2023 Philadelphia General Election Voter Guide

Cole Welsh, Staff

Pennsylvania’s next general election is on Nov. 7. To check your voter registration status visit vote.org. To see where to vote, visit the Committee of 70. For those who are registered to vote in Philadelphia, below is a guide on what your ballot may look like on election day:

For the Justice of the Supreme Court, citizens can vote for one candidate, either Daniel McCaffery (D) or Carolyn Carluccio (R).

Voters can vote for no more than two for Judge of the Superior CourtJill Beck (D), Timika Lane (D), Maria Battista (R) and Harry Smail Jr. (R) are all running.

Voters can select either Matt Wolf (D) or Megan Martin (R) for Judge of the Commonwealth Court.

Citizens can vote for the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and vote for no more than 13 candidates. The following candidates are running for the position: Natasha Taylor-Smith (D), Tamika Washington (D), Samantha Willams (D), Kay Yu (D), John Padova (D), Chesley Lightsey (D), Brian McLaughlin (D), Damaris Garica (D), Caroline Turner (D), Jessica Brown (D), James Eisenhower (D), Elvin Ross (D) and Raj Sandher (D).

Barbara Thomson (D), Colleen McIntyre Osborne (D) and Rania Major (R) are all running for Judge of the Municipal Court. Voters can select no more than two candidates for this position.

For mayor, citizens can select either Cherelle Parker (D) or David Oh (R).

For City Commissioner, voters will select no more than two. The candidates for this position are Omar Sabir (D) (incumbent), Lisa Deeley (D) (incumbent) and Seth Bluestein (R) (incumbent).

For City Controller, Christy Brady (D) is running against Aaron Bashir (R), and voters can vote for only one candidate.

John Sabatina (D) is running against Linwood Holland (R) for Register of Wills, and citizens can vote for only one candidate.

Citizens will vote for only one candidate for Sheriff, either Rochelle Bilal (D)—the incumbent—or Mark LaVelle (R).

Citizens will have the opportunity to vote for no more than 5 candidates running for City Council at Large,The following are running for City Council at Large:Isaiah Thomas (incumbent), Katherine Gilmore Richardson (incumbent), Rue Landau, Nina Ahmad and Jim Harrity (incumbent) are running as Democrats. Drew Murray and Jim Hasher are running as Republicans. Kendra Brooks (incumbent) and Nicolas O’Rourke are running as members of the Working Families Party.

Each district will elect a City Councilperson. In District 1 Mark Squilla (D), the incumbent councilman, is running unopposed. InDistrict 2 (vote for one): Kenyatta Johnson (D), the incumbent councilman, is running unopposed.District 3 has a race with Jamie Gauthier (D), the incumbent councilwoman, is running against Jabari Jones (West is Best).Citizens in City Council District 4 has the option to Curtis Jones Jr. (D), the incumbent councilman, is running unopposed. In District 5, Jeffery “Jay” Young (D) is running unopposed. Likewise, in District 6 Mike Driscoll (D), the incumbent councilman, is running unopposed. In City Council District 7, Quetcy Lozada (D), the incumbent councilwoman, is running unopposed.

The incumbency theme continues, in City Council District 8 where Cindy Bass (D), the incumbent councilwoman, is running unopposed. The same goes for District 9, whereAnthony Phillips (D), the incumbent councilman, is running unopposed. Finally in District 10, Gary Masino (D) is running against Brian O’Neill (R), the incumbent councilman.

There is also a Ballot Question where voters will be given the option to vote either “yes” or “no” to the question“Should the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create an Office for People with Disabilities to coordinate the City’s compliance with requirements to provide access for people with disabilities to City services and programs and to otherwise provide for incorporation of the Office into the City government?”

When voting for the Superior Court citizens can vote either “yes” or “no” for each judge. Jack Panella and Victor Stabile are running for retention.

For the Court of Common Pleas citizens can citizens can vote either “yes” or “no” for each judge Jacqueline Allen, Giovanni Campbell, Anne Marie Coyle, Ramy Djerassi, Joe Fernandes, Holly Ford, Timika Lane, J. Scott O’Keefe, Paula Patrick, Sierra Thomas Street and Nina Wright Padilla are all running for retention.

Likewise, when electing the Municipal Court citizens will vote either “yes” or “no” for each judge.Marissa Brumbach, William Meehan, Brad Moss, David Shuter, Karen Yvette Simmons, Marvin Williams and Matt Wolf are all running for retention.

Kevin McCarthy ousted as House Speaker; what’s next?

national politics, Politics

Maya Martin, Editor

Kevin McCarthy, who served as the 55th speaker of the United States House of Representatives, has officially been ousted in a 216-210 vote on Tuesday Oct. 3. After government spending issues, personal issues and a lack of trust from members of the House, a group of Republicans came together and raised the idea of ousting McCarthy.

As the first-ever speaker to be removed as leader of the chamber, this historical event is causing widespread surprise and chaos. Although the vote only lasted around one hour, the rebellion to take down McCarthy has lasted for a long period of time, according to The Wall Street Journal and 6ABC News.

When the threat of a government shutdown nearly a few weeks ago occurred, McCarthy risked his position when working with Biden to approve a $1.59 trillion discretionary spending budget. Several Republican lawmakers were unapproving of this decision and came together against him.

Matt Gaetz, a Republican congressman from Florida, seemingly led the revolt against McCarthy. Rep. Gaetz created “a motion to vacate” which received the support of all Democrats and eight Republicans.

Gaetz continues to defend his actions taken against McCarthy although receiving lots of criticism because Congress remains at a standstill even after McCarthy’s demotion.

“Kevin McCarthy is a creature of the swamp,” Gaetz said after the vote to oust McCarthy. “He has risen to power by collecting special interest money and redistributing that money in exchange for favors. We are breaking the fever now”

Although his actions were supported by many Democrats, the Republican party is questioning Gaetz and his motives. Still, the defense of his own actions is unwavering

“I’m here to ensure that America’s not on a path to financial ruin,” said Gaetz during a Meet the

Press interview. “We’re spending $7 trillion a year and only taking in $5 [trillion]. So to me, people who are willing to drive $2 trillion annual deficits are the agents of chaos.”

McCarthy, although accepting of this event, does not believe it was in the best interest of the G.O.P. and believes it was a personal attack on behalf of Gaetz and other Republicans involved.

“It’s Republican nature that they want to take down their leaders. It’s just what they do,” McCarthy said in an interview before midterm elections, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Many Americans are now asking the question: What happens next? Currently, Patrick McHenry is serving as the speaker pro tempore (a temporary speaker) until it is decided who the speaker of the House will be. In the meantime, he cannot bring legislation to the floor nor can he strike it, according to 6ABC and Fox News.

As of now, there are no definite ideas of who will be candidates for the speaker position, but time is ticking for the House as ongoing issues continue to fester, and a recent attack on Israel occurred.

McCarthy previously expressed that he would not attempt to get his role as speaker back. However, he recently showed signs of openness in coming back as the speaker to help resolve the issues that have arisen in Israel.

In a news conference on the Israel-Hamas war, McCarthy, “Stressed his strong ties to Israel and the importance of a firm U.S. response, as well as the need to avoid a vacuum of leadership in Congress,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

Although McCarthy declines to answer directly on whether he would seriously consider an attempt at regaining his position, the possibility exists. As of now, with no definite candidates for the speaker position, the House continues to remain at a standstill and delays addressing pertinent issues.

Pennsylvania looks into prison reforms following Danelo Cavalcante’s escape

Politics, state politics

Maya Martin, Editor

The story of Danelo Cavalcante’s escape and 13-day run from police has made quite an impression on Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. From an impressive escape, a lengthy police chase, and being spotted in an Eagles sweatshirt, Cavalcante received lots of media attention. However, not all onlookers of this event were looking at it as a mere slip-up on the prison’s part.

La Salle University junior, Kashish Patel said, “The prison itself is to blame because they literally did nothing to prevent his escape considering someone else escaped in the exact same way prior.” The event that Patel recalls happened just this year in May, so many Pennsylvania residents are asking with the frequency of these escapes: Where is the change?

The criticism that the Pennsylvania prison and police forces are receiving is calling on lawmakers to craft necessary changes. According to USA Today and NBC News, Chester County jail facilities, where Cavalcante was located, are dedicating up to $3.5 million to security reforms in response to his escape.

The eight exercise yards with walls and a roof are planned to be fully enclosed. In addition to this, other security proposals made were “Installations of 50 to 75 security cameras, hiring more staff members to monitor the cameras and plans to change inmate uniforms to easily spot escape attempts,” USA Today reported. However, these are only proposals and not official measures that will be taken yet.

Prison reforms have been a hot topic for years now, but to create change is slow. Only time will tell how effective these reforms will be. Enclosing the exercise yards alone will take up to nine months.

Time is ticking just as another escaped felon was captured close to where Cavalcante was found. Mario Che-Tiul, a child sex assault suspect from Missouri, was on the run since June and was only recently captured on Sept. 21 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

With pressure from feared citizens and additional prison escapes, “A group of Republican state lawmakers are pushing five separate bills dealing with funding for prison security, the recruitment and retention of guards, and penalties for escaped inmates,” according to 6ABC News.

There is an abundance of other safety issues throughout the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, so this is yet another concern Pennsylvanians are increasingly confronting. Cavalcante’s escape has proved it clearer that prison escapes are a problem that needs to be solved from the core by lawmakers, not just police forces.

As of now, no broad immediate change has occurred, so Pennsylvanians will have to continue to hold their breath for reforms. “I typically wouldn’t have been as concerned, but since it was so close to home and my school, it was a bit more worrying,” La Salle University sophomore, Sam Foster, said. “I was glad to hear that he got caught.”

US Senate Confirms top military leaders despite pro-life Tuberville’s blockade

Politics

Cole Welsh, Staff

After a months-long blockade by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, the US Senate has confirmed the nomination of Air Force General C.Q. Brown to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

To proceed with the vote and circumvent the hold, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer decided to have three essential military promotions voted on individually, rather than as a group. In addition to General Brown’s confirmation to succeed outgoing chairman Mark Milley, the Senate also voted to confirm General Randy George to be the chief of staff of the Army and General Eric Smith to be the commandment of the Marine Corps.

Senator Tuberville, a Republican who previously was a well-known college football coach before entering politics, commenced this freeze as a way to protest the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Specifically, Tuberville objects to the Department of Defense policy that provides leave and travel reimbursements for military members seeking non-covered abortion services, which includes travel to states where abortion is still legal following the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade last year.

For those currently serving in leadership positions at the Pentagon, some have been critical of Tuberville’s actions. In an interview with CNN, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro accused Tuberville of, “Playing Russian Roulette with the very lives of our service members by denying them the opportunity to actually have the most experienced combat leaders in those positions to lead them in times of peace and in times of combat.”

However, in the Senate, the sentiment has been mixed. While Democrats such as Mark Kelly of Arizona have argued that the hold is “having an impact on our national security,” Republicans such as Mike Rounds of South Dakota are hopeful that both sides may be able to find “some middle ground.”

Regardless, Schumer’s eventual decision to allow for these three individual votes, which has long been suggested by Tuberville, does little to actually resolve the deadlock caused by the blockade. With Tuberville seemingly unwilling to alter his stance, the Senate remains unable to approve the remaining promotions, which are typically uncontroversial and agreed upon together by unanimous consent, in a singular vote. As approximately 300 military promotions still require Senate approval, the chamber would need to spend roughly 700 hours of floor time to individually process and vote on each military officer’s promotion. This being said, while these individual votes remain an option, they could take months to complete and could potentially delay other legislation in the chamber.

Despite this, Tuberville has warned that the blockade will continue “as long as the Pentagon’s illegal abortion policy remains in place.” At the same time, Schumer has not revealed any interest in holding individual votes. Thus, until either side budges, it appears that the procedural chaos in the Senate will continue.

Jill Biden has COVID-19 and mask mandates are back in the news

national politics

Aidan Tyksinski, Staff

Last Monday, the White House announced that First Lady, Jill Biden, had tested positive for COVID-19. According to both CNN and AP News, Dr. Biden is experiencing only mild symptoms, and President Biden has tested negative multiple times. Multiple sources have claimed that both Bidens have been fully vaccinated and boosted, and after both fighting off Covid last year with no issues, there is no reason at this time to think either of them are in any danger.

The First Lady’s positive test comes at a time when cases around the country are on the rise. The CDC stopped putting out weekly reports of COVID-19 data in May of this year, making it much harder to find accurate numbers for hospitalization rates and deaths. What is known is that the increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are still much lower now than they were at the peak of the pandemic. With the rise in cases, though, is a new wave of masking policies. One company who crept into the national spotlight recently due to bringing back masking was Lionsgate, an entertainment company based in Santa Clara, CA. The large corporation was required by the LA County Department to have most of their staff members use medical grade masks while around other staffers, according to both The Guardian and The Hollywood Reporter.

While some colleges and companies are also asking for citizens to wear masks, Huntington Beach in Orange County, CA went a different route. Last Wednesday, the City Council voted in a close 4-3 decision to ban mask mandates for any resident who does not have Covid. The Los Angeles Times and NBC Los Angeles have reported that both Orange County and Los Angeles County have seen a rise in cases, making the move even more controversial. ? can be enforced, since the state health departments are the ones that create health guidelines.

The debate on mask mandates has gone from local politics to the national election, with current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis leading the charge. Early in the pandemic, Governor DeSantis was both celebrated and criticized for his choice to stop mandates in Florida during the deadliest months of the pandemic. In a recent press conference, DeSantis said, “We stood for people’s children, businesses and the ability to earn a living. We stood for people’s right to decline taking a COVID vaccine”. Later in the same press conference, DeSantis said “Now we are in a situation where you start to see around the country kids being kept out of school, forced masking of children around the country. These comments, as well as Dr. Biden’s positive test for covid, make it very clear that the virus is still very prominent as we enter three and a half years since the start of the pandemic.

Mitch McConnell dismisses health questions after interview freeze-up

national politics

Maya Martin, Editor

Mitch McConnell Via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/File:Mitch_McConnell_May26.Webp

COVINGTON, Ky. – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell freezes in front of reporters for a second time, raising health concerns for the 81-year-old.

During a press event held in Kentucky, Mitch McConnell appeared to pause for over 30 seconds when being questioned by reporters. While aides tried to regroup McConnell, he continued to freeze and stare off into the distance.

This event occurred just over a month after the senator froze up again while speaking with reporters at Capitol Hill in July. The freeze-up lasted around 15 seconds and caused many questions for those watching. Both instances, recorded and shared across media platforms, have been widely viewed and raise concerns for McConnell’s health.

McConnell suffered from a concussion in March after tripping at a dinner event, so many Americans are wondering if the three incidents are correlated. After the fall, “He was hospitalized for several days and received additional treatment at an inpatient rehabilitation facility,” CBS News reported. “McConnell returned to the Senate more than a month after the fall.”

Worried about McConnell’s health, President Biden commented on the freeze-up saying, “Mitch is a friend… so I’m going to try to get in touch with him later this afternoon.”

With these ongoing concerns for McConnell’s health, it opens up the question: Is he healthy and able enough to hold his position? McConnell’s senate minority leader position goes through 2024, while his term in the senate runs through 2026, according to The New York Times.

“I am going to finish my term as leader, and I’m going to finish my Senate term,” McConnell said to reporters. He continues to dismiss questions from reporters about his health after both freeze-up occurrences.

The Capitol Hill attending physician, Brian Monahan, evaluated McConnell after his repeated health scares. McConnell’s office released Monahan’s physician’s note where he states that the senator underwent, “Brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment.”

After thorough assessment, however, Monahan’s analysis concluded, “There are no changes recommended in treatment protocols as you [Mitch McConnell] continue recovery from your March 2023 fall.”

Although the Capitol Hill physician invalidates any possible health issues Mitch McConnell may have, onlookers still have doubt, especially considering McConnell’s age. According to the New York Times, “Several medical professionals who watched video of Mr. McConnell’s episodes suggested he had been experiencing focal seizures or mini strokes.”

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky also agrees that the health analysis made by Brian Monahan was not reliable. In addition to his position in the Senate, Paul is also a well credited physician. In response to the medical examination, Paul said, “I don’t think it’s been particularly helpful to have the Senate doctor describing it as dehydration, which I think even a non-physician seeing that probably aren’t really accepting that explanation.”

Although Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell seem to frequently clash within the GOP, Paul still is a praised physician. Paul said, “Everybody’s seen the clips, it’s not a valid medical diagnosis for people to say that’s dehydration.”

Although Senator Mitch McConnell himself and the Capitol Hill physician claim McConnell is healthy enough to continue his term, only time will tell how McConnell’s health progresses. With ongoing concerns about current politicians’ older ages, this health scare is yet another reason Americans are questioning the abilities of many American political figures.

Political Commentary: The Debt is No Reason to Panic

Politics

Brian Murphy, Staff

The United States is currently $31.4 trillion dollars in debt. This is a terrifyingly large number, but there is no reason to worry. The debt and deficit conversation are more political issues than economical.

Each year, the federal government is responsible for setting a budget. Simply, this budget is agreed upon and states where the government will be spending its money, and where the sources of it are. Since 1998, the government budget has not taken in more money than it spends (called a surplus). Yes, that means for the last 25 years, the United States government has been spending more money that it receives (a deficit), and the summation of these deficits is what is known as the debt.

When the government spends more than it takes in, it needs to borrow money to finance the extra spending. The US government does this through selling securities, commonly treasury bonds. These bonds can be purchased by anyone: citizens, businesses or foreign governments.

With the debt growing each year, there is no reason to panic. The United States has monetary sovereignty, or full control, over its currency. The US can print money to do anything it needs to finance. Think about the stimulus checks. The government did not tax you extra to fund this spending. The Federal Reserve simply decided it was going to fund the checks and printed more money to cover the costs. This too can happen to cover its debt. If the US government one day decided to pay off the debt, it could with the click of a button. All the Federal Reserve would have to do is increase the money, and transfer money to all of the debt holders. Additionally, the United States doesn’t even need to borrow money in the first place. The Federal Reserve could just decide to fund this money if it wants to.

The reason this is all possible is because the US is monetary sovereign. If the United States used the Euro, for example, they could not simply just increase the supply of Euros, since the US Government does not control the Euro. The debt would be a potential issue if this was the case.

So, why doesn’t the United States just pay off the debt? Simply, there is no reason to. Further, there is a potential for inflation if they were to do this. So, the United States continues to practice the same policy of borrowing.

The debt is a hot topic each year in Congress, but it is never a reason to panic. It is used for politics. Used to push agendas. The economics of debt is simple, and the United States is safe.

US Contractor Killed in Syria

international politics, Politics

Elizabeth Boyle , Staff

Five American Service members were wounded and a US contractor was killed in Syria on a coalition base near Hasakah, Syria by an Iranian-made missile on Thursday, March 23. The US military and supporting contractors have been directly involved in Syria since 2015 when they entered the country to help the Syrians fight against ISIS. Currently, there is more than 900 US personnel there.

Pete Marovich, The New York Times

The attack came from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, led by Ayatollah Ali Khameneior groups affiliated with them. This was not the only attack from them over the last few months. They have hit various targets across the Middle East. There have been 78 attacks since January of 2021 and all are speculated to be from Iran or organizations supported by Iran. Iran has denied the previous attacks on US facilities, and they have not publicly acknowledged the attacks from Thursday.

John Kirby the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs said, “It’s pretty clear to us and to the intelligence community and to the Pentagon that this was an Iranian one-way drone attack. We’ve been able to identify that with certainty.” The US responded quickly with “precision attacks” into eastern Syria that were approved by President Biden. General Michael Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, reported that the US was explicitly responding to the attacks on facilities housing US service members. Kurilla expressed his concern for Iranian drones. He stated that they are being used by Russia in the War against Ukraine currently. Kurilla says, “The Iranian regime now holds the largest and most capable unmanned aerial vehicles force in the region.”

Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon’s press spokesman, in an interview about the US response to the attacks stated, “The [US] priority in Syria is on the defeat of ISIS mission and that will remain our focus. We do not seek conflict with Iran. We do not seek escalation with Iran. But the strikes that we took last night were intended to send a very clear message that we will take the protection of our personnel seriously and we will respond quickly and decisively if they are threatened.” Ryder also stated that the US attacks were based on multiple attacks from Iran against coalition forces in Syria that are associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The Syrian humanitarian group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, is based out of London and was upset with the US response to the attacks. They stated that the US response strikes killed eleven people on the ground. They believe that 6 people were near the Harabesh neighborhoods, three more in the town of Boukamal, and two near the town of Mayadeen. These reports have not been confirmed.

Military specialists are worried about the conflict escalating. In addition to the use of Iranian drones by Russia to fire missiles at Ukraine, Russia has been flying planes into Syrian airspace. This is violating an agreement made four years ago. These attacks also happened at a poor time for Saudi Arabia as they were discussing with Iran the possibility of reopening their embassies.

Divided Congress over Debt Ceiling may lead to the First ever US Default

national politics, Politics

Jorden McVeagh, Editor

The political debate between Democrats and Republicans has been one that has stood the test of our country’s history. With both sides set in their ideologies, it has become almost a surprise when, if ever, the two parties meet in the middle to agree on something. This divide between the country’s two leading parties may lead to the first-ever US default. Many attribute this possibility to the Republican-led House of Representatives which holds control of the US credit rating.

Debt ceiling: U.S. will default this summer unless Congress raises limit, CBO warns

Amanda Andrade-rhoades | Reuters

As a result, they are using this control as a negotiation tactic for policies. Many are concerned about what this will do to our relationships with other countries, especially in Asia. In 2011, we had a similar political structure with a Republican-held House where members of Congress continually delayed increasing the borrowing limit needed for the US to pay off some of the debt it was carrying. As a result, the US was demoted from an AAA credit rating resulting in many of their benefactors losing money. Many of these benefactors were in Asia. As a result, many of the larger banks in Japan and China have reduced the amount of money they are putting into US-backed Treasuries. The Bank of Japan and the People’s Bank of China are just two of those that cut back on their Treasury investments. The US Federal Reserve knows what has happened in the past and has warned any investors with money in Treasuries of the risk they are taking on when leaving the money where it is. In a quote taken from a meeting log, one Fed official was quoted saying, “A number of participants stressed that a drawn-out period of negotiations to raise the federal debt limit could pose significant risks to the financial system and the broader economy.” Fed Chair Jerome Powell says that he and his team are more worried about the potential economic problems than the events in Ukraine. It is important to note that he is not talking about the overall implications of both events, but the timeliness of how this economic situation will be discussed in Congress.

The US’s current debt stands at $31.4 trillion and losing financial credibility could prove to be costly. Former Fed Chair Janet Yellen and her team are in the process of implementing accounting measures to help Washington. While it was not mentioned what those measures are, they are only expected to hold for a few months, thus lawmakers need to act quickly. The article then went on to discuss how the division between the two political parties could be a disaster when other developed countries look at the US. Instead of looking at the US as one market, it will be segmented based on which sector you want to operate or deal in. President Biden realized the substantial impact this may have not only on the US economy but globally as well, saying a default would be a calamity for the global economy. This will be something to keep on the watchlist in the coming months, but according to economists at Goldman Sachs, this deadline will not come until at least August.

Putin Attempts to Use Strategic Arms Pact to Erode NATO Support for Ukraine

international politics, Politics

Elizabeth Boyle, Staff

On Tues., Feb. 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his State of the Union address to the Russian National Assembly. The alarming news for the Western world is that Putin announced Russia would be pulling out of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) nuclear arms pact. Putin stated that “[the West] wants to inflict a strategic defeat on us and claim our nuclear facilities… In this regard, I am forced to state that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty.”

Sergei Bobylyob | AFP/Getty Images

Strategic Arms Reduction agreements between the US and Russia (or its predecessor state, the Soviet Union) has a tumultuous history. The original START nuclear arms treaty between the US and the Soviet Union was effective between December 1994 and December 2009. This treaty limited each country to deploying 6,000 nuclear warheads and 1,600 intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers, also known as Strategic Nuclear Delivery Vehicles. A New START treaty, also referred to as START II, was put in place in January 1993 and formalized the agreement as applying to the US and the Russian Federation, which succeeded the Soviet Union. In Mar. 2002, US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty which set a Dec. 2012 deadline for each country to reduce their stockpiles of strategic nuclear warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads. In 2010, as the original START was lapsing, the US and Russia agreed to a treaty called New START, that would limit each side to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads on up to 800 strategic nuclear delivery vehicles (deployed and nondeployed). All variations of Strategic Arms Reduction pacts allow both countries to visit and inspect each other’s weapons sites.

In Feb.of 2021, the US and Russia agreed to extend the New START treaty until 2026. This is why Putin’s announcement came as a shock. Additionally, weapons site inspections had been halted since 2020 due the limitations on travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his speech Putin stated that the decision to stop cooperation with the New START treaty is reversible. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the Russia is not completely pulling out of the treaty but they will refuse to cooperation with the treaty until “Washington must show political will, make conscientious efforts for a general de-escalation and create conditions for the resumption of the full functioning of the Treaty and, accordingly, comprehensively ensuring its viability.”

Many Western countries have spoken out about Putin’s decision. US secretary of state Anthony Blinken said Putin’s decision is “deeply unfortunate and irresponsible.” Blinken said that the Biden Administration is open to speak with Russia about Putin’s decision. A representative and spokesperson for the British Prime minister Rishi Sunak said that England hopes Putin will “reconsider his rash decision.” British newspaper The Economist called Putin’s decision “both predictable and reckless.”

Putin’s decision about the New START action is an expression of his anger at NATO siding with Ukraine during his ongoing “Special Military Operation.” Putin also strategically timed his State of the Union address to coincide with news that Russia may be wearing down Ukrainian troops in and around the city of Bakhmut and may be close to taking over the city. There is speculation that Putin is gaining confidence as he believes Russia is using its numerical advantages in soldiers and weapons systems, as well as its ability to conduct operations from up-to-now safe Russian territory to finally wear down the Ukraine military and population. CIA Director William Burns stated, “I think Putin is, right now, entirely too confident of his ability to wear down Ukraine.”

There appears little diminution in NATO support for Ukraine after Putin’s strategic move. Most western observers believe he is attempting to leverage western fear of Russia using a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine to erode NATO support, but in the short term he will be unsuccessful. Western analysts concede, however, that an authoritarian leader, such as Putin, can often play a waiting game with western democracies who may grow tired of funding a military enterprise that appears to have no near-term resolution.