|
Dear friends of VTIPG and the Community Change Collaborative,
We share five articles each week that we find timely and meaningful that address concerns related to the state of our democracy and civil society. We aim to offer pieces that illuminate significant dimensions of our country's policy and governance challenges and the state of social norms that sustain the possibility of addressing those concerns. Please note, the views expressed in these essays do not necessarily reflect the perspectives of VTIPG faculty or staff or of Virginia Tech. We upload these articles and stories to our website. You may find that archive at News and Opportunities at http://ipg.vt.edu.
If you would like to suggest an article for consideration, please contact the address below.
-
Our first piece this week comes from Cardinal News. It described the realignment of working-class voters in the Commonwealth during the last several decades through the lens of two Virginia cities.
-
A second selection, from The Associated Press, argued that supporters of both Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump were motivated to vote by concerns about democracy, although for different reasons.
-
Reuters published our third story, which discussed the potential implications of a second Trump administration for U.S. policy concerning the Russia-Ukraine war.
-
A fourth article, from CNN, analyzed Qatar's decision to withdraw, at least temporarily, as a mediator from ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas concerning the conflict in Gaza.
-
Last, we feature a piece from National Public Radio (NPR) that examined a Dutch appeals court decision to overturn a ruling that the energy company Shell had to curb its carbon emissions, a defeat for environmental advocacy groups.
Brief synopses of these articles appear below. We hope the perspectives they offer encourage reflection and conversation!
Best wishes,
Billy Parvatam
VTIPG Communications Coordinator
pbilly97@vt.edu.
| | |
Photo: The double-file line to register to vote and cast a ballot stretched outside Grove United Methodist Church and out to the parking lot at 6 p.m. on Election Day in Radford. Election workers advised those in line it would take up to 90 minutes to register and vote, but anyone still in line when the polls closed at 7 p.m. would still be permitted to complete the process. Credit to Cardinal News |
A tale of two cities: how realignment has reshaped politics in Virginia
This article by Cardinal News Founding Editor Dwayne Yancey discussed the realignment of working-class voters to the Republican Party in the Commonwealth in recent decades through the lens two cities in the Shenandoah Valley: Lexington and Buena Vista. In 2024, Lexington’s residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, while Buena Vista’s citizens supported Donald Trump. Yancey attributed these results to a political realignment that has occurred during the last several decades: Democrats are now widely viewed by citizens as a white-collar party and Republicans as the more working-class party (whether or not their respective policies actually benefit these groups). Lexington, which is home to two colleges, is now a solidly Democratic city. Buena Vista, with a history as a manufacturing center, is now a heavily Republican community. Yancey argued that Democrats will be working to nominate candidates who can connect with voters who have shifted in this way in the future.
Yancey, D. (2024, November 12). "A tale of two cities: How realignment has reshaped politics in Virginia." Cardinal News. https://cardinalnews.org/2024/11/12/a-tale-of-two-cities-how-realignment-has-reshaped-politics-in-virginia/
| |
Photo: President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice President Harris debate, September 10, 2024. Credit to Vox. | |
Democracy was a motivating factor for both Harris and Trump voters, but for very different reasons
Associated Press reporters Gary Fields and Linley Sanders analyzed how the issue of democracy factored into Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election. Supporters of both candidates saw the other as a threat to democracy and were concerned that electing each would bring the country closer to authoritarianism. Harris voters cited Trump's refusal to concede the 2020 election, his rhetoric that incited the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and legal cases as reasons for supporting her. Trump voters cited the nation's "open borders" as an example of what they perceived as a repression of conservative voices on social media, and a falsely held belief that the Biden administration had weaponized the Justice Department against Trump as reasons for supporting him. Whether and how the nation can address these very different perspectives will be a key issue in the years ahead.
Fields, G., & Sanders, L. (2024, November 10). "Democracy was a motivating factor for both Harris and Trump voters, but for very different reasons." Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/democracy-harris-trump-threats-authoritarianism-election-2024-56b4eb981f34f3e60aec1e45a67fc8a2
| |
Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Credit to Wikipedia. | |
Blinken heads to Europe for Ukraine talks ahead of Trump return
This Reuters article reported on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Brussels, Belgium this week for meetings with European allies concerned that President-Elect Trump and his incoming administration could abandon American support for Ukraine in its war to repel Russia’s invasion. Under President Joe Biden's administration, the U.S. has provided billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine and led efforts to expand NATO to isolate Russia. Trump has been critical of Ukraine aid and has also pushed for increased defense spending from NATO allies. This question looms as Ukraine now also is seeking to defend itself against an influx of North Korean troops who have now joined the war in support of Russia.
Lewis, S. (2024, November 12). "Blinken heads to Europe for Ukraine talks ahead of Trump return." Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/blinken-heads-europe-ukraine-talks-ahead-trump-return-2024-11-12/
| |
Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pictured on a recent visit to Qatar. Credit to BBC News. | |
Qatar says it suspended mediator efforts for Gaza ceasefire due to lack of good-faith negotiations
This CNN article described Qatar's decision to pause its role as a mediator in efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, due to a lack of cooperation by both parties. Restarting these stalled negotiations is a top priority for President Biden before he leaves office in January. Meanwhile, Qatari officials have closed Hamas's political office in Doha, per a request from the U.S. to do so. The office could reopen in the future should both sides demonstrate a willingness to engage seriously in ceasefire negotiations.
Marquardt, A., Lee, M., & Tawfeeq, M. (2024, November 10). "Qatar says it suspended mediator efforts for Gaza ceasefire due to lack of good-faith negotiations." CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/09/politics/qatar-gaza-ceasefire-pause-mediator/index.html
| |
Photo: An earlier ruling had ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by a net 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. Credit to Wikipedia. | |
Dutch appeals court overturns landmark climate ruling against Shell
This NPR article considered a Dutch appeals court decision to overturn a 2021 ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by a net 45 percent by 2030, a defeat for environmental advocacy groups. According to an April report by the Carbon Majors Database, Shell has emitted 36,528 million tons of carbon dioxide since 1854, accounting for 2.1 percent of global emissions during that period. The court argued that the company already has set targets to reduce its emissions to levels consonant with the demands of Friends of the Earth, the nongovernmental organization that brought the case. The court also contended that although Shell has an obligation to monitor its emissions, it could not order the company to reach a specific emissions level because climate scientists have not agreed on a target to which Shell should aspire.
NPR. (2024, November 12). "Dutch appeals court overturns landmark climate ruling against Shell." NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/12/g-s1-33817/shell-dutch-appeals-court-overturns-climate-ruling-carbon-emissions
| |
Institute for Policy and Governance
201 W. Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | | | |
