Stuff YOU Should Know
Three More Candidates Announced
Earlier this month, we reported that Senator Ted Cruz had officially announced his bid for the Presidency. This week, three more hopefuls threw their figurative hats into the ring – Rand Paul, Hillary Clinton, and Marco Rubio.
Politics message promotion. Photo: YAY Media AS/Alamy.
Another Senator, Rand Paul from Kentucky, was the second Republican to join the race. Despite his Republican affiliation, Paul identifies strongly as a libertarian (advocating individual freedom as a principal objective). His platform will be rooted in the principals of liberty, limited government, and fiscal responsibility. After training as an ophthalmologist and running his own practice for 18 years, Paul was elected to Congress in 2010. His father, Ron Paul, of the U.S. House of Representatives, had his own unsuccessful bids for the presidency in recent years.
After many months (and years) of speculation, Hillary Clinton announced on April 12 that she is officially seeking the Democratic Party nomination. She enters the race with a number of advantages and disadvantages. Clinton has many years of experience in Washington, as First Lady, Senator from New York, and Secretary of State. However, she enters the presidential race with some fresh criticism to overcome (including–according to some–unresolved questions over her involvement in the 2011 attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi and questions concerning the use of a personal email account as Secretary of State.
Another Republican also made it official during this last week, Marco Rubio from Florida. Rubio may possibly benefit from two helpful political factors–his political career experience is from the important swing state of Florida. Rubio also has Latino heritage, which might make his candidacy attractive to that growing segment of the U.S. voting public.
What Do You Think? What other candidates are likely to announce a run for the White House? Some predict Clinton will go unchallenged as the Democratic nominee. Do you agree? Explain your answer.
Historic Election in Nigeria
btw has brought you updates on Nigeria, amid ongoing disruption from terrorist group Boko Haram. Last month, the country elected a new president. Muhammadu Buhari representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by more than 2.5 million votes. While there have been a number of coups since the country gained independence from the UK in 1960, a sitting president of Nigeria has never been defeated in an election. In a statement, Jonathan conceded and said that he had kept his word when he promised the country free and fair elections.
This election was the third time that Buhari, 72, had run for the office. A military leader in Nigeria from 1984 until he was ousted in a coup a year later, Buhari has a strict disciplinarian style of leadership that some believe will be beneficial in fighting the radical Islamist insurgency in the north. He escaped an assassination attempt by Boko Haram last summer and has promised to end their reign of terror.
This will be a considerable challenge given the postponement of the elections due to violent disruptions. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was put in place to oversee the process and counter fraud. Despite technical problems at polling centers and attacks from Boko Haram, the elections were considered “peaceful and orderly” overall.
Dig Deeper Do some research and find out what world leaders have to say about the new leadership in Nigeria. List at least two examples of hope and two concerns.
Boston Marathon Bomber Verdict
Last year, btw brought you an update on the one-year anniversary of the bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured 260 others. As the second anniversary of the event approaches in May, the jury in the trial of surviving Tsarnaev brother, Dzhokhar, has been found guilty of all 30 counts brought against him. Among the most serious charges were, “usage of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death.”
The twelve-person jury is now faced with determining appropriate sentencing. The state of Massachusetts has not sentenced anyone to death since 1947 and officially abolished the practice in 1984. However, because the Tsarnaev case was tried in federal court, seventeen of the charges are eligible to result in the death penalty. In order to avoid coinciding with the anniversary of the attack, the defense team has asked that the penalty phase of the trial be delayed and resume on April 21. During the proceedings, both sides will provide evidence to support what punishment they believe is appropriate.
What Do You Think? How likely do you think this jury will recommend the death penalty? Do some research and find evidence to support your answer.
California’s Drought Continues
Rounding out this week’s Stuff You Should Know, is another update on a story previously reported by btw. Last year, news of California’s driest year on record caused national concern. The winter that followed brought the lowest snowpack ever recorded, which made the situation worse. Earlier this month, Governor Jerry Brown ordered the state’s very first mandatory water restrictions. The mandate calls for a 25 percent reduction in the use of water all across the state. In addition, much of the government-owned land will be replaced by “drought-tolerant” landscaping. This means using plant life that can thrive with minimal rainfall or can survive for long periods without water.
The situation has lead to much discussion among analysts as to the potential long-and-short-term impacts on Californians, as well as the rest of the country. On an agricultural level, the drought has already greatly affected the value of some farmland. This means that banks are hesitant to make loans to farmers. This is significant because California produces nearly one half of the entire nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts.