#believe immigrants are the source of covid

[bookwhurm]

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I’m rendered almost speechless by the relevancy of this title in the world we live in today that was written and published 78 years ago. It’s historically relevant and apparently one of the most devastating blows to Stalin’s agenda.

The thing that I fear the most is how it is still applicable in so many ways. It shows the tools that can be used to achieve a totalitarian government. The steps that need to be taken. They almost always form an “other” to be against. What was once the humans who indeed were taking advantage of them, it then became Snowball, then the nearby farmers. Whichever suited their agenda. Whichever kept the animals from turning inward with their suspicion and kept their worries outside of the ruling of the farm. The 7 commandments were constantly altered, but the intelligence of the pigs and the inability for many of the animals to read and write left the interpretation of it’s history entirely up to the pigs instead of the other animals they ruled over. The speeches and persuasive nature of Squealer was convincing propaganda that soothed any fears of the animals while the part of the sheep (this analogy was not lost on me) was to constantly chant whatever nonsense that Napoleon chose at times when protest was most imminent. To drown out whatever dissent was possible and confuse the masses. It’s hard to think over the shouting of short, catchy phrases.

The complete hypocrisy of the pigs to defy all the commandments by the end of the novel was astounding and it took me by surprise that none of the animals showed any dissent, though it’s not hard to imagine why when compared to the  many humans have turned the same blind eye for atrocities committed in their own countries. As an American, some that I can think of in the past decade were the imprisonment and separation of children of immigrants (the camps of children that no American did anything worth noting about, including me), the increase of rage against any and all racial/ethnic groups especially in the era of the Trump administration (starting with his campaigning against Mexican-Americans and how they ruin the country to the eventual physical abuse that happened to older Asian-Americans because of Covid-19), the continual divide in the classes to the point where most Americans only own 7% of the capital of the country combined (don’t quote me on that, this is from memory), and the events leading up to the 2020 protests for Black Lives Matter.

The important thing to take away from this novel is that while one person alone can’t take on the entirety of the system that was inherently built against them, it takes one person to stand up and rally while the support from those that believe in that message is the most integral to change. Groups accomplish change, whether it’s slowly or quickly like the rebellion on the farm. It also is a grim reminder to stick to your own guns and come to your own conclusions. To not base your beliefs only on what you are told and whichever statistics and facts are hand fed to you, but to do your own research from many different sources. To protect your beliefs and ideals even when you’re told otherwise.

Rating: 10/10 - How could it be anything else

#animal farm #george orwell #book review

[shreygoyal]

View on Twitter

Americans won’t enthusiastically support decarbonization if they believe it is the path to pain and deprivation. To win the political battle for a cleaner planet, we need an energy mindset focused on plenty.

(Source)

#Climate Change #Climate Crisis #Late Stage Capitalism #decarbonization #My Tweets

[chubbycaucasianchristiancloseted]

Wow this article found a way to claim Newsome and Trump both made “misleading” statements.

Wow this article found a way to claim Newsome and Trump both made “misleading” statements. They spend a lot of time calling DeSantis’s words “half lies” and spend very little time on Newsome but if you read in-between the lines, this article uses less harsh language to call out Newsome on a lot of lies.

A “small group of parents” are worried about the age appropriateness of sexual related material? That is a hard sell! I have a lot of trouble believing it’s a minority, “fringe”, group of parents worried about content their kids are exposed too.

I’ll never comprehend how charging everyone LESS taxes, places more of a burden on the middle and lower class citizens. Of course Politifact’s “source” for this claim is from a radical left, progressive “Institute”. How does having a 0% statewide income rate mean a 12.7% income tax on lower class citizens?

In regards to crime we have an entire section where PolitiFact completely disregards California and spends paragraphs criticizing the way Florida reports their crime. In the violent crime portion Politifact goes out of their way to quote another radical left leaning “source” that claims Florida has a higher gun related murders then California. They mention nothing of smash and grabs, rape, the knock out game or DeSantis’s Claim about products behind glass in stores.

Of course California can’t put any limitations on abortion because they don’t value human life, which is apparent in the way they handle crime and homelessness. A very very misleading talking point from the left is that women would be “criminalized” for not following abortion laws. This is 100% inaccurate; all proposed pro-life bills would hold doctors accountable for the procedure. The Florida law also makes several exceptions INCLUDING the mother’s life.

Direct Quotes:

California’s population declined for the first time ever in 2020, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. It’s been declining since then. (Newsom became governor in 2019). After the 2020 Census, California lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in its history.

In January 2022, U-Haul said that it ran out of one-way trucks and trailers in California at the start of 2021. This was a result of the large demand of people moving out of California in 2020, leaving fewer trucks, a U-Haul spokesperson told The Sacramento Bee.

A 2023 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 45% of Californians who considered moving to another state cited housing costs as a factor.

Newsom borrowed a page from former President Donald Trump’s playbook by misleadingly portraying DeSantis as a lockdown leader. Newsom’s comments focused on DeSantis’ actions in the pandemic’s first few weeks, when nearly all governors operated in lockstep. Newsom omits that DeSantis reopen earlier than most governors in the spring of 2020.

Many local governments closed beaches for a limited time, but DeSantis did not close them statewide.

Newsom was on firmer ground in his claim about closing bars. DeSantis ordered all bars and nightclubs closed for 30 days. Restaurants did not close. His March 17 order said restaurants were limited to 50% customer capacity and had to separate seating by 6 feet.

This stems from one group’s count and does not represent 1,406 books banned statewide.

A September Florida Department of Education report shows 20 of Florida’s 67 school districts and the statewide public Florida Virtual School removed 298 books in the 2022-23 school year. Some of those books were banned in multiple districts. Overall, school district officials received 1,218 objections about books.

Newsom also said, "What’s wrong with Amanda Gorman’s poetry?" suggesting it was banned. A parent at a South Florida school challenged Gorman’s poem "The Hill We Climb," which Gorman performed at Biden’s January 2021 inauguration. After a review, the K-through-eighth grade school moved the book to the library’s middle school section. It was not banned at the school, much less by the district or the state. Many of the objections were for books containing sexual or LGBTQ+ content and came from a small group of parents, some affiliated with conservative groups, such as Moms for Liberty, a Tampa Bay Times analysis found.

Among the 50 states, Florida has the nation’s 11th-lowest overall tax burden, while California has the fifth-highest, according to annual rankings by the Tax Foundation, a think tank that advocates for lower taxes.

Comparing the tax burden for the lowest 20% of households in income, California also has lower taxes. In California, households in the bottom 20% paid 10.5% of their income in taxes, compared with Florida’s 12.7%.

Meanwhile, wealthy taxpayers came out ahead in Florida, where the tax burden for the top 1% was 2.3% of income. That’s far lower than the 12.4% rate for California millionaires.

DeSantis signed legislation in 2022 that outlawed abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. It does not make exceptions for cases of incest, rape or human trafficking but includes an exception for the mother’s life.

The law penalizes physicians, but whether it also criminalizes women is less clear, so we have rated a similar claim Half True. The law says that anyone who "actively participates in" an abortion commits a third-degree felony, which opens the door to prosecutors charging women, but we don’t yet know whether they will or how courts would respond to such charges. DeSantis has also said that he doesn’t want women prosecuted, only doctors.

This is accurate. Florida ranked third among states for fourth grade reading, after Massachusetts and Wyoming. California ranked 32nd.

DeSantis criticized California for having "one of the lowest literacy rates in the country." He is correct — but he ignored that Florida’s literacy rate is nearly as low.

Hannity said California’s levels of violent crime are "way higher than the national average." He showed a graphic with 2022 violent crime rates, based on FBI data. California had the highest rate, with 499.5 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The national average was 380.7 per 100,000, and Florida’s was 258.9 per 100,000. We checked the numbers in the graphic and found they were accurate.

Newsom is right, based on the voting patterns in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 state-by-state homicide rankings, according to an analysis of federal data by Third Way, a center-left policy group.

The map plotted public reports of human feces found in San Francisco from 2011 to 2019. (More than 118,000 people reported their findings to San Francisco’s nonemergency line.)

Newsom was San Francisco mayor from 2004 to 2011 and was California’s lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019.

#USA #TheChubbyCaucasianChristianClosetedConservative #DeSantis #Newsom #SeanHannity

[danamuseum]

Why Is it important for museums to tell inclusive stories that are relevant to the communities they serve?

Dana Golan Miller

September 18th, 2023

Last weekend, a friend from our Israeli community suggested that we visit the Jewish Capital Museum here in DC. Since it's a new museum and none of us had been there before, we decided to go. We were two families with children ranging from elementary to middle school age. Our decision to visit was driven by curiosity rather than our Jewish identity. We don't require any reminders of our Jewish heritage; we recently came from Israel. However, I had a genuine desire to explore this museum, similar to our visits to the Jewish museum in Berlin last year and the one in Warsaw two years ago.

Lately, especially since I began the MET program, I have been constantly contemplating the pivotal role of museums in today's world, especially when dealing with community and engagement. I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of museum institutions of all kinds. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people seemed to overlook museums, I held the belief that the pandemic could actually have the opposite effect. Was my intuition correct, especially when dealing with engagements?

Personally, I do sense that many museums are increasingly making efforts to engage with their communities. I firmly believe, especially after the pandemic, that museums should strive to consistently involve their communities and reflect the diversity of those communities in their leadership, staff, collections, and programs. When minority audiences can see themselves or their culture represented in exhibitions or as part of the museum's team, they can experience a true sense of belonging.

In year 2017, MASS Action Toolkit, Interpretation: Liberating the Narrative, emphasized the definition and the importance of Interpolation in museum practice. "Interpretation is a narrative and a method of communicating to and with visitors; it might be written, spoken or visual. The type, size and scope of an institution has a lot to do with what interpretation looks like… Interpretation also conveys an institutional voice… museum interpretation can and should move in the direction of being dialogic (conversational), de-centered (all people given equal consideration), and open source (sharing authority with audiences, particularly those directly affected by the legacies of our spaces)". (MASS Action Toolkit, 2017, 90)

While reading the Toolkit I was thinking about my personal experience with the Jewish capital museum. I'm an Israeli and part of the immigrant Israeli community. I'm actually not part of the American Jewish community in DMV.

The main web-page of the Jewish Capital Museum says those big sentences: "Connect personally and collectively, reflect on the relevance of the past to today, and Act on behalf of your values and communities". And at the page of the main exhibition "Connect, Reflect, Act" says "Welcome to the heart of the Capital Jewish Museum! Here you can read, listen, talk, and engage with interactive throughout this colorful, lively space. Dig deep into local Jewish history, discover Jewish perspectives on social justice issues facing the world today, and think about your own identity and values".

The 2017 Toolkit went deep inside the concept of Interpolation that "should be poly-vocal, multi-directional, and self-aware …The interpretation that a museum puts forward - through tours, exhibits, labels, and more - can make a space feel inclusive or exclusive for its visitors. Creating interpretation that feels not only accessible but safe to a multitude of populations demands a reconceptualization of the museum—from language, to hierarchies, to build environments" Later on it continues "Museums should move toward interpretive approaches that are grounded in complex and universal narratives but guided by heterogeneous collectivity (MAAS Action Toolkit, 2017, 91-92). Then, the Toolkit suggest ways of Strategic of transformation – such as expend research, learn critical race theory, create polytonality, listen and make space, assert a position, Mine the human. And at the end, added "Co-creation - Bringing members of stakeholder communities onto interpretive planning teams to develop exhibitions and installations fundamentally changes the role of museum as content creator into a space of shared meaning-making" (MAAS Action Toolkit, 2017, 99-100). The last page which is much important for my opinion, it also mentioned the important of the in gallery interpolation – among them design spaces, and the importance of labels and audio tours.

I truly believe that the staff at the Capital Jewish Museum put forth a sincere effort to consider most of the advice provided in the Toolkit. Personally, I have several criticisms regarding the museum's exhibition and how it represents Jewish culture. Perhaps it's because I have my own reservations about Jewish religious aspects, or maybe it's due to my Israeli background. However, on the whole, I believe they have done an exceptional job in portraying the story of Jewish Americans living in Washington, D.C.

The museum spaces were filled with numerous interactive activities that encouraged visitors to actively participate. I witnessed one individual standing in front of a historic picture, showing it to his son and saying, "That's your uncle when he was young." Many visitors, all English speaker participated at the interactive sections, read, explored, felt engaged from my point of view. Moreover, I found myself pondering whether I could relate to the storytelling and heritage. Could I establish a connection? And yes, for a few moments, I certainly could. I even thought about my 93-year-old grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, and what she might have said if she were here. But this I keep to another blog…

Towards the conclusion of the exhibition, there was a special wall, the kind that many museums install, where visitors can leave notes in response to the question: "What identifying word describes you?" Many people wrote "Jewish" at the top before any other identification, or, at the second. This is indeed substantial evidence that the Museum has succeeded in serving and engaging the community they cater to—the American Jewish community in the DMV area.

At the image: Exit wall of the exhibition Collect, reflect, act (ongoing exhibition), Capital Jewish Museum, Image taken by the author, September 9th, 2023.

Recourses:

Jewish Capital Website

Annie Anderson, Ashley Rogers, Emily Potter, Elon Cook, Karleen Gardner, Mike Murawski, Swarupa Anila, and Alyssa Machida,  "Interpretation: Liberating the Narrative" chapter Five, in MASS Action Toolkit, 2017, p. 89-105.

[fromtheothersideby]

Controversial Claims Raise Concerns About UK & European Citizens' Bank Accounts

Controversial Claims Raise Concerns About UK & European Citizens' Bank Accounts Date: 01.07.2023 By: 2Boomers

*UK/Europe* - Controversial claims have surfaced, raising concerns among UK & European citizens about the potential impact on their bank accounts in the near future. These claims, which have gained attention, highlight various factors that some individuals believe could result in account deprivation.

According to these claims, UK & European citizens may face account deprivation if they hold certain beliefs. These beliefs include:

thinking there are only two genders,

questioning the legitimacy of man-made climate change,

refusing certain medical treatments,

expressing skepticism towards the EU and NATO,

opposing unconventional food choices,

being against illegal immigration, and

seeking to preserve cultural traditions.

Proponents of these claims argue that the UK & Europe, once a prosperous island & continent, is undergoing significant changes that some perceive as unfavorable. They suggest that a return to national sovereignty could potentially counteract these perceived negative developments.

Reports of the confiscation of Russian assets and instances where bank accounts were blocked for political reasons, such as the case involving Nigel Farage in the UK, have intensified concerns among certain individuals. The estimated number of individuals allegedly excluded from the system due to their political views since the beginning of the Covid pandemic lacks specific details and comprehensive validation. While some sources estimate this number to be as high as 10,000.

Furthermore, projections suggest that millions of people may face exclusion from the "Western system" after the launch of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) and digital ID/social credit systems.

What will you do?

#cbdc #cancelled #digitalid #socialcredit

[webmedialiteracy]

Comics can teach readers how to identify fake news

Dealing with fake news

Fake news is an increasingly pressing problem. In fact, a 2019 poll found 90 per cent of Canadians reported falling for false information online.

As consumers, we need to learn how to filter content and become our own educators, editors and fact-checkers to ensure the information we act upon is trustworthy. In a constantly changing informational and political environment, it’s no wonder we often struggle to separate fact from fiction.

Research indicates people create misinformation for two primary reasons: money and ideology.

Articles, videos and other forms of content can generate large amounts of money for the websites that host these pieces. Most of their income comes from clicks on advertisements, so the more people who visit their sites, the better chances they have of boosting ad revenue. This feedback loop has led many publishers to lean on false information to drive traffic.

The threshold for making believable fake news has fallen as well. A conspiracy theorist, for example, can create a web page using a professional template with high-quality photos in just a few clicks. Once the content has been added, sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms requires even less effort.

These misinformation and fake-news campaigns amplify and circulate through false digital accounts using automated programs known as bots that use certain keywords to influence and impact conversations among like-minded clusters of people. The results can foment discord on hot-button Canadian policy issues — like immigration and refugees — possibly disrupting election outcomes.

Generating anxiety and undermining truth

Canadians are expressing anxiety about the social impact of fake news, with 70 per cent fearing it could affect the outcome of a federal election. The Pew Research Center warns that fake news may even influence the core functions of the democratic system and contribute to “truth decay.”

Dubious and inflammatory content can undermine the quality of public debate, promote misconceptions, foster greater hostility toward political opponents and corrode trust in government and journalism.

The effects of misinformation have been evident throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, with many citizens confused as to whether a mask will decrease the chances of spreading the infection. Similar tactics are being levelled against Black Lives Matter protesters, such as labelling them all as rioters when videos and photos show most behaving peacefully.

Conspiracy theories about the “Chinese virus,” amplified by politicians in Canada and the U.S., have fanned the flames of anti-Asian sentiments following the spread of COVID-19. Data from law enforcement and Chinese-Canadian groups has shown an increase in anti-Asian hate incidents in Canada since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who and how to trust

Aside from a few social media platforms that identify misleading content and provide a brief explanation, most information online or in print can appear factual. So how can we figure out which sources to trust?

As a sociologist who focuses on critical media studies, I formed focus groups and collected input from my students to create a resources to guide readers through identifying fake news. While regulation and legislation are part of the solution, experts agree we must take swift action to teach students how to seek verification before acting on fake news.

In my findings, students identified several reasons why media outlets post or re-publish fake news, including making mistakes, being short-staffed, not fact-checking and actively seeking greater viewership by posting fake news.

The students pointed to holistic media literacy and critical thinking training as the best responses. This finding runs counter to the tactics currently used by publishers and tech companies to label or “fact-check” disputed news.

One student summarized this mindset best: “As citizens and consumers, we have a responsibility to be critical. Don’t accept stories blindly. Hold those in power responsible for their actions!”

Getting multiple perspectives is a great way to expand our digest of viewpoints. Once we can see a story from more than one angle, separating truth from falsehood becomes much simpler.

At this point, I transitioned from recording perceptions of fake news to determining how to identify it. Providing students with information about the nature and agendas of fake news, in an immersive format, seemed to be a key step in engaging and cultivating their critical literacy capabilities. Information delivery was a key consideration.

[chanbacong2419]

Comics can teach readers how to identify fake news

Dealing with fake news

Fake news is an increasingly pressing problem. In fact, a 2019 poll found 90 per cent of Canadians reported falling for false information online.

As consumers, we need to learn how to filter content and become our own educators, editors and fact-checkers to ensure the information we act upon is trustworthy. In a constantly changing informational and political environment, it’s no wonder we often struggle to separate fact from fiction.

Research indicates people create misinformation for two primary reasons: money and ideology.

Articles, videos and other forms of content can generate large amounts of money for the websites that host these pieces. Most of their income comes from clicks on advertisements, so the more people who visit their sites, the better chances they have of boosting ad revenue. This feedback loop has led many publishers to lean on false information to drive traffic.

The threshold for making believable fake news has fallen as well. A conspiracy theorist, for example, can create a web page using a professional template with high-quality photos in just a few clicks. Once the content has been added, sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms requires even less effort.

These misinformation and fake-news campaigns amplify and circulate through false digital accounts using automated programs known as bots that use certain keywords to influence and impact conversations among like-minded clusters of people. The results can foment discord on hot-button Canadian policy issues — like immigration and refugees — possibly disrupting election outcomes.

Generating anxiety and undermining truth

Canadians are expressing anxiety about the social impact of fake news, with 70 per cent fearing it could affect the outcome of a federal election. The Pew Research Center warns that fake news may even influence the core functions of the democratic system and contribute to “truth decay.”

Dubious and inflammatory content can undermine the quality of public debate, promote misconceptions, foster greater hostility toward political opponents and corrode trust in government and journalism.

The effects of misinformation have been evident throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, with many citizens confused as to whether a mask will decrease the chances of spreading the infection. Similar tactics are being levelled against Black Lives Matter protesters, such as labelling them all as rioters when videos and photos show most behaving peacefully.

Conspiracy theories about the “Chinese virus,” amplified by politicians in Canada and the U.S., have fanned the flames of anti-Asian sentiments following the spread of COVID-19. Data from law enforcement and Chinese-Canadian groups has shown an increase in anti-Asian hate incidents in Canada since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who and how to trust

Aside from a few social media platforms that identify misleading content and provide a brief explanation, most information online or in print can appear factual. So how can we figure out which sources to trust?

As a sociologist who focuses on critical media studies, I formed focus groups and collected input from my students to create a resources to guide readers through identifying fake news. While regulation and legislation are part of the solution, experts agree we must take swift action to teach students how to seek verification before acting on fake news.

In my findings, students identified several reasons why media outlets post or re-publish fake news, including making mistakes, being short-staffed, not fact-checking and actively seeking greater viewership by posting fake news.

The students pointed to holistic media literacy and critical thinking training as the best responses. This finding runs counter to the tactics currently used by publishers and tech companies to label or “fact-check” disputed news.

One student summarized this mindset best: “As citizens and consumers, we have a responsibility to be critical. Don’t accept stories blindly. Hold those in power responsible for their actions!”

Getting multiple perspectives is a great way to expand our digest of viewpoints. Once we can see a story from more than one angle, separating truth from falsehood becomes much simpler.

At this point, I transitioned from recording perceptions of fake news to determining how to identify it. Providing students with information about the nature and agendas of fake news, in an immersive format, seemed to be a key step in engaging and cultivating their critical literacy capabilities. Information delivery was a key consideration. Source: https://theconversation.com/comics-can-teach-readers-how-to-identify-fake-news-143777

#Media Literacy 2023

[9jahitbase]

Russia is floating a plan to build a village for conservative Americans who want to move to a 'Christian country' and are tired of liberal ideology in the US

Veterans salute during a military parade to mark the 78th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 9, 2023Irina Motina/Xinhua via Getty Images- Russia is building a village for US expats who are tired of liberal ideology, a lawyer told state media. - The project is approved, and slated to house some 200 American and Canadian families, he said. - Russia has in recent years sought to position itself as a bastion for "traditional" moral values.Russia is floating an idea to build a village for hundreds of American and Canadian families who want to run away from the cultural climate in North America.The village, slated for construction in Moscow's suburbs in 2024, is meant for conservative families who want to "emigrate for ideological reasons," said immigration lawyer Timur Beslangurov on Thursday, according to RIA Novosti.Around 200 families have expressed interest in the project, Beslangurov said in a speech at a legal forum in St. Petersburg, the state outlet reported.Many of these families don't have Russian roots but are tired of "the inculcation of radical values" in the US and Canada, Beslangurov said."Today, they have 70 genders, it is not known what will happen next," he added, per RIA Novosti. The same rhetoric has been used frequently by Russian Vladimir Putin as US-Russia relations worsened over the last several years. In December 2021, he compared gender nonconformity to the COVID-19 pandemic.Most of the expats who want to move to the village are Catholics and "strongly believe in the prediction that Russia will remain the only Christian country in the world," Beslangurov said.The village project has been greenlit by authorities, and the new settlers will pay for the construction, Beslangurov added, per state media.Insider could not independently verify Beslangurov's claims. The lawyer and the Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.Putin has, in recent years, sought to portray Russia as a country that stands for "traditional" moral, social, and religious values.Story continuesHe signed a decree in September that warned of a "battle for cultural supremacy" on the global stage and cautioned of "the aggressive imposition of neoliberal views by a number of states."It said Russia was in a "unique position" to defend and spread conservative views, which the decree called "traditional Russian moral and religious values."The village project also comes as Moscow's war on Ukraine and resulting international sanctions have sullied Russia's reputation among tourists and expatriates. In February, tourism agencies reported business slumping lower than pre-pandemic levels since the invasion began.The Federal Security Service, however, claimed on May 3 that more foreigners are entering the country this year. The influx of foreign citizens to Russia increased by 17.6% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same time period in 2022, it said.People from China and Central Asian nations, such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, contributed to the most significant increases in trips to Russia, the state agency added.Read the original article on Business Insider Source link Read the full article

[jon-purizhansky]

US Employers Can Help Refugees from Venezuela Crisis

Since the beginning of 2015, upwards of 7 million Venezuelans have fled the country due to socio-political unrest and political turmoil. In the end of 2022, The International Monetary Fund reported that 95% of Venezuelans were living below the poverty line.

Combining bad conditions, increases in crimes, and less work available after the COVID-19 Pandemic, Venezuelan refugees fled to several South American and North American countries.

Seventeen countries are now host to refugees from the large refugee migration to date, totaling more refugees than the Syrian refugee crisis of 2012. With this influx of refugees, countries are failing to provide necessities for the travelers. Many refugees struggle to find enough food to support their families, let alone find shelter or gainful employment.

“We believe in boosting our economy and our workforce with migrant and immigrant workers. We connect them with vetted employers and help employers find motivated employees ready to work and retain their position,” says Jon Purizhansky, CEO of Joblio.  

With over half a million refugees in the United States and more planning to emigrate to join their families, many Venezuelan refugees are still having difficulty making ends meet. With programs created by the Biden administration to allow for work visas and acceptance into the country, more refugees fled the difficulties they faced in South American countries and headed to the US. Unfortunately, even with higher degrees and better work experience, they are still encountering difficulties finding work and sponsorship.

While Venezuelan refugees are often more educated than refugees from other migrant countries, they can still not find gainful employment. US employers can help Venezuelan refugees in the following ways:

Provide gainful employment – by bypassing migrant xenophobia, many Venezuelans would be hired. They typically have solid educational backgrounds and often have managerial experience. Many of the refugees have mechanical and technical experience in demand in the current US job market as well.

Offer Ongoing Training – US companies can provide on-the-job training to help maintain migrant workers in their job force. Many are eager for work and willing to put in the time to learn more and move up their workforce’s ladder if the employer will offer such opportunities.

Credentialing – US companies can help Venezuelan refugees to gain credentials or re-credential them if they were previously credentialed in their industry. This will help the migrant workers to hone their skills and harness their expertise, thereby remaining committed to a US employer.

Hiring Venezuelan Migrant Workers is An Opportunity for US Employers

Since the beginning of this year, Joblio’s native Venezuelan ambassadors in New York have launched an outreach initiative to the communities in need. Ambassadors work with refugees in tent cities created by NGOs and the government, educating Venezuelans on the work opportunities in their new host country.

Joblio’s platform offers a simple user-friendly registration process that allows potential employees with different levels of English knowledge to get registered and create employee profiles in a matter of minutes.

It takes the guesswork and fear out of finding a migrant worker position and eliminates refugees from having to look for day laborer jobs that can be low-paying and dangerous at times.

Joblio helps migrant workers in the following ways:

Employees can communicate easily with their employers through Joblio

Employees can trust the employers they’re getting matched with since Joblio vettes them

Resettlement and housing assistance through ACE: our Applicant Concierge Experience program, which helps with resettlement, cultural and language integration

Free virtual English language classes

If a US employer chooses to work with Joblio to source migrant workers, they can benefit from our secure platform to find employees.

We help reduce churn, eliminate fraud, and expedite the recruitment process.

Working with Joblio gives the following benefits to US employers:

Time savings in finding migrant workers

Cost savings in sourcing migrant workers

Minimized employee churn

Increased productivity since employees are properly matched with employers based on their skills

Paperwork assistance

Recruitment assistance and expedition

Access to more-motivated employees

Help For the Origination Country as Well

Joblio also helps the origination country by eliminating middlemen and corrupt job placement services that may prey upon incoming refugees and migrant workers. This helps international workers trust their contracted employers and ensure transparency. Joblio’s secure job placements also help to facilitate stable foreign remittances.

Contact Joblio Today

For US-based companies interested in hiring willing migrant workers Joblio may be the perfect solution. We will take the reigns of finding and vetting employees and ensuring their backgrounds, education, and health are suitable for your business. We’ll match you with the ideal candidates and offer support to create longevity in your working relationship. To reach out to Joblio today and discover the ways we can help you plus how your business can help with the Venezuelan refugee crisis, contact Mark Reimann, Country Manager USA [email protected].

Originally Posted: https://joblio.co/en/blog/us-employers-can-help-refugees-from-venezuela-crisis/

#joblio #Business

[shumailach-blog]

Five Australian Visa Opportunities for 2023

A new government brought several changes to Australia's immigration pathways this year. Here's what happened and what's to come in 2023.

There's a number of visa changes coming in 2023. Source: SBS News

The new government under Labor's Anthony Albanese has already made some significant changes to Australia's migration policies and begun tackling the visa backlog since coming into office in May.

And there could be even more changes in 2023, with the government promising to look at the effectiveness of skilled migration occupation lists, which some believe are outdated.

The last update to the current Skilled Migration Occupation List was made on 11 March 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic had just hit.

Shortly after coming to power, the government announced an increase to the permanent migration program in 2022/23 from 160,000 to 195,000 places for skilled and family visas. The October budget revealed the number of skilled visas available as part of the program would increase significantly from 79,600 to 142,400. The government also announced changes to Temporary skill shortage (TSS) subclass 482 visas that would allow people to apply for permanent residency, the removal of age restrictions on 457 visa holders, and expanding the eligibility for subclass 462 working holiday maker visas.

Backpacker visas are now being finalised in less than a day as government tackles processing times. More recently, there have been reports more than 19,000 refugees on temporary protection visas will finally be allowed to apply for permanent residency in Australia, with an announcement to be made in the new year. But a spokeswoman for the Home Affairs Department said this had not been confirmed by the government.

Here Are Five Key Visa Opportunities in Australia for 2023.

New Visa for Certain Countries

A new visa will be introduced in July 2023 providing 3,000 places for eligible migrants from Pacific countries and Timor Leste. Spots for the Pacific Engagement visa (PEV) will be allocated by a ballot process each year. These visas will be offered on top of the places available on Australia's permanent migration program.

Workers from Pacific countries such as the Solomon Islands will have access to a new Australian visa from 1 July 2023. Source: AP / Mark Schiefelbein

Priority Processing for New Zealanders

New Zealanders living in Australia will benefit from priority processing of Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa applications in the New Zealand stream.

The department has dropped certain visa requirements including that applicants must have lived in Australia for at least five years and that they meet certain taxable income thresholds as well as health criteria.

The department has stopped taking new visa applications from 10 December 2022 until 1 July 2023, in order to process the backlog already in the system.

'Visas in three days' for teachers and nurses who want to come to Australia.

"The following streamlining measures introduced acknowledge that this group of New Zealand citizens are long-term residents of Australia, have been working here and contributing to Australia’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic," the says.

Those who are granted visas will be able to access the benefits of permanent residence more quickly, including being allowed immediate access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and automatic Australian citizenship for their children born in Australia.

Those granted a New Zealand stream visa will also have their citizenship pathway fast-tracked from 1 January 2023.

State-Sponsored Visas up for Grabs

Former Department of Immigration secretary Abul Rivzi said the number of visas available through the state and territories is set to dramatically increase thanks to the larger regional allocation.

"What I'm noticing is some of the states are actually struggling to deliver quickly enough and so a lot of them are making changes to make their systems faster," Mr Rizvi said.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said it had set a planning level of 31,000 places for state and territory nominated visas (subclass 190) in 2022/23, as well as a further 34,000 places in the regional category (subclass 491), the majority of which are nominated by state and territory governments.

There will be another 5,000 visas for the business innovation and investment program (subclass 188).

Back in 2018/19 before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted Australia's migration numbers, about 25,346 state and territory nominated visas were granted and just 647 skilled regional visas.

A breakdown of the skilled visas available in the 2022/23 budget. States and territories have increasingly relaxed many of their criteria, including their skilled occupation lists, to make it easier for people to apply for state-nominated visas.

One of the biggest advantages of a state-sponsored visa is not being tied to a particular employer - although applicants have to be younger than 45 years old and have to also find their own jobs.

Most recently NSW changed the requirements for its visa applicants.

"Previously published points scores and work experience guides for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) have been removed due to increased availability of the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) by the Department of Home Affairs," a notice on the NSW Government website states.

Mr Rivzi said he expected much higher numbers of people would also be granted Skilled Independent visas (subclass 189) this financial year, compared to the last two years when COVID-19 shut down Australia's borders.

Easier Family Reunion

The Albanese government has made it easier for families to reunite, introducing demand-driven partner visas in 2022/23.

This means there is no limit to the number of these visas issued. The department is estimating it will issue around 40,500 partner visas this financial year.

Child visas are also demand-driven and an estimated 3,000 visas are expected to be issued.

Family reunions will be easier with no limit to partner and child visas. Source: Getty / jacoblund/iStockphoto

5. Change to processing of visas

Skilled visa applications for teachers and healthcare workers are now being assessed in just three days after the government stopped using the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) to rank applications.

Ministerial Direction No. 100, introduced on 28 October 2022, set new rules for applications to be prioritised. Applications are now being decided in the following order of priority:

1. Healthcare or teaching occupation applications;

2. For employer-sponsored visas, applicants nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status;

3. Those for a designated regional area;

4. For permanent and provisional visa subclasses, visa applications that count towards the migration program, excluding the Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)) visa;

5. All other visa applications.

Within each category, priority is given to applicants located outside Australia for provisional and permanent skilled visa applications.

Fast-track visas for people to move to Australia with their job could soon be a reality

The Department of Home Affairs says the change means applications will be processed faster.

"Particularly for the critical Temporary Skill Shortage visa, which is designed to respond rapidly to labour market needs," a department spokesperson said.

Review of migration system to be delivered in 2023

Experts and users have criticised the huge backlogs and complexity of Australia's migration system that have seen some people waiting months to get visas approved.

In 2023, three experts are expected to deliver a comprehensive review of Australia's migration system with an interim report expected by the end of February, and a final strategy by late March/April.

The government has hired extra staff to help with visa processing, bringing Australia's visa backlog, which was once at almost one million applications, down to 600,000.

“By ramping up processing in the Department of Home Affairs and hiring over 400 extra staff, I’m proud to say that we have now processed over four million visas since coming to government,” Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles said on Monday.

“This has made a huge difference to the lives of Australians re-connected with loved ones before Christmas, and to addressing the skills shortages that have affected all of us.”

Minister for Immigration, Andrew Giles. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Mr Rizvi said the big issue for 2023 was a potential slowdown in employment growth, and a rise in unemployment, which is being forecast by Treasury. Unemployment is forecast to be 4.5 per cent through 2023-24 and 2024-25, higher than the current rate of 3.5 per cent recorded in November 2022.

"The question I have is will the government maintain the migration program at the current level if Treasury's forecasts are to be believed?" Mr Rizvi said.

Mr Rizvi said it was possible the government would announce a reduction in the number of skilled visas available as part of the May budget, if it became nervous about the labour market.

Why the world's smartest people will move to Canada over Australia

"Whenever there's been a sharp downturn in the Australian economy in the past, governments have always cut the migration program, like clockwork," he said.

Mr Giles has said the government will review Australia's migration system to make sure it is keeping up with the times.

"We need a system that attracts and retains talent, a system that is simple, efficient and complementary to the skills existing in Australia," he said.

"International mobility is already important for economic activity. For Australia, this importance will continue to grow over time."

This week Mr Giles also announced an extension to allow backpackers to work with a single employer for the length of their visa to support Australian employers over the summer.

“Visas for Working Holiday Makers applying outside Australia are being finalised in less than one day,” he said.

Source: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/five-australian-visa-opportunities-for-2023/b9s2o1nto

#Australia #Immigraiton #study visa #job in Australia #bright future

[melbournenewsvine]

Tennis Australia will not pressure the Australian government over Novak Djokovics comeback bid

“I am sure that with good weather we will get to those [crowd] Objectives “. The former Serbian world number one, Djokovic, made Melbourne Park’s hardcourt his home, winning the first of his 21 grand slam titles in Australia in 2008 before securing another eight. But he was deported from Australia on the eve of this year’s event after the Australian government ruled he may have disrupted civil order and undermined his existence in the nation’s pandemic response. Djokovic, who has not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and also missed this year’s US Open, is under a three-year ban from entering the country. But he can apply for a waiver of the order to be considered by the new immigration minister, Andrew Giles. loading What we’re saying at this point is that Novak and the federal government need to sort things out. Then we’ll follow any instructions after that, Tilly said. “I spent some time with Novak at the Laver Cup. We talked in general. He said he obviously would love to go back to Australia, but knows it will be the federal government’s final decision. I have accepted this position. It is a private matter between them. “We’d like to welcome Novak back – he’s a nine-time champion.” Djokovic’s stature and high-profile legal battle to try to stay in Australia overshadowed the early stages of the 2022 event. “Ideally” Djokovic’s eligibility will be resolved sooner rather than later, Tiley said, and there is an imminent deadline for a player to apply. “There is a December entry deadline for the Australian Open, so obviously they will have to stick to that schedule,” said Tilley. Australian Open officials plan to significantly increase the number of applications from individuals – players and support staff, such as coaches – at the Grand Slams next January. Russian and Belarusian players are eligible “at this point” to compete in Australia. They were controversially banned from this year’s Wimbledon with the grass courts stripped of standings points as a result. “Like any other player, they will have to pass a [visa] Tilly said. “The only difference is that they cannot represent Russia, they cannot represent the flag of Russia, and they cannot participate in any activity like [playing] The anthem of Russia, you should play as independent players in a neutral shade [country] Noun. “But they will be welcome at the Australian Open in January.” Tiley said they had no dip in these moves, either from players or the ATP and WTA rounds. Prizes for next year’s Open Championships could increase after $75 million, including nearly $3 million for each of the two singles champions, were dumped in January. Tilley said: “The dollar is bouncing up and down, and that has an impact. We make our decisions [about prizemoney] Close to the event. “But we are an event that believes in rewarding players. I will leave you with that.” News, results and expert analysis from the Sports Weekend are sent every Monday. Subscribe to the sports newsletter. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

#Melbourne News Vine

[gentian-mudd]

hey um hi

could you elaborate real quick on why emigration to Canada is bad? I've been seriously considering it in the nearest future and I've only heard good things about it so I'm curious because it's Important Stuff to me and you seem to know your way around it

hello! so ive lived in canada all my life so have obv never immigrated here, and also i dont know! that much about a bunch of this stuff! if you’ve gotten information about canada from a reputable source that is different from what i’m saying, i’m probably wrong.

the whole immigration process? takes a long time. my understanding is that you’re able to move here with just a temporary residence, then you can apply for the permanent residence, then you can apply to become a citizen. i might be missing some steps. visas are also a things that exist but i do not understand. also because of covid lots of things have slowed down.

so! our housing market is. struggling, to say the least. prices peaked at some point last year with super high prices for houses and rent. now the prices are lowering a lot and some sources are expecting the housing market to “correct itself”, which sounds an awful lot like crashing hggsgshhd. fun /s. i read an article about the housing market today and i barely understood a word of what it was talking about but it didn’t sound great.

waitlists for subsidized/affordable housing can be years long.

although lots of canadians will say “sorry” when they walk into a doorframe, the stereotype of everyone being amazing and nice isn’t accurate. racism isn’t as obvious, but it’s just as common here as it is in the US. we don’t have guns, which is really helpful for stopping hate crimes, but people will be assaulted, harassed, threatened, etc. indigenous women are going missing at alarming rates and no one is doing anything. racism, slurs, teasing, etc are just as prevalent in schools as they are other places. there’s some people who call themselves the “freedom fighters”, who don’t believe in covid restrictions and mandates, and they and some others went to the capital to protest (which is legal and encouraged), but then blocked off streets and vandalized and stuff (which is illegal and not encouraged lmao). they also were. protesting something completely legal on the basis that it went against their rights sooo. lots of antivaxxers but theyre not making a big deal out of things rn so its fine. first nations reservations still don’t have clean water and have to boil everything. i‘m not trying to scare you, im just trying to show that the stereotypes aren’t true, as much as its nice to have people assume im an amazing person because im canadian.

our healthcare system is pretty good, but be prepared that although it’s “free healthcare”, you still have to pay for things like physiotherapy, dental care, acupuncture, massage, ambulance costs, eye tests + glasses, etc. in ontario at least.

also be prepared for the price of fruits and vegetables to go up significantly in the winter for preservative and shipping costs.

one good thing is that most employers are understaffed, so getting a job will be easier than it would be a while ago. in (southern) ontario, you can drive around cities and the sheer amount of “hiring” signs is honestly a bit apocalyptic. i saw a fast food place that had walk in interviews every wednesday.

anyways i really need to sleep i hope u have a nice day. if anyone has anything to add or fact check feel free to do that.

[kayla1993-world]

And according to some sources, the rise in Conservative membership sale could dramatically affect both party's grassroots and the old power interaction between two factions.

Pierre Poilievre, the apparent front-runner to represent the Conservative Party of Canada in the next general election, would arguably hope to benefit far more from that instability.

"Pierre Poilievre's reception will be staged outside. There is no dispute, by a conservative source. The source has an intimate understanding of the party membership number of qualified leadership electors but is not associated with the Poilievre campaign.

The Poilievre campaign claims to have signed up more than 312,000 memberships, just below of half the about 675,000 eligible voters for the Sept. 10 poll, amid the party brass's rejection to verify for the reliability of campaign membership revenue figures.

This week, three individuals of different leadership campaigns alerted Global News that Poilievre's stats include a substantial portion of "new" Conservatives—members who may never have ever taken part in the federal party's politics.

But even though the vote has not even been recounted, the mass of insiders, including those from other campaigns, feel that Poilievre is most motivated to accept over with the chairman.

In a fresh Ipsos survey taken only for Global News, 49% of Conservative voters have a good impression of Poilievre, while 29% have a negative rating of the front-runner. Nearest rival Jean Charest came in with an approval rating of 45% form respondents. Because of the small sample size of 259 Conservative voters interviewed between July 12 and 13, the poll's credibility is still only considered being 6.9 percentage points.

It's hard to see a path to victory for anyone besides Poilievre, particularly in the light of Patrick Brown's disqualification, despite the reality that Conservative leadership contests oftenly show up as a great shock - the smart money was on Maxime Bernier in 2017, so everyone in the realize knew Peter MacKay would win in 2020.

Regarding Bernier's far-right offshoot party, one wag suggested it may be "Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives" or the "PPC."

If that's to be trusted, then the most significant inquiry is: What form of Conservative party is Poilievre constructing, and can it win — in a Conservative leadership election, but in the general elections?

Many who support Poilievre refute charges they are courting the far-right convoy mob. They claim the media oversimplifies the links, crying out in laughter every time Poilievre promotes a demonstration that incorporates gender-neutral people.

But the Carleton MP helps align with the beliefs of the convoy movement with his pro-"freedom" and anti-vaccine mandate messages. His long-held confidence that government should get few rulers corresponds well with the anti-authority movement that had already gained power in Canada as an outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So even though this is not a lucky accident, a source close to the Poilievre campaign declared that some of his earliest statements — like as persuading provinces to require occupational licensing bodies to rule on immigrants' applications within 60 days and offering small loans to immigrants who still need advanced training to yield a professional certification — were built to dampen allegation that he had a far-right agenda.

But when the time finally comes for the next general election, people won't believe concerning his options to march with James Topp, an anti-vaccine mandate protested with well-established ties to Canadian far-right nonprofits.

One source, who agreed to discuss internal party politics on the condition that they could not be described, said, "The base has shifted drastically to the far-right, which opens up the (political) hub, the facility is wide open now."

His tactic is still: "Let's get those elections who don't normally vote or don't vote Conservative, the far-right persons whose own Conservative party is (not) far enough to the right, move (the party) to that far-right, unlock that, and that will give you that four (or) five points you need to form a government."

In a journey roughly equivalent to what former leader Erin O'Toole dared in 2020, some have assumed a pivot for Poilievre, going hard right during the leadership and then moderating ahead of the mentioned general election. Neither Poilievre's opponents agree that would be probable.

One supporter quipped, "Pierre is Pierre." Who are his supporters if "Pierre is Pierre"? An internal campaign document from June 4 states that Poilievre lured 118,996 members in Ontario, a significant electoral province at which Conservatives try unsuccessfully to give traction in the two elections just before.

The party has refused to disclose membership sales, something that makes it much harder to investigate them. And per the campaign, they however still sold 25,453 memberships in Quebec, 50,709 in British Columbia, and 71,759 in Alberta, the heartland of the Conservative Party.

In eligibility for the party's points-based, riding-weighted election, the Poilievre campaign can and should collect at least 100 memberships in all the 338 ridings, according to Anthony Koch, a director of communications for the campaign.

For this article, the Poilievre campaign declined to comment. A source close to the campaign declared that the distinct set of Poilievre supporters could be drawn to his campaign by three themes: "free speech," opposition to vaccine mandates, and fiscal restraint.

"There are participants to us who contradict COVID mandates? Another Poilievre campaign source who agreed to discuss strategy on the condition that they go anonymous said, "Yeah, I think that's safe to say.

The user claimed that COVID and the consequences of initiatives also "changed the dynamics" of conservative politics. White-collar workers could successfully carry one's work full time. The front lines were closer for blue-collar workers.

As opposed to a left/right dynamic, "(politics) has become a real class structure," the user claimed.

The conundrum for Poilievre will pressure those blue-collar voters—a consortium Erin O'Toole preferred after within his unsatisfactory bid for a department in 2021—that the Conservatives are their political home.

That's from a senior source with said Poilievre campaign. Little attention has been devoted to what occurs after the September 10 ballot. Those in power insist they are not even taking anything else for granted, notwithstanding this perspective that the campaign has already won.

The source added they don't honestly believe anyone ever appears to know who the new Conservative Party of Canada, that had 675,000+ personnel, is and can't say until September 11 when the ballots are counted and the granular analysis is done.

But per the source, "the vast, vast majority" of Poilievre's membership sales were to people who were peculiar to partisan politics.

If they voted, the source rumored that this was for Trudeau in 2015 because they wanted to smoke pot.

Those close to Poilievre guess that his economic message, something that minimizes taxes, addressing inflation, and cutting , will continue to be famous with the new Conservative base.

But as of up now, campaign officials recognize, that is just presumption. Few people will know these new members' belief systems or how they will converse without or add value to the party's grassroots politics.

These are discussions pertinent to September 11 for the Poilievre campaign.

[carolinemillerbooks]

New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller

New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/the-gravediggers-of-bucha/

The Gravediggers Of Bucha

Three men meet daily to bury the dead in Bucha, Ukraine. No one pays them.  They perform their task in the name of humanity. They’ve been at their work for many months, even during a period of Russian occupation. Glad to be free of the gruesome task, the invaders tolerated the men’s presence.  Digging graves isn’t their regular job. One was a pizza chef before the war.  The second worked in construction.  The third is a retired football player.  Before the Russians arrived, their paths never crossed.  But the fires of war brought them together. Faced with the sight of charred bodies, they knew what they had to do, and so. they turned their hands to gravedigging.  Fortunately, it was a vocation that required no training, only a strong back, and a shovel.   The continuing horror around them has tempered their friendship. Today, they call themselves “brothers.” That bond is their reward–a lily rising from a dung heap. I cite the story because it is an example of soft power. Soft power is the strength people cling to in their darkest hours. Its source is a set of shared values that give society cohesion and hope. Ukrainians share a desire to rid themselves of an invader.  That alone allows them to look beyond the present and toward the future.  In contrast, the Russian invaders use military coercion to obtain their objectives. Over time, solidarity usually wins over might. Daniel W. Dezner, writing in Foreign Affairs, notes that a shared outlook affects a country’s prospects. (The Perils of Pessimism, by Daniel W. Dezner, Foreign Affairs, July/August 2022, pgs. 34-43.)   Citizens who look to the future with anticipation will forgo demands for immediate outcomes because they believe conditions will improve.  Two factors reflect that expectation: a robust birthrate and minimal migration. (Ibid, pg. 36.)  When the future looks dim, these same citizens will demand immediate rewards, making it difficult for leaders to consider long-range plans. A flexing of military might will substitute for genuine strength.  The extent to which greater powers are optimistic or pessimistic about the future has profound effects on their present-day strategies. (Ibid, pg. 38.) Two factors reflect how a nation sees itself: its robust birthrate and minimal migration. (Ibid, pg. 36.)  So, where does the United States stand within the spectrum of hope and might?  The public already has spoken. A majority believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. (Ibid, pg. 41.)  Says Dezner, Donald Trump as the 45th President accelerated the nation’s anxiety. He spewed fear about our need to protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. (Ibid, pg. 41.). Those isolationist views weakened ties with our allies abroad.   In contrast, says Dezner, Biden’s support for the Ukraine war was a game-changer. Rich in political experience, Biden relied on soft power to repair the damage his predecessor inflicted upon the nation’s reputation.  Quick to revitalize trust among our allies, he was able to upend Russia’s assumption that America’s foreign influence was weak and that a peremptory strike against Ukraine would succeed.  Denzer insists Biden’s choice of soft power has strength[ed] the liberal international order.  If we accept the author’s markers as a measure of the country’s condition, we appear to have a healthy core. Though Covid may have affected the numbers, U. S. immigration figures continue to be greater than the numbers for those who migrate –another form of population growth.   What’s more, the economy remains strong despite inflation. An added plus is that when Biden restored America’s hegemony, he strengthened democracies across the globe. Voters who continue to feel the country is headed in the wrong direction should look again.  We have every reason to anticipate the future. Our cultural war is frightening, but our institutions have withstood the blows.  The Constitution survived an insurrection. We discovered that many people to the right and left politically share a common value.  They put loyalty to their country above personal ambition. This behavior helps restore our trust and reinforces our values.   The nation’s struggles are far from over, but its resilience justifies our dedication to its future.  Like the gravediggers of Bucha, we have reasons to keep our faith in our democracy and use the present to secure the future.   

#America's cultural wars #American hegemony #Bucha's gravediggers #coercive power #Donald Trump's failed leadership #how citizens restore the nation's trust #how public view shapes the future #Is the U. S. headed in the wrong direction? #Joe Biden's leadership #power of shared values #Russia's miscalculation on Ukraine #Russian troops in Ukraine #soft power #Ukraine