Though in good conscience I’ll never admit it in public, I will say that I enjoy watching laugh-track sitcoms made in the 90s. As someone who prides themselves on being an individual who is somewhat culturally informed, it would make sense that I watch television shows which demonstrate my knowledge. Having said that, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
I watch quite a bit of television when I have the time, and there are times when all I want to do is turn on Friends and let my mind turn to mush. I’m not saying Friends is a bad show, but the creators of the sitcom included recorded laughter during moments where the audience, or viewer, was intended to laugh. What if I don’t find the moment funny? We’re supposed to have the option to react to content how we choose, not when we feel obligated to do so.
Watch whatever you please, but here’s what you missed in the news yesterday.
Will It Shutdown Again?
President Donald Trump promised that if Congress cannot come to an agreement and pass seven different spending bills by the end of this week, the government could go right back into a partial government shutdown. Rather than fear the shutdown, we must embrace the possibility and fully recognize why it is such a distinct possibility.
President Trump has demonstrated, on several occasions, his unwavering determination to secure funding to construct a wall along the US-Mexico border. He has said, time and time again, that our Southern border is more dangerous than an IHOP on a Sunday, and yet, his words have fallen on the deaf ears of the Democratic leadership.
For those of you just tuning in, Democrats and Republicans are split on how to handle immigrants attempting to unlawfully enter the United States. The Dems agree that we should protect American citizens from harmful individuals, but from a systemic standpoint, we need to create an easier path to citizenship for those who wish to come to America for a better quality of life. Republicans, many of which share the sentiment of President Trump, want to strengthen our borders, by any means necessary.
According to several sources, the latest disagreement erupting in Congress stems from how to best operate ICE detainment centers. Democrats insist that we cap the number of detention beds used for interior enforcement to curb ICE’s capacity to capture and detain undocumented immigrants, and Republicans are concerned with this logic.
Called Out
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of the first Muslim members of Congress, broke the first rule of political fight club; she made anti-Semitic comments. No, this isn’t the first rule that Congress members are taught, but one should assume not to exhibit bigotry in the public eye, or in general. Members of the Democratic leadership condemned Ilham’s recent comments made on Twitter that many consider to be anti-Semitic in nature.
“We are and always will be strong supporters of Israel in Congress because we understand that our support is based on shared valued and strategic interests. Legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share…but Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tripes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks…”
–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats
