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- 🌊 China's Major Communist Maolestone
🌊 China's Major Communist Maolestone
Plus: The dollar's awful 2025, UK festival controversy, & Norway's huge tiny mistake
Sorry, too busy winning world wars to read all that…
Yesterday we asked you what Europe does better than America, and you all sent in hundreds of responses. The nuance and eloquence of your answers impressed us; several of you wrote borderline dissertations. But all of them were wrong.
The 🦅 correct 🦅 answer 🦅 is 🦅 NOTHING 🦅. Today we give you the opportunity to tell us what America does better, and we will enjoy reading those answers — on our couches, chained to our work laptops, and with nachos on our bellies.
🇨🇳 CCP hits 100M members
🇬🇧 UK music festival controversy
🇳🇴 Norway's huge tiny mistake
–Max and Max
KEY STORY
100M Communists Unlocked
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) surpassed 100M members for the first time
All parts of China’s government, military, and media are subservient to the party, and membership within it comes with numerous benefits, ranging from expanded job and housing opportunities to higher incomes. Only around 10% of applicants are accepted as members
On Monday, a day ahead of the party’s 104th anniversary, the CCP announced that it had surpassed 100M members
The figure makes it the world’s second-largest political party, after Indian PM Narendra Modi’s BJP
Dig Deeper
Around 7% of China's population now belongs to the party
Despite hitting the 100M benchmark, the figure reflects slowing growth: CCP membership increased by 1.2% in 2023 and 1.4% in 2022, a decrease from 3.7% in 2021
The slowing growth follows an order by Xi Jinping – the party’s general secretary – to “properly control” membership and emphasize the quality of members over their quantity
KEY STORY
Dollar Goes Down
Through the first six months of 2025, the US dollar experienced its greatest six-month decline since 1973
Currencies follow supply and demand: When people want to hold more dollars, demand rises and the dollar becomes more expensive; when they want to hold fewer dollars, demand falls and the dollar becomes cheaper
Trump’s policies – ranging from trade to spending – have disincentivized people to hold dollars, leading to a 10% decline through the first half of the year
Critics say that makes it harder for Americans to afford imports and borrow; proponents say that makes American goods relatively cheaper, boosting exports
Dig Deeper
The impact of a lower dollar is a matter of debate
Those who are less worried about the trade deficit often prefer a more expensive dollar, as it makes imports relatively cheaper
Those who worry about the trade deficit often prefer a cheaper dollar, as it makes US goods relatively cheaper for the rest of the world, boosting exports and disincentivizing imports
Regardless of the debate, a down dollar makes international travel and imports relatively more expensive: The Euro is up 13% relative to the dollar so far this year, while the British pound is up 9.6%
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Truth enlightens the mind, but won’t always bring happiness to your heart
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KEY STORY
Canada Drops Tax
Canada dropped its planned digital services tax (DST) on large tech firms after President Trump suspended trade talks
Last week, Trump cited the DST – which would have taken 3% of digital services revenue from large tech firms – as a reason for dropping trade negotiations with Canada
Late Sunday, Canada announced that it would withdraw the tax and resume negotiations with the US, aiming for a new trade agreement by July 21
The situation comes after a failed attempt by the Biden Administration to get Canada to exempt US companies from the tax
Dig Deeper
The Canadian government issued a statement saying: “To support those negotiations, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced today that Canada would rescind the Digital Services Tax (DST) in anticipation of a mutually beneficial comprehensive trade arrangement with the United States”
The Canadian government said Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Trump had agreed to resume negotiations
Talks are set to continue with the goal of reaching a “mutually beneficial” agreement by July 21
KEY STORY
“Death to the IDF”
A “Death to the IDF” chant at a UK music festival has sparked an international controversy
Last week, Bobby Vylan, frontman of English punk duo Bob Vylan, led the crowd at Glastonbury – the UK’s largest music festival – in chanting, “Death, death to the IDF!” referencing Israel’s military
Footage of the chant, echoed by thousands, went viral prompting an uproar
The duo has since had their US visas revoked, been dropped by their agency, and faced condemnation from Glastonbury and the BBC, who broadcasted their performance
Dig Deeper
A Glastonbury organizer said the festival is “appalled” by Vylan’s statements, while the BBC put out a statement condemning “the antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan”
Beyond the statements, the US State Department that it had revoked the duo’s visas, citing, “Their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants.” They were scheduled to begin touring the US later this summer
In a social media post, Vylan said, “I said what I said…Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place”
RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office
🔫 Authorities have identified the man who allegedly fatally shot two firefighters and injured a third in Idaho
🇷🇺 Russia has deployed 50,000 troops near the Ukrainian regional capital of Sumy
🇸🇾 The US lifted sanctions on Syria for the first time since 1979
💰 Oracle shares rose to a record high after the company announced a $30B cloud computing contract
🏫 A federal investigation found that Harvard University violated civil rights law by failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment
What does Roca Nation think?
🇪🇺 Yesterday’s Question: What is one thing Europe does better than America?
Most of the answers were about food and healthcare. Here are a few others.
America is very litigious, and Europe isn't. So many policies and standards that the majority of Americans despise (ridiculous regulations in public places, hospitals, schools) are due to an immense fear of lawsuits. Europeans expect people to take responsibility for their actions, and not sue McDonalds for their coffee being too hot.
Mass transit and walkable places! I long to have the rail system that European countries have. People say it's not possible here but we do in fact have passenger rail, it's just not nearly as accessible. As someone who didn't have a car in a car dependent city a rail or better supported bus system would be wonderful. I wish more cities/states would invest in rail systems.
Work culture. The U.S. gets 0 federally mandated days off (not including the public holidays). Most Americans are happy to get 10 days at most per year. In most of Europe, they receive at least 20-25 days of paid vacation BY LAW. And don't get me started on maternity and paternity leave. Most U.S. mothers are back to work within 3 months without receiving pay. In Europe, it's normal to take off work for a year with partial or full pay, including fathers. Then there's the problematic "hustle culture" in the U.S. In France, it's literally illegal to expect employees to check emails after work, but in the U.S. you're seen as "not wanting it bad enough" if you're not answering the boss' messages after hours. We've somehow normalized corporate feudalism and called it the "American Dream."
🇺🇸 Today’s Question: What is one thing America does better than Europe?
POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour
🎫 From Riches to Glitches: Norway’s state gambling company mistakenly alerted thousands of Norwegians that they had won millions
💊 From Trash to Tylenol: Scientists have engineered bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a common pain reliever
🐻 Un-bear-able Lid Lifted: A black bear roaming the Michigan woods finally broke free from a plastic lid stuck to its neck
🏬 Double Joe-pardy: Trader Joe’s has opened a new store in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of LA – across the street from an existing Trader Joe’s
🧀 Grate News for Cheese: Nestlé has unveiled a new wrapper for its popular cheese singles that breaks down within 300 days
ROCA WRAP
One More Time
Uganda
This nation's 80-year-old leader will pursue another presidential term, potentially extending his rule to five decades.
Uganda – a landlocked East African country renowned for its wildlife diversity – has experienced significant political turbulence since achieving independence from Britain in 1962. In recent decades, Uganda has achieved relative stability – however, it’s all come under one aging man: President Yoweri Museveni.
Colleagues of Museveni announced last week that he would run in the presidential race scheduled for January. The announcement, while widely expected, means that Museveni may end up serving over 50 years in power.
Museveni ranks as Africa's fourth longest-serving head of state, having controlled Uganda since seizing power through armed rebellion in 1986. His National Resistance Movement has modified the constitution on two separate occasions to eliminate term limits and age restrictions that would have forced his retirement.
The upcoming contest will pit him against musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, who finished second in 2021 but rejected those results as fraudulent. Wine alleged that his 2021 victory was stolen through ballot manipulation, voter intimidation by security personnel, and other electoral violations.
Human rights advocates consistently accuse Museveni of employing patronage networks and military pressure to preserve his authority, though he maintains his longevity stems from genuine public backing. In Uganda, presidential terms have no expiration date.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts
Thanks to all of you who pointed out that our Happy Hour story about the Michigan woman living in a grocery store sign was a year old. It seems we’ve been living in a grocery store sign ourselves by missing that. Our apologies!
Anyways we want to wish all of our lovely readers up north a Happy Canada Day! What a week for independence!
–Max and Max