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
Latest Entries
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
FTC Restitution Authority Under Review this Supreme Court term
Congress has laid out three clear paths for Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforcement actions. First, the FTC has authority to promulgate rules making particular “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” unlawful.[1] If the FTC can establish in federal court that a business knowingly violated such a rule, with actual or constructive knowledge, the FTC can … Continue reading
The Price of Health: A look into COVID-19 vaccine price plans
The Coronavirus pandemic has swept through America, and the rest of the world, at a rapid pace. There could be days, maybe even weeks, spent on speculation as to why this virus has not been controlled. Was it the President’s response? Was it the lack of supplies in health care facilities? Was it the sheer … 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
China and Latin America: forging new economic ties in United States backyard.
China experienced explosive economic growth in the past few decades that helped it rise to the position of the second-largest economy in the world. It now aims to transform itself from a regional to a global hegemon, effectively challenging the US in its backyard, Latin America. The country’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) facilitated its … Continue reading
Would Proposed Changes to Section 230 Cause More Harm Than Good?
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act limits the legal liability of websites that allow their users to post their own content and also allows those sites to moderate user-generated content. Section 230 obviously protects the large social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but it also protects less obvious online platforms, such as information … Continue reading
Could virtual learning be setting students up for a more successful future?
Students in all levels of education are experiencing virtual learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, The New York Times surveyed students for opinions pertaining to remote learning[1]. Though most who were questioned had reservations about the inability to be in a classroom environment, a silver lining is emerging as it becomes … Continue reading
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