Category Archives: Fiscal Freedom

Two more persons in India on Saturday tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, taking its tally to four. A 72-year-old in Gujarat and a 33-year-old in Mumbai, both men, were confirmed by the health authorities as affected by the variant.

The Omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries but no deaths have yet been reported, the WHO said on Friday, as authorities worldwide rushed to stem the heavily mutated COVID-19 strains spread amid warnings that it could damage the global economic recovery.

Air India will pay back all its debt and dues owed to banks, oil companies, airports and aircraft lessors by the end of this financial year, a senior government official said. On Friday, the government sought Parliaments approval for infusion of 62,057 crore into its company or special purpose vehicle (SPV) that hosts Air Indias residual debt, liabilities and some assets.

In a bid to build a broader social alliance of backward castes and Dalits to dislodge the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in 2022,Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadavhas not only accommodated leaders from the Bahujan stream of caste politics but now has also incorporated its language in his election campaign.

DMK member in the Rajya Sabha P. Wilson on Friday introduced a Private Members Bill that would give States the choice to opt out of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions into medical courses.

Culture mapping of 80 villages associated with noted personalities in history, in particular the freedom movement, unique crafts and festivals had been started as a pilot project, which is expected to be completed this financial year, according to Culture Ministry officials.

In a relief for Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, cyclonic storm 'Jawad' weakened into a deep depression on Saturday and is likely to weaken further into a depression by the time it reaches Puri on Sunday, the India Meteorological Department said.

The crime branch of Mumbai police on Saturday filed a charge sheet against former city police commissioner Param Bir Singh and three others in an extortion case registered in suburban Goregaon.

As defections, electoral setbacks and internal squabbles continue to plague the West Bengal unit of the BJP, the Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari appears to remain undeterred and is seen regularly touring the districts of south Bengal, particularly his home turf of Purba Mednipur and the adjoining Paschim Medinipur districts.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Centennial Year Celebration of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Central Hall of Parliament House on Saturday. PAC is one of the most powerful financial committees of the Parliament.

Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putins December 6 visit, India and Russia appear to differ on the Indo-Pacific region and its various dimensions. President Putin will pay a short visit on Monday evening and return after attending the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which the bilateral focus is expected to be on the ongoing delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems and big ticket defence agreements.

Russia has dismissed new U.S. media reports about a possible Russian attack on Ukraine, accusing Washington of trying to aggravate the situation while blaming Moscow, the Kommersant newspaper said on Saturday, citing the Foreign Ministry. The Washington Post cited officials and an intelligence document on Saturday as saying U.S. intelligence thought Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on Ukraine as early as next year involving up to 175,000 troops.

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Morning Digest: Fresh cases in Maharashtra, Gujarat take Indias Omicron tally to 4; Government to clear all Air India debt this fiscal, and more - The...

Wreaths Across America at Fort Logan National Cemetery Colorado. (Dreamstime/TNS)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Tribune News Service) A nationwide tradition viewed by some Americans as a patriotic display recognizing service and sacrifice represents for others a sectarian religious symbol amounting to desecration.

Complaints about the popular Wreaths Across America Day, when fresh evergreen wreaths are placed at gravesites of military veterans at national and local cemeteries, are climbing in the weeks leading up to this years event, says the founder of a civil rights advocacy organization thats protesting the practice.

We have no problem if people reach out and want a wreath on their deceased veterans graves, but to put them everywhere, to blanket them without permission of the surviving families is unconstitutional, an atrocity and a disgrace, said Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

The crucifix is at the crux of the opposition.

Weinstein, who is Jewish, and his supporters who include Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, the Jedi Church as well as Christians believe the wreath pays homage to Christianity.

This should be an aspect of respect, Weinstein said. Its almost like a fundamentalist Christian gang sign to put a symbol of the Christian season of Christmas on any grave.

Amber Caron, spokeswoman for the Maine-headquartered Wreaths Across America, said the wreaths, each hand made of 10 boughs of balsam tied with a red velveteen bow, are veterans wreaths, not Christmas wreaths.

We are not decorating graves but honoring American heroes, she said.

The idea of placing wreaths on deceased military members graves began informally at Arlington National Cemetery in December 1992, when a family who owns a wreath-making business in Maine donated their leftover stock to the Army-run cemetery in Virginia.

Since becoming a nonprofit in 2007, Wreaths Across America has expanded to 3,100 burial sites including 145 of 154 National Cemetery Administration properties, Caron said.

Individuals as well as groups such as American Legion posts and Scouting programs, contributed $24.9 million to Wreaths Across America in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, tax forms show.

Volunteers are expected to lay nearly 2 million wreaths on graves during this years observance on Dec. 18.

The mission, Caron said, is to remember all the fallen, honor those that serve in the military and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

Weinstein calls the custom proselytizing.

To argue that it isnt a Christian symbol is preposterous, he said. Imagine if that was an atheist, Satanic or Jewish symbol.

Throughout history, wreaths have been laced with symbolism from various cultures, including paganism, and often denote the spiritual belief in life everlasting and the rebirth of the spirit.

Weinsteins organization requested in 2014 that Wreaths Across America not place wreaths at headstones of departed service members that display the Jewish Star of David, known in Hebrew as Magen David.

Leaving live flowers or wreaths at headstones is normally not a Jewish ritual.

In 2017, a photo circulated with a wreath from the program leaning on a headstone with a Star of David.

Some Jewish families request the wreaths, Caron said, and sometimes, volunteers unintentionally place them at a grave with the Jewish star.

Wreaths Across Americas official policy states that the organization is not affiliated with any religion or political view, she pointed out.

The program follows the policies of cemeteries that grant permission for the annual remembrance ceremony, Caron said.

At cemeteries that dont have formal policies, volunteers do not place a wreath on the headstones of those graves marked with the Star of David, out of respect for Jewish custom, the organizations policy states.

We simply pause and pay our respects. The only exception is when families of the deceased request a wreath, and then their wishes are honored.

The National Cemetery Administration honors that policy to the best of our ability, said Michael Brophy, director of the Fort Logan National Cemetery complex in Denver, which has more than 105,000 graves.

The federal agency allows Wreaths Across America to set wreaths at gravesites but does not carry out any function of the program, Brophy said. Volunteers do.

But cemetery staff check graves to see if any graves are marked incorrectly, Brophy said.

Anyone who has concerns about gravesite decorations or other issues should contact the cemetery, he said. Fort Logan keeps a list of requests regarding such matters, Brophy said, and abides by them.

As a general matter of course, for any reason of concern we try to try to reach a mutual accommodation and respect the wishes of families of loved ones interred, Brophy said.

Weinstein said his organization has received thousands of grievances since Wreaths Across America expanded nationwide 15 years ago.

This year, the office has fielded an overwhelming number of complaints, Weinstein said, producing hundreds of angry phone calls, letters and emails about the program.

Hes calling for cemeteries to require families permission instead of an opt-out system to address the matter.

Fort Logan, a National Cemetery under the auspices of the Department of Veterans Affairs, has not received any complaints, Brophy said.

It seems to be quite popular, he said of the wreath-laying event, which this year has raised enough money for volunteers to place 12,000 wreaths at Fort Logan in a yearly rotation so that all graves are periodically covered.

He expects up to 2,000 volunteers for the public ceremony that starts at 10 a.m. on Dec. 18.

The United States Air Force Academy for the eighth time will place donated wreaths on all 1,350 gravesites on the military installation in Colorado Springs, said spokesman Dean J. Miller.

Wreaths were donated from contributions of Americans nationwide, he said, and are arriving from the Air Force Services Agency in San Antonio, Texas.

No religious affiliation is associated with wreaths by the Academy and all requests to opt out of such honors received from families of veterans interred at the Academy Cemetery are honored, Miller said in an email.

The academys mortuary affairs officer said in her nearly 30 years in her post, she has never received a request to opt out from families of interred veterans.

Sponsorship of the $15 wreaths topped the goal of covering all 2,600 gravesites at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery this year, said Wreaths Across America cemetery coordinator Jennifer Kendig.

Shes a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary in Falcon.

So many people come out and support this event because it means a lot to honor the veterans that have passed, Kendig said. Its heart-warming to see.

Fundraising produced enough money to buy more than 3,000 wreaths this year, with the overage offered to other area cemeteries or applied to next years ceremony, she said.

Sponsoring organizations receive $5 from every wreath sold, some of which is donated to veterans organizations in the Falcon area, she added.

Weinstein said he and his wife started the organization he heads after their children attended the Air Force Academy and were subject to anti-Semitism.

Over the past 16 years, he said his organization has represented nearly 77,000 clients who oppose certain practices pertaining to the military that they believe have religious overtones. Most wish to remain anonymous, Weinstein said, for fear of retribution. But he believes they all have the right to dissent when religion primarily Christianity is infused into the military culture and lifestyle.

People say youre Scrooge Weinstein, but this is wrong and un-American to assume every veteran would want a wreath on their grave, he said. These veterans have given their all for this country, and they cant fight back now. Were going to continue fighting for them.

#YR Colorado Springs Gazette.

Visit atgazette.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Originally posted here:

Wreaths on veterans' gravesites spark some protests - Stars and Stripes

A family evacuated from Afghanistan are led through the arrival terminal at Dulles International ... [+] Airport to board a bus that will take them to a refugee processing center on August 25, 2021. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Refugees garnered front page headlines after the fall of Kabul as Americans showed their generosity for those escaping persecution in Afghanistan. However, refugee admissions fell to historic lows during the Trump administration and are only slowly recovering during the Biden administration. If refugee arrivals in FY 2016, which were approximately 85,000, had remained at that level from FY 2017 through FY 2021, nearly 300,000 more refugees would have arrived in the United States, according to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy.

To better understand the current state of U.S. refugee policy, I interviewed Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). HIAS was founded in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe, and today helps resettle refugees of all faiths and backgrounds to assist them in integrating into America.

Stuart Anderson: Can you give an update on what is happening with the Afghans who arrived in America after the fall of Kabul?

Mark Hetfield:Most of the Afghans who were airlifted to the United States arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Many arrived without so much as a suitcase. The United States did not have time to process them as refugees, so the Department of Homeland Security brought them in under humanitarian parole.Humanitarian parolees, unlike refugees, do not normally have access to resettlement assistance from refugee resettlement agencies like HIAS, nor do they have a pathway to a green card, to citizenship or even to reuniting with their spouses and children.

In September, however, Congress passed legislation which made Afghan humanitarian parolees eligible for services provided to refugees. Congress has not, however, yet provided them with a pathway to legal status in the United States or to reuniting separated families. Without some kind of Afghan adjustment act, they will have to navigate the complexities of our very backlogged asylum system. As of November 15, around 45,000 humanitarian parolees remain on U.S. military bases across the United States, and approximately 25,000 have moved off the base into communities.

Anderson: How can people help?

Hetfield: The best way to help is to go to http://www.welcome.us, a clearinghouse to match volunteers, businesses, funds, housing, in kind donations, and even frequent flyer miles to good use to assist the Afghans who have been airlifted to the United States. While all services are needed, the highest priority is securing housing so that Afghans can move off the bases and start their lives in a new community.

Anderson: Can you explain the recent initiative to allow private citizens to assist in refugee resettlement?

Hetfield:In 2016, many Americans became aware of the Canadian private sponsorship program, which had just been expanded so Canada could meet its commitment to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees. The Canadian program allows a group of individuals to band together to support a refugees first year in Canada, augmenting the capacity of the government resettlement program. While the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is already a public-private partnership between the U.S. government and 9 national charitable networks, over the last five years a philanthropic effort has been underway for private sponsorships to complement this capacity.

The Afghan crisis provided the opportunity to fully launch the concept of private sponsorships in the U.S. Congregations, local organizations, and even informal groups of five or more individuals can now apply to the community sponsorship hub to sponsor and directly assist an Afghan family resettled to their community, with a lower financial and time commitment than required by the Canadian system. HIAS itself is excited about becoming an umbrella sponsor to support a network of Jewish congregations across the country who want to privately sponsor refugees. (For more information, see http://www.sponsorcircles.org.)

Anderson: What happened to refugee admissions during the Trump administration and the first year of the Biden administration?

Hetfield:In spite of a global refugee crisis, causing greater refugee resettlement needs than at any time in human history, the Trump administration lowered the annual refugee ceiling from 110,000 to 15,000the lowest number since the Refugee Act of 1980. Consequently, the national refugee resettlement capacity of the United States has been eviscerated. The nine agency resettlement networks were forced to close 100 of over 300 sites, with skeletal staffing in the surviving locations.

In addition to the 70,000 Afghans already brought to the United States, the Biden administration has launched a top to bottom re-evaluation of the Refugee Program, and set the FY2022 refugee ceiling at 125,000. While the nine agencies are in the process of reopening nearly one hundred new sites, we have not yet built back enough to receive all the Afghans and other refugees who need resettlement. This is precisely why the Biden administration has welcomed the acceleration of private sponsorships.

Anderson: How do you respond to those who say refugees present a threat?

Hetfield:From the time of the founding of the United States over 200 years ago, millions of refugees have come here to find freedom and escape persecution. And throughout this period, elements of our society have painted newcomers as threats to our economy, our culture, and our national security.

Politicians have exploited those fears to enact discriminatory legislation which often has undermined the civil liberties of all Americans, dating back to the Alien and Sedition Acts of the John Adams administration. Yet Ive never seen any evidence that, over the last 250 years, refugees in America have been anything but economic, social and cultural contributors to our great country. Of the three million refugees resettled to the United States since the Refugee Act of 1980, not a single one has committed a lethal act of terror on U.S. soil. History is the best evidence that refugees have been a blessing to this country, not a threat.

Anderson: What about those who argue refugees are a fiscal drain?

Hetfield: History too has clearly demonstrated that refugees, over the long run, benefit the United States. President Trump, in his January 27, 2017, executive order, commissioned a government study to document how much refugees were costing the United States. The study, however, which was leaked but never finalized nor released, actually found that over a ten year period refugees contributed $63 billion more in federal, state and local taxes than they took in services and assistance.

America resettles refugees for humanitarian reasons, but doing so happens to be in our national economic interest. An upfront investment is required, however, so that people who lost everything have an opportunity to succeed in this country. And they do overwhelmingly succeed and contribute.

Anderson: Refugees reimburse the U.S. government for certain costs, is that correct?

Hetfield:Yes, refugees are required to reimburse the United States government for the cost of their flights to the United States. This is not the case, however, for the Afghan humanitarian parolees who were airlifted here.

Anderson: What policy recommendations do you have for the Biden administration?

Hetfield:The good news is that the Refugee Act of 1980 gave the executive branch a flexible framework to use resettlement to support U.S. power as a global leader, while rescuing and providing durable solutions for refugees. Over the last forty years, however, the refugee program has become so politicized by fear, and so encumbered with red tape and window dressing, that it can no longer carry out the rescue function that Congress intended. Moreover, the U.S. has persistently failed to plan for inevitable refugee crises, such as the one we are experiencing in Afghanistan.

I would urge the administration to (1) remove the red tape to restore rescue to the program; (2) establish an emergency planning function with an active trained roster of former and current government and NGO staff to serve as reservists who can be mobilized to staff resettlement during humanitarian crises; (3) build on current efforts to establish community support for refugee resettlement, including but not limited to private sponsorships; (4) more consistently prioritize reunification of separated refugee family households; and (5) facilitate access for refugees to labor and educational visas to immigrate to the United States, to complement the capacity of the refugee resettlement program.

Anderson: What do you think is the most important thing Americans should know about refugees?

Hetfield:Refugees are a blessing to this country. If you dont believe me, volunteer, meet some, and see for yourself.

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HIAS CEO Mark Hetfield: Refugees Are A Blessing To This Country - Forbes

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South Koreas economic freedom score is 74.0, making its economy the 24th freest in the 2021 Index. Its overall score is unchanged, with an improvement in the government spending score offset by declines in investment freedom and financial freedom. South Korea is ranked 7th among 40 countries in the AsiaPacific region, and its overall score is above the regional and world averages.

South Koreas economy continues to maintain its ranking among the mostly free countries. A well-educated labor force and high capacity for innovation have helped companies to capitalize on the countrys participation in the global trading system. A sound legal framework is in place, but lingering corruption continues to undermine equity and trust in government. Improvements in judicial effectiveness and government integrity would increase economic freedom and spur growth.

IMPACT OF COVID-19: As of December 1, 2020, 526 deaths had been attributed to the pandemic in South Korea, and the economy was forecast to contract by 1.9 percent for the year.

Since his election in 2017, progressive President Moon Jae-in has sought to reduce tensions and improve relations with North Korea by offering economic benefits that include massive infrastructure projects. All economic activity with Pyongyang, however, is constrained by international sanctions, and North Korea subsequently dismissed Seouls diplomatic endeavors, even rejecting humanitarian assistance. After decades of rapid economic growth and global integration, South Korea has become a high-technology, industrialized, $2 trillion economy led by such sectors as electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, and steel. Nevertheless, the country faces daunting challenges that include an aging population, low worker productivity, and the need to implement a structural shift away from overreliance on an export-led growth model and expansionary fiscal policy.

Property rights and interests are enforced, and the courts manage a reliable system for the registration of mortgages and liens. The judiciary is generally considered to be independent, and efforts are being made to ensure that the judicial process is fairer and more reliable. Despite government anticorruption efforts, bribery, influence peddling, nepotism, and extortion persist in politics, business, and everyday life.

The top personal income tax rate is 42 percent, and the top corporate tax rate is 25 percent. Both rates are subject to a 10 percent surtax. The overall tax burden equals 28.4 percent of total domestic income. Government spending has amounted to 20.9 percent of total output (GDP) over the past three years, and budget surpluses have averaged 1.9 percent of GDP. Public debt is equivalent to 40.7 percent of GDP.

Business freedom is well established in South Korea. However, the number of procedures and days it takes to start a business has risen. The Moon administration has initialized a mandatory 52-hour workweek, adding rigidity to an already inflexible labor market. In its 2020 budget, the government maintained a variety of green subsidies including subsidies for electric vehicles.

South Korea has 18 preferential trade agreements in force. The trade-weighted average tariff rate is 8.0 percent, and 435 nontariff measures are in effect. Foreign investment in some sectors remains restricted, and policy reforms are needed to facilitate greater investment inflows. The financial sector is competitive, but business start-ups still struggle to obtain financing. Interventionist policies have increased, undermining the potential for growth.

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South Korea Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business ...

Libertad (Freedom), Guns, Bolsonaro, Trump: LGBT. A twisting of the acronym that symbolizes sexual diversity the world over was reproduced on badges and black shirts worn by supporters of Argentinas far-right candidate Javier Milei during an event to bring his campaign to a close in the capital, Buenos Aires, last Saturday night. The letters represent the ideology and political reference points of the 51-year-old ultra-libertarian economist who considers the state and the political class his enemies. On November 14, Milei will be elected to Argentinas Chamber of Deputies for the Avanza Libertad (Freedom Moves Forward) coalition, according to the polls, which show the political grouping that he founded taking at least 13% of the vote in the capital during Sundays legislative elections. In Buenos Aires province, the countrys largest electoral district, it is estimated Avanza Libertad will glean over 5%. This would be the first time a far-right candidate has won a seat in the Chamber of Deputies since the countrys return to democracy in 1983.

Milei shoots from the hip, he says what a lot of us think and want to say, said Nicols, a 25-year-old private security guard, standing in the amphitheater in the Lezama park in the south of Buenos Aires on Saturday. We should all have the right to carry a gun to defend ourselves. The thieves would be scared of the working people then, not the other way around, like it is now. As well as an LGBT shirt, he is wearing a face mask with the US flag emblazoned on one side and army pants.

Among the thousands of people who attended Mileis rally, young men were the most numerous. They form the bulk of the support base for the economist, who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist and shot to fame due to his controversial declarations on television before he made the leap into politics. Among his quotes are: The left is frightened, In 50 years Argentina will be the biggest slum in the world, Would I go to the Central Bank? Id be its last president because I would shut it down and I am against all taxes. Milei also regularly questions feminism, one of the fastest-growing movements during the last five years in Argentina.

I was a fanatical half-radical feminist at the age of 13. Later I calmed down and opened myself to other ideas and was drawn to liberalism because in Argentina they are killing us with taxes and I watch my mother working herself into the floor and she still cant make ends meet because half of what she earns doesnt go to her, it goes to a system that doesnt work and that doesnt give us anything back, said Agustn, an 18-year-old IT student.

From the stage in Lezama park, Milei promises that he will never vote for a law that raises taxes, or for a budget that includes a fiscal deficit. The downside of not having a deficit is that we will have to make an adjustment. We will make the political class pay for this adjustment, he said to applause and shouts of sons of bitches from the crowd.

Milei launches verbal attacks on all politicians, but reserves his most venomous words for Horacio Rodrguez Larreta, the chief of government of Buenos Aires, who is from center-right Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change, JxC) coalition and a probable candidate for the presidency in 2023. When keeping us locked inside yielded 50% rating polls, Larreta was seated by the presidents side, a situation that did not change until the polls changed, Milei noted in reference to the oppositions initial support for the lockdown ordered by President Alberto Fernndez during the Covid-19 pandemic. For his support, Milei paints Larreta as an accomplice of a criminal government that did not carry out testing and that did provide vaccines in good time. The corruption and negligence of this government have cost the lives of over 100,000 Argentines.

For decades, Argentine society has oscillated between Peronist and anti-Peronist governments. But the dissatisfaction among many voters with the Fernndez administration after his first two years in power and the lingering bad memory of Mauricio Macris 2015-2019 tenure have weakened the two-party system and diverted votes toward extreme options on the left and the right. Milei is seeking to attract voters from JxC, the coalition that prevailed in the September 12 primaries and which the polls have as the front-runner in the legislative elections on Sunday. Dont let the siren call distract you, they are lying to you. If you want liberalism dont settle for the cheap imitation, choose the best kind of liberalism, that of Avanza Libertad, Milei told his supporters. Long live freedom, damn it! the crowd responded.

Barring any surprises, when the new lawmakers assume their office on December 10, the extreme right will be represented in Argentinas Congress for the first time. The second name on Mileis ticket is Victoria Villarruel, a lawyer and president of the Center for Legal Studies on Terrorism (CELTyV). Villarruel has on several occasions denied the existence of state terrorism during the military dictatorship, despite the Argentine legal system trying over a thousand former members of the military for crimes against humanity committed between 1976 and 1983.

I ask you to roll up your sleeves and get dirty, to take the initiative, to help me to change Argentina, lets make ourselves a power again. Long live freedom, damn it. Long live freedom, damn it. Long live freedom, damn it, Milei told his supporters on Saturday. The enthusiasm of the applause contrasted greatly with the anxiety of those people who were walking along the street in front of Lezama park, on their way home from the Gay Pride march that had been taking place at the same time in downtown Buenos Aires.

English version by Rob Train.

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Far right gains ground in Argentina with attacks on the political class - EL PAS in English

Buried deep within the recently passed infrastructure bills 2,740 pages are several provisions that have received little public attention but could dramatically affect the publics access to information created under its programs. From cybersecurity to transportation research to Native American historical resources, H.R. 3684is unusually full of efforts to create new exemptions to the federal Freedom of Information Act, and Congress hasnt said why.

Although FOIA has justnine exemptions, thethird(commonly referred to as b3) exempts records that are required to be withheld under other statutes. Courts have offered guidance on dozens of statutes over the years, but no comprehensive list of b3 statutes exists. In 2010, ProPublicareportedthat agencies cited more than 240 laws over a two-year period to deny information in response to FOIA requests. And a 2021 Government Accountability Officereportfound that agencies cited 256 statutes to deny FOIA requests between fiscal years 2010 and 2019. But until a statute is cited by an agency to withhold records, and is tested in the courts, its status as a viable b3 exemption remains uncertain. Because FOIA litigation is relativelyrare, a statute can effectively operate as a categorical exemption without judicial review even if it does not meet b3s requirements.

The infrastructure bill, as recentlyreportedby the Wall Street Journal, contains an abnormally high number of references to FOIA, many of which appear to be aimed at shielding records from the public. The actual import of those provisions is far from clear, however, in part because of a 2009 amendment to FOIA. After years of ambiguity about whether particular statutes qualified under Exemption 3, Congress amended the exemption through the OPEN FOIA Act to require all future b3 statutes to specifically cite to that FOIA exemption. That provision has proved highly effective over the years in helping transparency advocates locate potential new exemptions.

Some provisions within theinfrastructure bill do refer to Exemption 3, including five sections that concern information provided to the federal government regarding energy security. Those provisions could come into play if the Secretary of the Department of Energy reasonably foresees that disclosure of such information could be detrimental to the physical security or cybersecurity of any electric utility or the bulk-power system.

Other provisions are far more nebulous. For example, a $42 billion broadband grant program purports to exempt any action taken or decision made by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce from chapter 5 or 7 of title 5 of the U.S. Code. While it is possible that this provision was designed to avoid the Administrative Procedure Act, the referenced chapter 5 also includes FOIA, the Privacy Actand the Sunshine in Government Act. The broadband provision, however, contains no cross-reference to FOIAs Exemption 3, as required by the OPEN FOIA Act, casting confusion as to its import. As the Wall Street Journal reported, the implications for transparency, privacy and open government werent mentioned during the floor debate, and it isnt clear whether the Senate understood the potential consequences.

Other provisions in the infrastructure bill reference FOIA in an attempt to exempt records, but not in the way the OPEN FOIA Act requires. Section 25012 which creates an entity within the Department of Transportation to advance transportation infrastructure states that certain collected information shall be considered to be not subject to disclosure underExemption 4of FOIA. But Exemption 4, unlike b3, imposes a fact-specific test thatexamineshow information is treated in practice. So its unclear how Congress can declare that whole categories of information automatically qualify under its substantive requirements.

Even less specific is section 70801 of the bill, which amends the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act to state that in seeking authorization for certain construction projects, any information relating to Native American natural, cultural, and historical resources submitted by a project sponsor shall be kept confidential and exempt from the disclosure requirements of FOIA. No reference to Exemption 3, or indeed any FOIA exemption, is included in the provision.

Regardless of whether all provisions in the infrastructure bill can qualify as real b3 exemptions, agencies may attempt to rely on them in the future to deny FOIA requests for government records from journalists and the public. That could be particularly damaging to the publics right to know. Unlike other FOIA exemptions, b3s are mandatory, not discretionary, and, unless a sunset is included, the exemption will apply forever.

The public interest in records cannot overcome a true b3 exemption, nor does FOIAs foreseeable harm provision apply to such statutes. In other words, once a b3 is created, the publics right to know is extinguished unless and until Congress changes the law. The finality of such provisions deserves a robust public debate that, unfortunately, did not occur here.

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The Technology and Press Freedom Project at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press uses integrated advocacy combining the law, policy analysis, and public education to defend and promote press rights on issues at the intersection of technology and press freedom, such as reporter-source confidentiality protections, electronic surveillance law and policy, and content regulation online and in other media. TPFP is directed by Reporters Committee attorney Gabe Rottman. He works with Stanton Foundation National Security/Free Press Legal Fellow Grayson Clary and Technology and Press Freedom Project Legal Fellow Gillian Vernick.

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Infrastructure bill seeks to withhold new categories of records from public - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

In 2017, Chicagoans paid $40 million in taxes on cloud computing and streaming services. It was $150 million this past fiscal year.

COVID-19 hurt most tax revenue streams for Chicago, but all those people trying to work from home or binge-watching video streams during the pandemic gave city coffers a big boost because the city taxes those services.

Revenue generated from Chicagos cloud tax quadrupled during the past five years, raising nearly $120 million from residents in fiscal year 2021 according to a Bloomberg Tax analysis of city Office of Budget and Management data.

The report further showed the citys Netflix tax more than tripled during that time as Chicagoans ramped up subscriptions to streaming services for movies, music and games. The city collected more than $30 million under the expanded amusement tax this year.

A Chicagoans Netflix bill would be $16.12 for a standard $13.99 subscription with the 9% amusement tax and a 6.25% statewide sales tax tacked on.

Despite Chicago collecting lower-than-projected revenues on its traditional portfolio of business, hotel, restaurant, recreation, phone and utility taxes because of pandemic closures, the digital service taxes have continued to see exponential growth. That is partly because the rates have increased and the city has been aggressively going after the services and customers.

The introduction of citys cloud tax and Netflix tax began in 2015 with the reinterpretation of two long-standing tax programs by the Chicago Department of Finance.

The city expanded a tax originally reserved for automobiles, business equipment and other leased items to include cloud computing. The ordinance imposed a 5.25% tax in 2016 and was increased to 9% in 2021 as the city searched for more tax dollars.

The city also changed its amusement tax in 2015, extending the citys 9% levy on tickets for recreational activities and concerts to amusements that are delivered electronically.

The city has seen combined revenues collected from the digital service taxes soar from $39.9 million in 2017, the first full year of service, to $148.4 million in fiscal year 2021, which ended July 1.

These rapidly growing rates have renewed controversy surrounding the Netflix tax rulings that has been embroiled in litigation since passing.

The Liberty Justice Center challenged the expanded policy on behalf of Chicagoans and other groups in 2015, arguing the tax breaks with federal laws passed in the 1998 Internet Tax Freedom Act. The Illinois Supreme Court declined to review an appeals court ruling in favor of the city program.

The city was also sued by Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC and Apple Inc. in separate challenges in Cook County Circuit Court. Sony gave up its legal action, but Apples case continues.

A hearing on Chicagos petition to dismiss Apples lawsuit is slated for December.

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Chicago's 'Netflix tax' revenues more than triple in five years - Illinois Policy

Express News Service

To say that interest rates have to rise is stating the obvious. Supply side pressures are real, Indias growth is coming back strongly, and we cannot be immune to global developments. However, while this expectation makes for a good summary headline, it is equally important to scratch beneath the surface and enter the realm of nuance when one is talking about portfolio constructions and optimal strategies.

First, and what is noteworthy about these global developments as highlighted in yield curve movements above, is that the market is not resetting higher the peak policy rate expectations. If anything, these are being brought down, likely for the reasons mentioned above. In that sense, this is a very different global cycle than 2003 - 08 and will likely be much shallower, marked with significant global growth volatility from quarter to quarter. Thus, our lower-than-last-cycle peak rate expectation probably holds even for the arguably most near-term over-stimulated large global economy.

Second, Indias realities are somewhat different than many other economies around the world. We rush to clarify that this observation is not meant to justify insulation to global developments (after all emerging markets will get constrained by tightening in developed economies) but to merely draw some distinctions around the likely path of policy ahead. In our view, the defining distinction for the intensity of the inflationary shock and its probable persistence is the quantum of the fiscal response administered as Covid response.

As is well known, the US saw an unprecedented fiscal stimulus over two calendar years, arguably much in excess of the size of the problem. Some other economies were relatively more modest in their response, but standalone still quite significant. Even some emerging markets went aggressive with their fiscal expansion.

In contrast Indias response was very nuanced last year focusing on direct spending for welfare of the most susceptible citizens while using credit and liquidity measures largely for the industry in general. With the crisis stabilising, the fiscal stance has turned even more nuanced this year with the year to date deficit the narrowest in many years on a variety of parameters. Given this, while supply side pressures are very much showing in Indias inflation as well, CPI isnt on a runaway trajectory and second round permanent effects in terms of expectation setting are likely to be much more contained. This, and RBIs aggressive accumulation of forex over the past year and a half, both provide some cushion to the central bank in charting a more localised path to normalisation of policy.

It is also for this reason that we will not attempt to force-fit the bearish flattening of the curve in some of the advanced markets to India. The base case remains that in Indias context, the absorption of gross duration supply is likely a greater dynamic to fear than the monetary policy normalisation ahead. The recent few weeks have been extremely tough for global rates, especially in some key developed markets. India has had its rub-off as well, as should be expected since its hard to think about our markets in isolation.

That said, the differentiator in our view is our more nuanced fiscal response and the laser-focus from RBI in accumulating a forex defense. While even this doesnt insulate us, it does provide certain more degrees of freedom to monetary policy. After the recent sharp rise in yields, the interest rate swap market is no longer a cheap or effective way to hedge against the normalisation already underway.

Indias fiscal responseIndias response was very nuanced last year focusing on direct spending for welfare of the most susceptible citizens, which turned even more nuanced this year. Given this, while supply side pressures are very much showing in Indias inflation as well, CPI isnt on a runaway trajectory and second round permanent effects in terms of expectation setting are likely to be much more contained

(The author is Head of fixed income, IDFC Mutual Fund)

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When you can expect interest rates to rise - The New Indian Express

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) has added a few fresh faces to its inner circle. Joining the organization are Vanessa Clarke, the teams new communications coordinator; Tayte Adderley, who will spearhead ORGs Freedom Schools initiative; and Delsenea Thompson, who is taking over as administrative manager.

Executive Director for ORG Matt Aubry said he is excited about the new additions and is looking forward to what the future holds for the organization.

ORG has built a top-notch team as we take on longstanding national issues such as corruption, reform in education and the public service, economic development and fiscal responsibility, he said.

Vanessa, Tayte and Delsenea each bring an incredible amount of talent, experience and passion and together they will make a big impact over the next year.

For Clarke, the not-for-profit realm is relatively new territory, but she is thrilled about what the new challenge has to offer. With a diverse background in communications, French and political science, she said she is looking forward to putting all her skill sets to good use.

ORG itself has been on my radar for a couple of years but not at the forefront of my mind, she said.

Now that Im here, I will admit its a lot more fun than I imagined. Its been a whirlwind of a few months.

No one expects to be hired to a job geared toward accountable governance only to have the countrys government change hands in the first two months. Im up for the challenge.

The youngest addition, Adderley, said it feels great to be part of the ORG team. The University of The Bahamas (UB) student and radio talk show host has already begun to amass an impressive portfolio as he drives ORGs grassroots civil education.

With my background in public administration, I am pleased to be teaching community members about how the government works, the rights provided to Bahamians and avenues for an active and engaged citizenry, he said.

For Freedom Schools, I plan to engage as many groups as possible to help them understand and serve their role in governing this country.

As for Thompson, the move into the not-for-profit sector is personal.

As a Bahamian first, I am personally invested in the advancement of my country, not only for my familys future, but for the overall sustainability and development of this nation, she said.

As the administrative manager for ORG Bahamas, I provide support for day-to-day operations and accounting to a small but dynamic team who all are proactive in moving our nation forward.

Through our efforts, initiatives and projects, ORG is empowering the average Bahamian citizen and I am excited.

See the original post:

ORG adds three to core team Eye Witness News - EyeWitness News

A Los Angeles police officer said in an Instagram video viewed by tens of thousands of people this week that he will lose his job rather than comply with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for city employees.

Officer Michael McMahon, a 14-year veteran of the LAPD who founded the group Roll Call 4 Freedom in opposition to the mandate, is the first officer to so publicly reject the new requirements since final compliance notices started going out this week.

In a post to the Roll Call 4 Freedom Instagram page, McMahon said he had been notified that he would be relieved of duty if he did not agree by Friday to the terms of the city mandate, which requires city employees to either get vaccinated by Dec. 18 or receive a medical or religious exemption and in the meantime pay for regular COVID-19 testing from a city contractor.

I was advised today that if I refuse to sign the department-mandated form regarding COVID and testing with Bluestone, that I would have 48 hours to reconsider, and come Friday at 4 oclock, Ill be relieved of duty, McMahon said in the video. Turn in my gun, my badge, my ID, and 14 years of serving the citizens of Los Angeles is ultimately done.

I WILL NOT COMPLY, he wrote below the video.

McMahon did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Capt. Gisselle Espinoza, an LAPD spokesman, said the department was looking into the individual in the Instagram video.

Medical experts say the vaccines are safe and effective, particularly at preventing the worst symptoms of COVID-19 and helping contain the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 5 million people globally.

Legal scholars have said vaccine mandates are legal and have been upheld in courts before. Officers are already required to be vaccinated against a range of other diseases as a condition of their employment, police leaders have said.

City officials have said the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for city employees is meant to keep people safe, including employees but also members of the public they come in contact with, and have pushed ahead with the mandate despite warnings from mandate opponents that it could lead to diminished police and fire forces and reduced public safety.

Dire warnings of mass exoduses of public safety officers have not come to fruition in other cities.

Police officials have said about 75% of the LAPDs 12,000-plus workforce have been vaccinated. Still, hundreds of personnel had not informed the department of their vaccination status as of this week, and thousands more were seeking exemptions.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the notices would be hand delivered to most unvaccinated officers this week, giving them 48 hours to sign off on the conditions or be placed off duty pending disciplinary proceedings to separate them from the force.

I remain hopeful that these employees will all get vaccinated or enter into the agreement for those intent on filing an exemption, Moore said.

Neither police nor city officials could immediately provide figures on the number of officers who received or rejected notices this week.

McMahons reasons for rejecting the mandate werent entirely clear.

In his Instagram video, McMahon called the mandate unjust, unlawful and immoral.

He alleged the mandate was somehow about money for Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council, and linked somehow to the billions of dollars in federal aid that the region received as part of a recovery package aimed at diminishing the fiscal impacts of the pandemic and its related shutdowns.

McMahon said L.A. is entering a grand crisis that there probably is no coming back from, and added, the critical-thinking officer, the hardworking officer, those days are just about done, and we are entering a dark phase of American policing.

The Roll Call 4 Freedom website says the group favors testing requirements over a vaccination mandate, but only on the advice of an attorney.

While many of us do not want to be tested, nor do we feel that it is necessary, our attorney believes requesting REASONABLE screening and testing will allow us a greater chance of success in litigation and removal of the mandate, the groups website said.

In a recent radio interview, McMahon said some in the group have already had COVID-19, believe they still have natural antibodies and want the option of proving that to the department in lieu of getting the vaccine or regularly tested.

See the article here:

Officer says he'll lose job rather than comply with mandate - Los Angeles Times