What once was air is now smog. The foundation of your house penetrates a gas field. The water you drink is spoiled by chemicals from the abandoned factory outside your window. The constant threat of extreme weather has you and your neighbors living in fear; one day, your house will be swept away by a flood or burnt to a crisp by the hand of a raging fire.
Read MoreIf you’ve paid any attention to discourse related to California politics, you know that housing is a topic that frequently gets brought up. People talk about having to pay higher interest rates on mortgages, having trouble finding a home to buy, or, as famed political activist Jimmy McMillan would say, “the rent is too damn high.”
Read MoreOn the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump issued an executive order entitled Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship. The order directs federal agencies to stop granting or recognizing citizenship for children born to parents who were unlawfully or temporarily in the United States at the time of their birth, fulfilling one of the President’s campaign promises.
Read MoreThe practice of utilizing tariffs against perceived foes has become commonplace. The proposal of expanding United States territory hangs over the country, invoking the idea of Manifest Destiny. China is viewed as a potential dominant superpower, with United States policy shifting to handle its emergence on the global stage.
Read MoreYour small town is about to be hit by a hurricane, and you’re in the middle of an evacuation zone. With only days’ notice, your family is packing up their belongings and getting ready to flee the area for safety. You’re told that if you don’t leave, you’ll die — but as your friends and loved ones go, you remain in place. As an inmate, you cannot make that decision for yourself.
Read MoreThough much of it feels like a distant memory now, certain occurrences from that summer will undoubtedly have lasting effects on our country, altering the shape of our government for centuries to come. Amongst all that happened, one event from early July stands out as particularly momentous: the decision of Trump v. US.
Read MoreOn October 27, 2024, Tony Hinchcliffe, a stand-up comedian, spoke at a Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. While several speakers and attendees endorsed former President Donald Trump throughout the event, Hinchcliffe faced criticism over his choice of words.
Read MoreImagine playing a game where you score the most points, but someone else decides who wins based on their own rules. That’s essentially what the Electoral College does to our presidential elections, and it’s time we rethink this outdated system.
Read MoreHave we finally reached the time where our world resembles movies? Where robots take over the world and destroy the human race, like in The Terminator and M3gan? No, I do not think we have reached that point just yet. We can take comfort in the fact that these movies are still far away from being representative of the near future.
Read MoreThe late Justice Antonin Scalia, testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2011, recounted the experiences he had with high school, college, and law students interested in the law. “I ask them, what do you think is the reason that America is such a free country? What is it in our Constitution that makes us what we are?”
Read MoreI know it, you know it. Corporations suck. They get to do whatever they want, with no repercussions. It feels like nobody in our government cares to fight back against them, that everyone in the federal branch is just as beholden to special interests as our House Representatives or Senators. But what if I told you that there was one person fighting for the rights of consumers, and the American working and middle classes?
Read MoreThroughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020 to now, the mishandling of public health policy and messaging has led to a complete breakdown of public health in the United States. From small inefficiencies to large-scale negligence, the government and its public health institutions have failed the American people, which has led to a complete distortion of how we define illness as a society.
Read MoreAs the United States suffers an attack on the public education system by Republican policymakers, which has been a contributing factor to the widespread educator shortage, it is imperative that legislators who run on campaigns of diversity, equity, and inclusion take initiative to ensure that students enrolled in K-12 schooling receive an education that effectively utilizes culturally responsive pedagogies that focus on teaching students how to understand topics that have been heavily politicized — like race, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Read MoreAs a poster child of the declining liberal city, San Francisco has gained quite a reputation for itself. Most notably, regarding its growing homelessness encampments; the city has been in the spotlight with talk of rampant crime rates, abandoned buildings, and the infamous "poop map." Yet down the blocks of San Francisco’s tent-lined streets stand luxury apartments. The characterization of this issue is full of contradictions — as these newly developed units await incoming residents, the number of those on the street continues to grow.
Read MorePicture this: you’re at Disneyland. As you walk into the park, you are struck by a variety of sensations. The smell of cinnamon and pineapple — foreshadowing churros and DoleWhip — wafts through the air. The sounds of laughter and excitement surround you; everyone is eager to find the rides they've been looking forward to. In the distance, you can see costumed characters roaming Main Street, and you feel hopeful, secure in the knowledge that you’re about to have a great day.
Read MoreThe 2024 presidential election is set, and it looks mighty familiar. In a seemingly reoccurring nightmare, instead of Vice President Joe Biden facing off against incumbent President Donald Trump, we have President Joe Biden against four-time indictee and convicted criminal Donald Trump (who is probably in court as you are reading this). However, one major change between 2020 and 2024 is the issue of abortion.
While then-candidate Biden ran on abortion in 2020, it didn’t strike the same chord with voters as it does now. Instead of saying that conservatives may overturn Roe v. Wade, Democrats in 2024 can now tell voters that it has happened, and the worst may be yet to come. It was the Republicans who were able to run on this issue for decades to rile up their base, and now as a result of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the issue has been teed up for Democrats to take advantage of. All they need to do is swing.
Read MoreIn 21st-century America, we are witnessing an educational commitment to vilify and dehumanize marginalized communities through the censorship of children’s books. Since 2019, there have been more than 1,500 book bans in at least 26 states across the country, contributing to the erasure of many marginalized groups’ histories. In the 2022-2023 school year alone, there was a 33 percent increase in public school book bans. Bans on books that were once standard to read in the classroom, like Maus and Animal Farm, have made teachers and educators leave their field during an already massive educator shortage, further exacerbating the crisis.
Read MoreAwards season is a highly anticipated time for fans of Hollywood. The difficult task of hosting an award show is burdened with the pressure to perform, most notably in front of peers of the arts rather than the average American. The pressure to produce a watchable show filled with jokes and intriguing monologues can lead the host to make cheap shots at the crowd or topics known to gather controversy in an effort to alleviate stress.
Read MoreDonald Trump’s legal team is having quite a time. The former President is facing 91 felony charges in cases across the country, appealing a verdict which ordered him to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her, and may have his properties seized if he cannot pay his $454 million debt from a New York fraud case. Ask any legal expert or lay person, and they will tell you that Trump’s chances of winning some of these cases are low. But there is one legal battle, also before the Supreme Court, that is likely to be decided in Donald Trump’s favor, Vidal v. Elster.
Read MoreDid you know that according to the Pew Research Center in 2022, there are only about twenty-four moderate Democrats or Republicans serving in Congress? Fifty years ago, that number was over six times higher. Despite this decrease in the number of moderate officials, a Gallup poll found that the percentage of moderate voters is relatively high at thirty-seven percent. These polls indicate a significant disparity between the number of moderate government officials currently serving in Congress and the proportion of voters they represent.
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