An Ignoble Experiment: The clock is ticking on another government shutdown

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Thursday 12.02.21

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By AJ Willingham

Protesters gather yesterday outside the Supreme Court.

SCOTUS

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday in a Mississippi abortion law case that could change the future of abortion rights in the US. Given the high court's 6-3 conservative majority, it appears the justices will uphold the 2018 law, which contains abortion restrictions contrary to precedent set in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Chief Justice John Roberts suggested a middle ground position that would uphold the Mississippi law but stop short of entirely ending the right to abortion access nationwide. Justice Brett Kavanaugh said if Roe were overturned, states could choose whether to keep the procedure legal and accessible. Such a suggestion, which could seriously hamper access to safe abortions for millions of people, is one of the reason abortion rights allies are so concerned with these proceedings.

Government shutdown

The clock is ticking on another government shutdown. If lawmakers fail to pass a bill to keep things open, the government will run out of funding tomorrow. So far, lawmakers haven't been able to reach a deal, and now all 100 senators must agree to hold a vote on the issue as soon as possible. Democrats and Republicans are grappling with disagreements over how long a funding extension should last. Some GOP senators are also threatening to stall the process by demanding a separate vote to defund federal vaccine mandate initiatives. While lawmakers are optimistic government funds won't lapse, there would be real consequences if they do. Millions of military members and government workers could have to work without pay if things drag on, and things like gun permit applications would be affected, too.

Coronavirus

The first confirmed US case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in California. Today, the White House is set to outline new actions aimed at fighting the pandemic now that Omicron has reached American shores and the country is preparing for another potentially deadly Covid-19 winter. These actions are expected to include new domestic and international travel guidelines, plus more booster shot outreach for vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, the European Commission President has called for discussions about mandatory vaccinations within the European Union. Several European countries, including Germany, are discussing more pandemic restrictions, many aimed at the unvaccinated.

India

Contentious farm laws that sparked more than a year of protests in India have now been officially repealed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party had claimed the reforms would modernize India's agricultural system. But farmers said it could leave them open to exploitation and ruin their livelihood, and they showed up en masse to protests, sometimes camping outside the capital city of New Delhi or riding farm equipment. Some of those protests are still going on, as farmers say they have a list of other demands that have not been met, including being legally entitled to a minimum support price for their entire crop. Still, the repeal marks a rare policy reversal for the Indian government.

Michigan shooting

The suspected Michigan school shooter accused of killing four people and wounding several others Tuesday at Oxford High School has been charged with terrorism along with murder, assault and weapons charges. Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said the charge is unusual but takes into account not just those who died or were injured but the many students now traumatized by the shooting. Investigators are uncovering worrying activity by the suspect in the days and hours before the attack, including in social media posts, videos and journal entries. McDonald said that after reviewing some of the evidence, she has no doubt the shooting was premeditated. The 15-year-old suspect will be tried as an adult, and his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

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1995

That's the last time Major League Baseball operations were disrupted by a work stoppage -- until now. The collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the players' union expired last night without a resolution. Now, players can't use facilities and free agents can't sign new contracts until a new agreement is reached.

In good conscience, I don't see how I can ask our athletes to compete there when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has seemingly been pressured to contradict her allegation of sexual assault.

Steve Simon, chairman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association. The WTA has announced an immediate suspension of all tournaments in China, including Hong Kong, in response to Beijing's silencing of sexual assault allegations made by Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai.

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