” Three Key Pieces of Information Assurance this Week ” – August 14, 2020.

It is just 81 days for the US  Presidential Election, and here are the three key pieces of Information Assurance – first after Joe Biden’s announcement of his running mate, Sen Kamala Harris.

Postal bundles piled up.

            1.  President Donald Trump attacks the Postal Service :  He said yesterday : ” US postal service is incapable of facilitating mail-in voting because it cannot access the emergency funding he is blocking and made clear that requests for fed aid were non starters in Coronavirus relief negotiations. The cash strapped agency’s enlarged role in the November election would perpetuate one of the greatest frauds in the history of America. ”  He also added : ” He will not approve $ 25 billion in emergency funding that includes the Postal Service needs or $ 3.5 billion in supplemental funding for election resources.”

            Postal Service is older than the country when Ben Franklin was made the First Postmaster General in 1775.

          Postal Service already reported $ 2.2 billion losses during the three months that ended in June 2020. It has taken its toll on 6,30,000 employees.

           Implications :  1. Corona relief bill will not be linked with federal aid for post office funding ;  2.  Universal mail-in voting may likely get choked ;  3.   Sorting machines in post offices are already removed ;  4.  Mails are already getting piked up in distribution centers ;  5.  In 34 states ballots cannot be post marked by election day to count. It has to be received by election day ;  6.  American way of going to polls during the pandemic gets affected ;  7. Will this come under rigging the election(s) or killing a national treasure ( post offices )?

          These are questions that will probably be answered in the coming  days.

          2.  President Donald Trump announced the Israel-UAE peace deal on Thursday. A historic deal brokered by President Donald Trump, according to news channels. It fulfills the aim of normalisation of diplomatic relations through an agreement. It was a phone call between Trump , Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi that clinched the deal known as Abraham Accords, the first of its kind since Jordan and Israel signed a Peace Treaty in1994. Egypt and Israel signed a treaty in Washington in March 1979.

            Implications :  1. Full normalisation of relations between Israel and UAE, says the joint statement released by the three nations ;  2. It will stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories ;  3.  Israel and UAE can exchange embassies and ambassadors and begin cooperation across the border ;  4.  Signing ceremony including delegations from Israel and UAE will happen at the White House in the coming weeks ;  5.  Israel and UAE can sign bilateral agreements on several issues without any problem ;  6.  Viewed as a Foreign Policy success for President, Donald Trump.

            President, Donald Trump, gets a boost before the General Election.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during the press meet on Thursday.

            3.  Joe Biden (presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee)  called for a face mask wearing mandate nationwide in his speech in the Hotel, duPont, in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday. He was accompanied by Sen Kamala Harris, his running mate in this election.

           Implications :  1.  Every American should wear a mask when he/she is outside for at least 3 months at a minimum ;  2. Every State Governor should mandate mask wearing ;  3.  It is expected to save 40,000 lives during the period ; 4. It is not about rights but about responsibilities as an American, he averred ;  5. It is important because research shows 40% Corona cases are symptomatic. It is about preventing other people from getting sick. 6 More than two dozen Governors have mandated mask wearing. It  includes both Republicans and Democrats  ;  7.  This is viewed as a Policy Decision on Corona handling.

           Sen Kamala Harris, while speaking lauded the intended/announced action as evidence of  “Real Leadership”.  She also emphasized that this is what Bidrn-Harris administration will do. It is a clear message coming from the top ‘Leadership’, she added.

           They spoke for 8 minutes. Did not take any questions from the press 

            Conclusion :  I have tried to cite the importance of the news in order of priority for analysis and discussion in the coming days. It should be quite interesting for everyone who follows the American General Elections, 2020.

” Dieu avec nous “

   Friday, August  14, 2020 –  6.29 p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit  :  ”  USPS  postmaster general appointed in June, 2020, is Louis Dejoy “.