united

2Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

POLITICS, WORK

The United States Just Hit Equal Pay Day For Black Women

September 21 marks Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the day of the year on which the median earnings of a working Black woman will have caught up to the median 2021 annual earnings of a non-Latino White man. This year’s observance is over a month later than 2021’s appointed day, August 3. Why is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day so much later than last year? The change comes from a methodological switch: Equal Pay Today, the collaborative of nonprofits and advocacy groups that generally designates Equal Pay Day observances, decided to include part-time workers in its calculation. Here’s how employment is usually measured in this country: The main data from agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to non-agricultural labor (“nonfarm”) due to the difficulty tracking that kind of season...

An Intimate, Powerful, And Inspiring Memoir By The Former First Lady Of The United States

8May

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

BOOKS

An Intimate, Powerful, And Inspiring Memoir By The Former First Lady Of The United States

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare. In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing st...

Putin’s United Russia Latest Parliamentary Win Has Been Years In The Making

21Sep

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

IN OTHER NEWS, POLITICS

Putin’s United Russia Latest Parliamentary Win Has Been Years In The Making

Regina Smyth, Indiana University President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party defied economic concerns and a recent slump in support to retain a parliamentary majority – to the surprise of almost no one. The official tally announced by Russia’s Central Election Commission on Sept. 20, 2021, was met with immediate skepticism. The three-day vote has been plagued with allegations of poll violations, the exclusion of opposition leaders and delays in the announcement of online voting results that strongly favored regime candidates. The outcome means United Russia retains a constitutional majority in parliament. The other big winners in the national election were smaller, pro-Kremlin parties. If taken on face value, the results would suggest a turnaround in approval rates for United...

Canada’s Cannabis Clarity, What The United States Can Learn

3Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

BUSINESS, VIDEO REELS

Canada’s Cannabis Clarity, What The United States Can Learn

The inherent contradictions of American cannabis laws seem to appear in the news almost every week. At the state level, for example, Virginia recently became the latest jurisdiction to allow adult cannabis use, effective this July 1. But just days later, a court upheld United States federal tax laws that treat state-licensed cannabis businesses as illegal drug traffickers. To resolve conflicts like this, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he’ll introduce legislation to “decriminalize” cannabis federally. In drafting his bill, he should draw inspiration from Canada. Congress might be too divided for full legalization this year, but it can begin providing the clarity that Canada’s approach offers. U.S. contradictions Congressional action is clearly needed, as federal law has f...

Only Congress Can Make Puerto Rico The 51st State In The United States

14Dec

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

POLITICS

Only Congress Can Make Puerto Rico The 51st State In The United States

Puerto Ricans requested statehood on Nov. 3, 2020, with 52.3% of voters asking to change the island’s status from unincorporated territory to U.S. state. This is the sixth time statehood has been on the ballot since Puerto Rico ratified its Constitution in 1952. Voters rejected the status change in 1967, 1993 and 1998. The 2012 election results were unclear because some voters did not answer both parts of a two-part statehood question. In 2017 statehood won decisively, albeit with very low turnout of around 23%. Puerto Rico didn’t become the 51st state then, and it is unlikely to achieve statehood any time soon. Only Congress can add new states to the Union, via an Admission Act or House Resolution that requires approval by a simple majority in the House and Senate. Territorial status T...

Police violence in the United States: what lies behind the ‘bad apples’ narrative

2Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

VIDEO REELS

Police violence in the United States: what lies behind the ‘bad apples’ narrative

The May 25 video of George Floyd’s death sparked outrage and demonstrations across the United States as well as around the world. The direct responsibility of police officer Derek Chauvin is reflected in the charges – on June 3 were upgraded to second-degree murder, while three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting Floyd’s death. However, the interpretations of what lies behind Chauvin’s behavior and the underlying racism differ greatly, and frequently along political lines. Structural vs individual racism A frequent interpretation is that George Floyd’s death was an isolated incident by a “bad cop”. This is the prevalent view in the Trump administration and more generally among conservatives. It was clearly expressed by Robert O'Brien, the president’s National Security Advi...

How Will We Rebuild The United States After President Trump Is Gone

3Feb

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

Journalism

How Will We Rebuild The United States After President Trump Is Gone

Can we rebuild the United States after President Trump is gone? And how would we do it? It’s a good question, and it’s looking more important as new evidence of his criminality emerges on what feels like a near-daily basis. You would be forgiven if watching the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump last week left you with the feeling that the constitutional system of government is on life support. Even acknowledging that Trump is corrupt and guilty of everything he’s charged with, it’s disheartening to watch Senate Republicans twist themselves into knots to justify a craven vote to not call any witnesses or see any evidence for a trial in which they’re supposed to be impartial jurors. But if there’s anything consistent about Trump, it’s that he doesn’t see the U.S. as an example o...