Tag: COVID-19
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California Joins Other States and Relaxes Pandemic Restrictions
State political leaders in California announced the relaxation of some of the country’s most restrictive COVID policies. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state would no longer mandate masks in indoor settings for vaccinated residents. The current rules were instituted during the December omicron wave but will be allowed to expire on February 15. California […]
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Canadian Trucker Protest
Hundreds of large trucks have descended upon downtown Ottawa to protest the country’s COVID-19 restrictions. The demonstrators have paralyzed the Canadian capital by blocking city streets and blaring their horns. The truckers along with their supporters have been accused of inciting hate and destruction of property during their nearly two-week siege. Local officials have requested […]
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Biden Seeks Reset as Second Year Begins
President Biden sought to reset the trajectory of his presidency as he officially started the second year of his term. This comes as the president suffered another setback when senate Democrats were unable to overcome a Republican filibuster and pass voting rights legislation. Biden’s signature proposed legislation, called Build Back Better, is also in jeopardy […]
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Thousands of Brazilians Take to the Streets
Protests have erupted in over 160 Brazilian cities and towns, with demonstrators voicing their discontent with President Jair Bolsonaro. There are a variety of reasons why Brazilians are frustrated and flexing their political muscle, some of which include President Bolsonaro’s perceived mishandling of the pandemic and the corresponding economic crisis. The dissenters are calling for […]
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Biden Orders Vaccine Mandate as Delta Cases Surge
A visibly frustrated President Biden issued a sweeping executive order that would mandate the vaccination of approximately 80 million Americans. The order would affect federal workers, but also those businesses employing more than 100 employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is charged with enforcing the new order. The response from business was mixed, […]
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Senate Passes Stimulus Bill by Narrowest of Margins
Senate Democrats managed to overcome intra-party disputes to pass the American Rescue Plan bill on a 50-49 vote. This gives President Biden a significant legislative victory in his first 100 days. Senators were at odds over eligibility for the $1,400 stimulus payments, the dollar amount in unemployment benefits, and whether to consider an increase in […]
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Biden Inaugurated 46th President
Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. Kamala D. Harris was also inaugurated as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president. The ceremony took place exactly two weeks after a riotous mob stormed the capital. President Biden enters office amidst a worsening pandemic, a […]
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2020 Elections & COVID: Voting in a Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic forced states to quickly adapt how they vote. Americans casted nearly twice as many votes by mail in 2020 as they did in 2016. Some states handled this flood of mail ballots very well, while other were forced to quickly make changes to handle these mail ballots. However, mail-in balloting is not […]