Economic – Time Surf

Canadian Truckers Ride for Freedom

On Sunday, Jan. 23, a convoy of trucks, which may be the largest ever recorded, began a journey from British Columbia to Ottawa to protest Canada’s latest COVID-19 vaccine mandate that targeted truckers. The convoy is set to arrive at the nation’s capital on Saturday, Jan. 29, where it will be joined by two more convoys from Newfoundland and Windsor, Ont. Together, the truckers plan to stage a protest on Parliament Hill.

Biden Administration’s Covid-19 Mandates Head to the Supreme Court Tomorrow

Tomorrow, on Friday, January 6, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments about the legality of forcing vaccine mandates on employees throughout the nation.

It has been a short, but intense road leading to this moment. It began on November 5, 2021, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to control businesses’ response to Covid-19. On the same day, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a rule targeting healthcare workers.

Breakdown of the Sixth Circuit’s Disappointing Majority Opinion Dissolving Stay on OSHA’s Vaccine Mandate.

On December 17, the Sixth Circuit issued a disappointing reversal of the Fifth Circuit’s stay on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that mandates vaccine requirements for employers with one hundred or more employees.

The decision came from a split panel of two to one. Judge Jane Stranch, an Obama appointee delivered the opinion. She was joined by Judge Julia Gibbons, a Bush appointee. Judge Joan Larsen, a Trump appointee, dissented. Tomorrow that decision goes to the Supreme Court. Here, I provide a layout of the main points.

FDA Requests 55 Years to Fully Release Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Data

In November of 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committed to transparency, open dialogue, and efficiency when dealing with decisions to grant emergency requests for COVID-19 vaccines.

“The FDA understands there is tremendous public interest regarding vaccines for COVID-19. We remain committed to keeping the public informed about the evaluation of the data of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, so that once available, the public and the medical community can have trust and confidence in receiving the vaccine for our families and ourselves.”
FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.

Despite this promise to the American people, the FDA has now asked a United States Federal District Court for 55 years to produce the data and information it relied upon to license Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty. To be clear, the FDA claims it conducted an intense review of these same documents in just 108 days to authorize Comirnaty in the first place.

OSHA Suspends Enforcement of Vaccine Mandate as Case Heads to 6th Circuit

Five days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a stay of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a statement complying with the order.

This decision comes as yet another temporary breath of relief for thousands of American workers facing a stark decision – get vaxxed or get lost.

The Fifth Circuit doubles down on its stay of OSHA’s vaccine mandate. But relief may only be temporary.

This past Friday, the Fifth Circuit reaffirmed its initial stay of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate which was issued via an emergency temporary standard (ETS) by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on November 5, 2021.

The mandate would require citizens who work at businesses with 100 plus employees to vaccinate against Covid-19 or undergo weekly tests (at their own expense) and wear masks. In an opinion, available on the 5th Circuit’s website, the Court found that the mandate was “staggeringly overbroad.”

2021 Glasgow Climate Change Conference Kicks Off

While Americans celebrated Halloween this Sunday, the United Nations (UN) kicked off its Climate Change Conference on October 31. It is slated to continue until November 12.

Over the next two weeks, over 120 world leaders will speak in Glasgow, the seat of the industrial revolution, to negotiate plans for a concerted climate response.

Microsoft is shutting down LinkedIn in China, but is pushing forward InJobs as a replacement.

Microsoft has announced its decision to shut down LinkedIn in China. This marks the end of one of America’s last remaining social platforms in the region. According to company officials, the move is driven by increased regulations and censorship.

Taiwan Emphasizes Democracy and International Friendship during National Day Celebrations

Following a week of tense interactions with Beijing (click here to read more), Taiwan celebrated its Double Ten Day on Sunday, October 10, 2021. The theme of the event was democracy and Taiwan’s role in the world.

The day’s ceremonial event kicked off with a greeting from Taiwan’s legislative president Yu Shyi-kun who welcomed guests and gave a short speech that touched on Covid-19, Taiwanese Olympic Triumphs, economic growth, and historical pursuit of democracy and freedom.

“Taiwan is an important part of the world,” he said. It is “a force for good, a force for democracy, and a friendly presence.”