Drake Political Review Fall 2023 | Vol. 10 Issue 1 by Drake Political Review

FALL 2023 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 1

p. 07 HOLLYWOOD ON STRIKE p. 23 IN A BARBIE WORLD p. 35 THE NEW SPACE RACE

Drake Political Review 1

LETTER

FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Reader, I still remember when I picked up my very first edition of Drake Political Review on an admitted students tour. I was enamored with the thought of one day getting to see my name in a story’s byline, but I never once thought that I’d be the one writing this letter today. This magazine has been a beacon of unbiased student investigation in the gloom of our politicallydivisive world and I am so proud I get to finish off my academic career leading it. DPR would be nothing without the contributions from our wonderful staff of editors, designers and writers. Their dedication to fostering an environment for talking politics on our campus while balancing their workload as full-time students is inspiring to say the least. In this issue we explore hard-hitting current events in the state of Iowa, over state lines and across the pond. I sincerely hope that you can learn a little something new. When you’re ready, turn the page and... LET’S TALK POLITICS!

THE TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF MADELINE CRAWFORD ART DIRECTOR PAIGE MINOR ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR EMILY ZELLER STAFF EDITORS GRACE RILEY LAURA NOEHREN PARKER WRIGHT ASSISTANT EDITORS EMILY VOLLMER NORAH JUDSON CONTRIBUTERS CAROLINE SIEBELS-LINDQUIST MADELINE CRAWFORD MARGARET GORHAM JACK HARRINGTON LAURA NOEHREN PAIGE LAMBERT GRACE RILEY RILEY PALMER SCOTT JENSEN PARKER WRIGHT NORAH JUDSON LILY WASSERMAN MACK SWENSON FACULTY ADVISOR JENNIFER GLOVER KONFRST

OVER STATE LINES

ACROSS THE POND

IOWA BRED

STREAM IT OR SKIP IT

DOOMSDAY

TO STAY OR TO GO

BACK IN MY DAY

THE NEW SPACE RACE

MINNESOTA VS IOWA: NEIGHBORS AT ODDS

HOLLYWOOD ON STRIKE

THE ECOTOURISM EFFECT

CHANGING OF THE CAUCUS

GEN Z GETS POLITICAL

A TALE OF TWO SINKING SHIPS

HEALTHCARE DESERTS IN RURAL IOWA

IN A BARBIE WORLD

SILENCING THE SILVER SCREEN

WHICH POLITICAL TV SHOW ARE YOU?

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION NO MORE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHEN WE WERE BORN A POLITICIAL TIME CAPSULE FROM BACK WHEN THE STAFF JOINED THE WORLD

Laura Noehren Born in June

July 23 Megawati Sukarnoputri is inaugurated as the first female president of Indonesia.

2002

2001 April 1st The Netherlands becomes the first modern country to legalize same-sex marriage.

Paige Minor Born in December 2

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Madeline Crawford Born in July

Jan. 13 President George W. Bush lost consciousness for 8 minutes after choking on a pretzel while watching a football game in the White House.

Grace Riley Born in September

2003

Emily Zeller Born in January

2005

September 10th Switzerland joins the UN.

June 4th Martha Stewart and her broker are indicted for using privileged investment information and obstructing a federal investigation.

January 20th George W. Bush is sworn in for a second term as President of the United States.

Norah Judson Born in January

Parker Wright Born in September

September 14th The largest UN World Summit in history is held in New York City. Emily Vollmer Born in April Drake Political Review 3

IOWA BRED

TO OR TO

Fall 2023

Have Iowa’s recent political battles and conservative agenda impacted recent graduates’ willingness to stay in the state after graduation?

As students graduate and begin looking towards post-grad life, a big decision looms in the distance. Where should they begin their careers? Many factors can play into the decision from family, to job offers and prospects, social life or even where their significant other may be headed. However, as the country has grown more divided, an additional factor has come into play – state politics.

“I want to be in a state where I feel confident that my future children and I can receive any healthcare that we need without worrying about legislative barriers,” said Caitlyn Nielson, a 2023 Drake University graduate who chose to move to Minnesota. State Politics and Job Opportunities While graduates have begun to take politics into consideration, other factors still do play a large role in deciding where individuals end up. All of the recent graduates interviewed cited factors like proximity to family and the support system they find in their new cities as reasons to move alongside the political environment. Others pointed to the job opportunities that other states and cities had to offer in their career fields. “I don’t think everybody has a situation where their state’s political environment affects their everyday life,” said Kiehne. “Those that do are the ones most conscious about that factor in making their decision”.

Iowa’s Conservative Swing Iowa has slowly moved right on the political spectrum after being commonly thought of as a swing state for much of recent history. The state has a Republican trifecta with the majority party enjoying minimal checks on their power in recent years. This has allowed the state to move staunchly to the right when it comes to policy, a trend that has pushed some recent graduates to move nearby more liberal leaning states, like Minnesota and Illinois. “As a gay man who is actively in a relationship, my Working on the Inside partner and I don’t have the privilege to simply live Some in Iowa have continually worked to create wherever we want,” said Kevin Kiehne, a 2023 Drake communities and opportunities for young adults that do University graduate who chose to move to Minneapolis. decide to stay in the state. Dannie Patrick, president of Gen Z as a whole is a more liberal generation and the the Des Moines Young Professional Connection, believes trends in Iowa politics have some graduates concerned. Iowa and the Des Moines area has plenty to offer young Recently, Iowa has passed many conservative policies adults – as long as they look in the right places. “I think including banning gender affirming care for minors, the biggest reason I hear folks leaving is because they a private school voucher don’t see themselves reflectprogram, and a 6 week ed in the community and abortion ban. More extreme they don’t see their combills were introduced this munity really embracing past session ranging from who they are,” said Patrick. banning social media use Organizations like the YPC for minors and to a bill can help establish a conthat would ban same-sex nection for young adults to marriage and ignore federal the city and help overcome law. These policies have some of these political young adults concerned barriers that some feel rule about the future of the state the city and state as a whole and of those who live in it. out for their job search. KEVIN KIEHNE, DRAKE GRADUATE

As a gay man who is actively in a relationship, my partner and I don’t have the privilege to simply live wherever we want

WORDS LAURA NOEHREN DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

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ACROSS THE POND

DOOMSDAY WORDS NORAH JUDSON DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

Doomsday is closer than ever before, begging the question, can anything be done to turn back time?

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racking the literal and metaphorical time until the end of days has always been a favorite human pastime, but it wasn’t until relatively recently that anyone came up with a scientific index to track just how close humanity is to destruction. Doomsday Approaching? In 1947, a group called the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists created what is now known as the Doomsday Clock. The group was established by a collection of scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II. Their insider knowledge of war and atomic weaponry paired with their position as members of the tense, post-war society gave them the prime platform to be an authority on the subject of human mortality. The Doomsday Clock was created with the intent to show humanity how close it was to self destruction. It has been updated sporadically over the last 75 years, often in times of war or international tension, but within the last five years it seems that doomsday is approaching faster than ever before. “People should pay close attention to the variety of existential threats humanity faces,” said John Mecklin, Editor in Chief of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The most recent update of the clock showed the time as 90 seconds to midnight, the closest to destruction humanity has ever been. This is largely due to the increased collection and testing of nuclear weaponry, but also factors in things like the climate crisis, bio threats, disinformation and destructive technology. “There’s definitely a tie between this board and the United States,” said Jamie Lyman, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. “The clock can kind of be used as a tool [to] show the American public where to direct their worries.”

The Clock Ticks Down … Up until recently, the closest to doomsday the clock had ever been set was two minutes to midnight. The first time was in 1953 due to the testing of nuclear weaponry by global superpowers, then again in 2018 for much the same reason, along with the added threat of climate change. “It’s interesting that the clock is closer to midnight than it has ever been, considering that we’ve gone through things like the Cuban Missile Crisis,” said Lyman. “[The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists] have walked themselves down a hole a little bit with how they have monitored the times.” Mecklin believes that the clock is doing exactly what it is meant to. According to him, the clock is a warning tool more than anything else, designed to make people aware of the threats that are posed to them and hopefully spook them into taking action. Therefore, the current time standing is justifiable. “If the governments of the world would live up to their commitments under the Paris Accords to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, that would be a big step in the direction of reduced threat,” said Mecklin, acknowledging that the threats to humanity are bigger than the individual. A Forbes article from 2018 equates the clock to a tight-rope walker’s spotter, the ever-changing time being more of a warning to lawmakers to straighten out than anything else. Especially in recent years, as climate change has become more of a prevalent social issue, some experts are beginning to question the validity of the clock. A few are even calling for its retirement, but board members disagree. “Humans can control the technologies they create,” said Mecklin. “[The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists] is not a doomsday organization, it’s a problem solving organization.” Drake Political Review 7

ACROSS THE POND

THE

NEW

SPACE

RACE WORDS MACK SWENSON DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

Private space tours, surveillance satellites and asteroid mining – the landscape of space has changed drastically since Armstrong landed on the moon. An emerging realm of law seeks to address the new frontier.

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“We copy you down, Eagle.” “Houston, er … Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

ith those words, Neil Armstrong laid rest to an obsession that had consumed executive governments and populaces for almost a decade. Or did he? The U.S. won that space race, but governments (and more recently, companies) continue to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before – be that the south pole of the moon, Mars or the outer reaches of the solar system. The space race is alive–in a different form. In the 60s, the U.S.’s and Russia’s accomplishments in space served as stand-ins for the geopolitical war between democracy and communism. While such geopolitical tension lingers, competition between national space programs no longer spills over into geopolitical enmity. India landed on the moon’s southern pole in October, and, notably, international tensions didn’t explode. Now, space exploration boasts both diversifying players and diversifying pursuits. Besides legacy space program giants U.S., Russia and China, India and Japan have contributed more modest efforts to space exploration. “I think [national space programs] are trying to position it more as competitions of two programs and not necessarily geopolitical foes, even though there’s certainly lots of competition,” NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Solar System Ambassador Volunteer Dan Hoy said. NASA has also diversified its pursuits, apportioning its budget and resources to Earth Science, climate science, aviation and robotic exploration, though these areas garner less national attention than, say, landing astronauts on the moon. Drake Political Review 9

“I think NASA is trying to do its best job to engage the public in these smaller efforts, knowing that the big prizes of going to the moon will – it’ll certainly be of interest for sure – but there’s not really a race to do that now,” Hoy said. Besides, governments are no longer the only defining players in space. “I heard someone say recently [that] everybody’s upset about all the billionaires that are involved in space travel right now, and I said, ‘Yeah, but originally it was only trillionaires. The US government and the USSR were the only ones.’” A New Realm of Law Now, space explorers have set their sights beyond the moon; privateers have planned missions to asteroids containing rare-earth minerals, Mars and even neighboring solar system Alpha Centauri. These individuals’ extraterrestrial ambitions often exceed those of governments, yet governments have little notion of how to regulate privately-funded space ventures – much less ability to enforce those regulations. Legally, authorities haven’t even decided when space starts. “We have a really unique opportunity to actually shape the law as it’s being formed, and so space lawyers today, they’re working with the FAA, the FCC, the Department of Commerce,” said Michelle L.D. Hanlon, the executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Space Law. Like the similarly ambiguous realms of air and water, who ‘owns’ space resources is unclear. Since there is no formal international government, countries sign treaties – treaties like The Outer Space Treaty, which Hanlon describes as the “magna carta” of space law. The Outer Space Treaty and accompanying treaties establish space as part of a shared human heritage and forbid its weaponization. These treaties have been ratified by the United Nation, and enforcement (to the extent that international punishment is possible) falls to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). 10

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“When you think about the fact that [the treaties] were negotiated at the height of the Cold War, and their focus solely was to keep the peace in space, I think they’ve done an incredible job,” Hanlon said. Space has, however, seen a rise in surveillance satellites and other technologies the treaties’ writers could not anticipate. COPUOS has successfully upheld the treaties but must now decide how to regulate the burgeoning industry of private space travel. “The question is: Is the committee going to be able to overcome its own success to produce new law?” Hanlon said. Space junk is perhaps the most notable extraplanetary issue demanding regulation. The debris, which comprises bits of expired or dysfunctional satellites and other spacecraft, has spawned multiple tracking websites and multimillion dollar investments in

removal technology. Even specks the size of a grain of sand can cause extensive damage to spacecraft. While the UN considered updating existing treaties, organizations like the National Space Alliance have published recommendations on the responsible use of space resources. “[The UN is] a large, somewhat unwieldy organization that takes a long time to get things done, and as fast as technology in particular is moving right now, I think the concern that led to some of these position papers in the Artemis accords is that that’s taking too long,” Hoy said. “Is there another way we can kind of jumpstart this by getting some discussion going maybe at some point in time and we do bring it to the UN as updated space treaties?” The general understanding bestowed by these recommendations: If an entity puts resources into establishing infrastructure on an interplanetary body, another entity

does not have the right to exploit their investment. “The U.S. passed a law last year…which I think at its base says, ‘Yes, you can even go grab an asteroid, and if you grab an asteroid and you’ve put the investment into getting there and mining it, it’s yours, and nobody else can come and rain on your Masquerade,’” Hoy said. “So as I say, that’s kind of an intermediate term thing because the one thing that you can say in common about all the asteroid mining companies is they go bankrupt.” COPUOS isn’t exactly in a hurry to update the treaties. Not only is the technology still expensive enough to block most attempts to go to space, but those who have the funding are motivated by matters other than profit, according to Hanlon. “This sort of first round of commercial space explorers are doing it out of love for space – out of a passion for space, and that’s good news, because yes, we all want them to become very successful and very profitable, but they are also mindful of space and responsible,” Hanlon said. As space becomes increasingly accessible, society will need to establish its desires for space. Does space hold any sort of cultural significance? Should humanity concern itself with the overuse of space resources, if there is such a thing? Can space become a front for injustice, and if so, what should we do about it? These questions cannot be separated from the emerging law regarding the use of space. COPUOS will need to navigate governance of a frontier without clear boundaries or consistent global opinions. Then again, every realm of law begins this way, amid uncertainty but driven by a vision to reflect the desires of society. “The ideal starting place to think about how we move forward as we expand into this space around us [is] finding the few things – and there are very few things – but finding those things that we can agree on and implementing those and then hopefully allowing that agreement to spread throughout the rest of the space realm,” Hanlon said. Hoy is a volunteer, and the opinions expressed in this article are his alone, not those of NASA. Drake Political Review 11

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OR SKIP IT?

STREAM IT

OVER STATE LINES

A look at Netflix’s controversial content and its evolution during an age of changing media standards WORDS MARGARET GORHAM DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

ong gone are the days of traditional cinema and in are the days of endless streaming at a moment’s notice. As the entertainment market floods with original content and remakes, there are some titles that continue to rattle the cage of the industry. Netflix has flirted with controversy a number of times in the last decade, most notably with Dave Chapelle’s “The Closer” and Maïmouna Doucouré’s “Cuties”. Both titles garnered attention and heavy backlash on the company’s streaming platform. While the streaming industry continues to push the envelope, it brings to light new standards of content and how services are navigating their businesses through the next era of media. How Algorithms Impact Streaming It is an invaluable point to establish that streaming services are a financial gamble and take time to cultivate subscriptions before generating steady revenue. Netflix, one of the top media companies in the world, reported earnings of over 5.1 billion dollars in 2021 and the company continues to grow in profitability since its founding more than twenty years ago. Unfortunately in 2020, Netflix took a hit in the media after buying the rights to the French film “Cuties”. Although it is critically acclaimed, “Cuties” did not receive the same treatment at Netflix after garnering backlash from the company’s press campaign. The controversy brought to light the company’s ability to manipulate their algorithm to suppress content. The title was removed from various search categories in order to limit further insistence that Netflix was promoting child pornography or suggestive content. However, a discussion with Ryan Stoldt, a digital marketing specialist, revealed that it was unlikely for a media company to manually manipulate an algorithm to hide a specific title completely. Stoldt was able to provide clarity on media companies’ interactions with algorithms and how they affect consumers.

“Basically there are different types of algorithms, so a personalization algorithm in itself is an algorithm that is filtering information out and recommending things at the same time,” said Stoldt. “In the process of filtering things for a main feed there’s always going to be things that are being pushed less frequently, and that’s something Netflix has been heavily critiqued on. They do a pretty bad job of actually promoting their original shows and they will have things that come out that no one will ever see because the algorithm doesn’t recommend it.” Additionally, he noted the shift away from more artistic content to more commercially beneficial content. “In terms of how they’re thinking about content, ultimately they need to have a library of content that is going to appeal to people, and they are wanting to be the massive source of entertainment for people.” This has been a noticeable trend in the entertainment industry with Netflix focusing on their bottom line as a business. Laugh or Loss Comedy has remained a powerful tool of free speech where almost any topic can be discussed in a casual setting. However not every joke is worth laughing about, a concept that Dave Chappelle has grappled with for decades. Dave Chapelle, a distinguished comedian with more than thirty years of experience, has continually challenged a variety of topics, mainly race, through his comedy. In 2021, he came under fire for his special “The Closer’’, where he discussed his own interactions with the LGBTQIA+ community. The backlash provoked new dialogue for Netflix about what content is worth representing on the platform. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-CEO, supported the decision to keep “The Closer” on the platform. He expressed in a leaked internal email that the company did not believe the film crossed the line of inciting hate or violence and they have a strong belief that content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm. This is a sentiment that has been widely discussed and researched by media analysts, but the verdict remains that private businesses have the final word on what content inhabits their library. Additionally, there was no further comment available from Netflix Media Center at this time. Despite controversy, there is a demographic to support “The Closer” and a shift to support LGBTQ+ content will ultimately need to come from viewers. Streaming services need to remain as profitable as possible to maintain their library and they will take note from their subscribers. Drake Political Review 13

IOWA BRED

MINNESOTA

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VS IOWA

WORDS CAROLINE SIEBELS-LINDQUIST DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

Will these ideologically diametrically opposed midwesterners ever find common (flat) ground?

innesota and Iowa: two midwestern states, oceans apart. As though they were two passive aggressive neighbors asking to borrow some sugar, their eyes may narrow and they often don’t see eye to eye. Though their borders look quite similar, recently these states have taken to completely opposing ends of the political spectrum. This situation raises the question of whether all the cornfields and lakes will remain at odds, as well as the states in which they reside. The Sitch Minnesota has solidified itself as a shoo-in blue state, granting its electoral points to every Democratic presidential nominee since 1976. It was only one in three states to vote for Jimmy Carter in 1980 and then was the sole state to stand with

Walter Mondale’s presidential bid when he ran against Ronald Reagan in 1984. Minnesota’s alignment with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Democratic Party as a whole has historically been strict, set and only seems to be growing; especially with their constant defense of LGBTQ+ rights and the abortion safety net. Minnesota is and has been staring at a burning flame keenly aware that the blue base is the most blistering. Iowa on the other hand, has taken a more conservative turn, though it was not always regarded that way. In the past, Iowa has garnered a reputation as a swing state, and has been known to support political outsiders. It pulled blue for Barack Obama in both of his presidential elections. However, Iowa has since become known as a conservative foot-hold after it waved red for Donald Trump

ODDS

NEIGHBORS AT in 2016 and 2020. Having no current Democratic representation at the national level with former Representative Cindy Axne’s defeat by Representative Zach Nunn in the 2022 midterm elections, and a Republican majority at the Iowa state capitol; Iowa’s path is growing as well albeit towards the deep red. Iowa, which was the third state overall to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2009, is in stark contrast to the Iowa which attempted to ban same-sex marriage throughout the state in early 2023. Teachers are now required to monitor their students’ names in accordance with their gender identity as stated by Senate File 496 and abortion access has been under consistent hostile attacks. This all showcases that Iowa Republicans are more than fighting for conservative values: They are attempting to secure Iowa as a conservative safe haven.

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Governors Sow the Seeds David Oman, the chief of staff for former Republican Governor Robert D. Ray, says that palpable opposing governing styles have long separated Iowa and Minnesota. Minnesota has always had a reputation for bigger government. Iowa has been more economically fiscal. “Minnesota has clearly had a more liberal bent to it for a long time. High tax, high service,” Oman said. “[Iowa has] always been seen as sort of middle ground, but not extreme on taxes and not cutting a great deal of services and now we’re moving a little more to the conservative side.” Oman cites the gubernatorial leadership as one of the key reasons for the state’s different approaches to governing. Though Iowa has historically leaned more red, it has not always trended especially conservative.

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Former Iowa governors like Robert D. Ray and Terry Branstad mostly governed as center right figures. Their leadership gave Iowa a reputation of right leaning but open to Democratic compromise. When Governor Kim Reynolds succeeded Branstad in 2017, there appeared to be a shift in this regard. Suddenly there was a more conservative governing style on the horizon. Similarly, in regards to Minnesota, governors Wendell R. Anderson and Rudy Perpich did commit to progressive agendas back in the 70s, but were not necessarily deemed to be raging liberals. But today, Governor Tim Walz, has made intense liberal strides. “I think you don’t have to look too hard or too long to identify gubernatorial leadership as one reason why the states are a little different these days,” Oman says. According to Oman, governors are usually at their best and their most successful when governing

from the centerfold. Not aligning themselves too heavily with one side of the political spectrum. However, in our current era of politics, that is not the route most governors have taken. Now there are governors like Tim Walz of Minnesota and Kim Reynolds of Iowa working very hard to push, what some may call, their ultra-liberal or ultra-conservative agenda, respectively. “Politics are different these days, and that’s not unique to hear,” Oman says. “But even in [Iowa] in the 70s and through the farm crisis of the 80s, Republicans and Democrats could still have a beer together and could talk to each other, socialize. Maybe disagree on a topic or two but still shake hands and be friends. [It] seems harder these days. The lines are a little brighter. Rhetoric is harsher. People live in their tribe and seem less willing to compromise. I see it here, it’s true elsewhere. You see it in the country for goodness sake.”

Organization = Political Direction Up north, Drew Campbell, a member of the board of directors for the DFL’s Senate District 18 based in Mankato, says that Minnesota Democrats have been working very hard over the years to elect more Democrats, and their organized efforts have been exhibited in Gov. Walz’s success at passing legislation greatly wanted and long sought after by Democrats. “Gov. Walz and the team he’s assembled have moved forward with getting things done. Whereas I think in a lot of states, they haven’t been able to do that. And even Republicans, when they are in charge, aren’t able to move forward from what I’ve seen. There’s so much conflict sometimes within their own party that slows and bogs them down, so they can’t even accomplish what they want to accomplish when they have power.” The Democratic legislation in question highlighted in Minnesota, attempts to find the root of the problem according to Campbell. “[Minnesota is] offering services that they didn’t use to offer to people who have issues in their lives, and trying to give them support. Just recently, family leave just got passed in the state of Minnesota. If you’re some sort of an offender or somebody we’ll try to find therapy for you. If you’re an addict, you’ll find help for your addictions. And I know a lot of states also work on that, but Minnesota is actually doing it.” Though there are many red areas around Minnesota, they remain in the rural parts of the state. Campbell notes that the Twin Cities is so densely populated with Democrat leaning voters that rural farming areas

cannot change the current liberal governing force. “There’s a lot of people who are still supporting Republican values, and who would really like to see our state flip,” Campbell says. “But who’s going to get out and vote? Look at the numbers. There’s more Democrats in Minnesota. It’s just the bottom line.” Despite the current divergence between Minnesota and Iowa, Campbell does believe that Iowa will eventually return to its previous swing-state status. “I think [Iowa] will go back towards purple again. I really do,” Campbell says. “I think there’s enough people there that have realized that some of this wacky right wing behavior hasn’t really gotten them a lot.”

Concluding Division Though Minnesota and Iowa, and the midwest as a whole, may have once channeled a united force, mounted together from their everyday blue collar values, the lands of ordinary people also form their own clubs. Displaying that while these states don’t look all that different from the outside, their history and governing styles have always been at odds. David Oman concludes, “You can look at Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan and you’ve got strong Democratic governors. The upper midwest has been historically liberal and remains so, and they are proud of it. If you look to the south of [Iowa], Missouri, or the Dakotas, or Nebraska, you see Republican governors and legislatures. It’s not a monolithic region anymore.” Drake Political Review 17

ACROSS THE POND

THE ECOTOURISM

EFFECT Society has the potential to help the planet in one simple way: incorporating ecotourism into modern travel

n a world increasingly damaged and challenged by climate change, the call for more sustainable practices has increased worldwide. From climate strikes in the Netherlands and Austria, climate protests in New York demanding the end of fossil fuels and protests in Indonesia to ban dirty fuels and stop greenwashing, citizens across the world are demanding action to protect the planet from the dangers of climate change and altered ecosystems. Ecotourism serves as a model for how to incorporate more sustainable practices into society, saving humanity and all the natural wonders of the world.

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WORDS SCOTT JENSEN DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

A Summer of Climate Disaster Devastating wildfires across Canada and Maui this summer, unprecedented and catastrophic flooding events across the world from California, Libya and the Northeast United States, above average hurricane seasons creating stronger and more violent storms name a few of the side effects of a warming climate. Climate change is having disastrous effects across the world and causing a public panic to see many of these areas deemed at risk. While many of the most iconic parks across the world are flocked to, some of the most underrated ones are at the most risk due to a rise in the average temperature and reduced rainfall.

“The impacts of climate change are unknown, there is little about what it even is, yet. Climate change has been around since the beginning of time and is never going away, but is it different than it was before? I do not know,” said Brian Leaders, Lead Program Director at National Parks Service in the Midwest Region.

Addressing the emergency of climate change is an ongoing process that will continue to evolve as we begin to see the effects play out on the world stage. Parks including Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Denali National Park in Alaska, Colombia’s Chingaza National Park, Mount Kenya National Park in Kenya and India’s Kaziranga National Park are just a few of the hundreds affected by changing weather and temperature patterns. Traditional tourism significantly impacts global warming, accounting for around eight percent of current global planet-warming emissions that cause irreversible damage. “There has been a dramatic increase in visitors to all parks across the country, not just the national parks, posing new challenges to maintain the levels of maintenance needed. Large number of visitors has been a major challenge to maintain roads and trails, but it has also spread staff thin to try to limit the number of social trails that visitors have created,” said Leaders. Ecotourism offers a way to limit the impact of traditional tourism. Many countries, like Costa

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Rica have incorporated ecotourism to achieve their net zero targets and protect the natural environment while increasing the number of tourists that have come. It has come a long way since developing in the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico in the 1970s, covering every corner of Earth. Today, more than five million people travel to eco-friendly locations across the world. As society moves toward more ecofriendly alternatives, the demand for ecotourism destinations is on the rise. Many of the most successful ones are located near national parks, while others are completely off the grid in some of the more remote places on Earth. Benefits of Ecotourism Ecotourism creates an understanding that there is more to the environment than natural beauty. History, biodiversity and the environmental problems the area faces just begin to scratch the surface of the area in focus. Each area people travel to has such a rich background that we do not even realize. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world but its history dates back to prehistoric times. 27 Native American tribes are recognized by the National Park Service to have historic ties

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to the park. Additionally, the park is home to some of the last native free roaming bison in the world, over 10,000 hydrothermal features and one of the largest nearly intact temperate forests in the world. For many of these parks, the ecological importance they serve has become a lifeline for many of the endangered plants and animals across the globe. “Many of the endangered animals at the Mississippi Ecotourism Center live in the protected area after their natural habitat was destroyed or severely damaged. This has been the case in many areas not only in Clinton County, not only in Iowa, but across the country. For many species, these protected areas are some of the only places left in the world where people can see them in nature,” said Ryan Walts, Park Supervisor for the East District of Clinton County, Iowa. Ecotourism stimulates the local economy by bringing in money to regions where there is little economic opportunity. The industry was valued at over 170 billion dollars in 2022, but experts estimate that value will double by 2028, averaging about 370 billion dollars. Most of this money has been reinvested into the local economy such as land

preservation, education and infrastructure. Walts said that he has seen that the number of people seeking ecotourism has increased significantly not only in the state of Iowa, but across the country as a whole. Even with the amount of money invested into the economy, many of the parks across the world still struggle with budget shortfalls across the board. “What we’re finding is the number of people that we’ve seen as an increase in visitors to our parks over the last three years has increased the amount of deferred maintenance, but at the same time, inflation has stretched our budget even more. Even with the 1.6 billion dollars we got from the Great American Outdoors Act, we’re not able to get much more done than we did before,” said Leaders. Even with the ever-growing demand in visiting protected land, ecotourism has been able to cater to all types from thrill seekers to the most mundane travelers. Scattered throughout the world, ecotourism has created a strong presence in many developing economies around the world. Bungee jumping off cliffs in New Zealand, hikes to the remote fjords of Norway, overnight safaris in Tanzania or a simple day trip to Yosemite are just four of the infinite options to see the world sustainably.

Climate Change and Ecotourism’s Future The world is at a turning point as we advance toward an uncertain future. At the current rate, humanity is expected to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius and 2-degree Celsius targets before the end of the decade. Even if the long-term effects of climate change are unknown, there are numerous examples to show what the future holds. Stronger storms, higher sea levels, more mass extinctions and increases in heat related deaths are just a few of the

consequences that have been seen from a warmer climate. Ecotourism offers a way to solve part of this problem. Reducing tourists’ carbon footprints, educating the public about the environmental problems a protected area faces, stimulating local economies, while still allowing people the opportunity to have a life changing experience are a few of the benefits. The world we live in is forever evolving, but there is always the choice to make changes to try to limit the impacts of climate change. Society has a responsibility to take care of the planet that is home because there is no Earth 2.0.

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BACK IN MY DAY M

The age of US Congress

(spoiler alert)

It’s old

WORDS PAIGE LAMBERT DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

any Americans dread the thought of having to spend their Thanksgiving with their older relatives. These people still love their family. However, their older parents, aunts, uncles, and extended family members have experienced very different cultures, economics, and overall lives in the United States compared to those born in the later decades of the 20th century or the 21st century. The 118th Congress is similar to a large family’s Thanksgiving dinner. While there are younger generations represented in the chambers, the majority of the seats are held by older men and women. Bernie Sanders (born in 1941) Fan favorite Senator Bernie Sanders shares his birth year with a myriad of pop culture moments. 1941 saw the introduction of two iconic American foods: Cheerios and M&Ms. The loveable monkey, Curious George, as well as one of the most patriotic heroes, Captain America, were first published this year as well. Lastly, one of the most influential movies in film history, Citizen Kane, premiered in 1941. Senator Sanders was elected to the Senate in 2007, breaking the current trend of beginning a U.S. Senate career in the 20th century. That said, 2007 was not exempt from cultural revolutions. The first iPhone debuted this year, Ratatouille was released worldwide and became one of the highest grossing French films, and clubs were blasting “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”.

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Maxine Waters (born in 1938) 1938 saw many significant changes to the cultural landscape of America. Walt Disney was honored with Academy Awards for its release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated film. The New Yorker published its first of many “The Addams Family” comics. Not to mention that one of America’s quintessential desserts, the chocolate chip cookie, was first invented. It also was the year that California Representative, Maxine Waters, was born. She began her career in the House in 1991, another iconic year in U.S. history. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was a box office hit and was even nominated for an Academy Award, “Good Vibrations’’ controlled the radio, and the first For Dummies book was published.

Chuck Grassley (born in 1933)

Mitch McConnell (born in 1942)

1933 was a very eventful year for the US. The President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, gave his first Fireside Chat radio show. Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Nashville, Tennessee. Movies were becoming more and more popular as well, and King Kong premiered for the first time (and instantly became an infamous horror film villain). It is also the birth year of Senator Grassley, who recently turned 90.

Born in 1942, Sen. McConnell is no stranger to American culture. Considering that the United States entered WWII shortly before his birth, it should be no surprise that he is so patriotic. The song, “White Christmas,” was released in the film Holiday Inn, and became far more popular than Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby anticipated; it remains a classic to this day. Walt Disney released the film, Bambi.

He began his career in the Senate in 1981, another year filled with pop culture moments. In 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered introducing moviegoers to Indiana Jones, arcades received their first Donkey Kong consoles,”9-5” and “Jessie’s Girl” dominated the radio stations, and the royal wedding starring Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles was watched by millions on televisions across the world.

However, Sen. McConnell did not begin his career in the US Congress until 1985; the year of The Breakfast Club, “Take on Me,” and the debut of New Coke. Grace Napolitano (born in 1936) The last time a year was a perfect square (44), 1936 had several significant historical events. Jesse Owens won multiple gold medals at the Berlin Olympics. The novel, Gone with the Wind, was published for the first time and turned into a film a few years later. This is also the year that GEICO became a company. California Representative Grace Napolitano was born in 1936, too. Representative Napolitano was elected to the House of Representatives in 1999, a very historic year. The end of the millennium was surrounded by excitement and fear; many thought that computers would simply stop working. Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, Blair Witch Project, and Tarzan crushed the box office. Destiny’s Child, Brittney Spears, and Christina Aguilera controlled the radio. Oddly enough, 1999 also saw the birth of the iconic GEICO gecko.

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ON STRIKE While the end credits are rolling on the writers strike, actors aren’t ready to wrap up just yet. WORDS NORAH JUDSON DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

he tension between writers and executives in Hollywood had been brewing since March 20, 2023, when contract negotiations for the next three-year period began. When it became clear new contracts were not going to offer what they wanted, members of the Writers Guild of America started to feel restless. On April 3, a vote to authorize a strike went out to writers in the union. Two weeks later, on April 17th, results were tallied. 97.85% of members had voted “yes,” making it clear that a strike was imminent.

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The WGA strike began on May 2, 2023, and stretched on long enough that by July 14, members of the Screen Actors Guild joined them on the picket lines. Members of both unions sought higher wages and better working conditions, along with another issue that largely echoed the concerns brought to the table by the last WGA strike in 2007: residuals. With the rise of streaming services, the format of production has shifted, leaving writers with fewer job opportunities and lower pay. “The issues are greater, and there’s more at stake now,” said Michelle Wright, a producer who worked on the second and third seasons of Netflix’s “Bridgerton”. “It’s about pay … and it’s about residuals, which we’ve always had before … but now with the new streaming services, that model doesn’t work.” The dwindling job market paired with a rise in demand has members of both unions worried about artificial intelligence. Writers and actors alike are calling for regulations to be placed upon the developing technology, wanting to ensure that their jobs don’t fall to machines. “There’s infrastructure in place that covers this present technology and anticipates what they can right now,” said Ben Godar, the executive director of Des Moines Film Society, which renovated the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines, Iowa. “Every few years the technology evolves, and essentially it seems like there almost has to be a work stoppage for the contracts to evolve and deal with that.”

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Production on Hold When the strikes first began, Hollywood executives stated that their plan was to simply wait them out, expressing the sentiment that once writers’ leases were up and they didn’t have the money to renew them, they would readily agree to anything the studios offered. “[The strike] has definitely affected everybody because it’s been going on for five months and… we’re not working,” Wright said. “It’s affected some worse than others…it’s a trickle down effect because it’s not just the people that make the movies, it’s also the people that provide lumber for sets, electrical, costumes [and] prop houses. There’s a lot of people that are affected by the industry.” As weeks stretched into months and it became clear that the unions were not going down without a fight, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a trade organization that negotiates on behalf of executives, stepped in. The AMPTP and the WGA met for the first time in mid-August to discuss the union’s terms for ending the strike. It took until Sept. 24 for the two groups to reach a tentative compromise. On Sept. 27, the writers’ strike was declared officially over as the WGA voted unanimously to recommend the newly revised contract called the Minimum Basic Agreement to union members. Members voted to ratify the contract on Oct. 9, with a 99% approval rate. The new contract will be valid until May 1, 2026.

The tentative agreement placed considerable pressure on SAGAFTRA to wrap up their own negotiations. The actors’ union met with AMPTP on Oct. 2, which marked the first time the groups had spoken since SAG-AFTRA declared their strike in July. It did not yield the desired outcome. In a press release on Oct. 11, the AMPTP stated that they would not be continuing their negotiations with SAGAFTRA, saying “it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction.” SAG-AFTRA’s list of demands included higher wages, boosts in compensation for streaming service content, better health benefits and protections against AI. While AMPTP’s offer included some of these things, SAG-AFTRA agreed that what they were willing to give just wasn’t good enough. The Long Shot The disconnect between SAGAFTRA and AMPTP means that the actors’ strike will continue until further notice, and actors are starting to feel the impacts. As of Oct. 20, SAG-AFTRA had officially been on strike for 100 days, and financial concerns made their way into the spotlight. Since the strike started, actors have been unable to promote their work. Talk shows, premieres and magazine covers are starting to collect dust. Publicity is everything in Hollywood, and without

these counted-on promotional opportunities, actors are starting to worry about what will happen once the strikes come to an end. This concern affects everyone in Hollywood, as A-listers can’t work without the help of smaller B-list cast members. On Oct. 19, a group of A-list celebrities, including George Clooney, Emma Stone and Ben Affleck met with the president of SAG-AFTRA to discuss a possible aid package for striking actors. As some of the top earners in Hollywood, they offered to extend $150 million to the union over the course of the next three years in order to keep their fellow actors in good financial standing. ... And Scene? As conversations regarding the film industry continue, it is pertinent to note that the issues these unions have been fighting for are real, and that they affect everyone, whether the public sees it that way or not. “I think it is an important reminder that these are real people and real artists that are making the work that [people are] seeing,” Godar said. “If they’re not protected in a way that they can earn a quality living…this art that they see is not going to continue to exist.”

On Thursday, November 9, at 12:01 a.m., after several days of negotiations with the AMPTP, SAG-AFTRA declared the actors strike officially over. At the time of its end, the strike had lasted 118 days.

“ It’s about

pay ... and it’s about residuals, which we’ve always had before ... but now with the new streaming services, that model doesn’t work. MICHELLE WRIGHT, PRODUCER

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IOWA BRED

CHANGING CHAN OF THE

CAUCUS T

The Iowa Democratic Caucus takes new shape after the Democratic National Committee stripped Iowa of the first-in-the-nation status.

WORDS LILY WASSERMAN DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

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he origin of the word caucus is unknown and today it has many definitions, but to many Iowans, the presidential caucuses are part of the state’s identity, what defines them to political junkies outside of the Midwest and what gives them their first-in-the-nation status. In February, the Democratic National Convention announced that Iowa would no longer be the first state they would primary in. However, state law states that Iowa must hold its caucuses first in the nation. Iowa Caucus History Caucuses as we know them today only began after 1972, when Iowa gained its first-in-thenation status. “It wasn’t a process that anyone planned,” Donna Hoffman, a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, said. “The prominence of the caucuses kind of materialized as an unintended factor of some rule changes that were done by the Democratic Party.”

Between 1964 and 1968, the Democrats suffered two terrible rounds of presidential nominations. In 1964, the schism in the party over civil rights and the segregationist Southern Democrats caused infighting during the convention, and in 1968, Robert Kennedy’s assassination, the ongoing Vietnam War, Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and Nixon’s dirty tricks campaign compounded into general feelings of discontent with the system. “The Democrats had two consecutive messy ones [primaries] that made it seem like the party wasn’t listening to the people. And so how do you make a process that truly listens to the people?” Leo Landis, curator for the State Historical Society of Iowa, said. “In Iowa, you could argue that a caucus really does listen to individuals and hopefully you’ll get a broad enough range of individuals participating in the caucus process that it represents the will of the party, the people of the party or the people of Iowa in the process.” In order to give more voice to rank-and-file members of the party, the Democrats allocated delegates to presidential nominees and spread out the primaries across more months. Iowa, because of its complex caucus system, chose to hold it in January. As parties shifted on issues, Iowa became reliably purple and candidates from both parties began spending more time in the state earlier in the process. The Iowa Caucuses Today Iowa Code 43.4 states that the caucuses must be held “at least eight days earlier than the scheduled date for any meeting, caucus, or primary which constitutes the first determining stage of the presidential

nominating process in any other state, territory, or any other group which has the authority to select delegates in the presidential nomination,”, and no earlier than the fourth Monday in February. “It’s a place where you can come with little resources and campaign for president of the United States,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-IA, said. “It’s made a big difference for a lot of people that maybe [otherwise] wouldn’t be president of the United States.” While Iowa does not determine the president, a candidate’s performance often indicates later performance. The news is not who won, but who performed better or worse than expected. Results draw or turn away a candidate’s media attention. If a candidate performs terribly in Iowa, they might withdraw. “A lot of people are very skeptical about caucuses because they see them as exclusionary and not as inclusive or as easy to participate in as primaries,” Karen Kedrowski, a professor of political science at Iowa State University, said. “And then there are a lot of people who are critical of the outsized influence of both Iowa and New Hampshire.” The Democratic national party has questioned if Iowa is representative of the entire United States and according to chair Rita Hart, began conversations with the state’s democrats about its status. The state is largely agricultural and white, though defenders of Iowa’s status argue that it is diverse. “For all the criticism Iowa gets, and much of it rightly so, there are strands of both [state] parties that represent strands of the national parties themselves,” Landis said.

The Caucuses Now The Democrats currently plan to split caucusing in two parts, while Republicans plan to continue utilizing their current system. As of now, first part will be in-person, focusing on party building which includes electing precinct chairs and delegates to the national convention. The presidential selections will be through mail-in ballots beginning as early as November 1st. Those results will be announced in March. Hart added that the party was excited about the accessibility that mail-in ballots bring. “I hope that the Iowa Democrats keep fighting to be first in the nation so in 2028 it’ll be both Republicans and Democrats having their caucuses on the same night,” Grassley said. According to Hart, the Democratic National Convention has assured the Iowa Democrats that all states will be on an “even playing field” for 2028 first-in-thenation status. “We’re party building all the time, and that is the plan- to get more Democrats involved, to do a lot of voter education, to work hard on voter registration, so that more people have the ability, willingness, and get out in 2028 to cast a ballot,” Hart said. Because of how the caucuses have ingrained themselves in Iowa’s culture, bringing a sense of neighborliness to politics and creating a “high level of civic and voter engagement”, Kedrowski believes that while they might change, it would be difficult for them to disappear entirely. “I think that what happened as an accident has turned out to really be a crucial part of Iowa’s history and traditions, and one of the things that makes Iowa interesting,” Kedrowski said. Drake Political Review 29

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GETS

POLITICAL 30

Fall 2023

As this new generation comes of age, the political landscape in America is changing. WORDS JACK HARRINGTON DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

is here and ready to make a difference. They are showing up in moments that matter—protesting, voting and just caring in the first place. They have the opportunity to make real change in this country, with young people from both parties wanting to accomplish something, something past generations have struggled with. They grew up in a political environment that past generations couldn’t fathom. They were introduced to the world in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and watched America fight wars in the Middle East, and then watched the financial crisis of 2008 rock their families at a young age. They spent much of their childhood with Barack Obama in the White House; they were the first generation to grow up with something other than a white man as president. They watched the 2016 election at an age that many could understand the implications. Then they became adults, with some able

to vote in the 2020 presidential election and then watch the aftermath of it. They watched the January 6 insurrection in real time. This generation has grown up through some of the most divisive times in American history. They are now at an age where they can start to make more of a difference and are taking on that challenge. The 2022 Midterms One of the clearest demonstrations of Gen Z’s political ambition came in the 2022 midterms when they set voting records for young people. Their presence in the midterms far surpassed expectations and directly impacted the election results. According to the Census Current Population Survey data, 28.3% of citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in 2022. That may sound ridiculously low, being just over a quarter of the population in that age range, but that rate is considerably greater than past generations. In 2006, only 23% of millennials voted. In 1990, 23.5% of Gen X voted, and in 1974, 27.9% of Baby Boomers voted. Additionally, these four elections were in midterm elections, elections fewer people typically vote in. These percentages may seem small, but that extra 5% of an age range makes an incredible difference in an election. 18-year-old activist Hannah Hayes has been highly involved in Iowa politics over recent years, protesting at the capitol and participating in many organizations that attempt to take charge and make a difference. Her journey began with climate change and has evolved into much more. “Gen Z voters showed up in the last midterms.

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That’s why we didn’t see the ‘Red Wave’ everyone predicted,” Hayes said. “We need to utilize our voices and our right to vote. We can make change. Gen Z is very passionate about social justice, and if we vote that way, we will see positive change.” There were many projections that Republicans would dominate the

2022 midterm elections; however, that’s not exactly what happened. Democrats grew their majority in the Senate by one seat. While they lost four seats in the House, it was a significantly smaller loss than expected or usual for a president’s first midterms, 2022 being Joe Biden’s first midterm election. In 2018, Donald Trump and Republicans lost 41 seats. In Barack Obama’s first midterm in 2010, his party lost 63 seats. Biden’s four-seat loss is not a win per se for Democrats, but it is hard to call it much of a loss in a historical context. Gen Z has been given a lot of credit for the results of the midterms. A poll taken by the National Election Pool showed that 61% of Gen Z voters voted for the Democratic candidate, compared to only 36% voting for the Republican candidate. Is Gen Z All Blue? It would be naïve to think that Democrats will win every election from now on or that the Republican party is dead. That just isn’t true. It wouldn’t be naïve, however, to say that young people aren’t engaged by a party of white men in their 60s who haven’t given those who aren’t wealthy whites a reason to support them while they flounder in the government when they have any power at all.

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Recently, Republicans pushed for a government shutdown narrowly avoided by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy when he worked with Democrats to get a deal done at the last second. That led House Republicans to oust him from the speakership, the first time that has happened in American history. After ousting him, they couldn’t agree on a successor, shutting the House down and leaving the legislative branch effectively shut down for nearly a month. All the while, two wars wage on worldwide waiting for muchneeded American support. The Republican Party’s dysfunction while attempting governance has shown clear to Gen Z as they’ve watched it unfold. “Politicians are trying to make young people feel like we don’t have any power and tell us everything is hopeless, but that’s not true,” Hayes said. “You look at all the things happening, especially on the federal level because of protests, because we’re demanding change, we can see that we really can make a difference. So don’t let politicians convince you otherwise. Just find the issues you’re passionate about and do something about them.” There is evidence that some politicians want to make voting more difficult for young people. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy suggested raising the voting age to 25. Ohio, Florida, Nebraska, Idaho and Georgia have passed bills making voting more challenging. Bills that make mail-in voting less accessible, restrict what IDs people can use

to vote and make registering to vote more difficult in the first place. Some people could look at what has been happening in the Republican Party as to why Gen Z is showing up now. In the past 10 years, the Republican Party has elected a reality TV star to the presidency, incited and acted in one of the greatest acts of terror on U.S. soil in the past two decades, fought against the LGBTQ+ community, abolished Roe v. Wade, continued attempts to ban many classic books from public schools and libraries, avoided doing anything about climate change and ignored doing anything about gun violence and school shootings. These are issues that many young people feel strongly about. Issues that motivate people to participate. The Future Gen Z Faces Josh Mandelbaum is an environmental lawyer serving on the Des Moines City Council who ran for Mayor of Des Moines in Nov. 2023. “They [Gen Z] understand the problems that we are facing,” Mandelbaum said. “From climate change to gun violence in ways that others don’t. Gen Z realizes

“ Politicians are

trying to make young people feel like we don’t have any power and tell us everything is hopeless, but that’s not true HANNAH HAYES, ACTIVIST

the urgency in addressing these issues because these issues will directly impact their future.” That may be a vital factor in why Gen Z is so involved. Past generations’ failures could lead to a scary reality in the future. A future many people making the decisions won’t be alive to see. Gen Z will see firsthand the effects of their choices. “With climate change, what you hear a lot is people, especially the older generations, say, ‘Oh my god, your generation gives us so much hope. You guys are going to be the ones to solve climate change,’” said Hayes. “That’s super unfair and puts a lot of the responsibility on us when we are not responsible for climate change.” While Gen Z’s time has yet to begin fully, their presence has given hope to people of all ages that something will change. A hard-headed young generation looking to accomplish their beliefs and push older generations to start working towards a functioning government, at the very least. That last part has yet to show through, but as younger people get increasingly involved, the goal is to change that. “My hope is that with more young people voting, it will change what is possible from a political and policy perspective,” said Mandelbaum. “We have acted too slowly or failed to act on too many important policy issues. Gen Z will demand that the folks they support and elect address issues like climate change and gun safety.”

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ACROSS THE POND

A TALE OF T WO

SINKING

SHIPS O

n June 14, 2023 a ship designed for 500 passengers but carrying 750 capsized and sank in the Mediterranean killing hundreds. For the weeks that followed bodies continually were being recovered or washed up on shores. The Greek Coast Guard originally tried to tow the boat out of their waters but failed leading to the capsize. Greece labeled it the deadliest shipwreck in the Mediterranean.

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On June 18, 2023 a 21-foot, sealed submersible with five people on board and a 96-hour oxygen supply, embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to see the wreck of the infamous RMS Titanic located about 370 miles southeast of Newfoundland, Canada and about 12,500 feet below the northern Atlantic. It was an hour and 45 minutes into the expedition when OceanGate crews lost contact with the submersible. Within the hour a massive four day-long international search and rescue was initiated and led by both the United States and Canadian Coast Guards.

111 years after the tragic sinking of the Titanic that claimed more than 1500 lives, it is still making headlines and overshadowing other disasters including the deaths of hundreds more migrants in a shipwreck off the coast coverage was given to of Greece. the deaths of five individuals WORDS PARKER WRIGHT DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

Every major news outlet and media source reported on it and it was in most internet feeds. Some stations even had countdown clocks on their broadcasts counting down to when the oxygen supply would run out. The search and rescue ended on the fourth day when debris and human remains were found suggesting the vessel imploded. As a result the U.S. Coast Guard convened the Marine Board of Investigation to look further into the incident. Tributes poured in to honor the five victims and their families. Startling Comparison Controversy quickly arose around the fact that media coverage of the Titanic sub was extensive while the Mediterranean boat sinking was hardly ever mentioned, many never even knew it happened. Many instantly pointed out the glaring difference in the fact that

the sub disaster killed five millionaires, whereas the shipwreck killed hundreds of migrants attempting to seek asylum. “The catastrophic event was barely mentioned, even before five rich guys went missing on an expensive and dangerous adventure of their choosing,” said Trinity Schmillovitz, a reporter for YNet News. Schmillovitz said that media outlets in the United States tend to struggle with reporting international stories that don’t have an American angle. They are more obsessed with ratings and viral stories than issues that may be more pressing. “At the end of the day, there is no denying the truth. If you are poor, your life matters less in this world,” Schmillovtiz said. “If you happen to be a refugee who has found themselves drowning, you better hope some millionaires’ yacht is floating nearby.” Relatability Some argued that money had nothing to do with it and started wondering if there was another reason as to why so much

vs hundreds. Richard Bright, a media representative for the Human Rights Watch, said what happened to the migrant boat was devastating, but the unfortunate truth is that it is harder for people to relate. According to Bright – as well as other human rights and migrant advocates online – the general population, especially in the United States, tends to favor news where there’s a notable face or easy to understand topic. In this case, a submarine with five easy to recognize millionaires visiting one of the most infamous shipwrecks in human history was significantly easier to digest compared to a ship overfilled with over 700 migrants fleeing Libya and trying to seek asylum in Italy capsizing due to the Greek Coast Guard trying to get rid of them. “I don’t think money had anything to do with it, it was about how personable the situation was,” Bright said. “Everyone knew the faces and names of the people killed in the submersible, it was harder to identify the people who drowned in the Mediterranean. It’s easy to empathize with people you can see instead of nameless faces in a crowd.” Drake Political Review 35

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IN A

WORLD WORDS MADELINE CRAWFORD DESIGN PAIGE MINOR

The impact of Modern Feminism in Media 100 years after the proposal of the ERA.

efore there were Barbies in pink jumpsuits teaming up to dismantle the patriarchy, there was Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman on the floor of Congress introducing the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923. In the past 100 years, women have entered the workforce, ran for congress, gone to the moon and directed blockbuster films. Feminism in America has come a long way since the ERA was introduced in 1923, so why has the amendment not been ratified into the constitution? History of the ERA The 19th Amendment was a monumental step forward for the rights of women in America, but the work could not stop there. Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman, the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, decided that the fight was not over after achieving female voting status. They proposed the ERA to establish gender equality in the Drake Political Review 37

constitution as a means to protect the rights of women who had not even been explicitly mentioned in the text until the addition of the 19th Amendment. The government approved Equal Rights Amendment definition states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.” The Ratification Process The constitutional ratification process is the same for every amendment proposed. Federally, the amendment needs to obtain majority support from both chambers of Congress. On the state level, supermajority support from three quarters of state legislators is required for ratification. In terms of the ERA, it was passed by both chambers of the U.S. congress in the 1970s and sent out to state legislators. “It seemed like it was going to be ratified because it received so many state ratifications even on the first day,” said Wilfred U. Codrington III, a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice and an Associate Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. Within the first initial years, the ERA saw great progress in the process of ratification. “It was at the point when 35 states had said yes, and it just needed three more,” said Codrington. At this point in history, there were a number of social issues occuring that hindered the remaining states to take the final steps. Codrington cites the Roe v. Wade decision and conservative response to the Civil Rights Movement and the gay liberation 38

Fall 2023

movement as key factors in the hesitance for state ratification of the ERA. “After these things subsided, there was conservative backlash. In my view, the Equal Rights Amendment was one of those victims of that conservative backlash,” said Codrington. As the clock ticked on, The ERA reached the point where it would expire if it did not achieve state ratification, based on the seven year deadline. Congress voted to extend the deadline for three and a half more years. “During that time it did not get more state ratifications. In fact, there were some states that purported to rescind their earlier ratifications,” said Codrington. The fight for ratification expired in the early 1980s when the final deadline was not met. According to Codrington, It wasn’t until the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election in 2016 that states decided to pick up where they left off. After 2016, The ERA was reintroduced into legislative conversation through the Three State Strategy. Since before they were three states short of ratifying the amendment, they had to get three more states to ratify to reach the desired 38. Nevada was the first of the three states to ratify the ERA in 2017, with Illinois following closely with their ratification in 2018. Virginia was the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment on January 15, 2020. Feminism in Media What efforts can be made for Americans to finally adopt the ERA? Media representation may be a solution. Media’s portrayal of feminism and equal rights issues has become more prevalent in the past decade and has led to an increase in conversation

surrounding feminist issues and gender equality. For instance, let’s look at Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie”. The film was a monumental force in popular culture this past summer and surpassed many milestones in regard to financial gain, media reception and critical praise. Larger audiences than ever before flocked to their local silver screens to see the film, which expanded the reach of its feminist message to audiences who may not be exposed to it otherwise. When asked about the phenomenon surrounding the film’s release, Feminist media scholar Beth Younger said, “Barbie was such a huge deal. Everyone knew about it. Almost everybody saw it. So you can argue that “Barbie” shaped culture. Barbie has existed forever, but we’ve never had that before.” Feminism in American film and television had never been as transparent as it was in “Barbie”. Younger believes it has evolved over the years. “In some ways the media’s portrayal of feminism has evolved in terms of overt discussions of gender equity and gender equality. As opposed to the undertone of it.” Younger said. “There are films that you can watch from any era where feminism either doesn’t exist in a way or gender roles exist in traditional form and are not critiqued.” In the 2023 blockbuster, Barbie was President, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, a construction worker, an astronaut and every other career possible. Barbie defied past standards of gender performance and can teach younger generations to aspire to be like her. Feminist storylines in media like “Barbie”, have the power to enact a change in ideology and popular culture. In fact, they might even have the power to impact issues like the ERA.

Right Place, Right Time? Since 2020, there has been plenty of legal discussion on where the ERA will go next. “There has been a movement in politics and law to try to get the archivists to either acknowledge that it is ratified validly or to have other members sort of reject that ratification as invalid,” Codrington said. In terms of the sociopolitical trajectory of the amendment, Codrington said, “I think that the trend is to adopt, ratify and support the ERA more than it is to rescind.” These trends in acceptance toward the amendment are a product of the time period we are currently existing in. The trend toward ratification for the ERA and the monumental success of “Barbie” can both be attributed to the current socio political environment following the #MeToo movement and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. According to CNBC, “Barbie” is now the “highestgrossing film directed solely by a female director”. Greta Gerwig’s gender could have been a tool that helped her write and direct an authentic feminine story, but the movie also came at a time in history where women are advocating louder than ever for equal pay and reproductive rights. Younger said, “I can’t imagine that Greta Gerwig sat around and said,” I’m going to shake the culture of feminism.” Maybe she did. But sometimes things like this seem to just come out at the right time.” As studios begin to release more films with feminist themes in the future to capitalize off of the success of “Barbie”, it will be interesting to see how attitudes toward legislation like the ERA will evolve.

Drake Political Review 39

IOWA BRED

HEALTHCARE

DESERTS IN RURAL

IOWA Just addressing rural Iowans’ healthcare needs isn’t as simple as telehealth visits or building healthcare facilities in underserved areas. Even as Iowa makes strides in rural healthcare, disparities remain.

WORDS MACK SWENSON DESIGN PAIGE MINOR 40

Fall 2023

hariton resident Nicole Loew is expecting a child in March and is assessing her birthing hospital options. Her rural Iowa town has a hospital, but its maternity ward closed. She could drive 25 minutes to the critical access hospital in Corydon, but their birthing volume is low. Or she could drive over an hour to Des Moines. For rural Iowans like Loew, getting into the doctor isn’t just a matter of scheduling an appointment. This isn’t only a problem for a small subset of Iowans;

according to the Iowa Rural Health And Primary Care Report, 35.7% of Iowa’s population is rural. The report illustrates that half of Iowa’s 99 counties – and parts of 8 more – apply for the Health Professional Shortage Designation, a federal designation for an area with a minimum population-toprofessional ratio of 3,500:1 According to the report, rural areas have larger underinsured percentages and a greater number of chronic conditions – issues all compounded by health care shortages. Policymakers in Iowa have sought to address such political determinants of healthcare, with varying levels of success. “Your zip code will impact your health more than your genetic code, and rural areas are worse off,”said Loew, a nurse researcher

who received her PhD in women’s health nursing. “And a lot of that is because of policy.” Iowa has numerous programs to encourage providers to move to rural areas. The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) offers primary care providers the opportunity to have their student loans repaid in exchange for providing health care in communities with limited access to care. To qualify, providers must serve at least 2 years. However, Loew said that providers often move to more urbanized areas afterwards, leaving rural communities without consistent care. “There’s just not a lot of people who aspire to live and practice in rural areas. People become really used to their amenities,” Loew said. Besides finding a doctor, rural Iowans may also face circumstantial and economic barriers to accessing care. A mother with children, for instance, might need to take work off and find childcare. And if that

mother is like 16.6% of Iowa women, according to the 2022 March of Dimes report, she might need to drive a half hour each way – all for an appointment that might not last longer than 5 minutes. Thus, even if she possesses means to attend a face-to-face appointment, she might not consider the drive worthwhile. Since the pandemic, providers have increasingly turned to virtual medical appointments, a practice known as telehealth. During the pandemic, insurance companies were forced to compensate physicians for telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits, further increasing the practice’s popularity. However, telehealth isn’t a cure-all for rural healthcare. Rural broadband is a barrier, as is the ability of doctors to provide diagnoses requiring physical inspections. Additionally, the equal compensation bill will expire soon. “If anything good – and I use that word loosely – came out of the pandemic, it’s that telehealth made its presence,” Loew said. “...The concern is if those rates get rolled back, is everybody going to stop doing telehealth?” Renewing the requirement for insurance companies to equally compensate telehealth services, relieving loans for healthcare professionals who work in rural areas, and even funding rural hospitals might just be the tip of the iceberg of legislation that could improve rural health. As with the whole discipline of public health, rural health is a frustratingly interdisciplinary issue. “Whether it’s about farming, roads [or] rural broadband, it all impacts health, every single thing, and I don’t think [legislators] see that,” Loew said. Drake Political Review 41

OVER STATE LINES

W HICH

POLITICAL

ARE

TV SHOW

YOU?

The only personality assessment you’ll ever need. WORDS PAIGE LAMBERT DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

Fall 2023

You are the main character in everyone’s lives. If you didn’t exist, neither would reality. You also are always prepared for any and every possible thing to go wrong. You are always early, always have band-aids and snacks in your bag, and always make sure your phone is at least 80% charged before you go somewhere While some may think your behaviors are extreme, you know it is always better to be safe than sorry.

You think she did it but you just can’t prove it. You live for drama, whether it’s about you or others. You especially love political drama. For example, you live for moments of political turmoil within the Federal Government; the constant jabs House members (in)directly say about their coworkers is your KUWTK. You may get frustrated with the state of the government and American Politics, but you also appreciate the discourse it creates on social media.

You’re extremely involved in local politics. You strongly believe that the best places to instigate change are at the county and state levels. You are proud to be from the Midwest and don’t plan on leaving. Your hometown pride runs deep within your veins. Corn is the most important food in your diet, followed by dairy products. You think you are always the funniest person in the room, though your friends may not always appreciate your sense of humor. Your favorite word is pragmatic.

While you may not be a history major, you love the past. Nostalgia is a key part of your personality. You love learning about the law and how it has been used to reinforce systemic inequalities. Your middle school trip to Washington DC changed you in more ways than can be counted. In your dreams, you earn a Ph.D. in American Studies and a JD from an Ivy League. The culture and dynamics of the US are extremely unique, and you find them beyond fascinating. Drake Political Review 43

ACROSS THE POND 44

SILENCING THE SILVER

Fall 2023

The weaponization of media censorship and its broader implications on international relations and popular culture.

his past summer “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” smashed box office records and elicited a lively international internet discourse, that is, for those it was available to. Both films were perceived negatively internationally and promptly censored; Oppenheimer was censored in Japan and Barbie was censored in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, sparking a larger discourse on the purpose of media censorship in foreign countries and how this affects international relations and popular culture. Media Censorship Censorship is an ambiguous phenomenon that prohibits media and or literature that is deemed politically or socially threatening; therefore, these considerations are made based upon cultural and political standards. The reasons for censorship range from shielding obscene content to influencing public opinion. So why do “Barbie” and “Oppenhiemer” fall under these categories? “The primary reasons that different governments restrict access to information or restrict the media has to do with government criticism, particularly around criticism of human rights,” said Jillian York, Electronic Frontier Foundation Director for International and Internal Expression. Thus, these films are restricted because they present an unwanted message of their respective countries that does not align with their personal values. “And when governments restrict access, to pop culture to information to you know, whatever it is, they're essentially denying a level playing field to their citizens,” said York. These films are mainstream examples of the deep-rooted matter of censorship, but various foreign countries censor media through considerably minuit ways, such as: blocking domain names, blocking keywords and removing content and search results. These acts are a clear violation of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as it grants individuals the right “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and

WORDS GRACE RILEY DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

regardless of frontiers”. However, with the presence of totalitarian censorship this human right is not being protected or upheld by any international actors. China – A Case Study China did not directly enter censorship discourse regarding these two films; however, they are a powerful frontier of media censorship. Internationally exerting the highest level of totalitarian control over media internally and externally. Without discussion of China’s censorship, the broader international relations implications cannot be explored adequately. In February 2016, Chinese President Xi Jingping announced a media policy that states, “All the work by the party’s media must reflect the party’s will, safeguard the party’s authority, and safeguard the party’s unity,” This highlighted that the state media must align with Jinping’s leadership. Thus amplifying the use of the Golden Shield Project, a project whose sole focus is to promote censorship and surveillance on the Chinese population, domestic and abroad. This is just one of the dozen government projects that enforce information flow in and out of China. “China self disciplines their people and their media not to say things critical of China because China is a very rich and powerful country and able to buy a lot of friends,” said Terry Branstad, the former U.S. Ambassador to China. Not only is China in control of domestic media, but foreign media too. China requires foreign media to gain permission from the government before reporting on any internal Chinese matters; moreover, completely blocking foreign reporters from entering the country altogether. Therefore, preventatively restricting information flow from all foreign actors from entering or exiting the country. Restriction of media ensures that individuals are unable to operate at the same level of knowledge compared to their liberal counterparts. “It is important to protect the free flow of information globally so that everyone all over the world has the same access to information and the ability to express themselves – the ability to fight for democracy,” said York.

Drake Political Review 45

OVER STATE LINES

AFFIRMATIVE

ACTION

NO MORE

In a historic decision, the Supreme Court reexamined the future of college admissions sparking debates about equity and inclusion on the nation’s campuses. WORDS RILEY PALMER DESIGN PAIGE MINOR 46

Fall 2023

his past summer, the academic world was sent into a spiral, Affirmative Action had been effectively overturned. The Supreme Court, following decades of precedent and established legal framework, ruled to slash race-conscious admissions. Conversations surrounding the fairness of these admissions have been occurring since its implementation in 1965. Now, the question is how the academic world will adapt and the predicted effects on minority students. What Is Affirmative Action? The concept of affirmative action has existed for years now, intended to open doors for minorities in the workplace and in the lecture hall. This concept is traceable to as early as the 20th century. Executive Order 10925 and 11246 established the groundwork for Affirmative Action. Order 10925, instituted by John F. Kennedy, commanded that government agencies “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin.” Lyndon B. Johnson’s, Order 11246, further emphasized non-discrimination practices. These laid the legal foundation for Affirmative Action in employment and education. Precedent The Supreme Court’s decision may have come as a surprise to the public. However, the precedent has long been built to dismantle this program. The Court reviewed two cases for this landmark decision: Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College; and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina. The Court found that policies within Affirmative Action violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI. SFA, the front runner of these cases, is a conservative group steered by Edward Blum. SFA claims, “racial classifications and preferences in college admissions are unfair, unnecessary, and unconstitutional.”

Drake Political Review 47

Blum, who is a self described “legal activist” has attempted to dismantle race-based admissions for the past three decades. Blum first brought his issue to the Supreme Court in 2012, with Fisher v. University of Texas. Despite Blum losing this case, he proceeded to file roughly two dozen lawsuits against Affirmative Action. On Jun. 29, 2023, Blum and SFA won their case, contributing to the overruling of Affirmative Action. Chris Stangl, an Associate Professor and expert in Political Science, explained Affirmative Action in the context of the Equal Protection Clause and whether it provides an advantage or increases equality by evening out the playing field. “The formulation ‘evening out the playing field’ actually makes it harder for supporters to argue on behalf of Affirmative Action in the context of the Equal Protection Clause,” Stangl said. Stangl stated that even before the decision to overturn Affirmative Action this past June, the Supreme Court had been clear that the constitutional justification for Affirmative Action was for the purposes of encouraging diversity not meeting race quotas. Attitudes Towards Affirmative Action American attitudes towards Affirmative Action are extremely varied. Some view these practices as a way of righting the wrongs of America by providing opportunities as compensation to marginalized groups. Conversely, others view them as equally discriminatory. Dr. Cassie Striblen, an Associate Professor and expert in Philosophy, says there are ethical dilemmas clouding Affirmative Action. “For some, race-conscious college admissions might be interpreted as a form of compensatory justice, where one party has harmed another and therefore must make those harmed ‘whole’,” Striblen said. “We recognize this concept, for example, when a company has a faulty product that hurts someone and they then have to pay for that person’s pain and suffering.” Striblen went on to say that the biggest problem is the institutions who historically caused harm by refusing to admit students on the account of their race are not the same institutions being asked to pay the cost of competition in terms of fewer open spots for the majority of students seeking admission. “There is no question that harm occurred; the issue is how to fix it today,” Striblen said. According to a Dec. 2022 Pew Research Center

Fall 2023

survey of Americans who were aware of Affirmative Action, 36% perceived it as good and 29% perceived it as bad. Upon further examination, there were significant splits when specific groups were surveyed about their thoughts on race-consciousness in college admissions. Groups who identified as Black adults experienced the greatest approval at 47%, whilst groups who identified as White adults experienced the lowest approval at 29%. What Does This Mean for Academics? Striblen said that advancement within the academic world means changes must be implicated. “Everyone likes to believe that the positions they’ve achieved are the result of their own personal merit and not because of who their uncle is or because they are taller than average or because of sheer luck,” Striblen said. “But unfortunately, many of life’s successes come down to connections and timing, with merit playing a smaller role for all of us than any of us want to believe.” She went on to say that Affirmative Action might be tied to experiences of hardship rather than characteristics like sex or race. She used zip codes as an example, stating that zip codes could possibly predict many things about the hardships individuals face and the likely obstacles they have overcome. Striblen suggested also that there could be context specific implementation of Affirmative Action. “We know there is a need for more African American physicians in the U.S.. African American patients often want African American doctors but cannot find them. Recognizing patient demand ought to encourage medical schools to admit African American students who meet the minimum qualifications,” Striblen said. According to Striblen, if colleges simply admitted students solely based on grades and scores, many colleges would be upwards of 80% female. “Most college students are looking for a more diverse experience and want more males around. College admissions officers know this and so this gives male students a boost.” Striblen said. “That’s Affirmative Action, too, only here it is not about compensatory justice but about creating a certain kind of diverse learning environment most of us recognize as having value.”

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