The political news cycle doesn’t take holiday breaks, even as Presidents and other politicos head to spots like Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard. While you were busy tuning out family members’ political views at the dining room table, you might have missed key turning points in politics likely to shape the new year’s political agenda. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most crucial pieces of national and international political fodder that you may have missed this holiday season.
Rare showings of congressional cooperation
Congress passed a bipartisan budget deal this December, just in time to avert a fiscal crisis before the new year. The deal puts an end to the sequester — for the time being — and embodies a rare show of bipartisan cooperation at a time when a majority of Americans say this is the worst Congress ever. The current plan is more of a band-aid solution than a permanent one, borne of a desire on the part of both parties to avoid further disapproval from the American public during a crucial election year. The two-year deal avoids ruffling feathers on either side of the aisle, but the partisan fight over how best to deal with the budget is far from over.
Pot hits vending machines
Colorado became the first U.S. state to enforce the legalization of recreational marijuana use as of Jan. 1. Though the decision to legalize marijuana in Colorado was made in November 2012, the law only recently took effect. A 25 percent state tax, in addition to a 2.9 percent sales tax, will generate revenue for the state, in addition to the controversy it has created. Some communities in Colorado have chosen not to enforce the law. This will likely influence other states, as well as the rollout of similar laws in Washington later this year.
Pope Francis veers left
Pope Francis was named TIME Magazine’s person of the year this winter, a position that has been held by influential politicos such as Winston Churchill and Vladimir Putin. The Pope has become increasingly political in recent months, ranging from his relatively liberal comments on homosexuality to his more recent remarks denouncing capitalism. Lately, he has even gone so far as to fire a popular right-wing Cardinal from St. Louis who among other things, rejected gay marriage and abortion. His liberalization of the Catholic church has implications for the world’s large Catholic community. Members of the Republican party, many of whom aligned themselves with the politics of past popes, may find themselves reconsidering political alleigances with Francis.
China and Japan fight for dominance
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to a controversial war shrine drew out the ire of the Chinese, who saw the move as an aggressive display of militarism. The shrine is seen as a symbol of Tokyo's World War II aggression, as the shrine honors war criminals along with those who died in battle. In addition to their complicated history, the two countries are natural rivals even in today's changing political landscape. While China is the number two economy in the world, Japan is not far behind at third. Abe's policies of increasing military spending have not sat well with China, which wishes to dominate the region militarily and economically. While much attention is often paid to the rivalry between the U.S. and China, that which exists between Japan and China may be the more pressing issue in the immediate future.
Peace negotiations continue
Since joining the Obama administration as its highest ranking diplomatic, Secretary of State John Kerry has made it abundantly clear that negotiating peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians is one of his top priorities. In recent developments, Kerry has asserted that his goal for the timebeing is to reach a framework agreement between the two parties that will be comprehensive in nature, though not necessarily the final status agreement between the feuding parties. The latest news is that Kerry has cited "progress" in the development of a framework, although usage of pre-1967 boundaries and the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state remain sticking points for the Israelis and the Palestinians, respectively. Such deep-seated issues could derail the talks and Kerry's optimism altogether.