Aligning America

A shift in power as Israel feels change, and a meeting of global democracy gets underway as the week kicks off.

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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00:08 Netanyahu Farewell

• Political student turned-rival Naftali Bennett to take his place as prime minister 
• A “change” coalition brought together after inconclusive election in March 
• Large scale coalition, spanning all of the political spectrum, used to bring him out of office
• Netanyahu uses final speech to attack rival, and highlight Biden as an enemy 
• Bennett uses his time to rebuttal, claiming he wants good relations with both US parties and will stand up to Iran 
• Bennett also drives home claim to desire peace with Palestine  
• Netanyahu promises he will be back

06:54 G7 Summit to Criticize China 

• Biden to openly condemn Chinese efforts towards ethnic unification in China, particularly in areas such as Hong Kong and Xinjiang 
• G7 countries are primed to begin a new international investment group known as the B3W, or Build Back Better for the World, alluding to his presidential slogan
• The project is designed to counter the Belt and Road initiative designed by China, which provides loans to tens of countries throughout South America, Africa, and the Balkans 
• Efforts are highly praised, but unsure of how to proceed, taking shape much like the Paris climate accords
• Financial dedication is a major sore spot, serving as a difficult roadblock to meaningful progress

Republicans in a Democrat costume, eternal quagmire at the highest level, and everybody’s least polarizing president ensure this week is a special flavor of the same old, same old.

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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00:10 For the People Act

• Under fire from West Virginian Senator Manchin
• Noted centrist, Manchin has been called “Democratic Mitch McConnell
• Severe African American backlash, as the bill specifically defends their voter rights, and he opposes it for this reason 

04:23 Filibuster 

• McConnell’s staunch support of the system, allows for a monitory to block senate bills
• Back in 2017, when Trump called for the filibuster to be removed as democrats stopped the Republican agenda, McConnell refused to budge
• He continues this strategy as a way to ensure monotony in the house 
• Manchin supports the filibuster, ensuring a bipartisan and total support of the system which keeps politics from actualizing new policy 

07:26 Trump

• Spook recently at the NC Republican convention as he reignites his political career 
• Continues to propagate the lie, that the election was stolen from him
• Continues to claim he will soon be reinstated as president
• Believes a lawsuit in Georgia and a recount in Arizona will likely put him back into office 
• Remains the head of the Republican Party, while being largely ignored by the media

NYC Mayor Race

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:09 NYC Mayor Race 

01:15 Upper Tier 

• Eric Adams 
• Andrew Yang 
• Kathryn Garcia 
• Scott Stringer (Sorta) 

01:43 Lower Tier 

• Maya Wiley 
• Dianne Morales
• Ray McGuire 
• Paperboy Prince 
• Shaun Donovan 

02:02 Dianne Morales Campaign

• Union Busting accounts 
• March for proper pay
• Implosion of the left-most candidate
• Proves against virtual signaling 

05:33 Scott Stringer 

• Minor surge, even with viable sexual molestation charges brought forth 
• Serves as a reminder that endorsements can mean nothing and everything

08:41 Eric Adams 

• Currently under fire for apparently demanding an endorsement from Orthodox Jewish leaders, claiming “they owed him” 
• Their endorsement went to Yang, his top rival.
• Hard on crime, stop and frisk, anti-drug stance 

12:27 Andrew Yang

• Orthodox Jewish support 
• Moderate coalition, challenging for top spot 
• Could face serious trouble in second round onwards 

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:20 Israel and Palestine Conflict (Only Story)

• Conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas, a Palestinian national terrorist group 
• The Iron Dome, IDF’s anti-ballistic missile system being tested consistently for the first time
• Decades long conflict reignited, Israeli aggression highlighted 
• The world is focused largely on the atrocities on both sides, in much larger quantities from the Israeli side
• Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims there is no end in sight, his government becomes very popular with little internal opposition 
• Israel destroyed an AP building in Gaza, drawing international ire
• Israeli casualties at 10, Palestinian casualties at 197, 58 being children 
• Qatar, Egypt, and the US have all attempted to broker a deal, non being successful 

A progressive move in the right direction and news that won’t make your week, let’s see how it all pans out.

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:11 Biden Universal Preschool/college Plan

• Biden Proposed free, high-quality preschool for all 3 and 4 year olds
• Preschool noted as often being expensive, largely unavoidable child-rearing cost 
• 1.8 trillion family plan, would add 2 years of free preschool and 2 years of free community college 
• Bill also includes benefits to families with children through child tax credits, paid for by closing tax loopholes

08:39 Experts claims on herd immunity 

• Covid-19 not likely to disappear anytime soon 
• Reaching herd immunity nearly impossible with current vaccination rates
• Covid to likely be a manageable yet deadly disease going forward for years
• Refusal to get vaccinated stemming from many groups, causing herd immunity standards to vary across the country 
• Easing restrictions across the country also likely to lead to more international strains gaining hold, causing more delays in national safety 

With rising Covid-19 numbers across the world, spikes threaten the new norms of relaxed vaccination-induced bliss.

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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00:10 AstaZeneca International Doses 

• US to begin stockpiling doses of AtraZeneca vaccine 
• The vaccines are not approved for US use
• Importantly, AstraZeneca vaccine already approved in India, the latest country to have a massive outbreak 
• Intended to be sent worldwide amid clamoring for help 
• US previously called into question amidst refusal to share patent for vaccines in circulation 

06:39 Gavin Newsom

• Recall election is now all-but-guaranteed, as enough signatures have been gathered to force the vote 
• 1,495,709 signature push the tally over the threshold according to Secretary of State Shirley Weber
• Intervention through the court system may block the elections initiative, but is unlikely at this time 
• Polls show the majority of Californians oppose the effort, and this bodes well for Newsom’s effort to stay in place. 60/40 in favor of Newsom
• The effort going through does show the weakness of a prominent national democrat, which could potentially open up new issues for democrats on a national scale 

12:24 India Outbreak 

• Relaxed atmosphere regarding COVID-19
• General disregard for Covid-19 rules and regulations 
• Dense population 
• 350,000 cases as a new daily record 
• Oxygen shortage and mass cremations 
• 2-3 weeks from the peak
• Slow response from the government fueled a harsher climb in cases

More international action from Biden as vaccination skepticism remains high in red zones. With the Supreme Court up for change, what could possibly go wrong? 

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:05 Introduction to today's topics

01:12 Russian Sanctions 

• SolarWinds Breach prompted the issue 
• Actions taken are considered the less punitive measures that were on the table
• Largely focusing on decreasing the ability to borrow money for key actors in the Russian government 
• Though these intrusions are no uncommon, due to the scope and specifically targeted anti-democratic bend to the attack, it cannot go unaddressed 

04:50 NYT Vaccination Report

• Direct correlation between skepticism of the vaccine and support for Donald Trump 
• 1/20 democrats say they are skeptical of the vaccine while 1/2 of republicans say they do not plan on getting the shot 
• States such as Wyoming and Iowa claim they are receiving more doses than needed, due to a lack of vaccine appointments from citizens in the area 
• States such as Michigan are struggling to keep up with demand for vaccinations while asking for more federal assistance 

08:44 Supreme Court 

• Democrats reportedly preparing a bill that increases the court by 4 justices
• Goes against all precedent 
• Directly flies in the face of the idea of non-escalation of political bipartisanship
• A proposed alternative idea is to make the court a non-political position by adding a term limit, with no re-election, to decrease tensions

“Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results” - Unknown

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:09 Shooting of Daunte Wright 

• 20 Year old shot at traffic stop
• Outstanding warrant for arrest, failing to appear before court on the count of an unlicensed handgun
• 3 cops and a minor struggle, Daunte re-enters the vehicle 
• Officer Kim Potter shouts “Taser”, and proceeds to shoot him in the chest
• Car speeds off but Daunte dies of a single gunshot wound to the chest 
• Family fights back against “accidental” narrative 
• Took place in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota 
• Riots and protests ensue as racial tensions rise 

08:31 Virginia Stop 

• Uniformed Army Medic Caron Nazario was stopped 
• Officer Joe Gutierrez, now terminated, forced him out of the car while giving contradictory orders
• Using the pretext of the orders, Gutierrez pepper sprayed Caron and forcibly took him into custody 
• Nazario has begun a case against both present police officers and has received support from Virginia’s governor 

16:22 Joe Biden’s New Promise 

• Biden’s administration is set to announce the withdrawal of all US Troops from Afghanistan by September 11th
• On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the administration attempts to paint a picture of less imperialist policies moving forward

Disgusting abuses by a non-surprising offender, a former President paws at the media, and somebody sticks to their guts. Never a dull moment.

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:11 Matt Gaetz 

• Republican representative
• Sole vote against sex trafficking bill
• Known for adopting mid-teenage boy named Nestor 
• Currently under investigation for being involved in possible sex trafficking
• Stems from past relationship with 17 year old girl, which he payed to travel with him, violating Sex Trafficking laws
• Gaetz claims he is “a [victim] of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official” 
• Gaetz named the DOJ official as David McGee,  though the law firm where McGee works denies the claims as defamatory
• Luke Ball, longtime aide to Gaetz, departs his team without giving a reason

11:15 Trump

• Trump’s Easter memo thanks everyone for their help, and lambasts claims about non-coverage 
• Called for boycott of MLB All-Star game

16:19 Arkansas HB 1570 

• Bill bans medical care for transgender minors 
• Vetoed by governor Asa Hutchison 
• Likely to pass via supermajority in both houses of Arkansas legislature 

With a nationally focused trial underway, and revelations spilling out on a months old case, the week wraps up with every emotion imaginable. 

This episode features the song “Aside” by Normcore, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Links to this weeks stories :

00:10 Derek Chauvin Murder Trial

• Charged with second degree murder, second degree manslaughter, third degree murder
• Prosecution argues the case is easy, referencing the videos taken by bystanders as clear evidence of homicide. The prosecution also makes it clear that this case is not against the Police in general terms, just Derek
• The defense claims George Floyd’s past abuse of drugs and heart failure were the cause of death, and intend to bring medical witnesses to the stand in order to prove that point

08:49 Ghislaine Maxwell 

• Charged Monday for “Sex Trafficking of a Minor”, the first of these charges to go through as she’s awaited results in her cell since July of 2020 
• First of many cases, which details the trauma and abuse by Epstein of girls as young as 14
• Ghislaine, who was once a prominent socialite in New York, was accused and now proven to have been grooming girls for exploitation 
• More charges likely to come

14:24 Mike Lindell/Trump Q-Anon Continuation

• Trump funding another lawsuit to overturn election 
• Baseless claims continue, with Mike Lindell (the my pillow guy) continuing to act as a front for the effort
• Exemplifies the true disconnect between groups in America