{"articles":[{"id":16652,"title":"The DC: Should we abolish the Senate and publicly fund elections, and... Should the VA be supportive of veterans’ medical marijuana use?","html_content":"

by Causes | 12.7.18

Welcome to Friday, constitutional scholars.

On Wednesday, former Representative John Dingell (D-MI) – the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history – published an opinion piece calling for the abolition of the Senate and public funding of elections.

His piece was a reaction to dramatically eroding public trust in the federal government. Indeed, Dingell noted that while 73 percent of Americans in 1958 trusted the government “to do the right thing almost always or most of the time,” that number has fallen to just 18 percent today.

Check out more of his suggestions here and let us know if you think he's onto something, or if he's off his rocker.

On the Radar

\nToday, both chambers of Congress unanimously passed a continuing resolution that prevents a lapse in funding for certain federal agencies and programs that was set to occur on December 7, 2018 by extending funding for two weeks through December 21, 2018. The move forestalls a partial government shutdown that would otherwise have affected agencies funded under seven of the 12 annual appropriations bills, which represent roughly 30 percent of the federal discretionary budget. Do you support this extension of government funding to prevent a partial shut-down? Let us know here.

\nMigrants don't spread disease. In fact, they help to combat it. That’s the conclusion of a study published this week in the Lancet medical journal. In fact, most migrants have a mortality advantage, or greater life expectancy, than people in their host countries, according to the new research. This is true for the majority of diseases. Read more about the study's findings here, and let us know if this affects your views on immigration.

Under the Radar

\nThe Department of Veterans Affairs Policy for Medicinal Cannabis Use Act of 2018 would clarify and codify an existing official Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) policy on medical marijuana use that protects a veteran’s benefits if they discuss medical marijuana use with their healthcare provider. This law is currently not widely known or universally followed. It would also establish a policy that states its VA policy to be supportive of medical marijuana use for veterans, and not penalize veterans who are using cannabis as an alternative form of treatment. Click here to learn more, and to let us know if you think the VA should be supportive of veterans’ medical marijuana use.

\nSpeaking of weed, for years, cannabis conspiracy theorists floated images of packs of Marlboro brand joints to illustrate the extent to which corporations could conquer the marijuana industry once the drug was legalized. With Monday’s announcement that Marlboro and Virginia Slims’ parent company Altria is discussing investment opportunities with Canadian cannabis firm Cronos Group, some think those alarmist tactics have become a reasonable approximation of the future of pot consumption. Check out the full story here, and let us know if you're concerned about large corporations taking over the pot business.

Your Gov at a Glance 👀

The White House: President Trump in D.C. & MO

At 11:50am CST, the president will deliver remarks at the Project Safe Neighborhoods Conference in Kansas City, MO.
At 7:30pm EST, the president and First Lady Melania Trump will attend a dinner with senior White House staff in the East Room.

The House of Representatives: Out

The House will return Monday, December 10th.

The Senate: Out

The Senate will return Monday, December 10th.

What You're Saying

Here's how you're answering Should Congress Define Blockchain?

(Follow libertyLOL's comment here.)

(Follow Anne's comment here.)

But wait, there's more!

And, in the End…

They’re calling it the “Insect Apocalypse.”

The population of monarch butterflies has fallen by 90 percent in the last 20 years; the bumblebee dropped by 87 percent over the same time period. And a German study found that, measured by weight, the abundance of flying insects in that country’s nature reserves had decreased by 75 percent over 27 years.

But the disappearance of certain species isn’t what’s most disquieting to scientists — it’s “that a whole insect world might be quietly going missing, a loss of abundance that could alter the planet in unknowable ways,” The New York Times explained.

Does Congress need to act on the \"insect apocalypse\"?

And with that, we wish you a happy National Cotton Candy Day. Just make sure the cops don't mistake yours for meth.

—Sara E. Murphy

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