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Christopher Dilts

2023 State of the Union.

The SOTU is an annual message to U.S. Congress from the sitting President on the current state of the nation. At the start of his third year in office, Biden is expected to discuss his administration's efforts to rebuild the economy in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, the US role in aid to Ukraine and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. As well as growing tensions with the Chinese government.

2023 State of the Union.
Set of 2 groups of plain white simple figures pushing their flag into the air - one group have the USA flag, one group have the Chinese flag
Pixabay | Tumisu

U.S.-China Military Buildup

Tensions between the US and China have reached a new chapter, since the US shot down an unknown object flying over its territory that turned out to be a Chinese-owned balloon; the Asian government admitted that it belongs to them, but claims that it is a civilian aircraft used for meteorological research. However, the US has persisted in accusing its counterpart of espionage, to which China responds that the situation has been exaggerated and that reckless and irresponsible measures are being taken.

U.S.-China Military Buildup
Elvert Barnes

Gun Control in the U.S.

Gun violence in the United States is once again in the headlines, following two mass shootings in less than a week, one in Florida and the other in California. As these unfortunate events continue to occur, the need to address gun control laws is evident, and both President Biden and Vice President Harris urged the Senate, once again, to take immediate action. The epidemic of gun violence has left an average of 225 mass shootings so far in 2021 alone. The Biden administration has unveiled several actions to tighten restrictions and strengthen background checks, but the power is in the Senate, which now, with a narrow Democratic majority, can take the necessary steps to stop the continuing loss of human lives. 

Gun Control in the U.S.

Biden Presidency

Many were relieved when the major media organizations announced the Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 46th presidential election. US Senator Kamala Harris will be his vice-president, becoming the first woman and African-American in this position. The two face the difficult task of bringing a deeply divided America back together and fighting the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden Presidency
Image by Jukka Niittymaa from Pixabay

Who is winning in the war on drugs?

On 17 June it will be 50 years since Nixon's declaration of the War on Drugs, five decades later, and this war has cost US taxpayers billions of dollars, and has caused great harm to many people and communities, not only within the United States, but around the world. During his campaign, President Biden said that, more than a war, this is a substance abuse problem, and should be addressed as a public health issue. Organised crime, which feeds on the drug trade, has undermined the governments and institutions that should fight it, and has produced perennial violence and widespread corruption. The benefits of this war are for the few, and the harms for the most vulnerable people.

Who is winning in the war on drugs?

Storm on the Capitol

On January 6, supporters of US President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol, attacked security guards and occupied it for several hours.The events disrupted the count of the Electoral College votes and theverification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential campaign. Trump and his supporters are protesting the election results, claiming there was fraud. A defeat for American democracy, manipulated by fake news, right-wing fanaticism and a lying populist as president.

Storm on the Capitol
Truthout.org

Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders went from an unknown senator to a progressive national icon. Representing Vermont, he has become the longest independent member of Congress in U.S. history, well known for his views on economic inequality and for being a leading supporter of the Green New Deal. He lost the 2016 Democratic Party nomination to Hilary Clinton, but fortunately Bernie and his revolution are back for the 2020 race. With Sanders as president of the United States, the U.S.A and the world would be a far better place.

Bernie Sanders
Image by John Mounsey from Pixabay

Voter suppression and the threat to democracy

Tactics have always been used to ecourage people to vote one way or another. Here we cover the increasingly damaging practice of actually reducing the number of voters in specific targetted groups or areas. This will then reduce the chance of success of competition. We have included examples of intimidaion, depriving people of the right to vote, and of incredibly inconvenient voting conditions, such as expensive ID's, odd opening hours, queuing systems, and difficult locations for polling stations.  

Voter suppression and the threat to democracy
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