Latest news with #ThirdAmendment
Irish Independent
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Irish Constitution ‘not fit for purpose' in 21st century, claims Labour leader amid calls for radical rewrite
Speaking today at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Donegal, at an event focused upon the Constitution, Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party and Party Spokesperson on Northern Ireland, called for a radical re-write of the Constitutional text. Deputy Bacik said as, it approaches the 90th anniversary of the Constitution, it is clear to see it has atrophied. She said it is time for a radical rewrite and indeed, a degenderising approach. 'When this was drafted, there was a special place for a particular religious, now that has been removed happily but we still see doctrinal teaching so influential in the text. 'We still have those religious references. 'We see religion denominating throughout and that is a key reason why we need the radical rewrite and a key reason to say yes, the text is atrophied, and it is no longer fit for purpose in a 21st century secular, polarised republic. 'This is not the constitution of the Republic; nowhere within it is the word republic mentioned,' said Deputy Bacik. Deputy Bacik said in a written constitution, nothing is symbolic, and every word and phrase is of more than symbolic importance and value. 'This is our fundamental legal text and the foundation text of the State. If we were to say, what would it matter to change the word 'he' in the presidential article to the word 'he or she' or even dare I say, just the word she, would that matter? 'It would matter. It would matter to judges who are called upon to interpret the constitution and it helps to shape what the Supreme Court has called the constitutional identity of the state. 'It helps to shape the way we as legislators in the Oireachtas frame our laws. 'It will help the President whether to refers bills to the Supreme Court. 'I think language matters and no language in the Constitution is purely symbolic,' said Deputy Bacik. Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC he is not a politician and is on a 'controversy free diet' but he said every constitution is a product of the time and place of the people who drafted it. He referred to the Third Amendment of the Federal Constitution of the United States which protects American citizens from being compelled to quarter soldiers in private residents. 'It is a provision that has not been subject of a single constitutional case, not a single decision of a Federal Court in 250 years and if you come to that in 2025, you would have no understanding as to why it is there at all. 'It looks like an anachronism. 'But off course you would have to go back to the timing of it immediately after the civil war to understand why it was through to be relevant at the time. 'When looking at a constitution, you might often find what is thought to be historical artefacts that do not have any current resonances but were important to drafters at the time,' said Mr Fanning. Mr Fanning said as the people of Ireland remain sovereign, it is relevantly easy to amend the Irish Constitution and since 1937, it has been amended on more than 30 occasions. 'You can take a view on what Ivana said, and you might strongly agree with it. The people remain sovereign to the extent that there is a political wish to amend any element of the Irish Constitution, a bill to amend the Constitution can be passed by both houses of the Oireachtas, and put to the people by way of plebiscite and by way of simple majority vote, the Constitution can be amended. 'So, in that sense, our constitution is a more dynamic instrument than it is given credit too,' said Mr Fanning. Prof David Kenny said there is a fairly robust amendment process in place to change the Irish Constitution and in Global terms, it is at a medium level of difficulty. Professor Kenny said he believes the referendum process does limit what amendments are proposed. 'We do have a hurdle. We have to go out and we have to ask the people. 'As Rossa was saying, one of the principles of the constitution, as Éamon de Valera put it, is that people are the masters. 'So while it is definitely possible to amend the Constitution, the referendum process does limit what we propose in practice. 'Why? Because it is hard to explain constitutional changes. It is hard to discuss what we need to do when we amend the preamble. 'If we put in new symbolic language, we would have to have a broad national discussion and a vote on what that symbolism was going to be. 'And for reasons, I would struggle to fully explain, successive Irish governments have been wary of purely symbolic changes to the constitution. 'When we propose a change, as we did say last year with the family and carer amendments, people are very keen to say there might be important symbolism here but we are also making important legal changes that are going to have a concrete legal affects 'We very rarely say here is a constitutional change that is just about better vibes. 'We probably done that once in the 1970s when we removed the special position of the Catholic Church; one of those clauses that was particularly sectarian and had no legal effect and it was a symbolic removal of a symbolic provision. 'Other than that we have been reluctant to engage in changes in constitutional symbolism and we have been changing bits of the constitution in an accelerated way. '30 of the 40 referendums we have had have taken place since 1991 and the pace of change has been accelerating but we have not said we need to rethink some of the structure and the symbolic language. 'Instead, we focus on discreet changes where we can say we need to change that power and add that right and legalise same sex marriage. 'These are all really important, but we have not been willing to embrace the symbolic question on the constitutional discourse,' said Professor Kenny.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google buyouts are being offered to employees on search and other teams as shift to AI ramps up
Google is offering buyouts to certain employees in the United States and requiring more workers to return to offices as it continues to shift toward AI. RIP to the almost future of computing: Apple just turned the iPad into a Mac Starbucks just developed an ingenious way to add 15 grams of protein to almost any drink Why Third Amendment memes are suddenly taking over social media The 'voluntary exit program,' as Google calls it, is being offered to employees on the communications, core, knowledge and information (which includes search, ads, and commerce), marketing, and research teams, Google confirmed with Fast Company on Wednesday. The buyouts would see Google provide employees with a pay and benefits package in exchange for their exit. 'Earlier this year, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance for US-based Googlers, and several more are now offering the program to support our important work ahead,' Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said in a statement. 'A number of teams are also asking remote employees who live near an office to return to a hybrid work schedule in order to bring folks more together in-person.' The exact details of this deal are to follow, according to a memo reportedly sent by Jen Fitzpatrick, senior vice president of core systems. CNBC reports that mid- to senior-level employees in the Peoples Operations unit received up to 14 weeks of their salary plus another week for every completed year on the job during a previous buyout in February. CNBC and Business Insider reported on the memo on Tuesday. Fitzpatrick reportedly stated that AI is 'reshaping everything—our products, our tools, the way we work, how we work, how we innovate and so on.' She continued, 'To meet this transformational moment, we need everyone to show up with an unparalleled sense of energy and enthusiasm for Core's mission, connecting and collaborating at speed so that we can tackle all of the ambitious work we need to do.' Meeting the moment also means being willing to commute up to 50 miles to the office three times a week. In the same memo, Google reportedly announced that all employees within that distance of an 'approved return site' must come in 60% of the time. Taking the stance that workers must show face to perform well, Google reportedly stated, 'We want to ensure Core Googlers are fully committed to being here and actively contributing. These programs will help us be even more focused on our mission and will enable us to operate with greater velocity, efficiency and collaboration.' Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick reportedly noted that the buyouts are for employees 'who aren't feeling excited about and aligned with Core's mission and goals, or those who are having difficulty meeting the demands of their role.' In other words, if you feel behind at work, quitting might be the best option. Though the buyouts are voluntary, they could spell layoffs for those teams. In January, Google offered buyouts to employees in its platforms and devices division, only to lay off hundreds of workers in the unit a few months later. Google also laid off about 12,000 employees in January 2023 and has done multiple rounds of layoffs since. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paramount layoffs: TV and movie giant cuts 3.5% of U.S. workforce ahead of merger with Skydance Media, citing uncertain economy
Paramount Global is cutting 3.5% of its U.S. workforce as customers switch away from traditional pay-TV bundles in today's shifting media landscape and uncertain economy. RIP to the almost future of computing: Apple just turned the iPad into a Mac Why Third Amendment memes are suddenly taking over social media China is arming its space station with 'guard dogs.' They have good reason for it The latest round of layoffs comes as the media giant prepares to merge with movie studio Skydance Media. Paramount Global's parent company, National Amusements, and Skydance Media agreed to merge last July, but are still waiting for regulatory approval. Paramount owns Paramount Pictures movie and television studios, the Paramount+ streaming service, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central, and the CBS television network including CBS News. Shares in Paramount Global (PARA) were trading up about 1% in late morning trading at the time of this writing. On Tuesday, Paramount's co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins notified staff of layoffs in a memo, which said 90% of those impacted would be notified on Tuesday, according to CNBC. Last August, Paramount began the process of reducing its U.S.-based workforce by 15% after laying out a cost-cutting plan. The layoffs are just the latest to hit the beleaguered media industry, which has also seen staff cuts at Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, to name a few. In Paramount Global's latest round of earnings, for the first quarter of 2025, ending March 31, 2025, the media company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.29, missing analysts estimates; and quarterly revenue of $7.19 billion, slightly beating analyst expectations of $7.14 billion. The company forecast that earnings would grow by 54.67% next year, from $2.25 to $3.48 per share. The company is slated to report Q2 earnings in early August. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Flagstar Bank just closed dozens of branches in 5 states. See full the list of locations that shuttered in May
This year has not been kind to retailers in terms of store closures. But brick-and-mortar shops are not the only retail category that has experienced a decline in 2025. Banks are closing retail locations, too. RIP to the almost future of computing: Apple just turned the iPad into a Mac Why Third Amendment memes are suddenly taking over social media No Kings Day: June 14 protests set to be biggest yet, will counter Trump military parade in locations nationwide. Here's what to know One of America's largest regional banks, Flagstar, closed 24 branch locations on May 30. The closures come after the bank's parent company, Flagstar Financial, announced in January that it would be shuttering 60 branches this year. Here's what you need to know about the latest Flagstar branch closures. On May 30, Flagstar shut 24 bank branches for good, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which is an independent bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The OCC regulates national banks in the United States. In its weekly bulletin for the period from May 25 to May 30, 2025, the OCC says that 24 Flagstar Bank branches were closed. However, the closures did not come as a surprise, as the company announced in January that it would shutter 60 branches. As Banking Dive previously reported, Flagstar Financial announced it would close the locations in an effort to consolidate its retail footprint and cut $600 million in operating costs from its balance sheet by the end of the year. Running physical locations incurs significant operating costs, and as more people turn to online banking first and try to avoid visiting branches if possible, those branches are used less, leading to a reduced return on investment for banks. According to the OCC, 24 Flagstar Bank branches closed on May 30. The branch closures impact locations in five states: Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. New York saw the most Flagstar Bank branches close in this round, with nine locations shutting down. Michigan and New Jersey saw six locations each shutter. Indiana saw two close and Ohio one. Fast Company reached out to Flagstar for comment and to ask if additional closings are expected. Here are the locations of the closed branches in each state. 5770 COVENTRY LANE FORT WAYNE IN 2926 MISHAWAKA AVENUE SOUTH BEND IN 210 WEST HURON STREET ANN ARBOR MI 29049 JOY ROAD WESTLAND MI 914 CHARLEVOIX DRIVE GRAND LEDGE MI 4675 32ND AVENUE HUDSONVILLE MI 5151 CORPORATE DRIVE TROY MI 500 WOODWARD AVENUE, Detroit, MI 949 BROADWAY BAYONNE NJ 142 BROAD STREET ELIZABETH NJ 36 FERRY STREET NEWARK NJ 198 JEFFERSON STREET NEWARK NJ 2624 MORRIS AVENUE UNION NJ 133 S. LIVINGSTON AVENUE LIVINGSTON NJ 30TH AVENUE, ASTORIA, NY 625 ATLANTIC AVENUE BROOKLYN NY 102 DUFFY AVENUE HICKSVILLE NY 1608 KINGS HIGHWAY HOMECREST (BKLYN) NY 66-77 FRESH POND ROAD RIDGEWOOD NY 65-30 KISSENA BLVD. FLUSHING NY 509 OLD COUNTRY ROAD PLAINVIEW NY 194-02 NORTHERN BOULEVARD FLUSHING NY 100 JERICHO QUADRANGLE JERICHO NY ONE NORTH HAWKINS AVE. AKRON OH While many people prefer the ease and convenience of online banking, closures of physical bank branches can still have a negative impact on communities and certain groups of individuals. This is particularly true for older individuals who may not be as adept at using the internet or app-based banking, or who may simply prefer to visit a physical branch location to discuss their banking needs with a representative. Still, financial companies looking to cut costs often turn to branch closures as the quickest way to do so (that, and employee layoffs). And investors in those banks generally react favorably to those types of moves. Indeed, since Flagstar announced in January that it would close 60 branches, the company's stock price (NYSE: FLG) has soared. At the start of the year, FLG stock was trading in the $9 range. But by the end of January, after the company announced the branch closures, FLG stock jumped to nearly $12 per share. Year-to-date, FLG stock is currently up over 27% as of the time of this writing. On April 25, Flagstar Financial announced its Q1 2025 earnings, in which the company revealed that its operating expenses declined 22% year-over-year. The company says that as of March 31, Flagstar Bank held $97.6 billion in total assets, $73.9 billion in total deposits, and operated approximately 400 locations. Its online branch locator tool shows that as of today, there are 363 Flagstar Bank locations in the United States. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fast Company
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Fast Company
Why Third Amendment memes are suddenly taking over social media
The First and Second amendments are the rock stars of the Bill of Rights. Everybody knows about them, even if they're not always big fans, and they frequently pop up in national discourse. The Third Amendment, on the other hand, is more like the Yngwie Malmsteen of the Bill of Rights. Much like that Swedish neoclassical metal guitarist, relatively few people know about the Third Amendment, but those who do tend to be effusive about it. Now, though, thanks to President Trump's deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to quell protests against a recent immigration crackdown in the downtown area, the esoteric cult of Third-heads is celebrating on social media this week. Their enthusiasm—and the memes fueled by it—are lending this obscure amendment some rock star swagger. For the uninitiated, the Third Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, 'No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.' In other words, it protects citizens from ever having to prepare blow-up mattresses and fresh towels for heavily armed houseguests at the behest of the federal government. X and Bluesky users started invoking the Third Amendment as National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles, uninvited by California Governor Gavin Newsom. (It was the first time in 60 years that a president deployed troops in the U.S. without a request from a state's governor.) Once news spread that troops had entered the city— at a taxpayer cost of $134 million —with only minimal preparation and supplies, forcing them to sleep on floors, social media went berserk. One strain of posting focuses on the deep-cut nature of this amendment and the rarity of its usage. Some social media users are noting the foresight of the founding fathers, and resurfacing an old John Mulaney bit that succinctly summarizes the Third Amendment as 'The army can't stay at ya house.' Others are noting the celestial-event-like power of the amendment's fresh relevance, and how it has transformed those rare Third Amendment scholars into in-demand experts at the moment. (Clear your schedule, professor Leonard Niehoff!) Not only will that expertise shed light on how the amendment applied in the past, it could also come in handy during any potential SCOTUS cases about how the amendment should be used in the future—a prospect some observers seem perhaps a little too giddy about. The vast majority of this wave of Third-posting comes from users on Bluesky and X who find it hysterical both that soldiers would even want to stay at their apartment, and that there is a law expressly prohibiting it. They're celebrating the Third Amendment's newfound relevance by either imagining politely declining a soldier's request to commandeer their bedroom, or by offering a tongue-in-cheek plea for proud patriots to bring in a stray soldier today. A lot of these posts tend to rely on classic macro formats, like the Undertaker standing behind AJ Styles, with the amendment itself embodying some aspect of the meme. Coincidentally, an unrelated Third Amendment meme about not letting one's military boyfriend stay overnight had been circulating on TikTok since last fall, when the initial video scored 9 million views. There is an earlier and more relevant precedent to the current crop of memes, though. Back in 2020, governors across America requested troops to help contain the protests around George Floyd's murder at the hands of police. Users of X, then called Twitter, quickly started cracking jokes about the long-awaited utility of the Third Amendment finally coming into play. The Onion 's Twitter account even took the occasion as a chance to revive a headline originally shared in 2007: 'Third Amendment Rights Group Celebrates Another Successful Year.' Considering that Trump has promised to use ' very heavy force ' against protesters during the upcoming military parade on June 14 to celebrate his birthday, these memes will likely continue having a place to stay on social media in the near future.
