Elon Musk’s $1 Million A Day For Voters Could Be Illegal, Say Experts

Oct 23 2024

While campaigning for Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk announced a controversial plan to give away $1 million daily to registered voters in key battleground states.

The sweepstakes, tied to a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments, has drawn scrutiny from election law experts who argue it may violate federal laws prohibiting payments for voter registration.

Musk, who has donated over $75 million to a pro-Trump super PAC, launched the initiative just before registration deadlines in states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona.

Critics, including election law specialists Derek Muller and David Becker, have raised concerns that offering money exclusively to registered voters could be seen as illegal voter inducement.

Musk’s initial announcement in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, led to the naming of the first million-dollar winner, with subsequent winners selected during other campaign events. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed concern, prompting Musk to defend the sweepstakes on social media.

Election law experts, including Rick Hasen from UCLA, argue that the program constitutes illegal vote-buying.

Despite attempts by Musk’s team to reframe the giveaway as a “job opportunity,” legal experts believe the changes do little to address the potential violations. The initiative continues to face criticism for its potential impact on voter registration and its legality under federal law.

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FSWS Invested €30.6 Million In 2023 To Strengthen Community Services

Oct 23 2024

Il-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi ta’ Ħarsien Soċjali (FSWS) [the Foundation for Social Welfare Services] continued to strengthen its operations within the community through further investment in the services it offers, along with increased engagement of professionals.

In fact, the financial investment during 2023 reached €30.6 million, with the majority of this allocation supporting the free services offered to clients across Malta and Gozo.

During this same year, FSWS professionals worked on 21,000 cases, 10,000 of which are still being followed up on a regular basis. Aġenzija Appoġġ [Support Agency] handled the highest number of clients among all FSWS sections, dealing with 9,000 cases, while the Child Protection Directorate worked on 4,360 cases during 2023.

Sectors related to health, child abuse, addictions, domestic violence, and mental health were among the most requested services by FSWS clients.

These details were provided during a press conference where the services offered by the Foundation throughout 2023 were discussed.

The Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights, Michael Falzon, emphasized that the government will continue to strengthen its social investment.

The minister added that aside from financial investment, there is a commitment to continue strengthening social workers and services related to new realities such as loneliness and the lack of human contact.

For his part, FSWS Chief Executive Officer Alfred Grixti praised the contribution of all FSWS employees and highlighted how the services being offered are leading to tangible results that are being felt across the country.

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AFTA Launch: Association For Outsourcing & Temping Agencies

Oct 23 2024

The Association for Temping and Outsourcing Agencies (AFTA) has been officially established to represent Malta’s leading private stakeholders in the outsourcing and temping sector—an industry that plays a crucial role in the Maltese economy.

With its members employing tens of thousands across various key sectors, AFTA’s mission is to promote ethical standards, good governance, fairness, and transparency within the industry. The association seeks to ensure the sustainable growth of the temping and outsourcing sector by advocating for positive change and engaging with stakeholders, policymakers, and decision-makers. AFTA aims to offer expert recommendations that reinforce the industry’s integrity.

AFTA’s core objectives include:

Eliminating illegal, unethical, and irregular practices in the temping and outsourcing industry;

Ensuring a level playing field through fairness and transparency; and

Promoting active dialogue with policymakers and industry stakeholders.

“We are committed to supporting the positive contributions made in this industry while working to eradicate irregular and exploitative practices,” said Fabio Muscat, President of AFTA. “By engaging proactively with authorities and stakeholders, we aim to promote ethical standards, regulatory enforcement, and continuous communication.”

AFTA’s goals are to prevent the exploitation of employees, combat unregulated practices, and foster an industry that values integrity, protects workers, and contributes to a healthy, ethical labor market. Through collaboration with stakeholders, AFTA seeks to create a temping and outsourcing sector that is responsible, sustainable, trustworthy, and socially accountable for the benefit of all.

Focusing on four key pillars—economic sustainability, ethical governance, active policy engagement, and employee protection—AFTA will work closely with regulators to ensure the success of the industry and its positive impact on the wider economy.

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MEP Daniel Attard Backs End To Biannual Clock Change

Oct 23 2024

Maltese MEP Daniel Attard has joined other Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in signing a letter urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take action on ending the biannual clock-change across Europe. Attard is the only Maltese MEP who signed the letter, which aims to revisit the 2018 proposal to abolish the changing of clocks in spring and autumn.

In a recent public consultation in Malta, the majority of the people involved agreed with the requests of MEP Attard.

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The MEPs argue that the current system of switching between standard time and daylight saving time has become outdated and is detrimental to public health and safety. The letter highlights how clock changes disrupt sleep patterns, increase the risk of heart attacks, and may even cause more traffic accidents. Additionally, the energy-saving benefits, which initially justified the time changes, have become less relevant over time. In fact, studies suggest that energy consumption might actually rise during the winter months when clocks are changed.

A public consultation conducted by the European Commission in 2018 saw 84% of EU citizens opposing the biannual clock-change. Despite this, progress has stalled since the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of abolishing the practice in 2019.

What Would This Mean for Malta?

If this change goes through, it could mean an end to the twice-yearly time adjustments in Malta. No more setting your clocks forward or backward—standard time would remain throughout the year. This could lead to more stable daily routines, fewer health risks, and potential long-term benefits in terms of energy consumption.

Maltese citizens would no longer have to worry about the disorienting effects of switching between time zones twice a year, especially since studies have shown that the change negatively impacts sleep and overall well-being.

What do you think about this proposal? Should Malta stop changing the clocks?

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