The Missing Bridge in America

With Joe Biden as the projected winner of this year's presidential elections as well as many congressional seats being filled, in this episode, we discuss the local and national impacts these results have had in the United States, as well as the transition to a new administration. 

With just four days until this year's U.S. Presidential elections, we invited two very intelligent college students to this episode in order to discuss the reliability of polls, possible foreign interference in the election, as well as the risks involved with voting by mail or in person.

The Four Horseman of the tech industry: Twitter, Apple, Alphabet (Google), and Facebook, continue to grow in the tech market, raising concerns on whether they have violated antitrust laws. Similarly, with censorship claims being brought up against these companies and the recent attempt to ban TikTok, it has been clear that the United States has taken more opposition towards these companies than usual. Of the many factors for why these firms have dominated the market, one would be the lack of net neutrality on the internet involving Comcast, and how it has prioritized faster internet service for these tech companies. In this episode, we discuss all these controversies, what factors to consider when classifying monopolies, and how these allegations against the tech companies will continue to envelop. 

Matthew Becerra is currently a college student attending Florida International University pursuing a certificate in Middle Eastern studies. Recently, he has begun to write opinion editorials on hot-button issues in the region such as the Libyan Civil War. In this episode, we had the privilege of discussing with him several regional issues that have been tied to the U.S. in recent months, starting with the Abraham Accords, assessing the significance it has to progress the Arab Israeli conflict. In addition, we speak more generally on U.S. relations with Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran and Libya. Most anticipated, however, we determine how U.S. involvement in the Middle East will change depending on the outcome of this 2020 U.S. presidential election!

Nicolas Foglia is a passionate college student currently attending Florida International University, dedicating most of his efforts to researching for the intelligence community. His area of focus has been American Public Diplomacy. In this episode, we discuss the onset of public diplomacy within the cold war era, how the United States Information Agency developed, what led to its downfall, and it impacts on today's U.S. foreign policy.

Seeing we are 60 days from Election Day, this episode primarily focuses on major updates regarding this potentially life-changing election. This includes the change in poll numbers, the impact of Joe Biden picking Kamala Harris as his running mate, public thoughts on each party's National Convention, and the controversy behind mail-in voting. Similarly, with Kanye West now running for President, we question his chances of winning and also his objectives for running. 

Michael Lopez, an aspiring lawyer, is currently a college student pursuing a degree in criminal justice from Florida International University with a unique passion for the U.S. Consitution. In this episode, we discuss with him many contentious topics that have come about from certain constitutional amendments. We mainly focus on the "Black Lives Matter" protests, censorship, religious freedoms, the gun debate, and certain due process violations that have gone against the U.S. Constitution. Lastly, considering how extensive the constitution can be, we suggest certain actions that you can start taking to better understand it and be more involved with the current court cases that are in dispute. 

In this episode, we discuss an issue that has continually been under the radar both socially and politically, and that is human trafficking. With so much going on around the world, this problem can very much go unnoticed. However, not only do we emphasize the prevalence that this issue has had in the United States, but we also question the efficacy of governmental and legal action that has been presented towards preventing this. Finally, we highlight the successes of several organizations in what they have done to combat this as well as how you can get involved.

As Part 2 of our COVID-19 series, there's a lot of updates we discuss in this episode, particularly in terms of the surge in U.S. coronavirus cases. When expanding on this, we examine what factors contributed to this sudden surge in cases and whether the presumptions of the testing and case count being misleading has been factual. Finally, we attempt to deconstruct a big question that has concerned many: when should we expect a reliable vaccine?

Nicholas Velazquez is a dedicated writer and college student attending Florida International University, focusing his works on international relations and national security. In this episode, we discuss with him what should be defined as national security, as well as the effects that US involvement on countries such as Libya, Ukraine, and Syria have had on US national security. Considering how many people may not know much about these topics, we also communicate ways in which information on US foreign policy can be more accessible to the average American.

Recently, many Americans have commented on the significance of both of these days, or lack thereof. This has stirred up a bit of controversy within the American people. In this episode, we discuss the history behind these days, whether they have been widely acclaimed by the American people, and whether Juneteenth should be made a federal holiday.

In this episode, not only do we attempt to define what the U.S. President, Donald Trump, refers to as 'fake news,' but we also try to decipher where media news outlets lean on the political spectrum. With much criticism the media has received, we also highlight some of the groups and organizations that have formed to combat media bias, how it has affected U.S. politics, and what you can do to prevent it. 

With so much currently going on in the United States, not many have been speaking of this year's Presidential elections. In this episode, we go into the recent trend of the Presidential poll numbers, see where Joe Biden and President Donald Trump stand in these polls as of far, and consider which states will be the most competitive in this year's elections. Most importantly, we discuss how you yourself can be ready for these elections.

In this episode, not only do we mourn the loss of George Floyd and other individuals who have lost their lives as a result of police brutality, but when assessing the protests and riots, we discuss the objectives of these protests, how effective the government has responded to such, as well as whether the riots occurring has been justified. It is important to note that we do not condone any racism nor violence that has been sparked as a result of this situation.

In today's episode, not only will we be discussing the impact that COVID-19 has had on the United States economy, but also when a vaccine will be developed as well as the government response towards the virus.