Trump's New Order Prioritizes States With Strict Drug Policies, FCC Proposal Sparks Free Speech Debate
President Trump has signed an executive order prioritising funding for states that enforce strict drug policies and use involuntary mental health treatment. Meanwhile, a recent poll reveals that young adults prioritise career and financial independence over starting a family. This comes as many point to expanded childcare and parental leave as solutions for declining birth rates in the West, despite mixed results in countries like Finland and Sweden.
The executive order, signed by President Trump, aims to allocate funds to states that adopt tough measures against drug abuse and implement involuntary treatment for mental illness. This move has drawn criticism, with some organisations in the USA potentially facing backlash for their role in promoting and maintaining drug and alcohol dependencies. Notably, pharmaceutical companies have been targeted for opioid marketing, while the alcohol industry and inadequate public health policies have also been subjects of debate.
In other news, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr has proposed suspending Jimmy Kimmel following comments he made about Charlie Kirk. This suggestion has raised eyebrows, given the FCC's history of targeting political opponents. In the past, the FCC has been accused of applying the Fairness Doctrine almost exclusively to the Right, dating back to its targeting of New Deal critics in the 1930s and 1940s.
The executive order and FCC's proposal have sparked debate, with critics arguing that the former may not effectively address drug abuse and the latter could infringe upon free speech. Meanwhile, the poll results suggest a shift in priorities among young adults, potentially impacting discussions around declining birth rates and family planning policies.
