2 JUNE

A matter of Pride

President Biden has kicked off June with a presidential proclamation recognising Pride Month as he works to make good on his promises of equality for LGBTQ+ Americans. The official acknowledgment is a stark contrast to the previous administration which, in 2020, refused to acknowledge the celebration.

The proclamation marks the latest in a series of actions taken by President Biden in support of LGBTQ+ rights, which began on his first day in office when he signed an Executive Order on preventing and combating discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

However, President Biden’s efforts haven’t been without opposition; while Secretary of State Anthony Blinken overturned the Trump-era policy prohibiting US embassies from flying the Pride flag, a bill to reinstate the ban gained new GOP cosponsors on 1 June. The Supreme Court is also expected to release its decision on the Fulton v City of Philadelphia case, a fight over a city policy that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation. The ruling will offer the first glimpse at how its 6-3 conservative majority could impact LGBTQ+ rights.

Despite this, President Biden remains resolute, vowing that he "will not rest until full equality for LGBTQ+ Americans is finally achieved and codified into law”.

NEWS WRAP

Denmark linked to NSA spying scandal

Never say never again, NSA | American intelligence agencies allegedly worked with Danish counterparts to gather information on top European leaders, according to Danish media reports. The US National Security Agency (NSA), with the assistance of Denmark Defence Intelligence Service (FE), is said to have accessed text messages and phone conversations of prominent individuals, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The allegations shed light on the scandal which emerged in 2013 when US whistleblower Edward Snowden alleged the NSA had tapped the German Chancellor’s phone. READ MORE HERE
Tax time | G7 finance ministers are expected to back Biden’s call for a global minimum tax on corporate profits when the group meets in London later this week. The global tax reform proposal is designed to tackle a cycle of corporate tax-cutting that has diminished government revenue worldwide. READ MORE HERE
Kennedy Down Under | Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former US president John F Kennedy, could be named the next US ambassador to Australia, according to media reports. While an official announcement has yet to be made, reports indicate Kennedy is expected to serve in a high-profile ambassadorial role in the Indo-Pacific. READ MORE HERE
Senate no go(p) on Capitol commission | A bid to establish an independent commission to investigate the 6 January attack on the US Capitol failed in the Senate after Republicans blocked the legislation, staging their first filibuster of the 117th US Congress. Only six GOP senators joined the Democrats in support of the bill, bringing the final vote to 54-35, short the 60 votes needed for it to move forward. By comparison, the House approved the measure 252-175 only a week earlier with 35 Republicans joining all Democrats in support of the plan.
READ MORE HERE

Democracy itself is in peril, here at home and around the world.
What we do now – what we do now, how we honor the memory of the fallen will determine whether or not democracy will long endure.

President Joe Biden
Memorial Day address | 31 May 2021

WEBINAR | 4 JUNE

US Politics and Policy Web Series with special guest Annelise Nielsen

In the midst of the biggest pandemic in a century, Sky News Host Annelise Nielsen headed to the epicentre – the United States. Bringing a cameraman she ventured into the heart of the 2020 election to talk directly to citizens to understand the people behind the political polarisation. Why were Americans so much more divided over mask mandates than Australians? How many people truly believe the 2020 election was stolen? What has changed since President Biden took office?

To discuss these issues, please join us for this month’s US Politics and Policy Web Series featuring Annelise Nielsen, the first dedicated Washington Correspondent for Sky News Australia, in conversation with United States Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman and Perth USAsia Centre CEO Professor Gordon Flake.

WHEN:
Friday 4 June, 1pm AEST (Sydney) 11am AWST (Perth)

COST:
Free but registration is essential.

You can also subscribe to have event invitations and reminders sent straight to your inbox, so you never have to miss an event!

REGISTER NOW

BIDEN'S KEY PLAYERS

Janet Yellen: Secretary of Treasury

Victoria Cooper
Research Associate

Confirmed by Senate 84-15

“Chair Yellen is an exceptional economist who has a rare gift- she can take complicated economic theories and put them into understandable language, all while showing real heart for the millions of Americans who are hurting...”
– Senator Ron Wyden, 25 January 2021.

The next 100 Days: Implications for Australia

Under Yellen, the US Treasury is geared towards funding climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, as well as coping with the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. After her dismissal from the Fed by President Trump in 2018, Yellen was critical of Trump’s protectionism, his withdrawal from international institutions and tariffs on China. While Yellen has long maintained a clear commitment to open trade and a liberal international trading system, she delayed reforming the tariffs imposed on China by the Trump administration. Her stance on China remains unclear though she has previously expressed concerns over Chinese industrial practice particularly in relation to working rights, intellectual property rights and market competition.

Australian Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, welcomed Yellen’s proposal for a minimum tax rate on multinational corporations on 5 April. However, as the secretary continues to promote schemes such as carbon pricing, the two treasurers may find less agreement on other aspects of economic policy. Nonetheless, Yellen has stressed the importance of the US-Australian alliance in mutual recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific. She also made clear that as the US protectionism under the Trump era had impacts on financial trends worldwide, so too will the US openness to future trade impact Australia’s own economic circumstance.

This is an excerpt from a research brief by Victoria Cooper released by the United States Studies Centre. Click below to read the full publication, or click here to download Key players – At a glance

BY THE NUMBERS

Seeking approval

Biden's approval rating: 52.8%
US government handling of COVID-19: 60%

Sarah Hamilton
Research Associate for Data Insights

Joe Biden’s approval rating continues to hover just above 50, with slightly more Americans having a positive view of the 46th President than those who don’t, according to YouGov polling. At 52.8 per cent, Biden is scoring far better than Donald Trump’s 39 per cent at the same point in his presidency, but lower than Obama who, in May of 2009, had an approval rating of 65 per cent.

What is striking, however, is the Presidential job approval figures when compared to public sentiment of the US government’s handling of COVID-19. On 19 January, polling of Trump’s final week in office showed only 31 per cent of American’s agreed the government was handling the pandemic well. This figure has doubled under Biden’s leadership with 60 per cent of American’s approving of how the government is handling COVID-19 (as of 17 May 2021). The surge in positive sentiment can likely be attributed to the country’s successful vaccination program, in addition to the opening up of shops, schools, and workplaces under the Biden administration.

VIDEO

How has COVID-19 changed the face of American activism?

Following the release of the USSC report Coronavirus and protest: How COVID-19 has changed the face of American activism in June last year, Research Associate Elliott Brennan sat down with Associate Professor David Smith to discuss how the pandemic was changing protests in the United States. One year on from webinar discussion, we have the opportunity to tune in and reflect on how activism is evolving in the era of COVID-19.

Watch the full event HERE.

Catch this and other recent webinars on the USSC YouTube channel!