Posts in National
The Rift at the Heart of the Republican Party

“In a statement released by his newly formed PAC, Save America, Former President Donald J. Trump publicly slandered Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, calling him a “ dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.” The comments came after weeks of tension surrounding Trump’s second impeachment trial. Trump and McConnell have historically had a strong relationship, but their recent arguments have characterized a growing divide in the Republican party.”

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The Democrats Debate Student Debt

“Previously, President Biden has stated the cost of college “must be lowered immediately,” and that free four-year college education is a must for anyone from households making under $125,000. Now, he states that he will write off $10,000 of student debt for borrowers, but no more. What changed, and how is the rest of the Democratic Party reacting to this?”

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Rush Limbaugh: A Legacy

Ultimately, Rush leaves a mixed legacy behind. He vaulted American conservatism, and the spectacle of politics as a concept, into the mainstream. The elimination of the Fairness Doctrine Act is the sole reason for his notoriety, and with it, he was able to establish a daily listenership and millions of followers across the country. Since 1988, he has served as a trusted voice in many conservative households, and he created an avenue for others to follow in his stead. Often, however, his comments were ill regarded, made in bad faith, or outwardly offensive, reflecting a deep seated hatred of the Democratic party and pandering to a hyperconservative audience rather than journalism through the pursuit of facts.

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NationalNicholas LongComment
The Rise in Violence against Asian Americans amid COVID pandemic

“Hate and violence against Asian Americans has been developing for months since the pandemic, leading experts to blame insecurity and fear upon by the pandemic to rationalize the increased discrimination and xenophobia. In the past, there is a long history of diseases and outbreaking being used to rationalize xenophobic behavior, and the current pandemic reflects that historic trend. Advocates for the Asian American-Pacific Islander community are calling for more to be done to address the current violence against Asian Americans, a community in which racist crimes have been historically underreported in America.”

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The Downfall of Pandemic ‘Superstar’ Governor Andrew Cuomo

“In light of the new information, the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have initiated an investigation into Cuomo’s handling of the nursing homes throughout the pandemic, issuing subpoenas. In response to the allegations, Cuomo stated “everything that could have been done was done”. The recent information regarding Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic comes as Republican and Democratic lawmakers are set to vote on whether to continue allowing Cuomo to use emergency executive powers or to strip him of said powers.”

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'The Nation's Second Hardest Job': An Early Look at the NYC Mayor Race

“It is undeniable that the mayor of New York wields enormous power and political influence...It is with this in mind that over 40 people have filed paperwork to vye for the chance to take over Bill de Blasio’s job when his term ends at the end of this year. However, with the June 22 primaries looming only a few short months away, only a few candidates have emerged as serious contenders.”

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Lawsuit Against Fox News Network Sparks a Debate About First Amendment Freedoms

“Fox News faces a $2.7 billion lawsuit filed to the New York Supreme Court by Smartmatic, an election technology company, on the basis that they spread false claims about the 2020 Presidential election. The lawsuit calls out a few people by name including Fox News anchors, Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs and Jeanine Pirro, and lawyers, Rudolph Giuliani and Sidney Powell.”

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Liz Cheney, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the Ideological Battle Consuming the Republican Party

“According to her campaign website, Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) “is a proud constitutional conservative and an advocate for a strong America.” Her values seem to lineup one-to-one with the mission of the modern Republican Party that claims to be “fighting for a freer and stronger America where everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.” However, recent developments within the House Republican Caucus following President Trump’s second impeachment have highlighted the changing nature of ideological divisions within the GOP.”

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NationalAdam TatumGOPComment
The GOP Greenes Out

“Most Americans reject the beliefs of QAnon - yet seventeen percent believe in it. Most members of the government have openly denounced such forms of extremism, although a few politicians in the Republican Party seem to embrace them, most notably Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of GA-14 - the leading face of QAnon in the American government.”

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The Constitutionality of Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial

““Former President Trump’s second impeachment trial will begin February 9, 2021, despite the challenges from Trump’s legal team that holding a trial is unconstitutional. The constitutionality of holding an impeachment trial after a president leaves office is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, nor does it have any exact historical precedents.”

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Politicians who Incited Capitol Insurrection Feel Financial Consequences

“The insurrection attempt & attack on the Capitol by right-wing extremists on January 6th had wide-reaching political impact, such as the (second) impeachment of Donald Trump and widening the divide between our political parties. A longer term consequence in North Carolina, especially for the GOP, is the trend of local corporations and businesspeople reconsidering their donations to politicians who may be perceived as encouraging the violence on January 6th or obstructing democracy by voting against the results of the 2020 election.”

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Vaccine Tourism: The Benefits of the Privileged

“By allowing wealthier individuals the opportunity to travel to remote locations for vaccine accessibility, medical care providers set a poor precedent. When privileged individuals are going to disenfranchised communities and “jumping the line” for the COVID-19 vaccine, taking away supplies from community members, what bigger display of privilege could governments possibly condone? The pandemic has already significantly widened the gap between the wealthy and the poor, and vaccine tourism highlights yet another clear disparity between the elite and poor populations of the world. Without any clear regulation about vaccine tourism – from federal or state governments – accessibility to vaccines will become yet another gross inequity the pandemic has unveiled.”

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The Debate Over the $15 Minimum Wage Intensifies

“The controversy over the minimum wage, and the broader COVID relief bill, present the first major challenge of Biden’s presidency. As the negotiations progress, we may gain key insight into President Biden’s approach to governing. By working with Republicans, he can prove his commitment to uniting the country, but he must decide if that is worth temporarily abandoning his campaign promise of a $15 minimum wage.”

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Can’t Stop GameStop: How $GME democratized the stock market

“GameStock’s rapid ascension in stock price over the past two weeks will have far-reaching implications: it has shown that Wall Street can no longer ignore retail investors, it has shone a light on some of the illicit practices of hedges funds which contributed to the 2008 financial crisis, but perhaps most significantly—it has gotten people interested in the stock market. Even though the GME fad will eventually fade away, this event has created a new informed generation which will view the stock market as a viable way to make money, and that will likely contribute to a further democratization of the market.”

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The Fight Over The Filibuster

“Many Democrats think Republicans have historically abused the filibuster to force their minority views on the entire country but, in recent years, the filibuster has been used by Democrats to block funding for Trump’s border wall, to protect unemployment benefits, and to stop Republicans from restricting abortion access. Abolishing the filibuster could allow Democrats to get things done while they are in power, but without a filibuster, the next time Republicans have the Senate majority Democrats will not have as immediate and effective a measure to prevent them from restricting voting access and eliminating reproductive rights.”

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Watchdog Group Calls for N.C. Representative Cawthorn’s Expulsion

“The Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit and non-partisan watchdog group that holds public figures accountable, has filed an ethics complaint against Madison Cawthorn (R-NC 11). Cawthorn is one of three Republicans the Campaign for Accountability is alleging incited the violent attack on the Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021. The organization is also arguing that Cawthorn broke a federal regulation and local law that prevented him from bringing his firearm into the building.”

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Trump Was the Media’s Lifeline. What Will They Do Now?

“Throughout Trump’s presidency, the media repeatedly faced backlash from conservatives and Trump supporters due to their alleged bias and vendetta against President Trump. However, now that Trump is no longer president and does not have his platform, the media will need to find another method to attract viewers. This might prove to be difficult for some outlets considering they have spent the last four years focusing on Trump and his Administration in more or less wall to wall coverage.“

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