Trump's Defiance of Congress

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                                          Source: Doug Mills, NY Times

President Trump's refusal to cooperate with Congress and their oversight duties has become a bigger and bigger concern since the Democrats retook control of the House of Representatives in January. Trump has stated he will not cooperate with subpoenas and has sued banks to stop them from providing information to Congress. Furthermore, his cabinet member refuse to cooperate with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin unwilling to give Congress the president's tax returns and William Barr refusing to appear before the House Judiciary Committee. With leading Republicans like Mitch McConnell saying today that the Mueller Report is a done deal and Democrats continuing to investigate components of it and considering calling Mr. Mueller to testify, which Trump is trying to prevent, polarization continues to rule the day.

Discussion Questions:
1. How should Congress respond to the Trump administration's obstructionist tactics?
2. Given that the 2020 election is less than 18 months away, is it a good strategy for Democrats to continue their investigation of Trump and if so, for how long?
3. Will Congress retain its right and responsibility to oversee the executive branch or will President Trump succeed in his effort to erode this check & balance?

UN Report Reveals Over 1 Million Species in Danger of Extinction

The United Nations recently released an extensive report with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) detailing the state of our environment, in collaboration with over 450 researchers and 15,000 government documents. The report notably claims that the world’s current standard of living has put over 1 million animal and plant species at risk of extinction in the near future. Serving as a wakeup call for both policy makers and the general public alike, scientists now warn that the level of environmental destruction stated in the report poses a serious threat to our food security, water supply, energy, and overall human health for generations to come. The UN specified that these measures of destruction include over 300 million tons of heavy metals and toxic sludge in our oceans, excessive burning of fossil fuels, and an introduction of devastating diseases as we trade goods across the world’s ecosystems. 

In an economical perspective, the UN additionally estimated that driving pollinating insects to extinction has cost the nation over $577 billion in crop production annually. A failure to make urgent reforms will continue to deprive America of the $24 trillion of benefits nature provides each year, as the UN claims. While reporters have proposed solutions such as altering the methods in which we grow our food, produce energy, and dispose of waste, it has become evident that government intervention remains necessary to enforce and implement such drastic changes. Possible government actions include stopping funds for projects that harm the environment, limiting deforestation, or even implementing the Paris Agreement act. 

Questions to consider: 

1. How should the responsibility of environmental protection be divided between the federal and state governments? Which government is ultimately more responsible?
2. How do you believe businesses and corporations might react to stricter regulations on the use of resources that harm our environment?
3. If you were a policymaker, how would you recommend balancing society’s increasing demand for technological advances with the destructive effects these demands have on the environment?

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/06/720654249/1-million-animal-and-plant-species-face-extinction-risk-u-n-report-says

https://www.apnews.com/aaf1091c5aae40b0a110daaf04950672

Texas Arsonist Kill Half a Million Bees

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A currently unknown arsonist killed half a million bees in the Brazoria County Beekeepers Association Bee yard in Angleton (Southeast Texas). Numerous hives were burnt and thrown about the bee yard as well as into a nearby river. The fires were quickly extinguished but the Brazoria County Police were unable to locate or name any suspects. Other than the direct concerns about the presence of arsonists, the killing of such a large bee population poses environmental concerns, as the surrounding wildlife is dependent on the bees. The BCBA Bee Yard is currently accepting donations in aiding their restorative efforts, but the bee population will take a significant amount of time to reach their state prior to the arson.

Questions:

1. Should state governments enforce laws specifically made for preventing the damaging of places such as the BCBA?

2. What distinguishes acts like these from being mistaken for vandalism?

3. Should the government take a more active role in protecting insect populations and preserving the environment?