Trump will still be challenging democracy after Jan. 20

+ how important is the two-dose regime for COVID-19 vaccines? US Edition - Today's top story: Why Trump's challenges to democracy will be a big problem for Biden [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 January 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair As concerns about President Donald Trump’s behavior come from almost every quarter of American politics and society, some people may be looking at Inauguration Day as an opportunity for things to improve. Unfortunately, James D. Long and Victor Menaldo, political scientists at the University of Washington, have done research that indicates healing American society may not be as easy as waiting a couple of weeks. They explain why the framers of the U.S. Constitution feared an unaccountable tyrant more than almost anything else – and [the problems Joe Biden’s administration may find]( when considering whether, and how, to hold Trump accountable once he’s out of office. Also today: - [Hate symbols spotted during the US Capitol insurrection]( - [Employers have the right to fire most of the Capitol rioters]( - [The world experienced 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020]( Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor Just because he’s leaving office doesn’t mean Donald Trump will stop being a threat to democracy. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin [Why Trump’s challenges to democracy will be a big problem for Biden]( James D. Long, University of Washington; Victor Menaldo, University of Washington Scholars of democracy say the real threat to the nation will come after Trump leaves office. Ethics + Religion - [A scholar of American anti-Semitism explains the hate symbols present during the US Capitol riot]( Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University The crowds that stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6 were not just engaged in an effort to support Trump. The symbols they carried were of an extreme form of anti-Semitism. - [COVID-19 response shows how an informal rule of law plays a supporting role in society]( David Mednicoff, University of Massachusetts Amherst A social scientist argues that in the absence of strong government action, people took it upon themselves to work out conduct to stem the spread of virus. Economy + Business - [Fired for storming the Capitol? Why most workers aren’t protected for what they do on their own time]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon The vast majority of US workers are deemed "at will," which means they can be fired at any time, without notice, and for any reason. Politics/Election '20 - [US Capitol mob highlights 5 reasons not to underestimate far-right extremists]( Alexander Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark Many people are concerned about far-right extremism. But they may not understand the real threat. Science + Technology - [Far-right activists on social media telegraphed violence weeks in advance of the attack on the US Capitol]( Alex Newhouse, Middlebury Institute of International Studies Trump supporters openly discussed forcing Congress and Vice President Pence to overturn the election results. - [Delaying second COVID-19 vaccine doses will make supplies last longer but comes with risks]( Sanjay Mishra, Vanderbilt University With vaccine shortages looming, experts are debating whether it is important to receive two doses or whether it's better to give one dose to more people and give a second when the supply is better. - [How to turn plastic waste in your recycle bin into profit]( Joshua M. Pearce, Michigan Technological University Consumers can turn plastic waste into valuable products at minimal cost using the open source technologies associated with DRAM – distributed recycling and additive manufacturing. Health + Medicine - [18 million US children are at risk of hunger: How is the problem being addressed and what more can be done?]( Heather Eicher-Miller, Purdue University; David Himmelgreen, University of South Florida; Diana Cuy Castellanos, University of Dayton; Kecia Johnson, Mississippi State University An estimated 1 in 4 US children have trouble getting enough to eat at least sometimes. We asked four scholars for their insights.. - [Vitamin K: A little-known but noteworthy nutrient]( Kyla Shea, Tufts University A research lab at Tufts University is trying to find out how the vitamin may protect against age-related disease. Environment + Energy - [After a record 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020, it’s time to overhaul US disaster policy – here’s how]( A.R. Siders, University of Delaware; Allison Reilly, University of Maryland; Deb Niemeier, University of Maryland NOAA released its list of climate and weather disasters that cost the nation more than $1 billion each. Like many climate and weather events this past year, it shattered the record. - [Consumer electronics have changed a lot in 20 years – systems for managing e-waste aren’t keeping up]( Callie Babbitt, Rochester Institute of Technology; Shahana Althaf, Yale University Technical advances are reducing the volume of e-waste generated in the US as lighter, more compact products enter the market. But those goods can be harder to reuse and recycle. Education - [Why does grammar matter?]( Laurie Ann Britt-Smith, College of the Holy Cross Grammar isn't a way to bully people for making mistakes, says a longtime English instructor. It is a way to understand how our language operates, in all its many written and spoken varieties. Arts + Culture - [Fifty years ago, Japan’s most famous writer committed suicide – now, new photos add new layers to the haunting act]( Kirsten Cather, University of Texas at Austin Like a Rorschach test, the incident offers limitless interpretations. But newly published photographs of Yukio Mishima in his final weeks alive show an artist obsessed with scripting out death. Most read on site - [Yellow Gadsden flag, prominent in Capitol takeover, carries a long and shifting history]( Paul Bruski, Iowa State University We may think of flags as fixed symbols with a specific meaning, but there are few symbols whose significance is truly permanent. - [How does the 25th Amendment work, and can it be used to remove Trump from office after US Capitol attack?]( Stephanie Newbold, Rutgers University - Newark Vice President Pence could invoke the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, also known as the Disability Clause, if he believes Trump is 'unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.' - [Scientists suggest US embassies were hit with high-power microwaves – here’s how the weapons work]( Edl Schamiloglu, University of New Mexico High-power microwave weapons are useful for disabling electronics. They might also be behind the ailments suffered by US diplomats and CIA agents in Cuba and China. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451