text: CHINA SECURITY SERVICES HARVESTING U.S. SOCIAL MEDIA DATA: China is using its domestic internet surveillance network to harvest social media data on U.S. citizens. Chinese security services are mining data from Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to monitor and report on discussions about Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Chinese leadership. The surveillance programs are producing reports on how negative content relating to China is spread on social media, including profiles on the accounts of individual academics, politicians, and journalists. The data feeds into a warning system that sounds real-time alarms for trends undermining Beijing’s interests. (AC: These surveillance programs are part of a broader effort to refine China’s foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. It also demonstrates an offensive capability to identify foreign persons of interest and disrupt their activity with counter-information operations. This effectively directs China’s unrestricted warfare strategy to the non-state individual level. – M.M.) CALIFORNIA PORK IMPACT: On 1 Jan 2022, a California ballot initiative known as the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act took effect. The State law prohibits the sale of meat from animals raised in housing conditions that don’t meet spacing requirements. Any supermarkets, restaurants, or meat processors in violation of the new regulations within the state could be fined or even jailed. California accounts for approximately 15% of pork consumption nationwide, and only 4% of farms are already compliant with the new policy. (AC: With the USDA previously reporting a 4% reduction in the U.S. hog supply, industry predictions forecast the new California state law driving higher pork prices in stores. Small farms dependent on California markets are expected to take the most impact from the new policy due to major investments needed to change their operations, ensuring compliance with the state law. Hog farmers are claiming that these new rules could endanger the health and safety of sows, and some claim that compliance will be slow due to the slow rollout of clarifying regulations. – D.F.)DESPERATE, LAME DUCK CONGRESS IN 2022: Democrats are highly likely to lose control of the House and potentially the Senate. The Democrat-led Congress’ focus in 2022 is to pass the Build Back Better bill, end the Senate filibuster, federalize elections, and continue stop-gap funding measures. Democrats continue to blame Sens. Manchin (D-WV) and Sinema (D-AZ) for the lack of legislative progress and will likely use parliamentary rule changes to maneuver around their noncompliance. (AC: Some Far Left politicians are approaching this legislative session with a “nothing to lose” attitude. There is a real political fear President Biden’s administration and a one-party Congress will be unable to deliver any of their policy promises. The lack of substantive legislative progress will focus politicians on social issues like January 6th, the pandemic, and education while ignoring geopolitical threats from China and Russia. Expect a renewed focus on Iran as nuclear talks begin this week as Biden seeks a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). – D.M.)