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USA China Trade War 2

Promising Progress Made In US-China Trade War Negotiations

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A new easing of trade tariffs between the US and China has sparked fresh hope that an end to the trade war between the countries could now be in sight.

Since Donald Trump was elected President, discussions with China’s Xi Jinping have remained tense. However, new revelations that some tariffs are to be rolled back has led analysts to predict real potential for growth in the coming months.

The stock market has also responded enthusiastically, and there has also been unprecedented steps by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increase their global growth forecasts, should a deal to ease trade tensions come to fruition.

Although the details are yet to be finalised, it has been revealed that the deal will reintroduce the movement of US agricultural goods to China alongside a reduction in tariffs on Chinese imports entering the US. There are also suggestions that US poultry imports could also start flowing back into China.

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The first phase of the deal relies on the US rolling back tariffs on over $350bn of Chinese imports. If this is achieved, Xi Jinping will make the historic journey to the US to sign a partial trade deal with Donald Trump. Such progress is unprecedented and there has been excitement from investors, leading to a surge in stock markets and an all-time weekly high for the S&P 500.

Less than six months ago, further tensions were added as China announced new tariffs on $60bn of US imports, after warnings from Donald Trump against adding further fuel to the fire were ignored. Currently, China’s tariffs affect US imports of soybeans, beef, pork seafood, vegetables, liquefied natural gas, whiskey and ethanol. They range between 5% to 25%. The US currently levies a 15% duty on a range of Chinese imports, from meat through to musical instruments. According to Wikipedia, in 2018, over 1,300 categories of Chinese imports were listed for tariffs, including aircraft parts, batteries, flat-panel televisions, medical devices, satellites, and various weapons. In September, it was announced that China has implemented a 5% levy on US crude oil, the first time fuel had been affected by the ongoing trade battle.

Trump has long believed that China has been operating unfair trade practices which have significantly disadvantaged the US economy. He also accused them of intellectual property theft. The objective of the tariffs was to help boost sales to US companies by making imports more expensive. As overseas imports can often be much cheaper to produce, consumers have increasingly shifted towards the cheaper options, even if it takes a little longer for them to arrive. By focusing on making US products and companies more attractive to consumers, he hoped to give the economy a much needed boost.

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Unfortunately, this objective has not been easy to achieve, nor has it been supported by a wide range of industry experts. The reality is that the ongoing trade war is continuing to not only impact politics but wider businesses and consumers too. And whilst the intention may have been to encourage more sales towards American businesses, the tariffs could in fact have the opposite effect and prevent those same businesses from expanding their operations overseas to lucrative international markets.

With Singles Day fast approaching, this is likely to be the next major event impacted by the ongoing trade war. Similar to Black Friday in the US, Singles Day is a huge sale event which takes place on the Alibaba shopping platform. Most popular with young Chinese people, the event takes place on November 11th, chosen because the number 1 is thought to closely resemble a single person alone. Also known as ‘Guanggun Jie’, analysts have suggested that the ongoing trade tensions between the US and China could affect sales of US products on Singles Day, mainly driven by the loyalty of Chinese consumers, who could actively avoid purchasing products from US companies in retaliation for the way China has been treated.

This viewpoint is reflected in the findings of a recent survey by AlixPartners has revealed that 70% of respondents felt the trade war was influencing their purchasing decisions. Interestingly, over 50% stated that their national loyalty was preventing them from purchasing American brands, suggesting that these brands could see sales adversely affected on Singles Day due to the trade war struggles.

Although the future is still somewhat uncertain, the potential olive branches which are being presented by both parties are being taken as a positive sign that we could be entering a new phase of arrangements between China and the US. Any positive steps towards a renewed deal could not only help to reignite the flow of products between the two countries, but help to stabilize the stock market and provide an optimism across the wider global economy too.

Europe & British Union Flags

How Brexit is Affecting Travel

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Ever since the UK voted to leave the European Union, the effects have been felt in many aspects of European life, not the least of which is the travel industry. Brexit, the term that has been adopted to refer to the decision to leave, has left people uncertain about the future of travelling both to and from England, as well as in other areas around the world. Though Britain has not yet officially left the EU, the impacts of the decision are already impacting trade and travel in this part of the world, as people prepare for the uncertain impact of this major change in policy. One of the benefits of membership in the European Union is the built-in travel agreements, called “Freedom of Movement rules,” between countries that make it easy for citizens of member countries to visit other member countries. Once this benefit is removed, British citizens will certainly face more difficulties when travelling, though various countries are taking steps to mitigate the decision’s impact.

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Perhaps the most immediate effect of the Brexit decision was a change in the value of the pound; before the decision, the pound was valued at $1.50, but its value has since dropped to $1.30. This is good news for Americans looking to vacation in Britain, as it means that their money has more spending power in that country. However, citizens of the U.K. looking to travel around the world will find that their travel expenses will increase as a result of Brexit. Though no one yet knows for sure what the full economic impact of Britain leaving the EU will be, economists have predicted that Brexit will continue to have a negative impact on the Europearn economy as a whole, meaning these travel difficulties for British citizens aren’t going away anytime soon.

Despite the efforts of countries like Spain, however, Brexit is sure to have negative impacts on the travel experience no matter what.

In light of the problems posed by Brexit, several popular tourist destinations have implemented programs designed to encourage travel in order to protect their tourism industries. Spain, for instance, which is a popular vacation destination among Europeans, has announced a “plan B” to try to mitigate travel difficulties in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Under this plan, Spain hopes to strike a treaty with the UK after the country leaves the European Union in order to continue to allow British vacationers to visit Spain without substantial change to the travel process. Behind closed doors, government officials are negotiating the terms of this treaty, even though no one knows for sure the details of Britain’s eventual departure from the EU yet. As many local businesses in Spain depend on tourism for their livelihood, and as many of the country’s visitors come from the U.K., Spain is prioritizing ensuring travel between the countries adapts to Brexit as smoothly as possible.

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Despite the efforts of countries like Spain, however, Brexit is sure to have negative impacts on the travel experience no matter what. As the UK has been a member of the EU for several decades, many of the country’s laws, especially those dealing with other European countries, are directly tied to the EU, and severing these ties will lead to all manner of headaches. For instance, laws concerning roaming services for cell phone usage while abroad will have to be rewritten after Brexit, and changes to rules concerning air travel are likely to cause longer wait times in airports as well as preventing some people from traveling. Currently, UK passports are emblazoned with the words “European Union,” and while the government has said that British citizens will not be immediately required to renew their passports after Brexit, the future of the system for issuing passports is unknown.

Impeachment Trial

Public Impeachment Hearings Begin

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The next stage of the impeachment inquiry has begun, as witness testimony has moved from being conducted in closed-door rooms to being conducted in public, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers asking questions of witnesses Bill Taylor and George Kent. The hearing, which started at 10 AM and lasted until the mid-afternoon, represented a forum for Democrats to make their case that the president engaged in what amounts to extortion by threatening to withdraw aid to Ukraine unless that country’s president went on CNN and announced an investigation into Burisma, the company for which Hunter Biden worked while his father was the US vice president. Simultaneously, the hearing was a chance for Republicans to offer their defense of the president, using their allotted time to attack the witnesses’ credibility by asserting that they had never met the president nor listened to the call in question, pointing out that the Trump administration provided military aid to Ukraine when the Obama administration only provided economic and political aid, and expressed outrage at the fact that the whistleblower’s identity has not been disclosed and that he or she has not been called to testify, among other lines of reasoning.

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The hearing began with Adam Schiff, who described the rules for the hearing and introduced the witnesses, and then presented the Democrat’s theory of the case, outlining a summary of events involving Trump’s phone call with President Zelensky. He defended the impeachment inquiry, saying that “if foreign interference is not impeachable, what is?” and worried that if the president gets away with inviting foreign interference, other presidents would feel emboldened to do the same, threatening principles fundamental to the core of the country. Devin Nunes then delivered his opening statement, beginning by attacking Democrats and the “corrupt media” and asserting that the impeachment inquiry is nothing more than a partisan attack on the president, comparing it to what he called the “Russian hoax” which culminated in Robert Mueller’s underwhelming testimony before congress, calling the inquiry a “low-rent Ulkranian sequel.” Nunes described the closed-door testimonies as a “cult-like” atmosphere during which witnesses “auditioned” for a “televised, theatrical performance.” 

Overall, most pundits thought the hearing was a win for Democrats and a loss for Republicans, and as the hearings proceed over the coming days and weeks, this trend is likely to continue.

The witnesses then delivered their opening statements. George Kent spoke first, detailing Rudy Giuliani’s activities abroad, including a “campaign to smear” the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, in order to set up a shadow foreign policy apparatus to allow the president to circumvent official channels in his conduct with Ukraine. Then Bill Taylor gave his opening remarks, reitering testimony he gave earlier behind closed doors and describing the series of events he witnessed and had knowledge of. Taylor also broke news by revealing that a member of his staff had overheard a cell phone conversation between Trump and Gordon Sondland, during which Trump asked about the investigations into Biden, and Sondland responded that “the Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” Also, Taylor testified that Sondland claimed that President Trump cares more about the investigations into Biden than he does about Ukraine. Both witnesses said they thought the president was not genuinely interested in corruption in Ukraine and expressed alarm at his attempt to extort the foreign country.

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While Republicans complained that neither of the witnesses had direct knowledge of the call, another witness who listened in on the call, Alexander Vindman, is scheduled to testify next week. Notably, witnesses who would be able to provide more first hand evidence, including John Bolton, have ignored lawful congressional subpoenas and refused to appear in Congress under orders from the White House. Previously, Republicans complained that the witness depositions were held behind closed doors, though they voted against moving forward with public hearings and complained about the theatrical nature of the event. Republicans spent considerable energy focusing on the whistleblower, asserting that it wasn’t fair that Adam Schiff knows who the whistleblower was and they don’t. (Schiff denies knowledge of the whistleblower’s identity.) Republicans forced a vote to subpoena the whistleblower, which is not expected to pass. 

Many GOP senators have stated that they wouldn’t be watching the hearing. The president’s staff said Trump wouldn’t be watching the hearing, but he offered his commentary on Twitter throughout the event. Overall, most pundits thought the hearing was a win for Democrats and a loss for Republicans, and as the hearings proceed over the coming days and weeks, this trend is likely to continue.

Rugby

US In Line To Host Rugby World Cup 2031

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With recent reports indicating that France will host the next Rugby World Cup and Australia the firm favourite for 2027, it is looking likely that the US will host the tournament in 2031. However, the formal bidding process for 2027 and 2031 will not start until November 2020, and no formal announcements will be made until 2021.

Rugby is very much a developing sport in the US, but many believe there is massive potential for growth, so this timeframe has been warmly welcomed as it would adequately allow for the sport to build momentum over the next few years.

There is general agreement that any sooner, such as the 2027 tournament, could be problematic, mainly due to the joint hosting by USA, Canada and Mexico of the Football World Cup in 2026 and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Those new to rugby could be wondering what to expect. Well, going to a rugby match is always exciting and there is usually a relaxed and sociable atmosphere, certainly when compared to football. Fans from both teams mingle and there is no need for segregation as, win, lose or draw, they’ll shake hands at the end of the game. You can take your kids along without fear of them being caught up in violence and abuse, unlike the round ball game. Yet despite it being an action packed, gripping and enjoyable sport, passion for the game is lacking somewhat in the US compared to other countries.

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The US head rugby coach is particularly keen for the World Cup to hit US soil, believing it could emulate the successful growth of the game experienced by most recent host Japan. He was quoted as saying, “For us, (Japan) are an unbelievable role model for so many reasons and I’m talking about the USA particularly. This is the reason why I feel so very strongly that if World Rugby genuinely do want to grow the game, as they claim they want to, then USA have to be a contender for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.”

The evidence also indicates that the performance of the US team could be boosted too. Following a defeat against Tonga, there was a despondent feeling from the players that they had not played their best, or achieved their true potential. Remaining positive, they have taken away valuable lessons and are already sowing the seeds for future transformation and success.

Japan faced a similar setback prior to hosting a major rugby tournament. Their highest world ranking prior to the Rugby World Cup in 2011 was 15th, failing to win a single match in the tournament which took place in New Zealand. But in 2015, they succeeded in securing a 34-32 victory in the match against Springboks, whilst also smashing a further three pool games.

Many believe that it was the hosting of the Rugby World Cup that totally changed the Japan’s mindset and approach to the sport and has led them to currently hold the rank of 8th in the world, their highest ever position. Such success would have been laughed at back in 2011 and thought to be impossible to achieve.

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The economic potential for the host country of future Rugby World Cups is also significant, as it has been revealed that the impact of hosting the games has led to a 437 billion yen boost for Japan.

Reports also suggest that the recent games have broken all manner of records. The World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont even said it will be remembered as ‘probably the greatest World Cup’ to date. Profits from the tournament are predicted to be in the region of $210m, $20m more than was generated in England in 2015.

Other figures from the 2019 tournament were equally impressive. Match attendance was in the region of 99%, with over 1.84m tickets sold. The cup final in Yokohama between England and South Africa was attended by 70,103 fans, which has even exceeded those who watched Germany and Brazil battle to win the FIFA World Cup in 2002. As technology continues to drive the future of sport entertainment, the recent tournament gained over 1.7 billion digital video views, a trend which is only set to continue for future tournaments.

New developments are on the horizon too, with revelations that dual host selection processes will be in place for both the 2027 and 2031 games. There are also talks of extending the number of teams participating from 20 to 24. While many aspects remain unknown, what is clear is that the prospect of the US hosting the 2031 Rugby World Cup is being met with much excitement and anticipation both at home and across the pond. It’s certainly a case of ‘watch this space’.

Washington DC

Planet World: Washington D.C.’s New Language Museum Opening In May

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“Planet World” is a new museum opening in downtown Washington D.C. next year. Ann Friedman, the founder and primary investor in the museum, describes it as an “interactive museum that will bring language to life,” according to the Washington Post. The museum is set to make its debut on May 31st at its downtown location that is currently known as the historic Franklin School. It will include 10 immersive galleries that will allow visitors to learn about the world’s many diverse cultures and languages in engaging and entertaining ways. 

“Our country was founded on the written word, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. After you’ve visited all those word-engraved historic sites, you might like to visit a museum that shows you the broader context, not just the power of words, but the beauty and fun, too. A strong democracy needs a literate population. We know readers are active in their communities. They vote. So we need to find additional ways to engage people with words, with reading, with books. Museums can try anything; they’re not hemmed in by time or curriculum requirements. So, if joke-telling or speechmaking or rapping is the key to hooking someone on reading, they can give that a try,” Friedman told The Post. 

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The Post also reported that one of the museum’s galleries will include a twelve foot tall “high-wattage globe” where visitors will be able to select various locations from anywhere in the world and learn about the languages of those places, as well as words and phrases that are specific to that one culture. Other exhibits include a room filled with hundreds of speakers that are hooked up to play parts of famous poems and speeches that made major political/cultural impacts around the world. A quiet room explicitly offering audio of poems in all languages, with translations projected onto the walls is another exhibit being advertised, as well as many other interactive spaces that will give guests the opportunity to solve challenging word puzzles, paint word art, as well as a space where visitors will be able to attempt to deliver famous speeches in a variety of languages (The Post). One of Friedmans past careers was a first grade teacher, so she ensured that the museum had plenty of space for learning; Planet World will also include an auditorium and multiple classrooms. Admission will be completely free. 

Friedman is the daughter of late shopping mall entrepreneur billionaire Matthew Bucksaum, which is how the massive project is getting done in the first place. According to The Post, Friendman will be using her own money to completely restore the Franklin School and convert it into the Planet World Museum. The Franklin school is a National Historic landmark that originally opened in 1869 as one of downtown D.C.’s districts first public schools. The entire renovation will cost $25 million when all is said and done. 

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“I’m happy this building is going to live again. It’s going to attract people, whether they are interested in words and language or not, because they haven’t been able to get inside for a decade. People are going to have so much fun and be amazed by the technology and the ways we have been able to bring language to life,” said Friedman.

In the past, Friedman worked on nonprofit charity boards, including the renown National Symphony Orchestra, but noted that she didn’t have any museum experience, until now. Friedman wanted to be as hands on with this project as possible, after all she is paying for it, so back in 2013 she began attending multiple museum conferences, and met with leaders of different institutions that were popular in America. Through this she was able to network among D.C.’s vast community of experts on world history, language, and the inner workings of running a museum, and create a stellar board for Planet World. The Planet World Museum Board includes investment bankers, lawyers, educators of all levels, writers, and museum professionals, some of which have experience working at the Smithsonian, (The Post). 

The goal was to bring all of these individuals together and create a space that they all felt passionately about. This project was meant to be more than just work, and instead is about creation and education. Planet World will be opening May 31st in downtown D.C.

Impeachment

What to Expect from Public Impeachment Hearings This Week

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The presidential impeachment inquiry is well underway in the House of Representatives, as they just voted along party lines to enter into the public phase of the process, during which witness testimony will be televised live on several networks. While much of the evidence unearthed during the inquiry has already been made public by way of news reports, comments from representatives, and document releases including transcripts, the public performances from witnesses with first-hand knowledge of Trump’s phone call with the president of Ukraine are hoped to bring about a sea change in the American people’s view of the matter. 

Scheduled to be broadcast live on major networks like ABC and NBC, the hearings are expected to attract a wide audience both in America and around the world, as political spectacles of this sort have historically drawn large crowds. Democrats hope that being able to hear witnesses speak directly about the president’s misconduct will persuade more Americans to support impeachment, whereas Republicans will try to use the opportunity to deflect and evade, as they have by and large criticized the inquiry as a “witch hunt” since it began.

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The current impeachment inquiry is historic, as presidential impeachment has only been attempted three other times in U.S. history, and while impeachment led to the resignation of Richard Nixon, no American president has ever been removed from office through the mechanism of impeachment. Impeachment is built into the U.S. constitution as a corrective mechanism against a tyrannical or dangerous president, and is meant to be used only in extreme circumstances when essential elements of American democracy are at risk. 

Democrats hope to explain, through witness testimony, how the president abused the awesome powers of the executive branch in service of his own personal interests, against the interests of the country and of American democracy as a whole.

Two sessions will take place, on Wednesday and Friday, during which some of the most compelling witnesses from the first phase of the inquiry will speak candidly before the American public, answering questions from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Democrats will use the opportunity to attempt to establish a clear, compelling, straightforward narrative of events concerning the president’s attempted extortion of the Ukrainian government for political favors. Meanwhile, Republicans will likely do everything in their power to obstruct the investigation, and are bound to attack the process of impeachment, accuse the Bidens of wrongdoing, and attempt to diminish the credibility of witnesses. While Republicans can suggest witnesses, the direction of the inquiry is currently in the hands of Democrats, as they represent the majority party in the House. Republicans have taken bold steps in their opposition of the inquiry, even attempting to reveal the identity of the original whistleblower, in violation of federal law.

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Congress and the American people will hear testimony from three key witnesses: the former United States Ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor; the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, George Kent; and senior American diplomat Marie Yovanovitch. Bill Taylor will testify first. All three witnesses have previously testified during closed-door meetings, and the transcripts of these testimonies have been released, so lawmakers and journalists already have a good idea of what the testimony will contain. These witnesses defied a White House order not to comply with congressional subpoenas and have all told very similar stories about their observations of the President’s conduct. As career government officials and non-political-appointees, they are considered by experts and the media to be reliable and trustworthy witnesses, though Republicans are sure to attack their credibility nevertheless. 

Republicans have struggled to mount a unified defense for the president, who often changes his explanations and justifications for his conduct. Public impeachment hearings will only make this problem worse for Republicans, at least in the short term, as the many allegations of the president’s extortion of Ukraine are consistent and even corroborated by evidence released by the White House and statements from Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Witnesses will likely testify that the president engaged not only in a quid-pro-quo arrangement with Ukraine, but in fact extorted the small European country for illegal election assistance. Democrats hope to explain, through witness testimony, how the president abused the awesome powers of the executive branch in service of his own personal interests, against the interests of the country and of American democracy as a whole. Only time will tell, however, how voters react and more importantly how Republican senators handle the likely upcoming trial after Democrats present them with articles of impeachment.

USA China Trade War 2

U.S. and China Discuss Rolling Back Tariffs

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President Trump has invoked a trade war between the U.S. and China, resulting in potential economic damage to both countries. After Trump imposed tariffs on goods imported from China, China retaliated in kind, driving up the prices of consumer goods. Now, the two countries have agreed in an initial trade deal to roll back some of the tariffs each country has opposed on the other, pending finalization of their agreement. This development represents a reversal of the Trump administration’s position on tariffs, which they instituted in the first place, forcing China to retaliate. If the deal goes through, the price of consumer goods could decrease, boosting an economy which by traditional measures is already quite healthy.

Though Trump has canceled a planned tariff increase, he has continued to threaten Beijing with additional tariffs if they don’t comply with America’s terms. The battle between Trump and Xi Jinping has lasted for 19 months so far, and has caused pain for businesses, consumers, and investors in both countries. Following this news, stocks soared, as investors anticipate an end to the protracted and arguably unnecessary trade dispute. According to Gao Feng, a spokesman for China’s Commerce Ministry, the two countries have discussed resolving their differences over the past two sides, and have agreed to cancel tariffs by stages. However, a timeline has not yet been publicly established.

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As the reality of a deal between the two countries becomes increasingly likely, markets have reacted with optimism, as the S&P 500 rose to more than 3,090, approaching a record closing high. The companies most positively affected by the news are ones that have close ties to Chinese manufacturers and retailers. Despite the positive reaction in the markets, however, other sectors of the economy continue to struggle. In particular, the trade war with China has negatively impacted farm belt states like Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska, where economic growth has slowed considerably. Though the Trump administration claims that Americans do not experience the effects of tariffs, businesses and farmers disagree.

This is not the first time that the United States and China seemed close to reaching a deal to end the trade war.

As a result of Trump’s presidency, American tariffs now apply to more than two-thirds of imports from China, whereas Chinese tariffs affect 58 percent of their imported goods from America. Tariffs are paid by consumers in the countries imposing the tariffs, making the trade war destructive on both sides, leading economists to issue warnings about the long-term impacts of ongoing tariffs. The imposition of tariffs on Chinese imports has long been considered a bad idea by experts, who are now vindicated by the Trump administration’s reversal of policy under significant public pressure.

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Issues unrelated to tariffs factor into the negotiations. American officials want China to take more aggressive action on protecting American intellectual property rights, for instance and contend that the ultimate decision is up to Trump. Additionally, the United States wants China to encourage more foreign investment and purchase more goods and services from abroad. This preliminary agreement suggests that China will be willing to make these concessions, but the final details have yet to be ironed out.

This is not the first time that the United States and China seemed close to reaching a deal to end the trade war. In May, the two countries agreed upon a resolution to end the trade war, which included concessions from China to change some of their business and legal practices. President Jinping even gave a speech celebrating the achievement. However, when a draft agreement was sense to the United States, significant changes had been made to the plan, leading Trump to accuse Beijing of reneging on its commitments. The changes to the draft agreement, which included the removal of promises to change domestic laws, were thought to have been personally made by Jinping himself. Only time will tell whether this new agreement suffers the same fate. 

Impeachment 2

Formal Impeachment Announcement Largely Symbolic, but Captures Nation’s Attention

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In the past several days, news emerged that a whistleblower from the federal government observed disconcerting behavior from the President, who reported this news to the Director of National Intelligence, who considered the complaint to be urgent and serious. The Director of National Intelligence, by law, was supposed to hand over this information to Congress, but was blocked from doing so by the White House. As such, the full content of the complaint is currently unknown to Congress and to the American people, but what has become known is deeply troubling to lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who yesterday publicly announced that Congress would be holding impeachment inquiries and investigations.

Less than a day after reports of the existence and circumstances of the complaint emerged, sources spoke to the Washington Post to reveal some, but crucially not all, of the details. According to several news outlets, in July President Trump had a phone call with the newly-elected president of Ukraine during which he asked the Ukrainian government to investigate unfounded claims concerning political corruption of the son of Joe Biden, whom Trump considers his main political opponent. While doing so, Trump had also taken the highly unusual step of withholding aid funds from Ukraine, suggesting the possibility of a quid-pro-quo of restoration of funds in exchange for “dirt” on Joe Biden. Yesterday, Trump admitted to reporters while standing next to Air Force One that he had spoken with the President of Ukraine and discussed Joe Biden and corruption concerns, but downplayed the seriousness of his conduct, describing the call as “largely congratulatory” and “perfect.”

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Despite the President’s comments, however, many Democratic lawmakers, particularly those who have backgrounds in national security and the military, considered these allegations to be an unprecedented breach of a President’s constitutional responsibility, as asking a foreign power for help in winning a domestic re-election campaign threatens to undermine the system of democratic governance around which American political life is built. If left unchecked, this conduct could set a precedent that enables presidents to engage in unconstitutional conduct with impunity, fatally threatening the security of the country. As such, Nancy Pelosi yesterday publicly announced the beginning of formal impeachment proceedings in Congress, a risky political move considering the fact that the Senate is controlled by Republicans who are unlikely to convict the President and remove him from office, which could be seen as an embarrassing defeat for the Democrats and vindication for the Republican party. Following the announcement, several dozen Democratic congresspeople proclaimed their support for impeachment, bringing the number of House Democrats favoring impeachment past 200, close to the 218 representatives necessary for an impeachment vote to pass in the House.

According to reports from various news outlets, yesterday Trump called Pelosi in advance of her announcement, asking whether they could work out a deal concerning the whistleblower complaint, to which Pelosi replied he could authorize the release of the complaint to Congress as is required by law. Reportedly, Trump was surprised by Pelosi’s announcement, and took to Twitter to complain about it, even as he attends a U.N. summit. In response to the growing calls for his impeachment, Trump announced he would release the transcript of his call with the Ukranian President, claiming that it would exonerate him, and did so today. Democrats, who insist upon receiving the entire complaint and not just the transcript of the call, were expecting this transcript to be unremarkable, edited heavily or perhaps even falsified to create the impression that there was no wrongdoing. However, the transcript clearly shows Trump asking for an investigation into Joe Biden, as he said “there’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, … whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great.” While it is not the full complaint that Democrats are demanding, the transcript is surprisingly damning for the President, suggesting he perhaps does not recognize the extent and nature of the crime he just presented evidence of himself committing. Though the transcript shows no direct evidence of a quid pro quo arrangement, as Republican lawmakers were quick to point out, such an arrangement is irrelevant to the charge of asking a foreign power for assistance winning an election.

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Despite the groundbreaking and unprecedented news, however, little is likely to change in the immediate term. This is because several investigations into the President’s conduct, including his connections with other governments and his finances, are already ongoing in the House, but the word “impeachment” had not been used to describe these investigations until now. And even if the House does vote for impeachment, which is growing ever more likely by the day, the President is only removed from office after a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. However, recent developments expand the scale of the already-quite-serious allegations of misconduct by the President, as this is the first time Trump has been known to proactively seek assistance from a foreign power to improve his re-election odds, whereas previously he had only expressed an openness to the idea.

The times have found us

That being said, this is an undoubtedly tumultuous period in American history, as the political establishment is dealing with issues for which there exist no precedent and for which the outcome is difficult to predict. Nevertheless, the President’s conduct serves as a vital test of our country’s system of checks and balances, a self-correcting mechanism established deep within the core of the philosophy constructing this country’s politics. This system, comprised of three independent and co-equal branches of government, is designed to withstand and undo bouts of corruption and other internal threats to democracy, but only functions by the action of elected officials. In her announcement yesterday, Nancy Pelosi reiterated a phrase used by the country’s founders, proclaiming “the times have found us.” Indeed, the circumstances influencing political corruption have called upon elected officials to act in service of restoring the soul of the country, or witness the gradual undermining of the country’s founding principles and the dissolution of the rule of law and the rights of citizens.

Climate Change

Greta Thunberg, 16 year old Climate Activist, Testifies Before Congress

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After arriving in America from Sweden on a boat instead of a plane in order to reduce carbon emissions, Greta Thunberg, a teenage environmental activist from Sweden, testified before a Senate climate crisis task force on Tuesday, September 17th, to draw attention to the threat posed by climate change and urge lawmakers to act. Thunberg, who is known for her direct and blunt style of speaking, appeared alongside youth climate activists Jamie Margolin, Vic Barrett and Benji Backer this week. Yesterday, after introducing herself to the committee and receiving praise from lawmakers for her strength and determination, Thunberg tried to shift the focus to the science, submitting the 2018 global warming report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as her testimony and saying “I want you to listen to the scientists. And I want you to unite behind the science. And then I want you to take action.”

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Thunberg went on to chastise lawmakers, telling them “I know you are trying but just not hard enough. Sorry,” prompting laughter and applause from supporters. Although Congress is sharply divided by partisanship, sympathetic members of Congress such as Representative Ed Markey encouraged Thunberg and her peers, telling her that she represents the future of political leadership and that voices like hers are essential in combating political inaction on climate change. Though she received support from representatives like Markey, who is a sponsor of the Green New Deal which aims to take radical action on climate change, other representatives were less sympathetic. Representative Garret Graves from Lousianna, for instance, argued that the U.S. is not to blame for climate change because America doesn’t produce most of the world’s carbon emissions, prompting a rebuttal from Thunberg in which she stressed the importance of American leadership in this field.

The issue of climate change is of particular importance to young people, who belong to a generation which will experience the majority of its effects

Thunberg’s trip to the Americas coincides with a planned international strike from school in protest of climate change inaction on Friday, which is likely to be among the largest environmental protests in history. The strike comes just a few days before the UN is set to meet for the Climate Action Summit, during which representatives from signatories of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord are expected to articulate new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. During the strike, Thunberg will lead a demonstration at Foley Square in New York City, after which she will lead a rally and march to Battery Park. The absences of public school students who wish to protest will be excused in New York City, and students from cities around the world are expected to participate in parallel protests, with additional demonstrations, rallies, and marches planned. The issue of climate change is of particular importance to young people, who belong to a generation which will experience the majority of its effects, and who do not remember a world in which climate change was not one of the top political concerns around the globe.

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The nature of Thunberg’s trip to the United States on a speedboat is notable for its uniqueness and for how it demonstrates Thunberg’s personal commitment on climate change. The sailing yacht, called the Malizia II, was equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines in order to allow for a carbon-neutral trip. The journey took 15 days, and the conditions onboard were not particularly luxurious, as the boat lacked a kitchen, toilet, and shower. Nevertheless, Thunberg and her crew enjoyed the experience, and in an interview with Democracy Now! she described seeing dolphins and other wildlife as well as the stars in the night sky free of light pollution. The boat’s sails were decorated with the phrase “Unite behind the science,” and other environmentalist messages and carried the flags of Germany, Monaco, Sweden, and the European Union. Thunberg currently does not know how long she’ll stay in the Americas and doesn’t know what mode of transportation she will use to get back home, but is likely to employ another carbon-neutral or low-carbon mode of transport.

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