“As other candidates emerge, however, most Republicans remain loyal to Trump 2024. A poll conducted in August showed 72% of conservatives believe Trump should be the nominee for the GOP, with his highest support from Republicans lacking college degrees. Despite the plethora of other candidates and the time that has passed since Trump led the GOP, countless Republicans remain loyal to his bid, which offers the potential to propel him once again to the frontline of the GOP race.”
Read More“Although the relationship between the U.S. and Egypt is important from a strategic point of view, at what cost does this value bring? Human rights are being trampled on by a U.S. ally and only small actions have been taken to remedy the situation. Only time will tell how President Al-Sisi will react given the Biden administration’s request for human rights violations to be addressed. One can only hope Western countries will hold their allies accountable for protecting and upholding basic, human rights.”
Read More“In examining the bills, the impact of input by pro-law enforcement organizations like the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) is evident. For example, while HB 436 mandates mental health awareness training for officers, it requires only two hours of training every three years – hardly a step up from the previous requirements, and a win for the NCSA in maintaining the status quo.”
Read More“Racing towards a self-imposed September 27th deadline of passage, Democrats in Congress are fighting tooth and nail to pass the largest expansion of the United State’s social safety net since the New Deal. The bill, with a whopping $3.5 trillion price tag, has caused divisions within the Democratic Party and has staunch opposition from Republicans in Congress — meaning the reconciliation process is likely the only path forward.”
Read More“Emma’s Paralympic experience is one of resilience in the face of possible defeat, reflecting the very nature of the Paralympic Games.”
Read More“A debate rages over a program that has distributed over $750,000 in state funds to help low-income families afford private school tuition — North Carolina Opportunity Scholarships. In the 2020-2021 school year, 456 private schools received money from Opportunity Scholarships, with 12,284 families receiving scholarships. Opponents of Opportunity Scholarships argue it is wrong to take public funding and invest it into private schools largely unaccountable to the state.”
Read More“This pandemic has already altered our way of life on a day to day basis and will more than likely have long-term consequences in the political sphere, as well as interactions between the government and its constituents. Nineteen months in, and misinformation still persists, emphasizing the ignorance, privilege, and entitlement that exists in the United States.”
Read More“On Wednesday September 8th, a massive bronze statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee was removed from its pedestal on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. The actions in Virginia’s capital city were met with cheers and song from the crowd that gathered to watch the state’s largest statue of Lee finally come down. Governor Ralph Northam originally ordered the statue’s removal in June of 2020, though a series of lawsuits and court battles prolonged its removal, ultimately leading to a ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia.”
Read More“The Texas voter law has indeed created restrictions, however, some argue the restrictions are not completely unreasonable. Voters still have plenty of opportunities to vote and there are exceptions for those with disabilities. The 2020 election was an extraordinary time with many things having to be changed in order to meet pandemic challenges — things will be different for the next election.”
Read More“Many that have come out against the vaccine mandate have cited privacy concerns, believing that the Constitution does not allow the government to force people to get a vaccine. In reality, constitutional precedence does not look favorably upon this argument.”
Read More“Such outspoken criticism of the government is dangerous in Communist Cuba – a national security state – where individuals who protest the government are accused of treason, and large-scale activism is brutally repressed.”
Read More“Hurricane Ida has brought tolls on lives and infrastructure; yet, this disaster, where many Americans, especially Lousianans, have been affected, has illustrated the combination of efforts within the local, state, and federal levels of government. Particularly, FEMA has taken great measures to address natural disaster relief ever since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, including financial relief and supply delivery. Ultimately, Hurricane Ida importantly underscores the role climate change scientifically plays in natural disaster formation and emphasizes forward-thinking solutions that combat climate change.”
Read More“The fractious national debate about COVID-19 has perhaps been most divisive on issues related to schools and education. In North Carolina, however, this debate was surprisingly tame.”
Read More“The most restrictive abortion ban in the United States became effective on September 1 in Texas. Texas Senate Bill 8, also known as TX SB8 or “The Heartbeat Bill,” was passed in May by the Texas State Legislature. SB8 prohibits nearly all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Violators of the law, including anyone aiding or abetting a person receiving abortion care, can be sued by private citizens of the state.”
Read More“Doumboya stated that the coup d’etat is an attempt to restore political power to the Guinean populace and take it from corrupt politicians. He expressed a desire to construct a new Constitution.”
Read More“There is only one public high school mandating a vaccine for students — and only for its athletes — but many are requiring their employees to do so. As students begin to return to campus and classrooms, will vaccines prove to be the only true safeguard against a deadly virus? Are schoolwide vaccinations inevitable?”
Read More“There is still a window for humanity to mitigate climate risk. In all of the U.N.’s climate predictions, the world temperature will increase by 1.5° C. Yet if countries mobilize rapidly to decrease emissions and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, global warming may fall back below 1.5° C in the latter half of the century”
Read More“Following a withdrawal that many viewed as too hasty and which saw the death of thirteen US servicemen, Biden’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest number since he entered the White House.”
Read More“The denial of tenure for Ms. Hannah-Jones prompted calls for transparency and stringent warnings of its effects on alienating UNC’s present and future faculty. In a statement following the initial events, UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media writes that by denying Ms. Hannah-Jones tenure -- a graduate of UNC (Masters, 2003) and whose honors include the Peabody Award and MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant and Fellowship -- it “unfairly moves the goalposts and violates long-standing norms.”
Read More“Private school vouchers are a form of state-funded financial aid for K-12 students. In North Carolina, families of low-income students and students with disabilities can apply for private school vouchers. If granted, the vouchers use public funding to offset much of the tuition and fees charged by private schools.”
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