Posts in National
The Great American Political Circus: How Some Counties are Changing Abortion Regulation in a Post-Roe America

It has been 50 years since abortion was established as a constitutional right in Roe v. Wade. After the decision was overturned, questions and fears regarding new abortion regulations grip the country. For women in Lubbock County, this fear has become a reality. Several counties in Texas have issued ordinances banning people from assisting women traveling to receive abortions.

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Not Just Trans Kids: Rulings Allowing Bans on Gender-Affirming Care are Part of a Larger Trend

The current legislative siege on gender-affirming care for children is only a symptom of a larger upheaval of legal precedent in the wake of the Dobbs decision. Previously, abortion being protected by the 14th Amendment gave courts reason to put much more stock into this argument in similar cases. Now, however, legislatures are much more free to circumscribe what their constituents can do with their bodies; the question is, where do parents’ rights end and the state’s right to intervene in the interest of public health begin?

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A Tale as Old as Time: Post-Wildfire Policies Open Deep Wounds for Native Hawaiians

In early August, the country watched fearfully as the deadliest series of U.S. wildfires in over a century broke out across Maui. Now, nearly two months later, Hawaiian citizens not only continue to mourn their losses but are speaking out against the state government’s recovery efforts, which many say have prioritized big development companies in the wake of the disaster and could threaten local environmental and cultural rights to Maui’s resources.

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Analyzing the Supreme Court’s Decision to End Affirmative Action

“The Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority found The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Harvard’s race-conscious college admissions process to be unconstitutional, effectively ending affirmative action and overturning forty years of legal precedent. “

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Previewing the Supreme Court’s Upcoming Decisions on Student Loan Forgiveness

 “The Supreme Court will release its decision on both cases in the coming weeks, determining the financial position of 43 million borrowers. Regardless of the outcome, the decision will be an indicator of President Biden’s ability to enact serious policy change for the remainder of his term”

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Republicans are Split Over the War in Ukraine: Does It Matter?

“While speaking to a group of Republican voters in Iowa, former VP. Mike Pence said in response to Gov. DeSantis’ comments, that “the war in Ukraine is not a territorial dispute. It is a Russian invasion.” Pence’s statements demonstrate a clear disagreement with Gov. DeSantis’ position regarding the conflict.“

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Does Faith Belong in the Discussion About Abortion?

“Abortion seems to be a never-ending issue in the discussion about American politics and public policy. Faith, and specifically Christianity, has long played a role in this discussion and has been a dominant force as of late. While it is a dominant religion in the country and it has played a large role thus far, does faith have a place in the political discussion about abortion?”

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Nikki Haley Launches her Presidential Campaign

 “Haley’s policy stances themselves do not seem to be any more moderate than her opponents. The potentially distinctive appeal of Nikki Haley lies in the fact that she has a ‘temperamental evenness which the former president clearly lacks,’ and she is willing to participate in formalities and niceties more so than putting forth a combative nature.”

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The Supreme Court Leaves Millions of Americans in Limbo Awaiting Student Loan Debt Forgiveness

“Colleges give their students new experiences away from home, friends who love unconditionally, memories to last a lifetime, and, in many cases, crippling debt. However, President Biden announced a three-part plan to erase student loan debt for borrowers who need it the most. When the application for debt forgiveness opened, 26 million borrowers applied and began anxiously waiting to see if their debt would be forgiven. However, the wait will have to continue.“

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Controversial CNN Host Don Lemon Allowed to Return to the Air Pending Completion of Training

“In today’s world, social media reports on nearly every issue before the media does. This fundamentally alters what the media’s original role was supposed to be – that of gatekeepers. In response, the media has shifted in a variety of different directions, oftentimes reporting on media from competitors only to bash it. Television news is now more about analysis of news, or putting a certain spin on things, than it ever has before.“

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Jen Psaki Launches New MSNBC Show

 “Jen Psaki launched her MSNBC program, Inside with Jen Psaki. Political experience -- such as Psaki’s former job as the White House Press Secretary under President Biden -- allows for TV hosts to lend their own lived experience to their shows. This experience, however, calls into question the host’s credibility, as their former boss may still be in office. Whatever the optics of Psaki’s former employment are, this show represents the newest trend in political media and coverage.”

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Youth Voter Turnout Shatters Midterm Records

“Looking at the country overall, 27% of young people (aged 18-29) turned out in the 2022 midterm elections, making up 13% of the overall electorate, according to day-after estimates from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University. If young voter participation had increased to even just 50%, it could have been a much better night for Democrats, possibly allowing them to have kept control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and not just the U.S. Senate.”

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