Let’s have a look into the latest happenings to one of the UK’s closest cultural and political allies as the country attempts to regain composure among political upheaval, a new and spreading disease, and cultural battles regarding firearms.
The White House
In a race against time to change perceptions of his lackluster presidency, Joe Biden has reignited the Democratic Party with the Inflation Reduction Act. The $750bn bill will cover several of Biden’s key legislative items in reducing carbon emissions, extending health care subsidies, and reducing the national deficit. The bill will also establish a major milestone in the battle to lower drug prices; Medicare will finally have the power to negotiate against major pharmacy firms to establish fairer pricing over certain prescription drugs.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a saving grace for the Democratic Party as they fight to hold their slim majority in Congress as the midterm elections loom nearer. The bill will raise $700bn in government revenue over ten years and to confirm this bill as a major bipartisan win, Biden will be touring the country to highlight how the bill will help everyday Americans. But with 75% of Democrat voters wanting the party to nominate a candidate other than Biden for the 2024 presidential ticket, is the Inflation Reduction Act strong enough to establish confidence back in the senior politician?
Donald Trump
It’s been an interesting week in Donald Trump’s world as his infamous Mar-a-Lago residence was raided by an FBI team. The purpose of the raid has been revealed as an investigation into Trump’s potential infringement of the Espionage Act. The FBI confiscated classified documents as well as pardons for his closest confidants from the former president’s Florida home.
The former president claims he has been cooperating with investigators from the FBI and the National Archives but the federal team had come to believe not every top secret document had been returned. It is unclear at this time if the documents pertain to the 6 January insurrection.
As a rumoured Trump 2024 presidential campaign hangs in hushed tones over the Republican Party, can an indictment disqualify him as a viable candidate? The short answer is – not exactly. The US Constitution does not restrict imprisoned felons from running for or holding presidential office. However, if convicted and looking to avoid confinement, Trump could submit to a plea bargain in which he could decree to never hold public office again. The saddest revelation? The FBI search and seizure has lit a fervent fire within Trump supporters as they see the federal investigators to be the corrupt party and their candidate to be the shining figure that will bring the country to righteous reform.
Monkeypox
With over 10,000 confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the United States, the country currently leads the world in reported cases. The Center for Disease Control battles to contain the spread of the disease as well as the stigma surrounding those who are infected.
The disease is spread through skin-to-skin contact as well as through fabrics and surfaces used by those who are infected. Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease but has been mistaken for one as the main group impacted has been men who have sex with other men. The disease spreads through droplets, similar to Covid-19, as well as through secretion from a rash that has been reported as a common symptom.
Vaccination measures among those most at risk of the disease have been ramping up while some states look to move to mitigating the spread instead of continuing attempts to simply contain it.
Climate change
The landmark passing of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act will see a $369bn climate change and green technology investment with tax breaks for electric vehicles, a boost in wind turbine and solar panel production, and incentives to ramp up carbon-capture facilities.
The bill also sets aside $20bn for ‘nature-based’ climate solutions including agricultural conservation and forest safeguarding. With temperatures rising, weather patterns shifting, and some states like California experiencing yearly occurrences of so-called ‘fire season’, the US’s investment into green technology and new climate solutions cannot come soon enough.
Firearms
Three months after the Uvalde School shooting, the third deadliest school shooting in US history behind Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook Elementary, the United States Congress is finally seeing some progress in gun reform legislation. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law 25 June 2022 and establishes:
- Enhanced background checks for prospective gun buyers between the ages of 18 and 21
- Expansion of an existing law that prohibits convicted domestic abusers from purchasing firearms
- Funding for states to enact ‘red flag laws’ to remove firearms from a person deemed to be a threat by law enforcement
- Endowments for mental health programs in communities and schools.
The law falls short of Biden’s call to ban semi-automatic assault weapons and widespread background checks, but many still see it as a major step forward. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut claimed “This bill is not window dressing. This bill is going to save lives”.
The US at a glance
With what has seemed to be a doomsday outlook surrounding the country in recent years, the latest legislative actions have restored a slight sense of hope in the once powerhouse nation. Maybe, just maybe, the United States can redeem itself in the eyes of the world and move away from the image of a polarised nation attempting to hold on to archaic values.
