Faces and Places

President Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, died on August 15th, at the age of 71. The White House did not release the cause of his death. The president visited his brother in the hospital just a day before his death. After college, Robert Trump worked on Wall Street before becoming the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also supported Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election by raising money for him and other Republicans. Friends of Robert Trump described him as reserved, and happy to remain out of the spotlight. Recently, Robert was one of Donald Trump’s four siblings who filed a lawsuit to stop the release of a tell-all book about the Trump family by their niece, Mary Trump. The lawsuit failed and the book was released. President Trump issued a statement following his brother’s death saying in part: “He was not just my brother, he was my best friend…His memory will live in my heart forever.” Why do you think Robert Trump preferred to stay out of the spotlight?

Robert Redfield

In a recent interview, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, warned that the fall could bring one of the worst public health crises the country has ever seen. Redfield said that the fall flu season could make the spread of the coronavirus worse. He encouraged Americans to wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash their hands. He also encouraged people to get the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is especially important this year because those infected with the flu could take up valuable space in hospitals. But how bad the fall will be depends on how well Americans follow health guidelines, Redfield said. Reports have shown that if 95 percent of people wear masks, the spread of the virus could decrease by 30 percent. Redfield also said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that a coronavirus vaccine will be available at the beginning of 2021. What do you think should be done to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus?

Many Iowa residents are still dealing with the fallout of a violent storm that swept across the state. The storm was one of the worst weather events in the U.S. during 2020. The storm, which traveled over 700 miles across the Midwest, was considered a derecho. Derechos are strong windstorms similar to hurricanes, usually occurring inland. In Iowa, the storm did massive damage to farm crops and destroyed many businesses and homes. Wind gusts in one Iowa city were recorded up to 112 mph. After the storm ended, 800,000 people in the Midwest were without power. But many Iowans believe they haven’t received the help they need yet. Almost a week after the storm, President Trump signed a $45 million relief order for public utilities and buildings but has yet to approve funding for individuals and farmers. Experts believe the coronavirus pandemic has also slowed the response effort. How do you think the federal government should assist Iowa?

Bolivia

Protesters in Bolivia are demanding that presidential elections not be delayed any longer. The protests come as the country attempts to deal with the coronavirus, which has so far killed 3,700 Bolivians. Union members, indigenous people, and supporters of former president Evo Morales have called for a general strike and for elections to be held in September. Morales was forced out as president last November over claims that his last election was not conducted fairly. This claim was recently found to be untrue. Following his removal, a right-wing interim government was established until elections could take place in January 2020. But since then, the election has been postponed twice. The interim government claims the delays are in response to the coronavirus, but polls show that Morales’ party would win again in a fair election. Evo Morales is currently taking refuge in Argentina. Do you think Bolivians are right to protest these delays? Why or why not?