By Angelina Tang
Summer may be over already, but the effects of its national events are most certainly still felt today. Let’s take a look back on some of the biggest events of the last few months.
First and foremost, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has dominated the mediaspace as of late. This removal of protection for abortion rights on June 24 has led to changing laws across the country and many protests, both for and against the overturning. Many who have had to travel over state borders for an abortion, including the infamous case of a ten-year-old S.A. victim traveling from Ohio to Indiana to receive one, have spoken out against the violation of women’s rights that this has caused. The economic and political consequences, as well as the discussions surrounding them, are still playing out.
In continuation of the ongoing investigation into Donald Trump’s questionable actions during and after his presidency, the FBI raided his Mar-a-lago property and uncovered boxes of top-secret and classified documents. Among these included documents meant to be kept in and read only within high-security rooms, as well as information on foreign countries’ nuclear defenses. There were also 43 empty folders labeled ‘Classified,’ so nobody knows where their contents are presently. These documents were all ones the Department of Justice had requested from the former president after his departure from office, but he never offered them, so raiding the property was the only way to retrieve them. Since then, Trump has requested for a third-party “special master” to review the seized documents in court, and this request has been fulfilled by the DOJ.
On the other hand, President Joe Biden has been trying to make positive change. On August 16, he passed a $739 billion-dollar bill called the Inflation Reduction Bill. The bill goes into assistance paying for Medicare, reduction of prescription drug prices, reduction in student debt, and–mainly–fighting climate change. There has been much republican protest against this bill.
Politics aside, this summer has not been a good one in terms of the weather. The central U.S. and California were or are still suffering with heat waves. At their highest, temperatures rose into the hundreds. Hospitalizations and illness due to the heat are overwhelming, and wildfires have begun on the West Coast. Unfortunately, this appears to be an ongoing problem due to global warming; hotter summers may become a trend globally as time goes on.
Finally, just as a little thought: the gas prices have gone back down, and the national average is closer to $4 than $5 now. This is mostly in correlation with the shift in season and demand, as well as general market shifts. Such economic nuances can never be explained with just one factor or another. However, despite its complexity, one thing’s for certain: the consumers are happy about this one.
The summer of 2022 has been busy for all of us, but it’s important for people to stay informed and up to date on what else is happening in the world around them. Hopefully, this recap has served that purpose for you.
