Have you been so busy with #WorkForest that you haven’t had any time to keep up with the news? Here are some tidbits from this week to keep you updated and in the know!
We (can’t) did stop. And the government is still shut down…one week later. September 30th was the last day for the government to pass a budget in order to keep running and not shut down. However, gridlock and ideological differences persisted and no compromise was reached between Democrats and Republicans. Around 800,000 federal government employees were furloughed (meaning no work and no pay) and many critical functions have stopped. Anyone else miss the panda cam?
Why can’t they work something out? Within the Republican-controlled House of Representatives there is a small minority of ideologically extreme Republicans called the “Tea Party.” These representatives have Obamacare placed at the top of their Kill List. So they refused to pass a budget that did not include a provision that either got rid of, or delayed, Obamacare. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) has been catering to this group, bringing their bills to the floor and refusing to put up a vote on legislation that does not include the Obamacare provision. It’s noteworthy that Obamacare was still going to start on October 1st, no matter if the government was shut down. So, for now, no deal and no government. No one knows how long this will last but the time is coming soon for Congress to negotiate the debt ceiling (a measure that will prevent the government from defaulting on its loans). This has been a point of extreme contention in the past and will be again this year, as it highlights ideological differences between Democrats and Republicans. What is the world coming to??
Let’s see some ID. This Monday, the United States Justice Department filed suit against North Carolina, challenging the state’s new voter ID law. This law went into place after the Supreme Court didn’t uphold part of the Voting Rights Act, which prevents discrimination in voting against minorities. The Justice Department feels that this new law that requires voters to have photo identification discriminates against African Americans.
*Image from USAToday
Bad driving. This Thursday, dental hygienist Miriam Carey tried to ram her car through the White House barrier, starting a chase throughout the streets of Washington DC, and heading towards the Capitol. Officers fired at her near the Capitol climax, ultimately killing her. A one-year-old child was also in the car but is still alive and did not suffer life-threatening injuries. The gun shots heard at the Capitol put everyone in lock down and was quite a scare after September’s Navy Yard Shooting. A Capitol Police officer and Secret Service agent were both injured.
Tsk, tsk. This week federal officers found and arrested Ross Ulbricht, the man they believe to be the mastermind behind the Silk Road. The Silk Road is an online black market that allows the purchasing of all things illegal. In the past, the drug-dealer website has been quite the problem for the FBI, as it protects users’ locations and uses a type of online currency that can’t be traced. This is one of the largest busts in our generation’s history.
Rest In Peace. This Tuesday, writer Tom Clancy passed away at the age of 66. The famous, best-selling author is known for his thrillers such as The Hunt for the Red October. Many of his novels have been at the top of the bestsellers lists and made into movies. He will be truly missed in the literary world.