ethics
Newsletter
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Biden proposes Supreme Court term limits and ethics code
President Biden advocates for term limits and a binding ethics code for Supreme Court justices to address concerns about the court's conservative majority impacting environmental protections.
In short:
- Biden's proposal aims to curb the Supreme Court's conservative influence by instituting 18-year term limits and an ethics code.
- Environmental groups support the move, citing the court's recent decisions undermining environmental regulations.
- The plan includes a constitutional amendment to eliminate immunity for crimes committed by former presidents while in office.
Key quote:
“What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”
— President Joe Biden
Why this matters:
Changes to the Supreme Court could shift its approach to environmental regulations and restore public trust in its impartiality. This move seeks to prevent a single presidency from significantly altering the court's composition for generations.
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Credit: David Todd McCarty/Unsplash
Rep. Jamie Raskin probes oil companies over alleged Trump donation meeting
Rep. Jamie Raskin is demanding details from oil industry leaders about a reported meeting with Donald Trump, where deregulation promises were allegedly exchanged for campaign donations.
In short:
- The inquiry involves letters sent to companies like ExxonMobil after claims Trump offered regulatory rollbacks for $1 billion in campaign support.
- According to a spokesperson, the American Petroleum Institute engages with various political figures, emphasizing industry topics like energy security.
- Raskin's letters cite concerns over potential ethical and legal violations stemming from the reported promises of policy changes for donations.
Why this matters:
The investigation suggests a direct link between political contributions and policy making, a situation that raises questions about the influence of money in politics and its impact on sustainable environmental practices. This scenario could set a worrying precedent where environmental protections become secondary to corporate profits.
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Credit: FracTracker Alliance/ Flickr
W.Va. governor’s efforts to save coal plant raise conflict-of-interest concerns
Gov. Jim Justice in 2019 helped pass a tax break for a struggling coal plant. The plant's owners later settled a lawsuit against the Justice family’s coal business was for a fraction of what the plant owners were asking.
Newsletter
Sean Illing: Should you have kids? And other questions about parenting and climate change
If you’re a parent — as I am — the climate predicament takes on an additional dimension. You have to wonder not just about the ethics of raising children in an unstable world.
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash
Climate activist Nakate urges rich countries to cancel debt, grant climate finance at Paris summit
Facing an audience packed with world leaders and finance officials in suits, Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate silenced the room, then made everyone listen to some uncomfortable facts.
Photo by Elena Leya on Unsplash
US approves chicken made from cultivated cells, the nation's first 'lab-grown' meat
For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation’s restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
How UPMC doctors are driving a renewed focus on sustainability
Last year, physician-led momentum prompted the restructuring of UPMC's sustainability program. The health system's new chief medical sustainability officer details the organization's efforts and the importance of getting buy-in from both the C-suite and physicians.
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