Posts tagged with "President Trump"

NEWS ROUNDUP – WEEK OF JULY NINETEENTH

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By: Clara Guthrie

Capitol Rioter Receives Eight-Month Sentence in First Felony Trial Since Insurrection:

On Monday, the first US Capitol rioter to be charged with a felony was sentenced to eight months in prison, following a highly anticipated trial and guilty plea from the convicted. Florida resident Paul Hodgkins was indicted on the basis of obstructing congressional proceedings—specifically, for blocking the counting of electoral votes to confirm the victory of President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Hodgkins can be seen in photos from January 6, 2021: standing on the Senate floor, wearing a Trump 2020 tee shirt with an accompanying Trump flag slugged over his shoulder, even taking a selfie in front of the raised rostrum at the front of the room.

During the trial, Hodgkins took the stand to apologize for his actions, stating, “I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am truly remorseful and regretful for my actions in Washington, DC, on January 6.” He also added that he had no intention of storming the Capitol when he arrived in DC; he claimed to have traveled with the sole intent of protesting for “a president I love.”

Preceding this, Hodgkins’ attorney, Patrick Leduc, introduced his client. Leduc displayed two selfies of Hogdkins before the jury: one from January 6 of Hodgkins on the Senate floor, and one of Hodgkins leaving Easter Sunday church services, a few months later. “When I look at the image on the left, I see a man who looks lost, and who lost his way,” Leduc said. “When I look at the image on the right, I see a man born again. […] The man to be sentenced by this Honorable Court is not the man who was lost on the left, but the man who has been found on the right.”

Despite these desperate attempts to garner sympathy, many still view the eight-month sentence as insufficient and a glaring example of white privilege in the criminal justice system, given the extremity of the crime. Even the judge for the case, District Judge Randolph Moss, said, “Hodgkins was staking a claim on the floor of the United States Senate, not with the American flag but with a flag declaring his loyalty to a single individual over the entire nation. […] That act captured the threat to democracy that we all witnessed that day.”

Big Time Rush Returns With Surprise Reunion Shows:

After seven years apart, the boy-band phenomenon Big Time Rush is returning. The comeback was announced via their official Twitter page in a tweet that says, “WE ARE BACK! It’s been a minute, but we couldn’t be more excited to see you! Let’s make up for lost time.” The group also announced two upcoming reunion shows; they will be performing on December 15 at the Chicago Theater in Chicago, and on December 18 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Presale ticket access is available HERE.

The announcement was accompanied by a quirky video, updating fans on what the band has been up to since their final tour. Frontman Kendall Schmidt is seen walking through the woods, James Maslow is working under the hood of a car, Logan Henderson is “still working on that PhD” (but he’s really just playing Operation), and Carlos PeñaVega is on dad duty with his kids.

Big Time Rush first rose to fame on a Nickelodeon show of the same name that aired from 2009 until 2013. All four seasons of Big Time Rush are available on Netflix HERE.

Senate Committee Holds Hearing on the American Response to Coronavirus:

On Tuesday, the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a full committee hearing to discuss the federal perspective on the nation’s COVID-19 response. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, were present as witnesses.

Most notable from the hearing was an explosive clash between Fauci and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky after Paul claimed that the National Institute of Health (NIH) helped fund illegal gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. According to The Hill, “gain-of-function is a controversial method where researchers make a pathogen more infectious, often to develop more effective treatments and vaccines.” Paul also implied that Fauci and the NIH are somehow responsible for the pandemic and the mass devastation it has created.

In response, Fauci explained that it is a molecular impossibility that any research funded by the NIH could be responsible for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. “You are implying that what we did was responsible for the deaths of individuals. I totally resent that,” Fauci added. “And if anybody is lying here, Senator, it is you.”

Paul’s inquisition was followed by the far more sympathetic questioning of Democratic Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota. She specifically asked Fauci how he thinks about the side-effect risks of the COVID-19 vaccine compared to the risks of not being vaccinated. “There is no intervention that is without sometimes getting an adverse event,” Fauci said. “You [have to] balance the rarity of a particular adverse event with the advantage you would get of protecting yourself against the actual disease against which you’re vaccinated. […] It’s always weighed on the part of saying that the benefit of the protection of the vaccine outweighs the risk of the adverse event.”

Wildfire Continues to Burn in Oregon:

The rampant Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon continues to burn as sporadic winds and heat lightning exacerbate the damage. On Wednesday, USA Today reported the total damages to span roughly 616 square miles, and the total containment of the fire to be about 32 percent. “This fire is a real challenge,” said incident commander Joe Hessel. “We are looking at a sustained battle for the foreseeable future.”

According to AP News, wildfires of this size—or even larger—used to burn more frequently across the American West, but “much less explosively” when they did. These natural fires would clear out the underbrush that makes fires like Bootleg so dangerous and difficult to contain. According to James Johnston, a researcher at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry, these natural and helpful fires have not been allowed to burn in recent years due to fire suppression and poor forest management. “My colleagues and I have been predicting a massive fire in that area for years,” Johnston said. “It’s an area that’s exceptionally prone to catastrophic fire. […] But what’s changed over the past 100 years is an extraordinary amount of fuel buildup.” He also noted that climate change is the true catalyst for such destruction.

The Milwaukee Bucks Win Their First NBA Championship in 50 Year:

After 50 years, the Milwaukee Bucks once again became NBA Champions with MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge and putting up 50 points in a thrilling Game Six on Tuesday evening. The Bucks clinched a 105-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns to cap off a memorable 4-2 series.

Antetokounmpo accepted the Finals MVP Award following his electric game—which was the fourth in the series in which he had more than 40 points and 10 rebounds—and thanked the team that surrounded him. “They played hard every freaking game,” he said. “I trusted this team. I wanted to do it here in this city, I wanted to do it with these guys, so I’m happy. I’m happy that we were able to get it done.”

This was the Bucks’ second NBA championship in franchise history. The Suns have never won an NBA championship.

USWNT Defeated 3-0 in Tokyo Olympics Opener Against Sweden:

On Wednesday, the US women’s soccer team was defeated by the Swedish team 3-0 in their Tokyo Olympics opener. This loss marks the team’s first since January of 2019 and the end of a 44-match unbeaten streak. It was an especially painful outcome given the team’s loss to none other than Sweden on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics: the first Olympics in which the team had ever failed to medal.

Many news outlets and fans have pointed out that the team looked sloppy and inharmonious in their most recent match. As USA Today said, “The US team looked against Sweden like teams usually look against them: inept, and unable to do anything about it.”

Fortunately for the team and the fans alike, Wednesday’s match was not a knockout. The team must now turn their attention towards their upcoming match against New Zealand on Saturday.

Second Trailer for the Highly Anticipated Film, Dune, Has Been Released:

WarnerMedia and Legendary Pictures finally released the second official trailer for the upcoming film, Dune, on Thursday. You can watch the epic trailer HERE.

Dune is the newest big-screen adaptation of the 1965 science-fiction novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, following a 1984 film by David Lynch. Given the density of the novel, this new adaptation only covers the first half, according to the director Denis Villeneuve, and the full title is actually Dune: Part One. The impressive cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård and Javier Bardem.

Warner Bros. describes their upcoming release: “Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.”

Dune is scheduled to be released in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22.

Kanye West DONDA Release:

Kanye West is set to release DONDA tonight in Atlanta. But West’s mother has always inspired his art, beginning in his youth. The portrait below is an early work West painted of Donda West in high school–part of an important collection of Kanye’s artwork–owned by D.C.-based art collector and entrepreneur Vinoda Basnayake.

After catching a glimpse of Kanye’s original artwork on an episode of PBS’s Antiques Roadshow and being deeply impressed by the work–which traces back Kanye’s artistic brilliance to his high school days–Basnayake set out on a mission to locate and purchase the portfolio and add it to his collection, which includes work from other artists such as Mr. Brainwash and Justin Bua.

*Photo Credit: Randi Kontner

Kanye West Donde painting which is owned by DC-based entrepeneur and art collector Vinoda Basnayake, shot by Randi Kontner, for use by 360 Magazine

Donald Trump Impeached Again

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By Dana Feeney

The House of Representatives has voted to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time in his four-year term as president, which started in January of 2017. He is the third president to be impeached and the first president ever to be impeached more than once. This second impeachment comes shortly after the riots in the capital last week on January 6th, 2021. Trump is being impeached on the charge of “incitement of insurrection’’ because of the statements he made on January 6. He told his supporters to “fight like hell” because the Democrats were stealing the election. You can watch the speech here. During the riots, Trump supporters carrying a variety of racist and white supremacist paraphernalia swarmed the Capitol and forced their way into the building to stop the count of electoral votes. The riot caused the deaths of at least five individuals, including a Capitol police officer.

Because of the insurrection, Democrats pushed for Vice President Mike Pence to enact the 25th amendment, which he could use to declare Trump unfit to serve as president and remove him from office. Republicans blocked this move. U.S. Congressmen David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Ted Lieu (CA-33), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced the article of impeachment to the House of Representatives on the morning of January 11, 2021. The article of impeachment is co-sponsored by 211 members of Congress according to Cicilline’s press release. You can read the full article of impeachment here. On January 13, 2021, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump with a 232 to 197 majority. 10 Republicans voted to impeach, more members of the president’s party than in any prior impeachment.

Impeachment does not mean removal from office; impeachment is adjacent to an indictment. The difference in American law is that indictment applies to criminal charges, while impeachment is the accusation of misconduct in a political setting. Any civil officer in the United States can be impeached. In the case of the President or Vice President, the first step is the introduction of the article(s) of impeachment in the House of Representatives. After the article(s) of impeachment are introduced to the House, the House then votes on each article of impeachment, and if any pass by a simple majority, more than 50%, the articles will be tried in front of the Senate. During the Senate trial, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over the Senate trial, the Senate body functions as the jury, a committee of House representatives, called “managers,” act as the prosecution, and the president and his or her lawyers act as the defense. All articles of impeachment are argued on the Senate floor, then are voted on by the Senate body to either convict or acquit; to convict, there must be a two-thirds majority. Only two presidents, Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, were impeached and reached the Senate trial, both were acquitted. Despite an extensive impeachment investigation, Richard Nixon was never impeached because he resigned.

Yesterday, January 13, 2021, the House voted to impeach Trump with only six days until the inauguration of Joe Biden. It is highly unlikely that Trump will be removed from office before the end of his term as president. The Senate is not set to be in session until January 19, 2021, and neither Democrats nor Republicans benefit from rushing the trial to be any sooner as this Senate trial will be a lengthy process that requires preparation from both the prosecution and the defense. Despite Trump losing the support of some members of his party, it is unclear how likely it is that Trump will be convicted because, even Mitt Romney, who voted to impeach in the first impeachment, has implied he is unsure that this is the right way to go. Many Republicans may hesitate to vote to convict because of the 74 million people who voted for Trump; these are the people who control whether Republicans will be reelected in the future. The main person who could cause a possible shift is Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader. If McConnell chooses to vote to convict Trump, other members of the Republican party may do the same. McConnell released this statement on January 13 saying that “there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week.”

Trump has been silent since besides releasing this video condemning violence and has not acknowledged the second impeachment. He has been banned from social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and Snapchat. Along with these bans, the tech industry has made broad statements against this recent violence. Apple and Google have removed the app Parler from their app stores. The app was used by Trump supporters and white supremacists to communicate and coordinate the attack on the Capitol. Further, Amazon Web Services, which hosted the app, has cut off its service to Parler on the premise that it violated its terms of service. One feature of the app was that users could upload a photograph of their government-issued ID or driver’s license to become a “Verified Citizen.” The app lost the support of its security services, which protected user data, leaving it vulnerable to hackers who stole the data and turned it over to the FBI to be used to identify terrorists present at the riot. Read more about it here. Additionally, there are accounts publicly identifying people in photographs from the riots on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Federal officials are identifying and arresting individuals who were at the event.

The riots have caused many security changes in Washington D.C. and state capitals across the U.S. as Joe Biden’s inauguration grows closer and threats of further violence continue to spread online. These changes include the resignation of the U.S. Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund, increased police and national guard presence in Washington D.C. and the implementation of high security barriers around the Capitol building. Many D.C. businesses inside of the security perimeter are already making changes in preparation for the inauguration. Some are boarding up their windows in preparation for possible protests while others are preparing to serve guests who come to D.C. for the inauguration. In response to various local, state, and federal officials asking people not to travel to Washington, D.C., Airbnb has canceled all reservations in the Washington, D.C. metro area during the inauguration week, according to this press release. Some hotel chains in the city have stated that they will be hosting guests; as of now, nothing has been done to prevent this.

The events in this article, including the Senate trial, the consequences of the riots, and the coming inauguration, are all ongoing.

USDA Forest Service Reflects on 2020

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Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, the USDA Forest Service today announced it surpassed goals and set records in 2020.

“2020 was a challenging year, with record wildland fire activity and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the Forest Service, we have risen above these challenges and set our minds, hands and hearts to carrying out our mission to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen.

The Forest Service relied on its strong science, innovation and partnerships to overcome this year’s challenges as the agency found new solutions to serve the public during a time of unprecedented need.

Creating healthy, productive forests and supporting rural economies

In 2020, the Forest Service provided jobs and stability for local economies through a year of historic timber production, selling more than 3.2 billion board feet of timber, the second-highest level in 20 years. The agency also improved forest conditions and reduced wildfire risk on over 2.65 million acres, removing hazardous fuels like dead and downed trees, and combating disease, insect and invasive species infestations.

The Forest Service undertook a suite of regulatory reforms to meet the goals of the Secretarial Memorandum to the Chief of the Forest Service modernize and align agency directives with new legislative authorities and reduce regulatory burdens. By the end of December 2020, the Forest Service will have nearly completed all guidance to implement new legislative authorities in the 2018 Farm Bill. In addition, Forest officials quickly began implementing President Trump’s Great American Outdoors Act to increase access to national forests and grasslands and make progress towards reducing the agency’s $5 billion infrastructure backlog.

Managing wildfire, and providing for health and safety

The Forest Service was successful in prioritizing early suppression of wildfire ignitions while facing a record-breaking fire year, with the most acres burned on national forests since 1910. The agency’s modeling research on how COVID-19 may spread between firefighters or in communities during response efforts led to new interagency safety protocols to better support fire camp management. The protocols not only successfully minimized the spread of COVID-19 among the agency’s 10,000 firefighters, but early learning suggests the safety measures resulted in additional health benefits to fire crews, reducing ailments common in fire camps, which translated to a healthier and more resilient firefighting workforce available to protect lives, homes, and communities threatened by wildfire.

Sharing stewardship responsibilities and being better neighbors

The Forest Service made significant strides toward Shared Stewardship this year, working more closely than ever with Tribes, States, and local partners to make sure the right work happens in the right place at the right time. So far, 44 states and territories are now involved in a Stewardship Agreement. The agreements allow the Forest Service to employ the latest tools and share decision making on the highest priorities to improve forest conditions across broad landscapes. These new agreements have resulted in increasing resiliency of forests, protection of communities and reduction of wildfire risks. They have also produced jobs and stabilize economies.

Increasing access and improving recreation experiences

This year, Americans sought out their public lands in tremendous numbers, finding relief in the Great Outdoors, showing us once again how public lands unite our nation. In response, the Forest Service generated solutions to ensure visitors had every opportunity to safely use and enjoy their national forests and grasslands during the pandemic. The Forest Service welcomed record-breaking numbers of visitors, many of whom were first time users, with 95% expressing satisfaction with their experiences.

“Next year, we will continue to build on these successes to improve conditions on America’s national forests and grasslands to ensure they are healthier, more resilient and more productive,” added Chief Christiansen. We will keep building on the partnerships that make these successes possible and commit to increasing access to better connect people to their natural resources, so these national treasures endure for generations to come.”

For more information about the Forest Service visit www.fs.usda.gov

Pornhub Launches Voting Campaign

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Pornhub, the premier online destination for adult entertainment, has announced its “Give A F**k, Get A F**k,” campaign to encourage American users to vote. On Election Day, Pornhub will be reserved only for those who have voted in the United States.

“Roughly 43 percent of eligible voters – equal to 100 million people didn’t vote in the 2016 U.S Presidential Election, according to turnout estimates from the U.S. Elections Project. We want to encourage people to do their civic duty this year by casting their ballot and having their voice heard,” said Corey Price, Vice President, Pornhub.

Leading up to the campaign officially launching on Nov. 3, Pornhub will be running a social campaign with an assortment of high-profile models. This includes Pornhub Brand Ambassador Asa Akira, Domino Presley, Natassia Dreams, Janice Griffith, Lance Hart, Soverign Syre and Lotus Laine. They are posting videos encouraging people to get out and vote and also teasing them that “if they don’t give a f***, they don’t get a f**k.”

When the campaign officially kicks off on Nov. 3, Pornhub users in the United States will be greeted by an overlay page which will appear over the Pornhub website from 10 a.m. EST to 9 p.m. EST reminding them to vote before entering the site that day.

Of course, nothing can actually be done to prevent Americans from watching porn since there is no way for citizens to provide pornhub with any proof they voted. However, the campaign is clever and a helpful reminder to users that their voice matters.

Pornhub tweeted about the campaign on its official Twitter account. “Election Day is around the corner and we’re here to make sure you give a F**K! So on Nov.3, only those who give a F**K will get a F**K on Pornhub!” the tweet read. The video attached to the tweet has over 45 thousand views.

Pornhub’s “Give A F**k, Get A F**k” campaign is a collaboration with Just For Fun, a creative agency. “In 2016, over 100 million eligible voters had zero f**ks to give about the election. This year, to encourage everyone to get off the couch and head to the polling places, we knew we needed to hit them where it hurts – their pants,” said a spokesperson for Just For Fun.

The two companies are working together to promote voting for the 2020 election. Some people have even said is one of the most important elections so far in their lifetime. Their goal is to get as many eligible voters to vote as possible.

Final Presidential Debate

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By Hannah DiPilato

The final presidential debate took place on Thursday. Significantly less chaotic than the first debate, both candidates were able to express their opinions on certain issues and to respond to the moderator, Kristen Welker‘s, questions, for the most part.

The first unavoidable topic presented was the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Current President Donald Trump took over the first question claiming that a vaccine would be distributed as soon as a few weeks from now. He claimed the military is ready to distribute 100 million vaccinations. He also placed emphasis on the fact coronavirus is a worldwide problem as well as emphasizing his own recovery.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden came in with a rebuttal focusing on families that have lost loved ones as a result of the pandemic and how Trump will not take responsibility for these deaths. He also used the statistic that a predicted 200,000 Americans would die before the end of 2020 at the current rate. Trump disagreed with this and compared coronavirus to the Swine Flu which occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President.

Welker then led the conversation to lockdowns as a result of Covid-19. Biden began by saying he plans to shut down Covid, not the country. He wants to get places with high reproduction rates under control.

Trump’s main point was that schools should reopen because children aren’t the main concern in relation to the pandemic. He talked about his son’s rapid recovery and his belief schools should open.

“I don’t look at this as blue states and red states, we’re the United States,” said Biden. However, he quickly followed this statement by saying upticks have been seen mostly in red states. Trump responded that America should not shut down, but instead just protect the elderly and those at high risk.

After a significant amount of time discussing coronavirus, the topic switched to national security. Biden questioned why Russia, China and Iran are interfering with the election and Trump has not taken any measures to handle this. Trump refuted this saying nobody is tougher on Russia than himself and pointed fingers at Biden saying Russia is paying Biden a lot of money.

Biden then explained how he has never taken money from another country but points a finger at Trump who has overseas accounts, pressuring Trump to reveal his tax records. Trump then explained he prepays his taxes and that he would love to release the taxes as soon as he can. He stressed that the IRS “treats him very badly.”

The next main topic of the debate was American families, beginning with a focus on healthcare. Trump wants to create a healthcare plan that is better than Obamacare while always protecting those with preexisting conditions. He accused Biden of wanting to eliminate private healthcare.

Biden responded that he supports private insurance and no one would lose their private insurance under his plan. He said he wants to continue Obamacare as Bidencare He explained he wants everyone to have a public healthcare option and he plans to lower drug prices and insurance premiums. Trump also compared Biden to the United States Senator Bernie Sanders, but Biden said he disagreed with Sanders’ plans.

Welker asked both candidates if this was the right time to raise the minimum wage considering the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump explained he would consider raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, but that minimum wage heavily depends on the state. On the other hand, Biden believes everyone deserves a minimum wage of at least $15 an hour in order to live without multiple jobs.

Many people have previously had issues with how Trump has handled immigration laws in the past. His views have not seemed to change since he said illegal immigrant children are brought by “coyotes and bad people” to America as a ploy to get into the country.

Biden’s response was that the children were not brought by “bad people” but parents that deserve equality. If he were to be elected, he plans to make more undocumented people citizens and able to stay in the United States. Trump then responded that if you take in a rapist or murder ICE then has to come to find them and only those with the “lowest IQ” will come back to get caught.

The Black Lives Matter movement has brought systemic racism into the media, so Welker ensured both candidates addressed these issues. Biden gave a very sympathetic response where he spoke about wanting to learn more about systemic racism and that he understands the hardships families of color go through. He touched on white privilege and institutionalized racism as well and believes there should be less imprisonment for drug problems.

Trump claimed that “no one has done what I’ve done” regarding racism. He claimed he has great relationships and that that he “is the least racist person in the room.” This was ironic considering the Kristen Welker is a person of color. He also claimed he has done the most for racism since Abraham Lincoln.

Nearing the end of the debate, the topic of conversation was climate change. Trump explained he created a lot of “programs” to battle climate change but was being incredibly vague. He explained America has a very good carbon emission and he defended his decision to back out of the Paris Accord.

“We don’t have much time, we’re going to pass the point of no return, return the next eight to 10 years,” said Biden on the topic. Biden wants more industries to transition to clean energy and he has a plan to have 100% clean energy by 2050.

At the end of the debate, each candidate was asked to speak directly to those that did not vote for them if they were elected. Trump explained he wanted to make the country successful, how it was before the pandemic. He expressed that he has been able to have the best unemployment rate for minorities and how he wants to cut taxes, unlike Biden.

Biden clarified that he represents everyone, whether someone voted for him or not. He said he would emphasize hope over fear and science over fiction. He wants to help the economy, end systemic racism and promote clean energy. He concluded by saying what is on the ballot is the character of the United States.

The aftermath of the debate on social media was less prominent compared to the first debate, but there were still a few highlights. Rapper 50 Cent said he will be voting for Trump because of Biden’s tax plan.

“Yeah, I don’t want to be 20 Cent. 62 percent is a very, very, bad idea. I don’t like it,” said the rapper on Tuesday.

Presidental Campaign Money

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By Hannah DiPilato

Both President Donald Trump and presidential candidate Joe Biden have splurged a fair amount on their 2020 presidential campaigns. Biden’s campaign along with his allies have spent an estimated $600 million while Trump’s campaign and his supporters have spent a little over $400 million.

Over $1 Billion has been spent between the campaigns on TV advertisements in only 13 states alone according to an NPR analysis from the tracking firm Advertising Analytics. This money is being used to target six states: Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Arizona. TV ads may be playing a larger role in the presidential campaign this year because of the pandemic keeping so many Americans at home watching TV.

Tracked by Ad Age Datacenter, for the presidential, congressional and gubernatorial races, campaign spending has now surged past $3 billion. This hefty amount includes TV, radio and digital ad spending. The digital ad spending includes Facebook and Google properties only for presidential candidates.

This is “the most expensive election in history,” according to CNBC. The expected total spending for the 2020 election is predicted to be a whopping $10.8 billion according to the Center for Responsive Politics. This prediction takes into account both presidential and congressional races. CRP has recorded the election has already cost $7.2 billion, so the $10 billion milestone isn’t far out of reach.

“The 2018 election smashed fundraising records for midterms, and 2020 is going to absolutely crush anything we’ve ever seen — or imagined — before,” Sheila Krumholz, executive director of CRP, said in a statement. “This is already the most expensive presidential election in history and there are still months of election spending to account for. The unanswered question is whether this will be the new normal for future elections.”

So far Biden has topped the charts for his advertising spendings. Between September 28 and October 11, Biden estimated spendings have been $55,928,770 and his ads have aired about 80,452 times. Trump trails Biden with estimated total spending of $31,796,960 and 32,011 airings in the same time period.

The Biden campaign has been able to air ads in 17 states, even though there are many fewer states considered a close race. The campaign cost continues to grow over the expected TV budget of $280 million. “If we didn’t have the resources we had now, we’d be having to make [some] hard choices right now,” said one Biden campaign official.

Bill Stepien, Trump’s campaign manager, said the campaign has “more than sufficient air coverage.” He also stated that the campaign has spent more than the Biden campaign in different areas such as Facebook ads.

The Biden is not shying away from spending and they plan to keep spending as much cash as possible until the campaign concludes. However, in the event the result of the race is contested, the Biden campaign is reserving money for legal fights.

Biden vs. Trump: First Debate

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The first presidential debate took place on September 29 and it made waves on social media. The dispute was borderline chaotic with candidates shouting over each other and quite frankly immaturity from each party.

Moderator Chris Wallace tried to keep things civil, but with minimal success. From coronavirus to white supremacy, topics were covered that everyone should know each candidate’s stance on. Although summarizing the entire debate would be nearly impossible, some of the most notable moments are recapped below.

One of the most memorable parts of the night was when Trump refused to condemn white supremacy. Wallace asked Trump if he was specifically ready to call out this group of terrorists and Trump said he was prepared to do so but immediately blamed recent violence on “the left-wing.” Wallace and Biden continued to encourage Trump to criticize “right supremacists and right-wing militia” to which Trump responded, “proud boys, stand back and stand by.” This comment only fueled the Proud Boys organization and group lead Joe Biggs commented on the social media platform Parler that the comment “makes me so happy.”

Biden did not shy away from calling out Trump’s racism. “This is a President who has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred, racist division,” said Biden. However, supporters of Trump have been brushing the Proud Boys comment off as a misinterpretation. The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. vindicated his father’s comment. “I don’t know if that was a misspeak, but he was talking about having them stand down,” Trump Jr. explained to CBS News’ Gayle King.

An unavoidable debate topic is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the steps Trump has taken to combat the disease. When asked about a reopening plan Biden commented that he “would know what the plan is,” for a safe reopening when the time is right. He was interrupted by Trump who said “he [Biden] wants to shut down this country and I want to keep it open.” Trump continued to bash democratic governors for shutting down states and claimed this was only for political reasons.

Although Trump has been seen in public various times not wearing a mask, despite the advice of health professionals, during the debate he said “I’m okay with masks. I’m not fighting masks.” Trump also mentioned how Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed Trump saved thousands of lives. Trump continued to attack Biden for all of the losses the country endured during the Swine Flu.

Through the debate, Biden remained composed during Trump’s offense comments and interruptions. Instead of losing it, he made small remarks that established his thoughts on Trump as a candidate. Biden also exchanged a fair share of side glares and head shakes to many of Trump’s points. “You’re the worst president America has ever had. Come on,” said Biden later in the debate.

One quote by Biden, “Will you shut up man?” was a popular line from the debate that has been reposted on social media. This saying has already been plastered across a t-shirt that advocates for Biden. One post by @thefeministvibe on Instagram received over twelve thousand likes for posting this quote and their opinion on it.

Another debate topic voters have been eager to hear the two candidates debate is the plan to replace late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Badar Ginsburg. Trump has recently nominated Amy Coney Barrett to take the place of Ginsburg. Nevertheless, there has been controversy surrounding Trump’s selection of a supreme court justice due to the rules implemented when Obama was still in office.

Biden tried to lead the discussion about the supreme court into a conversation about health care. He mentioned that a Supreme Court with a 6-3 conservative majority would overturn many decisions that have already been made. This includes the Affordable Care Act and Roe V. Wade that made abortion legal nationally.

The next presidential debate will be at 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 15. There is suspicion that the moderator will be able to cut the microphones of the candidates if they don’t obey the rules. Hopefully, the next debate will be less of a shouting match and a little more contained.

Who is Judge Amy Coney Barrett?

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By Payton Saso

Just eight days since the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Trump has already made his nomination for her replacement. The nominee? Her name is Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

This decision comes days after President Trump and Senator McConnell called for a speedy nomination to secure the seat before the November election, despite Ginsburg’s dying wish as written about last week in 360 MAGAZINE.

This isn’t Trump’s first nomination though, this would be the third Justice he has appointed, but this one seems to be as controversial as his nomination of Brett Kavanough. In 2018, Kavanaugh was nominated and a grueling Supreme Court hearing took place which left the country divided when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused then nominee of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens.

Even though Dr. Ford passed a polygraph test, according to USA Today, and testified, Kavanaugh’s nomination was pushed and he is now a sitting Supreme Court Justice. And Trump’s new nomination is not shy of public controversy either.

Judge Barrett, a 48-year-old Notre Dame Law School alumna, has made headlines recently for the obvious but with a special interest in her religious ties.

While religion is not normally a deal breaker when it comes to government officials, since most hold faith in the Christian God and that is what the country was founded on, for Barrett that is what is becoming the headline.

It is important that, regardless of religious beliefs, judges are able to separate their religion and the law when making decisions and that expectation is even higher with Justices who are given their lifetime appointments to dissuade any bias. Barrett even said she was able to do that in her 2017 confirmation hearing for the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the seat she holds currently.

However, she was asked when the public was unaware of her ties to People of Praise. This is where the current public concern stems from. According to their website, People of Praise “is a charismatic Christian community. We admire the first Christians who were led by the Holy Spirit to form a community. Those early believers put their lives and their possessions in common, and ‘there were no needy persons among them.'”

While Barrett herself has not publicly claimed she is apart of this ultra-conservative group, CNN reported that Barrett appeared often in the groups magazine “Vine’s and Branches” however, “a number of online versions of the issues that include her appear to have been removed from the website — though it is unclear why that action was taken.”

Being apart or not apart of this group is not what makes Barrett a win for the conservatives, she already has publicly made it aware of her stance on liberal issues. Like when she signed the Letter to Synod Fathers from Catholic Women that stated, “…marriage and family founded on the indissoluble commitment of a man and a woman” and “…the value of human life from conception to natural death.”

In less preachy terms, she supported a letter that said marriage is only between a man and a woman, therefore she does not support same sex marriage, and supported the idea that life begins at conception, so she is a pro-lifer.
There has also been a lot of focus on the fact she undoubtedly supports the pro-life view. She stated in one of her lectures that she “expected that the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision would be hollowed out, but not reversed,” according to NPR.

Which is not something many want to hear. A majority of people would rather Roe v. Wade be upheld in the Supreme court not “hollowed out.” Since her appointment to the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals, Barrett has ruled on two abortion cases.

One of the cases was Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky Inc. In this case, she voted on whether an Indiana Law that demanded minors to notifiy their parents/guardians in order to receive an abortion was just. Barrett dissented saying that the law shouldn’t have been blocked, according to the ABA Journal.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation will shift the court to a conservative 6-3 vote and it is hard to tell what this means for America, but many speculate much will change. In a time where America is vehemently divided on many social issues, many that sparked from conservitive ideals, this nomination seems like it is only another deterrent to silence the majority. However, Americans have proved over the last few months they will not go quietly and we can expect the deafening sound of their protests to ring strong regardless of the courts constitutional ideals.

Trump Booed at Ginsburg’s Casket

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By Payton Saso

On Thursday, President Donald Trump made a brief trip to the Supreme Court to visit the casket of the late Justice Ginsburg. However, where he and his wife, Melania, came to stand in silence to pay their respects, the observing crowds’ chants consumed the moment.

The crowd booed, chanted “vote him out” and “honor her wish” as the President stood for a short time wearing a mask, which he is not usually seen doing. It seems his symbolic act of honoring Justice Ginsburg did not appease the masses.

After a video showing the moment Trump learned of the Justice’s passing was broadcasted, many people were shocked that the President appeared civil, for lack of a better word, when interviewed.

However, it is important to remember actions speak louder than words, and this bare minimum, one-off moment does not over power his lasting sentiment about Ginsburg.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had not been one to shy away from sharing her opinion, especially when she saw something as an injustice. CNN reported that in 2016 Ginsburg “called Mr. Trump “a faker” who has “an ego” and has been treated too gently by the press. She said Mr. Trump “says whatever comes into his head at the moment” and has no consistency in his thinking.”

But this does not come as a surprise that this is how the Justice felt about the President. As a champion of women’s rights and one of the Justice’s that falls far left in opinion, it’s not unusual that the acts of an ultra-conservative, law bending president would not be Ruth’s cup of tea.

This showed strongly when NPR reported Ginsburg’s dying wish: “Just days before her death, as her strength waned, Ginsburg dictated this statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera: ‘My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.’”

This, however, is not the track the President is taking. With a vacancy on the Supreme Court, a Republican President’s nomination could shift the court in their favor 6-3, and Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell are trying to clutch that nomination before the November election.

It seems the revered Justice’s dying wish will not be honored even though the man pushing for her replacement made a similar exception four years ago.

Republican Senator McConnell’s words have come back to haunt him when in 2016 following Justice Scalia’s passing, he made it clear they would not allow a nomination during an election year. “Approximately one hour after his death, McConnell announced that the Senate would not hold confirmation hearings for anyone President Barack Obama chose to nominate. McConnell claimed, without any legal basis, that Supreme Court vacancies should not be filled in election years,” NBC reported.

But it seems now the Senator is back peddling, pushing for a new nomination just 40 days from the election. Not only are they dishonoring Justice Ginsburg’s death by nominating someone while Trump is still president, but Trump publicly said he doesn’t believe that was really her dying wish.

On the Fox News broadcast ‘Fox and Friends’ Trump gave an interview Monday claiming her dying wish might have been fabricated.

“I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second, OK? That came out of the wind,” Trump said. “It sounds so beautiful. But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or shifty Schiff. So that came out of the wind. Let’s see. I mean, maybe she did and maybe she didn’t.”

This was dedicated in a fact checking article written by CNN where they rebuffed saying that these claims are completely baseless.

This conspiracy theory made up in the mind of Trump, seems just another way Trump has concocted that Democrats are out to get him. Claiming a person, let alone a Supreme Court Justices’ dying wish is a scheme made up by Democrats to dissuade Trump from making a nomination is outlandish.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg deserves to honored after death for her revolutionary career and the lasting impact she had on many people’s lives, especially women’s. So while the crowd booed and chanted “honor her wish” as Trump paid his respects, whether it was for show or not, the public can only hope that the President does, or at least isn’t able to push his nomination.

Remembering 9/11

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By Elle Grant

For any American, 9/11 marks an essential day of reflection and remembrance. September 11, 2020 marks the nineteenth anniversary of the historic terrorist attacks that rocked New York City, shocking the United States and the world.

19 years ago, four passenger jets were hijacked by the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda in an effort to strike at American symbols. One was flown into the Pentagon Military Headquarters in Washington D.C. Another two, most remembered of the four, were flown into the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York City as Manhattan looked on in horror. A fourth, upon hearing news of the other hijackings, realized their plane was also under attack and chose to fight back, resulting in their plane plunging into a Pennsylvania field. In sum, roughly 3,000 lives were loss, with 2,700 of them being in New York City. The toll of lives and on the psyche of Americans was hitherto unimaginable, as was the ensuing consequences including the now infamous War on Terror.

The victims of 9/11 have been commemorated in numerous ways across the country, including at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum opened on the tenth anniversary of the attacks. The memorial is located where the Twin Towers formerly stood, now marked with design features such as man-made waterfalls, a forest of white oak trees, and the inscribed names of the victims as part of the memorial. This long-awaited memorial site has since been part of the commemorations each year, with 2020 being no exception. Visitors such as Vice President Pence and Democratic nominee for president Joseph Biden were among the attendees today.

New York is especially reflective this year as the anniversary of 9/11 comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which the city was an early epicenter, resulting in thousands of lives lost. Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was thrust onto the national stage following the New York outbreak, said “This year it is especially important that we all appreciate and commemorate 9/11, the lives lost and the heroism displayed ‎as New Yorkers are once again called upon to face a common enemy.” In NYC, the current death count due to coronavirus is placed at 23,000. This year, at the somber moments held at the September 11 memorial in Manhattan, those paying their respects wore face masks while honoring the dead, a new feature in remembering 9/11. New York remains a fixture of American culture, with eyes turned towards them during the tragedy of 9/11, as well as the current tragedy of coronavirus.

Another way victim’s families, including those killed and affected during rescue efforts, is the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, currently authorized through 2090 and worth billions of dollars. “Our nation owes each of you a profound debt that no words or deeds will ever repay,” President Trump said during the bill signing ceremony. “But we can, and we will keep our nation’s promise to you.” Certainly, monetary efforts are no replacements for the lives loss and the impacts made, but it represents Congress’ efforts to assist those left in the wake of the tragic attacks.