Congress returns to its official duties today, with the threat of a government shutdown on the horizon. After reconvening in the nation’s capital this Tuesday, lawmakers are left with roughly a month to secure the necessary funding to keep government operations afloat. The strategy to achieve this remains uncertain, with many speculating that a temporary funding extension, known as a continuing resolution, may be the most feasible solution, yet this approach is not without its difficulties.
With government funding scheduled to expire at the end of September, failure to enact a solution would result in a significant portion of the government ceasing operations. Even achieving a provisional solution may prove challenging, as gaining the support necessary to surpass the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate will require a bipartisan effort. Yet, congressional Democratic leaders, who have been frustrated by months of party-line tactics from their Republican counterparts and the White House, have yet to hash out a strategic plan of their own.
Internal disagreement among Republicans further complicates the matter, as some members of the party are reluctant to back a temporary funding extension. Many fiscal conservatives within the party are advocating for comprehensive appropriations bills that cover the entirety of the upcoming fiscal year or a year-long extension of funding for all governmental operations. Democrats, however, resist this proposal, arguing that it effectively reduces spending due to the effects of inflation.
The situation is further aggravated by the recent actions of President Donald Trump, who last week, took steps to revoke nearly $5 billion in foreign aid without obtaining congressional approval. This move has incensed Democrats who argue that such an action only makes reaching an agreement more difficult. On a different front, the president suffered yet another legal defeat, this time involving the deployment of the National Guard in major American cities.
A federal judge recently decreed the deployment of the National Guard and Marines in Los Angeles to be unlawful, stipulating that the Trump administration had wrongfully utilized thousands of military personnel in Southern California. The judge’s ruling contends that the president had effectively transformed nearly 5,000 Marines and National Guard soldiers into a kind of ‘national police force’, a step that contravenes legislation dating back to the late 19th century.
The judge further argued that the justification provided by the administration for the deployment fell drastically short of the necessary exigency for military intervention. The ruling by Judge Breyer appears prudent, considering there was no immediate crisis warranting the mobilization of military forces and bearing in mind federal laws generally prohibiting such actions. Meanwhile, despite a slight decrease in violence last year, Chicago continues to grapple with frequent violent outbreaks.
The recent Labor Day weekend was marred by recurrent gun violence, with 54 shootings taking place over the span of just three days, seven of which resulted in deaths. On a different note, pop sensation Taylor Swift is being hailed as the ‘Plato of our time.’ The philosopher’s ideas are brought to the fore in her music, which is resonating with fans in a profound way.
In her lyrics, Swift counters the traditional advice of ‘Forget him!’ arguing that emotional detachment can’t be commanded at will. This argument draws parallels with the Platonic idea that learning involves the discovery of pre-existing internal knowledge rather than the accumulation of new information. By applying this notion to love, she suggests that falling headlong into love might be akin to suddenly choosing to fully understand a stranger.
Swift goes further to tease out a nuanced Platonic understanding. Contrary to popular perceptions of Platonic recollection as a sudden, epiphanic alarm, the philosopher’s work suggests that unearthing hidden knowledge requires a willingness to confront and be corrected in multiple instances. This engagement with Swift’s music then presents a profound introspection into the nature of love and marriage.
The narrative of marriage cannot merely perpetuate the narrative of love, which is replete with errors. Instead of extending the flawed narrative of love, the story of marriage needs to revise and rectify it. In a different sphere of popular culture, fast-food giant McDonald’s is making changes to its pricing structure, aiming to appeal to customers who have been deterred by the growing costs of fast food.
In an attempt to entice customers back, McDonald’s is introducing a price reduction on certain combo meals. This change is likely to initiate a domino effect, compelling their competition, who face similar issues, to follow suit. From September 8, McDonald’s will launch their ‘Extra Value Meals’, which offer selected entries like a Big Mac, an Egg McMuffin or a McCrispy sandwich as part of a meal deal with medium-sized fries or hash browns and a beverage.
The move comes in response to a significant rise in the average price of McDonald’s menu items – a 40% increase between 2019 and 2024. The hike was implemented to absorb a corresponding increase in the cost of labor, packaging, and food variations, which has in turn impacted the affordability of a quick McDonald’s meal for consumers. By dropping the prices for some combo meals, McDonald’s is aiming for a strategic upper hand in the intensely competitive fast-food market.
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