James Denseiow

A week away from what observers are saying – perhaps without hyperbole – is a once in a generation election and President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, was confirmed by the US Senate.

The confirmation locks in a conservative majority to the court and is a reminder that whilst many focus on Trump’s bellicose tweets, his judicial appointments could leave an enduring legacy even if he is only a one term president. Whilst polling and the tsunami of early voting would suggest that Trump is unlikely to secure a second term, the prospect of what he would do with the rest of his first term is worth serious scrutiny.

The ‘lame duck’ presidential period tends to be more absolute for a second term president contemplating the design of their presidential library rather than the leader whose dreams of four more years of power were taken suddenly away by the electorate.

Much of the debate to date has examined the implications of Trump being unwilling to surrender power. Could he simply remain in the White House tweeting whilst kicking questions as to what he considers a disputed outcome to the courts? But if we were to park this rather existential question to the future of American democracy to one side and consider a scenario in which Trump is soundly beaten next Tuesday and is accepting of the result, what would happen for the next few months until President Biden in inaugurated on January 20th, 2021?

The first and most obvious aspect of the lame duck Trump presidency to flag is that it could come as the country faces the darkest period of is encounter with the Coronavirus. The US is already seeing the beginnings of a third peak as the colder weather forces people indoors.

The US has set a record for new coronavirus cases reported in a single week with more than 481,300 infections, as the virus continues to surge across the Midwest and the South. The seven-day moving average of new daily cases stood at 68,767 after Sunday - the highest peak since late July and a 5.9 percent increase from the week before, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

Could a Trump unencumbered by trying to proritise the economy to win an election finally set out an approach towards getting the virus under control? Could a chastened loser of the election reach out to the Biden transition team and agree a cross party consensus for the approach over the winter months? This could both tackle the deadly pandemic and poor cold water on the increasing febrile partisan political atmosphere in the country.

Sadly, it is also highly unlikely. Trump would understandably see the Coronavirus as the single biggest factor in his losing control of the White House and choose to continue his approach of wishing it away and blaming China. Considering the rhetorical lengths he went to try and open the US up ahead of Easter it is hard to imagine him championing restrictions around the Christmas period, with obvious public health potential harm.

Beyond Covid and presuming that Trump doesn’t become obsessed by the prospect of post-presidency criminal proceedings being brought against him, as hinted to by Special Investigator Mueller, there is another prospect of a more rapid US withdrawal from treaties and multilateral bodies as his Presidential clock runs out.

Trump has already make it hard for a Biden presidency to pivot back into engagement with the world through his record-breaking withdrawals from international agreements; from the Open Skies Treaty, to the Paris Accords to points where some speculated he would take the US out of NATO and even the UN.

Could a Trump ‘lame duck’ administration flail at the levers of power available to the executive branch to ensure that his successor has a true reality of ‘American carnage’ to pick up on. His Iran policy in particular has been unpredictable to date and could be rocket fuelled by a Trump who feels he doesn’t have to think beyond a period of months.

The fundamental point is a simple one. Whilst many will be subsumed by celebration of a Trump defeat next week, holding him accountable for the period up to late January is the way a responsible democracy can conduct its affairs

by : jamse danselow

Covid & Climate Change Syria’s Mass Prisoner Release

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.