Author: Alex Trent

House Democrats in Minnesota have put forward a bill with the goal of establishing a basic income program that would include undocumented residents in the state.  People who would qualify for this program would receive a monthly check of $500 or more. Advocates are cheering this bill as a way to help struggling families while opponents are skeptical of a no-strings-attached payment to non-citizens. House File 2666 Source: Northfielder/Wikimedia Democrats in the Minnesota House introduced House File 2666 which has just cleared a voice vote in the House Children of Families Finance and Policy Committee.  If passed into law, critics…

When people hear a mention of leprosy, it immediately registers concern. This ancient bacterial disease has been mythologized in some religions and many Americans see it as a thing of the past. However, some may be surprised to learn that many cases of leprosy are still reported every year, even in the United States. Cases are currently on the rise in some parts of the country, which is concerning to researchers and health professionals. Leprosy Cases Source: Drew Hays/Unsplash According to the World Health Organization, nearly 200,000 cases of leprosy are reported in nearly 120 different countries every year. Experts…

Vermont representative Bernie Sanders is leading the charge to reduce the American workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours in a new bill. The bill would ensure that Americans are still paid the same as if they had been working 40 hours. It will also protect other benefits they would have gotten from working that amount of time. Sanders cites the fact that American workers are more productive than ever and that they deserve a much-needed raise. Statement from Sanders Jackson Lanier/Wikimedia Bernie Sanders announced the legislation he plans to champion in an official statement on his website. In the…

Companies that sell electric vehicle technology and products in America have been having a tough time lately as the competition among them fights for limited customers and plateauing sales figures. Recently, a key EV infrastructure company called Charge Enterprises filed for bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court. Their bankruptcy filing will be a blow to the industry in the US because Charge Enterprises is a manufacturer of EV charging stations, something the country is already in short supply of. Filing for Bankruptcy Source: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash On March 7, Charge Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District…

A disturbing trend known as ‘swatting’ is ramping up as the US elections in November fastly approach. In a recent case, Missouri’s Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft became the latest victim of a false police report. Heavily armed officers showed up at his house, and while no one was hurt, the incident could have very easily turned deadly. What is Swatting? Source: Logan Weaver/Unsplash ‘Swatting’ is a colloquial term used to describe the act of calling in a fake violent 911 call to try to get heavily armed police officers to storm someone’s house. People will call the police anonymously…

California has recently raised the minimum wage to $16 an hour in the state, which was a move meant to help struggling low-wage workers. While this wage increase has been celebrated by many, a recent report by the state’s Legislative Office (LAO) has cast doubt on the effectiveness it has had on workers’ ability to make ends meet. Legislative Analyst’s Office Report Jesson Mata/Unsplash This report, published March 11th, took a look at three different ways of effectively assessing the minimum wage. The report tried to determine if the current $16 minimum wage in California is high, low, or somewhere…

As the November election to decide who will be the American president in the next four years heats up, the stakes seem to also be increasing. A former Trump administration official has suggested that a complete restructuring of the CDC could be in order if Trump gets into office. In his view, the CDC as an organization has lost the trust of the American people and needs to be heavily changed. Former Agency Director’s Comments Source: Nrbelex/Wikimedia Roger Severino is a former director of the Health and Human Service’s (HHS) Office for Civil Rights under former President Donald Trump. In…

While abortion and reproductive rights seemed to be a focal point of Biden’s State of the Union address, the reception of the speech has been mixed among activists and Biden supporters. Some activists appreciated the issue being center stage in the Biden campaign, but others were uncomfortable by the lengths Biden went to in his speech to avoid using the word ‘abortion’. State of the Union Address Source: Wikimedia President Biden delivered an annual speech in front of Congress called the State of the Union Address. Presidents take advantage of this speech where everyone’s attention is captivated to push policies…

In response to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules about limiting air pollution, 24 states have joined together in a lawsuit against the Biden administration. These states are asking for the implementation of these rules to be reconsidered. Critics of the rule change say that it is likely to kill jobs in the United States. Many States Are Suing Source: wirestock/freepik The joint filing by 24 states petitions for a review of this rule before it goes into effect, though it does not specify what exact reasons the states’ are suing. The EPA rule will force states to implement sufficient policies…

A Tesla vehicle plant in Germany was affected by a suspected arson attack that caused a power outage at the plant and surrounding areas. In the wake of news reports of the fire, a far-left activist group has claimed credit for the attack. Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk slammed the arsonists, calling them the “dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth.” Setting Fires Source: Ross Stone/Unsplash AP News reports that Brandenburg’s interior ministry said unidentified people are suspected of having tried to deliberately set fire to a transmission line. The line powers the Telsa vehicle plant and the surrounding area. This transmission line was…