The city council of Bellingham, Washington, has authorised its police to arrest people injecting, ingesting or inhaling drugs on downtown streets. The move followed the council’s acknowledgement that open use of drugs was scaring people away and impacting local businesses, creating zones occupied primarily by drug users and sellers. The council hopes that arrested people can be pushed into treatment programmes. However, experts warn that this approach could simply lead users to flee treatment within 24 hours and also creates further harms such as shame, which force user to conceal their substance use.
The US Supreme Court has protected social media platforms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter by rejecting one lawsuit involving a lethal attack on a Turkish nightclub and tossing a second case back to a lower court. The move preserves a law known as Section 230, which provides legal immunity for social media under which they cannot be held responsible for the material posted on their platforms. The court's move has highlighted calls for Congress to revise the law, adopted in 1996, that provides such legal protection.
Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana has signed a bill that could ban TikTok in the US' first statewide ban of the site. The bill aims "to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party," according to a statement by the Republican governor. The ban would also come into effect on January 1, 2022. It is uncertain how the Montana government will enforce this, with critics stating that it will be technologically complicated. Montana represented a paradox for the youth social media site, as one user points out: "There’s no key players in global politics or even global interactions between the United States and China that live here in Montana".
Chinese students at George Washington University in Washington, DC have established an independent union — the Independent Chinese Student Union — which aims to provide a platform to students free from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. The fight to create this union and promote democracy on US campuses is significant, not only for the promotion of democratic ideals, but also as a stand against the CCP’s intellectual interference. The union’s initial 12 members have remained anonymous due to fears for the safety of themselves and their family members. Their goal is to establish an independent voice for the community, to protect students from CCP interference and to call attention to George Washington University’s investment in what they say are companies complicit in the Uyghur genocide. The establishment of the independent union is the latest in a number of recent signs that Chinese students are becoming politically active on American college campuses.
An American Federation of Teachers campaign, “Fund Our Future,” has reportedly made a push to introduce wealth tax measures in California, New York, and Illinois, but risks increasing public discontent with rising taxes on top of the existing federal taxes and already high state income taxes. A 1% annual tax on Californians with a net worth above $50m has been proposed, as has doubling down on existing high taxes. In the face of overtaxation, citizens could be driven to leave the affected states.
President Biden's mixed stance on energy with the approval of oil exploration in Alaska yet pushing to eliminate fossil fuels is a losing strategy, according to the author of this op-ed. The mixed signals are alienating both sides of the political spectrum, and Biden's agenda will lead to higher energy prices and restrict development in Arctic reserves. The push of fossil fuel elimination is also damaging, unnecessary and could make it difficult to keep the lights on. Pennsylvania, with its energy reserves, is a crucial player in energy policy and a must-win electoral battleground.
The annual Social Security trustees' report has identified problems in the US social security system. The trustees forecast that the old-age retirement programme will deplete its funds by 2033, meaning those aged 57 or below will receive nothing, while all beneficiaries will face 23% cuts in benefits. Such cuts will amount to a loss of over $5,000 p.a. for the average retiree. The trustees recommended that policymakers act now to prevent insolvency, proposing to permanently cut benefits by 21% or boost taxes from 12.4% to 15.8% of income. However, neither Democrats nor Republicans have credible plans to save the Social Security system.
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has called for a shift in US foreign policy that focuses more on Taiwan and less on Ukraine in a speech entitled, "China and Ukraine: A Time for Truth". The senior senator spoke at The Heritage Foundation in February 2023, and argued that the US should work to deter China from invading Taiwan rather than getting involved in the Ukraine conflict. Hawley criticized the "uniparty" of neo-conservatives and liberal globalists for perpetuating what he called the "story of American empire". He claimed that the current foreign policy has not worked for decades and has been detrimental to American security and the economy.
Hawley recounted his own experience in Hong Kong in October 2019, describing it as a scene of “chaos” and “the true face of Chinese tyranny”. He warned that the same thing could happen in Taiwan if the US does not “change course soon”. Hawley cautioned that the “familiar and comforting story” of American military might and infinite power has created a false sense of security, and did not believe that China would not challenge the US.
The senator argued that the current foreign policy has failed because it is over-committed and over-reliant on the dream of liberal empire. He accused the uniparty of being unwilling to acknowledge the tough trade-offs that exist, and of writing blank checks to other countries. Hawley did not provide specific details on what a foreign policy focused more on Taiwan and less on Ukraine would look like or how the US would achieve it.
What happens when $2 trillion is sucked out of the global economy? It may not be pretty
CNN
23-05-19 15:45
Central banks face a difficult challenge as they shrink their balance sheets and unwind quantitative easing programs, which may destabilize the financial system. Central banks came to the rescue of the global economy twice over the past 15 years during the 2008 financial crisis and again during the COVID-19 pandemic. To restore confidence in the economy and stimulate it, central banks engaged in quantitative easing (QE) and purchased government bonds and assets. This created an era of "easy money" and gave policymakers newfound power. But now that inflation has reached its highest point in a generation, central banks must reduce the size of their bloated balance sheets, which currently holds tens of trillions of dollars worth of government bonds and assets. This measure, known as "quantitative tightening," will remove around $2tn of liquidity from the financial system over the next two years. The liquidity drain could amplify risks on the banking system and markets. The major fear is that when liquidity is withdrawn and banks try to adjust to the reduced amount of money in circulation, the demand for liquidity will ratchet up, making it harder to wean the financial system off it.
New York Representative Jamaal Bowman has been gaining notice in Congress due to his confrontational style, publicly speaking out against Republicans and moderate Democrats. This approach has assured the public of his passion and mission. Despite his left-wing political mission, Mr. Bowman’s approach has caught the eye of a wider section of the Democrat party and there has been speculation about his ambition. Videos of him arguing with House Republicans and being told to “calm down” by an AR-15-owning representative from Kentucky circulated on social media. Alongside the success of his confrontational tactics, his approach causes risk to his personal safety as a Black man. Last week, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene accused him of called her a white supremacist which she criticised as her being treated "equal to” someone “calling a person of color the N-word.” Scholars of political rhetoric suggested that his aggressive approach will stand as a departure from how Black politicians have engaged with politics before. Mr. Bowman is an educator and often engages with politics differently than the institution is used to.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government's "mature and orderly" approach to implementing policy, arguing its avoidance of rash promises would ultimately serve to deliver greater outcomes. Albanese, who won the federal election in May 2021, said the years preceding his election were characterised by a lack of action and that it was important that the government was sure any change would occur before it was promised. The leader of the Labor Party also suggested his government was successful because it had not over-promised in areas such as climate change policy, where Albanese stressed his government had achieved more than the previous, coal-supporting government.
Labour’s lasting popularity in the polls was linked to a focus on democratic governance and the commitment to following through on well-considered plans, such as extending parental leave, Albanese said. The opposition, led by Peter Dutton, has accused the government of breaking key election promises, such as the commitment to lowering power bills, but Dutton’s claims have been refuted by economists. The government’s most pressing issue is finding more housing options for Australians, but its plan to invest $10bn in building costs has been blocked in the Senate. Nevertheless, Albanese is confident that housing concerns would be addressed prior to the next election, which takes place in 2025.
There was no plan B for Russia in Ukraine and Putin cannot win, lose, or stop, according to New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman. He reveals that Ukraine's 1991 independence was seen as an "unfortunate historical misunderstanding" by the Russian elite, who have sought to bring Ukraine back into the fold ever since. Ukraine, just like Russia, did not have a plan B; the fight against Russian aggression and its invasion of the eastern part of Ukraine has been long and tiring. Marich believes Ukraine's path to peace "is NATO."
Ontario's Conservative government is separating Peel region, the third-largest municipality in Ontario, by carving out Brampton and Mississauga to become independent cities. The move is said to resolve long-standing power struggles over regional control but creates other challenges to be overcome, including the financial accounting of shared services, such as water treatment. Legislated to be implemented by January 2024, the split will allow for the creation of two powerful “strong mayor” roles in the newly formed independent cities, something Premier Doug Ford has conferred on both Ottawa and Toronto, and will no doubt look to promote in the newly independent cities at the right time. The split will cost significant sums and amid calls for the local municipalities to merge or amalgamate services instead, there is an acceptance that the growing pains of both cities have, at last, become too great to ignore.
Japanese women are being offered mentoring and grant money by the Murakami Family Foundation to help address the gender imbalance in politics. Just two of Fumio Kishida’s 19-member cabinet are women, while the 465-member lower chamber of parliament is 90% male. Part-time seminars given by leading politicians have been held on the course, which is open to women under 40. A ¥1m ($7,400) grant is also awarded. A record 489 women stood in last month’s local elections, but this was still only 16% of all candidates.
Germany is preparing to publish its first comprehensive national security strategy. The strategy will be published some time next month, ahead of a Nato summit in July. The purpose of the strategy is to set out a conceptual framework for policymakers to plan foreign, defence and security policies. It will assess both long-term and immediate challenges, sending a useful signal to citizens, allies and rivals about how leaders see the world and their country's place in it. The new German strategy is built on three concepts: vigorous defence, resilience and sustainability. Germany's friends on both sides of the Atlantic are keen to see Berlin take more responsibility for European security, spend more on defence, and above all, think strategically. However, the initiative seems a useful way to flesh out the ideas contained in a landmark speech that Chancellor Olaf Scholz made just days after the war’s outbreak. This has become known as his Zeitenwende speech after the word he coined to suggest that Russia’s invasion marked a“historical turning point” or an“epochal shift in geopolitics.”
Polling by Electoral Calculus has indicated that the majority of people in the UK are opposed to low traffic neighbourhoods, with councils that favour them costing political support. The survey of 2,118 people highlighted 57% who said councils, MPs and mayors should not make rules which force car owners to drive less. Similarly, 51% said politicians were making life “too difficult” with congestion charges, low emission zones and LTNs. The results have led to calls from senior Tory MPs to introduce legislation halting ‘anti-car’ schemes at local level. Already (DfT) is exploring excluding LTNs from central government funding.
Canada's got a drinking problem — and one senator says Ottawa needs to step up
CBC
23-05-22 08:00
Canada's federal government's reluctance to hit drinkers with punishing financial disincentives – despite the fact that alcohol is the country's leading cause of preventable death – has prompted a politician to propose a bill to mandate cancer warnings on drink labels. Quebec Sen Patrick Brazeau, himself a recovering alcoholic, is behind Bill S-254. "It's so widely accepted in our society," he told CBC News. "But alcohol is not good for us, and we have to stop pretending that it is. … It doesn't seem there are too many people on Parliament Hill, elected officials, who are willing to take the bull by the horns and do something."
According to the Toronto Star, tenants are becoming a growing force in local elections in the Canadian city. Rising rents, largely caused by the increasing cost of properties, are inspiring more renters to play a more active role in determining the next mayor of the city as they worry they may never be able to own a house. Many Canadian tenants are struggling to afford rising rents which is having an impact on their living standards and their standard of living. Almost one quarter of Toronto households rent, and home ownership rates have decreased consistently in the past decade, with wages uncoupled from the cost of homebuying. Turning out to vote en masse could have a significant impact on the upcoming municipal election, forcing candidates to provide solutions to affordable housing. Issues relating to housing policy have become a more important topic for local politicians in recent years, impacting those in the lower-wage categories and increasing their political visibility.
