And… we’re back! It’s January 17, 2023 and there are 349 days left in the year. On today’s NOTICE News: Republican leaders in New York have been calling on one of their own Congressmen to resign. We’ll tell you why. Plus: Are we in the middle of a new space race? Here’s a transcript of today’s show.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it significant that the head Republican in Santos’ own county is calling on him to resign?
- Why might leading Republicans in Congress be hesitant to demand that George Santos step down?
- Many of the lies that George Santos has told have been upsetting to people, but why might his claim of being the grandson of Holocaust survivors be considered particularly shocking?
- What parties—either groups or individuals—might be frustrated that more classified documents have been found at President Biden’s home in Delaware, and why?
- Why might it be concerning to the U.S. and other nations if China becomes the leader in the race to Mars?
- What could be some advantages of two countries, like the U.S. and Japan, working on space research together?
Writing Prompts
- Dishonesty is obviously problematic, but why might some voters in George Santos’ district be so upset about his lying? How might his dishonesty affect his relationship with his constituents from now on, and what issues could arise from such a relationship?
- If George Santos were to resign, his district in New York would require a new election, and this could put his House seat up for grabs–open to both Republicans and Democrats. Should Republicans try to get Santos out of the House, and risk further narrowing their slim majority? What’s more important—the integrity of their members, or having a less difficult time governing?
- In the past, the space race was between two nations—the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. What might be some effects—both potentially positive and negative—of the U.S. building a large international coalition to work together on the next space race to Mars?
Further Reading
- Our top story: Rep. Santos Says He Won’t Resign, Only Leave If Voted Out In Next Election (Reuters)
- But but but: A top Republican in Congress says Santos will be removed if he violated campaign finance laws (Reuters)
- A new space race? The BBC examines, Can humanity’s new giant leap into space succeed?
- Go Deeper: Why NASA is aiming for the moon, and how we’ll get there (NASA)
- And on the other side of the world, China Maps Out Plans to Put Astronauts on the Moon and on Mars (NY Times)