"The Largest Airlift Ever" by Ben R.

 

The recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as US and UN forces withdrew has led to a refugee crisis as thousands of Afghan refugees desperately tried to flee the country to escape Taliban retribution for assisting UN forces during their stay in the country. According to CNN over 100,000 refugees have been airlifted out in a situation similar to Operation Frequent Wind or the evacuation of Saigon after the Vietnam war as people desperately mob evacuation sites and hang on to aircraft as they take off, this airlift to get Afghans out is the largest  non combatant airlift ever. 25,000 Afghans are waiting in Ramstein, Germany and many were interviewed about what had happened as they went to the flights and what they thought about going to the United States, among those is a woman named Jamila who said that as she was entering the airport the Taliban ripped up their documents and shot bullets over their heads, as well as arresting her husband and brother-in-law.

Some are worried that letting so many Afghan refugees into the country is dangerous because of past terrorrism and a general distrust of foreigners, this is not a very realistic situation though because not only are these refugees leaving the country because they assisted the US soldiers but they are also given thorough background checks and are extensively checked for any hostility. This process of background checks is a part of the SIV program that is a program made specifically for refugees that once completed grants them a visa and the ability to bring their families along with them to the United States. 40,000 refugees are in assorted NATO bases going through this process to be then brought to the United States or any of the other countries that will be taking in refugees. 20,000 refugees are already in the states at military bases in Virginia, Wisconsin, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Indiana. Most refugees could not bring much with them as they left in a rush to escape the country.

The airlift has ended as of the 31st of August and now the long process to bring these refugees into willing countries is just beginning. These people helped us as we initially liberated the country from the Taliban and now it's time that we help them. We need to accept them into our country and make sure they have safe places to stay and good schools for their children.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58283177

https://www.wvtm13.com/article/what-legal-status-do-afghans-have-as-they-evacuate-to-the-us-it-varies/37451471#

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/airlift-begins-afghans-who-worked-us-during-long-military-campaign-2021-07-30/

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/afghanistan-evacuees-us-housing-17000-in-5-states-40000-overseas/#

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-c-17-pilot-afghanistan/

"Is it safe to reopen the economy?" by Jameson H.

As the number of people who are getting vaccinated are rising and the number of people who are getting infected by COVID are going down, more and more businesses and venues are opening up to citizens and their communities. Many places such as restaurants and movie theatres are opening back up to full capacity. Many people claim that it’s time to open, full circle. But do they know their facts well enough to go through with these new plans? Are they well-educated enough to know the risks that they would potentially be taking?

According to the New York Times, the state of Arkansas has fully reopened along with several other states. In total, there are only three states that do not have any plans of reopening fully any time soon. Hawaii, New York, and New Jersey are among those states that currently do not have any plans to reopen. Something that is very puzzling is that Hawaii and New York usually tend to bring in the most money, in terms of economics mainly because of both states being considered as tourist states. According to “Travel Weekly”, the number of tourists in 2020 were the lowest numbers in nearly half a century in the state of Hawaii. The reason for this is because less and less people were traveling that year because as places started to reopen, people were very hesitant about traveling. 

Do you think it is right for places and venues to reopen? Do you think it is time that we get the economy back on its feet?

https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/Hawaii-2020-tourism-numbers-were-the-lowest-in-nearly-half-a-century

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/states-reopen-map-coronavirus.html

"Biden’s First Hundred Days: Ending COVID-19" by Jameson H.

 

President Biden has been very busy the last few weeks in attempting to bring down the numbers of people who have been sick with COVID-19. When we look at the recent coronavirus numbers, the numbers are slowly declining. The reason is because more and more citizens are getting vaccinated and following what the government and the CDC are putting out there as far as guidelines are concerned. But why the sudden change in point of view? The last I heard was that no one wanted to get the vaccine, and many people still haven’t.

One reason that I believe that many citizens are getting vaccinated is that President Biden is pushing the vaccine so much to ensure the citizens safety from the virus. When he came into office, President Biden set a goal to have 100 million shots distributed to the citizens before his first hundred days in office. As of March 25th, that goal went way over. The next day, he came out with a statement saying that he wanted to reach a goal of 200 million shots in the first hundred days. On April 6th, President Biden posted on his social media page that his administration had crossed 150 million shots within 75 days of being in office. 

So there are questions that arrive with this topic. Do you see a change in the way the numbers are looking? Is President Biden giving his all in trying to end the virus? Does he seem successful in the way his projected numbers are turning out?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/president-biden-first-100-days/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-iran-nuclear-immigration-de7b288aa2b4315b5b7fe38559a6e666

“The Biden Administration’s Response to India’s Covid Crisis” by Kirstyn M.

On May 8th, India reported its highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day. Within 24 hours, India’s health ministry had reported 4,187 deaths, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has estimated that the total death count for COVID deaths in India will be at least 1 million by August. At this point, about half of India’s states have imposed a total lockdown, while the rest are under a partial lockdown. This second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in India's healthcare system being brought to the brink of collapse. Many nations around the world have been consulting with the Indian government to provide help in the midst of India’s crisis, including the United States with a delayed response. Joe Biden pledged to Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, that the United States would provide a range of emergency assistance, including oxygen-related supplies, vaccine materials, and therapeutics. Some Indian concerns regarding the United States have been exposed during India’s struggle to deal with the staggering number of coronavirus deaths and cases it is enduring. The late response from Washington was for multiple reasons, including the fact that Biden’s overextended administration has only a few senior India-focused officials in place, and there is caution regarding the planning of overseas assistance when we are already fighting the pandemic ourselves. The United State’s delay brought about and hardened the perception that Washington isn’t a dependable partner in the views of some Indian commentators and prominent Indian politicians. In addition to this, criticisms arose in the Indian press as a result of statements made by Ned Price, the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State during a press conference about U.S. export restrictions. Price had stated what the Biden administration had been saying for months; that they held the American people as a priority, and that it was not only in the United States’s interest to get Americans vaccinated, but the rest of the world as well. While the Indian press and public displayed frustration and impatience, Indian leadership had shown understanding and didn’t criticize the U.S. However, as the health situation in India deteriorated, this began to change. Although the Biden administration had made cooperation with India the main focus in the Indo-Pacific, U.S.-India relations were looking bleak. Chinese state media ran stories that blamed the U.S. for the situation India was in. 

Now that the United States is providing assistance to India, is the previously delayed help a concern now that some Indian leadership and the Indian press are criticizing our efforts? Should the Biden administration be putting more effort into helping India to decrease tensions or should they be more focused on the United States to resolve our own issues regarding the pandemic?

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-posts-record-daily-rise-covid-19-deaths-case-numbers-surge-2021-05-08/

"Biden’s New 4 Trillion Economic Plans" by Brooke H.

President Biden is planning on spending 4.5 trillion on a new infrastructure and families plan for the nation. He states that we can do this, “without deficits,” Many are arguing if his plan is economically feasible or even good. Or, whether he will even have the support to do it in the first place. 

The plan would spend 2.3 Trillion on infrastructure and 1.8 trillion on families. According to the New York Times, “Most of the spending and tax cuts in Wednesday’s proposal is directed at families, with provisions for a national paid family and medical leave program; child care subsidies; and extensions of several tax credit expansions from the most recent Covid-19 relief law.” This plan would also play a role in education. It is proposed to give free pre-kindergarten to two and three year-olds. Also, two years of community college free of pay. (Also more investments to universities serving minority groups.) Another major part of the plan is the tax raises on the wealthy. It is stated that those in the top will pay higher taxes to play for this plan. This will also apply to larger corporations. 

There has been both backlash and support for those supposed plans. Even though it is likely that most democrats will support the plan, it is uncertain if most republicans will. Despite this, Biden still has belief in the plan and has stated that he hopes for there to be support from both sides and chambers of congress. 

Many are divided on the plan. Do you think that it should or will even pass? Do you think that this will hurt or help our economy?

“Florida’s New Voting Restrictions” Tanner R.

Republicans in the Florida Legislature passed a bill that is set to usher in a host of voting restrictions. Florida is one of the most critical battleground states in the country. This means that the passing of this bill is ten times more important than it would be for another, less competitive state. 

The new bill limits the use of drop boxes; adds more identification requirements for those requesting absentee ballots; requires voters to request an absentee ballot for each election, rather than receive them automatically through an absentee voting list; limits who could collect and drop off ballots; and further empowers partisan observers during the ballot-counting process. The legislation would also expand a current rule that prohibits outside groups from providing items “with the intent to influence” voters within a 150-foot radius of a polling location. Democratic state Rep. Michele Rayner spoke on the new bill saying that, “ We’re actively trying to suppress people’s right to vote. Instead of literacy tests and poll taxes, we are attempting to require voters to renew their standard request for a vote-by-mail ballot every calendar year.” However Republicans in the state hold a different view saying that the bill would provide “guardrails” to prevent anyone from “gaming the system” in the future. State Rep. Wyman Duggan stated that, “This is an incremental legislative approach to address these issues,– we are now focusing on making sure that every vote is a valid vote.” What do you think of this bill? Do you think that these restrictions are necessary?

Links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/us/politics/florida-voting-rights-bill.html 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/florida-voting-bill-passes-state-house/index.html

“2020 Census Results” by Kirstyn M.

The long overdue results of the U.S. 2020 Census have arrived, having been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic as well as interference from the Trump administration. In fact, concern about the accuracy of the population numbers has arisen in response to last-minute alterations in the schedule due to the pandemic and Trump officials. This census marks the 24th census to have occurred in the United States. Technically the state population numbers were due by the end of the year 2020 under federal law. Obviously, the results were provided later than originally planned, but this much is evident: changes are being made.  These changes were reported by Ron Jarmin, the acting director for the U.S. Census Bureau, at a virtual news conference communicating this reset in the balance of power in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College for the next decade. The states losing a seat each include California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The states gaining a vote each include Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon. Texas gained two seats as a result of rapid growth of the population. The results of the census will bring about the reapportionment of the House of Representatives, and states that have lost seats may sue the Biden administration in response to how the House of Representatives was reapportioned. The reapportioned Congress will convene in 2023 as the 118th Congress, and the new Electoral College map will go into effect starting with the presidential race of 2024. 

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/26/983082132/census-to-release-1st-results-that-shift-electoral-college-house-seats