Tag Archives: Politics

Las Vegas: A change in this country

Posted on by

By VIVIANA ONORATO

The world is changing and not for the better.

There’s a desensitization among people; parents do not raise their children as they should, with many of them losing their values as they grow… if they even had any to begin with.

If a family doesn’t guide you, you will never grow up to become a true and proper person; without a proper moral compass, you will pick and choose at your own whim, potentially being influenced from the wrong people.

Part of the problem seems to be the issue of culture; we are desensitized to problems that we do not acknowledge as negative; we simply choose to accept them as a part of our everyday lives. Gun violence is perhaps the most notable of them, as we believe that it is something that comes with our rights. The Second Amendment itself is embedded into the Constitution; however, it is sometimes abused by many in power.

The leaders of our country do nothing to stop this; some of them pander to the gun lobbies, while others dismiss claims of the problem outright. The end result is that while we all agree that there are problems, we are not doing anything to solve them.

We should be talking and discussing about how to make our country better; instead, we resort to childish insults and raucous conversation, disregarding all viable discussion for petty arguments.

After the shooting in Las Vegas, Jason Aldean wrote that “something has changed in this country.” Looking at the state of society, it’s hard to argue against this.

Plans in order to ban ‘bump stock’

Posted on by

By IZABELLA FELPETO

After one of the deadliest shootings in American history, with 58 people killed and 489 wounded; it is no surprise that officials are beginning to consider the steps necessary to further regulate access to and use of guns.

On Thursday, Oct. 5, lawmakers began efforts to ban legislation on bump stocks, an attachment that enables a semiautomatic weapon to fire faster. Bump stocks are not banned even though it allows a person to fire a gun at the speed of a fully-automatic gun because of technicalities with how it is made.

Jill Snyder, a special agent in charge at the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, says “The classification of these devices depends on whether they mechanically alter the function of the firearm to fire fully automatic.”

After the world witnessed painful video coverage of the shooting; experts concluded it is proof enough that a semi-automatic weapon with a bump stock can accelerate the speed of the shots to the level of a fully-automated weapon. Twelve of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock’s rifles carried a bump stock.

The National Rifle Association issued a statement saying “The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”

Republicans have already demonstrated support to alter the gun laws. Republican representatives Mike Gallagher and Adam Kinzinger asked for signatures to petition a change in the 2010 administrative decision saying that bump stocks are legal.

There is still no answer on this ban from President Trump, but White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the president is a “supporter of the Second Amendment” and that he is “open” to discussing the ban on “bump stock.”

Tropical Storm Nate may hit U.S. Gulf Coast

Posted on by

By EVAN ALDO

The United States may still not be off the hook for hurricanes this season.

A tropical cyclone in the northwestern Caribbean Sea has recently been upgraded to a named tropical storm called Nate.  Meteorologists believe the system is likely to become a hurricane in the next three days.  They also predict that it may hit the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday morning.

“Nate is expected to strengthen as it moves over warmer waters on its way to the U.S. coast,” says the National Hurricane Center.  “But at this point, it is too early to specify the timing, location, or magnitude of these impacts.

Nate is currently bringing heavy rainfall to Nicaragua as it is heading towards Cancun. It has triggered flood warnings in these areas, as well as a hurricane watch in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

Right now the tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.  It is expected to take a northwestward path later today and start to move at a faster speed, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The sustained winds are expected to reach 75 mph by Sunday.  Although this is much less than recent hurricanes such as Irma or Maria, forecasters are still warning people to watch out for flash floods and mudslides.  Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, has already addressed the state to discuss preparation for the storm.

After the devastations from hurricanes Irma and Maria, another hurricane clearly is something the United States can do without at this time.

Congress has been debating passing a 15 billion dollar hurricane recovery bill.  However, if Nate ends up being as catastrophic as Sandy was in 2012, American taxpayers may have a lot more to worry about.

News and a useless vacuum of time

Posted on by

By DANNY LAROSE

With President Trump’s comments last Friday regarding the NFL and those players who have knelt during the national anthem, a storm of controversy has blossomed that has the entire country talking.

Some people would argue that this should be the top trending story on all news programs, however, is it the news media’s job to discuss a very widespread, opinionated topic in detail and most extensively?

Leave it to the pundits and talk shows. Let a panel of partisan talking heads on CNN or Fox News debate each other on the legitimacy of the protest and the absurdity or necessity of Trump’s comments.

But news programs such as NBC’s “Nightly News” or ABC’s “Good Morning America” shouldn’t devote the majority of their air-time to a story lacking overall fact-based newsworthiness.

Naturally, a topic of such relevance to most if not all Americans and the magnitude of a controversy involving the most prominent person in the United States against the most popular sport in the country covers nearly all the bases for a story needing to be told.

Now that we are a week removed, however, it’s time to return to covering breaking stories and national coverage that have more severe consequences. News from North Korea and the latest of their nuclear endeavors or the latest from Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria should take up the most time because they are more severe.

News programs have received a week to talk all around this controversy. At this point, it has become debate. Leave debating to partisan shows and pundits, and let the news programs stick to what’s news.

Sen. Collins sinks Obamacare repeal

Posted on by

By ANDRES ARENAS GRAYEB

This Monday, Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced her opposition to the latest GOP bill meant to replace the Affordable Care Act.

The Graham-Cassidy bill, named after sponsoring senators Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham, had already lost the support of Republican senators John McCain and Rand Paul, with Ted Cruz indicating through aides that he was also favoring the opposition.

With the 52-48 Senate majority the Republican Party currently holds, Republicans can only lose two votes if they desire to bring a bill to life, with the help Vice President Mike Pence’s tie-breaking vote. Collins, by being the third Republican senator to officially oppose it, effectively doomed the bill, along with any hopes the GOP has for removing Obamacare for the time being.

Both USA Today and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adequately described the basic implications of the Graham-Cassidy bill, in addition to its intended and possible impact on the current Affordable Care Act. More notably, however, they were both able to capture voices from all sides of the discussion, from Sen. Collins herself to Bill Cassidy, the bill’s most ardent supporter, in addition to notable Democrats on the issue such as Sen. Ron Wyden.

Both sources also did not forget to mention neutral parties, such as the Congressional Budget Office, whose limited analysis of the bill helped persuade Collins to take a side. Both stories are well rounded overall in the sense that readers get a clear idea of both the facts and emotions of the case from various angles, leaving the political and economic situation up for interpretation and further analysis in the future.

Trump, NFL clash on anthem protests

Posted on by

By BEN EZZY

The battle of wills between the National Football League and President Donald Trump continues today, as week four of the NFL season kicks off tonight. This past week saw players, coaches and league officials from multiple organizations speak out and demonstrate acts of protest following a series of harsh comments from Trump.

The debacle began when, at a campaign rally, the president made several remarks about players who chose to kneel during the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” said Trump, basking in the applause of his supporters.

What was once a personal protest by a single player, Colin Kaepernick, against a rise in police brutality toward black suspects and offenders quickly became a first amendment issue, and many NFL players chose to unite against the president’s comments.

“To have the president trying to intimidate people — I wanted to send a message that I don’t condone that,” said Julius Thomas of the Miami Dolphins, who had remained standing during the anthem before this Sunday’s game. “I’m not O.K. with somebody trying to prevent someone from standing up for what they think is important.”

The protest took an especially powerful turn at the day’s match-up between the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks, as both teams remained in the locker room during the singing of the anthem.

After the day’s games, the feud continued on social media, with players posting Instagram pictures and tweets, denouncing the president’s harsh words. Trump took to Twitter in his usual fashion, biting back: “Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!”

Week four of the NFL season begins tonight, as the Green Bay Packers face off against the Chicago Bears. Debate has been high all week, and the lasting effects of these protests remain to be seen. The media have done a good job covering the story from all points of view, finding unbiased sources who agree and disagree with the protests, as well as players and officials to comment on what the president has been saying.

USA Today reviews access to president

Posted on by

By ANDRES ARENAS GRAYEB

The Trump empire has far from fallen off since Donald J. Trump took office and some of its most profitable locations have been the president’s private golf clubs. President Trump has visited the clubs in Bedminster, N.J., and Palm Beach, Fla., among others, several times since becoming president.

Apart from being a getaway for the president, his clubs raked in $600 million in 2015 and 2016. And the upper class’s interest in the clubs has only increased in recent times.

According to USA Today, 71 of the members in his private clubs are executives from companies that hold federal contracts, lobbyists and trade group officials. Of the 71, two-thirds of them have played on one of the days that the president was visiting. This membership, which grants them open access to the president through a service that enriches him, is perfectly legal.

Despite being legal, however, it does bring up ethical concerns, primarily in regard to the possibilities for bribery and unfair access, since most people cannot afford the $100,000 initiation fees that many of the club members can. Another such case is that of Jay Vroom, CEO of a pesticide trade group that convinced the government not to ban the insecticide chlorpyrifos, which has been linked with neurological development delays in children. Vroom admitted to seeing the president once since he took office.

USA Today did a thorough and detailed story on Trump. In a section at the end of the article entitled “How we reported this story,” editors explained how reporters tracked down and interviewed as many members of Trumps clubs they could find, making use of a public golfing website where players keep track of their scores, among other sources such as social media posts and news stories. They also interviewed both sides of the story, for the sake of being objective.

From Walter Shaub, resigned director of the Office of Government Ethics, who called the situation “new territory” and expressed concern for the easy access, to Jay Vroom, who claimed to have not spoken to the president about his company’s interests at all. Overall, USA Today excelled at covering every angle of the story in great detail while remaining impartial to either side.

Venezuelans fight for their future

Posted on by

By VIVIANA ONORATO

The situation in Venezuela is critically bad.

There is poverty, unemployment, insecurity, lack of political input, among other issues. A large number of Venezuelans have died because of a shortage of food, medicine or being killed defending their rights.

The quality of life in Venezuela is getting worse every day. People live with the risk of dying without being able to buy food because of its high cost or because there is no food at all. For the last five years, people have been starving. About 75 percent of the country has lost an average of 19 pounds per person since the food crisis.

In addition, the minimum wage does not cover all the necessary expenses in a low cost living. For these reasons, the people in Venezuela decided to take to the streets to defend their rights. Once again, this freedom could not be achieved so there is a lot of emigration in the country not only by the people but also airlines and importing companies.

Venezuela has always been a country that has a lot of potential and wealth. It was the richest country in Latin America and now it is broke thanks to the collapse of the oil industry and general mismanagement of the economy.

It used to welcome many foreigner visitors and today, this beautiful country full of landscapes, beaches and tropical climates has become the most corrupt country in South America.

President Nicolas Maduro isn’t helping to improve the situation. While people are starving, president Nicolas Maduro focuses on changing the constitution in order to give himself more power. This means, people in Venezuela would not be able to have the right to vote anymore.

We as journalists need to stop ignoring the situation in Venezuela. We need to be the voice for those who do not have one. We need to make the world see the reality of Venezuela and contribute to those Venezuelans desperate to have that freedom they have fought so much.

Fox News hires commentator Lahren

Posted on by

By EVAN ALDO

Fox News Channel has hired conservative commentator Tomi Lahren, who is known for her previous positions at The Blaze and One America News Network.  She is also known for her work on a political action committee supporting President Donald Trump.

Tomi Lahren (Photo courtesy of #Tommy Lehren@Twitter).

The South Dakota native will make her debut as a contributor on tonight’s edition of “Hannity” at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

According to Fox News, Lahren will have a “signature role” on a digital product currently under development and will also be a commentator on the network’s opinion programming.

She will most often appear on Sean Hannity’s show, where she originally made her first appearance on Fox.  On his show, she has been most known for criticizing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the “mainstream media.”

“How about when the mainstream media stops covering Russia day in and day out, maybe we can drop the Hillary email scandal,” said Lahren on Twitter yesterday.

The 25-year-old Donald Trump supporter, is a University of Nevada at Las Vegas graduate who built a following on social media with over four million Facebook followers.  She creates her own videos with commentary on politics and culture. Lahren has made national news for her strong criticisms of Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protests, as well as comparing Black Lives Matter to the KKK.

The conservative commentator was fired from The Blaze earlier this year after saying that she was pro-choice in an appearance on “The View.”

“I have moderate, conservative and libertarian views. I’m human.  I will never apologize, to anyone, for being an independent thinker,” said Lahren on Twitter shortly after she was fired.

Acosta goes too far with interview

Posted on by

By DANNY LAROSE

When CNN’s Jim Acosta grilled White House advisor Stephen Miller on immigration policy in the Trump Administration, he was not championing the tired, poor, huddled masses that the Statue of Liberty invites. He was championing his own cause, one that crosses the line of journalistic integrity into political partisanship.

Much has been said in regard to partisanship in the news media and it is largely true for both sides of the political spectrum. Bias in the news consumers receive and digest is the new norm. No clearer has this been apparent than when a few weeks ago, CNN’s senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta tore off his reporter’s cap and donned the mantle of Republican opposition.

Acosta, rather than ask a question that would subsequently inform his viewers, recited to Stephen Miller the poem added to the Statue of Liberty in New York, saying “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.” He then chose to press Miller about the legitimacy and true nature of the Trump Administration’s new green card policy, saying it was possibly race-influenced.

Acosta started an argument with Miller. He did not ask a necessary, informative question, he did not ask something that would open up the floor for further voices. Acosta sought to debate Miller as a political opponent would, failing to understand (or perhaps disregarding entirely) that his job as a reporter is to report news, not instigate ideological arguments on the press room floor.

The ordeal was a disservice to Acosta’s colleagues in the White House press room as it was unfair and disrespectful to the qualified reporters simply trying to do their jobs, but it was especially a disservice to Acosta’s viewers, who have a right to receive news that is fair and not manipulated. Acosta, however, has begun to disregard his duty as a journalist to provide the public with legitimate stories that they can judge for themselves. He failed because that day he became the news, when he was instead supposed to report it.

Candidates seek California House seat

Posted on by

By ISAIAH TAYLOR

The state of California will soon be voting for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in the 50th district.

Politics have seen an interesting turn of events this past couple of months with the introduction of Trump as president. So far, Republicans have won all four special elections since Trump was inaugurated. What do people feel about now a new face on the campaign scene trying to win back the seat for the Democrats?

Introducing Ammar Campa-Najjar, he is just one of five Democrats hoping to get a chance to fill that seat. One of the most interesting things about Campa-Najjar is that he comes from such a diverse background. He campaigns as a Arab-Latino facing the harsh treatment from just about all other sides.

Campa-Najjar has even been quoted saying that the challenges he has faced so far under the Trump administration, that “A lot of Trump supporters are not all racist or a lot of them aren’t ignorant; they are ignored.”

With the positive outlook on most recent behavior displayed by some of these supporters, California will will have bright future ahead if this man is elected into the 50th district seat.

He also plans to implement some environmentally sustainable practices, with the use of solar framing available. He has already reached out to a company owned by Elon Musk in efforts to help us and the country find better options to the use of out fossil fuels. Campa-Najjar also hopes that he can privatize space travel and the nation could create more jobs if it could build more launch sites.

Campa-Najjar will be running for the next election, which is to be held June 5.

If you believe in a new type of change needed to happen with this country, but starting off at the state level and you live in California, it is crucial that you get out and vote for who you believe in, whether it be part of the Republican Party or the new up and coming Ammar Campa-Najjar.

Student returned from North Korea dies

Posted on by

By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

After returning from North Korea in a comatose stte, 22-year-old Otto Warmbier died Monday.

“Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20 p.m.,” said his parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier.

Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said he had extensive brain damage that has lasted longer than year and that he was in a state unresponsive wakefulness and wasn’t aware of his surroundings.

The family did not mention the cause of death.

Warmbier was arrested in Pyongyang in January 2016 while on a tourist trip to North Korea and was charged with committing a hostile act against the government. He had tried to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel hallway wall. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years hard labor.

It is ludicrous that North Korea arrests, then tortures someone so harshly just for stealing a poster.

NBC News has done a great job reporting what has happened along with background information to support their report.

America divided over Comey hearing

Posted on by

By GABRIELA SANTOS

The long-awaited Senate Intelligence Committee hearing has come and gone but the impact it has left on the country will sure to stay. In a way not seen since Watergate, the event drew in people from all walks of life to stop and watch ex-FBI Director James Comey’s testimony on Thursday.

Americans all over the country filled bars, clubs, airports and restaurants just to sit and listen to the testimonial.

“There were recordings, there were memos made, a paper trail created I think it tells a lot about the trust that not only the American public should have in Trump but his own administration,” Alicia Gosford, who watched and told local New Haven, Conn., news station WTNH.

The news media are clearly divided over what Comey’s testimonials could mean for Trump, and the American people are no different.

“I think it was definitely good for President Trump, with the only exception being Comey’s points about Trump ‘lying’ about his character,” Chris Jones, a marketing executive from Redding, Conn., told Fox News.

It truly boils down to where you stand on the political spectrum. The more liberal stations like CNN, MSNBC, etc., seem to draw up a general consensus that the hearing will have a negative impact for Trump in the coming weeks. News outlets like FOX, on the other hand, seem optimistic that these hearings will amount to nothing.

That being said, when polled Americans overwhelmingly believe that Comey’s firing had to do with the fact that the FBI investigation would “hurt” Trump. According to a FOX News poll, 79 percent of people agree with this while 29 percent believe that he was “hurting” the FBI.

The news media bias in this case is strong, but I believe only time will tell what the facts really are, that is, if the ever come out.

Republicans uneasy with Trump

Posted on by

By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

After the London Bridge attacks, President Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, claiming that Khan told citizens not to be alarmed about terrorism and the U.S. Justice Department is pushing a politically correct version of his policy of the travel ban.

Top officials from the White House have suggested to the president that he should not be arguing but to no avail as he continues to brush them off and do what he wants.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House principle deputy press secretary, was asked if the president’s tweets were being vetted by lawyers or aides.

“Not that I’m aware of,” she said at the daily press briefing on Monday.

As Trump continues to engage the news with the anticipated public testimony of former FBI directer James B. Comey before the Senate Intelligence Committee coming up Thursday, many Republicans are neither surprised nor easy and are already nervous about the questions that wait for them after the hearing and expect criticism from Democrats.

Some even fear that Trump will make things worse.

“It’s a distraction, and he needs to focus. Every day and moment he spends on anything other than a rising economy is a waste that disrupts everything,” said former Trump campaign adviser Barry Bennett.

I honestly don’t blame them for being so afraid and nervous. He’s back to the old Trump from his presidential campaign, throwing tantrums worse than my neighbor’s almost two-year-old child because people are disagreeing with him and he’s not getting what he wants. He has to understand that the world does not always revolve around him, even as president of the United States.

CNN fires Griffin over gruesome photo

Posted on by

By NEYDJA PETITHOMME

CNN made a quick decision to remove comedian and New Year’s Eve co-host Kathy Griffin after posting a photo holding a bloody head which resembled that of President Donald Trump.

Following the post, President Trump responded in this, “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!

According to CNN, Sen Al Franken was deeply disturbed by the footage taken by Griffin, but will still plan to appear with Griffin at an event in July. This was not easily said by New Years Eve Co host Anderson cooper. Cooper said he was “appalled by the photo shoot.” “It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate,” he wrote on Twitter.

Cooper cancels his New Year’s Eve plans with Griffin, which undoubtedly, he should. This act of withdrawal allows viewers to understand the importance of what you say and what you post.

As for Griffin this was no accident. Griffin and her photographer thoroughly planned every ounce of the shoot. Prior to the shoot Griffin mentioned they will have to move to Mexico after exposing the photo. It does not matter if you are a Republican or Democrat, or in this situation a lover or hater of President Donald Trump, this is not acceptable to do.

Griffin lost her endorsement deal with “squatty potty.”

Trump ends Obama scholarship program

Posted on by

By NEYDJA PETITHOMME

According to officials, the “Let Girls Learn” program, which was founded by former first lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama in 2015, has been dropped by the Trump administration.

The “Let Girls Learn” provided a platform where Michelle Obama strived to educate young girls in developing countries by giving every young girl the same opportunity that girls in America have. The program develops in girls “the ability to read, write, and analyze; the confidence to stand up and demand justice and equality; the qualifications and connections to get your foot in that door and take your seat at that table-all of that starts with education,” she said.

I could not agree more. Michelle Obama set a standard  of what it means to empower girls with a firm foundation of a good education. Former first lady Obama firmly believed in lifting others up and empowering women to be the best version of themselves. It is unfortunate that President Donald Trump wants to deny young women of an education by denying them their dreams and God-given purpose.

It is safe to say, although the “Let Girls Learn” has been altered, the Peace Corps looks to continue its effort to further educate young women. Rather than altering the current path forward, we hope the agency focuses more on providing technical assistance that can help schools get across the finish line, if they haven’t done so already,” said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown.

In addition to “Let Girls Learn,” Ivanka Trump, adviser to the president, looks to continue her journey towards empowering young women. According to her Twitter biography,  Trump describes herself as an “Entrepreneur & advocate for the education & empowerment of women & girls.”

Trump withdraws U.S. from Paris deal

Posted on by

By ALEJANDRO GRANDA

Of course, it is “America first, Earth second” with President Donald Trump as he withdraws the U.S. from the Paris climate deal because he thinks it would harm American citizens and businesses.

“Compliance with the terms of the Paris accord … could cost America as much as 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025,” Trump said. “As someone who cares deeply about the environment, which I do, I cannot in good conscience support a deal that punishes the U.S.”

And of course, there is no one happier than Fox News, who claim that the deal is a “terrible idea.” They are also claiming that Trump is doing something “right” and “brave” because he is “leading” with his decision to withdraw.

I sure do hope that part of his plan to “Make America Great Again” is to find ways to reduce fossil fuel emissions because if we don’t combat climate change, there won’t be an America to make great again and certainly no American citizens and businesses to protect.

Trump withdraws U.S. from accord

Posted on by

By NOELIA GRAHAM

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, which weakens global efforts in combating climate change.

Trump stated that the deal imposed unfair restrictions to American businesses and workers and he vowed to take a stance against the “draconian” agreement.

However, because of the lengthy withdrawal process, which takes about four years, the decision falls in 2020, election time. This means that the fate of the deal could be up to the voters.

The withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement is unprecedented and has been a topic of discussion around the world.

The Chinese news media outlet China Daily has labeled Trump selfish and irresponsible,’ crippling U.S. leadership.

And shortly after issuing his withdrawal, a joint statement from the leaders of France, Italy, and Germany noted that the Paris climate accord was “irreversible” and unable to be renegotiated.

Elon Musk who was part of two business-related councils set up by Trump has said he would leave those panels in a statement on Twitter.

“Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world,” he said.

Through the Paris climate accord signed by 195 other countries, the United States had agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and give up to $3 billion in aid for poorer countries by 2020.

The choice to withdraw from this agreement is irresponsible not just for the American people but to the continuing prosperity and health of the global environment.

In a statement that highlights the thoughts of many, former President Obama argued, “Even in the absence of American leadership; even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got.”

U.S withdraws from Paris agreement

Posted on by

By GABRIELA SANTOS

In a move that surprised very few, President Trump has decided to pull the United States from the Paris agreement – an historic global coalition meant to curb the effects of climate change by reducing worldwide emissions.

Despite widespread condemnation from political leaders, business leaders and environmentalist around the world, Trump affirms that he is doing so to benefit the American people who elected him to office.

The Paris agreement was signed by 195 countries and is supposed to create global accountability for rising temperatures and propose new carbon emission standards. The only countries that did not sign the agreement were Syria and Nicaragua, the former of which is currently marred by civil war.

“It would once have been unthinkable that an international agreement could prevent the United States from conducting its own domestic affairs,” said Trump during his speech at the Rose Garden on Thursday.

Trump’s position is that the 2015 agreement imposes wildly unfair business standards aimed at attacking American sovereignty and his ability to create business initiatives that would benefit American workers.

In an article written by Michael D. Shear of The New York Times, he states that business leaders like Elon Musk of Tesla, Jeffrey R. Immelt of General Electric and Lloyd C. Bankfield of Goldman Sachs, are diametrically opposed to the decision. They argue that the decision would hinder future job creation and shift markets for clean energy and technology to overseas competitors.

At this point, this kind of decision made by president Trump shows the obvious disconnect which he has with the American people – 73 percent of which actually supported the agreement.

In his article, Shear clearly tried to maintain neutrality by presenting both sides of the argument but it’s evident where he, and others like him, stands and it’s not with the president.

World leaders were quick to react to the news and the general consensus is that the decision presents more harm than a possible good. Especially considering the U.S is Earth’s second largest pollution contributor.

Trump did manage to say that a renegotiation was possible but they would have to be on his terms.

“We are getting out,” Trump said. “But we will start to negotiate, and we will see if we can make a deal that’s fair. And if we can, that’s great.”

It’s now in the hands of state and city leaders to decide if they are going to side with Trump, or the rest of the world.

Rolling Loud festival in jeopardy

Posted on by

By ISABELLA HALILI

Miami’s Bayfront Park is planned to be the home of the new hip-hop music festival Rolling Loud. Headliners, such as Kendrick Lamar, Future and Lil Wayne, are planned to perform in early May.

The entertainment agency, Dope Entertainment, that is producing the music festival is continuing to act as if the festival is still on, although there is talk the public agency that manages Bayfront Park is considering cancelling the event.

The initial discussion of cancelling the festival started with Frank Carollo, chairman of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, since the event was approved without his knowing or the consent of the board.

There will be a meeting held on April 11, where the trust will be voting whether to cancel the music festival or not.

As of now, Rolling Loud has not broken any rules of its agreement, so it’s harder for the committee to cancel the event .

Miami residents have always complained about the noise and trash that the electronic dance music festival Ultra brings downtown and don’t want another weekend filled with noisy music festival-goers dirtying up the city.

The Miami Herald has done a sufficient job on reporting about this music festival. It has discussed both parties’ concerns and the logistics behind music festivals. As of right now, this story only pertains to the Miami area, but if the festival is to be cancelled, there is going to need to be more coverage so that the public knows.