“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ― Benjamin Franklin
THE DAY AHEAD:
As President Biden is preparing to give a State of the Union Address tonight at 9 PM (EST), police are re-erecting a fence around the Capitol.
According to the National Public Radio,
While it isn't clear whether protests would materialize and how big they could be, law-enforcement officials are taking precautions. The groups say they are protesting issues including Covid-19 vaccine mandates and perceived government overreach.
Fence up and mask off, after Capitol Hill and the White House threw out their mask mandates. Still, the State of the Union attendees are required to test for Covid-19 before entering.
This policy led Florida Senator Marco Rubio to turn down the president's invitation. Similarly, Governor Ron DeSantis refused to send state national guard troops as reinforcement in light of the address.
Despite the controversy, Biden's address is highly anticipated amid dramatic domestic and foreign current events.
The most anticipated topics include the Ukraine Crisis, which the White House has received criticism for amid a controversial response. Biden may address the United Nation's new report about climate change concerns, including severe natural disasters. And, the third year of Covid-19 in America, as policies continue to shift. Biden is also expected to address economic concerns such as 40-year high inflation.
As the anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic nears, new studies are continuing to prove the ineffectiveness of the vaccine. Amid the latest case surge, Pfizer's vaccine against Covid infection plummeted from 68% to 12% for children aged 5 to 11.
Still, unelected health experts suggest these results only mean more measures are necessary. “Given rapid loss of protection against infections, these results highlight the continued importance of layered protections, including mask wearing, for children to prevent infection and transmission,” the study suggested.
Meanwhile, West Coast lawmakers are doubling back on their Covid-19 policies ahead of the 2022 election season and angry constituents. In their latest calculated move, California, Oregon, and Washinton will end school mask mandates on the 12th.
The decision comes after unprecedented parental involvement in school boards and student protests. However, local governments and school districts are still allowed to enforce mandates.
As states end federal mandates and organizations like the CDC ease guidelines, institutions may continue to enforce masking. The controversial decision has the ability to promote or steal business, from restaurants to universities.
In positive news, the Senate voted against an extreme abortion bill known as the Women's Health Protection Act. Essentially, the legislation erased state abortion laws and enshrined a federal right to abortion.
Thanks to pro-life lawmakers, the act will not be moving forward despite pro-abortion Democrats' fears of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Happy March and thank you for reading today's briefing!
