developing their own. Monetary authorities from Sweden to China are working on their own digital currencies since the future is unsure for notes and coins. The European Central Bank has recently finished its public consultation for the use of digital Euros. Christine Largade, president of European Central Bank said if decisions are made to move forward with the currency, it will take four years to complete. Israel seems to be right on track with everyone else in the race to digital currency. 

Why Digital Currency? 

The declining use and availability of cash threatens to upend traditional payment methods. The Governments and central banks of Israel and the world are worried about the use of cryptocurrencies exposing citizens to higher fraud risk, due of the absence of protection from the government. The open availability of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have added pressures on central banks to create alternatives before unregulated payment forms take over. The Bank of Israel acknowledged that adopting a digital shekel would “innovate the country’s payment system and improve the economy.” The bank also acknowledged the digital shekel can provide security for both the citizens and the government. The concept of Israel issuing digital shekel has been in discussion since 2017. 

Issuing a digital currency was plausible, but some high-profile officials had doubts about its successful implementation. According to Abir, his confidence in the digital Shekel is higher now than in the past. “I had previously estimated that the chance of having a Central Bank Digital Currency within five years is 20 percent. My estimate has increased a bit in the last year, mainly because other countries are advancing with it too. But still, there is less than a 50 percent chance.” When responding to the question of Digital currency being used to offer protection against Bitcoin, Abir stated that any Central Bank introducing a digital currency has nothing to do with Bitcoin. “Bitcoin is not a payment system, and it is not a currency. In the best situation, it is a financial asset, and in the worst case, it is a pyramid scam.” The Bank of Israel deputy governor stated the payment system in the country has always been a decade behind other countries, accommodating contactless payment and digital wallets will pretty much solve that. 

How is Israel going Digital?

Digital Currency relies on distributed ledger technology such as blockchain. Israel has preferred Ethereum over Ripple’s private XRP ledger while testing its digital shekel. Ripple’s Private Ledger is specifically designed to issue highly secured reliable currencies and has already issued 5,400 currencies over the past 8 years. Ethereum was Israel’s tech of choice, but Ripple remains active in helping central banks all over the world. Ethereum was the first blockchain to host fully functioning computer programs known as smart contracts that allow users to create new cryptocurrencies. 

Ripple maintains the CBDC Private Ledger can handle “tens of thousands of transactions per second” and is “61,000 times more efficient than public blockchains that leverage proof-of-work.” It is unclear why The Bank of Israel chose to use Ethereum, although the use of smart contracts is likely a factor. What do central bank digital currencies mean for cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin? Should more countries follow the lead of some parts of South America and recognize digital cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, as a valid currency? What does this fast-growing digital world mean for actual cash and tangible money?

Written by: Erinn Malloy

With summer upon us now, and with trips to the lake house and the beach house, may we all take some time to pause for a moment of reflection as we remember a date that has been looked over for far too long, June 19th, or as it is now referred to as Juneteenth.

Emancipation

Since its start in 1865, and continuing today, Juneteenth is the longest running African American holiday that is commemorated to celebrate the end of slavery. Just two months prior,  Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, but in Texas, not much changed until U.S. General Gordon Granger boldly proclaimed General Orders Number 3 declaring that all slaves are free.

False Alarm

The proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1963 had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states as a way to rebel against the Union shall be forever free. In reality, the proclamation that was issued did not instantly free any enslaved people. The rule only applied to places under Confederate control, and not to slave-holding border states or even rebel areas under Union control. During this time, as troops from the North migrated into the Confederate South, many of the slaves fled behind Union lines.

The Lonestar

Slavery had continued in Texas as the state experienced no fighting or increased presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from other states had moved to Texas to experience a safe haven from slavery. After the war came to an end in the spring of 1865, 250,000 enslaved people were set free immediately. This emancipation did not happen immediately overnight for everyone. In some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after planting season. Celebrations started to increase among newly freed African American people, and Juneteenth was born into existence.

Jubilee

In 1866, Freedmen in Texas organized the first celebration of Juneteenth, from then on, Juneteenth commemorations have featured music, barbecues, prayer services, and other activities, and as our African American brothers and sisters migrated from Texas into other states, the Juneteenth Tradition began to spread.

We Remember

In 1979, Texas became the very first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday, several other states have also made Juneteenth an official holiday as well. More recently, in June of 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday, with President Joe Biden signing it into law on June 17, 2021

Response

As we are ending the month of June, let us all commemorate Juneteenth as a time to gather as a family of one, united under the banner of love, regardless of skin color. May we reflect on the past, as we look to the future, as we all discover ways to celebrate the African American cultural tradition of music, food, and freedom for one and for all. Juneteenth is here to stay.

Written by: Gary Taylor

The US Department of the Treasury offered to accept a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% during international negotiations. There has been talk among leaders around the world to finalize an agreement on a global minimum tax, based on the “Pillar Two” proposal from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The agreement would limit tax competition and “race to the bottom” on corporate tax rates by giving a minimum on tax rates applied to cross-border investment by large multinational corporations.

15% and “Race to the Bottom”

Originally, the Treasury proposed a 21% minimum for US multinational firms but offered to accept the 15% tax rate after negotiations. The Treasury said in a statement that “15% is a floor and that discussions should continue to be ambitious and push that rate higher” and that the department told the “steering group” that the “global minimum tax rate should be at least 15%”. 

A global minimum tax is meant to prevent companies from moving liabilities and investments to countries with the lowest taxes. Setting a floor prevents countries from competing to have the lowest tax rates to avoid offshoring. 

Biden Administration Finances

The Biden Administration has looked to corporate taxes to help fund its spending projects. Biden assumes $1.7 trillion in revenues over 15 years to pay for new spending over eight years. Biden also plans on using increased tax enforcement, getting rid of inheritance tax breaks for wealthy families, unspent COVID-19 relief funds, and getting rid of oil and gas subsidies. In short, part of the reason for the push for a global corporate tax rate is due to increased government spending. 

Biden originally planned on raising corporate tax rates as high as 28% but offered to scrap the tax hike after negotiations with Republicans. In return to a minimum of 15% on all companies, Republicans are supposed to agree to at least $1 trillion in new infrastructure spending. It is unsure whether the new infrastructure bill will go through or not. 

Biden’s 15% tax floor seeks to stop large, multinational companies like Amazon from paying little to no US taxes. In the plan, companies are to be taxed irrespective of where they are headquartered. Many of these companies show large profits on earing statements but shift their liability to countries with much lower taxes. Companies also work to dodge taxes by locating themselves in tax havens.

International Order

So far, the G-7 countries to a global corporate tax of 15% to curb tax avoidance. Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan, and the US have agreed, and “want [the tax minimum] to work and not be filled with loopholes” according to Treasury Secretary Janet according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. 

The next step will be for the plan to win support among the G-20 countries, which include China, India, Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. The G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors are scheduled to meet in Venice, Italy in July. It is unclear whether that tax plan will win the support of the 19 member nations and European Union, because some of the G-20 members keep corporate taxes relatively low in an effort to lure business.

Will a Global Minimum Work?

Critics of the global minimum corporate tax have claimed that companies can still find ways to skirt the taxes and that many American businesses want lower tax rates. Companies that have the biggest problem with the minimum tax rate are those that have been accustomed to receiving tax rates lower than 15%. The international pressure for a 15% minimum tax may also disadvantage smaller and less developed countries that use a low tax rate as a selling-point to attract business.

For the global minimum corporate tax to work, members need to uniformly apply it and not work at cross purposes. The G-20 still needs to approve the minimum tax in their meetings in July and October and the 139 countries in the OECD’s Inclusive Framework have to sign on. Countries around the world must follow and enforce the tax. Otherwise, companies will look to countries with lower taxes and tax havens. With more and more countries following the protocol it will look more and more tempting for countries to skirt the minimum tax in an effort to attract business.

There are also questions about how the tax will be paid and collected. Firms will stop making certain investments for a time due to the uncertainty involved in a new tax plan. There have already been some issues in the enforcement, including Switzerland’s subsidies on multinational corporations to offset the 15% tax. 

Overall, it will be difficult to get so many countries to agree to the tax and violating the tax will become more and more tempting due to supply and demand constraints. Companies may find loopholes, though it will be difficult with some of the most powerful countries signed on.

Written by: Miranda Smith

*Contributed by Liberty Revolt Media

On June 15, the White House unveiled their new strategy to combat domestic terrorism. The Biden Administration claims this is the biggest threat to America, and they have mobilized the Department of Justice in order to address this issue. The document can be found here.

This past year has been one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The Covid pandemic has seen virtually unprecedented authoritarian actions committed in what should be the freest nation in the world. Governors have used executive authority to forcibly shut down small businesses across the country, destroying generations worth of hard work in the process. Lives have been ruined in the name of Science, the questioning of which is strictly forbidden by institutions that claim to have free speech and open dialogue built into their foundations. For the youngest among us, depression and suicide have seeped into the minds of many. All the while, millions took to the streets in the name of Social Justice, crying out against perceived injustices committed by the same government they seek to dominate. At the same time governors were telling small business owners they couldn’t open up, they were telling rioters to keep up the good fight. And to top it all off, the giants of Silicone Valley flexed their impressive muscles while swinging the ban-hammer at anyone brave, or dumb, enough to speak out against the narrative. Through all of this, the narrative must be maintained. On June 15, the White House released their new National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, and it should be setting off alarm bells for every American that claims to value liberty.

It seems that there is no end in sight when it comes to President Joe Biden’s administration and their efforts to re-stabilize the establishment that former President Donald Trump constantly sought to shake up. Their most recent attempt is the new National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which President Biden had established with the goal of combating what he claims is the most prescient issue in America today: domestic terrorism.

Broadly speaking, the National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism says nothing unremarkable. Basically, people do horrible things and sometimes these horrible things are a result of bad ideas spread online, and sometimes they just “develop their own idiosyncratic justifications for violence that defy ready categorization”. In other words, individuals do things because they want to. While it is not necessarily wrong to point out these attributes, the issue presents itself when you actually begin to analyze the document. What claims to be against “domestic terrorism” of all kinds actually has a very specific demographic in mind. Repeatedly, the document references specifically “White Supremacist” ideologies as being the main threat presented. Going even further, it becomes painfully obvious that the main target is political opposition.

For starters, every example of domestic terrorism the document uses as reference was committed by a white person. Well, except for one: the shooting of police officers in Dallas in 2016. The Pride shooting in Orlando, wherein 49 people had their lives stolen, the single biggest shooting in our nation’s history, was not mentioned. Neither was the recent Boulder incident, nor the shooting spree in Georgia that targeted Asians. Of course, none of these were committed by a white man, therefore it does not fit the narrative that the only evil facing us is White Supremacy.

Now, this should not be misconstrued as a defense of white supremacy, as the idea that one race is superior to another by dint of being that race is utter bullshit. However, there is a specific purpose for the targeting of white supremacists. It comes down to the manipulation of language. By specifically targeting white supremacy, it puts detractors on the back-foot because it comes off as a downplaying of evil. The reality is that this document makes no actual attempt to specify what qualifies as white supremacy beyond simply the racial aspect, yet is refers to mainstream conservative talking points as an aspect of the white supremacist groups. In fact, they place people that dislike the state in the same category as white supremacists. Granted, there is a slight nod to Antifa when the document also categorizes “small groups of informally aligned individuals” as domestic terrorist threats, but the overwhelming majority is aimed at basically anything right wing.

But wait, if conservatism isn’t white supremacist, why are conservatives freaking out? Because while it is true that nothing about conservatism is supremacist, the corporate media has established within the minds of many that conservatism is synonymous with white supremacy. Therefore, anything conservative is inherently white supremacist. The DoJ is making it very clear that they are going to go after “Internet-based communications platforms such as social media”. Logically, this means that the government will be enlisting the social media giants’ help. Here is when things really begin to feel like Minority Report.

These platforms have already established that they view anything remotely against the narrative as extremist. The examples coming from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter are abundantly clear: there is no more dialogue. These same companies will then be the ones working to create algorithms that help identify potential threats. What would end up being threatening? According to the Intelligence Community:

“Newer sociopolitical developments- such as narratives of fraud in the recent general election, the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol, conditions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories promoting violence.”

No mention of the year-long riots in the streets, nor the seizure of six city blocks in Seattle, nor the burning of police precincts with officers in them. Nope, just a series of conditions that are of particular importance to one side of the political spectrum. These are things that main-stream conservatives often bring up, yet bringing them up is meant to be an indicator of potential danger? This is why the document is so terrifying. It is a declaration of ideological war against political enemies bathed in a glow of justice and righteousness. Should this go unimpeded, it will give the government the authority and capability to target enemies of the administration, something only told of in spy-movies and USSR history books. Should we the people refuse to stand up, it will become a reality in our communities as well.

Written by: Kevin Lorusso

El Salvador has a reputation for being the deadliest place on the planet. However, news from the cryptocurrency world has made El Salvador the talk of the sector.  El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved legislation which makes Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, legal tender in the country. El Salvador is the first nation to make a change like this after President Nayib Bukele made the proposal at a Bitcoin conference. 62 out of 84 possible votes created the law to adopt Bitcoin, despite potential impact on El Salvador’s International Monetary Fund program. Bukele said he will meet with the International Monetary Fund on Thursday to discuss the bitcoin law and other issues. Bukele said during the meeting he wanted to try to explain the shift was “not going to change our macroeconomics.” He also announced an idea to build a Bitcoin mining hub with the country’s geothermal potential. El Salvador has also announced it would offer citizenship to people who have invested in at least three Bitcoins, and have proof. 

What is Bitcoin? 

Bitcoin was intended as an alternative to government-backed money. The cryptocurrency is based largely on complex math and data-scrambling cryptography. Producing, or “mining,” Bitcoin requires lots of processing power which is why El Salvador wants to center their mining plans around geothermal energy. Bukele said he instructed state-owned geothermal electric firm LaGeo to develop a plan to offer bitcoin mining facilities using renewable energy from the country’s volcanoes. All Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a distributed global ledger called the blockchain. No central bank or other institution has any say in value, which is set entirely by people trading Bitcoins. Bitcoin and other popular digital currencies, including Ethereum and Dogecoin, all rose recently. How will this affect the current currency of El Salvador? 

Will Bitcoin Affect the Current Currency in El Salvador?

Many people in El Salvador rely on money sent back from workers in other countries such as the U.S.. World Bank data showed remittances to the country made up nearly $6 billion in 2019, one of the highest in the world. The cryptocurrency offers, in theory, a quick and cheap way to send money across borders. The proportion of remittances sent to El Salvador in bitcoin is not clear. The use of Bitcoin as legal tender will begin in 90 days. The bitcoin-dollar exchange rate will be set by the market. According to Bukele, the El Salvadoran government and Central Bank did not hold any bitcoin at the time of voting. El Salvador hasn’t had its own currency since 2000, when it switched to the U.S. dollar. It therefore loses no seigniorage by adding a second external currency as legal tender. Most of the people in El Salvador are on board with the change but there are some who have worries. “How am I going to agree with this? I haven’t seen it even in photos. I know nothing about it, you need to understand your currency,” said Estela Gavidia, clutching shopping bags and recalling the loss of purchasing power many poor people suffered when the dollar was adopted in 2001. Carlos Carcach, a professor at El Salvador’s Superior School of Economics and Business, argued that adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender “is not necessary, nor convenient,” though he added, “as long as there is someone who accepts payment with Bitcoin, the same as they accept dollars, there wouldn’t be problems.” He noted that Bitcoin is extremely volatile, so investors “run the risk of becoming rich and the next day being poor.” The U.S. dollar will continue to be El Salvador’s main currency and no one will be forced to pay in Bitcoin.

How Will Bitcoin be Used? 

Over 500 fishing and farming families in El Zonte use the cryptocurrency to buy groceries and pay utilities. El Zonte is a small town in El Salvador that has run on Bitcoin for the last year. Before a donor came in and changed the economy to predominantly Bitcoin there was no bank in the town. The people were scraping by on what little cash they could get a hold of, with the change to Bitcoin many people and Business owners have been able to thrive with the digital cryptocurrency. “This is not something for rich people only. It’s for everybody,” said Bukele, who spoke about the power of cryptocurrency to loosen the control of central banks and empower young entrepreneurs. Bitcoin can be used in any transaction and any business will have to accept payment in Bitcoin, with the exception of those lacking the technology to do so. “Every restaurant, every barber shop, every bank….everything can be paid in U.S. dollars or Bitcoin and nobody can refuse payment,” Bukele said as the bill was being debated in El Salvador’s congress. The law makes any capital gains from investing in bitcoin tax-free; Bukele hopes this will attract some of the crypto industry to his country. The El Salvadoran government intends to set up a trust at the Development Bank of El Salvador “to instantly convert bitcoin to U.S. dollars.” Some people are unsure of how well the trust will work.

“I don’t know how they’re going to sustain this trust, because if they have all these bitcoins coming in and all these dollars coming out for the Bitcoins, because they’ll be freely interchangeable between the two, that’s going to be a way to clean dirty bitcoins,” said David Gerard, author of ‘Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain.’ “Without very rigid controls on Bitcoin movements and full know-your-customer rules, they’re going to be a laundromat for money.” The risk is that El Salvador, either by accident or design, will become a commission-free laundromat for criminals wanting to turn dirty Bitcoin into clean dollars. Bukele has frequently been accused of working with the MS13 gang. Bukele brushed off the fears, saying criminals already use U.S. dollars and other assets to launder money. “The problem is not the dollar, it is the criminals,” he said. What do you think of El Salvador adopting Bitcoin as currency? Does forcing the acceptance of Bitcoin open El Salvador to even more crime? Could Bitcoin help the impoverished nation begin to produce their own wealth? 

During a NATO summit in Brussels this past week, President Biden made some statements about Former President Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the “fractured” Republican party. The remarks came when Washington Post reporter, Anne Gearen, asked what assurances Biden could give to Western allies regarding the power Trump has among his supporters since the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Former President Trump was a frequent critic of NATO, but President Biden has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to NATO. Is there a double standard in politics when it comes to how the public treats leaders of the Republican Party versus the Democratic and Independent politicians?

What did President Biden say?

“I think it’s appropriate to say that the Republican Party is vastly diminished in numbers,” President Biden said. “The leadership of the Republican Party is fractured, and the Trump wing of the party is the bulk of the party, but it makes up a significant minority of the American people.”  A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll in April showed 36% of Americans identify as Republican. 42% of people identify as Democrats, roughly the same as a year ago. Democrats narrowly control both houses of Congress, but 27 states have Republican governors. A lot of the left associate Republicans directly with Donald Trump, and in a world where the former President is villainized no matter what he does, hating Trump is “trendy.” It is not surprising to see support for and from Republicans diminishing. This idea seems to be confirmed since Biden didn’t shy away from taking shots at former President Trump during the summit. “What’s happened in terms of the consequence of President Trump’s phony populism has happened,” President Biden said. “It is disappointing that so many of my Republican colleagues in the Senate who I know better have been reluctant to take on, for example, an investigation [into Jan. 6 riot], because they are worried about being primaried. In the end, we’ve been through periods like this in American history before where there has been this reluctance to take a chance on your reelection because of the nature of your party’s politics at the moment. I think this is passing; I don’t mean easily passing. That’s why it’s so important that I succeed in my agenda.” President Biden was then asked about his meeting with Russian President, Vladimir Putin, but declined to reveal what the pair would speak about.

Biden’s Comments about Putin 

“The last thing anyone would do is negotiate in front of the world press as to how he’s going to approach a critical meeting with another adversary and or someone who could be an adversary,” President Biden said, when asked what he and Putin would be meeting about. “I’m going to make [it] clear to President Putin that there are areas where we can cooperate if he chooses. And if he chooses not to cooperate and acts in a way that he has in the past relative to cybersecurity and some other activities, then we will respond,” President Biden said. These comments came after Putin praised former president Donald Trump and called Biden a “career man” in an interview. “I believe that former U.S. president Mr. Trump is an extraordinary individual, talented individual, otherwise he would not have become U.S. president,” Putin recently said, in his first interview with a U.S. news network since 2018. “He is a colorful individual. You may like him or not. And, but he didn’t come from the U.S. establishment, he had not been part of big-time politics before, and some like it some don’t like it but that is a fact. Biden, meanwhile, is radically different from Trump because President Biden is a career man. He has spent virtually his entire adulthood in politics,” Putin said. President Biden went on to talk about Putin saying, “he’s bright, he’s tough and I found that he is, as they say when you used to play ball, a worthy adversary.” He said he hoped Putin had an interest in “changing the perception that the world has of him”. When Former President Trump announced similar things during his presidency, he would be, once again, “cancelled” for the upteenth time. 

It is interesting that President Biden’s meeting with Putin is seen as this great thing with a response of “we are getting things done,” even though Biden won’t disclose the topics of the meeting. When Trump did similar things during his presidency, it was seen as sneaky and there was an uproar. The double standard is very apparent and appalling, seeing how each politician is treated differently by the public. Why did it become a trend to hate Trump? Did “cancel culture” warp the public’s view of President Trump? Is the Republican Party fractured or villainized? 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he will soon announce plans for the construction of a wall along the state’s shared border with Mexico as part of a long list of actions meant to address the ongoing immigration crisis. Governor Abbott said Texas was doing the “job of the federal government,” securing the U.S. border.  “I will announce next week the plan for the state of Texas to begin building the border wall in the state of Texas,” Governor Abbott said at a border summit Thursday in Del Rio, Texas. Abbott announced a number of initiatives, including using state troopers to arrest migrants coming over the southern border. Will this help border towns in Texas that are facing property destruction, among other dangers? 

“Open-Border Biden”

Earlier this month, Governor Abbott issued a disaster declaration to secure additional resources for communities on the border. At the time, Governor Abbott said Biden’s policies “have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities.” Fox News said  “open border Biden” was the cause of the surge in fentanyl use and distribution across Texas. This is one of the many reasons Texas is cracking down on border security.  “Long term, only Congress and the president can fix our broken border. But in the meantime, Texas is going to do everything possible, including beginning to make arrests, to keep our communities safe,” Governor Abbott said at a border security summit in Del Rio. “We are going to do everything we can to secure the border and it begins immediately.”  After the summit, Governor Abbott tweeted the highlights of his plans:

Enhanced Border Security Plan:

• Disaster declaration — individuals entering TX illegally subject to arrest
• Task Force
• Approving over $1B in funding for border security
• Building border barriers
• Interstate compact powers

Border Summit

Governor Abbott is one of several Republicans who believe that President Biden’s immigration policies caused the immigration crisis. “While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows. The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally,” Governor Abbott said. “Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the support they need and deserve. This is an unprecedented crisis, and Texas is responding with the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen.” White House officials claimed Biden inherited a broken immigration system and moved to reverse measures that were “inhumane.” The administration attempted to fix issues in other countries rather than helping their people in crisis. During the summit, Governor Abbott announced they will be creating the Governor’s Task Force on Border and Homeland Security.

Governor’s Task Force on Border and Homeland Security 

Governor Abbott’s task force will work with local and county officials to expand jail capacities in border counties, as well as many other things to help the community. The task force will include members from the Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Military Department. Governor Abbott said the task force will help farmers and ranchers in border towns, who have had properties damaged, to “seek recovery” from the federal government. Abbott said he signed an interstate commerce agreement with Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. The two states are asking other states for help from their law enforcement agencies to assist in making arrests and jailing. “We don’t want just to arrest somebody to have them released,” Abbott said. “We want to arrest somebody and have them prosecuted, to be put in jail, to stay in jail — to create an environment where people will choose they don’t want to come across the border into the state of Texas anymore, because it’s not what they were expecting, it’s not the red carpet that the federal administration rolled out for them — they are going to jail in the state of Texas.” People who enter the state illegally will be subject to arrest for trespassing according to Governor Abbott. Abbott blamed the Biden administration’s policies for the surge in migrants coming into Texas. 

“The border crisis is no laughing matter,” Abbott said in reference to Kamala Harris laughing off not going to the border earlier. “This is something that also is not a tourism site for members of Congress to make an annual pilgrimage to and see the border, and then go back and do absolutely nothing at the federal government level to solve the crisis.” Customs and Border Protection reported more than 180,000 migrants at the border in May, up from roughly 23,000 in the same month one year ago. Numbers will continue to rise and Republicans will continue to ask President Biden’s administration to take action. Until this happens, states such as Texas and Arizona will attempt to fight the crisis on their own.

With the main focus and concern of the Biden Administration on renewable energy, now days electric vehicles are becoming more popular each day. 

Start Your Engines

The very first electric vehicles were very slow and did not perform well at all, they also lacked the battery power needed for long road trips, which resulted in a loss of interest for electric vehicles and created more of a want for gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. Since their release, manufacturers of these remarkable vehicles have added better technology and innovation to these vehicles only to make them better by boosting their performance. Now most electric vehicles are able to make very long road trips with one battery charge.

Changes

Electric vehicles are becoming a trend today because they are cheaper than fuel operated vehicles. The electric vehicles are also more widely produced making them more affectionate to everyone, also since the electric vehicles have been around for a while, buying them used results in even more savings.

Federal Assistance

Back in 2017, when news about electric vehicles first began to spread nationally, more countries became interested in slowly phasing out gasoline powered vehicles and replacing them with electric vehicles. Both the Ukraine and France plan to have only electric vehicles by the year of 2040, China has plans to do away with gasoline powered vehicles too, however, no timeline for that change has been put into place yet.

At Home

California will become the first state here in the U.S. to fully ban the sale of gasoline powered vehicles in order to transition to fully electric vehicles by the year of 2035.

Charge

With more and more electric vehicles being driven on the road daily, there are currently over 440,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. Each of these charging stations offer 3 standard charging levels to charge electric cars. All electric cars are able to be charged with level 1 and level 2 stations, these types of chargers offer the same charging power as the ones that you can install at home. Some vehicles can not be charged at level 3 stations. The prices of these charging stations vary by location. At home, the cost of charging electric vehicles should not increase utility bills much at all.

Plugging In

When electric vehicles are parked and sitting idle, they still lose some charging power. If the vehicle is plugged in each day and maintaining a charge level between 20 and 80 percent, the vehicle will lose minimal power. If the vehicle runs out of charge while on the highway, a roadside service truck will tow the vehicle to the nearest charging station.

The Road Ahead

As electric vehicles are slowly becoming a reality, what we know of now as gas stations will still be here, however, many of them will be turned into public parks or charging stations for the electric vehicles keeping our roads full and the vehicles rolling on the road, one charge at a time.

Gary Taylor

There has been a continuous push from the left to have more minorities’ voices heard in recent years. This can be seen in anything from the Grammy’s and Oscar’s to the advertisements on tv. All of these things have been under the blanket-statement narrative that certain interest groups are underprivileged and that they must be catered to in order to fix this. In reality, all this noise does is stir up racism and dissatisfaction in people.

Obama-era

I do not remember much talk of racism before Obama. I do not remember the separation of black and white or red and yellow or whatever from a vague perspective that white people were well-off and no one else was. I do remember, though, as a kid, the mentality of treating everyone equally. I remember the ideal of allowing everyone an equal chance of success or at least trying to. People weren’t so separated into categories of race, ethnicity, or gender. Anyone could succeed if they had the talent and worked hard.

I still remember being so upset at the speech Obama made where he arrogantly claimed that kids should not dream of becoming president, because it would be unlikely. Of course it was different under Trump when he actually took the kid who said he wanted to be president into the Oval Office. Neither example is about race, but it shows the difference in more of a discouraging mentality where you can’t do this stuff on your own and a mentality of optimism where anything could happen. This translates into victimization versus hope for the future. 

Why does the left do this? It all boils down to the ballot box.

Identity Politics

Basically, the left attempts to appeal to certain groups, like minorities, gays, and women to gain votes, though creating these groups gives a sense of hostility toward other groups. They are isolated. These groups are told that they are marginalized, and that belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. It is hard for a person to have much hope when he or she is consistently told that our society will not allow him or her to succeed. On a broad scale, it is an example of a famous experiment. Women and African Americans scored worse on tests when they were reminded of their identities in areas where women and African Americans were believed to perform poorly.

These policies also cause a significant amount of division. There have been many Black Lives Matter protests where cities were burned, there was destruction of property, and violence occurred. Certain groups are created in the college and professional world, such as “black engineers” or “women in law”. These groups, for the most part, do not allow outsiders. They break up people of similar professions and areas of interest, giving less diverse viewpoints. Those groups can be used to create smaller friend groups, but the costs outweigh the benefits. Without them, for example, all kinds of law students might get together and learn from each other, not just women, or oftentimes an even smaller group of students.

Fairness: Equality of Opportunity vs Results

America is (or should be) a country of equality of opportunity, not results. People should be judged by merit, not what category they fall into. It should not be mandated-or really even promoted- to have 50/50 male/female engineers. College admissions should not place such an emphasis on “diversity” over test scores, GPA, and extracurriculars. It is not fair to reward and punish certain groups based on which group as a whole is doing supposedly better or worse. The inferior feeling from being told your group does not do as well in a certain thing is upsetting. I have felt this myself as a woman in co-ed sports and as a woman who does well in the sciences. 

Ben Carson gave many examples in a speech of why equality of results (or equity) is not as good as equality of opportunity. He claimed that true equity is “impossible to attain”. It would be impossible for every ethnic group and both (27) genders to be represented equally in every private business or government office. He showed how programs that emphasize certain groups can even backfire. He gave the example of the government investing billions of dollars into black home ownership only to have current black homeownership rates “at the lowest level since the 1960s”.

In Summary: What Happened To Equality

Trying to force equality of results only makes a society as strong as its weakest link and those policies may even backfire. It is better to treat everyone the same and free from degradation. People from any race or either gender should be able to shine through their own talent and virtue.

Written by: Miranda Smith

Vice President Kamala Harris, as part of her visit to Guatemala, told potential migrants that they should not travel to the U.S. Mexico border. Harris claimed that potential migrants would be turned back if they did. “I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home, at the same time I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making the dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border — do not come, do not come,” she said. Why did the Vice President go to Guatemala? Was Kamala Harris’s visit actually conducive to fixing the current crisis at the border?

Why is Kamala Harris Currently at the Border? 

Harris was appointed by Biden to lead the diplomatic outreach, to deal with the crisis at the border. The majority of immigrants are coming from Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The Vice President received extreme criticism for not having visited the border or even held a press conference for the matter. When asked in an interview why she had not yet gone to the border during her term, Kamala Harris responded with “and, I haven’t been to Europe.”  Vice President Kamala Harris’s office has said she is not involved with the border directly, Harris deals with the “root cause” of the border crisis. They attribute the border crises to many things such as climate change and economic instability. “We are looking at extensive storm damage because of extreme climate, we’re looking at drought in an area in a region where agriculture is one of the most traditionally important basis for their economy, we’re looking at what’s happening in terms of food scarcity as a result of that and in fact, incredible food insecurity, which we used to call hunger food insecurity,” she said in April. One of the biggest criticisms Harris has been receiving is that it took too long for her to travel to the site of the crisis. Is going to the border even the best way to fix the issues our country is facing? The Biden administration seems to be ignoring the damage they are doing in their own country.

What does the Biden Administration Intend to do?

President Biden and Vice President Harris have done away with many Trump Administration policies, the most significant being the Migrant Protection Protocols, which kept potential migrants in Mexico as they awaited their hearings. Biden and Harris ended the program and allowed the processing of migrants into the U.S.. The Biden administration announced the Justice Department would create task forces to combat corruption, human trafficking and drug smuggling in the North American region. Vice President Harris also promised new programs focused on creating education and economic opportunities. Stopping corruption and improving living conditions in the region have been challenges that previous administrations were unable to handle. Vice President Harris has continued to attribute the “root cause” explanation for the crisis at the border, but Harris herself has said that she does not believe the root causes approach will lead to immediate results. What should the U.S. do in the meantime? Officials have said that the U.S. alone cannot solve this crisis, and it needs collaboration with governments and other organizations, such as the United Nations. The U.S. recently announced $310 million in aid to the region, as part of a $4 billion planned investment in Central America. Republicans and Democrats have criticized Vice President Harris and the Biden Administration for the way the crisis at the border has been handled. Vice President Harris has brushed aside the criticism.

What have Officials had to Say? 

“After 75 days in charge of the Biden Border Crisis, Kamala Harris still refuses to visit the border.” Republican National Committee Hispanic communications director, Jaime Florez, was quoted by Fox News. “Instead of addressing firsthand the human costs of the disastrous Biden administration border policies, Kamala is yet again ignoring the millions of Americans affected. Kamala’s meetings in Mexico and Guatemala are about shifting blame away from the Biden administration, not solving the crisis she and Biden created,” he said. Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar’s biggest gripe with the administration is, what Vice President Harris calls “root cause,” focusing on Central America, while not enforcing laws that stop illegal immigrants coming to the border. He wants to see more solutions to help U.S. border towns, where the concern is property damage to ranches. Cuellar said the Biden administration must do more to penalize gang members who break the law and illegal immigrants who seek asylum incorrectly. Both sides want to see the Biden administration doing things to help border towns here in the U.S.. Instead, they are doing nothing to help here at home, and are taking trips to these countries to plead for the people to not come. The trip could be beneficial, if it was backed up with action. What will asking do, without action from the U.S.? 

Past administrations have attempted to fix things from within the countries potential migrants come from but it never seems to work. Former President Donald Trump started building a wall, then took a stricter stance on illegal immigration, and the numbers went down. The Biden administration stopped construction of the wall, then welcomed illegal immigrants and people seeking asylum incorrectly, and are now doing nothing about the toll it is taking on their own people. Some experts attribute the numbers being down during Trump’s presidency to the closures of the COVID pandemic. You can see for yourself here, and form your own opinion. 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

After a lengthy decision process Facebook has finally come to a decision about whether or not they plan to ban Former President Donald Trump from the social media platform. Facebook will suspend Donald Trump’s accounts following the finding that he “stoked violence” before the incidents at the Capitol on January 6. “At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest,” Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post. The social media giant isn’t guaranteeing that Donald Trump will be allowed to return at the end of the ban.

Why was Trump banned? 

On January 6, 2021 a group of disgruntled voters stormed the capitol building and gained entry. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have suggested Donald Trump incited the riot and even encouraged it. Most of the Right has been furious with the decisions big tech companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, have made. Lara Trump had a lot to say when an interview with her and the former president was removed from Facebook in February. “They want you to forget he ever existed. They don’t want you to see him, they don’t want you to hear from him. Look away, move on, shut up and go on about your lives, forget Donald Trump existed. This is really scary stuff.” It is very scary stuff indeed. How can we just remove a Former President from the public eye? An email Lara Trump posted shows a message warning her team about uploading the Facebook video. The email reminded them that “content posted on Facebook and Instagram in the voice of President Trump is not currently allowed on our platform (including new posts with President Trump speaking) and will be removed if posted, resulting in additional limitations on accounts that posted it.” Twitter permanently banned Donald Trump’s account fairly quickly after January 6. Facebook attempted to follow Twitter but hit some red tape in their own policies regarding banning accounts. 

Facebook Tries to Permanently Ban Trump 

When Facebook attempted to ban President Trump indefinitely an oversight board was required to finalize the decision. The Oversight Board is an independent third-party. “The board was established last year to make the final call on some of the most difficult content decisions Facebook makes,” Clegg wrote in a post. “It is an independent body and its decisions are binding – they can’t be overruled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg or anyone else at Facebook.” The board called Facebook lazy for referring the issue to them and ordered the social media giant to review the matter and make their own decision, according to their own policies for banning accounts. The board did agree with banning Donald Trump’s account but did not agree with banning the account indefinitely. The board gave Facebook six months to finalize a decision and suggested Facebook implement new policies and guidelines for these situations. Facebook now plans to end a policy implemented by Mark Zuckerberg that exempted politicians from rules that banned hate speech and abuse. 

Facebook’s New Policy and Final Decision 

Facebook says they never applied the policy to former President Trump. The social media giant said that while it will still apply this exemption to certain posts that are important to public interest, material posted by politicians won’t be treated any differently from that posted by anyone else. Facebook said it will be clearly publicly broadcasted when the exemption has been applied to a post. The big tech giant also has decided to ban President Trump for the next two years at least. Clegg said Facebook, at the end of the two year ban, will meet with experts to look at “external factors,” such as “instances of violence” and other “markers of civil unrest” to decide if the “risk to public safety” has gone away. When/if the ban is lifted Facebook has openly said they will be closely watching Donald Trump’s account. Facebook said there will be a set of rapidly escalating sanctions if Donald Trump commits further violations. The punishment for these sanctions are the permanent removal of his pages and accounts. 

Donald Trump called Facebook’s ruling “an insult” to his supporters. “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing,” he said in a statement. The two-year ban is considered to have begun on January 7, and will keep Trump off Facebook and Instagram through the 2022 midterm elections. How do you feel about Trump being banned on major social media? Should Facebook end the ban sooner. Should politicians be treated the same as everyone else on social media? 

As of January 1, 2020, 28 states allow school staff to arm themselves in some form or fashion. In some states, such as Colorado, there are no statutes allowing armed school personnel but also no laws explicitly prohibiting it. In Arkansas, the carrying of firearms on school grounds is prohibited but there is an exception for law enforcement officers and “registered commissioned security guards.” Some school districts, claiming a lack of resources to hire conventional guards, have obtained the necessary licenses in order for teachers and staff to be “armed security guards.” Why is it beneficial for a teacher to be armed? The next examples will highlight how quickly things can be diffused when teachers are properly armed and trained. 

Ogden, Utah

May 25, 2021 

41 year old drug addict, Ira Cox-Berry, made his way onto the playground of Lincoln Elementary School in Ogden, Utah. Upon entering the playground Cox-Berry grabbed the arm of an 11 year old girl who was playing and attempted to leave with her. A teacher saw this through the window of their classroom and immediately sprung into action. They confronted Cox-Berry, during this altercation the girl and rest of the children were able to escape into a nearby classroom. Once the children were inside Cox-Berry began punching windows of the classrooms in order to gain access to the children. This is the point where the teacher, being a trained concealed carry holder, produced their weapon and simultaneously called 911. If this teacher had not been armed Cox-Berry could have either: 1) gained access to the children and hurt one or more, or 2) injured or even killed the teacher in a physical altercation. This instance ended with the perpetrator in custody and no bodily injury to any children or school staff. 

Pearl, Mississippi 

October 1, 1997

16 year old student, Luke Woodham, woke up the morning of October 1, 1997 and stabbed his mother to death. Then he brought a .30-30 lever-action rifle, traditionally used for killing deer, to Pearl High School. At 8:06 AM the first shot rang out across the campus hitting a student in the stomach. 56 year old assistant principal, Joel Myrick, was crossing the commons when he heard the shots. He immediately ran to his truck where he kept a Colt .45 pistol; after loading the fire-arm he ran towards the sound of gunfire. He aimed at Woodham but did not fire out of fear of hitting one of the other students. “I knew not to shoot because the backstop was not safe,” he said. “I didn’t just go blasting away.” Once he noticed Myrick’s gun trained on him, Woodham retreated from campus, got in his car and began to drive away. The car spun out and came to a stop 20 steps from Myrick. Myrick had Woodham held at gunpoint when the police arrived. Two students, including Woodham’s former girlfriend, were killed and seven others were wounded. Woodham is serving life in Mississippi State Penitentiary. Myrick is against arming teachers and administration but he is an avid supporter of having armed officers in schools. This could be helpful in areas where teachers do not wish to be armed but want extra protection. An armed resource officer was helpful in the next example. 

Dixon, Illinois 

May 16, 2018 

The morning of May 16, 2018 at 8:06 AM, a former student, 19 year old Matthew Milby opened fire during graduation practice at Dixon High School. Dixon Police Officer, Mark Dallas, chased Milby from the school then shot and wounded him after he continued to shoot at the officer. Milby was treated for injuries, which weren’t life threatening, at a local hospital before being taken to the county jail under a two million dollar bond. Mike Pence was on Twitter praising the officer. “Another example of the brave work performed by law enforcement each and every day. Lives were saved thanks to the heroic actions of school resource officer Mark Dallas,” Pence said. The shooter’s mother, Julie Milby, said her son had been kicked off the football team for smoking marijuana and had recently been beaten up as other children watched. She suspected he was trying to get the police to kill him. Thankfully, no students were harmed during the shooting. The swift action of an armed resource officer saved so many lives.  

In all of the above examples an armed staff member was able to take action. Casualties in these cases were lower than similar instances where it took longer for shooters to be apprehended. School staff should have the choice to bring properly concealed and maintained weapons in order to protect themselves and their students. Schools should offer training in things such as severe trauma first aid. FAST is a course offered by the Red Cross to highschool students under the age of 19 for free. It teaches students severe trauma first aid and what to do during an emergency. Adults can take this course for a cost and can even be certified to teach it. High Schools should add FAST to their curriculum so students can be prepared for situations that may arise in or out of school. Schools should also offer active shooter defense training or some sort of guardian program. Teachers should not be required to risk their lives or fight anyone potentially dangerous, but if they find themselves in the situation where the knowledge could be useful they will have the option of putting their knowledge into practice if they choose to do so. 

School districts who decide preparing teachers is not in their best interest should have law enforcement or armed security guards. It is unfortunate that the conversation even has to be had but students need to be protected. The sad reality of modern times is that with or without “Gun Free Zones” incidents can occur from active students, former students, or even strangers. It is better to protect ourselves, and our children, to the best of our abilities, with whatever force is necessary. 

President Joe Biden ordered US intelligence officials to “redouble” their efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, including any possibility the trail might lead to a Chinese laboratory, after new information regarding Wuhan researchers’ illness has surfaced. The intelligence community has been unable to reach a conclusion as to whether it came from human contact with an infected animal or if it was the result of a laboratory accident. President Biden has claimed that “the US intelligence community has ‘coalesced around the two likely scenarios’”. 

Biden was Hesitant

For months, Biden claimed that the possibility that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory was a fringe theory. The administration endeavored to avoid public discussion of the lab leak theory and privately suggested it was farfetched. The Biden administration is now falling into GOP pressure that the president has not been tough enough on China. The international community is also pressuring China to be more open about the outbreak.

Republicans, on the other hand, including former President Donald Trump, have promoted the theory that the virus emerged from a laboratory accident rather than naturally through human contact with an infected animal in Wuhan, China.

The Order

Biden asked US intelligence agencies to report back within 90 days. He also directed US national laboratories to assist with the investigation and the intelligence community to prepare a list of specific queries for the Chinese government. He called on China to cooperate with the probes.  “The United States will also keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation and to provide access to all relevant data and evidence,” Biden said, highlighting the fact that this was not necessarily the case in the WHO investigation. 

Shifting Attitudes

Biden’s new attitude towards the Wuhan lab possibility also comes with the Senate approving to Wuhan lab-related amendments without opposition. These were attached to a largely-unrelated bill to increase US investments in innovation. One of the amendments, from Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., would block US funding of Chinese “gain of function” research on enhancing the severity or transmissibility of a virus. Rand Paul has been critical of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, and aggressively questioned him at a recent Senate hearing over the work in China.

The other amendment, from Senator Joni Ernst, R-IA, would prevent any funding into the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Both were approved without roll call votes as part of the broader bill that is still under debate in the Senate.

Source of Virus: Two Scenarios

The majority of intelligence officials have gathered around the two scenarios but “do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other.” Two agencies lean more toward the animal link and “one leans more toward” the lab theory.

Information Pointing Towards the Wuhan Lab 

A US intelligence report found that several researchers at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in November 2019 and had to be hospitalized. The new information about the severity of their symptoms fuels further debate about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. A State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said that the researchers had gotten sick in autumn 2019 but did not go as far as to say they had been hospitalized. China reported to the World Health Organization that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. However, the Wall Street Journal reported on intelligence surrounding earlier hospitalizations- November 2019. In the final days of the Trump administration, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leaned into the possibility that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or WIV. Despite the intelligence being inconclusive, Pompeo put out a fact sheet that said the US had evidence researchers at the WIV had been sick in the fall of 2019 with Covid-like symptoms and that the lab, where coronavirus had been studied in bats, had a history of military research. Current and former intelligence officials say that the idea that the virus was accidentally unleashed from the lab at Wuhan is reasonable, although they caution that there is no high-confidence assessment of that possibility.

Problematic WHO Investigation

The WHO probe was swiftly criticized by the US, UK, and other governments over its limited access to “complete, original data and samples.” The organization was also accused of being overly deferential to China throughout the course of the study, which was co-authored by 17 Chinese scientists — several of them from state-run institutions.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 2, Aurora Fire Rescue responded to a residential structure fire. A child has been hospitalized with life threatening injuries. One station says the child is a 6 year old boy but no official announcement has been made about the age or condition of the child by the fire department. 

Four residents were displaced by the fire. The structure was a townhome with other adjacent structures. The townhome was located on the 2000 block of South Paris Way, near South Peoria Street and East Jewell Avenue, in the Village East neighborhood. 

Aurora Fire Rescue was notified of the fire around 12:30 AM Wednesday, the department said in a tweet. By 5:55 AM, the department tweeted the fire was under control and did not impact adjacent units significantly. A later update said, most of the crews were gone by 4 AM. Fire investigators are still attempting to determine the cause of the fire. 

With the very first weekend of summer upon us, and as we celebrate our 2020-2021 high school and college graduates, as we partake in cool delicious watermelon and mouth watering bar-b-que, we must not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day. As some of us celebrate a day off work and school, we reflect on all of our men and women in uniform as they proudly serve our country. They serve us daily in four branches of service, The Army, The Navy, The Marines, and the Air Force. As we reflect on these true heroes this coming weekend, we also remember our high school and college graduates who will be joining one of these four branches of service immediately after graduation.

A Rocky Road

Over the past few years, there have been intense talks in congress about making it mandatory for all high school graduates to serve our country in one of the four branches of service immediately after graduation.

Built To Last

Around the world, other countries have their own militaries, it varies how people are chosen for these military services based upon the country’s laws. Some of the countries allow it to be voluntary, this is what is known as a draft. A draft is when a group of people such as men over the age of 18 must sign up for military duty but will not report for duty unless they are chosen to serve. Other nations make it mandatory to serve, some of those nations are Bermuda, Berundi, Cape Verde, Columbia, France, and Kuwait, Mali, Singapore, Mauritania, Sweden, Thailand, and Venezuela. The United States is not included in this list because all males between 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service to be drafted if needed. The United States has the highest defense spending budget of any other country.

Nations Requiring One Year

Nations that require just one year of Military Service upon graduation of high school are Algeria, Bolivia, Columbia, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Paraguay, Mongolia, Russia, Taiwan, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan.

Short Term Service

Several nations require no more than 18 months of service. Those nations are Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Cambodia, Cote d’ivoire, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Kuwait, Laos, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.

Why Serve?

For many graduates entering into any branch of the military, there are a lot of benefits of choosing to serve our country:

• Basic Pay, this is usually when enlistees first enter the service at the E-1 service grade it’s a monthly payment of $1,785. The Typical recruit will advance to an E-4 level within three years of service advancing their pay to $2,330 a month
• Special Pay – this is when military members receive incentive pay based on their assignment, location, or special skills
• Free Room and Board
• Free Health and Dental Care
• Low Cost Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Home Financing

There are also some risks involved in serving. Many of those risks include becoming injured in combat either physically or fatally, also Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a heavy risk that our service members face each day.

Memorial Day Gratitude

The true colors of all of the branches of the military will forever be in our hearts and minds in all that we do, whether it’s in our family at home, our church, our work places, even the grocery store. We all know someone who is currently serving or is retired from the service. On Memorial Day, as we dine in delicious bar-b-que, and mouth watering watermelon, our hearts will be filled with thanks for the service that our men and women provide our nation. So that we all can celebrate Memorial Day as we always remember and never forget.

Written by: Gary Taylor

Natalee Holloway was an 18 year old out of Alabama. She had a promising future and a bright personality. She had a full ride scholarship to the University of Alabama that she never got to use. She was last seen on the Carribean island of Aruba on May 29, 2005. She was last seen wearing a denim mini skirt, a rainbow halter top, and black thong flip flops. The biggest suspect in her case is Joran Van Der Sloot. 

Van Der Sloot’s Dark Past 

Van Der Sloot is known to be a gambler and to be friends with a rougher crowd. One of his friends, John Ludwick, made statements against Natalee such as, “I hope she rots in her grave for what she did to my boy,” and “I want to stomp on her grave for putting him in prison.” Both of these statements come across especially suspicious and heartless because Natalee’s Remains were never found. Ludwick also claimed in 2010 that he helped Van Der Sloot dispose of Natalee’s remains. Van Der Sloot’s father was a judge in the Aruban legal system who may well have helped his son illegally cover up Natalee’s death. Van Der Sloot was known to go to clubs with friends to look for girls. Two of those friends are the Kalpoe Brothers. Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were with Joran Van Der Sloot and Natalee Holloway the night she disappeared. They all have been arrested multiple times for the crime but are always released for lack of evidence.  If you would like to hear the evidence that poits to the involvement you can listen to the podcast Momma Kirby’s Murder Mysteries, Episode 4, ‘Natalee Holloway: Taken on Vacation.’ 

False Confessions

Over the years Van Der Sloot has confessed to the crimes a few times to different people. He always  ends up recanting his statements and saying he was lying. He has told people she died accidentally and he buried her, she died on the beach and they got rid of her in the ocean, and she was killed and hidden in the foundation of a house. These claims have proven to be lies. It is obvious he knows the truth and will go to any length to keep that truth concealed. He even gave investigators false information after he was captured for another crime and attempted to exchange that false information for being moved to an Aruban prison. 

Van Der Sloot Charged with Murder 

Natalee Holloway has not gotten justice but Van Der Sloot has been charged with murder. He murdered Stephany Flores in 2010. They were playing online poker when an instant message popped up about the Holloway case. After asking him questions about the case, he claimed she became angry and hit him first causing him to black out and kill her. He told the police he killed her so she wouldn’t go to the police over him hitting her. It seems easier to believe that Van Der Sloot told her information about the case and then she threatened to go to the police and he murdered her to conceal his dark past. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison the day after Natalee Holloway was pronounced dead on January 12, 2012. 

Natalee deserves justice and her family deserves to have answers. This case has so many questions and mysteries around it. It is very hard to discern exactly what happened which makes it impossible to charge anyone. If someone involved would come forward and give the authorities what they knew a lot of questions could be answered and Natalee’s family could have the answers they desperately want and need. Until that day comes we can only hope that one day Joran Van Der Sloot will finally tell the truth about what really happened to Natalee Ann Holloway. 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

Since January 1, 61 abortion restrictions have passed in 13 different states. This week Governors in Arizona and South Dakota recently signed bills into law that bans abortions solely based on the diagnosis of Downs Syndrome. Children with Down Syndrome are known to possibly have many health issues. This is one of the major reasons why pregnancies with the diagnosis are mostly terminated. However, if you actually look at the quality of life individuals with down syndrome are able to have the abortion rate is alarmingly high. Similar bills are pending in North Carolina and Texas. A federal appeals court said Ohio could begin to enforce a similar 2017 law. It’s a ban that supporters acknowledge will be hard to enforce. 

What Will the Abortion Bans do?

The famous court case, which allowed women to abort a baby before 24 weeks, just this week, with a 6-3 conservative majority, is being reconsidered. The 1973 Roe v. Wade’s decision could be overturned soon. The justices agreed to consider reinstating a Mississippi law that seeks to ban abortions after 15 weeks. “It usually takes 30 to 60 days for a law to take effect, the full impact of these laws will be felt later this year”, said Elizabeth Nash, who tracks state policy for Guttmacher. According to Nash, the bans passed this week will likely be held up in court. These bans include limitations on medication abortion, and an Oklahoma law that would only allow OBGYN’s to perform the procedure. Katherine Beck Johnson, a lawyer with the conservative Family Research Council, understands that the Down syndrome abortion laws might be easy to get around. “But even if it’s hard to enforce, it’s worth being passed,” she said, “It’s important for a state to show they’re not supporting eugenics; they want to remove the stigma of people who have Down syndrome.” 

Last month’s decision by a  6th Circuit court, which includes six justices nominated by Trump, reversed two earlier decisions that had blocked enforcement of the 2017 Ohio law. Doctors could face a felony charge, be stripped of their medical license and be held liable for legal damages if they are aware of a Down syndrome diagnosis when performing an abortion. The majority opinion said the Ohio law is aimed at protecting the Down syndrome community from “the stigma it suffers from the practice of Down-syndrome-selective abortions.” In the past courts routinely blocked state laws seeking to ban abortion based on a diagnosis of Down syndrome or other anomalies. Trump’s judicial appointments as well as the Supreme Court has altered the legal atmosphere. However, not everyone believes the bans should be in place. 

People against the abortion bans 

“If you tell a woman, ’We’re going to force you to have a baby with Down syndrome. she’ll think, ‘Oh my God, is it really that bad that you’re going to force me?’” Said Holly Christensen, a teacher and newspaper columnist in Akron, Ohio. Holly’s 8-year-old daughter, Lyra, has Down syndrome. Holly believes that the push for bans, in hopes of getting a case before the Supreme Court, has damaged the effort to get information about Down syndrome. Holly believes this could hinder more families from being willing to raise children with the condition. She would like to see increased funding for education and services for children with disabilities as well as resources for new families who have children with down syndrome and other anomalies. Erika Christensen, and her husband, Garin Marschall, decided in May 2016 to terminate a pregnancy after learning, during the third trimester, that the baby would be unable to breathe on their own. The couple lived in New York, where abortions are banned after 24 weeks. They traveled to Colorado and Christensen had an abortion at 32 weeks. Christensen and Marschall now oppose bills banning abortion for reasons related to genetic anomalies. The couple says lawmakers oversimplify the difficult decisions women and families must make. “All decisions in these cases are necessarily complicated,” said Christensen. The couple noted that the 6th Circuit decision upholding the law in Ohio implies that patients seeking abortions in similar cases could lie to their doctors about their reasons. “That is a really dangerous place to go with regard to the law,” Marschall said. 

According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one in every 700 babies in the United States is born with the condition. This adds up to roughly 6,000 babies annually born with the chromosomal irregularity. A 2012 study by medical experts estimated the abortion rate of unborn babies with the diagnosis was 67%. In the past, many children with Down syndrome were institutionalized. These days, they frequently acquire job skills and some degree of self-sufficiency. Their life expectancy is more than 60 years, triple the expectation just a few decades ago. This is why it is so important to preserve the life of babies who may be born with the condition. If they are capable of living life successfully why should they not have that chance? Arizona’s new Down syndrome measure is set to take effect later this year. Similar to the Ohio law, it calls for felony charges against doctors who perform an abortion based on a diagnosis of Down syndrome or other genetic abnormalities. What do you think of these new bans? Do you believe parents should have the right to choose whether or not a baby gets a chance at life?

Written by: Erinn Malloy

A bill that provides protections for workers trying to organize has passed in the House. During an interview on ‘Stinchfield,’ Dick Morris, political strategist, said the move could “destroy the gig economy and unionize America.” Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021, or the PRO Act, is House Resolution 842 and passed on March 9. The bill passed 225-206, with only five Republicans in favor. The bill is unlikely to advance in the Senate with a lack of Republican support. Both sides are definitely in disagreement about how the bill will affect America. 

Reactions to the PRO act

During ‘Stinchfield,’ Morris said, “it’s horrible; it will completely change the whole American economy and change the way 40 million people do their work, it’s part of an effort to unionize all of America.” Union leaders say the Protecting the Right to Organize Act would begin to protect them from what they believe is unfair big business and management, making union organizing drives and elections difficult. Morris pointed out federal funds used for construction require the use of unionized workers. He called it “part of the Democrats’ playbook, like the guise of COVID-19 was used to unconstitutionally change voting in the 2020 presidential election.” The bill has rapidly gained support from left and socialist groups. The Democratic Socialists of America launched a national campaign in support of the bill on twitter. The National Retail Federation called the Protecting the Right to Organize Act the “worst bill in congress,” for these ten reasons.

1. Puts an end to independent work and the gig economy

Under the PRO Act, the gig is up! One provision has the potential to completely upend business models that allow individuals to work independently. The PRO Act would codify California’s controversial “ABC test” for classifying workers as either employees or independent contractors. That test severely limits opportunities for individuals to pursue independent work and has resulted in job losses in California. Expanding it nationwide would mean limited opportunity for individuals to work as independent contractors in numerous industries, including those who drive for ridesharing platforms such as Uber and Lyft and those who provide important services to retailers.

2. Say goodbye to private ballots

In a world where the PRO Act is law, workers would be stripped of many privacy rights they currently have, including the right to cast a secret ballot in union elections. The PRO Act would replace this hallmark of democratic elections with “card check,” a scheme where employees are forced to publicly cast their votes and are subject to union coercion and intimidation.

3. No more employee privacy

The PRO Act would force employers to turn over employees’ personal information – including cell phone numbers, emails and home addresses – to union organizers in advance of a union election without the opportunity for employees to provide consent or opt out. What could go wrong here? Workers and their families could be subject to union harassment and intimidation tactics if this provision becomes law.

4. Same goes for free choice

Twenty-seven states have chosen to adopt right-to-work laws that give employees the free choice to decide whether to join a union without risking their jobs. The PRO Act would override the will of the voters in those states, depriving workers of the freedom to decide for themselves and forcing them to pay union dues.

5. Picketing and union coercion coming to Main Street

In one of the most shocking provisions, the PRO Act would permit unions to strike or boycott neutral third parties that are not directly involved in an underlying labor dispute. This means a small business that simply does business with a company tied up in a labor dispute with a union would be vulnerable to picketing and boycotting by union organizers. These “secondary boycotts” cause economic damage to neutral small businesses and have the potential to do irreparable harm to their reputations in their local communities.

6. More government control over private contracts

As if the government doesn’t already have its hand in everything, the PRO Act would eliminate the freedom of employers and employees to negotiate the terms of a contract if a bargaining agreement is not reached within the first 120 days of negotiation. Instead, the PRO Act would require an arbitrator who has no familiarity with the business’s operations to set binding contract terms. This sort of government control has bankrupted many municipalities and fueled the public sector pension crisis.

7. Limitless joint employer liability

The PRO Act would codify an expansive “joint employer” standard, meaning retailers could suddenly face liability for workplaces they do not control and workers they do not employ. This expanded joint employer standard (which determines when a company can be considered a “joint employer” with its contractors or franchisees) has been opposed on a bipartisan basis, given the severe threat it poses to our country’s small and local businesses.

8. Jeopardizes attorney-client privilege

The PRO Act would resurrect the so-called “persuader rule,” which interferes with attorney-client confidentiality and would make it harder for businesses, particularly small businesses, to secure legal advice on complex labor law matters.

9. Increases costly litigation for all parties

Buckle up for costly lawsuits! The PRO Act would increase costly class-action lawsuits that directly benefit trial lawyers at the expense of employees and employers by prohibiting mandatory arbitration of employment disputes.

10. Interferes with retailers’ ability to run their businesses

The PRO Act would take away the ability of employers to keep their workplaces open during economic strikes, which could cripple their business.

Most Republicans seem to agree the PRO Act is one of the worst bills in Congress. It is designed to strengthen labor unions and force workers into paying union dues. Many of the provisions have been proposed to Congress and the courts in the past but were rejected. “It’s all a device to unionize the country, legitimize them, force them onto a payroll, and then force them into a union,” Morris concluded in the interview. What will happen to all of the free-lancers and independent workers who choose that lifestyle? People who want to make their own schedule and truly be their own boss will no longer have that option because their jobs will be eliminated. 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

Rights for LGBTQ+ people have come a long way since the Stonewall Riots of 1969. June 28, 1969, New York City police wrongfully raided the Stonewall Inn. Patrons and neighborhood residents began throwing objects at police as people were loaded into police vans. The scene turned into a riot with protests that lasted for five more days. In 1970, at the one-year anniversary, community members marched through the streets in commemoration of the event. That march is now considered the country’s first gay pride parade. The complicated relationship the LGBTQ+ people have with police has created issues within both communities. NYC Pride organizers have banned officers from participating. NYC Pride organizers said its new policy banning “corrections and law enforcement exhibitors” will improve safety. Organizers will seek to keep officers a block away from the celebration of LGBTQ+ people and history. A gay officers group said it was disheartened after the “shameful” decision.

Why are Police Banned from Pride Parade? 

NYC Pride organizers said they are banning police and other law enforcement from marching in their huge annual inclusion parade until at least 2025. “NYPD is not required to lead first response and security at NYC Pride events,” the group said. “All aspects of first response and security that can be reallocated to trained private security, community leaders and volunteers will be reviewed.” NYC Pride organizers urged members of traditional law enforcement to “acknowledge their harm and to correct course moving forward.”  NYC Pride organizers say the “violence against marginalized groups,” specifically “BIPOC and trans communities,” has continued to escalate.  “The sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide can instead be threatening, and at times dangerous, to those in our community who are most often targeted with excessive force and/or without reason,” the statement read. NYC Pride organizers say traditional police units will be used “only when absolutely necessary as mandated by city officials.” They would like for active units to be stationed a whole block away from all people and festivities. This is, of course, not sitting well with with a group a gay officers as they are less than happy with the decision. 

How NYC Police are Reacting to Being Banned

A fraternal organization formed in 1982 for LGBTQ officers known as the Gay Officers Action League leaked the announcement recently, ahead of the NYC Pride organizer’s planned release. The disheartened officers called the ban an “abrupt about-face.” “Heritage of Pride is well aware that the city would not allow a large–scale event to occur without police presence. So their response to activist pressure is to take the low road by preventing their fellow community members from celebrating their identities,” Gay Officers Action League President, Brian Downey, said. This should be a time when the two organizations can try to rebuild the bridge for the community and begin the lengthy process of healing. Roughly 200 members of the Gay Officers Action League and their families participate in Pride each year, Dan Dimant, a spokesman for NYC Pride told Fox News. The decision has frustrated gay officers and family members who had hoped to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Gay Pride marches. “That said, we’ll still be there to ensure traffic safety and good order during this huge, complex event,” Officers of the Gay Officers Action League assured the public. 

NYC Pride organizer’s announcement follows a recent division among organizers planning celebrations of LGBTQ+ pride. In 2020, Pride was unable to have a parade or any kind of festivities amid the pandemic. In 2019, there were two marches in Manhattan after part of the local LGBTQ+ community concluded the annual Pride parade had become too commercialized. The Queer Liberation March aimed to be a protest. Attendees were saying the main Pride march was too heavily policed by the same department that raided Stonewall. The New York Police Commissioner apologized for the raid in 2019, calling it “wrong, plain and simple.” NYC Pride organizers are not the first Pride group to ban law enforcement, places such as Sacramento and Vancouver have also banned law enforcement from participating in recent years. Do you believe law enforcement should be banned from participating in Pride? Should Pride organizers be attempting to help rebuild the bridges between law enforcement and local communities? 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

In modern times a large amount of American people are gig-workers. Gig-workers work for companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Doordash. There is a lot of debate around how the people who work for these businesses should be classified. Some say these workers should be considered independent contractors. This would mean the worker would not receive benefits or be subject to regular labor laws. Some believe the workers should be classified as employees so they can receive minimum wage and health benefits. This would mean workers would not be able to control their hours and truly work independently. Trump attempted to make it easier for gig-economy businesses to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The Biden administration blocked a Trump-era regulation and signaled it would take a tougher enforcement stance against employers on worker classification. The Biden administration has made creating union jobs a priority.

What is Prop 22?

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and other companies won last November with Prop 22 in California. Prop 22 exempted those companies from a state law that would have required them to classify their workers as employees. The companies aggressively opposed the law. They argued it would eliminate worker flexibility, while also increasing consumer prices and wait times. In January of last year, in an attempt to prove drivers are independent contractors, Uber released the multiplier option which allowed drivers to see passengers and destinations before accepting the ride, as well as set their own rates. 

What has Happened since Prop 22?

Some gig-workers have fought to be classified as employees so they could qualify for benefits like paid sick leave, health insurance. Gig-Companies and other advocates say keeping employees as independent contractors will help maintain worker flexibility. Lyft spokeswoman Julie Wood said the company sees the regulatory action as an “opportunity to refocus the conversation on what drivers need and want, which is independence plus benefits.” Many drivers are worried about the recent change in the rate they are being paid. An Uber spokesperson said the changes and rebalancing rates are part of a pilot program to improve airport pickups for riders and drivers. Among the most recent changes is a reduction in mileage rates from Los Angeles international airport. The airport mileage rate for Uber was reduced from 65 cents a mile to 32 cents a mile. The multiplier option and features for drivers to turn down unwanted rides has largely been revoked because drivers were turning down too many rides. Passenger fees were increased by Uber and Lyft despite claims from app companies ahead of Prop 22 that such fees wouldn’t be increased. Drivers aren’t being paid proportionally to fee increases. Lyft has implemented similar fee structures. 

Is America being Unionized?

If the big gig-work companies can’t fix the wage gap between them and their workers, more of them will want to be considered employees in order to even receive fair wages. The gig-economy is already in danger of crumbling according to Dick Morris during ‘Stinchfield’ on Newsmax. “It takes 30-40 million Americans who work for themselves, work on the gig economy – Uber drivers, Lyft drivers, me working as a consultant to Newsmax, you probably,” Morris said to Stinchfield, “and we would no longer be able to be independent contractors. We would have to go on the Newsmax payroll.” Morris noted it would likely force workers to work full time and take away flexibility for the worker and the employers, potentially eliminating some jobs altogether. “It’s all a device to unionize the country, regimentize them, force them onto a payroll, and then force them into a union,” Morris concluded. This seems to be true since Joe Biden showed that he is one of the most pro-union presidents in American history by declaring the “unions built the middle class” in his address to a joint session of Congress. Some labor experts say Biden may prove to be even more pro-union than Franklin D Roosevelt, who signed landmark legislation creating a minimum wage and giving workers a federal protected right to unionize. How do you feel about the possibility of a majorly unionized America? 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

The U.S. has reported more than 32.7 million COVID-19 cases, including more than 585,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Anyone needing a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot will be able to get a free trip from the ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber, the White House announced Tuesday. “The feature will launch in the next two weeks and run until July 4,” the White House said. Uber and Lyft will provide free rides to vaccination sites beginning May 24. The agreement is intended to help the declining pace of immunizations and reach President Biden’s goal of inoculating 70 percent of American adults by July 4. That number stands at 58%, White House coronavirus task force director Jeffrey Zients said. 

How Will The Program Work? 

To use the program select a vaccination site near you and then redeem the companies’ offer of a free ride. The two ride-sharing firms will promote the offer in their apps. Lyft will offer a “ride code,” covering up to $15 of each trip to or from a vaccination site. Lyft expects the code will erase “most, if not all, of riders’ fares.” The offer covers daytime rides on bikes and scooters, as well as in cars. People will be able to sign up for their ride code by May 24. Uber did not immediately provide details about its plan, but both Uber and Lyft have previously pledged to offer millions of rides to people who need help getting to a vaccine appointment. Uber promised to provide up to 10 million free or discounted rides to help people get vaccinated, particularly “communities of color that have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic,” as the company said in December. Some states are giving major incentives to people for getting the vaccine. 

Incentives For Vaccines 

Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia has started to experiment with incentives that could sway reluctant or uninterested Americans. Governor Justice said the state would give $100 savings bonds to young people who get vaccinated. Officials are still trying to work out the details of the program. In New York, officials are offering free rail and subway tickets with vaccinations. The governors who met virtually with the president had ideas of their own. Governor Janet Mills told President Biden Maine would offer vouchers to L.L. Bean, free fishing and hunting licenses, and tickets to local sporting events as incentives. “We’re calling this ‘your shot to get outdoors,’” Governor Mills said. Biden seemed amused by the idea, replying, “My guess is that’s probably going to work.” McDonald’s said it was partnering with the Biden administration on a campaign to promote vaccination. Starting in July, coffee cups and delivery stickers will direct customers to vaccines.gov. New Jersey offered a “shot and a beer” for residents who get their first vaccine dose in May and visit participating breweries in the state. Biden is set to announce funding that will be “immediately available” through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funds will be used to fund state efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities, including door-to-door canvassing and pop-up vaccination sites in workplaces and churches. 

In that same meeting other initiatives were detailed as well, including an effort to create vaccination sites at community colleges and to send FEMA officials around the country to encourage people to receive a shot. The announcement marked an aggressive new phase of the administration’s efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy and expand access. “We’re going to be able to take a serious step toward returning to normalcy by Independence Day,” Biden said, referring to a goal he set in March. “And there’s a lot of work to do though to get there. But I believe we can get there.” What do you think about states offering incentives in exchange for people getting the vaccine? 

Written by: Erinn Malloy

As many people are becoming more productive today than ever before congress is currently looking at ways to help Americans stay more productive and get the job done.

History In The Making

Daylight Savings Time has been around since World War I, when Germany wanted to conserve coal used to fuel light sources, so it mandated changing of the clocks to save daylight productive hours. The idea became very popular internationally, and was quickly adopted by the whole world. Daylight Savings Time was originated as a wartime effort.

USA

Here in the united States, daylight savings time has had mixed reactions, when it was first introduced, it was very popular, because people would wake up really early, and they loved having the natural sunlight to wake them up. After World War I, daylight savings time was abolished, before President Franklin D. Roosevelt reinstated it as another wartime effort in the 1940’s. 

The Long Run

Daylight Savings Time saw irregular use, but it was lengthened in the 1970’s during the oil embargo to allow workers in the oil rigs and on the oil fields to stay as productive as possible.

In 2005, congress decided to extend DST from seven months to eight months.

Loss and Gains of Daylight Savings Ending

The pressure of Daylight Savings Time has inconvenienced many Americans since it was passed into law. Very few people enjoy it getting dark outside early in the winter, or losing an hour of sleep in the spring, also, the hard task of setting several clocks and watches back or ahead one hour during the fall and spring seasons.

Both Parties

For a while now, both Republicans and Democrats are in agreement and are looking at ways to make Daylight Savings Time permanent. In 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio introduced a bill called “The Sunshine Protection Act” to make Daylight Savings Time permanent, with no turning back or turning forward of the clock.

It’s All Good

Making DST permanent will also cause great health benefits, there would be less seasonal depression, less risk of strokes, less heart disease, more worker productivity will take place, also, many Americans tend to exercise more during Daylight Savings Time. Research has also shown that fewer car accidents take place during daylight hours, and fewer crimes and robberies occur.

Economy and Energy Benefits

Permanent DST would provide great economic impact and growth. Studies have shown that with standard time, economic activity has declined, making DST permanent would offset this and lead to greater energy savings as well. Daylight Savings Time was also introduced to benefit our country’s farmers, both them and their animals would greatly benefit.

Seeking Approval

So far there are currently Fifteen states that are in favor of making Daylight Savings Time permanent. But, they are powerless until the can receive final approval from the federal government. Until then, both parties along with legislation are anxiously awaiting the hope of daylight at the end of the tunnel.

Written by: Gary Taylor

Job openings reached a record level of 8.1 million in March, yet 9.7 million still remain unemployed, showing a hiring gap between job openings and workers willing to accept those positions. Employers want to hire, but people are reluctant to go into available jobs due to expanded unemployment benefits, fear of contracting COVID-19, and a lack of childcare. Parents of young children are reluctant to work full-time jobs while their children remain at home, rather than attend an in-person school.  

The largest job openings have been in blue collar jobs such as production, manufacturing, loading, and stocking. Many unemployed may not have the desire or the skills to work in these jobs. White-collar has yet to catch up. One of the largest increases has been in food service. The average wage in that sector in March was $16.63 an hour, which is around the same as what people receive for unemployment. Workers are further disincentivized because many start jobs paying far less than they could receive staying home and collecting unemployment benefits.

Both the benefits and the partially remote schools should be temporary. Some unemployment benefits expire in September, and most students are expected to attend school in person in the fall. 

Stipulations to Unemployment Benefits

Biden said that Americans on unemployment must take a job if offered a “suitable” one or lose their benefits, in response to Republican criticism. Republicans have argued that unemployment benefits are too generous and cause workers to stay home, rather than rejoin the workforce. The White House said it is directing the Department of Labor to work with states to reimpose work search requirements for Americans collecting unemployment benefits. The Labor Department will soon issue a letter to “reaffirm” the rules of unemployment to ensure that workers, employers, and states understand the rules of the program. However, the White House did not announce a departure from prior policy on unemployment benefits.

There are also state-led efforts to get people back to work. States reinstating the work-search requirement include Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. Montana, South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas are planning to stop the additional $300 benefit.

Inflation

Stimulus packages and other economic policies under the Biden Administration have also caused a significant amount of inflation. This has been noted by a surge in consumer prices. Consumer prices have gone up 4.2%, the sharpest jump since 2008. Energy prices have increased 25% from a year ago. Used car and truck prices have gone up by 21%. Lumber prices have also risen 124% amid persistent demand for building materials. Housing prices have also gone up, increasing property tax on many Americans. Copper has also gone up nearly 36%.

Biden has called for higher corporate and income taxes of anyone making $400,000 and above. This may pay off a higher level of government spending but not necessarily lead to reinvestment in the economy.

Not Booming Again

Biden has done little to improve the economy as a whole, aside from giving stimulus checks to people. Biden has largely followed a wealth redistribution program. Many sectors of the economy are still struggling. The service industry has been the first to start picking back up. The April jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the total nonfarming sector of the economy has taken a hit, and jobs have not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels yet. The most notable dips are in manufacturing, wholesale trade, and information. 

Domestic manufacturing has decreased since the pandemic. Factories have been seen as crowded, unsafe places that could spread disease, and many states still have tough restrictions, particularly in the Northeast and West Coast.

Oil and Gas

Biden has allied himself with the “Go Green” climate change cause, hurting oil and gas sectors of the economy. He halted oil and gas leases on federal lands and cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline. He has also eliminated fossil fuel subsidiaries, reversed Trump’s rollback on methane regulations, and staffed the SEC to mandate ESG and climate disclosures. He has also sharpened environmental regulation as a whole, which can hinder job growth and expansion in many areas. These policies have also caused gas prices to increase at the pump while eliminating many high paid jobs.

Immigration

At the very time when Biden has tried to align himself with union workers, his soft stance on immigration has raised questions about the hiring of US workers. Republicans believe an influx of low-skilled workers and sanctuary cities will lower the pay for existing workers in the United States. Illegal labor could allow employers to hire workers for less than the federally mandated $15 per hour.

Written by: Miranda Smith

We discuss CBD and how it’s the future of all natural medicine. We dive into different CBD products and how they can help the average American consumer. We also go into detail about new and current products created by MyKind.