Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, May 25, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, and even in the middle of a three-day holiday weekend, we’re taking some time to cover a variety of really important topics that could impact all of us, from government decisions regarding your money to the upcoming presidential election. Also, we have an update on former President Donald Trump’s case in Fulton County and billionaire Elon Musk’s warning regarding children and social media.
House Passes Anti-CBDC Bill to Prevent Financial Surveillance of Americans
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the “CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act.” The bill, introduced by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), aims to prohibit the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC), which could enable government surveillance similar to that employed by the Chinese Communist Party.A CBDC is a digital version of currency that is designed, issued, and controlled by a government. Mr. Emmer said that reports issued by the Federal Reserve and other agencies showed the Biden administration’s interest in a “surveillance-style CBDC.”
A CBDC is subject to central control and is actually programmable by the organization controlling it, so it doesn’t have the privacy protections that come with using good old-fashioned cash. Those who oppose such a currency argue that a CBDC could potentially suppress political dissent through manipulation and financial restrictions, and disrupt the traditional banking system. This could lead to a destabilizing run on the banks.
The bill passed by the House ensures that the Federal Reserve cannot issue a CBDC without clear authorization from Congress.
Former President Donald Trump has publicly opposed the idea of a CBDC. He said earlier this year during a campaign stop that he would “never allow the creation of a central bank digital currency. Such a currency would give the federal government absolute control of your money.”
Trump Suggests Nikki Haley Will Be ‘On Our Team in Some Form’
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who previously ran against the former president in the Republican primaries, now says she’ll be voting for him.Despite their past competition, this move marks a step toward unity within the GOP as they prepare to challenge the current administration.
President Trump welcomed Ms. Haley’s support and said that she might have a role in his team, though not as his vice-presidential running mate. He mentioned he will make a decision on that closer to the GOP convention this summer.
Ms. Haley emphasized the need for a president who stands with allies, strengthens border security, champions capitalism, cuts national debt, and has a robust grasp of foreign policy.
She has openly criticized both Democratic and Republican foreign policy, especially concerning Israel, Ukraine, and the looming threat of China over Taiwan.
Despite ending her presidential campaign back in early March, Ms. Haley continues to hold significant support within GOP primary circles.
Fani Willis Challenges Dismissal of Charges Against Trump in Georgia Election Case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has filed a cross-appeal to challenge the decision made by Judge Scott McAfee, who dismissed six charges against President Trump and other co-defendants in an election interference case.These charges were related to allegations that they attempted to improperly influence the 2020 presidential election results. This legal move comes alongside the defense’s own appeal concerning an earlier ruling by Judge McAfee, which allowed Ms. Willis to remain on the case even after her romantic relationship with a former special prosecutor involved in the case was made public.
The cross-appeal was filed by Ms. Willis along with her team, including Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney F. McDonald Wakeford and Deputy District Attorney John W. Wooten.
Meanwhile, the remaining charges the defendants still face include a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charge against former chief of staff Mark Meadows and multiple counts against President Trump and others.
Supreme Court Sides With Government in 3-strikes Gun Law Ruling
In a recent decision, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in favor of the federal government concerning the implementation of a federal three-strikes gun law. The law mandates a minimum 15-year sentence for individuals convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, and who also have three or more previous convictions for violent felonies or major drug offenses.The key issue was whether the courts should consider the laws in effect during the prior offense or the current offense when sentencing the individual.
The Supreme Court’s decision clarified that the sentencing should be based on the laws in place at the time of the original convictions. This ruling could either benefit or work to the disadvantage of defendants, depending on changes in drug laws over time.
The court’s decision saw the conservative judges voting in the majority, joined by liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
However, in a dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson argued that courts should apply the drug schedules that are in effect at the time of the federal firearms offense. This ruling follows another unanimous decision in a related case, and the court is set to decide soon on whether juries or judges should determine prior convictions and enhanced sentences.
Elon Musk Warns Kids Are Being Trained by Social Media, Says AI Used to ‘Maximize Dopamine’
In a recent appearance at the VivaTech 2024 conference, Elon Musk, tech entrepreneur and owner of the social media platform X, raised serious concerns about the impact of social media on children.Mr. Musk emphasized that the use of artificial intelligence, or AI, in social media can be quite addictive due to algorithms designed to keep users engaged. He says parents should monitor and limit the amount of time that their children spend on social media.
Mr. Musk is worried that social media platforms are essentially “training” kids, making them more vulnerable to addiction. He even posted a video on X, illustrating his points about the intense competition among social media AIs to hook users.
This conversation is particularly timely as Meta, the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram, faces numerous lawsuits. One of these lawsuits accuses Meta of deliberately designing features that exploit young users’ susceptibility to addiction, contributing to a youth mental health crisis. There’s also ongoing scrutiny from the European Commission, which is investigating whether Meta has breached EU laws.
Mr. Musk also mentioned the role of AI in education at the conference. He sees AI as a revolutionary force that will personalize learning and help bridge educational disparities.
I can see that we’re just about out of time, so let’s make that our final story on the Saturday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief—the last Saturday in the month of May!
Our first note is from Sherry Grant, who says: Thank you for your comprehensive, truthful and clear reporting. *(we keep it honest)
From John W.: Thank you, Epoch Times for all you do to keep our constitution the way our founders intended.
We heard from Murdock L. Gibbs *(very stately name): Your reporting is refreshing, factual, informative, comprehensive, and stimulating -- anchored in truth and not influenced by political bias or colored with cowardly compromise.
And from Mary Tryon: The News Brief is a Great idea! A quick review of the week’s big stories will help me stay current with news I may miss during the week. Thank you. Epoch Times is my TRUSTED news source! (Thank you, Mary, and we trust you’ll tune in every day!!!)
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap things up with a very “notable” quote:
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” —Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-born American author and philosopher.
She found fame with her 1943 novel “The Fountainhead,” and all told, her books have sold over 37 million copies.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas. We hope you’re having a safe Memorial Day holiday weekend and a reminder, something we talked about on this program yesterday: Memorial Day is a federal holiday here in the United States, and it’s all about honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The actual holiday is coming up on Monday, and it’s a wonderful day to thank all veterans. A simple “Thank you for your service” goes a long way in making a veteran feel appreciated, and I’d like to be the first to say to any veterans tuning in right now, thank you very much for your service.
Have a safe holiday weekend, and we’ll see you back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief. Have a fulfilling day today.
