Creators (interchangeably referred to as influencers) are individuals that are paid by brands to advertise certain products on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. These content creators now have increased worker protections, as the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has extended their coverage and membership offers through the “influencer agreement”. … Continue reading
Category Archives: Politics
Section 230 and Complications with Regulating Big Tech
Overview There have been calls from across the ideological spectrum to modify Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), which provides a liability shield for internet platforms to manage the user content hosted on their sites. While conceptually appealing to many, any alterations to Section 230 would be quite difficult to implement and may … Continue reading
Righting the Wrong, Pipeline Edition: The Case Against the Tar Sands of Canada
The Keystone XL pipeline is in the spotlight once again after President Biden revoked the pipeline’s presidential permit by signing an executive order halting the construction of the pipeline that would carry 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would join an existing pipeline that would transport … Continue reading
Biden’s Covid-19 Relief Package
President Joe Biden’s first Covid-19 relief package is underway and already facing obstacles in Congress. He plans to add provisions that delver direct aid to American families, businesses and communities, and a major focus on coronavirus testing and vaccine production and delivery as the pandemic continues to surge. Specifically, Biden’s proposal includes $20 billion allocated … Continue reading
The Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s Participation in the Labor Force
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March, the female labor force participation rate has suffered due to the high volume of women who have left the workforce. Though there are many other contributing factors, research posed that those responsible for the most damage are the concentration of women in certain industries, and the need to … Continue reading
Addressing Addiction and Discriminatory Arrest Practices in the U.S.: Is Oregon Moving in the Right Direction?
This past election cycle, Oregon passed a law decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of many hard drugs. The measure was proposed and passed with the aim of more effectively tackling the issues of addiction and overdose in the state.[i] Criminal justice system involvement is not an effective treatment for addiction. Nearly 80% of inmates … Continue reading
Electric Vehicles: driving towards an efficient electricity grid.
Electric vehicles (EV’s) represent a paradigm shift in the transport and the power sector. As the number of EVs increases rapidly around the globe, it is expected that there will be 18.7 million EVs on US roads by 2030.[i] EV’s have a clear environmental advantage over traditional vehicles as they produce no tailpipe emissions and are two to three times more energy-efficient. According to the US Department of Energy, EV’s are capable of converting 60 percent of … Continue reading
Senator Mike Lee Proposes NEPA Reform
On September 16, 2020 Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the NEPA Agency Process Accountability Act, proposed legislation that would shorten the amount of time agencies spend reviewing the environmental impact of their regulations and action and reduce the paperwork associates with these scientific studies.[1] The reform would prevent agencies from dragging their feet in implementing … Continue reading
The Future of Florida’s Minimum Wage
A new President is not the only change to come out of election day for Florida passed Amendment 2, the proposition to raise their minimum wage to $15 by 2026. The proposed schedule for the increase includes a jump to $10 an hour by September 2021, and a gradual further increase of a dollar per … Continue reading
Unsanctioned Ballot Collection Boxes: Expanding or Suppressing Voting Rights?
Last week, the GOP took responsibility for the placement of over 50 unofficial ballot collection boxes across the state of California.[1] This action has been identified by election officials as illegal and ripe for voter fraud.[2] The California GOP has defended their decision by citing a 2016 state law, which has since been amended, that allows … Continue reading
