The News Not Noise Letter: Is Florida safe for all visitors?
The NAACP issues a Florida travel warning for Black Americans. Plus: Less water in Western taps, how does your state compare? TikTok sues Montana, and can you get a buzz off of shower water?
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Here are today’s headlines:
Florida: Traveler Beware. On the same week that Florida Gov Ron DeSantis is set to announce his campaign for the presidency, the NAACP has made a striking move. The civil rights organization issued a formal travel warning, cautioning Black Americans against visiting Florida. The organization's President and CEO Derrick Johnson said: “We are advising African Americans and others that if you travel to Florida, beware that your life is not valued.” This comes a week after DeSantis signed a ban on state college spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Gov. DeSantis has also banned:
Gender affirming medical care for minors.
Discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades 4-12.
And he signed a sweeping crackdown on undocumented residents that includes more funding to transport undocumented people across the country.
LGBTQ+ rights group Equality Florida and the League of United Latin American Citizens previously issued travel advisories for LGBTQ+ and latino tourists to Florida. A DeSantis spokesperson called the advisory “nothing more than a stunt.” While these advisories are, in part, political theater, they are also a reflection of just how corrosive these policies are to the wellbeing of real people and the delicate fabric that holds this union together.
Nebraska Next? Hm. What do these two things have in common: Nebraska’s GOP Governor, Jim Pillen, signed a bill that bans abortion after 12-weeks and also bans gender-affirming medical care. The Governor summed up the legislation as “the most significant win for the social conservative agenda in over a generation in Nebraska.” The abortion ban takes effect immediately; the ban on gender-affirming care starts October 1. Groups that oppose the rollbacks will sue to block the law.
Debt Discussions: As I write this President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are meeting to discuss terms for an agreement to raise the debt limit. There is no deal yet and I’ll save the details until an actual agreement comes into focus. According to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen the US is 10 days away from a default (June 1). It’ll take about a week to get an agreement drafted, passed by both chambers and to the President’s desk for signature. They don’t have much time.
Colorado River Safe For Now: Water shortages can cause wars, create and destroy fortunes, and decide the fate of millions. That’s not just an overseas problem, it’s true in the US too. Fortunately, one US water crisis got resolved, today. Arizona, California, and Nevada announced a deal to reduce their usage of water from the Colorado River before it dries up. The Colorado River supplies water and hydro-electric power to 40 million Americans, 5.5 million acres of farmland, and countless homes and businesses. Recently, the river has dropped by a third due to climate change and population growth. Absent this agreement, the federal government was prepared to step in and assign water rights. Instead, Arizona, California and Nevada plus Native American tribes and farm operators agreed to reduce use by 13% total, in return for $1.2 billion in federal funds. They also agreed to make additional cuts if necessary. The agreement is set to end before 2027. The aggressive restrictions could significantly impact residents and farms in the West. As droughts rage and water supplies become scarce in more parts of the world, the UN is pushing for global water diplomacy.
Climate Reality in Your State: Want to know which states are experiencing the most extreme weather? Check out this interactive graphic from USAFacts. You can put in your state and see the weather patterns by county and over time; you can search by rain, temperature, compare to prior years and to other states across the nation. USAFacts is a non partisan nonprofit civic organization dedicated to making government data accessible. They are a News Not Noise content partner.
E. Jean Carroll Wants Trump to Pay More: CNN reports that E Jean Carroll is seeking additional damages from former President Trump. The network reports that Carroll’s attorneys are asking the judge who heard her defamation case to add additional punitive damages for Trump’s many attacks on Carroll during the CNN townhall.
Happy Warrior, Long Shot Candidate: Sen. Tim Scott today threw his hat in the ring for the GOP presidential nomination. Scott is the lone Black Republican in the US Senate and the first Black Senator to represent the South since Reconstruction. It’s a long-shot candidacy in a crowded field that already includes former President Donald Trump, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley (who, as South Carolina governor, helped Scott ascend to the Senate), and – any day now – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, plus a few lesser known GOP figures. Scott is an anti-abortion rights conservative and in his announcement railed against the “far left’s assault on our religious liberty.” Notably, he also never once mentioned Trump and deftly dodged reporters’ questions about him (smart politics for a GOP Trump-rival and especially savvy if you’re, say, angling to become Trump’s Vice President). Scott has made efforts to work across the aisle. He is positioning himself as a sunny optimist and living proof of America’s promise. You can read more about Tim Scott, here.
TikTok to Montana, SMH, That’s Pretty Sus: You knew this was coming, right? Today the social media app, TikTok, filed a lawsuit against the state of Montana. Back on May 17, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the nation’s first TikTok ban. The law made it illegal for TikTok to be available for download in the state and for TikTok to operate in Montana, with violations resulting in up to a $10,000 fine. The Governor alleged that the Chinese Community party has been “using TikTok to spy on Americans” and more. TikTok claims the Montana law is unconstitutional – that it violates the First Amendment, the Commerce Clause and confers to a state powers that belong to the federal government. Congress and the Biden Administration continue to consider a federal ban on TikTok, but that’s stalled for political, legal, geopolitical and no-you-tell-the-kids-we-did-this reasons.
And here’s a little news that doesn’t suck:
Shower Beer? Get ready for climate friendly brewskis! In San Francisco, a novel new company is tackling water recycling, by making beer from recycled wastewater. Epic OneWater Brew collects shower, laundry, and sink runoff from a 40-story San Francisco luxury high rise, and turns it into an ice-cold six pack. While the company has yet to take its product to market, you can find the beer at events and conferences where the founders hope to generate conversation about water recycling. I am certain that I couldn’t tell the difference between wastewater and beer, so I think that this is a perfect hack. IPA lovers, feel free to express your fierce disagreement in the comments.
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Where do I begin on this one... banning topics in school is very anti free speech, which is supposed to be a big foundation of America ... big yikes on that one. The 6 week abortion ban is once again overstepping the governments place and being a nanny state to women who don’t want their opinions or laws on their bodies. But the lessening of colorado river water is good news so yay for that at least. The government should probably back off of peoples bodies and textbooks though, for real.