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coronavirus | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/covid-19-vaccine-alone-wont-defeat-spread-of-virus-report-warns | Covid-19 vaccine alone won't defeat spread of virus, report warns | 2020-10-01 | Coronavirus Vaccine, Healthcare, Life During Covid-19, Safety And Sanity During COVID-19, Coronavirus | Issues over production, efficacy and public trust mean restrictions may be needed for some time A successful vaccine for Covid-19 will not conquer the spread of the virus alone, with restrictions on daily life likely to continue for some time, a team of experts have said. Hundreds of teams of researchers around the world are working to produce a vaccine against the coronavirus, with 11 currently in phase three human trials. The UK government has reserved access to six potential vaccines and has raised hopes that a vaccine could be on the cards by spring next year. A report from a multidisciplinary group convened by the Royal Society, called Delve (Data Evaluation and Learning for Viral Epidemics), says there are serious challenges to producing a vaccine, including hurdles in manufacturing and storage, questions around how well vaccines will work, and problems with public trust. Prof Nilay Shah, the head of the department of chemical engineering at Imperial College London, and an author of the report, said that while there would be vaccines available in March – not least because manufacturing is beginning before the results of trials are known– the question was whether they will have been shown to be effective and passed regulatory processes. “Even if we get through that and the material is available and vaccination does start in the spring, it will take a long time to work through the different priority groups initially and then the wider population later on,” he said, adding that it may take up to a year. Prof Charles Bangham, the chair of immunology at Imperial College London and a co-author of the report, said: “Even if it is effective, it is very unlikely that we will be able to get back completely to normal. There is going to be a sliding scale even after the introduction of a vaccine that we know to be effective. We will have to gradually relax some of the other interventions.” Bangham said few vaccines completely block an infection, but they can reduce both the severity of disease and the chance of passing it on. However, in the case of vaccines in development against Covid, myriad questions remain. Concerns have already been raised that vaccines against Covid may be less effective in older adults than in other groups – a potential issue if supplies are limited and vaccinations have to be prioritised to those most at risk from becoming infected. The team says a policy of vaccinating widely in an attempt to produce herd immunity could also run into potential difficulties, particularly if the vaccine has limited effectiveness. And for any mass vaccination programme, there are manufacturing and supply hurdles to overcome. “We need to make sure that [we are going to have] all the ingredients for these tens of millions of doses in the UK, and several billions globally,” said Shah, noting that these range from chemicals to glass vials, while some may need to be kept at extremely low temperatures. A vaccination programme would need to carried out at about 10 times the pace of seasonal flu vaccinations, said Shah. “That would need many thousands of individual healthcare workers, retrained people, dedicated solely to delivering vaccinations,” he said. Public trust in a vaccine may also present a hurdle. Dr Zania Stamataki, a researcher in viral immunology at the University of Birmingham, said: “By the time the first vaccines are released, we need to do our best to dispel any myths surrounding vaccination and reassure individuals and families that they are safe, tested properly and that no corners have been cut in their preparation at all regarding safety.” In response to the DELVE report, the department of health and social care said: “This study fails to reflect the enormous amount of planning and preparation that has taken place across Government to quickly rollout a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine. Our plans include significantly expanding the trained workforce who can administer COVID-19 and flu vaccines, making it faster and easier for patients to access the vaccines they need.” “We are also confident we have adequate provision or transport, PPE and logistical expertise to deploy a Covid-19 vaccine across the country as quickly as possible.” | e41a27e19e9c3251 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Christian Science Monitor | http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2013/0703/Military-ouster-of-Egypt-s-Morsi-US-position-goes-from-worse-to-bad-video?nav=87-frontpage-entryLeadStory | Military ouster of Egypt's Morsi: US position goes from worse to bad | 2013-07-03 | middle_east | The ouster of Egypt ’ s President Mohammed Morsi by the country ’ s powerful military releases the United States from the delicate spot it found itself in before Wednesday ’ s events : caught between a democratically elected leader and the democratic forces seeking his removal .
The US will still face hard questions over how to respond to a military coup in a country that is a key Middle East partner and a major recipient of US military aid .
The days ahead are likely to remain agitated and tense in Egypt , and the US will almost certainly face criticism from Mr. Morsi ’ s supporters , who will say the US acquiesced to the illegal removal of an elected leader who had just marked the first year of a four-year term .
The Egyptian military acted to deflect accusations that the manner in which it removed Morsi amounted to a coup . While the military suspended the Morsi-era constitution , the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian armed forces , Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi , told Egyptians in a televised address Wednesday night that the chief justice of Egypt ’ s constitutional court – and not a military leader – would fill the presidency until new presidential elections can be held .
The new interim president is to be sworn in Thursday .
The military said it acted in the “ public service ” not just to end the country ’ s chaotic political crisis but to implement a “ roadmap to democracy ” that would have the support of Egypt ’ s political factions and foster the “ reconciliation ” that Morsi failed to promote , General Sissi said . Although he did not mention Morsi by name , Sissi said the president had “ responded with negativity ” up to the last minute to the military ’ s demands for a resolution of the political crisis .
The Egyptian military also sought to assure the United States , in a phone call to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel , that it has no interest in holding onto power .
As Egypt ’ s turmoil reached a crescendo in recent days , the US attempted to appear neutral among the dueling parties , with both the White House and the State Department emphasizing that “ we don ’ t take sides ” and calling on all factions to “ engage with each other ” and find a nonviolent political solution to their differences .
But by Wednesday afternoon , with events in Cairo moving fast and Morsi ’ s ouster looking likely , US officials began shifting their stance . At the State Department , spokeswoman Jen Psaki reminded reports that democracy is about more than elections . And she spoke critically of Morsi over what she said was his failure to “ take steps ” to address Egyptians ’ concerns – even as she held her fire toward the military .
Morsi ’ s televised speech Tuesday , in which he defiantly refused to meet protesters ’ demands and vowed never to step down , was a particular disappointment to the US , Ms. Psaki said . `` He had the opportunity [ in the speech ] to lay out certain steps '' to address the crisis , she said , `` and he did n't take the opportunity to do that . ''
Thousands of Egyptians celebrated publicly Wednesday night , but it was unclear what path Morsi ’ s many supporters planned to take .
Meanwhile , the US military was preparing for the worst in Egypt , dispatching part of a Marine crisis response team stationed in Spain to Sigonella , Italy , to shorten the team ’ s distance from Egypt in case its intervention was needed . The United States also ordered the evacuation of its embassy in Cairo , news reports said .
In May , the US quietly approved the annual $ 1.3 billion in US military aid to Egypt , despite qualms over progress in the country ’ s democratization process , and it seems unlikely to suspend that aid even after a coup . The Egyptian military has close ties to the Pentagon , and the emphasis Wednesday on civilian leaders and a “ roadmap ” to democracy appears likely to blunt any criticism in Washington .
Now that Morsi is out the US is likely to insist that it continues to take no sides and only supports “ the Egyptian people , ” some regional analysts say .
“ They ’ ll continue trying to maintain this idea of a neutral position because they want to avoid looking like they are intervening in Egypt ’ s politics , ” say James Phillips , a Middle East expert at the Heritage Foundation in Washington .
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But the US was already suffering from a perception among Egyptians opposed to Morsi and the increasingly repressive actions of his Muslim Brotherhood party that it had “ tilted ” in Morsi ’ s favor , Mr. Phillips says . And he says it will take more forceful pronouncements from Washington in favor of a democratic transition – at least – to sway a public dubious of US support .
“ After having given the impression that we were shoring up the Muslim Brotherhood , ” Phillips says , “ I would welcome even an even-handed statement that indicates we are distancing ourselves from the political forces that aren ’ t really interested in building a democracy in Egypt . ” | kcMnFbFTri89Y0jw | 1 | Egypt | 0.8 | Middle East | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
lgbt_rights | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/28/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-next-battlegrounds.html?ref=politics | Both Sides on Same-Sex Marriage Focus on Next Battlegrounds | 2013-06-28 | lgbt_rights | The conservatives also think their opponents have harvested the “ low-hanging fruit ” of liberal states and are nearing a limit .
“ The lines are being drawn between states that stand with natural , traditional marriage and states that redefined it , ” said Tony Perkins , president of the Family Research Council , a conservative Christian organization . He predicts that more Americans will turn against same-sex marriage when they see what he called its pernicious consequences — like introducing teachings in school that parents consider immoral or forcing Christian business owners like florists and caterers to participate in gay marriages against their will .
Perhaps the most immediate battle will be in Illinois , a populous state with a Democratic legislature where the Senate has already approved same-sex marriage . Gov . Pat Quinn , a Democrat , urged legislators on Wednesday to “ redouble our efforts to make it happen . ”
Many had expected the marriage bill to be adopted in May . But at the last minute , its House sponsor did not offer it for a vote , apparently fearing that the bill could lose . Gay rights groups say they think the votes are there for a victory at a brief legislative session this fall . But they , and the National Organization for Marriage on the other side , are raising funds for an all-out public campaign over the next few months .
The New Jersey Legislature enacted same-sex marriage in 2012 , but the measure was vetoed by Gov . Chris Christie , a Republican , and the Legislature has not taken further action . Gay rights groups are working to gain votes , but they are also hopeful that Wednesday ’ s Supreme Court decision to strike down parts of the Defense of Marriage Act , thus extending federal benefits to same-sex married couples , will gain them a rapid victory in state courts or the Legislature .
New Jersey , like six other states , offers legal civil unions but not marriage to gay couples . According to a 2006 decision by the State Supreme Court , such unions must provide legal protections equal to those offered heterosexual couples . But even after Wednesday ’ s decision , the federal government will not recognize civil unions , said Troy Stevenson , executive director of Garden State Equality — bolstering the argument that unions and marriage are not equal . | Mlp3tW3i6pKOQBbD | 0 | Same-Sex Marriage | 0.8 | LGBTQ Issues | 0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Daily Kos | https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/31/1711281/-Trump-chief-of-staff-blames-Civil-War-on-lack-of-an-ability-to-compromise-doesn-t-mention-slavery | Trump chief of staff blames Civil War on 'lack of an ability to compromise,' doesn't mention slavery | 2017-10-31 | politics | Anyone who was holding onto the illusion that White House chief of staff John Kelly is a noble man of honor serving an unstable president out of concern for what would happen in his absence is going to feel those illusions slip-sliding away after getting a load of Kelly ’ s Monday Fox News interview . Kelly again refused to apologize for his discredited comments ( AKA “ lies ” ) about Rep. Frederica Wilson , called the Russia investigations “ very distracting , ” and called for a special counsel to investigate Democrats . But his comments on the Civil War deserve top billing because WOW .
This is where opposition to taking down memorials to traitors gets Kelly :
“ But the lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War . And men and women of good faith on both sides made their stand where their conscience had to make their stand . ”
The lack of an ability to compromise , he says , failing to mention that the compromise would have had to be about chattel slavery , about the ownership , torture , and rape of human beings . In fact there were compromises along the way , but it turned out that when one side was determined to continue owning , torturing , and raping human beings , compromises were hard to maintain . Funny how that happens . And “ men and women of good faith ” on that particular side “ made their stand where their conscience had to made their stand ” —in defense of their ownership , torture , and rape of human beings . In defense of their right to separate families by selling human beings for their own personal profit . In defense not just of white supremacy but of the view of black people as less than human .
Then again , it really puts in context all those times Kelly has been described as what some might call a man of faith making a stand ( in the White House ) where his conscience has led him . And it gives us a new way to hear it when he calls for a special counsel to investigate Democrats over the Uranium One conspiracy theories and the possibility that they conducted opposition research against Donald Trump . We can now hear him clearly as a partisan hack , as `` an accomplice to Trump 's white supremacist agenda from day one , '' and acted out brutally in his time at Homeland Security . Or , for that matter , we can see it when Kelly tries to distance Trump from the indictments against Paul Manafort . There can be no more thinking that when Kelly says that the indictments were for activities from “ long before they ever met Donald Trump ” ( which is n't entirely true—Manafort was allegedly still laundering money while he worked for Trump ) , his recitation of the talking point carries any more weight than when a professional talking points delivery system like Sarah Huckabee Sanders offers it up .
Because damn . This is a man who is either so ignorant of history or so determined to defend the Confederacy-worship of Trump ’ s racist base that he is blaming the Civil War on “ the lack of an ability to compromise , ” with no mention of slavery . How can anyone give him credibility ? | dxXd5nbnrzgsWygz | 0 | John Kelly | -0.2 | Politics | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/14/politics/fiscal-cliff-daschle-lott/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Ex-Senate leaders: Fiscal cliff deal will set tone for Obama's second term | 2012-12-14 | fiscal_cliff | Story highlights Former Senate leaders kept open line of communication during negotiations
Ex-Democratic leader Tom Daschle : Times of crisis made it easier to form consensus
Internal pressures on those who seek compromise are greater now , both men say
Ex-GOP leader Trent Lott says Republicans will eventually give in , but timing is crucial
Secret conversations on the balcony . A special phone line for instant and direct communication . These are some of the tools former Democratic leader Tom Daschle and former Republican leader Trent Lott used to forge bipartisan consensus and compromise when they ran the Senate a little more than a decade ago .
In a joint interview in the shadow of the Capitol , Daschle and Lott reminisced about bridging partisan differences to get things done -- instructive for today 's leaders talking past each other as the fiscal cliff approaches .
`` We both decided that there were going to be times when we really needed to call each other immediately and not go through staff . And it was so urgent that when that phone rang , we knew we had a matter that had to be addressed right away . So we installed these phones and used them occasionally , and I never got a busy signal when I called , '' said Daschle , breaking out in laughter .
Lott recalled , `` Sometimes I would get up from my desk and I would go down the hall and I would come in the back door of Tom 's office and we would talk . And he would come down to my office . I mean , it 's a little thing , but sometimes if the leader says , ' I do n't want to do that , it looks like I 'm conceding to him . '
`` Usually when I went to see Tom was when I was going to admit I had made a little mistake , '' Lott said with a sheepish grin .
For six years , the two led the Senate from opposite sides of the aisle as majority leader and minority leader -- depending on which party had control .
As reporters covering Congress during those years , it used to be that we stood outside negotiations waiting to see what any given deal would look like . Now things are so partisan and divisive , it 's always an open question about whether there will be a deal at all -- especially with the fiscal cliff .
JUST WATCHED Fiscal fighting the old-fashioned way Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Fiscal fighting the old-fashioned way 03:11
JUST WATCHED How does Congress come to a deal ? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH How does Congress come to a deal ? 04:03
JUST WATCHED Fiscal cliff fallout at the Pentagon Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Fiscal cliff fallout at the Pentagon 02:48
`` There 's a lot of things that are going on that are different now , '' Lott said . `` News media ( are ) more omnipresent . And all the new social media , the traveling back and forth , and different personalities .
`` I still am convinced that hopefully at least that they 're going to come to an agreement . There 's an argument that you do n't want to make it too early because that gives people that may not be too happy with it more time to undermine it , '' Lott said .
Daschle added he believes it was easier to form consensus during their tenure because there were so many times of crisis : the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton , the attacks of 9/11 , the anthrax attack on Daschle 's office .
`` Anytime there 's a crisis of that magnitude , it does bring people together a little bit easier , to bring caucuses and individuals , and provide some direction in ways that we do n't really have today , '' Daschle said .
But is n't falling off the fiscal cliff and possibly into another recession a crisis ?
`` It could be , but we 're not there yet , '' Lott said .
`` I do think they 've reached a point where they need to quit talking to each other through the media and talking about whole parties and the president and the leaders of Congress . Some of our most effective results came when we sat down at a conference table with -- sometimes with the president or at least with the chief of staff or his ( Office of Management and Budget ) director , with our key budget people , and we really talked about alternatives and hammered it out , '' Lott continued .
Daschle added : `` There has to be lines of communication . You have the institution that creates mechanisms by which people can talk . One of the things that we did that I really regret that we did n't do more often was the whole joint caucuses , where members could talk among themselves without the cameras and without the public scrutiny , where you really could be candid . We do n't do enough of that today . We did n't do it enough , I do n't think -- we were leaders and I wish we 'd done it more . And I certainly wish we 'd do it more now . ''
He also said a lesson he learned from being a successful deal maker was to have open dialogue at all times , not just during tough negotiations .
`` Trust does n't come haphazardly . It really has to be built over time . And that trust has to happen really at times when there is n't a crisis . That 's why I think having regular meetings and conversation when there 's no crisis , when you can build trust and a friendship and a relationship that allows for better dialogue and far more consequential deal-making can occur when a crisis does come up , '' Daschle said .
Both men admit internal party pressures on leaders and rank-and-file members who move toward compromise are much more intense than when they were in charge a decade ago .
JUST WATCHED Obama on Rice withdrawal , fiscal cliff Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama on Rice withdrawal , fiscal cliff 01:17
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Would Lott be worried about a primary challenge if he were still in office ?
`` It would be tough to deal with some of the views you have to deal with , but you know it 's called leadership . You 've got to be prepared to really lead , and sometimes you have to do the best you can and then try to convince your conference or your caucus to go along with you , '' Lott said .
As far as the fiscal cliff negotiations go , Lott made it clear he believes fellow Republicans eventually will give in to President Barack Obama on raising tax rates for the wealthy , at least a little bit . But he said the timing -- when to do that -- is crucial politically .
`` ( There ) will come a moment when the speaker is going to have to make a decision on that and the president is going to have to make a decision what he is going to do to return on the spending , but they need to do it in concert . It 's like directing the orchestra . You 've got to have the winds and the brass come together , '' Lott said .
For his part , Daschle said his party will make hard choices on safety net programs it holds dear , such as Medicare and Medicaid .
`` I think Democrats are prepared to work on entitlements , but there 's two ways of doing it . You can just cut and shift the costs onto somebody else , or you can really redesign the programs and improve them . And I think that 's really the essence of what we 've got to do . Let 's redesign these programs to make them work better , not just shift the program costs onto somebody else , '' Daschle said .
Lott added that he learned in his six years as Senate GOP leader it 's important to know when to lead and `` when to be a follower . ''
`` Whether we like it or not , this is really going to come down to the best judgments of the president and the speaker . Both of them will be consulting with their players in both parties , in both bodies , but you 've got to give them a little latitude to see what they can come up with , '' Lott said . `` You may not be able to live with it , but everybody 's taking up positions right now and frankly it 's making a conclusion more difficult by some of the things that 's been said on both sides of aisle . ''
Both men said they hope the two sides reach a deal on the fiscal cliff , not just because of the very real implications for the economy but because of how critical these talks are for setting the tone for the president 's next term .
`` This is really a reset moment , '' Daschle said . `` I call this period between now and , say , the end of February a reset moment where you can create a different environment . And this will be the test . If we reset , it 's going to have to happen around the fiscal cliff first , because that 's the first order of business . But there are a lot of other issues out there that could be addressed if we could really create a new climate . And whether we do in part depends on the success of this effort right now . ''
The two men genuinely became friends during their time leading the Senate .
It 's hard to imagine the current Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican leader Mitch McConnell having the kind of relationship in which they share information or cut deals during secret talks out on a Capitol balcony . | KmNC9AkUblwDbq03 | 0 | Fiscal Cliff | -0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
criminal_justice | New Republic | https://newrepublic.com/post/185023/george-santos-pleads-guilty | Scam Artist George Santos Finally Confesses | 2024-08-19 | Criminal Justice, Politics, New York, George Santos, House Republicans, Ethics, Fraud | Former Representative George Santos pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and identity theft on Monday afternoon. The con artist and serial liar will avoid being tried on more than 23 charges, which include employment fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds, but still faces anywhere from two to 20 years in prison. In court Monday, Santos finally spoke truthfully and sounded contrite, a departure from his normal record of dishonesty in which he lied about his biography, his resume, and even his wardrobe. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,” he said to the judge. “I understand my actions have betrayed the trust of my supporters and my constituents.” As part of his plea agreement, Santos agreed to pay $373,749.97 in restitution for his crimes, and his sentencing has been postponed until February 7. Santos’s blatant crimes led to him being expelled from Congress in December, despite Republicans controlling the House of Representatives with a narrow majority. He was ultimately replaced by Democrat Tom Suozzi in a special election in February, and briefly tried to return to Congress in a futile campaign against one of his biggest Republican detractors, Long Island Representative Nick LaLota. He has spent his time post-Congress earning money on the celebrity personalized message platform Cameo, even bringing back his drag alter ego “Kitara Ravache.” After his guilty plea, Santos spoke to the press, telling his ex-constituents “I failed you,” seemingly choking up. “I hope that by facing these consequences head on, I hope that I can demonstrate my commitment to change and to earning your forgiveness,” Santos said. “I do not ask for your forgiveness, as I know that must be earned through actions, not words.” This story has been updated. An evangelical group has come out in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, and its ads are aggressively looking to peel more members of the conservative Christian sect away from Donald Trump. A new media spot by Evangelicals For Harris turns to the fourth verse of the first book of John for guidance on the upcoming election, pairing the “false prophet” Bible passage with several caustic clips of Trump. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” the advertisement opens. The clips include the time in 2016 when Trump claimed he could shoot someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and not lose any votes, as well as recent instances in which the Republican nominee channeled the language of Adolf Hitler, arguing that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” while elevating some of his icons, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. “Read 1 John 4. Choose Christ’s Love,” the advertisement ends. It’s the second such ad by the group in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Evangelicals For Harris stitched a clip of the late Billy Graham urging parishioners to atone for their sins with a 2015 interview of Trump, in which the former real estate mogul said he was “not sure” he had ever asked God for forgiveness. “That’s a tough question. I’m not sure I have,” Trump said at the time. “I just, I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.” The clip was not taken well by Graham’s son and institutional successor, who wrote on Twitter that “the liberals are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris.” “They even developed a political ad trying to use my father @BillyGraham’s image,” Franklin Graham said in response. “They are trying to mislead people. Maybe they don’t know that my father appreciated the conservative values and policies of President @realDonaldTrump in 2016, and if he were alive today, my father’s views and opinions would not have changed.” But clearly, the pro-Trump sentiment is not shared throughout the religious dynasty: Billy Graham’s granddaughter, Jerushah Duford, endorsed Harris days later. Speaking during an Evangelicals For Harris Zoom call on Friday, Duford lamented how her denomination’s ongoing support of Trump has turned young people away from religion. “In 2016, when a man bragged about assaulting women, various leaders of my faith then propped up this man as a poster boy for godly manhood and leadership,” Duford told the group. “This broke my heart as I have watched—quite frankly, for the last eight years—people who were curious about Jesus and His teachings [have] done a 180 and walked in the other direction from my faith.” On Monday night, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will address the Democratic National Convention at 9 p.m. E.T. Giving Ocasio-Cortez a prime-time speaking slot on the convention’s first day appears to signal an acknowledgement of the party’s left-wing contingent. The theme of Monday’s programming is “for the people.” The New York representative has not yet indicated what her speech will be about or if she will address the calls from protesters for a cease-fire and an arms embargo on Israel. Still, the speech is a big shift in the Democratic Party. In 2020, Ocasio-Cortez virtually addressed the Democratic National Convention with a brief 90 second speech to symbolically endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for the presidential nomination. Other speakers Monday night will include President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Representative Jamie Raskin, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Representative Jasmine Crockett, and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, among others. You can watch a livestream of the convention, including Ocasio-Cortez’s speech, here: https://demconvention.com/watch/ House Republicans are once again trying to impeach President Joe Biden. A nearly 300-page report prepared by the House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee, and House Ways and Means Committee, and serendipitously obtained by Fox News on the first day of the Democratic National Convention, alleges that Biden committed “impeachable conduct.” The committees claimed that Biden’s son Hunter, his brother James, and their associates had raked in more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities since 2014, and that Biden had used his position as vice president to leverage more than $8 million in loans from Democratic donors. However, the report was unable to provide evidence that Biden himself had benefited from business dealings, or participated in any foreign business deals. Many of the claims in the report had already been refuted by witness testimony during interviews with the House Oversight Committee last year. The report also alleged that Biden had concealed his mishandling of classified documents after his time as vice president, although Special Counsel Robert Hur had declined to prosecute because there was not enough evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The report comes 11 months after Republicans first announced their failed campaign to convince a majority of House members to impeach Biden. House Republicans referred Hunter and James Biden for criminal prosecution in June, after a disastrous impeachment inquiry that failed to scrounge up the slightest bit of evidence that Biden had committed any wrongdoing. While that appeared to be a sign that House Oversight Chair James Comer’s quest to oust Biden had reached its inevitable, but anticlimactic, conclusion, apparently, that was somehow not the end of the Republicans’ feeble attempts to help Donald Trump. “After wasting nearly two years and millions of taxpayer dollars, House Republicans have finally given up on their wild goose chase. This failed stunt will only be remembered for how it became an embarrassment that their own members distanced themselves from as they only managed to turn up evidence that refuted their false and baseless conspiracy theories,” Sharon Yang, the White House spokesperson for oversight investigations, told Fox News. House Oversight Democrats released their own memo on Monday, refuting some of the Republicans’ long-debunked claims, including the false accusation that Biden had pushed for the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating a company linked to his son. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted on X, slamming the Republicans’ report. “House Democrats will continue to put people over politics. Extreme MAGA Republicans are baselessly threatening to impeach President Biden and shut down the government in September,” he wrote. “These extremists are unfit to govern.” Donald Trump’s nephew, Fred Trump III, sees worrying signs of dementia in his uncle. Trump III recently published a book, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, detailing his family history of dementia. He joined Sirius XM’s The Dean Obeidallah Show on Friday and warned that he’s seeing indicators in the former president, noting that his grandfather and Trump’s father, Fred Trump Sr., died eight years after his own Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 1999. “You know, Donald said, ‘Oh, my father was tiptop until the end.’ I can assure you, that was not the case,” Trump III told Obeidallah. “I know what I saw in my grandfather,” Trump III added. “I know what I saw in Donald’s older sister, my aunt Maryanne, who in the end … I am not a doctor, I don’t pretend to be. I just, I know the warning signs from both of my grandfathers.” In November 2023, Trump’s sister Maryanne Trump Barry died at age 86. Trump III also mentioned that his uncle’s cousin, John Walters, had dementia, noting that “it runs in the family.” “He looks older. And I get it.… Anybody who is in that office looks different than when they come out,” Trump III said. “But the things he’s spewing and the craziness, and he just can’t stick to a message. And he used to be able to stick to a message.” Trump has had difficulty in his recent rallies and campaign speeches sticking to a particular topic, going off on tangents and rambling. He has trouble staying on message, drawing criticism from his fellow Republicans and leading many observers, including several mental health experts, to warn of signs of cognitive decline. If his family members are also seeing the signs, that doesn’t bode well for the former president and convicted felon. Among the myriad of guests at this week’s Democratic National Convention are quite a few notable Republicans. Republican Ana Navarro-Cárdenas of The View will host night two of the Democratic National Convention, she announced Sunday night on Instagram. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me,” Navarro said in the video. “I’m a little refugee girl who fled communism, who fled Nicaragua at the age of eight, found freedom, found opportunity, found a home in America, and for me to have the chance to stand on that stage and help my girl, Kamala, make history and become the Democratic nominee, it’s just such a mind-blowing moment.” Rich Logis, an ex-MAGA activist and the founder of the group Leaving MAGA, will speak at the convention on Monday. Also in attendance will be former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, who served Illinois’s 16th congressional district for over 10 years. Kinzinger is scheduled to speak on Thursday just before Harris addresses the convention. Kinzinger became a target of Donald Trump after he was one of only 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump over “incitement of an insurrection.” Kinzinger and former Representative Liz Cheney were the only Republicans to vote for creating the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol—and were also the only Republicans to join the committee. Kinzinger resigned in 2022. A spokesperson for the Illinois politician told The New Republic in 2023 that the former representative “would only vote for Donald Trump if the opponent is actual Satan.” In June, before President Joe Biden exited the race, the Democrats hired Representative Adam Kinzinger’s former chief of staff to aid Republican outreach efforts. Last week, a burgeoning “Republicans for Harris” organized 70,000 people to join an organizing call that included Kinzinger as well as other former politicians and White House officials. The Democratic National Convention will hold its first ever panel discussion on Palestinian human rights on Monday, the result of months of effort from activists advocating for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s deadly military onslaught in Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 people. Panelists will include Layla Elabed, one of the founders of the Uncommitted Movement, which organized massive “uncommitted” votes during the Democratic primaries, as well as Hala Hajazi, a Democratic donor and fundraiser who has lost several family members to Israel’s ongoing military campaign. Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a Palestinian-American pediatric physician who has been working in Gaza throughout Israel’s assault, will speak, as well. The panel will also include Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, former U.S. Representative Andy Levin of Michigan, and Jim Zogby, the founder of the Arab American Institute. Elabed and her Uncommitted Movement co-chair Abbas Alawieh, who is also a DNC delegate, released an official statement from the group, thanking the DNC for working with them on the panel. “This is an important step toward recognizing the rightful place of human rights advocates for Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party. With this panel and throughout our current engagement at the DNC, we will use our platform to announce the cries of the majority of Democratic voters who want an end to the unconditional flow of U.S. weapons that Netanyahu is using to kill Palestinian families,” the statement said. The group reiterated a previous request that Dr. Haj-Hassan should be invited to speak during the convention itself. Harris’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez-Rodriguez, met privately with Alawieh in Detroit on Thursday, ahead of the convention. When Harris appeared in Detroit earlier this month, Alawieh and Elabed were invited to greet her, and they spoke candidly about the need for an arms embargo to Israel. While Harris indicated that she was open to meeting with them to discuss an arms embargo, her national security adviser has insisted that the vice president does not support an arms embargo, a position that is in line with the Biden administration’s policy. This week, 30 delegates from the Uncommitted Movement, representing the more than 730,000 Democratic voters who voted “uncommitted” in the Democratic primaries, will attempt to engage with Democratic leaders at the DNC, pushing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and arguing for a U.S. arms embargo to Israel. Elsewhere in Chicago, massive protests are planned for the week, as activists hope to reignite dialogue around the mass killing in Gaza, which has stretched on for nearly 11 months. Donald Trump decided to double down rather than explain what he meant when he denigrated the military’s highest award for valor in armed service, the Medal of Honor. Speaking with MSNBC on Saturday, the former president repeated that he believed the honor’s civilian variant, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, is “better.” “When I say ‘better,’ I would rather in a certain way get it because people that get the Congressional Medal of Honor, which I’ve given to many, are often horribly wounded or dead,” Trump said. “They’re often dead, they get it posthumously.” “When you get the Congressional Medal of Honor—I always consider that to be the ultimate, but it is a painful thing to get it,” Trump continued. “When you get the Presidential Medal of Freedom, it’s usually for other things, like you’ve achieved great success in sports or you’ve achieved great success someplace else.” The clarification comes after Trump, who famously avoided the Vietnam War draft with a timely diagnosis of bone spurs, infuriated veterans across the country by claiming that the Presidential Medal of Freedom was “much better” because recipients of the Medal of Honor have been “hit so many times by bullets.” The off-color comment was made all the worse by the fact that Trump made the remark to elevate one of his top patrons, Miriam Adelson, a heavy-handed Republican donor and the richest Israeli in the world. Adelson and her husband, Las Vegas Sands billionaire Sheldon Adelson, earned Trump’s favor after they funneled $25 million to Trump’s super PACs in 2016 and donated $5 million to his inauguration. That earned them a spot on the dais, just a few rows behind Jared Kushner, as Trump was sworn in. In 2018, their contributions effectively bought Mrs. Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2019 influenced Trump to recognize Israel’s sovereignty in Golan Heights, an Israeli-occupied portion of southwest Syria that the religious state captured in 1967. Former Trump chief of staff and retired Marine General John Kelly threw out Trump’s comparison of the two honors, telling CNN Monday that the two medals are “not even close. No equivalency of any kind.” “Think of Normandy, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, or Fallujah,” Kelly told CNN. “The Medal of Honor is earned, not won, by incredibly brave actions on the battlefield under fire typically by very young men who joined when others did not to defend their country.” “To the service member, the oath is sacred and taken with the understanding that one could be seriously wounded, captured, or killed in living up to the words,” Kelly continued, referring to the oaths of enlistment. “No president, member of Congress, judge, or political appointee—and certainly no recipient of the Presidential Medal—will ever be asked to give life or limb to protect the Constitution. The two awards cannot be compared in any way. Not even close.” Both comments have drawn comparisons to other disrespectful remarks Trump flung at the military during his time in office, including a 2020 Atlantic report that caught the former president repeatedly referring to fallen soldiers as “suckers and losers.” J.D. Vance thought he made a clever remark when he compared Kamala Harris to Jeffery Epstein on Fox News Sunday, but he was wrong. “Giving Kamala Harris control over inflation policy, Shannon, it’s like giving Jeffrey Epstein control over human trafficking policy,” Vance told Shannon Bream Sunday morning. “The American people are much smarter than that. They don’t buy the idea that Kamala Harris represents a fresh start. She is more of the same,” Vance added. Far from scoring points on economic policy, Vance’s comments instead reminded everyone of Donald Trump’s associations with the notorious sexual abuser and trafficker. It also brought attention to the fact that Trump has been using Epstein’s plane, derisively referred to as the “Lolita Express,” on the 2024 campaign trail. On the eve of the Democratic National Convention Sunday night, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called out Vance’s poor analogy, pointing out on CNN that it didn’t look good coupled with Vance’s views on abusive relationships and sexual assault. “For this guy to mention Jeffrey Epstein when he has encouraged women to stay in relationships with domestic violence, and when he called someone getting impregnated through rape as inconvenient, is really something,” Beshear said. When Trump was mentioned in the first release of Epstein-related documents from a decade-old lawsuit against the sex trafficker in January, Trump was uncharacteristically quiet—a sign that he may have something to hide and doesn’t want to draw attention to his relationship with Epstein. Vance’s remarks probably won’t make Trump and his campaign staff happy. Donald Trump’s late night social media spree over the upcoming Democratic National Convention and his lackluster Pennsylvania rally had Republican strategists—and Swifties—thinking that the presidential nominee was melting down. Trump posted at least 25 times to his Truth Social account Sunday night. In numerous separate posts, he shared A.I. images of Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the Democrat’s team of sharing a misleading video of Trump’s crowd size at his rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the day before. Saturday was intended to be a campaign reset, but instead ended up reinforcing that Trump only knows how to personally belittle his political opponents. Jumping off script from what was supposed to be a speech on economic policy, Trump tapped back into some elementary-grade insults for the Democratic nominee, mocking her as “Comrade Kamala” and complaining that her team would use clips from the event that make it look like he’s “rambling, rambling.” But that same old song and dance wasn’t enough for his supporters, who began to leave the 8,000-person arena before Trump even finished speaking. Seeing unadulterated images of his own crowd size was apparently enough to send Trump into a spiral, claiming over several posts on Truth Social that Harris’s social media operation had inaccurately portrayed his turnout. “We had to turn away lots of people yesterday in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but Comrade Kamala Harris’ Social Media Operation showed empty seats, long before the Rally started, early in the afternoon when, in actuality, we had to turn away 11,500 people!” Trump wrote. “Comrade Kamala is a STONE COLD LOSER, she will FAIL and, if she doesn’t, our Country will cease to exist as we know it, turning into a Communist, Crime Ridden Garbage Dump. November 5th will be the Most Important Date in the History of the U.S.A. It’s as simple as that!…” That didn’t sit well with political pundits and Republican strategists, who felt the hyperbolic claims and nose-wrinkling urgency made Trump look “nervous.” “Looks like someone woke up on the gibbering barking panicked side of the bed today,” wrote Lincoln Project senior advisor Jeff Timmer. But his waning rallies weren’t the only thing on Trump’s mind during his extended social media binge. Bizarrely, Trump also seemed to be in the mood to provoke notoriously litigious pop star Taylor Swift’s notoriously mob-minded fans, sharing an A.I.-generated image of Swift clad in red, white, and blue, posing like Uncle Sam before an American flag emblazoned with the text: “Taylor wants YOU to vote for Donald Trump.” “I accept!” Trump captioned the image. Another Swift-related post shared by the former president depicted a group of women marching in “Swifties for Trump” shirts. (The post was labeled satire by its creator.) “It’s a good thing that Swifties are so cool with people using her image in deep fakes and using AI to make it look like Taylor Swift is doing things she’s not,” posted Republican Representative Jack Kimble. “I’m sure none of them will be mad about this.” It’s not the first time this summer that Trump has obsessed over Swift. During a closed-door meeting between Trump and House Republicans in June—his first visit to Capitol Hill since before the January 6 insurrection—Trump insisted on discussing the pop phenom, lamenting that she might endorse President Joe Biden while he was still in the race. Days before the meeting, Variety reported that Trump had spoken at length about Swift in a one-on-one interview, describing her as “unusually beautiful.” Swift has not yet endorsed any candidate in the 2024 election and has been notoriously close-lipped about her political beliefs throughout her career, even through the 2016 presidential election when she was rumored to be a closet Republican. That changed when she sided with Tennessee Democrats in the 2018 midterms against now-Senator Marsha Blackburn. In her 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana, Swift said that she didn’t mind getting bad press for railing against Trump, whom she described as a “homophobic racist.” Under the CPRA, you have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalized ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link.If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | 8d021cf49637070f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CBN | http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2019/january/800-000-federal-workers-return-to-work-but-for-how-long | 800,000 Federal Workers Return to Work, But for How Long? | 2019-01-28 | politics | WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is n't so sure lawmakers will reach an agreement to secure the border by Feb. 15 .
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal Sunday , the president stated , `` I personally think it 's less than 50-50 , but you have a lot of very good people on that board . ''
And if it does n't happen ? Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney says the president is `` willing '' to allow for another partial shutdown but maintains that is n't the goal .
Garnering congressional support for a second shutdown in two months may also be a hard sell .
`` I do n't know how any administration or member of Congress could think that a shutdown was a worthy pursuit , '' Senator Susan Collins ( R-ME ) told CBS 's `` Face the Nation . ''
As part of a three-week deal , a bipartisan group of 17 lawmakers from the House and Senate will hash out a plan all sides can agree on . Sen. Roy Blunt ( R-MO ) , who is part of that team , says he 's `` reasonably optimistic '' a deal can be made .
Democrats admit the president has made progress by getting rid of a plan for a `` concrete wall from sea to shining sea , '' but are pushing for more .
`` Making sure that there 's a bill that 's evidence-based in terms of securing our borders , '' Rep. Hakeem Jeffries ( D-NY ) told NBC 's `` Meet the Press . ''
Meanwhile , nearly 800,000 government workers returned to work Monday – relieved but cautious .
`` They want to try to do in three weeks what they could n't do in five weeks . So anyone that asks us , 'What do you think 's going to happen ? ' They 're going to shut down the government again , '' said one federal worker .
But it may not end in another partial shutdown . The president maintains he could declare a national emergency to fund the wall .
That 's something his GOP colleagues fear , with some suggesting it sets a dangerous precedent .
`` There might be a future president that I do n't agree with , thinks something else is an emergency , '' lamented Blunt . `` If we 'll do our job he wo n't even have to consider going there three weeks from now . '' | Hf94qdpyJMwAWxWZ | 2 | Federal Government | -0.2 | Politics | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | The Boston Globe | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/14/metro/harvard-mit-argue-foreign-student-ban-will-harm-universities-public-health/ | Trump administration drops plan to bar international students from US | 2020-07-14 | education | The move was welcomed by students and universities whose fall plans had been thrown into disarray last week after the federal government announced plans to prohibit these students from being in the country if none of their classes was taught face-to-face . Many colleges and universities have announced plans to teach many or all of their classes in the fall online to limit the spread of the virus .
The swift turnaround by the Department of Homeland Security came during a federal district court hearing about a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and MIT seeking a temporary injunction of the new guidelines . It represents an unusual retreat from an administration that has aggressively sought to curb immigration .
Facing fierce opposition , the Trump administration on Tuesday dropped its proposal to bar international students from studying in the United States if all of their classes are taught online amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ This is a significant victory , ” Harvard president Lawrence Bacow said in a message to the university community . “ The directive had disrupted all of American higher education . ... The ICE directive sought to force each of us to choose between the health of our communities and the education of our international students — a false and dangerous choice which we rejected . In the end , the public overwhelmingly agreed with us . ”
Angie Jo , 26 , a Canadian citizen who is earning her doctoral degree in political science from MIT , said she and her friends spent last week in fear of being deported , having to suddenly break leases and scrambling to figure out where in the world they could go .
Jo , whose family is in South Korea , has been living in the Cambridge area since she was an undergraduate student .
“ It ’ s a huge relief , ” Jo said . “ I ’ ve really put down roots here . It would be like leaving home for me . ”
Guillaume Bouchard , a rising Harvard sophomore from Quebec , said he was shocked when he heard that the federal government was backing away from its planned visa rules . Bouchard has experienced homelessness in the past and said he “ currently has no home to go back to in Canada . ”
One of the draws of Harvard was the school ’ s guarantee of four years of room and board . The new rules threatened to rip that away . Now , he said , he ’ s considering a mix of housing options .
“ I ’ m feeling relieved that I likely now have one more housing option for the fall , though we are certainly awaiting the next move , ” Bouchard said . “ We won the battle , but the US will still find ways to continue waging war on us and other non-citizens . ”
MIT president L. Rafael Reif urged policy makers to take a more humane approach to visa requirements .
“ This case also made abundantly clear that real lives are at stake in these matters , with the potential for real harm , ” Reif said in a statement . “ We need to approach policy making , especially now , with more humanity , more decency — not less . We stand ready to protect our students from any further arbitrary policies . Our nation ’ s future is at stake . ”
The decision means that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ’ s decision in March to allow international students to continue their studies remotely without affecting their visa status remains in place .
However , it is unclear what Tuesday ’ s decision means for students whose visas are expiring and need to be renewed and to students who are applying for visas for the first time and whose classes may be entirely online .
The Trump administration can also still issue new rules for international student visa-holders . While MIT and Harvard ’ s request for an injunction to last week ’ s visa directive is now moot , the case remains open .
ICE did not provide a comment on Tuesday and US Attorney Andrew Lelling , who represented the federal government in the case , declined to comment .
The federal government had argued that its guidelines last week were simply an attempt to return to more standard procedures .
In normal times , international students are not allowed to take more than one course online , but the federal government waived that requirement this spring and summer because of the pandemic . What federal immigration officials had proposed was , for the most part , a return to the pre-pandemic policy but included an option for students to return to the United States if their school conducted a hybrid program , with some courses taught in person and others online . But institutions such as Harvard had already announced plans to be entirely online this fall , and other universities worried that if the pandemic worsened and they had to adopt an entirely online teaching approach , their international students would suddenly face deportation .
The federal government said it has always been concerned that allowing international students to be in the United States and learn entirely online would give them flexibility to be anywhere in the country without being properly monitored , raising national security concerns , Lelling said in court documents .
Still , the backlash was immense . More than a million international students come to the United States every year to earn a degree that will help them land better jobs , and some remain after graduation .
Universities rely on international students , who usually pay full tuition , and local economies benefit from their spending . In Massachusetts there are 77,000 international students with active US study visas in Massachusetts and another 32,000 in the rest of New England .
While Harvard and MIT led the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security , nearly 60 other higher education institutions voiced their support . Schools including Boston University , Amherst College , Brandeis University , Brown University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , and Yale University submitted legal filings in US District Court in Boston backing the MIT/Harvard lawsuit . Companies including Facebook and Google , along with the US Chamber of Commerce , also filed supporting legal briefs .
Separately , Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey , joined by her counterparts from 16 other states and the District of Columbia , sued the Trump administration Monday over the new rule , arguing that it would significantly harm universities ’ finances .. That lawsuit also contended that the federal government failed to consider the health of students , faculty , and staff , if international students were required to attend courses in person , and failed to consider the fact that in some countries , remote learning is not possible .
“ This ICE rule was senseless and illegal the minute it came out , and the Trump Administration knew it didn ’ t have a chance , ” Healey said in a statement . “ This is why we take action in court , why we stand up for our values , and why we will remain vigilant in protecting our international students from these harmful disruptions . ”
Higher education leaders who have spent the past week scrambling to deal with the visa guidelines even as many of them are in the midst of planning for a complicated fall semester said they are breathing a sigh of relief .
“ This decision now allows us to return to the important work of planning for a fall semester that offers all of our students the safe , high quality education they deserve , ” said University of Massachusetts president Martin T. Meehan . | QUyYMBcIrEKFd2oO | 0 | Immigration | -0.1 | Education | 0.1 | Coronavirus | -0.1 | Travel Ban | 0 | DACA | 0 |
republican_party | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/us/politics/gop-race-starts-in-lavish-haunts-of-rich-donors.html?ref=politics&_r=0 | G.O.P. Race Starts in Lavish Haunts of Rich Donors | 2015-03-01 | republican_party | PALM BEACH , Fla. — Instead of the corn dogs and pork chops on a stick ritually served up on the hustings of Iowa , the latest stop on the donor trail featured meals of diver scallops and chocolate mousse . The setting was the Breakers , a sprawling Italian Renaissance-inspired hotel here , where the cheapest available rooms fetched $ 800 a night . And for the half-dozen Republican presidential candidates invited to the annual winter meeting this weekend of the Club for Growth , an influential bloc of deep-pocketed conservatives , the prize was not votes . It was money .
Long before the season of baby-kissing and caucus-going begins in early primary states , a no less decisive series of contests is playing out among the potential 2016 contenders along a trail that traces the cold-weather destinations of the wealthy and private-jet-equipped . In one resort town after another — Rancho Mirage , Calif. ; Sea Island , Ga. ; Las Vegas — the candidates are making their cases to exclusive gatherings of donors whose wealth , fully unleashed by the Supreme Court ’ s 2010 Citizens United decision , has granted them the kind of influence and convening power once held by urban political bosses and party chairmen .
Even a single deep-pocketed donor can now summon virtually the entire field of candidates . No fewer than 11 Republican White House hopefuls will fly to Iowa this week to attend the Iowa Agriculture Summit organized by Bruce Rastetter , a businessman and prominent “ super PAC ” donor . Each will submit to questions from Mr. Rastetter , who said he wanted the candidates to educate themselves on agriculture policy .
“ I get it that it ’ s helpful that I ’ ve given nationally and been helpful in Iowa to different candidates , ” said Mr. Rastetter , whose business interests range from meat processing to ethanol production , and who is not yet backing anyone for president . “ They know I ’ m going to be a fair arbiter in this , ” he added . “ We ’ re going to have a good discussion around these issues . ” | tZDJYj7i7qynTGQs | 0 | Politics | 0.3 | Republican Party | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/23/us/colorado-theater-heroism-obama/index.html?hpt=hp_c1 | President shares story of hero who tended to friend in theater shooting | 2012-07-23 | Violence In America | Story highlights President Obama tells how a woman helped her wounded friend in the Aurora theater
Allie Young was shot in the neck but is going to be fine because of her friend , Obama says
Stephanie Davies pulled Young into an aisle and put pressure on her friend 's wound , he says
Obama : Wounded Young urged friend to run , but she refused
Seconds after a gunman shot Allie Young in the neck in a crowded Colorado theater , a friend , Stephanie Davies , pulled her into an aisle , put pressure on her wound and dialed 911 . Young told her friend to run , but Davies refused .
President Barack Obama gave that account Sunday night in Aurora , praising Davies and others for heroism amid chaos and bloodshed in the shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 .
The women had settled in alongside others early Friday for a midnight showing of `` The Dark Knight Rises , '' the latest installment in the Batman series .
Suddenly a gunman threw canisters only a few feet from where the pair sat .
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Young , 19 , instinctively stood to act or warn others . A shot ripped into her neck . She collapsed , blood spurting from the wound , Obama said .
Instead of running or hiding , Davies , 21 , pulled Young into the aisle and put pressure on the wound with one hand and dialed 911 with the other , Obama said .
`` I do n't know how many people at any age would have the presence of mind that Stephanie did , or the courage that Allie showed , '' the president said . `` They represent what 's best in us , and they assure us that out of this darkness , a brighter day is going to come . ''
When the SWAT team arrived , Davies helped carry Young to an ambulance .
Because of Davies ' actions , Young is going to be fine , the president said .
Obama flew to Aurora on Sunday evening and met with families at a local hospital for more than two hours before delivering brief remarks to the media . | 4c434c1bd1a3e695 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/trump-is-defiant-as-border-crisis-escalates-prepares-to-lobby-house-gop-on-immigration-bills/2018/06/19/e20a108e-73c1-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html?utm_term=.3c70356492c9 | Trump is defiant as border crisis escalates, prepares to lobby House GOP on immigration bills | 2018-06-19 | Immigration | clockThis article was published more than 6 years ago President Trump implored anxious House Republicans to fix the nation’s immigration system but did not offer a clear path forward amid the growing uproar over his administration’s decision to separate migrant families at the border. Huddling with the GOP at the Capitol on Tuesday evening, Trump stopped short of giving a full-throated endorsement to immigration legislation meant to unite the moderate and conservative wings of the House Republican conference. | a6ed8888a9cc22d0 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/10/trump-threatens-to-write-the-real-book-on-his-presidency | Trump blasts Woodward and threatens to 'write real book' on presidency | 2018-09-10 | Donald Trump, Bob Woodward, White House, Politics | President tweets that he will correct record , saying he is misrepresented in veteran reporter ’ s upcoming book , Fear
Donald Trump has promised to “ write the real book ” on his presidency , to correct a record he says is misrepresented by Bob Woodward , veteran author of a highly anticipated work , Fear , that will be published on Tuesday .
Fear review : Bob Woodward 's dragnet descends on Donald Trump Read more
“ The Woodward book is a Joke , ” Trump tweeted on Monday morning . “ Just another assault against me , in a barrage of assaults , using now disproven unnamed and anonymous sources . Many have already come forward to say the quotes by them , like the book , are fiction . Dem [ ocrat ] s can ’ t stand losing . I ’ ll write the real book ! ”
Members of the administration including the defense secretary , James Mattis , ( who Woodward says compared Trump to “ a fifth- or sixth-grader ” ) and chief of staff , John Kelly , ( who said to have called Trump an “ idiot ” and working for him “ Crazytown ” ) – have disowned remarks attributed to them by Woodward .
But in the book , a copy of which was obtained by ███ , Woodward pre-empts Trump ’ s charge about anonymous sources . His interviews , he writes , were conducted “ under the journalist rule of ‘ deep background ’ . This means that all the information could be used but I would not say who provided it . ”
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Many scenes in Fear are recounted in direct quotes , and seem to communicate the experiences of among others former chief of staff Reince Priebus , former White House strategist Steve Bannon , former staff secretary Rob Porter and former chief economic adviser Gary Cohn .
In the same note , Woodward writes : “ President Trump declined to be interviewed for this book . ”
Woodward ’ s employer , the Washington Post , released audio of a conversation between Trump and Woodward in which the author insists he tried repeatedly to gain an interview and Trump claims not to have been told of the requests .
On NBC ’ s Meet the Press on Sunday , the White House adviser Kellyanne Conway admitted : “ I didn ’ t bring the request to the president directly . ”
Woodward , 75 , made his name with Carl Bernstein , reporting on the Watergate scandal that brought down Richard Nixon . He appeared on NBC on Monday , telling Today his reporting on the Trump White House was “ not anonymous ” .
“ It gives a date , it gives a time , who participates , most often the president himself and what he says , ” Woodward said .
He also said he had “ never seen an instance when the president is so detached from the reality of what ’ s going on ” .
Fear contains scenes of cabinet members and advisers actively blocking Trump ’ s policy priorities , including trade and the alliance with South Korea and a proposed assassination of the Syrian president , Bashar al-Assad .
It also says that in late 2017 , Trump nearly sent a tweet about withdrawing “ all US military dependants – thousands of family members of 28,500 troops ” from South Korea . He was dissuaded because a North Korean official had indicated such a withdrawal would be interpreted as “ a sign of imminent attack ” .
“ The possible tweet scared the living daylights out of the Pentagon leadership , ” Woodward writes .
Last week , the day after the Post first reported the contents of Woodward ’ s book , the New York Times published an op-ed entitled I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration and attributed to an anonymous “ senior official ” .
The essay said members of the administration were running a “ two-track presidency ” , achieving Republican policy aims while sidelining the “ amoral … impetuous , adversarial , petty and ineffective ” Trump until he was out of office .
'It 's all fake ' : in Trump 's heartland , talk of White House chaos rings hollow Read more
The writer said an invocation of the 25th amendment , a mechanism to remove a president deemed unfit for office , had been discussed .
Trump reacted furiously , accusing the writer of treason and demanding a Department of Justice investigation , though most analysts said no crime had been committed .
The vice-president , Mike Pence , was sent to the Sunday talkshows to defend Trump , which he did with characteristic vigour , volunteering to take a lie detector test to show he had not written the essay himself and insisting the 25th amendment had never been discussed . Pence and Conway suggested the op-ed constituted a threat to national security .
On NBC on Monday , Woodward said : “ The things that Trump did and does jeopardise the real national security . ”
The president seemed to have been watching . “ Bob Woodward is a liar who is like a Dem [ ocratic ] operative prior to the Midterms [ elections ] , ” he wrote . “ He was caught cold , even by NBC . ” | 00200bcf1e8adb41 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/1/obamacare-must-be-struck-down-justice-department-t/ | DOJ formally backs lawsuit that could strike Obamacare entirely | 2019-05-01 | justice_department | A Texas judge “ correctly held ” that Obamacare ’ s individual mandate to hold insurance is inseparable from the rest of the law , the Trump administration told an appeals court Wednesday in arguing the entire program must fall .
The Justice Department ’ s brief solidified President Trump ’ s support for a lawsuit that could decimate his predecessor ’ s signature health program , even though Republicans haven ’ t reached consensus on a replacement .
Administration lawyers once took a limited view of the state-driven challenge , saying a narrow slice of Obamacare should be struck after Congress decided to zero out the penalty for shirking insurance as part of the GOP tax overhaul .
They changed course after the lower court sided with state Republicans who say the tweak made the entire program unconstitutional , including its protections for sicker Americans , subsidies for private coverage and sweeping expansion of Medicaid in dozens of states .
“ In the district court , the Department of Justice took the position that the remainder of the ACA was severable , but upon further consideration and review of the district court ’ s opinion , it is the position of the United States that the balance of the ACA also is inseverable and must be struck down , ” Justice attorneys wrote to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit .
If upheld on appeal , the case would force Washington to revisit health reform . Yet any decision that wipes away Obamacare ’ s sweeping benefits could politically injure the GOP in the middle of the 2020 campaign .
Despite that risk , red states that filed the lawsuit in 2018 urged the appeals court to affirm the Texas ruling from December .
“ The district court correctly recognized all this in declaring the ACA unlawful in its entirety , ” the states said in their own brief Wednesday . “ The Department of Justice now agrees — and so too should this court . ”
Blue-state attorneys general and House Democrats are fighting back in the appellate courts . They say the challenge before the Fifth Circuit is misguided , because Congress intentionally left the rest of Obamacare alone when it attacked the individual mandate .
They also stress the potential consequences of striking down the entire law , since millions gained coverage under its most popular provisions .
For his part , Mr. Trump thinks the Supreme Court will strike down Obamacare in the end .
He recently said it would clear the way for the GOP to repeal and replace the law after their embarrassing failure in 2017 .
Senate GOP leaders said they have no intention of revisiting the issue , however — for one thing , Democrats control the House . That forced the president back off from his nascent push and punt a repeal vote until after the 2020 elections .
Some Democrats are looking beyond Obamacare and proposing a sweeping , government-run plan known as single-payer health care or “ Medicare for All , ” citing the nearly 30 million who remain uninsured despite the 2010 law .
The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released a laundry list of complexities for drafters of a single-payer plan to consider , such as government ’ s role in administering the plan and funding it , who would be eligible for coverage and whether enrollees must pay a share of costs .
Architects of the system would also have to figure out whether private insurers could exist alongside the government plan , or if they ’ d be relegated to covering things like cosmetic surgery .
“ Establishing a single-payer system would be a major undertaking that would involve substantial changes in the sources and extent of coverage , provider payment rates , and financing methods of health care in the United States , ” the CBO wrote . | Q8bFyQUiqimvxmyL | 2 | Obamacare | 0.5 | Justice | -0.5 | Justice Department | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/22/obama-romney-tangle-al-qaeda-final-presidential-de/ | Obama, Romney tangle on al Qaeda, foreign policy in final presidential debate | 2012-10-22 | elections | BOCA RATON , Fla. — Mitt Romney accused President Obama of failing to protect the military from budget cuts and squandering U.S. leadership in the Middle East , leaving America standing by as al Qaeda has surged to become active in a dozen countries , as the two men faced off Monday night in their final debate .
Mr. Obama , meanwhile , repeatedly accused the Republican nominee of being an amateur on foreign policy — the subject of the night ’ s debate — and touted his own credentials , including overseeing the mission that killed Osama bin Laden and committing U.S. planes to a no-fly zone that aided Libyan rebels .
“ I know you haven ’ t been in a position to actually execute foreign policy , but every time you ’ ve offered an opinion , you ’ ve been wrong , ” Mr. Obama said .
The foreign policy-focused debate served to highlight just how little daylight there is between the two men on the big basic foreign policy choices , ranging from handling the civil war in Syria to unequivocally backing Israel to using drones to attack terrorist targets to trying to halt Iran ’ s nuclear ambitions .
Mr. Romney even said he backed the same 2014 timeline Mr. Obama has laid out for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan — a matter where he ’ d tried to draw distinctions in previous remarks .
At one point , Mr. Obama said the key difference between the two candidates was that Mr. Romney embraced the Obama administration ideas , “ but you ’ d say them louder . ”
But Mr. Romney argued they differ in the overall tenor and tone they would take toward using U.S. leadership around the world , particularly in confronting radical Islam and al Qaeda .
“ We can ’ t kill our way out of this mess , ” Mr. Romney said , in the debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton , as he sought to draw distinctions between himself and Mr. Obama , saying the U.S. must take more leadership to try to push the Muslim world toward moderation . “ We must have a comprehensive strategy to help reject this kind of extremism . ”
He again accused Mr. Obama of making “ an apology tour ” in the Middle East to express regret for past U.S. actions .
“ In those nations and on Arabic TV , you said that America had been dismissive and derisive . You said that , on occasion , America had dictated to other nations . Mr. President , America has not dictated to other nations . We have freed other nations from dictators , ” Mr. Romney said .
But the president called the claim that he ’ s apologized “ probably the biggest whopper that ’ s been told during the course of this campaign . ”
Mr. Obama led off the debate by defending his decision-making concerning Libya , where a terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi left four Americans dead , including the U.S. ambassador .
But that issue produced none of the fireworks from last week ’ s debate .
Instead , the president turned his fire on Mr. Romney , questioning what his foreign policy really is .
“ Your strategy previously has been one that has been all over the map , ” Mr. Obama said , adding that just a few months ago , when asked what the biggest international threat was for the U.S. , Mr. Romney said it was Russia , not al Qaeda .
“ The 1980s are now calling and asking for their foreign policy back , ” Mr. Obama said .
Mr. Obama repeatedly tried to push his incumbent ’ s advantage , at one point ridiculing Mr. Romney ’ s claim that the U.S. has fewer ships than at any time since World War II .
“ We also have fewer horses and bayonets , ” the president said . “ The question is not a game of Battleship where we ’ re counting ships ; it ’ s what are our capabilities . ”
As the challenger , Mr. Romney spent a good deal of time demonstrating he ’ d studied his briefs , as he pointed to al Qaeda activity in Mali and recited the approximate number of nuclear warheads Pakistan has assembled .
And both men tried to turn the conversation to domestic issues , which they believe are more salient in voters ’ minds than foreign policy right now , saying that the U.S. ’ s world leadership depends on a strong economy here at home .
At one point Mr. Obama , saying that education had been neglected in the two domestic debates , began to talk about education , highlighting his plan to hire math and science teachers .
“ Let me get back to foreign policy , ” moderator Bob Schieffer pleaded at one point — before acceding to Mr. Romney ’ s demand that he be allowed to highlight his own education record .
On Syria , while both men proclaimed to have differences , they laid out a similar policy of trying to help allies in the region , such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia , and of trying to get weapons to the right kinds of regime opponents .
“ The Saudis and the Qatari and the Turks are all very concerned about this . They ’ re willing to work with us . We need to have a very effective leadership effort in Syria , making sure that the insurgents there are armed and that the insurgents that become armed are people who will be the responsible parties , ” the Republican said .
“ What you just heard Governor Romney say is he doesn ’ t have different ideas , and that ’ s because we ’ re doing exactly what we should be doing , ” Mr. Obama said .
After two foreign policy elections in 2004 and 2008 , global affairs have shifted to the back burner for much of this year ’ s campaign as the sluggish economy has dominated . But recent events in the Middle East — including the terrorist assault on the consulate in Benghazi — have raised its salience .
Voters have generally given Mr. Obama higher marks on foreign policy , though Mr. Romney does better when the question is narrowed to national security .
The two men entered the debate with polls showing a close race . The ███/Zogby Poll released Sunday showed Mr. Obama leading 50-47 among likely voters , while the Gallup Poll has Mr. Romney leading 51-45 .
The Times/Zogby Poll , however , found Mr. Romney ’ s supporters were substantially more enthusiastic about backing him than Mr. Obama ’ s supporters were , which signals a volatile race that will likely come down to the size of voter turnout .
Mr. Obama has staunched the bleeding from his disastrous performance in the first debate , but didn ’ t appear to get a major boost from what polls said was a win for him .
Mr. Romney , however , has clearly benefitted from both debates . His favorability ratings have improved dramatically , and the Real Clear Politics average now shows him above Mr. Obama for the first time in this race in favorability , 50.5 to 50 .
With no more debates , the fight now turns to television ads and to personal appearances by the two men , who will spend the final two weeks visiting those states deemed critical to the electoral college math .
Ohio , Virginia and Florida continue to loom as the chief battlegrounds , but Colorado , Nevada , Iowa , New Hampshire and Wisconsin are considered within reach of both . Mr Obama is trying to put Arizona and North Carolina in play , while Republicans want to force the president to have to defend Pennsylvania . | Z5qhiTE6hiDLPln8 | 2 | Election2012 | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | -0.1 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
immigration | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/18/politics/immigration-politics/index.html?hpt=po_t1 | Immigration debate: high-stakes political poker | 2013-02-18 | Immigration | Story highlights Leaked draft of President Obama 's immigration plan sparks uproar
The White House calls the draft a backup plan if Congress fails to act
A bipartisan group of senators is working on a possible agreement
Whether a political ploy or bona fide proposal , a leaked version of President Barack Obama 's draft immigration plan raised Republican hackles while bringing some additional focus to the debate .
The draft plan reported over the weekend by USA Today and confirmed to CNN by an administration official included a possible path to coveted permanent residency in eight years for most of the nation 's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants .
It also called for steps to strengthen border security and the E-Verify system to check the immigration status of workers .
GOP critics pounced , with some objecting to any form of what they label `` amnesty '' for those in the country illegally . Others accused Obama and the White House of dirty tricks by going public with their draft as a bipartisan group of senators works on a possible agreement .
Conservative Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama complained on Monday that both the Obama draft and the talks involving the Senate 's so-called Gang of Eight seek to `` confer legal status and work authorization on Day One in exchange for promises of future enforcement on which this administration will never deliver . ''
`` Perhaps this leak , and what it reveals , may mark the beginning of the collapse of this new scheme to force through a fatally flawed plan , '' Sessions said in a statement .
Others accused Obama of deliberately floating an unacceptable plan so that Republicans would reject it , bringing the party further disfavor from Hispanic Americans , the nation 's fastest-growing demographic .
`` Does the president want a result , or does he want another cudgel to beat up Republicans so that he can get political advantage in the next election ? '' veteran GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Sunday on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . ''
JUST WATCHED Rep. Burgess : Citizenship path not easy Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Rep. Burgess : Citizenship path not easy 03:49
JUST WATCHED Schumer optimistic on immigration reform Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Schumer optimistic on immigration reform 01:35
To former Rep. Connie Mack , a Florida Republican , `` a little bit of this is show from everyone , including the president 's side . ''
Regardless of how it happened , the leak of Obama 's plan `` plays into the fears '' of Republicans that the president prefers keeping the issue alive for political advantage , Mack told CNN on Monday .
His wife -- former Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack of California -- agreed that the leak added to what she called an already deep trust deficit in Washington .
`` The American people would be astonished if they knew how little trust existed between the two parties when we have to work together like this , '' Bono Mack said on CNN .
She acknowledged tossing the president 's plan into the debate was `` a good way to move a bill . ''
`` You know , come out farther to the left , make the room on the right , '' Bono Mack said . `` But in this case , start with that trust . ''
Administration officials insisted Obama wanted Congress to work out an agreement that can win support from both parties .
`` We will be prepared with our own plans if these ongoing talks between Republicans and Democrats up on Capitol Hill break down , '' Obama 's new chief of staff , Denis McDonough , said Sunday on CBS 's `` Face the Nation . '' `` There 's no evidence that they have broken down yet . We are continuing to support that . ''
He added that he hoped the two sides `` do n't get involved in some kind of typical Washington back-and-forth sideshow here and rather just ... roll up their sleeves and get to work '' on writing a comprehensive immigration bill .
Along with the Senate talks on possible legislation , House members from both parties also are involved in their own discussions .
The draft plan reported by USA Today calls for an eight-year path to permanent residency for undocumented immigrants , who would face a criminal background check and have to pay back taxes , learn English and get a new `` lawful prospective immigrant '' visa .
On the day after last week 's State of the Union address , in which Obama called for comprehensive immigration reform , he met with the four Democratic senators involved in the Gang of Eight talks to reiterate what he considers to be the main principles for a final agreement .
According to the White House , those principles include `` continuing to strengthen border security , creating an earned path to citizenship , holding employers accountable and streamlining legal immigration . ''
Republicans stung by the overwhelming support for Obama from Latino voters that helped the president win re-election in November are divided over how to proceed on immigration .
Conservatives generally oppose any breaks for those who came to America illegally although some , like Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida , contend the party must adopt a modern approach to an issue with such strong economic and social impacts .
Rubio , who gave the GOP response to Obama 's State of the Union address , displayed the party 's conflicted posture on the issue that night . He did n't mention his past support of a route to legal status for undocumented immigrants now in the United States , but advocated a non-specific `` responsible , permanent solution to the problem . ''
First , he said , `` we must follow through on the broken promises of the past to secure our borders and enforce our laws . ''
When news of the leaked Obama proposal emerged , Rubio immediately criticized it as `` disappointing to those of us working on a serious solution . ''
On the Democratic side , some of the distrust noted by Bono Mack is evident . Remembering similar bipartisan talks on major issues , such as the Gang of Six that spent months working on a health care overhaul in 2009 without every reaching an agreement , they want to make sure Congress gets legislation to consider .
`` I know that Senator Rubio was upset with this leak , '' Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York told CNN on Sunday . `` I am not upset . We 've talked to Senator Rubio and he is fully on board with our process . And I am very hopeful that in March we will have a bipartisan bill . ''
Schumer said the mechanics of politics was obvious : `` If a Democrat , the president or anyone else puts out what they want on their own , it 's going to be different than what you have ( in ) a bipartisan agreement , but the only way we 're going to get something done is with a bipartisan agreement . '' | c3a7fda6ca8c2d53 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/07/ceasefire-negotiations-gaza-netanyahu-hamas | There’s one thing standing in the way of a ceasefire: Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise | 2024-05-07 | Middle East, Israel Hamas Violence, Ceasefire, Gaza, Palestine | The Israeli PM has rejected the latest deal. Both he and Hamas’s leadership must stop playing politics with people’s lives The latest twists and turns in negotiations to end the war in Gaza appear labyrinthine and confusing. But it’s really not that complicated. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, must compromise on the outstanding details of the proposed ceasefire deal and Hamas’s weekend counter-offer – and immediately halt Israel’s criminal bombing of Gaza and reckless military incursions into refugee-populated areas around Rafah. For its part, Hamas must honour previous understandings about the staged release of Israeli hostages and cease its crude, last-minute haggling, especially about exactly how many Palestinian detainees, and which ones, are freed in return. Its priority should be alleviating the plight of Gaza’s civilians, not scoring points. Its demands that Israel agree a “permanent” end to the war at this stage were always unrealistic. Wholly unrealistic, too, is Netanyahu’s position, adopted immediately after the 7 October massacres of Israeli civilians, that the only true measure of victory is the complete and utter destruction of Hamas. This is the biggest single obstacle to peace. Since this aim is, and always was, practicably unattainable, Netanyahu is caught in a trap of his own making, bound to wage unending, unwinnable war. “The heart of the dispute has revolved for months around a single question. Hamas demands that any deal include the end to the war and a full retreat of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, backed by guarantees … Netanyahu refuses to agree to this, because it would mean admitting his failure to achieve the war’s stated aims and could therefore open a political hornet’s nest,” wrote the Haaretz analyst Amos Harel. The key problem, as many Israelis and foreign diplomats see it, is that ongoing war is actually Netanyahu’s preferred choice. He fears that even a truce or pause, let alone enduring peace, could hasten his political demise, his defenestration as prime minister and, potentially, his condemnation in court on various longstanding corruption charges. In power he’s protected. Out of power, he’s toast. Hoping Netanyahu will do the decent thing is a little like hoping it won’t rain in Manchester. But there are powerful people around him, such as Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet and longtime adversary, who might force his hand. The opposition, led by Yair Lapid, wants early elections. Yet this prospect further incentivises Netanyahu to stick to his guns. Elections would have the advantage of potentially ridding Israel of an unrepresentative, hard-right coalition propped up by extremist ultra-Orthodox Zionists such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. At the weekend, Ben-Gvir again insisted nothing less than Hamas’s “complete defeat” and “absolute surrender” would suffice. The behaviour of these men and their supporters since 7 October continues to undermine Israel’s interests and its wider hopes of peace. The fact that Netanyahu made himself dependent on such zealots is reason enough to topple him. One response by Israeli officials to Hamas’s revised stance has been to dismiss it as a “ploy” designed to cast Israel as the recalcitrant party in the eyes of the world. They should wake up and smell the cordite. The mass killing of Gaza civilians by the Israel Defense Forces since October has achieved exactly that result without any help from Hamas. Israel’s international reputation is deservedly in shreds. Yet Hamas’s leaders must also stop playing politics with the lives of innocent people, and demonstrate their decisions, too, are not being driven solely by internal rivalries. Hamas’s overall boss, Ismail Haniyeh, who lives safely in exile in the Gulf, enjoys hobnobbing with the likes of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. There is reported friction between him and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader inside Gaza, who is pushing for an unconditional end to the war. Media reports suggest one of the final sticking points concerns Hamas’s gruesome insistence on distinguishing between hostages who are still alive and those who are dead. The way Hamas sees it, the release of a living hostage is “worth” more than the return of the body of a dead hostage, measured in terms of the number of Palestinians detainees to be released in exchange. This degree of callousness, which Israel has been obliged to go along with as part of the negotiations, is a reminder of how inhumanly fanatical the behaviour of Hamas has been – not only on 7 October but also during the ensuing months when it has, in effect, hidden behind Gaza’s civilians, including children, sacrificing them to its Netanyahu-like delusions about the final destruction of Israel. Like Netanyahu, Hamas’s leaders have a responsibility reaching beyond their selfish personal interests. Now is the moment to live up to it. At this critical point, with the hope of peace, or at least of a halt to the killing hanging in the balance, the US – by far the most influential external party to the conflict – continues to tread far too cautiously, particularly around Israel’s concerns. Excess caution is a hallmark of Joe Biden’s presidency. His reluctance to risk a confrontation with Russia has led Ukraine to the brink of defeat two years after Vladimir Putin’s invasion. Likewise, Biden’s refusal to confront Netanyahu hard and early over Gaza has greatly contributed to a deepening of the catastrophe – and Biden’s own critical loss of support among American voters. Amid all the back and forth over the final shape of a ceasefire deal, two fundamental aspects of the 7 October and Gaza tragedies are in constant danger of being overlooked or minimised. One is the continuing dire plight of more than a million Palestinian civilians who are facing famine conditions, or already suffering them. The other is the enduring agony of the families and friends of about 130 Israeli hostages who were seized last October and are still unaccounted for. Sheer, gut-wrenching misery felt by ordinary people, Jewish and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian, lies at the dark heart of this awful conflict. It is in itself sufficient cause and motivation to end the war without any further prevarication or delay. The second aspect, largely overlooked until relatively recently, is the flagrant abuse of the rules of war and international humanitarian law by both parties. Israel, despite its protestations to the contrary, has self-evidently repeatedly breached its legal obligation to minimise the dangers to a civilian population arising from military operations. Netanyahu is personally accused of using starvation as a weapon of war. Hamas’s attacks last October involved the most terrible crimes imaginable. Its hostage-taking, hostage-killing and accompanying abuses are legally and morally reprehensible. Both Israeli and Hamas leaders should hang their heads in shame. Biden (backed by the UN, Britain, the EU and the Arab states) says a military offensive in Rafah is unacceptable. He says Israel and Hamas must agree the initial ceasefire deal on the table, which would stop the fighting, free hostages and increase aid supplies. Biden is right. And if Netanyahu, in particular, continues to ignore him, ostensibly to maintain pressure on Hamas but in truth because he’s trying to save his own skin, the US must cut aid to Israel, impose immediate sanctions – and publicly back Netanyahu’s indictment for war crimes. Simon Tisdall is the Observer’s foreign affairs commentator Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. | 08e939f13b2b4860 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/media/419394-crtv-theblaze-merge-bringing-together-conservatives-glenn-beck-mark-levin | CRTV, TheBlaze merge, bringing together conservatives Glenn Beck, Mark Levin | 2018-12-03 | media_bias | TheBlaze and CRTV have merged to create Blaze Media , the companies announced on Monday , in a move they say will allow the new conservative entity to reach 165 million people via television , online and on social media .
The Blaze was founded by former Fox News host Glenn Beck in 2011 not long after parting ways with the network , while CRTV was founded in 2014 by current Fox News host Mark Levin , who also hosts a nationally syndicated radio program .
“ Tens of millions of Americans have had it with the biased , ideologically-driven mainstream media outlets that sanctimoniously advance their own agendas under the guise of ‘ news ’ and ‘ journalism , ’ ” said Levin , founder of LevinTV , the flagship program of CRTV , in a statement provided to ███ .
“ Conservatives actually believe in a free press and the rest of the Constitution . This is why I started LevinTV , which grew into the CRTV digital network . In order to further expand and offer the public an alternative to liberal media group-think , I 'm very excited about the merger of TheBlaze and CRTV . The timing is perfect . ”
“ The combination of the exceptional roster of TheBlaze and CRTV talent means Blaze Media will now be as broad and ideologically diverse as the audiences we serve , ” said Beck . “ Conservatives , libertarians , constitutionalists , and more have a home at Blaze Media . Our hosts will have differences , but we share a common belief in free expression , honest discourse and a society founded in the principles of the Bill of Rights . I ’ m beyond thrilled about this merger . ”
The Hollywood Reporter first broke the story late Sunday night .
Levin , a former chief of staff to Attorney General Ed Meese in the Reagan administration , currently hosts the Fox News Sunday night program `` Life , Liberty and Levin . '' In addition to Levin , hosts at CRTV include Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes , Phil Robertson of `` Duck Dynasty , '' Michelle Malkin , former Fox News host Eric Bolling and Deneen Borelli .
While Levin is the biggest name at CRTV , he did not hold management authority at CRTV , according to a statement on his Facebook page .
Blaze Media will compete with other conservative entities such as Breitbart and The Daily Wire , with the latter featuring popular conservative host and columnist Ben Shapiro .
Shapiro , 34 , had been in acquisition talks with Beck that first surfaced publicly in February . Beck told The Hollywood Reporter he 'd still like to pursue talks with Shapiro , whose podcast is downloaded more than 10 million times per month .
Shapiro congratulated the companies on the merger on Twitter late Sunday night .
Very exciting news -- congratulations ! https : //t.co/SG8yjigXq0 — Ben Shapiro ( @ benshapiro ) December 3 , 2018
███ has reached out to Shapiro and Beck for comment .
TheBlaze has experienced layoffs starting in 2017 , losing hosts including current National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch and conservative firebrand Tomi Lahren . | nsnTqg4lKHnuP5YD | 1 | Media Bias | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Townhall | http://townhall.com/columnists/edklein/2016/10/25/michelle-hillary-is-on-drugs-n2236887 | Michelle: Hillary Is On Drugs | 2016-10-25 | elections | The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of ███.com .
Michelle Obama , widely acknowledged as Hillary Clinton ’ s most effective campaign surrogate , is concerned that the Democrat presidential nominee ’ s health is so fragile that she depends on stimulant drugs to get her through the grueling race for the White House .
Both Michelle and Barack Obama have been concerned with the state of Hillary ’ s health since her presidential campaign began . The Obamas know that Hillary suffers from a slew of severe and debilitating health issues , all of which I have exposed in my latest New York Times bestseller Guilty as Sin .
According to a guest who stayed overnight in the White House and was present in the Family Residence during a discussion of Hillary ’ s health , Barack Obama and Valerie Jarrett , the president ’ s chief adviser , agreed with the first lady that Hillary has relied on booster drugs during her campaign rallies and three debates with Donald Trump .
They came to that conclusion after a recent meeting with Hillary in the White House , where Hillary made an effort to persuade the president and first lady to coordinate their public appearances with Robby Mook , the Clinton campaign manager .
When Hillary suggested that the president and the first lady submit their speeches in advance to Mook in order to make sure they were on the same page as Hillary ’ s campaign , Michelle Obama broke out in derisive laughter .
“ Michelle made it plain that she and Barack knew how campaigns work better than Hillary or Mook , ” said the source who participated in the discussion . “ After all , Barack cleaned Hillary ’ s clock during the 2008 Democratic Party primaries .
“ During the heated discussion over campaign coordination , ” the source continued , “ Hillary suddenly broke out in a coughing fit . The president offered Hillary a glass of water , but Hillary ’ s coughing only grew worse .
“ The president became so alarmed that he summoned one of the five doctors who rotate on duty 24/7 in the White House Medical Unit . The doctor rushed to the Oval Office . ”
While the doctor was administering to Hillary , the president , the first lady and Valerie Jarrett stepped outside and turned the Oval Office over to Hillary and the doctor . After a while , the doctor emerged and told everyone that he was able to stop Hillary ’ s convulsive coughing and that she was all right .
“ The experience left the president and first lady shaken and worried , ” said the source . “ It was clear to them that Hillary was not well . They know how exhausting and draining a presidential campaign is . Clearly , the Hillary they saw in the White House was different than the Hillary the public has seen during her rallies and in the debates .
“ They concluded that there was no way that Hillary could make it through such a demanding ordeal without getting some help from booster drugs . ” | Tf2G74L50U08fhzL | 2 | Hillary Clinton | -0.6 | Michelle Obama | 0.2 | Drugs | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 |
world | CNN Digital | http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/13/opinions/why-mother-of-all-bombs-and-why-now-bergen/ | OPINION: Why the 'mother of all bombs' and why now? | 2017-04-14 | World | Editor’s Note: Peter Bergen is CNN’s national security analyst, a vice president at New America and a professor of practice at Arizona State University. He is the author of “United States of Jihad: Investigating America’s Homegrown Terrorists.”Story highlights Peter Bergen: Use of bomb should be seen as part of effort to reverse course of Afghan war Afghan conflict has not been going well for the country's government or the United StatesCNN —The dropping of a “mother of all bombs” Thursday by the United States on an ISIS cave and bunker complex in Achin district in eastern Afghanistan should be understood as part of an effort to reverse a war that is not going well for the Afghan government and, by extension, the United States.The non-nuclear 21,600-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB) “targeted a system of tunnels and caves that ISIS fighters use to move around freely,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.Thursday’s bombing had a feeling of deja vu. A decade and a half ago the US Air Force dropped massive 15,000 pound “Daisy Cutter” bombs on the Tora Bora complex where Osama bin Laden was hiding in December 2001. Achin district is only a dozen or so miles from the Tora Bora region.While those Daisy Cutter bombs certainly killed many members of al Qaeda, bin Laden and many of his senior leaders escaped. That’s a useful reminder that very few military campaigns are won from the air.There are perhaps secondary effects of Thursday’s bombing in Afghanistan such as signaling to the North Koreans and the Syrians that the United States can deploy such weapons against their bunker systems, but the key is that the war in Afghanistan is at a critical point.In fact, the war in Afghanistan is at its lowest point for the Afghans and their American allies since the Taliban were overthrown in the months after 9/11.The Taliban “control or contest” about a third of the population of the country, according to senior US military officials, a total of around 10 million people, which is more than the population that ISIS controlled in Syria and Iraq at the height of its power during the summer of 2014.The Taliban, a Sunni Islamist organization operating primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, was formed in 1994. It was led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, a veteran of the Afghan mujahedeen that fought invading Soviets from 1979-1989. Omar, seen here in an undated video image, died in April 2013 , according to a representative for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. CNN In this image taken off television by BBC Newsnight, Omar -- fourth from left -- attends a rally with Taliban troops before their victorious assault on Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, in 1996. The Taliban's aim is to impose its interpretation of Islamic law on Afghanistan and remove foreign influence from the country. Most of its members are Pashtun, the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. BBC News/Newsnight/Getty Images Tanks manned by Taliban fighters are decorated with flowers in front of the presidential palace in Kabul on September 27, 1996. B.K.Bangash/AP Taliban soldiers in Russian-made tanks fire on the forces of former Afghan defense minister Ahmad Shah Massood in October 1996. Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images Afghan women in Kabul are covered head to toe in traditional burqas on October 16, 1996. After taking over Kabul, the ruling Taliban imposed strict Islamic laws on the Afghan people. Television, music and non-Islamic holidays were banned. Women were not allowed to attend school or work outside the home, and they were forbidden to travel alone. Roger Lemoyne/Liaison AgencY/Getty Images Three women hitch a ride on the back of a donkey cart as they pass by the ruins of Kabul's former commercial district in November 1996. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images This is an undated image believed to show the Taliban's former leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar. In 1997, the Taliban issued an edict renaming Afghanistan the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The country was only officially recognized by three countries: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. EPA In 1997, Omar forged a relationship with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, pictured. Bin Laden then moved his base of operations to Kandahar, Afghanistan. AP In March 2001, Taliban soldiers stand at the base of the mountain alcove where a Buddha statue once stood 170 feet high in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. The Taliban destroyed two 1,500-year-old Buddha figures in the town, saying they were idols that violated Islam. Amir Shah/AP After the 9/11 attacks, the United States conducted military strikes against al Qaeda training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime. In this long-exposure photo, a U.S. Navy fighter jet takes off from the deck of the USS Enterprise on October 7, 2001. U.S. Navy/Getty Images An Afghan anti-Taliban fighter pops up from his tank to spot a U.S. warplane bombing al Qaeda fighters in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan on December 10, 2001. After massive U.S. bombardment as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Taliban lost Afghanistan to U.S. and Northern Alliance forces. David Guttenfelder/AP Afghans look into Omar's bedroom as they go through his compound on the outskirts of Kandahar on December 11, 2001. Jerome Delay/AP In April 2011, hundreds of prisoners escaped from a prison in Kandahar by crawling through a tunnel. The Taliban took responsibility for the escape. This picture shows a general view of the prison, top center, and the house, bottom right, from which Taliban militiamen dug the tunnel leading to the prison. Mamoon Durrani/AFP/Getty Images Security guards stand outside the new Taliban political office in Doha, Qatar, before its official opening in June 2013. The Taliban announced that they hoped to improve relations with other countries, head toward a peaceful solution to the Afghanistan occupation and establish an independent Islamic system in the country. Faisal Al-Timimi/AFP/Getty Images Zafar Hashemi, deputy spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, speaks during a news conference on July 29, when the news of Omar's death was announced. Haroon Sabawoon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour became the leader of the Taliban after Omar's death. Mansour was killed in an airstrike in Pakistan on Saturday, May 21, 2016 From Taliban The Taliban Prev NextAl Qaeda and ISIS have also established footholds in Afghanistan.Whereas a few years back Kabul had a bustling restaurant scene and Westerners could live there and lead relatively normal lives, all that is now gone as a result of the multiple bombings in Kabul by the Taliban and the targeted kidnapping of Westerners. The exodus of Westerners from the country has had an adverse impact on both investment and development in Afghanistan.Because of the worsening situation in Afghanistan, the Trump administration is engaged in a strategic review of Afghanistan both at the Pentagon and the National Security Council, according to multiple U.S. and Afghan officials.US National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster is overseeing the Afghanistan review at the White House and will be traveling to Afghanistan soon to make his own assessment.McMaster served in Afghanistan running an anti-corruption task force in 2010, as a result of which he understands the players and politics of the country well.In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson said that the present troop level of 8,400 US soldiers was insufficient and noted, “We have a shortfall of a few thousand” advisers to train and assist the Afghan army.The Obama administration had a counterproductive policy of announcing scheduled withdrawals from Afghanistan even as it surged troops into the country. Take, for instance, a speech at West Point on December 1, 2009, where President Obama announced a surge of troops into Afghanistan and also announced their withdrawal date. That withdrawal date, of course, came and went – as did a number of others.It is in American and Afghan interests for the US to stay in Afghanistan so it doesn’t turn into Iraq circa 2014, with the Taliban controlling much of the country while hosting a strong presence of ISIS and al-Qaeda as well as every other jihadist group of note.Follow CNN Opinion Join us on Twitter and FacebookWhat to do? The Trump administration should publicly state that the US already has a strategic partnership with Afghanistan until 2024 that was negotiated by the Obama administration and that it promises to maintain a US military “train and advise” non-combat mission for the Afghan army that will stay in the country until the Taliban are contained.Afghans don’t care if the United States has 8,400 troops in the country, as it does now, or 12,000 troops or 20,000 troops. Clearly there is a difference from a purely military point of view but from a political point of view the message Afghans want to hear is that the United States is not abandoning them.A public announcement of such a long-term commitment to Afghanistan will help NATO and other allies also commit for the long term. It will also undermine the Taliban. | f4b79c56dd3f028a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/29/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-abortion-trump-documents/index.html | How Brett Kavanaugh tried to sidestep abortion and Trump financial docs cases | 2020-07-30 | Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, Justice, Abortion, Taxes, Politics | CNN —Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh urged his colleagues in a series of private memos this spring to consider avoiding decisions in major disputes over abortion and Democratic subpoenas for President Donald Trump’s financial records, according to multiple sources familiar with the inner workings of the court.In the abortion controversy, Kavanaugh wanted the justices to sidestep any ruling on the merits of a Louisiana law that could have closed abortion clinics in the state, CNN has learned. The case marked the first time in four years the justices were taking up the heated subject. Kavanaugh’s plan would have ensured the law – a credentialing mandate for doctors who perform abortions – would not go into immediate effect but also ensured that the justices would not have to put their own views on the line.About this series Joan Biskupic takes you inside the Supreme Court with exclusive new details about how the court handled its pivotal term that dealt with LGBTQ rights, abortion and investigating President Donald Trump.The same would have been true in the fight between Trump and the US House of Representatives. Kavanaugh’s idea – presented to the justices in an internal memo and conversations, sources said – would have had the high court avoid the subpoena fight over Trump financial documents, based on the judicial principle that courts should stay out of cases involving fundamentally political questions.While that strategy could have meant the President had to hand over his documents to congressional investigators, sources say the personal fate of Trump did not come up in internal conversations.Throughout the recent court session, as Kavanaugh revealed a desire to avoid certain thorny dilemmas, the newest justice also demonstrated a pattern of trying to publicly appeal to both sides. His style of accommodation was on display in recent disputes over gay and transgender workers and, separately, undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children.The details, revealed as part of CNN’s series on the justices’ private deliberations, show how Kavanaugh is approaching his role on the bench. Behind closed doors, he looks to please dueling factions of the court as he seeks to move beyond the angry and defiant image he projected in 2018.His searing confirmation hearings, when he denied allegations that he had sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when they were teenagers, remain fresh. He decried the claims as part of a vengeful partisan campaign against him. Having undergone that divisive battle, Kavanaugh, in his writing, appears keenly aware of tenuous public opinion of him and ready to adopt a posture of conciliation with his colleagues as he tries to influence deliberations on cases.For much of his professional life, the 55-year-old Yale law graduate was laser-focused on the Supreme Court. He had been a law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy, assistant to independent counsel Ken Starr and a top legal aide to President George W. Bush. Kavanaugh maintained connections to powerful people who helped him climb the rungs of the judiciary.In 2018, Trump chose Kavanaugh to succeed Kennedy, convinced by advisers that the Bush loyalist would be true to Trump and his brand of conservatism. Kavanaugh has not turned his back on the politicians who guaranteed his high court ascension, but his writing has suggested he does not want to appear to be a reflexive conservative vote, particularly against women.Kavanaugh’s proposed abortion dodgeIn March, Kavanaugh faced a test of the tension between his conservative bona fides and the apparent efforts to revive his reputation among women.He had been confirmed with crucial support from Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who said he had promised he would uphold the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which made abortion legal nationwide. Kavanaugh’s position on women’s reproductive rights became an issue during his Senate hearings because Trump had nominated him to replace Kennedy, the court’s crucial fifth vote to keep abortion legal.On March 4, the court heard oral arguments in June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, a challenge to a Louisiana abortion law that requires physicians who perform abortions at clinics to have “admitting privileges” at nearby hospitals. It would turn out to be the justices’ last day of arguments in the courtroom, before the nine went into isolation for the coronavirus pandemic.A US district judge had determined after a six-day trial that the requirement designed for physicians who typically perform surgery at hospitals would shut down clinics and cut women’s access to abortion. Doctors had been unable to secure admitting privileges, the judge said, partly because hospital criteria discouraged the granting of privileges to abortion providers. But the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected those findings and upheld the law.When the justices privately discussed the case days after oral arguments, CNN has learned, their vote was 5-4 to reverse the 5th Circuit and strike down the law. Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, provided the pivotal fifth vote with liberals to invalidate the law, similar to one struck down in Texas four years earlier.Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer immediately began drafting the decision, with some guidance from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had been a pioneering women’s rights advocate before joining the bench. Ginsburg believed laws like Louisiana’s lacked valid health benefits, and she had observed during the March arguments that first-trimester abortions are among the safest of medical procedures: “(F)ar safer than childbirth.”In mid-March, Kavanaugh began making his case in a series of private memos to his colleagues, according to two sources, for returning the dispute to a trial court judge to gather more facts on just how onerous the admitting privileges requirement was.Kavanaugh had laid groundwork for that position in February 2019, when the majority blocked the Louisiana abortion law from taking effect while the lawsuit was pending. Kavanaugh dissented then, saying the controversial law should be enforced. He asserted, contrary to the district judge’s findings but in line with the 5th Circuit, that it was not yet clear doctors would not be able to obtain credentials.Kavanaugh’s new suggestion would keep the law blocked in the short term while the case moved back through the legal system. That aspect might not have pleased Kavanaugh’s core conservative constituency, which wanted the law enforced.In memos to colleagues, Kavanaugh questioned whether the trial judge had sufficient evidence to declare that the requirement would force abortion clinics to close, threatening a woman’s constitutional right to end a pregnancy. In the long term, Kavanaugh’s demanding approach would make it more difficult to challenge the state physician regulation, meaning it could eventually be enforced down the line.Kavanaugh directed his suggestions to all of the justices. Yet Roberts might have appeared most open to the idea, based on his own anti-abortion record. Four years earlier, Roberts had voted to uphold a nearly identical physician regulation from Texas. In fact, in his 15 years on the high court, Roberts had never cast a vote to invalidate an abortion regulation. Roberts also might have been similarly reluctant to stir controversy over reproductive rights and looking for a way to sidestep the dilemma.In the spring of 2020, just months from another presidential election and with the public closely watching what would happen to abortion rights without Kennedy, Roberts also had an incentive to respect the court’s 2016 precedent. He held fast to what must have been a difficult vote, for abortion rights, even as he declared that he still believed the 2016 case had been wrongly decided.Breyer, a 1994 appointee of President Bill Clinton, had written the 2016 decision. In that case and the new Louisiana one, Breyer concluded that the burdens of the admitting-privileges law outweighed any benefits to patients. Breyer produced a first draft in in mid-April, CNN has learned. Ginsburg and his other liberal colleagues, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, told him within days that they would sign on.There were no takers among the justices for Kavanaugh’s suggested solution. The liberals were locked in, and the three other conservatives were ready to dissent with no equivocation: Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch.Roberts said he would join Breyer’s bottom-line judgment against the Louisiana regulation, but with a rationale that would make it easier for states to defend restrictions on abortion clinics and physicians in the future. Kavanaugh penned a solo dissent asserting a lack of evidence that would support the challengers’ claims. He also made clear, however, by signing on to Alito’s dissent, that he thought sufficient facts existed on Louisiana’s side.Whatever ambivalences he began with, Kavanaugh returned in the end to publicly express his conservative convictions.Avoiding a political fight with the PresidentKavanaugh’s nomination in 2018 ignited one of the most partisan moments of the Trump presidency. This spring, Kavanaugh privately raised a way out of a separate battle involving the President who appointed him and the Democratic-run House of Representatives, which had been investigating Trump on multiple fronts.The House had impeached Trump in December 2019 but had then seen its charges rejected in a Senate acquittal of Trump in February.The unrelated Supreme Court dispute known as Trump v. Mazars began after the US House had directed subpoenas at Trump’s accountants Mazars USA and two of his banks, Capital One and Deutsche Bank. Trump’s lawyers argued the subpoenas lacked any valid legislative purpose.Kavanaugh raised a theory known as the “political question” doctrine, which holds that certain disputes are more properly worked out between the political branches rather than by judges. He theorized that the case might be left to the usual back-and-forth of the White House and Congress to figure things out.His approach would provide an off-ramp for one of the imminent confrontations between Trump and the court.During one of the justices’ private teleconferences, according to three sources, Kavanaugh convinced his colleagues to ask for supplemental filings on whether the political-question doctrine applied or there was any other reason the justices could not decide the case.The discussion among the justices, sources said, concerned the practicalities of whether the issue Kavanaugh had raised would be relevant to the case involving private parties and whether it was prudent to make the late-hour request.But there was a larger canvas that captured the attention of commentators once it became known that justices were mulling the idea as they asked for the new filings in April. Kavanaugh and other conservatives have long sought to bolster executive power, and if the high court were to decide that the House subpoena case was too political to resolve, it would dramatically undermine congressional power. Congress’ investigative committees would be unable to turn to courts to enforce orders against the President and his people.Yet in this particular controversy, involving Trump’s accountants and banks, if the high court were to declare the House subpoenas beyond the reach of judges, there would arguably be no way for Trump to prevent his financial institutions from providing his records to House investigators. The short-term loss could be Trump’s – although sources said that did not enter into the discussions. The justices concentrated on the larger issue of any president vs. the Congress, sources told CNN.Video Ad Feedback Understanding John Roberts' surprising streak of liberal wins 03:16 - Source: CNN Understanding John Roberts' surprising streak of liberal wins 03:16In their filings, the parties to the case said the high court had the authority, indeed responsibility, to decide the case. Kavanaugh’s idea in the end also failed to sway the other justices, and Kavanaugh backed away from it, sources said.Had a majority gone in that direction, it could have meant avoiding votes on the highly charged battle between Trump and congressional Democrats. Yet a separate subpoena dispute was pending between Trump and the Manhattan district attorney, Cy Vance, over Trump’s tax returns, and Kavanaugh knew the justices would have to confront that one.In the House case, Kavanaugh eventually signed on to Roberts’ opinion for a seven-justice majority, which said Trump could be forced to turn over the financial records if the House could justify its request. But in the companion case, revolving around Trump’s effort to block a subpoena from the Manhattan district attorney, Kavanaugh offered something to both sides.He agreed that Trump does not possess absolute immunity from a state criminal subpoena – every justice agreed with that proposition – but he then wrote for himself and fellow Trump appointee Gorsuch to assert a tough standard for prosecutors trying to obtain a president’s records.Emphasizing differences with Alito and ThomasIn the recently completed session, Kavanaugh clung to his conservatism, offering no surprises and pleasing the right-wing advocates who had pushed for his confirmation. Still, he went out of his way to separate himself from hard-hitting conservatives Thomas and Alito, and sometimes Gorsuch.Kavanaugh would hedge his rhetoric, trying to offer some sympathy for the people he was voting against, perhaps mindful of the reputation he wanted to counter and rebuild from 2018.When the justices took up the so-called Dreamers case, Kavanaugh voted – in dissent – to favor the Trump rescission of the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for young undocumented immigrants who had been brought to the US as children.Yet he chose to split from the three other conservative dissenters, opening his statement with regard for Dreamers: “They live, go to school, and work here with uncertainty about their futures. Despite many attempts over the last two decades, Congress has not yet enacted legislation to afford legal status to those immigrants.”The same was true when Kavanaugh chose not to side with fellow conservatives Roberts and Gorsuch to extend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect gay and transgender workers. He did not equivocate on the merits in that dispute. He cast a vote against expansion of the anti-discrimination law.Still, he plainly struggled with the tone to take in dissent. Alito, for example, was writing an aggressive statement attacking the majority’s rationale. Kavanaugh decided to strike a softer chord. And he made a point of asserting in his dissenting opinion that, “Millions of gay and lesbian Americans have worked hard for many decades to achieve equal treatment in fact and in law. They have exhibited extraordinary vision, tenacity, and grit. … “In the most publicized moments of his 2018 hearings, Kavanaugh declared that the sexual assault allegations had arisen from a crusade of revenge against him and his Republican supporters. The unrestrained response was widely criticized as injudicious, including by former Justice John Paul Stevens, who has since died.Kavanaugh declared then that “what goes around comes around,” listing a string of grievances that dated to his experience with Starr investigating the Clintons.Kavanaugh appears to be trying to halt that pattern with a new message: He just wants to get along. | afd3b2bee9c7a964 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | The Epoch Times | https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/one-million-refugees-have-fled-ukraine-in-7-days-un_4313502.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=allsides | One Million Refugees Have Fled Ukraine in 7 Days: UN | 2022-03-03 | World, Refugees, Ukraine, Ukraine War, Russia, Europe, Moldova, Romania, Eastern Europe | More than one million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded the country last week, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “For many millions more, inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent, so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided.” Refugees have been fleeing west from the warzones in Ukraine at a rate of more than 100,000 per day since Russia began its invasion. Roughly half have ended up in Poland. Most of the rest have crossed into Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The Polish government is offering Ukrainian asylum-seekers free travel on some intercity metro trains, transfer services, basic medical care, and shelter. While Moscow claims its forces are not firing on civilian targets, videos posted on social media show shattered residential buildings and rocket attacks on civilian infrastructure. Roughly 44 million people lived in Ukraine prior to Russia’s invasion. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the war in Ukraine is shaping up to be “one of the biggest humanitarian emergencies in Europe for years to come.” The vast majority of Ukrainians fleeing are women and children because men aged 18 to 60 are restricted from leaving the country until further notice. In response to the escalating crisis, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres released $20 million in emergency funding for Ukraine last week. The U.N. Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner estimated that as of Sunday 102 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, including seven children. Authorities in Ukraine estimated the civilian death toll at 352 killed, including 14 children. Russia maintains that its forces are not targeting civilian areas. The figures on the number of military casualties vary greatly depending on the source. For the first time since the invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” Russia released a casualty count on Wednesday. A spokesman for the defense ministry said 498 Russian soldiers have been killed since the conflict began. The same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 9,000 Russian soldiers had been killed. Under the CPRA, you have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalized ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link.If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | a13c19067328ed43 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | ABC News | http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/chris-christie-stop-lying-mr-president-about-romneys-economic-plan/ | Chris Christie: ‘Stop Lying, Mr. President’ About Romney’s Economic Plan | 2012-09-30 | Chris Christie, Presidential Elections, Elections | New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie accused President Obama of lying this morning after I showed him an advertisement being run by the Obama campaign attacking Mitt Romney 's economic plan and accusing the former Massachusetts governor of wanting to cut taxes for the wealthy . I asked Christie how he would respond if it were him debating the president Wednesday night during the first presidential debate .
`` Stop lying , Mr. President…Governor Romney is not talking about more tax cuts for the wealthy . In fact , what he said is that the wealthy will pay just as much under a Romney administration as they pay today , '' Christie said on `` This Week . '' `` I love those ads . I mean , you know , the president gets to say things like a million new manufacturing jobs , well , how , Mr. President ? We 're still waiting . Four trillion reduction in the debt . Really , Mr. President ? How ? Simpson-Bowles ? You have n't endorsed your own plan . Nor has he come forward with a plan . I mean , it 's a great ad . I have no doubt about that . It sounds really nice , and it looks nice . But there 's nothing substantive there . ''
President Obama released an advertisement last week that accused GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney of sticking with policies that led to the financial crisis in 2008 .
`` Governor Romney believes that with even bigger tax cuts for the wealthy , and fewer regulations on Wall Street , all of us will prosper . In other words , he 'd double down on the same trickle down policies that led to the crisis in the first place , '' Obama said in the two minute advertisement .
I spoke with White House senior adviser David Plouffe after my interview with the governor of New Jersey and he called the accusation that the president was lying , `` not true . ''
`` Strong words and not true . Listen , analysts have looked at this . Someone who makes over $ 3 million a year would get over a $ 250,000 tax cut if Governor Romney 's plan were to be enacted . And let 's just step back . It 's a $ 5 trillion tax cut , $ 2 trillion in defense spending , by the way , that our Pentagon and our military leadership says we do n't know , another $ 1 trillion to extend all the Bush tax cuts . That 's $ 8 trillion , '' Plouffe said . `` The notion that somehow by closing loopholes for the wealthy that the middle class is going to be held harmless - you know , the middle class needs to understand , if - if Mitt Romney wins this presidential election , they 're going to be paying the bill , not to reduce the deficit , not to reduce jobs , but to give huge tax cuts to the wealthy , '' he said .
`` So we 're happy to have that debate , because we think the facts are on our side , '' Plouffe said .
I also asked Christie if Romney would shake things up on Wednesday and the New Jersey governor told me that the debate would be a positive turning point for Romney .
`` I mean , every time Mitt Romney has been confronted in this campaign with one of these moments , he has come through in the debate and performed extraordinarily well , laying out his vision very clearly , and also contrasting himself and his vision with whoever his opponent was at that time , '' Christie said . `` So I have absolute confidence that , when we get to Thursday morning , George , all you 're going to be shaking your head , saying it 's a brand-new race with 33 days to go. ``
For his part , Plouffe said Romney has more to gain from the debate and added that the president would lay out his plan for the next four years .
`` We believed all along that Governor Romney probably has more benefit out of this debate potentially than we do , '' said Plouffe . `` But what we 're going to tell the American people on Wednesday night , as we have through the whole campaign , is exactly where we are as a country , where we need to go , how we rebuild an economy that makes the middle class secure , and with great detail so people understand , when - if this president gets re-elected , what he 's going to do for them , for the middle class , in the next four years , '' he said .
Like `` This Week '' on Facebook here . You can also follow the show on Twitter here .
Get more pure politics at ███.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com | cb822e954383d465 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | HuffPost | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/republican-leaders-backing-donald-trump_us_57f97538e4b068ecb5df3409? | You Knew Who Trump Was When You Endorsed Him, Republican Leaders | 2016-10-09 | Presidential Elections, Elections | Senior Reporter, HuffPost You knew. You all knew. You knew the whole time who and what Donald Trump is. Mike Pence. Paul Ryan. Mitch McConnell. Ted Cruz. Chris Christie. Newt Gingrich. Orrin Hatch. John McCain. Marco Rubio. Virtually all of you. You heard every terrible thing he said. You watched every inexcusable thing he did. You knew Trump is a race-baiting, xenophobic, misogynistic, authoritarian con man. You knew about his insatiable appetite for power, his bottomless need for affirmation, his dangerous impulsiveness and uncontrollable temper. You knew he was a huckster who ruined businesses and lives. You knew he debased your party, and you personally. You knew. You knew he waged a racist campaign against the president’s legitimacy. You knew he called immigrants rapists. You knew he advocated forbidding Muslims from American soil. You knew he said a federal judge wasn’t qualified because Mexican blood flowed through his veins. You knew he besmirched the parents of a dead soldier. You knew he mocked prisoners of war. You knew he courted white supremacists. You knew he admires dictators. You knew he incited violence. You knew he lies ― blatantly, shamelessly, ceaselessly. You knew all of that, and you asked Americans to elect him president anyway. Shame on you. You knew. Your condemnations are and have always been empty. Your sudden rush to abandon Trump ― after what’s merely the most recently uncovered manifestation of his hatred for women ― is motivated by the same venal cowardice that led you to support him in the first place. You knew Hillary Clinton isn’t the monstrous caricature you spent decades depicting. You knew she is ― like each and every one of you ― an ordinary politician, in all the ways that word has positive and negative connotations. You knew she would govern in a perfectly normal way. You knew this, but you told voters she was more dangerous than Trump. More evil. A greater threat to the republic. And this, after so many of you spent the presidential primary campaign warning the U.S. that Trump is exactly who he appears to be. But you fell in line. You knew, and you endorsed him anyway. You did all of this in service of ideology. You did this because you believe Trump will enact the policies you favor to allow businesses to pump more pollution into our air and water, to take away food and medicine from the neediest among us, to disenfranchise minority voters, to slash taxes for the rich. Your voters elevated Trump nearly to the White House, and he may yet make it there, in spite of everything. They did so because you have primed them for Trump for more than half a century. Half a century of barely concealed appeals to racism, of fomenting fear and hatred and coaxing the worst instincts out of enough voters to gain power. Years of nurturing ― on AM radio and cable TV and the internet ― a propaganda machine that encourages ignorance, mistrust and anger. You have lost control of the golem you created. You made promises you knew you couldn’t keep, and your voters finally lost faith in you. Now, they’re turning on you. They follow a man who doesn’t even share your beliefs. You’re learning just how little those voters cared about conservatism and how very much they cared about stomping their boots on the throats of people who don’t look like them or love like them or think like them. You made this possible by making villains out of African-Americans, Latinos, LGBTQ people, the poor. When this is all over, you may win your own re-elections. You may retain control of Congress and of governors mansions, state legislatures, county councils and school boards all across the nation. You may sigh in relief that you survived. You may even ― and not terribly long from now ― regain the presidency and resume carrying out your agenda. Your own careers may be successful. But history will condemn you. History won’t forget your cravenness. Because you knew. HUFFPOST READERS: What’s happening in your state or district? The Huffington Post wants to know about all the campaign ads, mailers, robocalls, candidate appearances and other interesting campaign news happening by you. Email any tips, videos, audio files or photos to scoops@huffingtonpost.com. The next four years will change America forever. But HuffPost won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. The next four years will change America forever. But HuffPost won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S. Sign up for the HuffPost Must Reads newsletter. Each Sunday, we will bring you the best original reporting, longform writing and breaking news from The Huffington Post and around the web, plus behind-the-scenes looks at how it’s all made. Click here to sign up! You have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. 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politics | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/kellyanne-conway-counselor-president-trump-232911 | Trump picks Kellyanne Conway to serve as counselor to the president | 2016-12-22 | politics | Trump creates competing power centers in his West Wing The president-elect ’ s appointments promise the same competition for his ear that occurred throughout the campaign and transition .
President-elect Donald Trump began to fill out his senior team in the West Wing on Thursday , naming campaign manager Kellyanne Conway as his counselor and installing Republican National Committee chief strategist Sean Spicer as his press secretary , one of the most public and prominent jobs in the administration .
Trump also filled out more of his communications staff , appointing campaign spokesman Jason Miller to be communications director , campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks to be strategic communications director and Dan Scavino , who ran social media for Trump ’ s campaign , to do the same for his White House .
Those three , along with Spicer , were also given the title of assistant to the president .
The flurry of announcements ended weeks of rumors and jockeying for position among Trump ’ s campaign veterans and supporters . Of the four , Hicks and Scavino are so-called Trump originals who were with him from the start . Other longtime aides have worried that they were being frozen out in favor of more recent hires like Conway and Miller and members of the GOP establishment like Spicer and incoming White House chief of staff Reince Priebus .
One such loyalist — Corey Lewandowski , Trump 's first campaign manager — on Wednesday announced that he will start a lobbying firm in D.C. rather than accept a White House job other than the one he wanted .
With Priebus as his chief of staff , Steve Bannon as his chief strategist and Conway as his counselor , Trump has set up three competing power centers in his administration , promising a continuation of the competition for his ear that occurred throughout the campaign and the transition process .
In the first of two announcements on Thursday , Trump ’ s transition team said Conway will “ continue her role as a close advisor to the president and will work with senior leadership to effectively message and execute the Administration 's legislative priorities and actions . ”
`` Kellyanne Conway has been a trusted advisor and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory . She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message . I am pleased that she will be part of my senior team in the West Wing , '' Trump said in a statement .
Conway , who joined Trump ’ s campaign as it was mired in controversy over the summer and managed it to a surprise victory last month , had previously said she was hesitant to accept a White House role because such a job would take her away from her four young children . She had previously hinted that she would turn down a position inside the White House . Ultimately , Conway told MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe '' on Thursday morning that `` it 's very difficult to say no , '' to a White House job , `` and the president-elect is a very persuasive man . ''
Conway , in her new position , will be the highest–ranking woman in the White House . On Thursday morning , she noted that past counselors to the president have included Karen Hughes , who filled that role for President George W. Bush , and Edwin Meese , who worked for President Ronald Reagan . She said that while her job title is not novel , her duties and responsibilities will not be modeled after any particular predecessor but will be specific to Trump 's administration .
Conway , a veteran GOP pollster , has been one of his most visible spokespersons , both before and after Election Day , and she told CNN 's `` New Day '' that she expects to keep communications as one aspect of her new job , even as Spicer , Hicks , Miller and Scavino also play prominent roles .
Dealing with data and strategy , pulling from her background , is also likely to be part of her new position , a role she said was established in her discussions with Trump 's son-in-law and close adviser Jared Kushner . Speaking with MSNBC , Conway said she expects Trump will ask her to continue serving as a `` discreet adviser '' and somebody who `` supports him in his effective connecting and communicating with America . ''
`` Well , the portfolio will be whatever the president wants it to be , '' Conway said in explaining her new position to CNN anchor Chris Cuomo . `` I 'm just really pleased and frankly very humbled , Chris , to take on this role in the West Wing , near the president , and to be supportive of the senior team that he already has in place , colleagues of mine that I 've worked together very closely with throughout the campaign and the transition . ''
The incoming counselor to the president said Thursday morning that her concerns about White House work taking her away from her children were ultimately assuaged by seeing Trump spend time with his own children and grandchildren and by her decades-long relationships with female employees of Trump 's companies . Conway said three of her four children are excited about the family 's move from New Jersey to Washington , although her 12-year-old daughter did begin a `` keep the Conway kids from moving to Washington '' online petition . “ When you ’ re a pollster and you have 75 percent agreement on anything , you ’ re really excited . When you ’ re a mother , 100 percent agreement would be fantastic , so we ’ re getting there , '' Conway told `` Fox & Friends . ''
At an event hosted by ███ earlier this month , Conway suggested that the demands placed on any White House staffer are especially difficult for mothers , a predicament she said many men do not understand .
`` I do politely mention to them the question isn ’ t would you take the job , the male sitting across from me who ’ s going to take a big job in the White House . The question is would you want your wife to , ” she continued . “ Would you want the mother of children to ? You really see their entire visage change . It ’ s like , ‘ Oh , no , they wouldn ’ t want their wife to take that job . ’ ''
Asked Thursday morning on Fox Business Network if she would have enough time to do her job and still be a full-time mother , Conway responded , `` I don ’ t play golf and I don ’ t have a mistress so , I have a lot of time that a lot of these other men don ’ t . ''
The transition team statement announcing Conway 's White House position also seemingly jabbed at Democrat Hillary Clinton , who spoke often of shattering the `` glass ceiling '' by becoming the first woman elected to be president . Conway , the Trump team statement noted , is the first woman to manage a winning presidential campaign and as such , the Manhattan billionaire 's campaign had `` shattered the glass ceiling for women . '' | Q2bV5L7VRQRmEO6M | 0 | Politics | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/12/174089505/senate-committee-takes-up-expanded-gun-measures | Senate Committee Takes Up Expanded Gun Measures | 2013-03-12 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | The Associated Press reports that the committee cast a 10-8 party-line vote , with all Republicans opposed , on the measure to expand a requirement of background checks for gun sales between private parties .
`` The bill 's sponsor , New York Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer , said the measure will reduce gun crimes , and said he hopes he can strike a compromise on the measure with Republicans , which would enhance the measure 's chances of passing in the full Senate . `` [ But ] Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley , the top Republican on the panel , said he believes the measure will ultimately lead to a federal registry of gun owners — which is illegal . `` The committee also approved a measure providing $ 40 million a year for school safety programs . ''
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday is set to approve expanded federal background checks for gun buyers , moving the measure to the full Senate , where it could come up for a vote next month before going to the GOP-controlled House .
The bill would extend background checks — which are currently required only for sales by licensed dealers — to transactions between private individuals . It would also `` renew the requirement that states and federal agencies report records on felons , people with major mental health problems , drug abusers and others to the federal background check system — something that many states and agencies do poorly , '' The Associated Press reports .
Last week , the committee voted 11-7 for a bill that would make gun trafficking a federal crime carrying long prison terms . Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa was the sole Republican supporter . That measure would also crack down on straw purchasers , people who buy a firearm for criminals or others forbidden to buy one .
`` Given the panel 's Democratic majority , all of the bills are expected to pass . Each measure , however , faces varying levels of uncertainty on the Senate floor in their current forms , especially the proposed assault weapons ban . The bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , is opposed by the National Rifle Association as well as Republicans and Democrats who hail from states with high gun-ownership rates . '' | 6KDDcVbBbNO3M0uJ | 1 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/20/healthcaregov-still-fixing-tax-form-blunder/ | HealthCare.gov still fixing tax-form blunder | 2015-03-20 | healthcare | The administration said Friday it still had to send corrected tax forms to 80,000 of the 820,000 HealthCare.gov customers who received erroneous information from the federal Obamacare exchange earlier this year .
Marketplace CEO Kevin Counihan said the “ overwhelming majority ” of affected customers — 740,000 — had received amended forms that list the correct benchmark plan by which their Obamacare subsides are calculated . The rest of the forms will be in the mail next week .
The error was an embarrassing misstep for the administration , which had been celebrating a relatively hiccup-free signup season that stretched from mid-November to Feb. 15 .
Administrative stumbles in the marketplace were inevitable , Mr. Counihan said Friday , and in this case , a flaw in computer code resulted in the incorrect forms .
“ We have a responsibility to identify these issues quickly , ” he told reporters . “ It doesn ’ t matter if it impacts 800,000 consumers or one . ”
Officials said anyone who does not receive a corrected form should contact the federal exchange , as the tax-filing deadline is less than 30 days away .
Filers who purchased subsidy health coverage on the Obamacare exchanges need the form , known as a 1095-A , to reconcile their tax credits with their actual income in 2014 . A filer can not do that accurately unless the form lists the correct benchmark plan — the second-lowest cost plan on an exchange ’ s silver tier .
Treasury Department officials have said the estimated 50,000 customers who filed their taxes before they received the correct forms do not have to refile or pay back any subsidy they were not entitled to .
Consumers who would have received money back from the IRS may file again .
This tax season marks the first time American taxpayers have to address their health care status on their returns . The vast majority of people will simply check a box to attest they have coverage through their employers or other means .
Employers are not reporting matching data to the government in this first go-round with Obamacare , so the administration must trust filers to be honest .
However , anyone who lies on the forms would be doing so under the penalty of perjury and could be exposed during an audit , said Mark Mazur , assistant Treasury secretary for tax policy .
Meanwhile , some filers will have to pay a tax penalty for lacking insurance in 2014 .
The “ individual mandate ” tax for 2014 is the greater of $ 95 or 1 percent of household income above the filing threshold , a levy that rises to $ 325 or 2 percent of income in 2015 .
Customers in the 37 states that use the federal HealthCare.gov portal can sign up for coverage until April 30 and avoid the 2015 fee if they owed a penalty for last year and realized their predicament after the Feb. 15 deadline to sign up on Obamacare ’ s exchanges .
Many of the exchanges run by 13 states and the District of Columbia have offered similar grace periods to penalty payers . | l4bgIDCfE5FSHeQU | 2 | Healthcare | 0.15 | Obamacare | 0.15 | Health Insurance | 0.05 | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2022/07/17/texas-house-probe-on-uvalde-shooting-cites-multiple-failures-report/ | Texas House probe on Uvalde shooting cites multiple failures: report | 2022-07-17 | Criminal Justice, Ethics Investigation, Gun Control And Gun Rights, Police, School Shootings, Uvalde Shooting, Violence In America | A special Texas House investigative committee probing the Uvalde school massacre found multiple failures occurred leading up to the horror and involved everyone from law enforcement to social-media platforms, a report said Sunday. Other entities to blame included the school itself, Robb Elementary, and the shooter’s family, CNN said, noting it had an early copy of the probe’s finding. The panel was also set to officially release surveillance footage of the school’s hallway during the May 24 attack, which left 21 people dead. The Austin American-Statesman published the surveillance footage Tuesday after it was leaked to the paper. The report is expected to detail testimony from about 40 people who spoke to the committee, including the school’s principal, a teacher, the district superintendent, custodial staff, members of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the school district’s police chief, CNN reported. The findings are expected to include a complete timeline and sequence of events, details on the shooter, a law-enforcement manifest and direct quotes from those who testified, sources told the outlet. The committee’s chairman, Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows, promised the group would do “everything in its power” to answer questions about the massacre and provide facts about what happened “leading up to, during, and in the aftermath of this tragedy.” Loved ones of those killed or injured in the attack were to have a chance to review the hallway surveillance video showing law enforcement’s response to the shooting before a sit-down meeting with the committee, the outlet reported. Tap the right side of the screen below to watch this web story: Late Saturday, Uvalde and Texas officials were hand-delivered printed copies of the report out of concern it would be leaked to the press before the families had a chance to read it, officials who were given the report told the outlet. The move came after the American-Statesman published the surveillance footage, sparking a wave of outrage from officials and families who were upset the materials were released publicly before they had a chance to review it. The newspaper defended its decision in an editorial, saying the public had a right to see it. The report is coming nearly two months after 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos stormed into Robb Elementary School and shot and killed 19 kids and two teachers. Local law enforcement who responded to the scene has been excoriated for waiting more than an hour in a hallway of the school before taking down the gunman. Ramos was eventually killed by authorities. Additional reporting by MaryAnn Martinez Advertisement Unknown | 6262ad38e40ac3fa | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/17/democrat-led-senate-set-to-finally-vote-this-week-on-keystone-in-odd-turn/ | Democrat-led Senate set to finally vote this week on Keystone, in odd turn of political events | 2014-11-17 | environment | The Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to take a long-awaited vote Tuesday on approving the Keystone XL oil pipeline -- in an unexpected and politically-charged turn of events for legislation that has languished in the upper chamber for roughly six years .
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will allow the vote in part to give Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu an opportunity to vote “ yea ” and perhaps help her win her runoff election next month with Republican challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy .
However , Landrieu ’ s political future and the fate of the bill remain highly uncertain .
Most political analysts think Landrieu ’ s effort to win a fourth term by trying to show voters in oil-rich Louisiana how much she supports Keystone is a lost cause , with reports of Washington Democrats pulling out and polls showing Cassidy ahead by double digits .
South Dakota GOP Sen. John Thune said on “ ███ Sunday ” the vote will be a “ cynical attempt to save a Senate seat in Louisiana , '' considering Reid has blocked the vote for years .
President Obama appears to be giving every indication that he will veto the bill , repeatedly saying the only way the $ 8 billion pipeline can be approved is after the completion of a long-stalled State Department review . There is also the pending outcome of a legal challenge to the pipeline 's route through Nebraska .
And during his recent trip to Australia for an economic summit Obama said : “ I have to constantly push back against this idea that somehow the Keystone pipeline is either this massive jobs bill for the United States or is somehow lowering gas prices . ”
Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse told “ ███ Sunday ” that he hopes Obama will veto the bill , considering the oil is “ the filthiest fuel on the planet . ”
Whitehouse said he thinks the new Senate Republican majority “ has long despised and denigrated this president and if they can roll him I think they would like to . ”
He also argued that Senate Republicans twice passed on voting on a Democrat-sponsored Keystone bill .
The analysts think the 100-member Senate is now one vote shy of the 60 needed for passing Keystone . ( They have the 59 votes as 14 Democrats and all 45 Republicans . )
The GOP-controlled House on Friday passed legislation , sponsored by Cassidy , to move forward with Keystone , which would carry crude oil from Canada and several U.S. states to Midwest and Gulf Coast refineries .
However , neither chamber appears to have the two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto .
Completion of the pipeline , supporters say , will create hundreds of new jobs and help the U.S. become less dependent on foreign oil .
Critics , like Whitehouse , say the oil from Canada is extremely dirty and unearthing it would result in the release of high amounts of greenhouse gases . They also say the jobs are temporary .
Environmentalists have framed the issue as a significant test of Obama 's commitment to addressing climate change .
The State Department said in a Jan. 31 report that the 1,179-mile project would not significantly boost carbon emissions because the oil was likely to find its way to market by other means . It added that transporting it by rail or truck would cause greater environmental problems than if the pipeline were built .
The debate in Congress is centered on the pipeline 's proposed northern leg , which would run from Alberta , Canada , through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska , where it would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day .
The Gulf Coast segment of the project began carrying oil earlier this year from the northern Oklahoma town of Cushing . A study commissioned by the Consumer Energy Alliance shows the Gulf Coast project , which began in 2012 and became operational in January , pumped $ 2.1 billion into Oklahoma 's economy , including more than $ 1 billion in wages and $ 72 million in total taxes .
The bill passing the House marked the ninth time the lower chamber has voted in favor of speeding up the pipeline 's construction .
Landrieu pushed the Senate to hold its upcoming vote on the measure .
In a recent call with reporters from Louisiana , where she was campaigning , Landrieu called herself the `` sparkplug '' to get the Keystone bill through Congress .
The House bill is identical to one introduced by Sen. John Hoeven , R-N.D. , and Landrieu in May .
Landrieu has said she doesn ’ t know Obama 's plans but that he “ most certainly understands my position '' and that at least 15 other Senate Democrats “ really want to build the Keystone pipeline . ''
If the bill fails to pass the Senate next week , Hoeven said he would reintroduce it next year when Republicans will control the chamber .
That would make it one of many showdowns expected with Obama over energy and environmental policy after Republicans take full control of Congress in January .
House Speaker John Boehner , R-Ohio , recently said it was time for Obama to listen to the American people , especially after Republican gains in last week 's midterm elections , and sign the bill .
`` The president does n't have any more elections to win , and he has no other excuse for standing in the way , '' Boehner said . | KcRvnuftPAovBiWD | 2 | Environment | -0.6 | US Senate | -0.3 | Keystone Pipeline | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/cpi-inflation-april-2024 | Inflation increases 3.4% in April as prices remain elevated | 2024-05-15 | Economy And Jobs, Inflation, Energy, Food | Inflation eased slightly in April for the first time in months, a welcome sign for the Federal Reserve even as prices remained uncomfortably high for millions of Americans.The Labor Department said Wednesday that the consumer price index, a broad measure of how much everyday goods like gasoline, groceries and rent cost, rose 0.3% in April from the previous month. Economists expected to see a 0.4% monthly increase. Prices climbed 3.4% from the same time last year, down from the 3.5% reading in March.Another data point that measures underlying inflationary pressures within the economy also moderated last month. So-called core prices, which exclude the more volatile measurements of gasoline and food in order to better assess price growth trends, increased 0.3% in April. From the same time last year, the gauge climbed 3.6% — the lowest reading since 2021.WHY ARE GROCERIES STILL SO EXPENSIVE?Altogether, the report indicates that while inflation has fallen considerably from a peak of 9.1%, it remains well above the Fed's 2% target.High inflation has created severe financial pressures for most U.S. households, which are forced to pay more for everyday necessities like food and rent. Price hikes are particularly devastating for lower-income Americans, because they tend to spend more of their already-stretched paycheck on necessities and therefore have less flexibility to save money.AMERICANS ARE CARRYING A RECORD AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLD DEBTHousing and gasoline costs were once again the biggest drivers of inflation last month, accounting for more than 70% of the total monthly increase, according to the report.Rent costs rose 0.4% for the month and are up 5.6% from the same time last year. Rising rents are concerning because higher housing costs most directly and acutely affect household budgets. Gasoline prices, meanwhile, jumped 2.8% over the course of April. They are up 1.2% when compared with the same time last year.Consumers received some reprieve on the cost of groceries, which fell 0.2% in April from the previous month. However, grocery costs remain up 1.1% from the same time last year and up more than 21% when compared with January 2021, shortly before the inflation crisis began.The report comes as Federal Reserve policymakers weigh when to start cutting interest rates amid concerns that progress on inflation has stalled. Investors have steadily dialed back their expectations as central bank officials signal they are in no rush to cut, and that incoming economic data will guide their decision.Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday the central bank will need to be patient and wait for evidence that inflation is slowing before it cuts rates.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE"We did not expect this to be a smooth road, but these were higher than I think anybody expected," he said. "What that has told us is that we will need to be patient and let restrictive policy do its work."Stock futures jumped Wednesday morning as the inflation data fueled investor hopes for rate cuts. Market pricing now indicates the first interest rate cut will come in September, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool."Despite this morning’s encouraging inflation report, the Fed will not likely begin cutting rates until they have more confirmation that consumer prices are easing," said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial. "After digesting this report, markets expect the first cut to come in September." | efa6b89d7c3121b9 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_congress | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/16/politics/government-shutdown-questions/index.html | These 5 indisputable realities make a government shutdown a very real possibility | 2018-01-16 | Government Shutdown, US Congress, Politics | Most Americans have n't been paying much attention to that fact for a simple reason : These shutdown threats seem to arise almost monthly these days and Congress always seems to find a way to kick the can down the road and keep the lights on for another month or two .
After all , there 's only been one government shutdown in this century -- 2013 -- and , before that , the last shutdown was in 1995-1996 . These things just do n't really happen .
Except when they do . And there 's some reason to believe that this just might be one of those times -- given the number of moving parts , political calculations and policy differences at work .
Here are five realities about the current debate that are n't likely to change between today and Friday night .
1 . There is no DACA/border security deal in play right now
Lost amid all of the coverage of `` shithole '' coming out of last week 's meeting at the White House is the fact that when President Donald Trump scuttled the bipartisan deal built by the Gang of Six there was no plan waiting in the wings to replace it .
That was the deal . The idea that another immigration deal will suddenly emerge sometime over the next 72 hours misunderstands the policy and political complexities at work for both parties here . These deals take weeks and months to come together . And remember that Trump had pledged two days before the immigration meeting last Thursday that he would sign whatever Congress produced on immigration . So there was reason to believe that the deal was done .
The Donald Trump of last Tuesday -- all deal-maker and ca n't we all get along -- might have made lots of Democrats very nervous about letting the government shut down amid an immigration standoff . But Trump 's dismissal of immigrants coming from countries in Africa and central America -- and his preference for immigrants from countries like Norway -- has altered that dynamic .
Suddenly , the debate is n't about Democrats and their views on immigration at all -- it 's now centered on whether the President of the United States is a racist . It 's a much easier sell for Democrats to go to their constituents now and say , `` We tried to make a deal but Trump went off the rails . '' Much easier .
In the two most recent shutdown showdowns -- and , yes , I love that term -- there was split control in Washington . In both the 1995-1996 and 2013 shutdowns , Republicans held Congress while Democrats controlled the White House . That division made the debate over who would be blamed a toss-up in the days leading into the shutdowns . ( In both cases , it was Republicans in Congress who bore the brunt of it . )
That is not the scenario that faces us today . Republicans have the White House as well as majorities in the House and the Senate . The idea -- that Trump is pushing via his Twitter feed -- that Democrats will somehow be blamed for a shutdown does n't seem to be based in any sort of known reality .
`` Make no mistake about it , when a party holds the White House and majorities in both the House and Senate , they 'own ' any government shutdown , '' tweeted non-partisan political handicapper Charlie Cook on Tuesday morning . `` Things the President has said and done over the last week have only increased the price the GOP has to pay for that ownership . ''
Polling , too , bears out Cook 's point . In a December Quinnipiac University poll , 41 % said they would primarily blame Republicans in Congress while 31 % said the blame should mainly go to Democrats . Another 16 % said they would mostly blame Trump . Add it all up and you find that almost six in 10 people would blame either Republicans or Trump if the government shut down .
4 . The Democratic caucus is split between 2018 concerns and 2020 positioning
While Trump 's actions over the past week have made the politics of this shutdown showdown ( I did warn you I really like that term ) simpler for Democrats , the debate over how to proceed on immigration -- and the broader strategic question over how much or little Democrats should cooperate with Trump and Republicans -- is much more complicated for them .
The split within the party largely breaks down along political lines .
The 10 Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in states Trump won in 2016 -- including five in states Trump won by double digits -- are wary of appearing to be reflexively anti-Trump given that many of the voters they will face in November still view the President positively .
On the other side of that divide are the Democrats eyeing the 2020 presidential race -- Elizabeth Warren , Bernie Sanders , Kamala Harris , Kirsten Gillibrand and others -- who know that it 's impossible to be too anti-Trump in the eyes of the party 's liberal activist and donor base . The view among that group of politicians goes like this : Why should we do any sort of deal on immigration with Trump ? If the government shuts down , voters will blame Trump and Republicans . Why capitulate to him in any way , shape or form ?
5 . It 's not clear Republicans have the votes on anything
In the House , at least , Democrats seem very likely to withhold their votes on a clean budget bill that would prevent the government shutdown . If that happens , it 's not clear that Speaker Paul Ryan has the votes -- or can get them -- among the GOP conference for a ( nother ) short-term budget plan .
The House Freedom Caucus -- the most conservative element within the House GOP -- is making rumblings that they may not be willing to provide any ( or very few ) votes for another kick-the-can move . If the Freedom Caucus comes out against another effort to fund the government in the near term , then Ryan will have to either a ) prepare for the shutdown or b ) find Democratic votes somehow .
In short : Do n't assume Republicans can simply fund the government at the last-minute on Friday night . They may not be able to . | 02f1ed70b17bef23 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_house | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/27/katie-hill-resign-congress-reports-say/ | Freshman Democrat embroiled in scandal to resign | 2019-10-27 | us_house | Rep. Katie Hill on Sunday announced her resignation from Congress amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into her alleged involvement in a bisexual love triangle and an affair with a member of her congressional staff .
“ It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress , ” Ms. Hill said in a statement . “ This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do , but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents , my community , and our country . ”
The freshman California Democrat is embroiled in a messy divorce , which led to the revelations of the office romance , which is prohibited under House rules .
The House Ethics Committee last week announced the investigation following news reports that she was involved in a three-way relationship with her husband and a female campaign staffer , even as she had an affair with a male staffer in her official congressional office .
As reported by Red State , a conservative website , Ms. Hill was involved with a 22-year-old campaign staffer and her husband in a “ throuple ” relationship .
The ethics probe of Ms. Hill was among a series of investigations into sex scandals involving Democratic House members caught up in the ban on romantic relationships with staff members . The ban was recently implemented as part of Congress ‘ response to the # MeToo movement , aiming to protect congressional staff from predatory bosses .
The Ethics panel last week also announced an investigation into allegations that Democrat Michael F.Q . San Nicolas , the non-voting member from Guam , had a sexual relationship with a member of his congressional staff .
Ms. Hill ’ s husband was apparently OK with that arrangement but felt the line was crossed when he learned Ms. Hill , 32 , was also having another relationship with her male office employee .
“ I didn ’ t file for divorce bc she was bi ! I just didn ’ t know she opened our relationship . Lol , ” Kenny Heslep , Ms. Hill ’ s estranged husband , wrote on Facebook .
Red State published text messages it said were from the relationship between Ms. Hill and the 22-year-old campaign staffer .
Ms. Hill on Tuesday denied having a relationship with the staffer in her office , calling the allegation “ absolutely false. ” She blamed her husband , who she said was “ abusive , ” for the revelations .
“ This coordinated effort to try to destroy me and people close to me is despicable and will not succeed . I , like many women who have faced attacks like this before , am stronger than those who want me to be afraid , ”
The congresswoman said she had asked the U.S. Capitol Police to investigate the leak of photos , including one published by Red State showing her undressed and brushing another woman ’ s hair .
Ms. Hill last year defeated Republican incumbent Steve Knight in the race to represents California ’ s 25th district , which includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Ms. Hill came to Congress with a bright future .
“ She has acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a Member untenable . We must ensure a climate of integrity and dignity in the Congress , and in all workplaces , ” Ms. Pelosi said | LXUSG5BPd0YG7qsB | 2 | Katie Hill | -0.7 | US House | -0.2 | Sexual Misconduct | 0 | null | null | null | null |
marijuana_legalization | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/10/22/239847084/public-support-for-marijuana-legalization-hits-record-high | Public Support For Marijuana Legalization Hits Record High | 2013-10-22 | marijuana_legalization | A record number of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana , according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday .
The poll , which was conducted Oct. 3-6 , reports that 58 percent of the public supports the legalization of marijuana , while 39 percent opposes it .
The tide of public opinion appears to be rapidly turning in favor of legalization . In November 2012 , Gallup found that 48 percent of Americans favored marijuana legalization compared with 50 percent who did not . Just over a decade earlier , in 2001 , only 31 percent supported legalization while 64 percent opposed it .
The first time Gallup recorded a majority of Americans in favor of legalization came in 2011 , when 50 percent said they supported it and 46 percent said they opposed it .
The issue remains a fairly partisan one : Sixty-five percent of Democrats support legalizing marijuana , compared with 35 percent of Republicans . Meanwhile , 62 percent of independents say they are pro-legalization , up from 50 percent last year .
Every age group Gallup tested was in favor of marijuana legalization except for those 65 and older . Fifty-three percent of respondents in that group said they were against legalization , while 45 percent were in support .
Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are still the most likely to back legalizing marijuana . Of that age group , two-thirds — 67 percent — favor legalization while 31 percent would like to see the drug remain illegal .
The results follow some major victories for pro-legalization forces . Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana last year , and the Justice Department announced in August it would not challenge the laws .
Advocates are also moving forward with efforts to put a marijuana legalization referendum on the ballot in 10 other states over the next four years . | frJEyIMd6qYyZm6e | 1 | Marijuana | -0.1 | Marijuana Legalization | -0.1 | Public Health | 0 | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/paul-ryan-floating-change-to-budget-88399.html?hp=t2_3 | Paul Ryan floats change to Medicare plan | 2013-03-04 | healthcare | Insiders say Ryan 's budget wo n't be much different than last year 's . Ryan floats change to Medicare plan
Paul Ryan ’ s budget will show how Republicans can balance a budget that ’ s trillions of dollars out of whack . But the most significant unresolved issue comes down to a minuscule number : one year .
Ryan — the House Budget Committee chairman — has privately been floating the idea of allowing his changes to Medicare to kick in for Americans younger than 56 . In previous budgets , those 55 and older were exempted from his plan to turn Medicare into a premium-support — or voucher — program .
It might not seem like much of a distinction — and it doesn ’ t help Republicans achieve their stated goal of balancing the budget in 10 years .
Republicans have been arguing for two years that their plans wouldn ’ t affect Medicare coverage for anyone older than 54 , and Democrats will surely pounce on any change as Republicans breaking faith with their own pledge to seniors . The Ryan budget served as a favorite battering ram for Democrats against Republican candidates on the campaign trail .
Ryan , according to Republicans familiar with his pitch , wants to take a stand on a program they say doesn ’ t have a future for the next generation of retirees if major reforms aren ’ t made soon . If the GOP gradually makes the argument to change the program incrementally , they hope the public will begin to accept it .
Republican leaders just want to pass a budget , and they ’ ll most likely back whichever plan eases that path .
The Wisconsin Republican plans to roll out the outlines of his budget Wednesday in a pen-and-pad session with reporters , and the age issue is one of only a handful of unresolved questions remaining . Also in the Ryan budget : a filibuster-proof pathway toward tax and entitlement reform — a process known as budget reconciliation . It ’ s the way Republicans think they ’ ll be able to jump-start a grand deficit compromise with Senate Democrats and Obama .
Balancing the budget in the next decade will be markedly easier , given the sequester ’ s spending cuts and the fresh injection of new governmental revenue at the beginning of 2013 .
The truth , insiders say , is the new Ryan budget isn ’ t much different than last year ’ s — or the one from the year before .
“ It ’ s not going to be that much different , except for the fact that it will balance in 10 years , ” Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy ( R-Calif. ) told ███ in an interview .
GOP leaders acknowledge the budget has potential downsides : It requires deep cuts to achieve balance in the next decade . But they think they will pass the spending blueprint easily .
It ’ s a telling test for the GOP , one that pits ideology against pragmatism and also underscores how far the center of gravity in the House Republican Conference has shifted to the right in just a few years . When Ryan first started talking about changing Medicare , many of his colleagues thought he was leading them on a kamikaze mission . Now , they ’ re arguing over whether it would be better to exempt nine years or 10 years ’ worth of people from the changes , even though the plan has no chance of becoming law .
CORRECTION : Corrected by : David Cohen @ 03/05/2013 01:00 AM CORRECTION : An earlier version of this story misstated the age group for which the Medicare change would take place . | 2XeHV83MBg5h5vie | 0 | Healthcare | -0.2 | Paul Ryan | 0.1 | Medicare | 0 | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-resignation/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 | Pope Benedict to resign at the end of the month, Vatican says | 2013-02-11 | Catholic Church, Religion And Faith | Story highlights Pope Benedict XVI surprises the world with his decision to step down
He says his strength in the past few months `` has deteriorated ''
A new pope should be chosen by Easter , a spokesman says
No more than 117 cardinals will select the next pontiff
The spiritual leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics , Pope Benedict XVI , surprised the world Monday by saying he will resign at the end of the month `` because of advanced age . ''
It 's the first time a pope has stepped down in nearly 600 years .
`` Strength of mind and body are necessary , strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me , '' said Benedict , 85 , according to the Vatican .
The news startled the Catholic world and led to frenzied speculation about who would replace him , including a debate about the merits of naming a pontiff from the developing world , where the church continues to grow , versus one from Europe , where it has deep historical roots .
But that decision will not be made by Benedict , who will leave his post at 8 p.m. on February 28 , said the Rev . Federico Lombardi , a Vatican spokesman .
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`` Before Easter , we will have the new pope , '' he said .
While Benedict wo n't be directly involved in his successor 's selection , his influence will undoubtedly be felt . He appointed 67 of the 117 cardinals that -- as of Monday -- are set to make the decision .
The number of electors could drop to 115 , as two cardinals will turn 80 in March , when their age makes them ineligible to cast a vote . More than two thirds of whatever the final number must agree on the next pope , a decision that will be announced to the world in the form a puff of white smoke emerging from a chimney in the Vatican .
CNN Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen said that means the next pope , no matter where he is from , will probably continue in Benedict 's conservative tradition , which has seen the church take a firm line on issues such as abortion , birth control and divorce .
The pope , born Joseph Ratzinger , will first head to the pope 's summer residence before he likely retires to a monastery and devotes himself to a life of reflection and prayer , Lombardi said . He wo n't be involved in managing the church after his resignation .
In a sign of just how rare an event this is , church officials are n't sure what the pope will be called after he leaves the office .
While not quite unprecedented , his resignation is certainly historic . The last pope to step down before his death was Gregory XII , who in 1415 quit to end a civil war within the church in which more than one man claimed to be pope .
Benedict took months to decide that he was n't up for the job anymore , Lombardi said .
`` It 's not a decision he has just improvised , '' the Vatican spokesman said .
A family friend in Regensburg , Germany , told CNN that Benedict had been thinking resigning for some time because of his age . He had discussed the decision with his older brother , the Rev . Georg Ratzinger , according to the friend , who asked not to be named because he does not speak for Georg Ratzinger .
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Several years ago , Benedict had suggested he would be open to resigning should his health fail , Allen said . But no one expected him to do so this soon .
Jannet Walsh , a CNN iReporter from Murdock , Minnesota , counts herself among those `` shocked '' by the news of his resignation . But she said it was an admirable decision because he seemingly recognized that he could not adequately `` carry out his office as pope '' given his health .
`` The resignation of the pope is actually a very selfless act , and it should be applauded , '' Walsh said .
Joseph Ratzinger was born and raised in Germany , where he briefly served in the Hitler Youth , despite his objections , and the German military during World War II . He then established himself as a leading theologian , professor and local Catholic leader before rising up the Vatican ranks .
He was dean of the College of Cardinals in 2005 when he became the sixth German to be picked as pope , albeit the first since the 11th century . At the time , the church was facing several pressing issues , including declining popularity in parts of the world and a growing crisis over the church 's role in handling molestation accusations against priests around the world .
Given his age at the time -- 78 -- he was widely seen as a caretaker pope , a bridge to the next generation after the long tenure of John Paul II , a popular , globe-trotting pontiff whose early youth and vigor gave way to such frailty in later years that he required help walking and was often hard to hear during public addresses .
As an aide to John Paul , Benedict served as a strict enforcer of his conservative social doctrine . To no one 's surprise , he continued to espouse a conservative doctrine after taking the office himself . He frequently warned of a `` dictatorship of relativism . ''
`` In a world which he considered relativist and secular and so on , his main thrust was to re-establish a sense of Catholic identity for Catholics themselves , '' said Delia Gallagher , contributing editor for Inside the Vatican magazine .
Not everyone embraced this conservatism . CNN iReporter Egberto Willies , a former Catholic , said positions such as opposing the distribution of condoms to curb the AIDS epidemic in Africa shows how `` outdated '' the church under Benedict was .
`` This is a pope that was so conservative that many of his values simply , in today 's world , made no sense , '' said Willies , a resident of Kingwood , Texas .
Bill Donohue , of the conservative U.S. Catholic League , credited Benedict for working to reduce friction among adherents of various faiths , something that was a key part of John Paul 's mission as well .
`` The pope made it clear that religious freedom was not only a God-given right , it was 'the path to peace , ' '' Donohue said .
But Mohammed Shafiq , chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation , offered a different take . He referenced a 2006 speech Benedict made in which he quoted from 14th century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus saying the Muslim Prophet Mohammed brought into the world `` things only evil and inhuman . '' These remarks spurred protests by Muslims worldwide and an apology from the pope .
`` This sadly meant the hard work of his predecessor Pope John Paul II was tarnished and required extensive work to rebuild ties between Christianity and Islam , '' Shafiq said . `` That is something he has tried to do over the past eight years , and we do wish it could have started better than it did . ''
In his tone , demeanor and actions , Benedict was notably different from his predecessor . Where John Paul wowed crowds around the world with his mastery of numerous languages , Benedict 's influence will be felt through his writings , part of his training as a college professor , Gallagher said .
Benedict became pope at the height of the molestation scandal involving Catholic priests , with complaints of sexual abuse and lawsuits over the issue tearing at the church and threatening its moral standing around the world .
In 2008 , he acknowledged `` the shame which we have all felt '' over abuse reports and said those responsible for the `` evils '' should face justice . Two years later in 2010 -- the same year that he issued new rules aimed at stopping abuse -- he said abusive priests `` disfigured their ministry '' and brought `` profound shame and regret '' on the church .
The new rules included allowing church prosecution of suspected molesters for 20 years after the incidents occurred , up from 10 years previously . The rules also made it a church crime to download child pornography and allowed the pope to remove a priest without a formal Vatican trial .
`` No one did more to successfully address the problem of priestly sexual abuse than Joseph Ratzinger , '' Donohue said .
But others -- such as Barbara Blaine , president of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests -- say the opposite is true .
`` I would hate for him to be remembered as someone who did the right thing because from our perspective , Pope Benedict 's record has been abysmal , '' Blaine said .
In 2010 , The New York Times reported that church officials , including Ratzinger , had failed to act in the case of a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting up to 200 boys . The Times reported that church officials stopped proceedings against the priest after he wrote Ratzinger , who was at the time the cardinal in charge of the group that oversees Catholic Church doctrine .
Ratzinger never answered the letter , according to the Times , and church officials have said he had no knowledge of the situation . But a lawyer who obtained internal church paperwork said at the time that it `` shows a direct line from the victims through the bishops and directly to the man who is now pope . ''
Also in 2010 , the Times reported that the future pope -- while serving as the archbishop in Munich -- had been copied on a memo informing him that a priest accused of molesting children was being returned to pastoral work . At the time , a spokesman for the archdiocese said Ratzinger received hundreds of memos a year , and it was highly unlikely that he had read it .
Victims ' groups are pressing the International Criminal Court to prosecute Benedict in the sex abuse scandal and say the resignation wo n't change that , according to Pam Spees , of the public policy law firm Center for Constitutional Rights , which is helping SNAP pursue the case .
In a statement issued Monday , Blaine said the church should choose a new pope dedicated to preventing sexual abuse by priests .
`` For the church to truly embody the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ , it must be led by a pontiff who demands transparency , exposes child-molesting clerics , punishes wrongdoers and enablers , cooperates with law enforcement and makes true amends to those who were hurt so greatly by Catholic priests , employees and volunteers , '' she said .
For others , the next pope must be someone who not only can satisfactorily address this scandal and other issues , but he also must be able to speak to all Catholics and others -- especially younger people -- in a way that resonates with them .
`` I know that my grandparents think of the whole church a little bit differently than my generation does , '' said Kaleigh Forst , a student , in New York City . `` I feel like we could use somebody maybe a little younger , that has a new perspective . ''
Whatever his past , few expected Benedict to announce he was stepping down , including world and Catholic leaders , who voiced admiration for his decision and the man himself .
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden , himself a Catholic , said he thought the pope set `` an incredibly high standard '' by understanding his own limitations and how they might affect the church .
`` The decision reinforces for me as a practicing Catholic that this is a man of great integrity and looking out for what he believes is in the best interest of our church , '' Biden said . `` I admire him for it . ''
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Benedict `` will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions. `` Cameron 's Irish counterpart , Enda Kenny , praised Benedict for decades of leadership and service , as well as his decision to resign .
`` It reflects his profound sense of duty to the Church , and also his deep appreciation of the unique pressures of spiritual leadership in the modern world , '' Kenny said in a prepared statement .
Archbishop Vincent Nichols , the president of the Catholic Bishops ' Conference of England and Wales , said the decision `` shocked and surprised everyone . ''
`` Yet , on reflection , I am sure that many will recognize it to be a decision of great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action , '' he said .
`` It 's like watching your own Dad get old and admit he 's not up to all the duties that being the head of a family involves , '' Dolan said . `` And there 's a somberness , there 's a sadness there . '' | e42465bc5d19f832 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
polarization | Pew Research Center | http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits/?utm_content=buffer7db8d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer | Political Polarization & Media Habits | 2014-10-21 | Health, Coronavirus | When it comes to getting news about politics and government , liberals and conservatives inhabit different worlds . There is little overlap in the news sources they turn to and trust . And whether discussing politics online or with friends , they are more likely than others to interact with like-minded individuals , according to a new ███ study .
The project – part of a year-long effort to shed light on political polarization in America – looks at the ways people get information about government and politics in three different settings : the news media , social media and the way people talk about politics with friends and family . In all three areas , the study finds that those with the most consistent ideological views on the left and right have information streams that are distinct from those of individuals with more mixed political views – and very distinct from each other .
These cleavages can be overstated . The study also suggests that in America today , it is virtually impossible to live in an ideological bubble . Most Americans rely on an array of outlets – with varying audience profiles – for political news . And many consistent conservatives and liberals hear dissenting political views in their everyday lives .
Yet as our major report on political polarization found , those at both the left and right ends of the spectrum , who together comprise about 20 % of the public overall , have a greater impact on the political process than do those with more mixed ideological views . They are the most likely to vote , donate to campaigns and participate directly in politics . The five ideological groups in this analysis ( consistent liberals , mostly liberals , mixed , mostly conservatives and consistent conservatives ) are based on responses to 10 questions about a range of political values . That those who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal opinions have different ways of informing themselves about politics and government is not surprising . But the depth of these divisions – and the differences between those who have strong ideological views and those who do not – are striking .
Are tightly clustered around a single news source , far more than any other group in the survey , with 47 % citing Fox News as their main source for news about government and politics .
Express greater distrust than trust of 24 of the 36 news sources measured in the survey . At the same time , fully 88 % of consistent conservatives trust Fox News .
Are , when on Facebook , more likely than those in other ideological groups to hear political opinions that are in line with their own views .
Are more likely to have friends who share their own political views . Two-thirds ( 66 % ) say most of their close friends share their views on government and politics .
Are less unified in their media loyalty ; they rely on a greater range of news outlets , including some – like NPR and the New York Times– that others use far less .
Express more trust than distrust of 28 of the 36 news outlets in the survey . NPR , PBS and the BBC are the most trusted news sources for consistent liberals .
Are more likely than those in other ideological groups to block or “ defriend ” someone on a social network – as well as to end a personal friendship – because of politics .
Are more likely to follow issue-based groups , rather than political parties or candidates , in their Facebook feeds .
Those with down-the-line conservative and liberal views do share some common ground ; they are much more likely than others to closely follow government and political news . This carries over to their discussions of politics and government . Nearly four-in-ten consistent conservatives ( 39 % ) and 30 % of consistent liberals tend to drive political discussions – that is , they talk about politics often , say others tend to turn to them for information rather than the reverse , and describe themselves as leaders rather than listeners in these kinds of conversations . Among those with mixed ideological views , just 12 % play a similar role .
How We Define “ Ideological Consistency ” Throughout this report we utilize a scale composed of 10 questions asked on ███ surveys going back to 1994 to gauge people ’ s ideological worldviews . The questions cover a range of political values including attitudes about size and scope of government , the social safety net , immigration , homosexuality , business , the environment , foreign policy and racial discrimination . The scale is designed to gauge the extent to which people offer liberal or conservative views across these various dimensions of political thinking ( what some refer to as ideological ‘ constraint ’ ) . Where people fall on this scale does not always align with whether they think of themselves as liberal , moderate or conservative . Respondents answered these questions on an earlier survey , the basis for the ███ ’ s June 2014 report on Political Polarization in the American Public . The full details about this scale can be found in Appendix A of that report .
It is important to note , though , that those at either end of the ideological spectrum are not isolated from dissenting views about politics . Nearly half ( 47 % ) of across-the-board conservatives – and 59 % of across-the-board liberals – say they at least sometimes disagree with one of their closest political discussion partners .
For those closer to the middle of the ideological spectrum , learning about politics , or discussing it with friends and family , is a less of a focus . When they do follow politics , their main news sources include CNN , local TV and Fox News , along with Yahoo News and Google News , which aggregate stories from a wide assortment of outlets ; these U.S. adults see more of a mix of views in social media and are less likely to be aware of their friends ’ political leanings .
This study , the latest in a series of reports on political polarization , is based on an online survey conducted March 19-April 29 , 2014 with 2,901 members of the ███ ’ s new American Trends Panel — a panel recruited from a telephone survey of 10,013 adults conducted earlier this year .
Media Sources : Nearly Half of Consistent Conservatives Cite Fox News
When it comes to choosing a media source for political news , conservatives orient strongly around Fox News . Nearly half of consistent conservatives ( 47 % ) name it as their main source for government and political news , as do almost a third ( 31 % ) of those with mostly conservative views . No other sources come close .
Consistent liberals , on the other hand , volunteer a wider range of main sources for political news – no source is named by more than 15 % of consistent liberals and 20 % of those who are mostly liberal . Still , consistent liberals are more than twice as likely as web-using adults overall to name NPR ( 13 % vs. 5 % ) , MSNBC ( 12 % vs. 4 % ) and the New York Times ( 10 % vs. 3 % ) as their top source for political news .
Among the large group of respondents with mixed ideological views , CNN ( 20 % ) and local TV ( 16 % ) are top sources ; Fox News ( 8 % ) , Yahoo News ( 7 % ) and Google News ( 6 % ) round out their top five sources .
At least as important as where people turn for news is whose news they trust . And here , the ideological differences are especially stark .
Respondents were asked whether they had heard of each of the 36 outlets listed in the accompanying graphic . For those they had heard of , they were asked about their trust – or distrust – in each source .
Liberals , overall , trust a much larger mix of news outlets than others do . Of the 36 different outlets considered , 28 are more trusted than distrusted by consistent liberals . Just eight earn higher shares of distrust than trust . Still , among those eight , the levels of distrust can be high : fully 81 % of consistent liberals distrust Fox News , and 75 % distrust the Rush Limbaugh Show .
Among consistent conservatives , by contrast , there are 24 sources that draw more distrust than trust . The same is true for 15 sources among those with mostly conservative views . And , of the eight outlets more trusted than distrusted by consistent conservatives , all but one , on balance , are distrusted by consistent liberals .
Also at play here is the degree to which people are more familiar with certain news sources than others . Some outlets such as CNN , ABC News and Fox News , are recognized by at least nine-in-ten respondents , meaning that more respondents offer a view of these outlets one way or the other . Outlets currently occupying more niche markets , such as Politico , the Economist or BuzzFeed , are known by only about a third of respondents . Thus , while they may elicit strong views in one direction , the share of respondents weighing in is relatively small .
This section of the report looks in detail at news audiences and trust and distrust of outlets across ideological groups . For more on how the news sources were selected , see Appendix B .
In the growing social media space , most users encounter a mix of political views . But consistent conservatives are twice as likely as the typical Facebook user to see political opinions on Facebook that are mostly in line with their own views ( 47 % vs. 23 % ) . Consistent liberals , on average , hear a somewhat wider range of views than consistent conservatives – about a third ( 32 % ) mainly see posts in line with their own opinions .
But that doesn ’ t mean consistent liberals necessarily embrace contrasting views . Roughly four-in-ten consistent liberals on Facebook ( 44 % ) say they have blocked or defriended someone on social media because they disagreed with something that person posted about politics . This compares with 31 % of consistent conservatives and just 26 % of all Facebook users who have done the same .
Consistent liberals who pay attention to politics on Facebook are also more likely than others to “ like ” or follow issue-based groups : 60 % do this , compared with 46 % of consistent conservatives and just a third ( 33 % ) of those with mixed views . And both the left and the right are more likely than others to follow political parties or elected officials : 49 % of consistent conservatives and 42 % of consistent liberals do so , compared with 29 % of Facebook users overall .
Talking Politics : Dissenting Views Penetrate , but Less Frequently for the Ideologically Consistent
In personal conversations about politics , those on the right and left are more likely to largely hear views in line with their own thinking .
While only a quarter ( 25 % ) of respondents with mixed ideological views say most of their close friends share their own political views , that is true of roughly half ( 52 % ) of consistent liberals and two-thirds ( 66 % ) of consistent conservatives . And , when those who talk about politics are asked to name up to three people they most often talk to about politics , half ( 50 % ) of consistent conservatives name only individuals they describe as also being conservative – outpacing the 31 % of consistent liberals who name only liberals .
At the same time , consistent liberals are more likely to stop talking to someone because of politics . Roughly a quarter ( 24 % ) have done so , compared with 16 % of consistent conservatives and around 10 % of those with more mixed political views .
Still , a solid portion of even the most ideologically-aligned respondents encounter some political disagreement with their close discussion partners . Nearly half ( 47 % ) of consistent conservatives who talk about politics name one or more discussion partners with whom they disagree at least some of the time . This figure rises to more than half ( 59 % ) of consistent liberals and even larger shares of those with mostly liberal and ideologically-mixed political views ( 79 % each ) .
Ideological differences in media source preferences result in distinct audience profiles for many media outlets . Many sources , such as the Wall Street Journal , USA TODAY , ABC News , CBS News and NBC News have audiences that are , on average , ideologically similar to the average web respondent .
Reflecting liberals ’ use of a greater number of media sources , there are more outlets whose readers , watchers and listeners fall to the left of the average web respondent than to the right . At the same time , a handful of outlets have audiences that are more conservative than the average respondent .
Fox News sits to the right of the midpoint , but is not nearly as far right as several other sources , such as the radio shows of Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck . A closer look at the audience breakdowns reveals why : While consistent conservatives get news from Fox News at very high rates , many of those with less conservative views also use Fox News . By contrast , the audiences for Limbaugh and Beck are overwhelmingly conservative .
By comparison , the average consumer of the Wall Street Journal sits very close to the typical survey respondent , but the range of Journal readers is far broader because it appeals to people on both the left and the right . As a result , while respondents overall cluster toward the center of the ideological spectrum , the Journal ’ s audience is relatively evenly distributed across the continuum : 20 % are consistent liberals , 21 % mostly liberal , 24 % mixed , 22 % mostly conservative and 13 % consistent conservative .
For a more detailed look at the ideological composition of each source ’ s audience , see the ███ ’ s interactive database . | 955437da6af0db46 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
public_health | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/3/surgeon-general-recommends-putting-warning-labels-/ | Surgeon general recommends putting warning labels on alcohol, citing cancer risk | 2025-01-04 | Public Health, Alcohol, Surgeon General, Health, Cancer, Politics | U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Friday recommended that Congress act to put warning labels on alcohol products and put out a report linking drinking to seven different cancers. Dr. Murthy’s report linked alcohol consumption to a higher chance of developing mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver and colorectal cancers, as well as breast cancer in women. According to the surgeon general’s report, alcohol is linked to nearly 100,000 cases of cancer in the U.S. each year, along with 20,000 deaths from cancer. It’s the third most common preventable cause of cancer in Americans behind tobacco usage and obesity. Having just two alcoholic drinks a day increases the risk of cancer in women by 5% and increases the risk of breast cancer in women by 4%. Having two drinks increases the risk of cancer in men by 3%, according to graphics shared by Dr. Murthy on social media and on the Department of Health and Human Services website. The government’s definition of a standard alcoholic drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, 12 ounces of beer or a drink containing 0.5 ounces of liquor. About 60% of all alcohol-related cancer deaths in women are caused by breast cancer; the most common alcohol-related cancer deaths in men come from liver cancer at 33% and colorectal cancer at 21%, according to the report. Most of America’s alcohol-related cancer deaths occur in people who drink more than the recommended two drinks per day at 83%. Conversely, 17% of the deaths affect people who drink fewer than two alcoholic drinks per day. Alcohol causes cancer by damaging DNA, proteins and cells, altering hormone levels, dissolving and absorbing carcinogens and altering cells in the mouth in ways that make it easier for the body to absorb those carcinogens, according to a second graphic. Because of this, Dr. Murthy wants Congress to update its labeling guidelines for alcohol. “Congress should authorize an update to the Surgeon General’s warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include a cancer risk warning,” he wrote on social media. • Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com. Copyright © 2025 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. SEE MORE VIDEOS Stopping the illegal alien invasion ‘X’ marks the danger spot in the battle against hostile cyber threats Carville says Trump playing 4D chess while Democrats still looking for board | ef2bc3d7f8aa7c66 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
homeland_security | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/28/389706098/funding-homeland-security-where-do-we-go-from-here | Funding Homeland Security: Where Do We Go From Here? | 2015-02-28 | homeland_security | As we reported late Friday , the House managed to approve a one-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security , which President Obama signed . The passage capped a day of scrambling that saw a longer three-week stopgap shot down in the House .
But the thorny issue that has weighed on a longer-term funding bill — an insistence by Republicans that it include a push-back on the president 's executive action on immigration — is still in the air . And the clock is ticking on the fresh deadline to resolve the impasse .
NPR 's Ailsa Chang , speaking on Weekend Edition Saturday , says : `` [ It ] was very clear that [ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ] and House Speaker John Boehner were not in sync on their strategies . Which created a lot of tension between the two chambers . Many House Republicans resented being pressured by the Senate to pass a long-term funding bill — so that 's one reason they pushed back with a shorter-term bill . ''
`` Republicans said they expected that next week the House would end up going along with the Senate 's bill funding Homeland Security through September without immigration changes . ' I do n't think there 's any alternative , ' said Rep. Charlie Dent ( R. , Pa. ) 'When we 're at the end of next week , what do we do ? ' `` An aide to House Speaker John Boehner ( R. , Ohio ) said the Republican leader had made no commitment , but House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) said she expected the one-week measure would buy the time to pass a funding measure that would cover the remainder of the fiscal year . ''
`` Boehner 's allies are concerned after Friday 's setback that his critics inside the Republican Conference may try to oust him as speaker if — as expected — he puts a long-term DHS funding bill on the House floor next week . While Boehner shrugs off such speculation , close friends believe such a move is a real possibility . ... `` Twenty-five Republicans voted against Boehner for speaker on the floor in early January , signaling his continued problems with his conservative hardliners . And Boehner 's allies believe that the earlier DHS debacle on Friday , when 52 Republicans voted against the three-week plan , was in part aimed at toppling the speaker . ''
Ailsa says `` Boehner has a vocal and determined contingent of conservatives in his caucus who are n't afraid to challenge him — that group is bigger now than before the election . More than 50 Republicans voted against Boehner 's first plan [ on Friday ] . '' | hayA6GZoVv0D4sM8 | 1 | DHS | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2015/12/06/458242266/sure-we-want-an-honest-and-trustworthy-president-but-it-s-complicated | Sure, We Want An Honest And Trustworthy President, But It's Complicated | 2015-12-06 | white_house | Sure , We Want An Honest And Trustworthy President , But It 's Complicated
Americans say they like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton the most for president , but they do n't think they 're honest and trustworthy .
Such a lack of trust , according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll , might be astonishing if we were not already accustomed to hearing about it — about our politicians in general and about these two candidates in particular . But the new polls shows one of the starkest divides yet .
Polling at 27 percent , Trump is at least 10 points ahead of any of his many rivals among registered Republicans . Clinton is the choice of 60 percent of Democrats , with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders a rather distant second at 30 percent .
Yet 60 percent of poll respondents said they did not find Clinton `` honest and trustworthy . '' Fifty-nine percent said the same of Trump .
Tim Malloy , assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll said this anomaly has been apparent over months of polling .
`` We 've always found bad numbers on 'honest and trustworthy ' for both Clinton and Trump , but good numbers for both on leadership , '' Malloy said .
Indeed , Clinton scored exactly as well on `` strong leadership qualities '' in this poll ( 60 percent agreeing ) as she did poorly on honest and trustworthiness . And Trump , by the same token , got similar numbers for strong leadership ( 58 percent yes , 39 percent no ) .
`` The one ( judgment ) seems to eclipse the other , '' said Malloy . `` I mean , what else could it be ? ''
The preference for strength as the premier quality in a leader has a long history both in the U.S. and around the world . In times of stress , in particular , many countries have turned to leaders regarded as tough and decisive – even if those same politicians were also controversial and distrusted by many .
In terms of the whole sample , this does appear to be the case . But the apparent contradiction between leading the pack and failing the trust test seems less pronounced upon closer inspection .
With their own supporters , Trump and Clinton were rated as honest and trustworthy . Among those planning to vote for Trump next year , 90 percent said he was honest and trustworthy while only seven percent said he was not . Among those planning to vote for Clinton , 84 percent said she was trustworthy while and 13 percent disagreed .
There are , of course , reasons someone might vote for a candidate without entirely trusting that person . It could simply reflect a preference for them over the other available alternatives .
In Clinton 's case , Democrats might see her as the party 's most electable candidate , even though the Quinnipiac poll finds Sanders runs better against some Republicans in hypothetical match-ups .
In Trump 's case , the willingness to back him despite controversy and doubts may indicate the absence of any other consistent GOP rival who 's been able to challenge him . Trump 's closest competitor to date has been neurosurgeon Ben Carson , but this poll shows Carson fading as many of his former supporters are split between Sens . Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio .
We also need to remember that Trump and Clinton 's front-runner status in the candidate preference numbers reflects only the choices within their respective parties . Quinnipiac talked to 672 Republicans and 573 Democrats , but the bad numbers for both Trump and Clinton on whether they are `` honest and trustworthy '' were based on the responses of all 1,453 registered voters surveyed .
Among Republicans , Trump 's trust number was much higher ( 58 percent ) than it was from all people in the survey . Among Democrats it was just 12 percent , while independents gave him 36 percent— nearly matching the 35 percent average for all respondents .
Similarly , among Democrats Clinton has a much higher trust number ( 73 percent ) . With Republicans it was just seven percent , and among independents it hit 26 percent— leading to an overall average among all respondents of 36 % .
The news in this poll may be more worrisome for Clinton , if only because her trust number among independents was 10 points lower than Trump 's marks .
While many numbers in the poll could be cautionary for her backers , a remarkable 63 percent of all respondents ( and 60 percent of independents ) said she had `` a good chance of beating the Republican nominee , '' whomever that might be . That measure was the highest figure in the hypothetical general election test for any candidate in either party .
Meanwhile , only 46 percent of all respondents believed there was `` a good chance '' of Trump beating an unnamed Democratic nominee next November , with independents split evenly on the question .
The poll was conducted nationwide using live interviewers calling both land lines and cell phones from November 23rd-30th ( after the November 13th Paris attacks ) . The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points for the whole survey sample and plus or minus 3.8 points for the Republican sample and plus or minus 4.1 points for the Democrats . | rUX7IV1cY30sflRo | 1 | White House | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | Guest Writer | http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/21/opinions/costello-pope-francis-popularity/index.html | OPINION: Pope Francis faces criticism from left, right | 2015-09-21 | religion_and_faith | Carol Costello , who anchors the 9 a.m. to 11 a.m . ET edition of CNN 's `` Newsroom '' each weekday , is writing a series of columns related to Pope Francis ' visit to North America this month . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author .
As he visits the United States for the first time , the Pope 's approval ratings here , according to Gallup , have taken a tumble , from 76 % in 2014 to 59 % today .
He washes the feet of the poor , talks of forgiveness and stresses care of the planet . He even tries to lead by example , rejecting the Vatican 's more opulent digs and fancy vestments . Yet Francis elicits a confusing mix of emotions . Love . Admiration . Scorn . And fear .
What other explanation can there be when an article actually exists with the headline : `` Why so Many People Think Pope Francis is the Antichrist `` ? In case you 're curious , that headline appeared on Charisma News .
Reporter Jennifer LeClaire googled `` pope antichrist , '' and came up with a motherlode of hits . None was more ridiculous than the online `` Jim Bakker Show . '' A guest author named Tom Horn told the show 's audience that 50 years ago , a Jesuit priest `` predicted the resignation of Pope Benedict to the day , '' which means Pope Francis could be `` demonically inspired , '' because , Horn said ominously , `` demons know things about times . ''
My head is about to explode , too . But now that I 've dispensed with that bit of nonsense , I 'll get down to brass tacks .
Pope Francis ' approval ratings have taken a tumble because he makes Americans squirm .
`` He 's nudging me , as he is lots of us , to think about some uncomfortable things and how we might be better human beings in our world today , '' Sister Donna Markham , the president of Catholic Charities , told me . `` And that 's hard . ''
The Pope recently called the unfettered pursuit of money `` the dung of the devil . '' He said that profit tends , especially in capitalist countries like ours , to drive all decision-making , often at the expense of the poor .
`` It is not enough , '' the Pope said , `` to let a few drops fall whenever the poor shake a cup which never runs over by itself . ''
Those remarks left many conservatives cold , especially those who say Pope Francis is a Marxist who wants to `` spread the wealth . ''
R. Albert Mohler Jr. , the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , told me the Pope 's words are dangerous . `` It 's a mixture of naivete and papal authority , '' he said . `` The Gospel mandates we care for the poor . But there is a legitimate disagreement on how the poor are helped . He has split Roman Catholicism on that issue . ''
And because Francis may criticize American capitalism before a joint session of Congress , his appearance makes Mohler positively seethe . `` As an evangelical and American citizen , I 'm deeply troubled by the fact that Congress is going to host the Pope . I know they 'll say Pope is the head of state , but the Vatican is largely a diplomatic fiction and its size ... it can fit into a parking lot . He is there because he is the head of the Roman Catholic Church . ''
If it makes conservatives feel any better , Francis makes progressives squirm , too -- in a pool full of confusion .
On the one hand , Francis sounds like their hero , a holy version of President Obama or Bernie Sanders . He trashes greedy Wall Street types ! He thinks climate change is in part caused by man ! He 's urged us to embrace undocumented immigrants ! Awesome .
On the other hand , while the Pope has talked in a more merciful way about moral issues , the church still opposes same-sex marriage , women priests , married priests , divorce , birth control and abortion .
`` I think that Francis does n't intend to change any doctrine , '' the Rev . Thomas Bohlin , vicar of Opus Dei , told me . `` He 's been faithful to the church through thick and thin for many years . He does want to change the emphasis and the way people look at religion , not reducing it to left and right categories . ''
Maybe that 's really why Francis makes us squirm -- he 's a man who can not be categorized , who is , at times , difficult to read . In short , he 's not always a people-pleaser . He wants us not just to feel , but also to think -- and not just about our personal stake or `` take , '' but about our personal roles and responsibilities .
As New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told me , `` I do n't think he ( Pope Francis ) thinks about his work in terms of favorability . I think he thinks about telling the truth . It 's quite clear if you read his encyclical , he 's saying the status quo is unsustainable and we have to get on a new path . And he 's obviously just not speaking to the Catholics of the world . He 's speaking to people well beyond the church . And it 's interesting , a lot of people are moved by him , of all different backgrounds . '' | mw1VDj2kM29cB4mp | 1 | Pope Francis | 1.3 | Religion And Faith | 0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/10/04/vice-presidential-debate-mike-pence-vs-tim-kaine-not-fair-fight/ | Vice Presidential Debate: Mike Pence vs. Tim Kaine Not a Fair Fight | 2016-10-04 | Presidential Elections, Vice Presidential Debate, Mike Pence, Tim Kaine, Elections | Tuesday night ’ s vice presidential debate in Farmville , Virginia between Indiana Gov . Mike Pence and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is not a fair fight . Pence will dominate — while the country will worry anew about Hillary Clinton ’ s health , given her replacement .
Back in July , when Clinton and Donald Trump announced their respective running mates , it seemed that the vice presidential debate might actually overshadow the presidential bouts , given that Pence and Kaine have more impressive resumés in public life than either of the people that selected them . Both men have been governors ; Pence built a solid reputation as a leader on Capitol Hill , while Kaine was one of the Democrats ’ more respected voices on foreign policy on the Sunday talk show circuit .
But since then , Pence has rocked the campaign trail , while Kaine has been a wet rag . While Pence has played to packed houses across the country , Kaine has struggled to draw anyone at all , even in swing states where the contest is closest .
Thus far , Kaine ’ s only noteworthy contributions to his side ’ s efforts have been his repeated , shrill accusations that Donald Trump is associated with the Ku Klux Klan , and his lies defending Clinton on her mis-handling of classified information .
Overall , Pence has been a net positive for the Trump campaign , reassuring the public that Trump will a ) appoint competent people to high posts , and b ) be replaced by a capable leader , should the worst happen .
By contrast , Kaine has been a net negative for the Clinton campaign . He seems to have been chosen for the sole reason that he would not overshadow her on stage . In fact , when they appear together , she seems more likely to lose . It is difficult to imagine Kaine running the country .
The pattern is unlikely to change on Tuesday . Kaine will be sent onstage with a set of attack lines against Trump to reinforce Clinton ’ s talking points from the last debate . Pence ’ s job will be to look presidential , a task Kaine will make easier for him .
The conventional wisdom is that vice presidential debates do not matter much . But they do affect a campaign ’ s momentum .
In 2008 , Alaska Gov . Sarah Palin stunned a skeptical media , which expected her to fail , by outperforming then-Sen. Joe Biden ( D-DE ) . The result was renewed zeal on the campaign trail for a ticket that appeared to be flagging since the first debate and the disastrous decision of Sen. John McCain ( R-AZ ) to suspend his campaign during the financial crisis .
In 2012 , Biden put Barack Obama ’ s re-election effort back on track after the president was beaten badly by Gov . Mitt Romney in the first debate . Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan , who had prepared well for a genteel battle of wits and policies , was stunned by Biden ’ s antics and outbursts , which seemed clownish but successfully conveyed contempt for Ryan to a national audience .
Pence will not only give the Trump campaign a boost , but also force the media to consider , once again , Hillary Clinton ’ s health issues , which remain shrouded in mystery , as well as her judgment , which Trump has repeatedly called into question .
That , in turn , will set Trump up for the remaining two debates — and , perhaps , for one last , and decisive , surge in the polls .
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at ███ . His new book , See No Evil : 19 Hard Truths the Left Can ’ t Handle , is available from Regnery through Amazon . Follow him on Twitter at @ joelpollak . | 5514e67af02d0c13 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | National Review (News) | https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mcconnell-reportedly-warns-white-house-against-covid-relief-deal-before-election-wh-chief-of-staff-denies/ | McConnell Reportedly Warns White House Against COVID Relief Deal before Election; WH Chief of Staff Denies | 2020-10-21 | Economy And Jobs, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Stimulus, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Economic Policy | National Review BlackRock, Vanguard Pause Corporate Meetings to Avoid Violating SEC Guidance Targeting ESG Activism Trump Administration Designates Eight Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations House Oversight Investigating Underreported Foreign Funding at American Universities Trump Administration Pulls Approval of NYC Congestion Toll Ernst Pushes for Kelly Loeffler’s Confirmation as SBA Administrator Ahead of Senate Vote Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) warned the Trump administration on Tuesday against making a deal on a coronavirus relief bill with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) before the November elections. Speaking to Senate Republicans at a GOP lunch, McConnell told colleagues that he believes Pelosi is not negotiating a deal in good faith, the Washington Post reported. While Pelosi has pushed for a relief bill worth roughly $2 trillion, Senate Republicans are divided on the price tag of proposed legislation, with many aiming to keep the bill under $1 trillion. President Trump, meanwhile, has pushed Republicans to match the price tag of Pelosi’s proposal. Republicans are worried that ramming a relief bill through the Senate would exacerbate divisions within the party, at a time when Republicans are attempting to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the New York Times reported. However, White House chief-of-staff Mark Meadows denied the Post‘s report on Wednesday morning, telling reporters that McConnell had not cautioned the Trump administration against a deal. Meadows said the administration was still negotiating the details of aid to state and local governments, and that a deal could be reached within the next 48 hours. Negotiations over a new round of aid for coronavirus have been deadlocked for weeks, even as Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell has called for Congress to authorize greater economic aid. “Too little support would lead to a weak recovery, creating unnecessary hardship for households and businesses,” Powell said at a conference held by the National Association for Business Economics earlier this month. “Over time, household insolvencies and business bankruptcies would rise, harming the productive capacity of the economy, and holding back wage growth.” Send a tip to the news team at NR. The epic anti-communist film was a countercultural event. On the ground in Kensington, where addicts are being ravaged by an animal-grade sedative. How to decentralize control of the web. Teens have stopped smoking — why aren’t we celebrating? We are still funding the CCP’s development of advanced technologies. Hope remains for reviving the culture of life. © 2025 National Review Newsletters © 2025 National Review End your day with an after-hours roundup of NR’s top stories and biggest headlines. You have been subscribed! Check out our full lineup of newsletters to get more of our insight delivered straight to your inbox. | 482a3508e82ac20a | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/politics/donald-trump-fascism/index.html | Why some conservatives say Trump talk is fascist | 2015-11-24 | republican_party | ( CNN ) Conservative warnings about Donald Trump have grown increasingly somber . At first he was just an entertainer ; then he became a worrisome distraction , and soon , there was fear that he would permanently scar the reputation of the Republican Party .
But it was after Trump started calling for stronger surveillance of Muslim-Americans in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks that a handful of conservatives ventured to call Trump 's rhetoric something much more dangerous : fascism .
Since launching his campaign this summer , the billionaire real estate magnate has regularly deployed inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants -- particularly regarding Latinos -- and repeatedly raised the alarm about foreigners entering the country . That has escalated following the series of shooting rampages and explosions in Paris this month allegedly perpetrated by ISIS and amid a national debate over accepting Syrian refugees .
Trump is joined by his family as he is sworn in as President on January 20 .
Trump is joined by his family as he is sworn in as President on January 20 .
Trump walks on stage with his family after he was declared the election winner on November 9 . `` Ours was not a campaign , but rather , an incredible and great movement , '' he told his supporters in New York .
Trump walks on stage with his family after he was declared the election winner on November 9 . `` Ours was not a campaign , but rather , an incredible and great movement , '' he told his supporters in New York .
Trump apologizes in a video , posted to his Twitter account in October , for vulgar and sexually aggressive remarks he made a decade ago regarding women . `` I said it , I was wrong and I apologize , '' Trump said , referring to lewd comments he made during a previously unaired taping of `` Access Hollywood . '' Multiple Republican leaders rescinded their endorsements of Trump after the footage was released .
Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate , which took place in Hempstead , New York , in September .
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July , accepting the party 's nomination for President . `` I have had a truly great life in business , '' he said . `` But now , my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you . It 's time to deliver a victory for the American people . ''
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July , accepting the party 's nomination for President . `` I have had a truly great life in business , '' he said . `` But now , my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you . It 's time to deliver a victory for the American people . ''
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville , Indiana , on April 28 . After Trump won the Indiana primary , his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race .
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville , Indiana , on April 28 . After Trump won the Indiana primary , his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race .
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens . Marco Rubio , left , and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10 . Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May .
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens . Marco Rubio , left , and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10 . Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May .
Trump speaks in Sarasota , Florida , after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012 . It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa .
Trump speaks in Sarasota , Florida , after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012 . It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa .
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011 . Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe , Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996 .
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011 . Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe , Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996 .
Trump appears on the set of `` The Celebrity Apprentice '' with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009 .
Trump appears on the set of `` The Celebrity Apprentice '' with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009 .
For `` The Apprentice , '' Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007 .
For `` The Apprentice , '' Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007 .
Trump wrestles with `` Stone Cold '' Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007 . Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO , Vince McMahon .
Trump wrestles with `` Stone Cold '' Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007 . Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO , Vince McMahon .
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife , Melania Knauss-Trump , and their son , Barron , in 2006 . Trump and Knauss married in 2005 .
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife , Melania Knauss-Trump , and their son , Barron , in 2006 . Trump and Knauss married in 2005 .
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University . From 2005 until it closed in 2010 , Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate . Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York 's attorney general -- argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception . Trump 's camp rejected the suits ' claims as `` baseless . '' And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated .
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004 .
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004 .
An advertisement for the television show `` The Apprentice '' hangs at Trump Tower in 2004 . The show launched in January of that year . In January 2008 , the show returned as `` Celebrity Apprentice . ''
An advertisement for the television show `` The Apprentice '' hangs at Trump Tower in 2004 . The show launched in January of that year . In January 2008 , the show returned as `` Celebrity Apprentice . ''
Trump dips his second wife , Marla Maples , after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993 . The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together , Tiffany .
Trump dips his second wife , Marla Maples , after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993 . The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together , Tiffany .
Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White , a young child with AIDS , in 1990 .
Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White , a young child with AIDS , in 1990 .
Trump signs his second book , `` Trump : Surviving at the Top , '' in 1990 . Trump has published at least 16 other books , including `` The Art of the Deal '' and `` The America We Deserve . ''
Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino , the Taj Mahal , in 1989 .
Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino , the Taj Mahal , in 1989 .
Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987 .
Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987 .
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990 , when they divorced . They had three children together : Donald Jr. , Ivanka and Eric .
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990 , when they divorced . They had three children together : Donald Jr. , Ivanka and Eric .
Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979 .
Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979 .
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis , New York 's economic development administrator , in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel . After graduating college in 1968 , Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City , New Jersey . Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City .
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis , New York 's economic development administrator , in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel . After graduating college in 1968 , Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City , New Jersey . Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City .
Trump , center , wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964 . After he graduated from the boarding school , he went to college . He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School , the University of Pennsylvania 's business school .
Trump , center , wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964 . After he graduated from the boarding school , he went to college . He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School , the University of Pennsylvania 's business school .
Trump , center , stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964 .
Trump , center , stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964 .
Trump , left , in a family photo . He was the second-youngest of five children .
Trump , left , in a family photo . He was the second-youngest of five children .
Trump at age 4 . He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City . His father was a real estate developer .
Trump at age 4 . He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City . His father was a real estate developer .
President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years . From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows , he became a celebrity long before winning the White House .
President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years . From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows , he became a celebrity long before winning the White House .
Most striking has been Trump 's aim at Muslims in the United States . He 's been widely denounced for claiming that people in New Jersey — a state with `` large Arab populations , '' he said — cheered after the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 . That , coupled with his seeming endorsement of a national registry to track Muslims in the country , has sparked a new level of condemnation from conservatives already on edge about Trump 's endurance .
`` Trump is a fascist . And that 's not a term I use loosely or often . But he 's earned it , '' tweeted Max Boot , a conservative fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who is advising
Trump is a fascist . And that 's not a term I use loosely or often . But he 's earned it . https : //t.co/KSfADd5Ycq — Max Boot ( @ MaxBoot ) November 22 , 2015
`` Forced federal registration of US citizens , based on religious identity , is fascism . Period . Nothing else to call it , '' Jeb Bush national security adviser John Noonan wrote on Twitter .
Forced federal registration of US citizens , based on religious identity , is fasicm . Period . Nothing else to call it . https : //t.co/XYee8dEgJr — John Noonan ( @ noonanjo ) November 20 , 2015
Conservative Iowa radio host Steve Deace , who has endorsed Ted Cruz , also used the `` F '' word last week : `` If Obama proposed the same religion registry as Trump every conservative in the country would call it what it is -- creeping fascism . ''
If Obama proposed the same religion registry as Trump every conservative in the country would call it what it is -- creeping fascism . — Steve Deace ( @ SteveDeaceShow ) November 20 , 2015
Even one GOP presidential hopeful -- albeit a little-known candidate barely registering in the polls -- has used this language . In an interview with Newsmax TV on Friday , former Virginia Gov . Jim Gilmore said Trump 's immigration policies , including the idea of creating a `` deportation force `` to remove undocumented immigrants from the country , amounted to `` fascist talk . ''
The fresh accusations of fascist behavior are extraordinarily charged -- the term is often equated with Nazism . The use of such a loaded word marks one more step in the evolution of the establishment 's view of Trump , from a political clown to something much more malevolent and dangerous .
And it also reflects an increasingly visible and acute level of frustration and disbelief about Trump within the GOP , as Republicans view Trump 's candidacy as an explosive mixture of economic populism with strongman personality politics . While it 's unclear whether Trump is motivated by any coherent political philosophy , it 's hard to recall another recent presidential candidate who has campaigned so openly on solving problems by sheer personal will .
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment . Boot and Deace could n't be reached for comment , and a Bush spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on behalf of Noonan .
Academics who study fascism say that while Trump seems to have an authoritarian sensibility , his behavior does n't meet the dictionary definition of fascism . The term describes an overtly anti-democratic movement that suppresses all opposition as a way to fulfill political goals , and a fascist leader is a dictator that wishes to exercise complete control , even by condoning violence .
Scholars of fascists like Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany ( none of Trump 's conservative critics have compared him to either man ) say , however , that Trump does display some of the key characteristics of a fascist . His comments about a national registry for Muslim-Americans , together with his propensity to stir up anti-immigrant and xenophobic sentiments among his supporters , amount to a perception of hostility toward ethnic and religious minority groups .
`` The most recent comment he said about creating a national registry of all Muslims -- that 's very dangerous , '' said Steve Ross , a professor of history and scholar of fascism at the University of Southern California .
Ross , who proposes the label `` right-wing bully '' for Trump , said he can certainly understand why the question has come up . `` You 're talking about an American government that would move towards the persecution of citizens and people living within its own country , '' he said . `` That is why people are saying , 'Gee , if you follow this through , it 's fascism . ' ``
JUST WATCHED Trump would 'certainly implement ' database for Muslims Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump would 'certainly implement ' database for Muslims 00:45
`` Fascism sometimes becomes an attribute to describe someone that is intolerant or totalitarian or even racist , '' said Federico Finchelstein , an expert on fascism at the New School who said Trump is better described a populist . `` When dealing with an important part of the nation such as Hispanics , I think he definitely fits those categories . ''
When a reporter asked Trump last week how a national database of Muslims would be different from the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany , Trump responded : `` You tell me . ''
Historians say they see other characteristics of fascism in Trump in addition to his propensity for racial and ethnic stereotyping . Among them : nativist undertones , attempts to control the media ; and even condoning violence against his critics .
At a Trump campaign rally in Birmingham , Alabama , a black protester was physically attacked by a handful of Trump fans in the crowd . Video captured by CNN shows the man being shoved to the ground , punched and at one point even kicked . The next day , Trump drew fierce backlash when he said that perhaps `` he should have been roughed up . ''
The sentiment was then echoed by Trump 's senior counsel Michael Cohen . `` Every now and then an agitator deserves it , '' Cohen said on CNN 's `` New Day '' Tuesday morning .
JUST WATCHED Trump : Maybe protester 'should have been roughed up ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump : Maybe protester 'should have been roughed up ' 00:59
Ross said the incident illustrates behavior that is only steps removed from fascism .
`` We had the same thing happening in Germany in the 1920s with people being roughed up by the Brownshirts and they deserved it because they were Jews and Marxists and radicals and dissidents and gypsies — that was what Hitler was saying , '' Ross said . `` I 'm not saying Trump is Hitler , but the logic of condoning violence against those who oppose you -- you can imagine , a man who would condone it as a candidate -- what would he do as an official president ? ''
Trump 's interactions with the media — in particular , his attempts to shut out reporters critical of his campaign —have also shown authoritarian tendencies .
The businessman regularly lashes out at reporters who give unfavorable coverage , and his campaign has denied credentials to journalists as retribution . Trump has more than once boycotted appearing on Fox News , in protest of what he has deemed unfair treatment .
JUST WATCHED Univision anchor : Journalists have to take a stand Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Univision anchor : Journalists have to take a stand 03:20
`` What they expect from the media is praise . This is another element in this character and in other leaders of this type , which is that they are extremely messianic and narcissistic , '' said Finchelstein . `` Whatever they see , they see as a personal attack against them . ''
History professor Robert Paxton of Columbia University , who has studied the rise and spread of fascism , said he would not call Trump a fascist . But Paxton also said he can understand why some people might be inclined to point out similarities between Trump and fascist leaders .
`` He 's good at making astonishing speeches that make people sit up and take notice . So there 's some of that manipulation of public emotions that is visible with Trump , '' Paxton said . `` Hitler and Mussolini -- no one had ever seen public rallies like the meetings they 'd have . People were absolutely mesmerized . '' | xBZdPVHzywjkbFdi | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.4 | Republican Party | 0.1 | Politics | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
joe_biden | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/17/biden-yank-keystone-pipeline-permit-460142 | Biden to yank Keystone XL permit on first day of presidency | 2021-01-18 | Joe Biden, Keystone Pipeline, Oil, Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability, Biden Transition, Canada, Renewable Energy | Canada The move is billed as one of Biden’s Day One climate change actions, according to a presentation circulating among Washington trade groups and lobbyists. Rescinding the Keystone Pipeline permit is reportedly one of Biden's first actions on climate change. | Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File By Lauren Gardner and Ben Lefebvre 01/17/2021 10:16 PM EST Link Copied President-elect Joe Biden will rescind the cross-border permit for TC Energy’s Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office, three sources confirm to POLITICO. The move is billed as one of Biden’s Day One climate change actions, according to a presentation circulating among Washington trade groups and lobbyists, a portion of which was seen by POLITICO. The decision was not included in incoming chief of staff Ron Klain’s Saturday memo outlining Biden’s planned executive actions during the first days of his presidency. Two lobbyists confirmed that Biden plans to yank the project’s permit on Inauguration Day, a development first reported by CBC News. It’s the latest development in a decade-long fight over the controversial pipeline and solidifies a campaign promise the Canadian government had hoped was negotiable. “The only question has always been whether labor can stave off the death sentence,” said one oil and gas lobbyist who requested anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the press. “And they never had a chance.” A Biden transition spokesperson declined to comment. Canada’s ambassador to Washington Kirsten Hillman would not confirm reports. “The Government of Canada continues to support the Keystone XL project,” she said in a statement to POLITICO on Sunday evening. “Keystone XL fits within Canada’s climate plan. It will also contribute to U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness.” Rescinding Keystone XL would negate one of President Donald Trump’s own first actions in office and kill a project that had become a political totem in the fight between climate activists and the oil industry. Despite many analysts saying the boom in U.S. shale oil made new sources of Canadian crude less important, TC Energy has fought years of legal challenges against it obtaining the needed state permits that would all it to build the pipeline. The reaction: TC Energy announced Sunday that Keystone XL would achieve net-zero emissions across operations once it begins running in 2023. A spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment on Biden’s executive order plans. Environmentalists applauded the decision. “President-elect Biden is showing courage and empathy to the farmers, ranchers and tribal nations who have dealt with an ongoing threat that disrupted their lives for over a decade,” said Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Nebraska, a grassroots group focused on scuttling the project. Canada-U.S. relations: TC Energy first proposed the $8 billion pipeline in 2008, saying the 1,200-mile project was crucial to deliver crude from Western Canada to refineries in the Midwest. The Obama administration in 2015 denied a cross-border permit for the pipeline, however, saying the oil it would deliver would exacerbate climate change. Keystone XL was one of the few issues on which Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed. The Liberal government had planned to continue to advocate for the pipeline. During a congratulatory call with Biden on Nov. 9, Trudeau told the incoming president he looked forward to joining forces to fight climate change while co-operating on energy projects like the Keystone XL. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney bet Biden would not cancel a project already under construction when he announced in March that his government had taken a $1.1 billion stake in Keystone XL. Preliminary construction started last fall in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. The provincial government openly mulled a legal intervention last year into a court case that had put pipeline construction on hold and reportedly hired American lobbyists to make its case in Washington. Stef Feldman, a policy director for Biden’s campaign, told POLITICO in May that the Democrat would “proudly stand in the Roosevelt Room again as President and stop it for good.” What’s next: In a statement Sunday night, Kenney vowed to work with TC Energy “to use all legal avenues available to protect” Alberta’s interest in the pipeline. The unofficial guide to official Washington, every morning and weekday afternoons. The unofficial guide to official Washington, every morning and weekday afternoons. Loading You will now start receiving email updates You are already subscribed Something went wrong © 2025 POLITICO LLC | 5aa8bacfde814488 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dark-money-network-left-wing | ‘Shadowy’ dark money network behind left-wing causes exposed in new report | politics | An expansive network of “ shadowy ” dark money donors has grown to rival the influence of the conservative Koch network -- pumping millions into left-wing causes ranging from health care to climate change to abortion -- all while flying well under the radar of public scrutiny , according to an explosive new report obtained by Fox News .
The report , by conservative watchdog Capital Research Center , describes a band of nonprofits operating under the banner of Washington-based philanthropy company Arabella Advisors . Those “ pop up groups ” are housed in four Arabella-controlled “ sister ” nonprofits , according to the report : the New Venture Fund , Sixteen Thirty Fund , Hopewell Fund and Windward Fund .
EX-CLINTON OFFICIAL LEADS 'DARK MONEY ' EFFORT TO BOOT KAVANAUGH FROM TEACHING GIG
“ Together , these groups form an interlocking network of 'dark money ' pop-up groups and other fiscally sponsored projects , all afloat in a half-billion-dollar ocean of cash , ” the report says . “ The real puppeteer , though , is Arabella Advisors , which has managed to largely conceal its role in coordinating so much of the professional Left ’ s infrastructure under a mask of ‘ philanthropy . ’ ”
The report says the `` hydra-like '' network brought in $ 1.6 billion between 2013 and 2017 `` to advance the political policies desired by wealthy left-wing interests , '' as the network ’ s revenues grew by 392 percent . The four Arabella-controlled “ sister ” groups brought in $ 582 million in 2017 alone , according to the report . If the four groups were a single entity , it would make them the 22nd largest public charity in America , with higher revenues than the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) , Planned Parenthood or the Clinton Foundation .
“ The size and scope of the Arabella network of funds demonstrates far more ‘ dark money ’ exists on the left side of the political spectrum than has been previously admitted , ” the report says .
Arabella ’ s website says the company was founded to “ provide strategic guidance for effective philanthropy ” and is “ dedicated to helping clients make a difference on the issues that matter most to them , from climate to women and girls , education , good food , and more. ” All told , the company represents clients with collective assets totaling more than $ 100 billion .
But the report alleges the group blurs the line between philanthropy and political advocacy on issues such as ObamaCare , gun control , abortion and opposition to the confirmation of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh . And it says that due to the financial arrangements and lack of donor disclosure , “ it is impossible to know which organization subsidizes the various campaigns and political movements spawned by Arabella ’ s funds . ”
The company was founded by Eric Kessler , who has worked both in the Clinton administration , where he managed conservation issues , and as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative . He also founded the New Venture Fund and is on the board of the Sixteen Thirty Fund .
Arabella did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News . New Venture Fund President Lee Bodner told Fox News in a statement : `` The New Venture Fund is proud of our work supporting charitable projects that improve peoples ’ lives across a wide range of issues , funded by a diverse set of donors . ''
The report claims the group runs a network of “ astroturf ” activities including as many as 340 “ pop up ” groups -- which the report says are often little more than websites created to give the appearance of grassroots campaigns . It cites the organization 's activities pushing back against Republican efforts to repeal and replace ObamaCare as an example of its political activism .
“ At a glance , these groups -- such as Save My Care and Protect Our Care -- appeared to be impassioned examples of citizen activists defending ObamaCare , ” the report says . “ In reality , neither ‘ not-for-profit ’ advocacy group appears to have paid staff , held board meetings , or even owned so much as a pen . ”
Consequently , the report says , the groups can be used to run “ short-term , high intensity media campaigns targeting the news cycle ” such as during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing . The report gave the example of activists , led by Demand Justice , waving glossy “ Stop Kavanaugh ” signs in protest of the conservative nominee 's confirmation .
Demand Justice , led by former Hillary Clinton press secretary Brian Fallon , is very active on judicial issues -- and is more than just a website . But the report described the organization as part of the broader network , specifically “ a front for the Sixteen Thirty Fund . ”
The Sixteen Thirty Fund , according to a July 2018 Politico report , was described as “ among the most prolific political advertisers of 2018 ” and aired 6,885 broadcast TV ads between January and July while spending $ 4.6 million on TV alone . Politico cited the group as an example of the left embracing the “ dark money ” tactics it long accused the right of weaponizing .
LIBERAL 'DARK MONEY ' GROUPS OUTSPENT CONSERVATIVE ONES IN 2018 ELECTIONS
Politico identified 12 groups set up through the Sixteen Thirty Fund on health care alone . By serving as those groups ’ “ fiscal sponsor , ” Sixteen Thirty Fund manages the money and aggregates their financial activities in its tax filings -- making it hard to work out how much money was spent by the different groups and where .
The new report says liberal mega-donor George Soros ' Democracy Alliance , for instance , used the Sixteen Thirty Fund and New Venture Fund to host several projects `` that did n't disclose their original funders . '' The Capital Research Center report says that Arabella ’ s nonprofit network allows it to mask the “ pop up ” groups ’ nature , making them seem like the work of “ grassroots ” activists rather than what it calls “ front groups for multi-million-dollar non-profits . ”
Conservatives , however , are still spending more `` dark money '' than liberals in some areas . Vice , citing a study by the Brennan Center for Justice , reported last year that groups supporting Kavanaugh 's confirmation spent at least $ 7.3 million on TV ads , while those opposing him spent at least $ 2.9 million .
Democrats and left-wing activists -- including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. -- have been increasingly vocal in their calls to clamp down and regulate “ dark money ” in U.S. political activities .
A January report from Issue One , a bipartisan advocacy group , shows that liberal groups spent over half of the $ 150 million of dark money in the latest election . Conservative groups spent a third of the figure , while nonpartisan groups spent just 15 percent .
And Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse , D-R.I. , recently said that dark money is a problem `` on both sides of the aisle , '' though he said it `` occurs mostly on the Republican side . ''
The Capital Research Center report warns : “ Before left-of-center activists and politicians demand laws to increase transparency in the funding of campaigns and public policy advocacy , they may first wish to consider voluntarily disclosing their own funding sources . ” | YNymmNLgDzZEI5lf | 2 | Dark Money | -0.4 | Liberals | -0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | |
foreign_policy | The Week - News | https://theweek.com/speedreads/871716/trump-announces-sanctions-turkey-after-pushes-into-syria | Trump announces sanctions on Turkey after it pushes into Syria | 2019-10-14 | foreign_policy | After MSNBC 's Rachel Maddow aired her interview with Lev Parnas on Wednesday night , fellow host Lawrence O'Donnell told her it was an `` extraordinary hour '' of television . But `` I think a lot of us , as we were watching , had one fundamental question : Why is he doing this ? '' he asked . `` Why has he decided to basically turn on his friends in the conspiracy and talk about the conspiracy ? '' Parnas worked with Rudy Giuliani , President Trump 's personal lawyer , to pressure Ukrainian officials to procure dirt on Joe Biden .
`` What seemed to emerge today , '' Maddow said , `` is that he really believes that the more he makes public about what he saw and what he knows and what he can document , the safer he is . He 's , I think , worried that if the information he 's got is only inside his own head or in his own , you know , electronic devices and things like that , that that 's too easy — it 's too easy to make that go away . ''
Maddow said there 's probably an `` implicit '' but far-fetched hope that cooperating with investigators and sharing what he knows will help him in his federal criminal case , but `` I will tell you , Lawrence , I was convinced until the moment I was sitting there talking to him that it was going to be canceled . '' She added that for her , the `` headline '' from the interview was his claim about Vice President Mike Pence 's involvement in the Ukraine meddling .
Parnas also told CNN 's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that `` of course '' Pence was aware of what he and Giuliani were doing for Trump in Ukraine , and their mission `` was all about 2020 , to make sure he had another four years . '' Cooper asked if that 's how Parnas `` personally '' saw the goal , and Parnas said `` that was the way everybody viewed it . ... I mean , there was no other reason for doing it . ''
Parnas told Cooper he `` loved '' and `` idolized '' Trump up to the moment Trump publicly denied knowing him . `` The truth is out now , thank God , '' he said . `` I thought they were going to shut me up and make me look like the scapegoat and try to blame me for stuff I have n't done . '' Parnas volunteered to testify at Trump 's impeachment trial and predicted that between him and former National Security Adviser John Bolton , they `` could fill in all the dots . ''
Senate Republicans are n't expected to allow witnesses at Trump 's trial . Peter Weber | mYJV6499F8h2S6Nv | 1 | Donald Trump | -0.9 | Turkey | 0 | Syria | 0 | Foreign Policy | 0 | Middle East | 0 |
elections | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2016/03/02/listen_to_the_donald_trump_voters_it_has_taken_an_ignorant_demagogue_to_tell_truth_about_gop_humiliate_party_establishment/ | Listen to the Donald Trump Voters | 2016-03-02 | Donald Trump, Presidential Elections, Elections | For the last several decades , the Republican party has been selling a simple economic message to its base : what is good for rich people is good for you too . And , until this election , the base was buying it . The astonishing rise of Donald Trump is an almost apocalyptic sign that they ’ re not buying it any more .
The GOP establishment has seen all of its candidates not merely beaten , but utterly humiliated , by an aggressively ignorant demagogue , whose rhetoric makes him sound like a cheap knockoff of Benito Mussolini and George Wallace .
Why ? A look at the facts of American economic life suggests that the rubes have decided they ’ re tired of being played for marks , which explains why the GOP establishment ’ s siren song about the Land of Opportunity is no longer doing the trick .
The basic myth the right wing of The Money Party has sold to Republican voters over the past 40 years ( the left wing of the party is called the Democrats ) goes like this : the economy boomed in the decades immediately after World War II , and standards of living rose rapidly . But since then , too much government regulation , too many taxes , and an overly generous welfare system that has made Those People even lazier than they were before have combined to kill the American dream .
That is why ordinary Americans ( aka working and middle-class white people ) have bank accounts that don ’ t reflect the rewards they should have received for all their hard work . If not for government meddling we would have a thriving economy , just like the one we enjoyed back in the good old days .
All this is a fantastic lie , as a glance at the actual economic history of America since 1945 illustrates . ( In what follows , all figures have been converted to constant , inflation-adjusted dollars ) .
America is a vastly wealthier country today than it was forty years ago . Furthermore , on a per-person basis , the country ’ s wealth has increased far more over the past four decades than it did in the thirty years immediately after World War II .
Here are the numbers : between 1945 and 1974 , per capita GDP in the U.S. grew from $ 17,490 to $ 27,837 . That is an impressive improvement , but it pales in comparison to what has happened since : in 2014 , per capita GDP was $ 55,185 , i.e. , almost exactly double what it was in 1974 . In terms of economic output , the country is twice as rich per person now as it was then .
Where has all this money gone ? The answer ought to shock anyone who cares about either economic opportunity or increasing inequality . The average household income of the bottom 50 % of American households was $ 25,475 in 1974 , and $ 26,520 in 2014 . In other words , half the population has gotten essentially none of the extra $ 10 trillion dollars of national wealth that the American economy has generated over the past forty years .
Keep in mind that this group includes fully half of the nation ’ s middle class , by every standard definition of that category .
Meanwhile , over this same time , the average household income of the top five percent of American households ( most of the members of this group would not , of course , consider themselves rich , let alone part of the actual plutocracy ) has gone from $ 187,729 to $ 332,347 . As for the really rich , the numbers are truly staggering : in constant , inflation-adjusted dollars , the household income of the top 0.01 % ( roughly , the nation ’ s 13,000 richest households ) increased by about seven-fold , from less than $ 5 million to more than $ 30 million per year .
Of course , some of Trump ’ s appeal is based on his willingness to exploit racism and xenophobia while speaking to the economic anxieties of white middle and working class voters . But establishment politicians are making a big mistake when they under-estimate the extent to which Trump ’ s message – crude and bombastic as it is -- that Americans were winners but are now losers , resonates with the actual life experience of so many people .
These people are angry about what has happened to them and their communities , and especially angry about the empty promises of a Republican party that is run for the almost exclusive benefit of the rich . The half of America that gets along on $ 40,000 , or $ 25,000 , or $ 10,000 per year doesn ’ t care about cutting capital gains taxes or getting rid of the estate tax ( which already exempts the “ first ” $ 11 million of a married couple ’ s wealth ) , and it isn ’ t enthusiastic about slashing Social Security and Medicare either .
To the contrary , all these things are the pet projects of the Republican donor class . For forty years the GOP has managed to manipulate culture war issues and racial and ethnic animosities to hide from its base two facts : the contemporary Republican party exists to protect the economic interests of that class , and those interests don ’ t actually align with the economic interests of middle- and working-class Americans , even if they happen to be white and culturally conservative .
That it took a shameless foul-mouthed egomaniacal reality TV star to speak this truth in such a way that Republican voters would hear it is a sad comment on the state of our politics and culture . | 11aaa2d7bdb854cd | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-obamacare/u-s-appeals-court-to-take-up-constitutionality-of-obamacare-idUSKCN1U40ZU | U.S. appeals court to take up constitutionality of Obamacare | 2019-07-10 | Obamacare, Donald Trump, Healthcare | NEW ORLEANS ( ███ ) - A federal appeals court panel appeared sympathetic on Tuesday to Republican efforts to overturn Obamacare , expressing skepticism to Democratic calls to overturn the ruling of a Texas judge who found the landmark U.S. healthcare reform law unconstitutional .
Two Republican-appointed members of the three-judge panel of the 5th U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals sharply questioned lawyers for a group of Democratic state attorneys general and the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives defending the Affordable Care Act .
Republicans including President Donald Trump have repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to repeal the ACA since it was passed in 2010 . The Justice Department would normally defend a federal law , but Trump ’ s administration has declined to do so in a challenge by 18 Republican-led states .
The court made no decision on Tuesday . Whichever way it rules , the decision could prompt an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court , potentially setting up a major legal battle over healthcare for tens of millions of Americans in the midst of the 2020 U.S. presidential election .
The judges focused on whether Obamacare lost its legal justification after Trump in 2017 signed a law that eliminated a tax penalty used to enforce the law ’ s mandate that all Americans buy health insurance .
“ If you no longer have the tax , why isn ’ t it unconstitutional ? ” Judge Jennifer Elrod , who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush , asked during Tuesday ’ s hearing on a sweltering day in New Orleans .
Judge Kurt Engelhardt , a Trump appointee , asked why if Congress thought the law had so many “ excellent ideas ” unrelated to its “ linchpin ” mandate , it would not have taken steps to ensure the rest of the law would not be struck down as well .
“ There ’ s a political solution here that you , various parties are asking this court to roll up its sleeves and get involved in , ” Engelhardt said .
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general led by California ’ s Xavier Becerra stepped up to defend the signature achievement of Trump ’ s Democratic predecessor , Barack Obama . The House of Representatives intervened after Democrats won control in the November midterm elections , during which many focused their campaigns on defending Obamacare .
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) , holding a picture of head-injury victim Emilie Saltzman , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) lead fellow congressional Democrats for remarks on health care coverage of pre-existing conditions , on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington , U.S. July 9 , 2019 . ███/Jonathan Ernst
Republican opponents call the law an unwarranted intervention by government in health insurance markets , while supporters say striking it down would threaten the healthcare of 20 million people who have gained insurance since its enactment .
In 2012 , a divided U.S. Supreme Court upheld most of its provisions , including the individual mandate , which requires people to obtain insurance or pay a penalty .
The mandate compelled healthy people to buy insurance to offset sicker patients ’ costs after Obamacare barred insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions .
The Supreme Court ’ s conservative majority found Congress could not constitutionally order people to buy insurance . But Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court ’ s four liberal members to hold the mandate was a valid exercise of Congress ’ tax power .
After Trump signed a tax bill passed by a Republican-led Congress that reduced the tax penalty to zero dollars , a coalition of Republican-led states headed by Texas sued , alleging the tax penalty ’ s elimination rendered Obamacare unconstitutional .
In December 2018 , U.S. District Judge Reed O ’ Connor in Fort Worth , Texas , agreed . O ’ Connor , who was also nominated by George W. Bush , said that because Obamacare called the mandate “ essential , ” the entire law must be struck down .
Kyle Hawkins , Texas ’ solicitor general , said “ essential ” language was all the 5th Circuit needed to look at to see the entire law should be struck down . “ The best evidence is the text itself , ” he said .
Douglas Letter , the House of Representatives ’ general counsel , argued that since Congress had not repealed the rest of Obamacare , it never intended to invalidate the entire law .
“ Courts are required to give a statute a constitutional interpretation if you can and save everything unless Congress prefers no statute , ” he argued .
The Justice Department initially argued the mandate was unconstitutional but most of Obamacare could be severed from it . But it argued on appeal that rest of the law can not be severed .
Pressed by Elrod on the administration ’ s plans if Obamacare is struck down , August Flentje , a Justice Department lawyer , said , “ A lot of this stuff would need to get sorted out , and it ’ s complicated . ” | 80258ba5889f8fa1 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
polarization | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/23/inside-the-beltway-americans-woke-to-democrats-cun/ | 'Exploiting an emergency': Americans wake up to Democrats' cunning agenda | 2020-03-23 | polarization | A pair of nationally trending social media hashtags tells the story : # PelosiHatesAmerica and # DemocratsAreDestroyingAmerica were very popular following the Democratic Party ’ s successful push to block a GOP-led economic coronavirus stimulus package and replace it with its own 1,400-page version . A multitude of tweets and countermessages followed .
“ After engaging in countless hours of good faith negotiations , the Democrats took the bill hostage to push through their radical policy initiatives , ” tweeted Sen. Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Republican .
“ Now the American people get to see how this Democrat Congress , headed by Nancy Pelosi , doesn ’ t give a damn about the lives and livelihoods of hurting Americans ! ” tweeted pro-Trump sister team Diamond and Silk .
“ The Democrats just made a huge mistake . They are exploiting a national emergency for the grubbiest of partisan motive , ” wrote Roger Kimball , editor of the New Criterion and publisher of Encounter Books , in a column for the Spectator .
“ At a time when Americans are suffering every day , it ’ s unacceptable that the left is delaying relief legislation in an attempt to pass a liberal policy wish list , ” says Jessica Anderson , vice president of Heritage Action for America .
Priorities USA Action , a Democratic Party super PAC , on Tuesday will launch a $ 6 million ad campaign against President Trump ’ s response to the pandemic threat . The title of the TV outreach is “ Exponential Threat , ” to be shared in Florida , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , according to CNN .
The timing of the attacks may not be prudent , however . As was the case last week , majorities of Americans currently approve of Mr. Trump ’ s actions during the crisis . Meanwhile , many voters remain perplexed about the Democratic opposition to the economic stimulus package . The two present a public impression that is less than empathetic — and may soon need its own cure .
A programming note from C-SPAN , which continues to supply straightforward information in a troubled time .
The public affairs network has debuted a special live prime-time edition of “ Washington Journal ” — its long-standing morning call-in program . The new offering airs 8-9 p.m. EDT on weekday nights with a focus on federal and state response to COVID-19 .
“ The hour-long program will include expert guests plus viewer calls and reactions to the pandemic , ” C-SPAN advises .
Some now wonder whether the news media is intentionally ramping up public anxiety about the coronavirus .
“ Is the media ignoring good news on coronavirus ? ” asks an editorial by Issues and Insights founder John Merline .
“ There has been some tantalizingly good news about the coronavirus in the past few days , not that you ’ d know it from the end-of-the-world treatment it gets in the press . Of the 10 countries with the most COVID-19 cases , five showed declines in new reported cases over the past few days . In France , the number has been flat for days , ” the news organization said , citing other promising developments , including two research studies that showed lower-than-expected death rates from coronavirus in the U.S .
“ To be sure , the recent trend data might just be a blip , and these two studies involve relatively small sample sizes and come with lots of caveats . We ’ re not saying the COVID-19 is nothing to worry about . But these recent developments do raise a question . Will the news media report good news as aggressively as they ’ ve been reporting the bad ? So far , it doesn ’ t look that way , ” Mr. Merline said .
“ One of the unheralded casualties of the coronavirus crisis is , oddly enough , the daily news . Let ’ s face it — no matter what time of day or night you turn on your television , you are likely to be greeted with a barrage of virus video . It ’ s ‘ Hurricane TV ’ on steroids , and maybe the crisis justifies the 24/7 obsession , but the question arises : What are we missing ? ” writes Frank Miele , a columnist for RealClearPolitics .
“ Some well-known names are probably relieved that their foibles were overshadowed by the ongoing crisis , ” he says , citing former President Bill Clinton , who recently publicly revisited his relationship with Monica Lewinsky , and Andrew Gillum , the 2018 Democratic nominee for Florida governor who was caught in an untoward situation in a motel room .
Two major news organizations — Bloomberg News and The Los Angeles Times — are pointing the finger at the Obama administration for the impending shortage of N95 respirator masks , a vital item for health care workers , doctors and patients alike during the coronavirus crisis .
“ The national shortage can be traced back to 2009 after the H1N1 swine flu pandemic , when the Obama administration was advised to replenish a national stockpile but did not . The Trump administration is scrambling to replenish a stockpile of protective medical gear for health care workers and patients , as the coronavirus sweeps across the nation . N95 respirator masks are one of the most needed medical supplies amid the outbreak , ” notes The Washington Examiner , which is also tracking the phenomenon .
There are 12 million N95 masks in the U.S. medical stockpile at the moment ; the nation needs 3.5 billion masks , according to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II .
• 78 % of U.S. voters are “ very ” or “ somewhat ” concerned about their personal finances during the coronavirus crisis .
• 70 % are very or somewhat worried that they or an immediate family member may catch the virus .
• 63 % are very or somewhat confident that local hospitals can effectively respond to the virus .
• 51 % say the U.S. is “ doing all it can do ” to prevent further cases of coronavirus .
• 49 % approve of the way President Trump is handling the federal government ’ s response to the pandemic .
Source : An Emerson College/NextStar poll of 1,100 registered U.S. voters conducted March 18-19 . | gLltH2ct1hY4fG8H | 2 | Democratic Party | -1.5 | Nancy Pelosi | -1.3 | Polarization | 0.9 | Politics | -0.8 | US Congress | -0.7 |
white_house | The Hill | https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/482486-judge-rejects-lawsuit-on-trump-not-keeping-records-of-meetings-with | Judge rejects lawsuit over Trump's lack of records of meetings with foreign leaders | 2020-02-11 | white_house | A judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit against President Trump Donald John TrumpWinners and losers from the New Hampshire primary Sanders on NH victory : Win is 'beginning of the end for Donald Trump ' Biden , Warren on ropes after delegate shutout MORE over not keeping records of his meetings with foreign leaders .
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson , an Obama appointee , ruled in a 22-page decision that past legal precedents say she can not monitor the White House ’ s enforcement of laws on how executive branch records are kept .
Because the lawsuit concerns how the White House acted , instead of the legality of the policies on keeping records , she said she did not have the power to ensure the White House followed those policies .
`` The Court is bound by Circuit precedent to find that it lacks authority to oversee the President ’ s day-to-day compliance with the statutory provisions involved in this case , '' Jackson wrote .
`` This opinion will not address , and should not be interpreted to endorse , the challenged practices ; nor does it include any finding that the Executive Office [ of the President ] is in compliance with its obligations , '' she wrote .
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ( CREW ) , the National Security Archive and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations ( SHAFR ) sued the administration after reports found that the White House allegedly was not keeping up with record obligations .
The groups said that State Department officials , including language interpreters , were not included in White House meetings with foreign officials .
The groups called attention to specific meetings that left out State officials and language interpreters , including between the president and Russian or North Korean officials and between Trump ’ s son-in-law Jared Kushner Jared Corey KushnerFed chief issues stark warning to Congress on deficits Judge rejects lawsuit over Trump 's lack of records of meetings with foreign leaders All eyes on Germany as UN Security Council debates anti-Israel resolution MORE and Saudi officials .
`` We 're obviously disappointed to see today 's ruling , '' CREW spokesman Jordan Libowitz said in a statement obtained by ███ . `` Our legal team is currently reviewing it to determine any potential future action . ''
Lauren Harper , a spokesperson for the National Security Archive , told ███ that an appeal to the D.C . Circuit court is planned .
`` The big takeaways for us on this case are that Judge Jackson effectively calls on Congress to revisit the records laws and the unfettered control of the Executive , '' she said in a statement .
SHAFR President Kristin Hoganson said the current laws assume the president will act in good faith to keep records of meetings with foreign officials , adding that the country needs `` stronger legislation '' for presidents who may `` purposefully seek to evade the law . ''
`` This is a hit to our nation ’ s documentary record , '' Hoganson said of the ruling . `` Allowing the president to cut deals with foreign leaders without leaving any kind of record harms our democracy as well as our security . '' | 9y0Q4nTcjnq9Z8Gc | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/us/politics/fight-over-minimum-wage-illustrates-web-of-industry-ties.html?hp&_r=0 | Fight Over Minimum Wage Illustrates Web of Industry Ties | 2014-02-10 | economy_and_jobs | Mr. Saltsman , 30 , who has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Michigan and previously worked for the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics , drafts dozens of letters to the editor and opinion articles for newspapers , arguing that increasing the minimum wage would hurt more than help . Other special institute projects included a recent survey of lawmakers who support the minimum wage increase asking if they pay their interns — a report The Daily Caller , a conservative online publication , then released , calling out the lawmakers with unpaid interns as hypocrites .
The major reports released by the institute are prepared by outside academics , like Joseph J. Sabia , an associate professor of economics at San Diego State University , who has collected at least $ 180,000 in grant money from Mr. Berman ’ s group over the last eight years to deliver seven separate reports , each one concluding that increasing the minimum wage has caused more harm than good — or at least no significant benefit for the poor .
“ There is never a good time to raise the minimum wage , ” Mr. Sabia said at a briefing in the Longworth House Office Building late last month that was co-sponsored by the institute , as he laid out the findings of his newest report to Capitol Hill staff members and reporters . “ You are not reaching the poor workers you want to help . ”
Mr. Sabia said in an interview late last month that his research conclusions were developed independently . “ I don ’ t write advocacy policy briefs , ” he said . His papers are also submitted to academic journals , which publish them after a peer-review process — a standard , he noted , that publications put out by left-leaning groups like the Economic Policy Institute often do not meet .
What is clear is that the reports by the Employment Policies Institute are a critical element in the lobbying campaign against the increase in the minimum wage , as restaurant industry groups , in their own statements and news releases , often cite the institute ’ s reports , creating the Washington echo chamber effect that is so coveted by industry lobbyists .
“ Once you have the study , you can point it to it to prove your case — even if you paid to get it written , ” said one lobbyist , who asked not to be named because his clients rely on him to use this technique .
But some questions have been raised about the institute-funded work . Saul D. Hoffman , a professor of economics at University of Delaware , examined the employment data Mr. Sabia used for a 2012 paper funded in part by the institute . Mr. Hoffman concluded that the narrow cut of data Mr. Sabia picked was perhaps unintentionally skewed , and once corrected , it would have showed that the 2004 increase in New York State ’ s minimum wage had no negative impact on employment — the opposite of the conclusion the institute had proclaimed in its news releases . | 19JpjdkT5Q9Vi8iA | 0 | Economy And Jobs | -0.7 | Minimum Wage | -0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/03/19/393957704/obama-says-critics-making-the-same-argument-despite-better-economy | Obama Says Critics Making 'The Same Argument' Despite Better Economy | 2015-03-19 | economy_and_jobs | Obama Says Critics Making 'The Same Argument ' Despite Better Economy
Barack Obama let down his graying presidential hair a little bit on Wednesday . He also joked about coloring it .
Speaking to the City Club of Cleveland , Obama seemed to be in a reflective mood . During the question-and-answer period , he was asked by a seventh-grader what advice he would give to himself now , if he could go back to his first day in office .
`` Maybe I should have told myself to start dyeing my hair now , '' Obama said . `` Before people noticed , because by a year in , it was too late . ''
Obama also suggested he should have moved more quickly to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , before political resistance mounted . And he should have done more to explain the depth and duration of the oncoming recession .
`` I think I might have done a better job in preparing people so they kind of knew what was coming , '' Obama said . `` That would have helped explain why we needed to pass the Recovery Act , or why we needed to invest in the auto industry . ''
Many of those decisions remain controversial six years later , even as the economic recovery is well underway .
`` At every step that we 've taken over the past six years we were told our goals were misguided ; they were too ambitious ; that my administration 's policies would crush jobs and explode deficits , and destroy the economy forever , '' Obama said . `` Remember that ? ''
He argues that strong job growth , falling energy prices and shrinking federal deficits should have quieted his critics . But they have n't .
`` Sometimes we do n't do the instant replay , we do n't run the tape back and then we end up having the same argument going forward , '' Obama said .
Indeed , the old arguments are in full force this week in Washington , as the new Republican-majority Congress tries to put its stamp on federal tax and spending policies . House and Senate budget committees unveiled draft budgets that would sharply curtail federal spending and repeal the president 's signature health care law .
`` This balanced budget delivers to hard-working taxpayers a more effective , efficient and accountable government which supports Americans when it must and gets out of the way when it should , '' said Sen. Mike Enzi , R-Wyo. , chairman of the Senate Budget Committee .
The House budget plan calls for even deeper spending cuts . It would also replace Medicare with a voucher-type system for future retirees .
`` We know now that the gloom-and-doom predictions that justified this budget three , four , five years ago were wrong . Despite the economic progress , despite the mountains of new evidence , their approach has n't changed , '' Obama said .
In a lighter moment , Obama was asked about his bracket for the NCAA basketball tournament . He has picked top-seeded Kentucky to win , but confessed his other predictions are not as well-informed as they might be .
`` I have n't won since my first year in office , '' Obama joked . `` Clearly , I 'm not spending as much time watching college basketball as I once did . '' | 5woP5Dnsrv3ICijx | 1 | Economy And Jobs | -0.5 | Barack Obama | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-aramco-iran/iran-says-it-will-destroy-any-aggressor-idUSKBN1W603G | Iran says it will destroy any aggressor | 2019-09-22 | Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oil, Global Markets, Foreign Policy, Middle East | DUBAI ( ███ ) - Iran will pursue any aggressor , even if it carries out a limited attack , and seek to destroy it , the head of the elite Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday , after attacks on Saudi oil sites which Riyadh and U.S officials blamed on Tehran .
“ Be careful , a limited aggression will not remain limited . We will pursue any aggressor , ” the head of the Guards , Major General Hossein Salami , said in remarks broadcast on state TV . “ We are after punishment and we will continue until the full destruction of any aggressor . ”
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia ’ s air and missile defences after the Sept. 14 attacks .
Iran denies involvement in the attack , which was claimed by Yemen ’ s Houthi movement , a group aligned with Iran and currently fighting a Saudi-led alliance in Yemen ’ s civil war .
Trump ’ s move drew fire in Washington on Saturday from U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who called it his “ latest outrageous attempt ” to circumvent Congress .
“ These unacceptable actions are cause for alarm , ” Pelosi said in a statement accusing Trump of turning “ a blind eye ” to Saudi violence against innocent Yemenis , human rights abuses and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
“ The United States can not enable more brutality and bloodshed , ” she added . “ Congress will do our job to uphold the Constitution , defend our national security and protect the American people . ”
Meanwhile , Amirali Hajizadeh , who heads the Revolutionary Guards ’ aerospace branch , said any attacks on Iran would receive “ a crushing response ” , the official news agency IRNA reported .
Hajizadeh was speaking at a public exposition called “ Hunting Vultures ” , where remains of drones which were downed in Iran or crashed there were displayed , along with the Iranian air defence system which shot down a U.S. military drone in June .
The exposition is part of annual events commemorating the start of the 1980-88 war with Iraq , which also includes air and naval displays in the Gulf and military parades on Sunday .
Iran ’ s foreign minister meanwhile denounced renewed U.S. sanctions against its central bank following the Saudi attacks as an attempt to deny ordinary Iranians access to food and medicine , and said the move was a sign of U.S. desperation .
A metal part of a damaged tank is seen at the damaged site of Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq , Saudi Arabia , September 20 , 2019 . ███/Hamad l Mohammed
The United States on Friday imposed more sanctions , targeting the Central Bank of Iran , which was already under U.S. sanctions , the National Development Fund of Iran - the country ’ s sovereign wealth fund - and an Iranian company that U.S. officials say is used to conceal financial transfers for Iranian military purchases .
“ This is a sign of U.S. desperation ... When they repeatedly sanction the same institution , this means their attempt at bringing the Iranian nation to its knees under ‘ maximum pressure ’ has failed , ” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in remarks shown on state television .
“ But this is dangerous and unacceptable as an attempt at blocking ... the Iranian people ’ s access to food and medicine , ” Zarif said , speaking after arriving in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly next week .
Separately , Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi rejected what he called “ unreal and repetitious accusations by certain Saudi officials ” about the attacks , state media said .
A senior Saudi official said earlier that Riyadh would wait for the results of a probe before responding to the attacks on its oil facilities , for which it believes Iran is responsible .
Zarif said he would on Wednesday meet foreign ministers of the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear accord , which was agreed with Britain , France , Germany , China and Russia as well as the United States .
“ As we have said before , the United States can only attend if it returns to the ( nuclear accord ) ... and ends its economic war against Iran , ” Zarif said .
The United States withdrew from the accord last year and re-imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran .
After reports on social media of a cyber-attack on some petrochemical and other companies in Iran , a state body in charge of cyber security denied there had been a “ successful ” attack .
“ Based on our observations ... there has not been a successful cyber-attack on oil facilities and other critical infrastructure , ” said an official statement carried by IRNA .
NetBlocks , an organisation that monitors internet connectivity , earlier reported “ intermittent disruptions ” to some internet services in Iran starting on Friday evening .
The group said the impact was limited , affecting only specific providers , and the cause was unclear . “ Data are consistent with a cyber-attack or unplanned technical incident on affected networks as opposed to a purposeful withdrawal or shutdown incident , ” it said in a tweet .
NetBlocks Director Alp Toker said they saw four Iranian networks falling offline over a three hour period on Friday evening . This began when the first reports emerged and ended shortly afterwards . The networks have been stable since . | 3e773ad1e575737e | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/establishment-gop-shifting-to-trump-219893 | Wall of GOP resistance to Trump begins to crack | 2016-02-26 | republican_party | ATLANTA—When Chris Christie threw his support behind Donald Trump , Washington gasped . But the wall of establishment opposition to Trump ’ s candidacy had begun cracking days before New Jersey ’ s governor barreled right through it .
From Rep. Duncan Hunter and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy , who have signaled an openness to working with Trump , to Mike Huckabee ’ s daughter and adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders , who officially joined Trump 's campaign this week , Republican officials and operatives are coming to grips with the reality that this anti-establishment hero is now the presumptive GOP nominee .
“ Folks are now going through the stages of grief , ” said one high-ranking Republican operative . “ Some are already at acceptance . ”
For Christie , the endorsement was his only path to national relevance after quitting the presidential contest . For Trump , it was much more . Not only did it allow him to change the news cycle after getting roughed up by the establishment ’ s last hope , Marco Rubio , but it lent credence to Trump ’ s charge that Washington is full of easily maneuvered politicians .
Here are five takeaways from the Republican primary ’ s Friday shake-up .
After Trump ’ s blowout win in Nevada Tuesday night , his phone apparently rang off the hook .
On Wednesday , Trump won his first endorsements from members of Congress : Hunter and Rep. Chris Collins ( R-N.Y. ) . On Monday , the day before his romp in the Nevada caucuses , McCarthy , a California Republican , said he believed Trump will be his party ’ s nominee and that he ’ d be able to work with him .
Meanwhile , several Capitol Hill staffers , including a congressional chief of staff , and a number of state GOP staffers , have begun peddling their resumes to Trump ’ s campaign , according to a source involved in those back-channel conversations . “ Everybody wants on the bus before it leaves the station , ” he said .
History has shown that the political establishment always wins . Amidst this strange election cycle in which establishment candidates have fallen by the wayside , some establishment Republicans appear willing to win just by switching teams .
Trump wants to act like the frontrunner that he is . On the debate stage Thursday night , his tempered responses about Planned Parenthood and Obamacare were those of a candidate already starting to think about the general election .
In his closing statement , Trump distinguished himself from his rival “ politicians. ” But Trump ’ s sense of timing is that of a savvy politician , not a clueless neophyte .
After Rubio tripped him up , Trump wasted no time finding a way out of a Friday morning news cycle that was being dominated by coverage of Rubio on a post-debate victory lap , savagely mocking Trump by reading his tweets aloud—gleefully pointing out his typos—to the crowd at his rally in Dallas .
But where Trump has sold himself as a businessman with a history of buying influence with corrupt politicians on both sides , his acceptance of his former political rival ’ s support on Friday now raises questions about the terms of the deal struck between the two .
Rival campaigns drew reporters ’ attention to a story about Trump ’ s son-in-law , Jared Kushner , getting $ 93 million in tax breaks from Christie ’ s state government to build a high-rise in Jersey City . “ I know a lot of people thought he was going after Marco on behalf of Jeb , ” one Rubio backer said privately about Christie ’ s attack on Rubio two debates ago . “ But I said even then , the Jersey connection made me think he was doing Trump ’ s dirty work . ”
In 2012 , Chris Christie was tapped to give the keynote address at the Republican National Convention . In 2014 , he led the Republican Governors Association , serving as the party ’ s main emissary to donors on behalf of GOP governors . And it wasn ’ t so long ago that this establishment figure was a vocal Trump critic . He questioned Trump ’ s “ thin-skinned ” temperament and asserted that he is not “ the kind of person you want to stand on the stage next September against Hillary . ”
That makes his sudden break with the majority of his party ’ s official figures , most of whom are still horrified by the prospect of a Trump presidency , so remarkable .
But viewed in the context of 2016 , it ’ s less surprising .
Christie won just 449 votes more than Ben Carson in the two states where they went head-to-head . His approval ratings are in the toilet back home in New Jersey , which seemingly precludes him from a future Senate run . Given his personal dislike for Rubio , largely as a result of the senator ’ s super PAC strafing Christie for months with a barrage of negative TV ads that drove down his numbers in New Hampshire , there ’ d be no place for him in a future Rubio administration . Jeb Bush is gone and John Kasich a long shot . That left Trump , Christie ’ s long-time friend who just happens to be sitting 20 points ahead of everyone else in the polls .
So for a politician who doesn ’ t like being out of the limelight and is facing the prospect of his career coming to an end , Friday ’ s endorsement wasn ’ t a profile in courage . It was the last , best option .
After mostly staying out of Trump ’ s direct line of sight and refusing to attack him up until now , Rubio has gone from zero to 100 miles an hour when it comes to finally taking aim at the current GOP frontrunner . And he ’ s alighted on the same tactic that President Obama showed five years earlier to be an effective approach to making Trump look small : savage mockery .
Not only did he make fun of Trump misspelling “ chocker ” and “ honer ” in his tweets , Rubio told his crowd Friday morning that Trump was sweating profusely during the commercial breaks Thursday night and even suggested that he ’ d wet his pants .
Rubio is hoping to bury Trump in an avalanche of opposition research about his business failures and apparent hypocrisy of hiring undocumented foreign workers to build Trump Tower . But Trump ’ s supporters thus far have signaled that they don ’ t really care about his personal foibles , lack of policy experience or the seedy underbelly of his long business record . And engaging so directly with Trump , and now Christie , will be the ultimate test of Rubio ’ s toughness .
Yes , the young senator has survived tens of millions of dollars in television ads attacking him . Yes , he rebounded quickly after withering in the face of Christie ’ s attacks last month and blowing a chance to consolidate the mainstream wing of the party behind him more quickly . But this is altogether different now , with two of the biggest backyard brawlers in politics coming at him .
Christie will serve as a reminder of Rubio ’ s worst moment in the campaign and continue to lambast him for not showing up to work in the Senate . A political performance artist par excellence , Trump mocked Rubio ’ s penchant for thirst-quenching Friday by splashing bottled water on his supporters . “ The fight of Marco Rubio ’ s life is here , and it ’ ll either energize his campaign or it ’ ll end it , ” one Rubio supporter said Friday . “ But you have to slay the dragon at some point , and if he does , he ’ ll be more than ready for Hillary Clinton . ”
5 . Cruz has been completely marginalized on the eve of Super Tuesday .
If Rubio saw his dream news cycle snatched away by Trump , he can at least take solace in knowing that he is , at least for the moment , Trump ’ s top target—not essentially forgotten like Ted Cruz . The Texas senator , whose path to the nomination hinges on steamrolling across the South on Tuesday ’ s SEC primary , has been relegated to an afterthought just days ahead of those critical contests .
For more than a week , Cruz ’ s campaign has been trying to reverse a negative narrative about its “ dirty tricks ” that resulted in a disappointing third place finish in South Carolina . After another embarrassing flap earlier this week that led Cruz to fire his communications director , Rubio overshadowed Cruz in Thursday night ’ s debate as the Florida senator attacked Trump with more vigor and success .
On Friday , cable news coverage of the primary , which will have an even greater impact as the race broadens out into more of an air war across more than a dozen states , reflected the race as the Rubio campaign wants voters to see it : a two-man fight between their man and Trump . | x6Ne96VnTRIAI0PE | 0 | Donald Trump | 0.4 | Politics | 0.1 | Republican Party | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | CNN Business | https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/economy/consumer-price-index-october/index.html | Stocks surge as inflation falls more than expected | 2023-11-14 | Economy And Jobs, Inflation, Labor, Business, Federal Reserve, Interest Rates | Minneapolis CNN —First, the bad news: Prices continue to rise. Now, the good news: They’re doing so at a rate not seen in two years.The Consumer Price Index rose 3.2% for the 12 months that ended in October, down from 3.7% in September, and clocking in at the lowest annual rate since March 2021, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday.US consumer price inflation cooled more than expected — after rising for the last two months — sending US stocks sharply higher and providing a touch more solace to Americans who have dealt with painfully high prices the past two years.The Dow was up by more than 500 points by mid-morning, or 1.5%. The S&P 500 gained 2%, on pace for its best day since January; and the Nasdaq Composite added 2.3%, on track for its best day since April.On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged for the first time since July 2022. A month before, they shot up 0.4% as gas and rent costs added upward pressure.Economists anticipated a 0.1% monthly increase and a 3.3% year-over-year gain, according to Refinitiv consensus estimates.In October, energy prices dropped off significantly; however, those declines were offset by the continued rise of shelter costs, according to the report. However, shelter prices (which measure rental leases and the implicit rental value of owner-occupied properties) increased at 0.3% for the month, down considerably from the 0.6% spike in September.Food prices, including those at the grocery store and at restaurants, saw a slight acceleration in September. Annual inflation across those categories dipped further, however, and is now at levels not seen since 2021. Annual food inflation was 3.3%, the lowest since June 2021; food at home dropped to 2.1%, also the lowest since June 2021; and food away from home fell to 5.4%, the lowest since November 2021.There also was positive news on the underlying inflation front.Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile food and energy categories, climbed 0.2% monthly, bringing the annual increase to 4%, which is the lowest yearly increase since September 2021.It cooled from the prior month, when core CPI rose 0.2% monthly and 4.1% annually, and beat expectations for a 0.3% monthly increase and a 4.1% annual gain.It’s ‘progress’ — but inflation is still too highThe slowdown in both headline and core inflation are encouraging developments for the Federal Reserve, which is in the throes of a monetary tightening and rate-hiking campaign to slow demand and cool inflation.“There’s been progress here on getting inflation to slow down, but it’s just that: It’s progress,” Michael Pugliese, a senior economist at Wells Fargo, told CNN Business. “I don’t think we’re at a point yet where I would characterize inflation as low or even moderate.”The Fed closely monitors core inflation and is specifically looking for the core Personal Consumption Expenditures price index (a separate inflation gauge released by the Commerce Department) to hit 2%. In September, the annual core PCE index increased 3.7%.“I don’t anticipate them coming out and saying, ‘Mission accomplished’ [at the Fed policymaking meeting] in December,” Pugliese said, noting he expects no change in interest rates one direction or the other. “But I do think as we start to look toward 2024, the discussion is going to be more about how long this policy stays this restrictive and less about how much more restrictive does it need to become.”After the CPI data was released, Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin said Tuesday at an event: “I fear more needs to happen to curb demand and inflation,” adding that he is not convinced inflation is on a “smooth path” towards the Fed’s 2% target. But he noted that progress has been made.Running up against spending limitsIn the meantime, Americans will continue to face the dual pressures of high inflation and high interest rates.“Inflation can be fast and slowing,” Pugliese said. “A car could be going 100 miles per hour and then go to 80. It’s slowing down, but it’s still going fast.”Consumers have remained relatively resilient in the face of persistent inflation, spending more than economists thought and keeping the economy growing well above expectations.But that has come at a cost: Americans are piling up record credit card debt and more and more people are starting to fall behind on those payments.“As long as US households continue to spend, that demand will prevent inflationary fires from being doused,” said Kurt Rankin, senior economist at PNC Financial Services.The October CPI report gave some hints that a slowdown in discretionary spending is afoot, he noted.Inflation in recreation categories slowed to 0.1% for the month, down from 0.4% in September. On an annual basis, those prices are now up 3.2%, which is the lowest since November 2021.“Thus, the October slowdown in recreation price growth offers hope that demand-side drivers of inflation will fall in line with the economic realities of households bumping up against their spending limits,” Rankin noted.— CNN’s Krystal Hur and Elisabeth Buchwald contributed to this report. | 3bf321635a712286 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/kevinglass/2013/07/07/obamacare-subsidies-brought-to-you-by-the-honor-system-n1635595 | Obamacare Subsidies: Brought To You By the Honor System | 2013-07-07 | healthcare | On the heels of Tuesday 's report that Obamacare 's employer mandate would be delayed by a year , the Obama Administration delayed income-verification requirements for health exchange subsidies . This is another piece of the unraveling that has continued to take place even as the Obama administration has pressed forward with implementation .
The verification systems are meant to determine who qualifies for new benefits under the Affordable Care Act . The law includes tax subsidies to purchase health insurance for Americans who earn less than 400 percent of the poverty line , about $ 45,000 for an individual . After encountering “ legislative and operational barriers , ” the federal government will not require the District and the 16 states that are running their own marketplaces to verify a consumer ’ s statement that they do not receive health insurance from their employer ... The rule also scaled back states ’ responsibilities to double-check the income levels that consumers report , which determine any tax subsidy they receive .
Avik Roy writes that this is an example of President Obama 's attitude of `` subsidize first , ask questions later , '' and that it 's a predictable consequence of the Obama administration being completely unprepared for the bureaucratic nightmare that is Obamacare :
According to the law , you aren ’ t eligible for Obamacare ’ s subsidies if your employer has offered you what the government considers “ affordable ” coverage . But if employers are no longer going to report whether or not they ’ ve offered “ affordable ” coverage , how can the government verify whether or not workers are eligible for subsidies ? Now we know the answer . The government is going with what Kliff and Somashekhar call “ the honor system. ” “ We have concluded that the…proposed rule is not feasible for implementation for the first year of operations , ” say the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services . The feds will also allow people to gain means-tested subsidized coverage on the exchanges without having to…test their means .
There have not been any penalties outlined for people who lie to the government in order to receive insurance subsidies , but there 's surely a small contingent of people who are put off by lying to the government in general . Nonetheless , considering fraud runs rampant through other government health programs , it 's safe to say that we can expect that to be the case here as well .
Roy also points to his colleague , who has suggested that the entirety of Obamacare be delayed by a year . At the rate that implementation is going , that may very well be the case . Obamacare is the law of the land , but it 's still troubling that the Obama administration has decided it can selectively determine when certain parts of the law will actually affect Americans . | xN2Gn8aaBEGU8Rrx | 2 | Healthcare | -0.5 | Obamacare | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fbi | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/11/us/politics/fisa-surveillance-fbi.html | We Just Got a Rare Look at National Security Surveillance. It Was Ugly. | 2019-12-11 | fbi | But the inspector general found major errors , material omissions and unsupported statements about Mr . Page in the materials that went to the court . F.B.I . agents cherry-picked the evidence , telling the Justice Department information that made Mr . Page look suspicious and omitting material that cut the other way , and the department passed that misleading portrait onto the court .
First , when agents initially sought permission for the wiretap , F.B.I . officials scoured information from confidential informants and selectively presented portions that supported their suspicions that Mr . Page might be a conduit between Russia and the Trump campaign ’ s onetime chairman , Paul Manafort .
But officials did not disclose information that undercut that allegation — such as the fact that Mr . Page had told an informant in August 2016 that he “ never met ” or “ said one word ” to Mr. Manafort , who had never returned Mr. Page ’ s emails . Even if the investigators did not necessarily believe Mr . Page , the court should have been told what he had said .
Second , as the initial court order was nearing its expiration and law-enforcement officials prepared to ask the surveillance court to renew it , the F.B.I . had uncovered information that cast doubt on some of its original assertions . But law enforcement officials never reported that new information to the court .
Specifically , the application included allegations about Mr . Page contained in a dossier compiled by Christopher Steele , a former British intelligence agent whose research was funded by Democrats . In January 2017 , the F.B.I . interviewed Mr. Steele ’ s own primary source , and he contradicted what Mr. Steele had written in the dossier .
The source for Mr. Steele may , of course , have been lying . But either way , officials should have flagged the disconnect for the court . Instead , the F.B.I . reported that its agents had met with the source to “ further corroborate ” the dossier and found him to be “ truthful and cooperative , ” leaving a misleading impression in renewal applications .
Finally , the report stressed Mr. Page ’ s long history of meeting with Russian intelligence officials . But he had also said that he had a relationship with the C.I.A. , and it turns out that he had for years told the agency about those meetings — including one that was cited in the wiretap application as a reason to be suspicious of him . | j6YgBLtxGCEsQ9AO | 0 | FBI | -0.1 | Surveillance | 0 | FISA | 0 | Carter Page | 0 | Russia Investigation | 0 |
us_constitution | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/01/19/equal-rights-amendment-won-virginia-column/4503476002/ | Bless Virginia for passing the Equal Rights Amendment, but blame women for taking this long | 2020-01-19 | us_constitution | Enough women — and men — have chosen political ideology over protecting gender equality , and that ’ s shameful .
Last week , Virginia became the 38th state to pass the Equal Rights Amendment — which would be enough to finally ratify the amendment . But enough women and men have snubbed it for nearly five decades that now this milestone may already be legally DOA .
“ In so many areas , we still have a long way to go , ” Democratic Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan said .
McClellan , one of the ERA ’ s sponsors , was referring to the plight of women in today ’ s corporate boardrooms and top political offices , but she may as well have applied those comments to the amendment itself .
The constitutional amendment , which Congress approved in 1972 , states that “ equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex . ”
Supporters say the amendment is needed to provide explicit protection against discrimination based on sex . They say federal and local laws providing that protection can easily be changed .
More than an optics problem : Trump 's white , male team is a bad look for America and bad for national security , too
So , why did it fail to be ratified in at least 38 states by Congress ’ s imposed deadlines in 1977 and , later , 1982 ?
Women alone could have made this happen but didn ’ t . Too many of them have chosen political ideology over enshrining the protection in the U.S. Constitution . There is no other way to explain the fact it took 48 years to get the 38th state to ratify the amendment — and only because Democrats took control of Virginia ’ s Legislature .
Critics , who happen to be primarily Republicans , say they don ’ t like it because the amendment would grant protections for abortion . Further , they say , it is no longer necessary because women already enjoyed “ equal protection ” under the 14th Amendment .
Under that logic , women would have no obstacles in the 21st century . But that ’ s just laughable . Women in America still make about 82 cents for every dollar men earn . Men are still kings of corporate boardrooms . No woman has ever occupied the White House . And things aren ’ t much better at the local and state level .
Nominating a woman can be a boost to Democrats : Is presidency out of reach for women ? Warren-Sanders tiff ends silence on insidious myth
There are enough women — and enough progressive men — in state legislatures to ratify this amendment and send a strong message . Arizona , Alabama , Arkansas , Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , Missouri , North Carolina , Oklahoma , South Carolina and Utah have not ratified it .
But don ’ t hold your breath because enough Republican women are against it , leaving it to the courts to determine whether the ERA is really dead . A legal showdown is expected over how to proceed or whether too much time has passed since the congressional deadline , forcing supporters to start from scratch .
And that ’ s just a pity and shameful , especially this year when the country celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave U.S. women the right to vote .
Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral , where this column originally appeared . Follow her on Twitter , @ elviadiaz1 . | aM7k98MCAyQLIaDC | 1 | Virginia | 0.5 | Equal Rights Amendment | 0 | Civil Rights | 0 | Women's Issues | 0 | Feminism | 0 |
fbi | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/09/james-comey-trump-leaks-legal-fight-239377 | History on Comey's side as Trump brands him a 'leaker' | 2017-06-09 | fbi | President Donald Trump twice branded James Comey as a “ leaker ” Friday , taking shots at the ousted FBI director over Comey ’ s admission that he had an intermediary give the press memos about his conversations with the president .
“ No obstruction . No collusion . He ’ s a leaker , ” Trump said Friday at a Rose Garden news conference .
Earlier in the day , Trump broke a prolonged Twitter silence to brand Comey a leaker — and to declare his testimony had vindicated him .
Trump ’ s lawyers threatened , though as of Friday evening , had not yet filed , official complaints against the ousted FBI director . Comey ’ s disclosures may have violated bureau policies , and could lead to him being rebuked by the FBI or Justice Department . But agencies have little other recourse against former employees in these circumstances , legal experts said .
A finding that Comey breached FBI rules could do some damage to his reputation . However , there ’ s no history of cases like this being prosecuted criminally , lawyers said .
“ For Comey , the greatest danger is not one of criminality , but of credibility , ” said George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley . “ What Comey did was grossly unprofessional . He actually , in my , view , hampered the investigation . ”
FBI policy does appear to prohibit former employees from disclosing work-related records without advance clearance from the law enforcement agency .
“ All information created and acquired by current and former employees … in connection with official FBI duties , as well as all official material to which FBI personnel have access , is the property of the United States , ” FBI policy says . “ FBI personnel must surrender all materials in their possession that contain FBI information upon FBI demand or upon separation from the FBI . ”
The FBI ’ s standard employment agreement reads : “ I will not reveal , by any means , any information or material from or related to FBI files or any other information acquired by virtue of my official employment to any unauthorized recipient without prior official written authorization by the FBI . ”
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During his riveting appearance on Capitol Hill Thursday , Comey said he asked a law professor friend convey the memos to a New York Times reporter in a bid to spur appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election . The ex-FBI chief suggested it was permissible to disclose the memos because they amounted to nothing more than what was in his own head .
“ My view was that the content of those unclassified , memorialization of those conversations was my recollection recorded , ” the ex-FBI chief said .
However , that approach seems inconsistent with the tight reins the FBI tends to keep over its records .
“ I would be astonished if the FBI supported Comey in terms of his handling of this information … If they accepted this , you would have a virtual collapse of a wide array of regulations governing dissemination of information . ”
Several federal criminal laws could potentially apply , including some that prohibit disclosure of various types of classified information . However , Comey insists the memos he shared are unclassified .
One statute involving theft of government property has sometimes been used to charge government employees who disclose the names of informants , confidential contract bids , or even information about changes to Medicare reimbursement policies . The law has been invoked even when the information wasn ’ t really stolen or removed , but merely copied or relayed .
However , a Justice Department policy appears to bar use of the law when “ the defendant obtained or used the property primarily for the purpose of disseminating it to the public . ”
“ Under this policy , a government employee who , for the primary purpose of public exposure of the material , reveals a government document to which he or she gained access lawfully or by non-trespassory means would not be subject to criminal prosecution for the theft , ” the U.S. Attorneys ’ Manual says , while acknowledging that other laws could apply , including those for classified information .
In the Comey case , “ the content of the conversations is not the property of the government . It ’ s only even an issue because he wrote it down , ” argued University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck . “ This is not a memo that is independently valuable . It does not reflect some conclusion that Comey wasn ’ t already aware of….If the conversation was about a top secret intelligence program then sure , memorializing that and disclosing it would trigger the Espionage Act , but that ’ s not what this is . ”
Comey is already under scrutiny as part of an ongoing Justice Department Inspector General investigation into whether the FBI chief violated Justice Department policies through his public statements and disclosures to Congress related to the Hillary Clinton email probe .
A source close to Trump ’ s legal team indicated Friday that Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz plans to file a complaint about Comey ’ s disclosures with the inspector general and with the Senate Judiciary Committee this week . However , as of Friday afternoon a spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said no complaint had arrived from Trump ’ s legal team .
While Comey denied releasing any classified information , Kasowitz suggested Thursday that he had admitted to it . In any event , it appears the Trump team plans to try to link Comey ’ s admitted leak to a slew of other recent leaks that did involve national security secrets . Many of those disclosures were also politically damaging to Trump .
Kasowitz also leveled another allegation at Comey , faulting him for “ unauthorized disclosure of privileged communications . ”
The Trump lawyer didn ’ t specify what legal privilege was involved , but it appeared to be a reference to executive privilege . That claim seems to be a non-starter with lawyers , who note that executive privilege hasn ’ t been historically used to require officials or ex-officials to keep silent , but to allow them to avoid sharing information when they don ’ t want to .
“ Executive privilege is a shield , not a sword , ” Vladeck said . “ It ’ s a protection against compelled disclosure , not against voluntary disclosure .
Allowing Trump to use executive privilege to block testimony or public statements by former officials would amount to a dramatic shift from historical precedent , which has left such people free to write memoirs that disclose presidential conversations—provided they don ’ t veer into classified topics .
There are also questions about whether Trump ’ s public statements waived whatever privilege Kasowitz was alluding to . It ’ s also unclear how Trump can maintain that Comey is lying about the episode but also breaching some confidence .
“ Imaginary information would not be privileged , ” said Steven Aftergood , a Federation of American Scientists expert on controls on government information .
The most damaging aspect of Comey ’ s admission may be that it seems to be in tension with his straight-shooter reputation as well as his history of publicly railing against leaks , although he was typically referring to those of the classified variety .
“ It is unusual and it ’ s really odd coming from a former FBI director , ” said Aftergood .
Still , Comey ’ s frankness about the leak when asked Thursday about the issue , may redound to his benefit , at least in the eyes of some .
“ In the short term , he made himself a target , but it may play well in the longer term , ” Aftergood said . “ He took responsibility for his own actions . He said he did this . If there ’ s some penalty for it , people know where to find him… .. I find it to be an admirable act of self-incrimination . Some people like it when you say , ‘ I did this and I ’ m willing to accept whatever the consequences are . ’ ” | oLa7Jfrna12qvRx8 | 0 | FBI | -0.1 | White House | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
homeland_security | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/politics/jeh-johnson-duncan-hunter-isis/index.html?hpt=po_t1 | Top Homeland Security official: ISIS hasn't crossed border into U.S. | 2014-10-08 | homeland_security | Story highlights Homeland Security secretary says ISIS fighters have n't crossed into the U.S .
Rep. Duncan Hunter claimed Tuesday that at least 10 had crossed the southern border
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson blasted Rep. Duncan Hunter 's suggestion that ISIS fighters have crossed the United States ' southern border into Texas .
`` Let 's not unduly create fear and anxiety in the public by passing on speculation and rumor , '' Johnson said Wednesday on CNN 's `` Situation Room . ''
Hunter , a California Republican , claimed on Fox News on Tuesday night that he 'd learned from Border Patrol officers that at least 10 ISIS fighters had been caught trying to cross the Mexican border -- and that `` you know there 's going to be dozens more that did not get caught by the Border Patrol . ''
Johnson said those claims are n't supported by `` credible , specific intelligence to that effect . '' He said public officials should `` be responsible in what we decide to share with the American public , so that the public is informed . ''
His comments came after a Homeland Security spokeswoman called Hunter 's statement `` categorically false . ''
`` I look at the intelligence reports from overseas , from our southern border , from our intelligence community virtually every day , numerous times a day , to be on the lookout for something of that nature , '' Johnson said .
`` So what I would say to the American public is , we 're vigilant in looking out for individuals of suspicion that may be crossing our border , and we have no specific intelligence that ISIL is planning to come into the U.S. through our southern border , '' he said , using another acronym for ISIS .
Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper said the congressman stands by his comments .
`` A high level source informed the congressman -- it was also said that DHS is actively discouraging any talk of IS on the border , '' Kasper said .
`` The congressman was conveying what he knows -- and what he was told , '' he said . `` And as for DHS ' statement , it makes sense that the left hand of DHS does n't know what the right hand is doing -- it 's been that way for a long time and we do n't expect that to change . No surprise there . '' | R1VUvMXMEFOo0SGK | 0 | ISIS | -0.8 | DHS | 0.1 | Border Security | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null |
national_security | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/09/hunter-biden-comprehensive-timeline/ | Hunter Biden: The Most Comprehensive Timeline | 2019-09-30 | national_security | Hunter Biden ( left ) and then–Vice President Joe Biden walk down Pennsylvania Avenue following the inauguration of President Barack Obama in Washington , D.C. , January 20 , 2009 . ( Carlos Barria/Reuters )
From being appointed senior MBNA vice president ( two years out of law school ) , to a gift of a 2.8-carat diamond from a Chinese energy tycoon , to Burisma Holdings . . .
Late Summer 2006 : Hunter Biden and his uncle , James Biden , purchase the hedge fund Paradigm Global Advisors . According to an unnamed executive quoted in Politico in August , James Biden declared to employees on his first day , “ Don ’ t worry about investors . We ’ ve got people all around the world who want to invest in Joe Biden. ” At this time , Joe Biden is months away from becoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and launching his second bid for president .
The unnamed executive who spoke to Politico charged that the purchase of the fund was designed to work around campaign-finance laws :
According to the executive , James Biden made it clear that he viewed the fund as a way to take money from rich foreigners who could not legally give money to his older brother or his campaign account . “ We ’ ve got investors lined up in a line of 747s filled with cash ready to invest in this company , ” the executive remembers James Biden saying .
Both James and Hunter Biden have denied to Politico that James had ever made these comments .
Up until that time , Hunter Biden had been employed as a consultant to the Delaware bank MBNA , with a $ 100,000-a-year retainer , according to the New York Times . The bank hired him fresh out of law school and in less than two years promoted him to senior vice president . Biden also separately worked as a lobbyist until 2008 , founding the firm Oldaker Biden & Belair , where he represented mostly universities and hospitals but also drug companies such as Achaogen Inc. and Pulmatrix Inc. , and the music-sharing company Napster and online gambling sites .
Hunter says he has never lobbied his father on any client matter . But the potential for the appearance of a conflict of interest allegedly troubled the senator at one point . According to court records in a lawsuit filed by former business partner Joseph Lotito , Joe Biden wanted Hunter Biden to find a different line of work because his presidential campaign would be greatly complicated if he remained the father of a Washington lobbyist .
January 5 , 2007 : Lotito sues James and Hunter Biden , contending that they cut him out of the purchase of Paradigm Global Advisors . Lotito ’ s suit claims that the firm is paying Hunter Biden an annual salary of $ 1.2 million . While Biden has worked for MBNA , he has never worked for a hedge fund or investment firm before .
January 7 , 2007 : Joe Biden announces his second bid for the presidency .
January 18 , 2007 : Hunter Biden steps down as interim chief executive of Paradigm Global Advisors , but the company announces he will remain in his position as chairman of Paradigm ’ s advisory board .
February 21 , 2007 : James and Hunter Biden countersue Lotito , arguing that he lied about his professional credentials and finances . Biden ’ s chief of staff tells the Washington Post , “ It is apparent that Mr. Lotito is only invoking Senator Biden ’ s name to garner media attention . ”
July 2007 : Biden ’ s presidential campaign pays Hunter Biden ’ s firm . Oldaker Biden & Belair LLP , $ 20,256 for legal work for his campaign . By the end of Biden ’ s bid , his campaign will pay Hunter ’ s law firm $ 143,000 for “ legal services . ”
January 3 , 2008 : After winning less than 1 percent in the Iowa caucus , Joe Biden announces he is ending his second bid for the presidency .
July 25 , 2008 : An outside audit of Paradigm by the firm of Briggs , Bunting & Dougherty finds a “ failure to reconcile Investment Advisors reimbursement of fund expenses , failure to reconcile and review cash account on a timely basis , and failure to reconcile and review various other accounts on a timely basis . ”
August 23 , 2008 : Barack Obama announces that Joe Biden will be his running mate . The following day , Obama campaign officials “ acknowledged that the connection between the Bidens and MBNA , the enormous financial services company then based in their home state of Delaware , was one of the most sensitive issues they examined while vetting the senator for a spot on the ticket . ”
August 27 , 2008 : The Washington Post reports on an unusual loophole in Hunter Biden ’ s refusal to lobby his father : “ Sen . Barack Obama sought more than $ 3.4 million in congressional earmarks for clients of the lobbyist son of his Democratic running mate , Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware , records show . Obama succeeded in getting $ 192,000 for one of the clients , St. Xavier University in suburban Chicago. ” The Post reports that other lobbyists at Biden ’ s firm lobbied his father .
September 6 , 2008 : In an interview with Tom Brokaw , Joe Biden argued there was nothing inappropriate about the biggest bank in his state hiring his son : “ My son graduated from Yale Law School . The starting salary in Wall Street is $ 140,000 a year if you want to lawyer . Options he had . He came home to work for a bank . ”
September 12 , 2008 : Hunter Biden files paperwork to end his lobbying work for all clients .
September 2008 : Hunter Biden founds Seneca Global Advisors , “ a boutique consulting firm ” that “ helps small and mid-sized companies expand into markets in the U.S. and other countries . ”
December 2008 : James and Hunter Biden and Anthony Lotito reach a settlement and drop their suits .
January 20 , 2009 : Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president of the United States .
February 2009 : Paradigm gets another headache when one of its partners , Texas financier Allen Stanford , is charged by regulators with an $ 8 billion fraud . However , Paradigm and James and Hunter Biden are not accused of wrongdoing , and Paradigm ’ s attorney , Marc LoPresti , says they never met or communicated with Stanford .
June 2009 : Hunter Biden co-founds his second company in less than a year , Rosemont Seneca Partners , with Christopher Heinz ( the stepson of John Kerry and heir to the Heinz fortune ) and Devon Archer , who had been friends with Heinz at Yale .
November 12 , 2009 : Paradigm ’ s run of bad luck continues when the U.S. Department of Justice determines that the Manhattan skyscraper housing the offices of Paradigm is partially owned by individuals helping the Iranian government evade sanctions . By 2017 , federal prosecutors would contend that the building “ served as a front for the Iranian government and as a gateway for millions of dollars to be funneled to Iran in clear violation of U.S. sanctions laws. ” There is no evidence that the Bidens or Paradigm knew of their landlord ’ s ties .
2010 : After two years of difficulties and the economic recession , James and Hunter Biden begin “ unwinding ” the Paradigm Fund , filing for voluntary liquidation . The man who sold them the firm , James Park , never collects on an $ 8 million note , according to The New Republic .
2010–11 : Rosemont Seneca takes off like a rocket in its ability to secure meetings with wealthy Chinese investors . From Peter Schweitzer ’ s Secret Empires : How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends :
Less than a year after opening Rosemont Seneca ’ s doors , Hunter Biden and Devon Archer were in China having secured access at the highest levels . Thornton Group ’ s account of the meeting on their Chinese-language website is telling : Chinese executives “ extended their warm welcome ” to the “ Thornton Group , with its U.S. partner Rosemont Seneca chairman Hunter Biden ( second son of the now Vice President Joe Biden ) . ” The purpose of the meetings was to “ explore the possibility of commercial cooperation and opportunity. ” Curiously , details about the meeting do not appear on their English-language website .
Also , according to the Thornton Group , the three Americans met with the largest and most powerful government-fund leaders in China — even though Rosemont was both new and small . To put these meetings in perspective , it was as if the son of the Chinese premier held a single meeting with the heads of Goldman Sachs , Bank of America , J.P. Morgan , Merrill Lynch , and Blackstone . Except , in this case , these were government entities with trillions of dollars of capital to invest . The delegate spent two days meeting with the top executives of China ’ s sovereign wealth fund , social-security fund , and largest banks . Hunter posed with them for a series of pictures .
Sometime in 2012 : Devon Archer and Hunter Biden begin meetings with “ Jonathan Li , who ran a Chinese private-equity fund , Bohai Capital , about becoming partners in a new company that would invest Chinese capital , ” according to The New Yorker .
June 2013 : Li , Archer , and other business partners signed a memorandum of understanding to create the fund , which they named BHR Partners , and , in November , they signed contracts related to the deal . Hunter Biden becomes an unpaid member of BHR ’ s board but will not take an equity stake in BHR Partners until after his father leaves the White House .
August 19 , 2013 : New York Times business columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin writes in his column , “ In Washington , the line between lobbying and bribery is not clear-cut . Until 2008 , R. Hunter Biden , son of then-Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. , lobbied Congress regularly . ”
December 4 , 2013 : Hunter Biden joins his father on Air Force Two on a trip to China , where his father is meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping . Hunter arranges for Li to shake hands with his father in the lobby of the American delegation ’ s hotel . Afterward , Hunter and Li have what both parties describe as a social meeting .
According to The New Yorker , at this time other Obama-administration officials weren ’ t comfortable with Hunter Biden ’ s business ties in China , but they did not confront the vice president about the matter :
Hunter ’ s meeting with Li and his relationship with BHR attracted little attention at the time , but some of Biden ’ s advisers were worried that Hunter , by meeting with a business associate during his father ’ s visit , would expose the Vice-President to criticism . The former senior White House aide told me that Hunter ’ s behavior invited questions about whether he “ was leveraging access for his benefit , which just wasn ’ t done in that White House . Optics really mattered , and that seemed to be cutting it pretty close , even if nothing nefarious was going on. ” When I asked members of Biden ’ s staff whether they discussed their concerns with the Vice-President , several of them said that they had been too intimidated to do so . “ Everyone who works for him has been screamed at , ” a former adviser told me .
December 2013 : “ Less than two weeks later , Hunter Biden ’ s firm inked a $ 1 billion private equity deal with a subsidiary of the Chinese government ’ s Bank of China , ” author and investigator Peter Schweizer says . “ The deal was later expanded to $ 1.5 billion . In short , the Chinese government funded a business that it co-owned along with the son of a sitting vice president. ” But The New Yorker quotes a BHR representative who says the deal was signed before the vice president ’ s trip to China , a business license came through shortly after , and Hunter was not a signatory .
April 2014 : Hunter Biden joins the board of Burisma Holdings . Alan Apter , a former Morgan Stanley investment banker who was chairman of Burisma , said at the time , “ The company ’ s strategy is aimed at the strongest concentration of professional staff and the introduction of best corporate practices , and we ’ re delighted that Mr. Biden is joining us to help us achieve these goals. ” Biden ’ s primary duty is to attend board meetings and energy forums in Europe once or twice a year , and he is paid $ 50,000 per month .
May 13 , 2014 : At the White House , Press Secretary Jay Carney responds to a question about Hunter Biden ’ s joining the board and the appearance of a potential conflict of interest :
I would refer you to the vice president ’ s office . I saw those reports . You know , Hunter Biden and other members of the Biden family are obviously private citizens , and where they work does not reflect an endorsement by the administration or by the vice president or president . But I would refer you to the vice president ’ s office .
The same day , at a State Department press briefing , AP reporter Matt Lee asks , “ Does this building diplomatically have any concerns about potential perceptions of conflict or/cronyism — which is what you ’ ve often accused the Russians of doing ? ”
“ No , he ’ s a private citizen , ” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki replied .
May 14 , 2014 : The U.K.-based Guardian newspaper blasts Biden ’ s new position , snarking , “ Somebody needs to get involved in Ukraine ’ s corporate governance , and it might as well be a clutch of rich , well-connected American dudes with weird first names. ” Washington Post columnist Adam Taylor writes :
The appointment of the vice president ’ s son to a Ukrainian oil board looks nepotistic at best , nefarious at worst . No matter how qualified Biden is , it ties into the idea that U.S. foreign policy is self-interested , and that ’ s a narrative Vladimir Putin has pushed during Ukraine ’ s crisis with references to Iraq and Libya .
Sometime in 2015 : Chris Heinz ends his relationship with Rosemont Seneca .
December 8 , 2015 : Writing in the New York Times , James Risen says of the vice president ’ s trip to Ukraine :
The credibility of the vice president ’ s anticorruption message may have been undermined by the association of his son , Hunter Biden , with one of Ukraine ’ s largest natural gas companies , Burisma Holdings , and with its owner , Mykola Zlochevsky , who was Ukraine ’ s ecology minister under former President Viktor F. Yanukovych before he was forced into exile .
December 11 , 2015 : A New York Times editorial praises Biden ’ s message to the Ukrainian government but notes :
The credibility of Mr. Biden ’ s message may be undermined by the association of his son with a Ukrainian natural-gas company , Burisma Holdings , which is owned by a former government official suspected of corrupt practices . A spokesman for the son , Hunter Biden , argues that he joined the board of Burisma to strengthen its corporate governance . That may be so . But Burisma ’ s owner , Mykola Zlochevsky , has been under investigation in Britain and in Ukraine . It should be plain to Hunter Biden that any connection with a Ukrainian oligarch damages his father ’ s efforts to help Ukraine . This is not a board he should be sitting on .
A few days ago , Risen wrote at The Intercept that Biden ’ s message on the trip was being completely misinterpreted :
The then–vice president issued his demands for greater anti-corruption measures by the Ukrainian government despite the possibility that those demands would actually increase — not lessen — the chances that Hunter Biden and Burisma would face legal trouble in Ukraine .
December 2016 : Hunter Biden and his wife , Kathleen , file for divorce . The divorce becomes official April 14 , 2017 . Sometime when Biden is “ in the middle of the divorce , ” he meets the Chinese energy tycoon Ye Jianming . As CNN described , “ at its height , Ye ’ s company , CEFC China Energy , aligned itself so closely with the Chinese government that it was often hard to distinguish between the two . ”
January 20 , 2017 : Joe Biden ’ s second term as vice president ends .
May 2017 : Chinese energy tycoon Ye Jianming and Hunter Biden meet privately at a hotel in Miami . Biden says he offered to use his contacts to help “ identify investment opportunities for Ye ’ s company CEFC China Energy , in liquified natural gas projects in the United States. ” After the dinner , Ye sends a 2.8-carat diamond to Hunter ’ s hotel room with a card thanking him for the meeting . During the divorce proceedings , Hunter Biden and his ex-wife Kathleen dispute the value of the diamond ; he says it is worth $ 10,000 , she contends it is worth $ 80,000 .
Biden denied that the diamond could be considered a bribe . “ What would they be bribing me for ? My dad wasn ’ t in office. ” Hunter Biden told The New Yorker he gave the diamond to his associates and doesn ’ t know what happened to it .
Also during the divorce proceedings , Kathleen “ requested that Hunter ’ s access to their joint assets be limited because the couple had a double mortgage and owed more than $ 300,000 in back taxes . ”
Summer 2017 : Hunter Biden begins negotiating a deal for Ye ’ s company CEFC to invest in a liquefied-natural-gas project in Louisiana . Ye tells Biden that he ’ s worried about federal authorities ’ looking into one of his business associates , Patrick Ho . Hunter agrees to represent Ho as his lawyer .
October 2017 : After having an unpaid role on the company ’ s board since 2013 , Hunter Biden acquired a financial stake in BHR , a 10 percent equity interest that was worth $ 430,000 as of July 2019 , according to Hunter Biden ’ s lawyer , George Mesires . At least half of the firm ’ s stake is owned by Chinese entities , according to business records .
November 18 , 2017 : Patrick Ho is arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on bribery and money-laundering charges . He makes a phone call to James Biden , Joe Biden ’ s younger brother , and asked Biden for a lawyer . ( Hunter Biden has not practiced criminal law . )
March 2018 : Ye Jianming , the former boss of CEFC China Energy who gave Biden the diamond , vanishes from public sight . The Chinese government detained him for questioning , but “ no Chinese authority has released any information about him , and he has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing . ”
June 28 , 2018 : Devon Archer , who co-founded Rosemont Seneca Partners with Hunter Biden back in 2009 , is convicted of “ conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud ” for allegedly defrauding investors in sham Native American tribal bonds . A few months later , the conviction is overturned and a new trial is ordered .
November 2018 : U.S. prosecutors allege that a nonprofit funded by Ye Jianming — the man who gave Hunter Biden that large diamond , who is still missing and believed detained by the Chinese government — had used its United Nations status to offer millions in bribes to African leaders .
Hunter would later tell The New Yorker that he doesn ’ t see Ye as a “ shady character at all , ” and he characterized the outcome as “ bad luck . ”
March 25 , 2019 : Patrick Ho , Biden ’ s former legal client , is sentenced to three years in prison for international bribery and money-laundering offenses . He was convicted of a multi-year , multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe top officials of Chad and Uganda in exchange for business advantages for CEFC China Energy Company Limited .
April 1 , 2019 : Writing in The Hill , John Solomon quotes Ukrainian former prosecutor general Viktor Shokin , telling him that , before he was dismissed , he was leading a wide-ranging corruption probe into Burisma Holdings , and that his plans included “ interrogations and other crime-investigation procedures into all members of the executive board , including Hunter Biden . ”
May 3 , 2019 : The Intercept reports that Hunter Biden ’ s investment company in China , known as Bohai Harvest RST , invested in a company called Face++ , which develops facial-recognition software . That facial-recognition software is used in an app that “ provides [ Chinese ] law enforcement with easy , daily access to data detailing the religious activity , blood type , and even the amount of electricity used by ethnic minority Muslims living in the western province of Xinjiang . ”
May 16 , 2019 : Yuriy Lutsenko , the current prosecutor general , tells Bloomberg News that neither Hunter Biden nor Burisma was now the focus of an investigation . “ Hunter Biden did not violate any Ukrainian laws — at least as of now , we do not see any wrongdoing . A company can pay however much it wants to its board . ”
May 20 , 2019 : The New York Times reports , “ A lawyer for Hunter Biden said he did not conduct any business related to the China investment fund on that trip ” in December 2013 .
[ Christopher ] Heinz argued to [ Devon ] Archer , who like Hunter Biden had joined Burisma ’ s board , that the posts created the appearance of selling influence , according to a person familiar with the conversation . Mr. Archer did not heed the advice . And Mr. Heinz , who was not involved in the China or Ukraine efforts , began decoupling his business interests from those of Mr. Biden and Mr. Archer .
This conversation must have occurred sometime in 2013 or 2014 .
July 1 , 2019 : Hunter Biden tells The New Yorker in an interview , “ I ’ ve pretty much always lived paycheck to paycheck . I never considered it struggling , but it has always been a high-wire act . ”
July 22 , 2019 : Hunter Biden issues a new statement to the Washington Post about his time on the Burisma Holdings board : “ At no time have I discussed with my father the company ’ s business or my board service . ”
All I can say is that the appointment of Hunter Biden as a member of the Board of Directors of the energy company is rather questionable from the point of view of effectiveness . After all , this person had no work experience either in Ukraine or in the energy sector . . . . The activities of Burisma , the involvement of his son , Hunter Biden , and the [ prosecutor general ’ s office ] investigators on his tail , are the only , I emphasize , the only motives for organizing my resignation .
Other anti-corruption activists in Ukraine strongly disagree with Shokin ’ s assessment of why he was dismissed . | LkF91JUr7flXq14L | 2 | Hunter Biden | 0.1 | Ukraine | 0 | National Security | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null |
politics | CNN (Opinion) | https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/opinions/hakeem-jeffries-house-democratic-leader-joseph/index.html | The Generation X, hip-hop-quoting congressman who’s taking a big step | 2022-12-01 | Politics, Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Party, House Democrats, Congress, Nancy Pelosi, Black Americans, US House | Editor’s Note: Peniel E. Joseph is Barbara Jordan chair in ethics and political values and founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a professor of history. He is the author of “The Third Reconstruction: America’s Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century.” The views expressed here are his own. View more opinion on CNN.CNN —US Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ election to be the first Black minority leader in American history reflects the potential, possibility and power of multiracial democracy. The 52-year-old congressman representing New York’s 8th Congressional District in Brooklyn and Queens, reflects both a generational and cultural shift from retiring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose legendary tenure made her a trailblazing feminist icon and an impeccably dressed breaker of glass ceilings, unafraid of tussling in public with former President Donald Trump.Peniel E. Joseph Kelvin Ma/Tufts UniversityWhen Jeffries elucidated the case for impeaching Trump on the Senate floor in 2020, he ended by dropping a gem of a quote from the late, beloved Brooklyn-based rapper, the Notorious B.I.G. — “And if you don’t know, now you know.”That a Generation X, hip-hop-quoting congressman has become the first Black person to lead a major party, with the potential of ascending to the speaker spot depending on the 2024 elections, is all the more remarkable considering tensions within the Democratic coalition and racial divisions with which America continues to wrestle.The May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis surfaced long simmering issues related to Black citizenship and dignity thought to have been answered during the civil rights movement’s heroic period between the Supreme Court’s school desegregation decision on May 17, 1954, and the April 4, 1968, assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.It makes sense for the face of the Democratic minority in Congress to be Black since those voters support the party more consistently than any other demographic. Yet while Blacks voted for Democrats in the midterms at well over 80%, this support shrank 4 percentage points from the 2018 midterms, according to network exit polling.So, while Democrats did better than expected in the midterms, thanks in large part, to a surprising robust youth turnout, support from voters of color lagged behind 2018 and 2020.As the Democratic congressional leader, Jeffries will be a cool-headed pragmatist and supporter of liberal and progressive policies who seeks to be an effective legislator. He may be able to convince the party to display a level of attentiveness and investment in Black voters often absent in favor of outreach to white suburban constituencies. Despite these efforts, nearly 60% of White voters supported Republicans, further evidence of a stark racial divide between constituents within the two major parties.The significance of a Black man leading House Democrats in 2023 is both symbolic and substantive. Symbolically, it represents a kind of racial progress unimaginable when the Congressional Black Caucus was founded in 1971 at the beginning of the 92nd Congress to provide community for the then-record number of 13 Black members of the House of Representatives.The first Black congressional officials were Republicans elected during the Reconstruction era in the decade after the Civil War. Their presence offering a hopeful example of the promise of multiracial democracy. This generation of Black officials helped to institutionalize what would become contemporary Democratic Party bread and butter issues, including public education, access to health care and public investments in infrastructure that helped to rebuild a physically wrecked and morally broken America in record time.It is one of this country’s greatest ironies that arguably its greatest generation of statesman (for women still were denied the ballot and the right to hold public office) were ultimately denied equal access to the democracy they bled for in wartime and helped resuscitate during the tumultuous peace that followed.Jeffries stands on the shoulders of these 19th century leaders, as well as 20th century congressional icons such as Texas’ Barbara Jordan, who cosponsored the 1975 Voting Rights Act extension, and Shirley Chisholm, the Brooklyn representative whose 1972 presidential campaign upended many of the rules of politics.Like Jordan, Jeffries is at times viewed with suspicion by some figures on the Democratic left. They see him as too mainstream for the radical change they feel is necessary to right a ship of state still reeling from voter suppression, racial injustice, economic inequality and legislative efforts that have tried to censor truth teaching in public schools.Last year, Jeffries observed, “The extreme left is obsessed with talking trash about mainstream Democrats on Twitter, when the majority of the electorate constitute mainstream Democrats at the polls.”On this score Jeffries has helped organize a political action committee, Team Blue, to defend Democratic incumbents against being primaried from the left, a phenomenon that helped to create the progressive “Squad” led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, the eloquent and outspoken proponent of a Green New Deal whose criticism against conservative Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and moderates such as President Joe Biden, gave Pelosi fits as majority leader.Jeffries’ leadership will, of course, be judged not by its symbolic merits, although considerably historic, but on substance.Follow CNN Opinion Join us on Twitter and FacebookThe 21st century Democratic Party traverses a perilous tightrope in a political climate riven by racial, ideological and partisan divisions. These divisions not only threaten its precarious coalition but also reflect the fragility of American democracy in the aftermath of President Barack Obama’s election, the rise of Black Lives Matter, the ascent of Trump, and the political and racial reckoning of 2020 and its fallout.America needs political leadership that can inspire disparate constituencies and star-crossed communities to coalesce around ideas, issues and goals that transcend party loyalty. Such leadership can help us reach into the rarified stratosphere of the kind of civic nationalism that has, in the past, led the nation to innovate the New Deal, defeat fascism during World War II, envision a Great Society and elect the first Black president.Hakeem Jeffries cannot, of course, be expected to embody this leadership on his own. But it is a testament to the national character, and the grace at times embedded within it, that the voice of the first Black leader of the Democratic minority in Congress will be seated at the head of the table as we deliberate on the future of our ongoing democratic experiment. | ac6cb39975909d54 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Daily Beast | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/06/election-night-2013-the-center-speaks.html | Election Night 2013: The Center Speaks | 2013-11-06 | elections | Yesterday ’ s results in Virginia and New Jersey are a warning to politicians who embrace Obamacare . They ’ re also a warning to politicians who embrace the Tea Party .
In Virginia , heavily favored Democrat Terry McAuliffe barely eked out a two-point win , while in New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie sailed to reelection with a 20-point victory . Meanwhile , in a special congressional election in Alabama , Chamber of Commerce-type Republican Bradley Byrne defeated Dean Young , a Tea Party favorite , 53-46 .
In the Old Dominion , McAuliffe defeated Ken Cuccinelli with a mere plurality of votes after having trailed throughout the evening . Going into Election Day , McAuliffe had consistently and comfortably led in all polls , and vastly outraised and outspent his opponent . Yet Obamacare ’ s failed rollout made the election that close—even as Cuccinelli steadfastly refused to come to grips with modernity .
According to exit polls , 53 percent of Virginians opposed Obamacare , and that is what made Cuccinelli a contender . Right now , Obamacare is the Democrats ’ albatross , and President Obama ’ s mangled legacy .
On the other side of the ledger , Cuccinelli lost among women , college graduates , and wealthier voters . His message of traditionalism , nullification , and antipathy toward the industrial Midwest cost him badly in post-government shutdown Northern Virginia . Sixty percent of Virginia ’ s voters were pro-choice , and single women gave McAuliffe better than a 40-point margin .
McAuliffe also won among voters with incomes over $ 200,000—who comprised more than a tenth of all voters—by 16 points . Yet just a year earlier , it was Mitt Romney who won high-end Virginia . Indeed , even Virginia ’ s suburbs have been Yankeefied .
Going forward , that is the fact the GOP must carefully digest . If Republicans can no longer reliably rely on Virginia ’ s wealthy , then they have even less of a prayer in Pennsylvania ’ s Main Line or in the tony environs of Ohio ’ s Hamilton County in presidential years .
To top it off , blacks cast one fifth of the vote in Virginia—the same percentage as they had cast in 2012—and they went for McAuliffe by better than nine-to-one . The Old Dominion is now a national bellwether , and the GOP is looking like anything but a national party .
The Southern Strategy that helped elect Presidents Nixon , Reagan , and Bush—father and son—is on the ropes . It is four years since the Republicans have won a marquee race in Virginia , and now both Virginia senators are Democrats . Without Virginia in the Republican column , the GOP faces an uphill battle in 2016 . Since 1920 , no Republican has won the White House without winning Virginia .
Yet , for all of his weaknesses , Cuccinelli ran ahead of McAuliffe among independents and outperformed Mitt Romney . And these twin achievements should provide the Republican Party with some solace , and Barack Obama and the Clintons with reason to pause .
Obama and the Clintons actively campaigned for McAuliffe . However , they barely persuaded . Obama and Joe Biden speechified in Virginia , but neither could say a word about Obamacare . Meanwhile , the Clintons poured themselves into the race , but hardly moved the needle in the end .
McAuliffe is a beachhead for Hillary ’ s presidential ambitions , but how much beyond that is unclear . McAuliffe ’ s brand of crony capitalism was a turn-off to Virginians , and Clinton & Co. suffer from that same infirmity . The Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton Foundation carry with them the whiff of the bazaar and the circus that by now are Clintonian trademarks .
Further north along I-95 , Christie made a great showing , but it was a triumph of person , not party . It was a “ thank you ” for four years well served , not an embrace of the GOP .
To his credit , Christie was the anti-Cuccinelli , as Christie showed no discomfort with modernity , even as he made clear his positions on abortion and marriage . Christie racked-up impressive margins among women and Latinos , and was the first Republican to garner a majority of New Jersey votes since George H.W . Bush did in 1988 .
Christie ’ s win signified that he is a top-tier contender for the Republican presidential nomination . Even rival Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) lauded Christie .
By having beaten State Senator Barbara Buono by 20 points , Christie will spend the next two and a half years as the establishment ’ s candidate . He will likely hit the rubber chicken circuit , develop an affinity for NASCAR , and launch an exploratory committee staffed by veteran Romney and Giuliani hands .
As he goes forward , Christie will need to address the questions that clouded his consideration as Romney ’ s running-mate . Christie will need to assure the party about his own integrity , and his tendency to conflate government with his own self . “ Steering government contracts to friends and political allies ” is not the best trait for a former federal prosecutor .
Still , the nation having endured Bill Clinton and the Devil in the Blue Dress , Bush 43 ’ s eleventh-hour disclosures about driving under the influence , Obama ’ s alleged sweetheart deal with corrupt businessman Tony Rezko , and Romney ’ s offshore and overseas investments , Christie is far from being out of contention .
America has re-defined deviancy down . If a plagiarizing Joe Biden can become vice president , while a plagiarizing Rand Paul can mull the presidency , and a grifting Hillary Rodham Clinton can be the Democrats leading contender , then Christie should be allowed his moment of glory .
Christie has done more than just log frequent flier miles by jetsetting around the world . He has demonstrated that bipartisanship is more than a dream or a speech applause line . Christie showed that he could reach across the aisle during Superstorm Sandy and he did it again on Election Day , winning two thirds of independents and a third of Democrats .
The scrum over the nation ’ s future did not end yesterday . The results remained too equivalent . Rejection of Obamacare was not enough to carry the day for Cuccinelli . The Tea Party lost , but it was not vanquished . In New York City , Bill de Blasio—an ex-Sandalista—romped to election as Mayor , while across the Hudson River , a moderate conservative had a landslide win of his own . There was something for everyone . | UwNV7TNMK310hAvO | 0 | Elections | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/13/antonin-scalias-death-could-mark-end-of-constitution/ | Antonin Scalia’s Death Could Mark End of Constitution | 2016-02-13 | Supreme Court, Antonin Scalia, US Constitution | The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia doesn ’ t merely mark a tragedy for Constitutional philosophy – it may mark the death of American Constitutionalism as a whole .
Scalia ’ s philosophy of jurisprudence is well-known and shaped two generations of conservative thinkers : the Constitution ought to be interpreted according to its original meaning . This shouldn ’ t have been a groundbreaking notion given that most legislation is interpreted according to those rules , but because leftist jurists have spent a century chiseling away at the meaning of the Constitution based on their personal political beliefs , Scalia ’ s reinvigoration of traditional interpretive methodologies made him a historic figure . Scalia ’ s brilliant , passionate writing style made him author of some of the most famous dissents in Supreme Court history , and channeled the modern conservative frustration with the continuing abandonment of the Constitution .
Scalia ’ s jurisprudence also reminded conservatives that there is no substitute for proven Constitutional originalism . Most conservatives ignored that when they greenlit the appointment of cipher John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court , a point I made when he was appointed . But Scalia provided a consistent reminder that Constitutional philosophy matters . It isn ’ t just a game of doing whatever you want politically . Constitutional jurisprudence is about recognizing the limits of the federal government – and recognizing the limits of the politicization of the Court itself .
In the end , Scalia ’ s death could mark the end of the Constitution itself . That ’ s because the current Supreme Court rested , until Scalia ’ s death , on the vague , confused , indeterminate philosophy of Justice Anthony Kennedy , who apparently decides cases on the basis of whether he has a solid bowel movement that morning . That means that half the time , the Constitution has a shot , as in Citizens United ; the other half of the time , the Constitution drains away into the mists of Kennedy ’ s magical social justice thinking , as in Obergefell .
Unlike Kennedy , Scalia represented a consistent vote for a Constitution beyond modern progressive power politics . But with his death , President Obama now has the power to appoint a fifth justice to join hard-left social engineers Elena Kagan , Sonia Sotomayor , Stephen Breyer , and Ruth Bader Ginsburg . If the Republican Senate allows President Obama to select Scalia ’ s successor , the left will have a complete monopoly on the Supreme Court . Within the next few years , Citizens United will be overturned , restoring limits on free speech ; the Supreme Court will render the Second Amendment meaningless by reinterpreting the right to bear arms as a non-personal right ; freedom of religion will be made subservient to same-sex marriage and abortion priorities ; the death penalty will be ruled unconstitutional ; unions will be allowed to continue confiscating the dollars of people who disagree with them politically ; redistricting along leftist lines will return . Scalia ensured that the Supreme Court wasn ’ t a transformative institution ; now it will become the chief tool in the left ’ s arsenal .
It ’ s a sad commentary on the state of conservative politics that the only thing standing between the United States and the death of its founding document was a brilliant 79-year-old jurist . But unless Republicans stand up on their hind legs now , that will certainly be the case .
Ben Shapiro is Senior Editor-At-Large of ███ , Editor-in-Chief of DailyWire.com , and The New York Times bestselling author , most recently , of the book , The People vs. Barack Obama : The Criminal Case Against The Obama Administration ( Threshold Editions , June 10 , 2014 ) . Follow Ben Shapiro on Twitter @ benshapiro . | 3c0c3ae289ca297d | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/media/472019-bloomberg-union-calls-on-company-to-rescind-decision-against-covering-2020?utm_source=Pew%20Research%20Center&utm_campaign=55994b0952-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_26_02_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-55994b0952-400839197 | Bloomberg union calls on company to rescind decision to not investigate 2020 presidential candidates | 2019-11-25 | media_bias | The union representing journalists at the Bloomberg industry publication group on Monday condemned the company 's decision to bar journalists across the broader Bloomberg organization from investigating Democratic candidates for president .
In a statement released on Twitter , the guild , which represents Bloomberg Law , Bloomberg Tax , Bloomberg Government and Bloomberg Environment called the company 's decision an effort to `` silence '' the company 's reporters .
`` We are extremely alarmed by management 's decision to silence the journalists we represent at Bloomberg Industry Group , as well as the unrepresented journalists at Bloomberg News , '' the guild wrote .
`` The Guild believes journalists should not only be allowed — but encouraged — to thoroughly cover every single candidate as the profession demands in one of the most important elections in modern history , '' it continued .
The guild 's statement comes as Bloomberg announced in a letter to employees that the company would not publish investigations of the Democratic presidential candidates following billionaire owner Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens BloombergSunday shows - Focus shifts to Judiciary impeachment hearing Klobuchar knocks Bloomberg late 2020 entry : 'We have strong candidates ' Bloomberg ca n't win , but he could help reelect Trump MORE 's entry into the 2020 race as a Democratic primary candidate .
“ We will continue our tradition of not investigating Mike ( and his family and foundation ) and we will extend the same policy to his rivals in the Democratic primaries . We can not treat Mike ’ s democratic competitors differently from him , '' read a staff memo from Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait .
`` We have already assigned a reporter to follow his campaign ( just as we did when Mike was in City Hall ) , '' he continued . `` And in the stories we write on the presidential contest , we will make clear that our owner is now a candidate . ''
One former Bloomberg employee slammed the company 's decision in a statement to ███ earlier Monday , calling it a poor attempt at fairness .
“ To cover a presidential election fairly , you 're going to have to cover Bloomberg like everyone else , ” the former employee said . “ That means taking oppo [ opposition research ] . And that means digging into his past ... it 's just silly to believe there will be an acceptable and fair way for them to cover his campaign . ” | Fj8pCe1PcvTLc8wZ | 1 | Bloomberg | -1.8 | Michael Bloomberg | -1.3 | Free Speech | 0 | Freedom Of The Press | 0 | Media Bias | 0 |
race_and_racism | New York Times - Opinion | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/opinion/trump-republicans-racism.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage | How Racist Is Trump’s Republican Party? | 2020-03-18 | race_and_racism | LaFleur Stephens-Dougan , a political scientist at Princeton and the author of “ Race to the Bottom : How Racial Appeals Work in American Politics , ” wrote me in an email :
Most Americans have a distorted definition of racism . We think of racism as person-to-person acts of prejudice — like using a slur . Such behavior is racist , but racism is far more than that . We have baked racism into our political institutions and economic systems .
It is important , Stephens-Dougan argues , to ask people why they think black and Latino neighborhoods struggle with poor school and higher levels of crime . “ If one ’ s answer , ” she continued , “ is that those neighborhoods are under-resourced because blacks and Latinos are less smart , less hardworking or less disciplined , etc. , then that answer is racist . ”
Ryan Enos , a political scientist at Harvard , applies what he calls the “ ‘ Golden Rule of Intergroup Relations ’ — which means that if you would be upset if somebody did something to or said something about your own group , then it is bigotry if you say it about or do it to another group . ”
Ashley Jardina , a political scientist at Duke and the author of “ White Identity Politics , ” put it this way :
The use of these terms is complicated , messy , and without consensus . There are a number of important distinctions we can make . We think of ‘ racial prejudice ’ as an individual-level sense of hostility , animus , set of negative stereotypes , or other negative attitudes that one person has toward members of a group by way of their race . We refer to a person as racist when they have some degree of racial prejudice . For most Americans , this is generally what they think of when they hear the term racism or racist . A racist is a person who uses racial slurs directed at racial out-groups and thinks their own racial group is superior .
Let ’ s turn back to Darren Davis of Notre Dame . I asked Davis and other scholars whether Asian-American protests in New York City against the potential elimination of entrance exams as the sole determinant of entry into selective high schools like Stuyvesant or Bronx Science were racist . Likewise , is the opposition of well off suburbanites to affordable housing in their neighborhoods racist ? Is the number of African-Americans in prison evidence of racism ? And is white opposition to the decarceration movement , or to the prison abolition movement , racist ?
Davis stresses that , in his view , “ not all racialized behavior and expressions stem from racial hatred or hating African Americans. ” He is cautious in his wording :
Ordinary citizens , without being racists themselves , may do and say things that are consistent with a racist ideology . It does not make the outcomes any less egregious or harmful . For instance , Asian-Americans protesting NYC school proposals is not necessarily racist in my opinion because I can see other motivations driving the support for higher standards — not just beliefs about the inferiority of others .
Davis argues that the debate has become clouded , that even though individual and group motives may not be racist , the outcomes achieved can be identical to the ones that racists would seek :
My overall point is that we have forgotten what racism means . In doing so , we have focused attention on bigots and white nationalists and not held ordinary citizens accountable for beliefs that achieve the same ends .
President Trump ’ s or Steve King ’ s comments about certain types of immigrants being unassimilable or not sufficiently American and suggesting that other ( e.g . white ) immigrants do not have those characteristics .
While both Trump and King , an anti-immigrant congressman from Iowa , “ balk at the label ‘ racist , ’ she continued , “ it is descriptively accurate and necessary from the standpoint of keeping track of the role and uses of racism in American society and politics . ”
Like Davis , Thurston sought to address “ the more difficult question ” of “ when it is legitimate to use that label for everyday behaviors . ”
People can participate in and perpetuate racist systems without necessarily subscribing to those beliefs . People can recognize something they participate in or contribute to as racist but decide it ’ s not disqualifying . And people can design racist policies and systems . These are distinctive manifestations of racism but not all of them require us to know whether a person is expressly motivated by racism .
Cindy Kam — a political scientist at Vanderbilt , and a co-author with Camille Burge , a political scientist at Villanova , of “ Uncovering Reactions to the Racial Resentment Scale Across the Racial Divide ” — added another element to the discussion : wariness about how the word is used in political and policy debates :
As a social scientist , I would entertain the possibility that people ’ s actions are guided by a variety of motivations , potentially including racial considerations but also values ( i.e. , a commitment to a free market ; egalitarianism ; moral conservatism ) ; economic considerations ; self-interest ( concerns about my child ’ s ability to get into a high school or my child ’ s commute to a faraway school ) , or even factual beliefs .
Because of the wide variety of possible motivations , Kam wrote in her email , she “ would hesitate to label an action as ‘ racist ’ — unless racial considerations seem to be the only or the massively determinative consideration at play , based upon statistical modeling or carefully calibrated experiments . ”
Kam notes that she worries “ about excessive use of these labels ” because describing someone or some action as racist “ can easily escalate conflict beyond the point of return . ” | 9exD7trIQRk2yOCc | 0 | Race And Racism | -0.6 | Polarization | -0.2 | Republican Party | -0.2 | Politics | 0 | History | 0 |
elections | NBCNews.com | http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/gold-star-families-attack-trump-over-comments-about-ghazala-khan-n620671 | Gold Star Families Attack Trump Over Comments About Ghazala Khan | elections | Embed VFW , GOP Leaders Criticize Trump Over His Reactions to the Khans 2:44 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog
The families of 17 service members who died fighting for the U.S. demanded an apology from Donald Trump on Monday , accusing him of `` cheapening the sacrifice made by those we lost . ''
They said the Republican presidential nominee 's suggestion that the Muslim mother of a U.S. soldier who died in Iraq had not “ been allowed ” to speak at the Democratic National Convention was akin to `` attacking us . ''
A letter signed by the Gold Star families — the term for those who have lost loved ones during military service — also called Trump ’ s comments `` repugnant , and personally offensive . ''
`` When you question a mother 's pain , by implying that her religion , not her grief , kept her from addressing an arena of people , you are attacking us , '' the letter added . `` When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice , you are attacking our sacrifice . ''
The letter was organized by Gold Star Mother Karen Meredith from VoteVets.org , an advocacy group that calls itself non-partisan but which has been described in the past as allied to Congressional Democrats . The Center for Responsive Politics says VoteVets.org is fueled “ largely by social welfare organizations aligned with Democrats and millions of dollars given by unions . ''
Over the weekend , Trump questioned why Ghazala Khan stood by quietly as her husband Khizr Khan talked about their son Humayun at the DNC .
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In the speech , Khan criticized Trump ’ s policies and statements about Muslims . The real estate magnate `` sacrificed nothing and no one , '' Khan said , and questioned whether the Republican had even read the U.S. Constitution .
The Khans ' son , a U.S. Army captain , was killed by a car bomb in 2004 while guarding the gates of his base in Iraq , saving the lives of his fellow soldiers and civilians . He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart .
Related : Father of Fallen Soldier to Trump : 'You Have Sacrificed Nothing '
Trump , who has called for Muslims to be barred from entering the country , responded to the speech by saying that maybe Ghazala Khan had `` not been allowed to have anything to say . ''
Trump ’ s comments go “ beyond politics , ” according to the letter . “ It is about a sense of decency . That kind decency you mock as ‘ political correctness . ’ ”
It added : “ We feel we must speak out and demand you apologize to the Khans , to all Gold Star families , and to all Americans for your offensive , and frankly anti-American , comments . ''
The letter 's signatories were 10 families whose loved ones died in Iraq and one that lost a father in Vietnam .
And one of the nation 's most prominent veterans groups -- the Veterans of Foreign Wars -- added its voice to the controversy Monday , calling Trump 's criticisms of the Kahn family `` out of bounds . ''
`` Election year or not , the VFW will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising his or her right of speech or expression , '' said organization chief Brian Duffy in a statement . `` There are certain sacrosanct subjects that no amount of wordsmithing can repair once crossed . Giving one 's life to nation is the greatest sacrifice , followed closely by all Gold Star families , who have a right to make their voices heard . ''
Trump did not immediately respond to Monday 's letter from the families . He previously hit back at criticism from the Khan family , saying he had `` made a lot of sacrifices ... I work very , very hard . I 've created thousands and thousands of jobs , tens of thousands of jobs . ''
Mr. Khan , who does not know me , viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC and is now all over T.V . doing the same - Nice ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 1 , 2016
This story is not about Mr. Khan , who is all over the place doing interviews , but rather RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM and the U.S. Get smart ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 1 , 2016
Trump also took to Twitter Sunday to defend past statements about Islam , terrorism and his record on the war in Iraq .
Captain Khan , killed 12 years ago , was a hero , but this is about RADICAL ISLAMIC TERROR and the weakness of our `` leaders '' to eradicate it ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 31 , 2016
I was viciously attacked by Mr. Khan at the Democratic Convention . Am I not allowed to respond ? Hillary voted for the Iraq war , not me ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 31 , 2016
Trump ’ s comments have sparked a firestorm on social media and forced some GOP grandees to criticize the Republican nominee .
His own running mate , Indiana Gov . Mike Pence , issued a statement Sunday saying he and Trump `` believe that Capt . Humayun Khan is an American hero and his family , like all Gold Star families , should be cherished by every American . ''
`` 'Unacceptable ' does n't even begin to describe it , '' said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , who unsuccessfully opposed Trump for the Republican nomination .
`` This is going to a place where we 've never gone before , to push back against the families of the fallen , '' he said in a statement . `` There used to be some things that were sacred in American politics — that you do n't do — like criticizing the parents of a fallen soldier even if they criticize you. ``
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Ghazala Khan also addressed Trump ’ s comments in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Sunday , writing : “ Here is my answer to Donald Trump : Because without saying a thing , all the world , all America , felt my pain . I am a Gold Star mother . Whoever saw me felt me in their heart . ”
She added : “ Donald Trump said I had nothing to say . I do . My son Humayun Khan , an Army captain , died 12 years ago in Iraq . He loved America , where we moved when he was 2 years old . ''
This is so incredibly disrespectful of a family that endured the ultimate sacrifice for our country . https : //t.co/TQcMuwXTKV — Jeb Bush ( @ JebBush ) July 31 , 2016
The emotional piece recounts how she and her husband worried about their middle son 's safety when he was called to fight in Iraq .
“ We asked if there was some way he could not go , because he had already done his service . He said it was his duty , ” she wrote .
She also addressed his comments about Muslims and sacrifice , stating : `` When Donald Trump is talking about Islam , he is ignorant . ''
Ghazala Khan added : `` Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices . He doesn ’ t know what the word sacrifice means . ''
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On Friday , she explained to MSNBC 's Lawrence O'Donnell that she was anxious during her husband 's speech , knowing her son 's photo would appear behind her .
`` It was very nervous , because I can not see my son 's picture and I can not even come in the room where his pictures are , and that 's why when I saw the picture on my back , I could n't take it . And I controlled myself at that time , so it is very hard , '' she said .
Khizr Khan told O'Donnell that he could not have appeared at the DNC without his wife 's close support .
Speaking to NBC 's TODAY on Monday , Khan said he was also grateful for an `` outpouring '' of support he had received in the wake of his speech . He had received many emails `` full of assurances that I am right — that we are right . ''
Embed Khizr Khan , father of slain soldier , condemns Donald Trump 's 'ignorance ' 4:28 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog
On Sunday , Khan told `` Meet the Press '' that `` we have a candidate without a moral compass , without empathy for its citizens . ''
“ We do n't take these values lightly , '' he said . `` We are testament to the goodness of this country . We experience the goodness of this country every day . ''
He also responded to a Trump campaign statement saying the candidate he believes Capt . Khan is `` a hero to our country . ''
While he appreciated the clarification , Khan added that `` it sounds so disingenuous because of his policies , because of his rhetoric of hatred , of derision , of dividing us . And that is why I implored him to read the Constitution . '' | FUT8GBnt7FgTYCd4 | 0 | Presidential Elections | -1.3 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
coronavirus | Reason | https://reason.com/2021/09/09/joe-biden-vaccine-mandate-walensky-psaki-opposed/ | Until Today, Joe Biden, Jen Psaki, and Rochelle Walensky Were All Publicly Opposed to Federal COVID Vaccine Mandates | 2021-09-10 | Coronavirus, Vaccine Mandates, Coronavirus Vaccine, Joe Biden | Coronavirus Robby Soave | 9.9.2021 6:33 PM Right up until the moment that he declared all large private employers in the country would be forced to require COVID-19 vaccinations, President Joe Biden consistently opposed COVID vaccine mandates. And he was not alone: Speaking in her capacity as an official White House spokesperson, Press Secretary Jen Psaki explicitly stated "that's not the role of the federal government." Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also said there would be no mandate. On December 4, 2020, Biden said the vaccine would not be imposed by mandate. "No, I don't think it should be mandatory," he said. "I wouldn't demand it be mandatory." Psaki's comments came even more recently, on July 23, 2021. "That's not the role of the federal government," she said when asked about such mandates. "That's the role that institutions, private-sector entities, and others, may take." A week later, on July 31, Walensky corrected a comment she had made that some interpreted as being supportive of a federal mandate. "There will be no nationwide mandate," she said. "I was referring to mandates by private institutions and portions of the federal government. There will be no federal mandate." What a difference a month and a half makes. Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup. Δ NEXT: Biden Rolls Out Industrial Policy Plan To Overcome Government-Created COVID-19 Testing Shortages Robby Soave is a senior editor at Reason. Show Comments (321) Rob Johnson | From the March 2025 issue Charles Oliver | 2.20.2025 4:00 AM Christian Britschgi | 2.19.2025 4:55 PM Jared Dillian | 2.19.2025 4:30 PM Eric Boehm | 2.19.2025 4:15 PM Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon. Δ This modal will close in 10 Just $25 per year Notifications | 77b8d87d44fbc291 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
science | Quartz | https://qz.com/quartzy/1729410/the-design-details-of-the-virgin-galactic-space-suit-by-under-armour/ | The first commercial spacesuits are like soft, high-tech pajamas | 2019-10-16 | NASA, Space, Science | The first travelers to depart Earth on board a Virgin Galactic space flight won ’ t look like the astronauts of years past , with their bulky pressure suits and large domed helmets . They will be wearing soft , flexible jumpsuits that , up close , stand somewhere between a flight suit and a pair of thick pajamas .
It ’ s a sign of how far apart the missions of those career astronauts and these soon-to-be space tourists really are . “ The big difference between suits of the past and this suit is that those suits were to perform a task , and this suit is to enjoy and savor space on your own terms , in a bespoke way , ” said Beth Moses , the chief astronaut trainer at Virgin Galactic—the space tourism venture of billionaire Richard Branson—at an unveiling event today ( Oct. 16 ) .
Created by sports clothing company Under Armour , the suit—included as part of the $ 250,000 trip cost—is really multiple pieces , starting with a top and bottom base layer . According to Nick Cienski , Under Armour ’ s chief innovation apparel designer , they ’ re made of materials that keep the wearer cool and dry while promoting blood flow during the zero-gravity and high G-force portions of the flight . The bottoms , for example , squeeze the legs gently to keep blood moving above the waist , Cienski said .
The suit itself , he said , is lined in different fabrics to manage temperature and moisture . It has articulated knees and elbows for mobility , and is made from material that ’ s knit rather than a woven . It ’ s like the difference between wearing cotton sweatpants and wearing jeans . The unveiling took place at an indoor skydiving facility in Yonkers , New York , which included a dramatic presentation involving classical music and performers in the suits doing aerial acrobatics—not quite zero-G , but it made the point .
Marc Bain/███ A closer look at the materials and details of the space suit .
The clothing for the first space tourists doesn ’ t just have to function . It ’ s also a piece of historic branding . George Whitesides , CEO of Virgin Galactic , pointed out during the presentation that , in a hundred years , these suits may be in a museum . Trevor Beattie , who signed up to fly on Virgin Galactic back in 2004 , noted that one of the most famous photos in history contains a spacesuit .
Under Armour and Virgin Galactic designed the suits to be practical enough so the astronauts could wear them after their trips . Asked when she might wear hers , Jennifer Rallison , another signed-up amateur astronaut , replied “ Every Halloween for the rest of my life. ” The astronauts will get flight jackets to wear more casually too .
The project is also a showcase for Under Armour . Kevin Plank , the company ’ s CEO , said the suit uses at least eight signature Under Armour technologies , such as Hovr , its popular sneaker cushioning , which here doubles as padding around the suit ’ s shoulders and neck , the areas where a buckled-in astronaut will need some cushioning during high-G parts of the trip . The company has plans to release derivative products that the general public can buy . This is , after all , about making space travel commercial . | 885b49215eca7dcb | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/08/socialism-popularity-ignorance-of-past-and-present/ | Why Socialism, and Why Now? | 2019-08-29 | politics | Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at the Presidential Gun Sense Forum in Des Moines , Iowa , August 10 , 2019 . ( Gage Skidmore )
The handmaiden of failed socialist regimes has always been ignorance of the past and present .
Rather , the fresh celebrity “ Squad ” of newly elected identity-politics congresswomen — Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) , Ayanna Pressley ( D. , Mass . ) , and Rashida Tlaib ( D. , Mich. ) — often either claim to be socialists or embrace socialist ideas . A recent Harris poll showed that about half of so-called millennials would like to live in a socialist country .
Five years ago , septuagenarian Senator Bernie Sanders ( D. , Vt. ) was considered an irrelevant lone socialist in the U.S. Senate — Vermont ’ s trademark contribution to cranky quirkiness .
But in 2016 , Sanders ’ s improbable Democratic primary run almost knocked off front-runner Hillary Clinton , even as socialist governments were either imploding or stagnating the world over .
After Clinton ’ s loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 general election , Sanders is back , running as a socialist warhorse , promising endless amounts of free stuff , with those promises suddenly being taken seriously .
Sanders , like the members of the Squad , has limited political power . But the celebrity and social media influence of these new and retread socialists has been on the upswing — especially in the current 21st century climate of radical transformations in economic and political life .
Note the shock over Clinton ’ s 2016 defeat , the furor directed at a take-no-prisoners Trump , and sudden progressive criticism of the Obama presidency as too temporizing , weak , and ineffectual . And there are still other undercurrents that explain why currently socialism polls so well among young Americans .
College-educated Americans collectively owe an estimated $ 1.5 trillion in unpaid student loans . Many of these debtors despair of ever paying the huge sums back .
Canceling debt is an ancient socialist rallying cry . Starting over with a clean slate appeals to those “ oppressed ” with college loans .
A force multiplier of debt is the realization that many students borrowed to focus on mostly irrelevant college majors . Such degrees usually offer few opportunities to find jobs high-paying enough to pay back staggering obligations .
Asymmetrical globalization over the last 30 years has created levels of wealth among the elite never envisioned in the history of civilization . In addition to these disparities , “ free ” but unfair trade , especially with China and to a lesser extent with the European Union , Japan , and South Korea , hollowed out the interior of the United States , impoverishing and diluting the once-solid middle class . Warped free trade and Chinese buccaneerism , not free-market capitalism per se , impoverished millions of Americans .
Lots of young people claim to be socialists but are instead simply angry because they can not afford a home , a new car , or nice things in their “ woke ” urban neighborhoods .
Usually , Americans become more traditional , self-reliant , and suspicious of big government as they age . Reasons for such conservatism have often included early marriage , child-raising , home ownership , and residence in a suburb , small town , or rural area .
Today ’ s youth are generally marrying later . Most have few if any children . Twenty- and thirty-somethings are not buying homes as quickly or easily as in the past .
They are concentrating in the urban centers of big- and medium-sized coastal blue cities , such as Boston , New York , Portland , San Francisco , and Seattle — but often at dead-end jobs that pay them just enough to get by and enjoy the appetites and perks of cool life in the big city .
These are the ingredients for a culture that emphasizes the self , blames others for a sense of personal failure , and wants instant social justice .
Finally , schools and colleges have replaced the empirical study of economics , history , and politics with race , class , and gender indoctrination .
Few young activists of the old Occupy Wall Street bunch , and few of the current violent Antifa street fighters , know the 20th century history of “ socialists ” who were actually hardcore communists . Cambodian dictator Pol Pot , Soviet Union strongman Joseph Stalin , and Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong each killed millions of their own people .
Today ’ s students romanticize Che Guevara and Fidel Castro because they are clueless about their bloody careers . The Castro government for over a half-century was responsible for the murders of thousands of Cubans and Latin Americans in efforts to solidify Cuban “ socialism ” throughout Latin America .
When our schools and colleges do not teach unbiased economics and history , then millions of youth have no idea why the United States , Great Britain , Germany , and Japan became wealthy and stable by embracing free-market capitalism and constitutional government . Few learn why naturally rich nations such as Argentina , Brazil , Mexico , and Venezuela — or entire regions such as Central America , Eastern Europe , or Southeast Asia — have traditionally lagged far behind due to years of destructive central planning , socialist economics , and coerced Communist government .
The handmaiden of failed socialist regimes has always been ignorance of the past and present . And that is never truer than among today ’ s American college-degreed ( but otherwise economically and historically illiterate ) youth . | v9ab7J1Wx3NuqW8H | 2 | Socialism | -1 | Democratic Socialism | -0.1 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
economic_policy | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/05/22/robert_reich_american_capitalism_is_broken_partner/ | Opinion American capitalism is broken | 2014-05-22 | Capitalism, Economic Policy, Economy And Jobs | Robert Reich : American capitalism is broken The former secretary of labor explains why Canada 's middle class is passing ours , and why our growth is misleading
For years Americans have assumed that our hard-charging capitalism is better than the soft-hearted version found in Canada and Europe . American capitalism might be a bit crueler but it generates faster growth and higher living standards overall . Canada ’ s and Europe ’ s “ welfare-state socialism ” is doomed .
It was a questionable assumption to begin with , relying to some extent on our collective amnesia about the first three decades after World War II , when tax rates on top incomes in the U.S. never fell below 70 percent , a larger portion of our economy was invested in education than before or since , over a third of our private-sector workers were unionized , we came up with Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor , and built the biggest infrastructure project in history , known as the interstate highway system .
But then came America ’ s big U-turn , when we deregulated , de-unionized , lowered taxes on the top , ended welfare , and stopped investing as much of the economy in education and infrastructure .
Meanwhile , Canada and Europe continued on as before . Soviet communism went bust , and many of us assumed European and Canadian “ socialism ” would as well .
That ’ s why recent data from the Luxembourg Income Study Database is so shocking .
The fact is , we ’ re falling behind . While median per capita income in the United States has stagnated since 2000 , it ’ s up significantly in Canada and Northern Europe . Their typical worker ’ s income is now higher than ours , and their disposable income – after taxes – higher still .
It ’ s difficult to make exact comparisons of income across national borders because real purchasing power is hard to measure . But even if we assume Canadians and the citizens of several European nations have simply drawn even with the American middle class , they ’ re doing better in many other ways .
Most of them get free health care and subsidized child care . And if they lose their jobs , they get far more generous unemployment benefits than we do . ( In fact , right now 75 percent of jobless Americans lack any unemployment benefits . )
If you think we make up for it by working less and getting paid more on an hourly basis , think again . There , at least three weekspaid vacation as the norm , along with paid sick leave , and paid parental leave .
We ’ re working an average of 4.6 percent more hours more than the typical Canadian worker , 21 percent more than the typical French worker , and a whopping 28 percent more than your typical German worker , according to data compiled by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof .
But at least Americans are more satisfied , aren ’ t we ? Not really . According to opinion surveys and interviews , Canadians and Northern Europeans are .
They also live longer , their rate of infant mortality is lower , and women in these countries are far less likely to die as result of complications in pregnancy or childbirth .
But at least we ’ re the land of more equal opportunity , right ? Wrong . Their poor kids have a better chance of getting ahead . While 42 percent of American kids born into poor families remain poor through their adult lives , only 30 percent of Britain ’ s poor kids remain impoverished – and even smaller percentages in other rich countries .
Yes , the American economy continues to grow faster than the economies of Canada and Europe . But faster growth hasn ’ t translated into higher living standards for most Americans .
Almost all our economic gains have been going to the top – into corporate profits and the stock market ( more than a third of whose value is owned by the richest 1 percent ) . And into executive pay ( European CEOs take home far less than their American counterparts ) .
America ’ s rich also pay much lower taxes than do the rich in Canada and Europe .
But surely Europe can ’ t go on like this . You hear it all the time : They can no longer afford their welfare state .
That depends on what ’ s meant by “ welfare state. ” If high-quality education is included , we ’ d do well to emulate them . Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 rank near the bottom among rich countries in literacy and numeracy . That spells trouble for the U.S. economy in the future .
They ’ re also doing more workforce training , and doing it better , than we are . The result is more skilled workers .
Universal health care is another part of their “ welfare state ” that saves them money because healthier workers are more productive .
So let ’ s put ideology aside . The practical choice isn ’ t between capitalism and “ welfare-state socialism. ” It ’ s between a system that ’ s working for a few at the top , or one that ’ s working for just about everyone . Which would you prefer ? | 8ed89c808c969ec0 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | Vox | https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/12/12/21011445/permafrost-melting-arctic-report-card-noaa | Scientists feared unstoppable emissions from melting permafrost. They may have already started. | 2019-12-12 | environment | Every year , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases an Arctic Report Card , detailing the state of the frozen world at the top of the globe .
And each year , its findings grow more dire . This year , the report revealed that the Arctic itself may now be contributing to climate change .
That ’ s because Arctic soil contains a lot of carbon , which would stay there if the planet wasn ’ t warming . As the frozen ground across the Arctic starts to thaw , it releases that carbon , which turns into a greenhouse gas . Some of that carbon gets taken up by plants growing in the summertime , but more and more of it is now escaping into the atmosphere .
“ Thawing permafrost throughout the Arctic could be releasing an estimated 300-600 million tons of net carbon per year to the atmosphere , ” the NOAA writes in the report . That ’ s roughly the equivalent of Japan ’ s annual emissions .
And those emissions are going to increase . “ We think that should be two to three times bigger by the end of the century based on the kind of forecasting we ’ ve done , ” Ted Schuur , an ecologist and the author of the report ’ s section on permafrost , said .
Scientists have long feared this tipping point . As Arctic permafrost — permanently frozen soil — warms , it starts to release carbon . That fuels more warming , which melts more permafrost , and ... you get it . The cycle continues .
Now those fears are beginning to come true : “ The accelerating feedback from changing permafrost ecosystems to climate change may already be underway , ” the report states , ominously .
Permafrost is a layer of frozen soil that covers 25 percent of the Northern Hemisphere . It acts like a giant freezer , keeping microbes , carbon , poisonous mercury , and soil locked in place .
You can think of the Arctic as the freezer in your kitchen , but for the planet .
When the freezer in your kitchen is working , the food in it stays very cold , preserved , and intact . But if the freezer compressor breaks , it will slowly heat up . As it heats up , bacteria begin to eat your food , making it go rotten . And as the bacteria do this , they produce carbon dioxide , methane , and other gases and chemicals that smell terrible .
For tens of thousands of years , permafrost has kept 1,460 to 1,600 gigatons ( a gigaton is a billion metric tons ) of organic matter trapped in the soil . That ’ s more than double the amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere . It ’ s been slowly building , as plants that manage to grow in the uppermost layers of Arctic soil during the summer are frozen hard and buried in the long , dark winter . Some of this carbon has been frozen for thousands of years .
Though the permafrost has been thawing in recent years , the carbon it releases is usually taken up by plant life growing in the summer , so the Arctic has not been a contributor to climate change — until now , that is .
The new Arctic Report Card draws its conclusions from the most comprehensive assessments of emissions ever done in the region . One NASA study had planes fly over the Arctic for three years , measuring greenhouse gases over many Arctic ecosystems . “ That ’ s an unparalleled dataset on this question , ” Schuur said . “ This is a wake-up call . ”
Other reports looking to the future of the permafrost point to similarly grim conclusions .
The UN ’ s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) recently released a report totaling 1,000-plus pages , which amassed all of the best evidence on how the icy regions of the world and the oceans are threatened by climate change .
That report paints a grim future for the permafrost . Even if the world manages to hit the IPCC target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 , the report found that around 25 percent of the permafrost near the surface could still be lost . Changes to the permafrost ( among other changes in the ocean and cryosphere ) “ are expected to be irreversible , ” the report states .
In a more severe scenario where the world continues to increase emissions and we hit 5 degrees of warming , around 69 percent could be lost . That would drastically change the landscape of the Arctic and potentially set off a further acceleration of global warming .
All that melted permafrost would release more and more carbon into the atmosphere .
A 2014 study in Environmental Research Letters estimated that thawing permafrost could release around 120 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere by 2100 , resulting in 0.29°C of additional warming ( give or take 0.21°C ) . By 2300 , another study in Nature Geoscience concluded , the melting permafrost and its resulting carbon feedback loops could contribute to 1.69°C of warming . ( That ’ s on the high end . It could be as low as 0.13°C . )
The logic here is simple : The more warming , the greater the risk of kickstarting this feedback loop . A study published in Nature Climate Change in 2017 predicted that 1.5 million square miles of permafrost would disappear with every additional 1°C of warming .
But these are just estimates , and they come with a good deal of uncertainty . It all depends on how quickly the Arctic warms . Some of this freed carbon might be taken up by new plant growth , which will be able to grow at higher latitudes as the world warms , according to the IPCC report .
But even so , the UN report states , carbon released from permafrost will become a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions .
When permafrost melts , the ground warps , folds , and caves . In the following video , we demonstrate how that works using a frozen block of wet sand .
Roadways built on top of permafrost have becoming wavy roller coasters through the tundra . Long-dormant microbes — some trapped in the ice for tens of thousands of years — are beginning to wake up , releasing equally ancient C02 and potentially infecting humans with deadly diseases . The retreating ice is also exposing frozen plants that haven ’ t seen the sun in 45,000 years , as radiocarbon-dating research suggests .
It ’ s also important to note that carbon isn ’ t the only pollutant trapped in the ice . A new study in Geophysical Research Letters found that the Arctic permafrost is the largest repository of mercury on Earth . Mercury is a potent neurotoxin . And scientists now think there is around 15 million gallons of mercury frozen in permafrost soils — nearly twice the amount of mercury found in all other soil , the ocean , and the atmosphere combined .
“ The release of heavy metals , particularly mercury , and other legacy contaminants currently stored in glaciers and permafrost , is projected to reduce water quality for freshwater biota [ i.e . life ] , household use and irrigation , ” the IPCC states .
Scientists don ’ t know how much of this mercury could be released , or when . But they do know this : Continued melting makes it more likely that the mercury will be released , pollute the ocean , and accumulate in the food chain .
There are dangers buried in the permafrost . But there are also natural treasures yet to be discovered . The ice preserves all , including ancient animal remains and human history in the region . Think of Ötzi , the remarkably preserved 5,000-year-old corpse found in the Alps . If he had thawed , what was left of his body would have decomposed , and a window into the world he lived in would have been lost forever .
There may be other Ötzis in the Arctic , or preserved bits of mammoth DNA yet to be discovered . The melting may make some of these treasures briefly accessible — freed from the ice — but also threatens to quickly destroy them . According to Scientific American , once a specimen is uncovered and thawed , researchers have a year at most to recover it before it completely breaks down .
Nowhere on Earth is changing as quickly as the Arctic . Every year , it becomes easier to see , and we ’ re just starting to learn the consequences .
It ’ s also never been more important to act quickly and make sure feedback loops don ’ t spiral out of control .
“ If we set off these cascades , these potential accelerations , we may not be able to rein them back in , ” Schuur sayid . | 2qzIqGdGvfkdjwyA | 0 | Science | -0.6 | Climate Change | -0.2 | Carbon Emissions | 0 | Environment | 0 | null | null |
defense | The Hill | http://thehill.com/policy/defense/329817-pentagon-experiences-communications-breakdown | Pentagon experiences communications breakdown | 2017-04-21 | defense | On two separate occasions this month , the military has sent out information that was either misleading or unauthorized .
In the first instance , the Defense Department failed to correct claims from the White House and runaway media reports that an aircraft carrier strike group was headed toward North Korea in a show of force after that country tested a new missile .
In the second instance , U.S. Central Command walked back unusually blunt statements to ███ about the use of a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb ( MOAB ) in Afghanistan .
The breakdowns threaten to become a political problem for the administration , with the CENTCOM flap in particular catching the attention of liberal MSNBC host Rachel Maddow .
“ We ’ re not sure who to trust when we get an explanation about it , ” she said April 14 on `` The Rachel Maddow Show . ''
On Wednesday , Maddow argued in a series of tweets that CENTCOM “ never explained who it was that gave that statement as if they were a spokesman . ”
She also pointed out that the command ’ s release of unauthorized statements was not on the usual site where CENTCOM posts its press announcements .
“ Now we 've got a DOD statement that someone said things to a reporter that DOD disavows , but we do n't know who the person was ... nor do we know the circumstances of why or how someone was pretending to be a CENTCOM spokesman for a day . ”
While some turbulence is typical for any new administration , it is possible that understaffing and miscommunication between the White House and various departments are making life tougher for the Pentagon under President Trump .
“ It appears that DOD is trying to work out the kinks in collaborating on messaging with the White House in real time , ” said Owen Daniels of the Atlantic Council .
“ DOD is in the position of reacting to the news cycle and White House statements , which could be a side effect of understaffing . It 's also possible that DOD is trying to minimize its contradiction of the [ White House ] where possible to project unified , consistent messaging to both partners and adversaries . ”
That appeared to be the case this week , when it was revealed the USS Carl Vinson strike group , including the aircraft carrier and two guided missile destroyers , was not where it was said it would be .
The Navy had announced on April 9 that the strike group would skip a regularly scheduled port visit in Australia and instead head to the western Pacific Ocean . The statement did not explicitly say the Vinson would head immediately to the Korean Peninsula , but administration officials later suggested it would .
Mattis told reporters on April 11 that the Vinson was “ on her way up there , ” and Trump added to the perception when he told Fox Business News on April 12 , “ We are sending an armada , very powerful . ”
The New York Times reported that the confusion was a result of a “ glitch-ridden sequence of events ” that included a premature announcement of the deployment from the Navy and an incorrect statement from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis .
Mattis on Wednesday blamed the mixup on an effort to be transparent .
Comments from the ostensible CENTCOM spokesman , meanwhile , regarding the use of a MOAB — comments that were publicly disowned by the command last week — seem to point to a rogue statement by an individual , Daniels said .
But Daniels added that the use of such language “ could point to institutional unclarity on how best to communicate effectively the new administration 's strategy . ”
A senior congressional staff member also blamed the disorder on a deficit of political appointees that should be in place to coordinate with the White House on routine messages .
“ I 've been telling people ‘ nobody 's home ’ at DOD , ” the staff member told ███ . “ The acting officials and military folks can do the day-to-day stuff , but I do n't think they see their job as being policy operatives for the new administration , so I can see how things are breaking down when there 's a crisis of some kinds . ”
Mattis remains the only Pentagon nominee to make it through the Senate confirmation process , and Trump has 52 additional positions to fill .
“ That is unprecedented by itself and a symptom of the overall chaos , ” the staff member said .
Another huge problem , one defense lobbyist told ███ , is conflict between the new Pentagon head and the White House .
“ Friction between Mattis and the White House has led to less communication , ” the lobbyist said . “ The political people care about not embarrassing the president . The career people don ’ t . But there aren ’ t any political people around Mattis , and no one else has been confirmed for political positions in the Department . ”
The implications go far beyond just a simple miscommunication , the lobbyist added .
“ All of the Trump administration ’ s major national security policy positions are lost in this shuffle because there is no one there to implement them and communicate them to Congress , ” the lobbyist said .
“ Where is the new national security strategy and national military strategy ? Where are the new policy proposals on increasing missile defense , improving readiness and increasing the size of the military to meet the threats we face around the globe ? The day-to-day communication about ongoing programs continues with the program offices ? It ’ s the big policy stuff that is getting lost . ”
In the wake of the two public communication snafus , the Pentagon has vowed to improve its messaging moving forward .
“ This is what transparency looks like . It 's our responsibility to be as clear and open with the American people as possible , ” Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana White said in a statement to ███ .
“ We could have been clearer , and we will strive to be so in the future . ''
Daniels , meanwhile , said he predicts that bureaucrats will try to respond quickly to developments in order to pre-empt commentary from the White House or Trump himself via statements made on air or on Twitter . | WYj2FISC9FJhWisK | 1 | Pentagon | -0.9 | Communications | 0 | National Defense | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null |
elections | Newsweek | http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-politics-662496 | Hillary Clinton Blames Loss on Not Sharing White Anger, but Still Hates 'Creep' Trump | 2017-09-10 | Presidential Elections, Elections | Nina Burleigh is Newsweek's National Politics Correspondent. She is an award-winning journalist and the author of six books. Her last book, Golden Handcuffs: The Secret History of Trump's Women, explores Donald Trump's attitudes toward women by providing in-depth analysis and background on the women who have had the most profound influence on his life. In the last several years, she has covered a wide array of subjects, from American politics to the Arab Spring. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. "Get back, you creep!" Hillary Clinton has finally revealed what she was thinking during her second presidential debate with Donald Trump, when the Republican candidate loomed and leered behind her on a stage in Las Vegas. In a feisty but relaxed taped interview today with Jane Pauley on CBS Sunday Morning, Clinton also promised that she won't run for office again, but will remain "in politics." Leaks of her book, What Happened, to be published Tuesday, indicate that she takes swipes at Joe Biden for his weak support of her campaign, knocks primary rival Bernie Sanders for his attacks on her, and even gripes about former President Barack Obama for failing to publicize the interference in the election by Russia. But she stayed away from those topics Sunday. She told Pauley she was "gobsmacked" by her loss to Trump in November, and talked about what she did afterward to recover: "I went into a frenzy of closet-cleaning, long walks in the woods, playing with my dog, yoga, had my share of Chardonnay." She said attending Trump's inauguration was "an out of body experience," but she felt compelled to attend because of presidential protocol, since her husband, Bill, is a former resident of the White House. She also claimed that an aide during debate prep had "stalked" her to prepare her for Trump doing that on camera, but once she got on that Las Vegas stage, in front of tens of millions with Trump "scowling and leering" behind her, she said she was confronted with a choice between being "presidential" about it, or "Do I wheel around and say, Get out of my space! Back up, you creep! I didn't do the latter." Clinton also said one of biggest regrets from the campaign was not speaking to the "resentment" of white voters. "I understood that there were many Americans who, because of the financial crash, there was anger and there was resentment. But I believed that it was my responsibility too try to offer answers, not to try to fan it. It was a mistake. People didn't want to hear my plans, they wanted me to share their anger." The interview — and based on leaked bits of it, her new book— seem to be a self-justifying, wound-licking "It's not about you" purge of what she endured during the campaign, from that on-stage stalking, to relentless sexism, to being labeled a "criminal" by a candidate whose business empire was built by skirting financial and legal norms... and while the FBI was investigating his campaign's connections to Russian hackers and other Putin surrogates trying to disrupt the election. Clinton told Pauley her political career "as a candidate" is over, but that she plans to remain in politics: "I am not done with politics, because I literally believe that our country is at stake." She didn't go into detail about what that involvement might entail. Early leaks of the book suggest that the book doesn't either. The last presidential candidate who lost an election despite winning the popular vote was Al Gore, and the similarities between them as candidates were always clear: intellectual introverts unable to connect emotionally with voters. After his loss, Gore became a global leader of the movement to tackle climate change. Hillary leaves behind a party with a shattered women's movement, and one that is not yet up to the challenge of the conservative billionaires' decades-long effort to dilute or suppress poor and brown votes by gerrymandering and using the courts. It's not clear that whatever she does next in politics will address those problems. She is probably not be up to the task of leading Democrats out of the party's ideological brawl between those who would ignore racial and gender politics and "unite" as Americans (spokesman Mark Lilla) and the politics of racial identity, furiously argued for by Ta Nehisi Coates. The CBS Sunday Morning interview was the first of several appearances by Clinton to plug her new book, which will be out on Tuesday. She will appear on ABC's The View this Wednesday, and CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 19, followed by an interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show November 1. Her post-election book tour (tickets for some events cost upwards of $1,000) could either further damage the Democratic Party she led to a devastating loss, depending on how much time she spends blaming Sanders, Biden and Obama for her failure — bits of which are in the book and have already been leaked — and how much she talks about a path forward. Newsletters in your inbox See all Company Editions: Contact Terms of Use © 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC | e60278d8d673cb28 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
public_health | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/22/politics/baby-formula-us-military-aircraft/index.html | Baby formula arrives in Indianapolis from Germany on US military aircraft to address critical need | 2022-05-23 | Public Health, Food, Baby Formula, Supply Chains, US Military, Europe, Trade, Germany, Economy And Jobs, Family And Marriage | Indianapolis CNN —A shipment of 35 tons of baby formula has arrived Sunday in Indianapolis on a US military aircraft from Germany to address a nationwide shortage.The prescription formula will be distributed to areas around the country where there is the most acute need, a Biden administration official earlier told CNN. But the official said none of the first shipment would land on store shelves in the US, adding that Sunday’s shipment is hypoallergenic and will be fed to babies intolerant of protein in cow milk.The shipment included 132 pallets of formula, which arrived on one C-17 cargo plane. The formula originated from Zurich, Switzerland, and was trucked to Germany, where it was loaded on the C-17 and flown to the US.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the arrival of the delivery in Indianapolis, said Sunday’s shipment – the first of Operation Fly Formula – would provide enough formula for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for one week.“It is a large shipment of very specific and specialized formula. Formula for moms and dads who have children who have allergies where the regular formula just simply will not work,” the secretary said at a news conference in Indianapolis shortly after the shipment landed.The Biden administration official told CNN earlier that the product contained in the first shipment will be distributed to hospitals, doctors, home health care facilities and pharmacies in regions “where the needs are most acute.”The aircraft on Sunday transported pallets of Nestlé Health Science formula – including Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior. At the site of the arrival in Indianapolis, a Nestlé spokesperson said, “Some cases are ready for distribution in the next couple of days. Others will be released into the supply chain after standard quality testing is completed.”The White House announced later Sunday that the second flight of Operation Fly Formula, which includes “114 pallets of Gerber Good Start® Extensive HA infant formula,” was expected to “take place in the coming days.”The White House said the “total amount of formula arriving in the first round of Operation Fly Formula” is the equivalent of 1.5 million doses of eight-ounce bottles.President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced Operation Fly Formula, which directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture to utilize the Defense Department’s commercial planes to import formula from abroad.Separately, the Biden administration on Sunday evening announced the first two Defense Production Act authorizations for infant formula amid the ongoing nationwide formula shortage. The two “priority orders,” the administration said, are Reckitt and Abbott Nutrition, the baby formula manufacturer at the heart of a nationwide formula recall. The authorizations would allow those companies to urgently receive materials such as sugar, corn syrup, filters, which help make formula.Frustration for American familiesThe shipment comes as the shortage of baby formula has caused major disruptions and frustration for some desperate American families. Already, some families have begun rationing their supply of formula, while others have turned to hospitals when they can’t find the kind they need.And in a clear sign of the deep effects of the crisis, a doctor at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, said last week that he admitted two young patients – a toddler and a preschooler – because the specialty formula they need is out of stock and they haven’t been able to tolerate any replacements.Clinical dietitians at Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Charleston have reported that at least four babies were recently hospitalized for complications related to the ongoing formula shortage, according to a spokesperson for MUSC.The spokesperson said three of the four babies were hospitalized due to intolerance of formula that parents had to try because of shortages, while one was sickened by mineral imbalances from caregivers mixing their own formula.On Sunday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency over the nationwide shortage of the supply of infant formula.A statement from his office said the move would “empower the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to prevent price gouging for formula.”Retailers nationwide have been struggling to keep shelves fully stocked as supply chain problems persist, slowing down both production and distribution of goods.According to market research firm IRI, stores’ infant formula inventories in mid-January were down 17% from where they were in mid-February 2020, just before the pandemic hit US shores.The shutting down of the country’s largest formula plant in February exacerbated pandemic-related supply chain issues and supercharged the nationwide shortage.The out-of-stock rate for baby formula hovered between 2% and 8% in the first half of 2021, but began rising sharply last July. Between November 2021 and early April 2022, the out-of-stock rate jumped to 31%, data from Datasembly showed. That rate increased another 9 percentage points in just three weeks in April, and now stands at 40%, the statistics show.The baby formula shortage has thrown the White House into crisis mode and opened yet another political wound going into an already challenging midterm election season, frustrating the West Wing and the rest of the administration as they struggle with how little control they have over a situation that is centered at the US Food and Drug Administration, an independent agency that the White House neither controls nor gets direct reports from.Officials have faced criticism that the FDA moved too slowly to address warning signs. At the same time, they have been attempting to learn whether formula companies are actually short on ingredients, while also trying to tackle potential price gouging.Vilsack said in Indianapolis on Sunday that the federal government is working with suppliers of baby formula in the US to increase production and address the nationwide shortage.He had said the government is working to help get the Abbott facility in Michigan up and running, through the aid of the Defense Production Act.The agriculture secretary also said an agreement with the FDA would allow the Abbott facility and others to “jump ahead of line for the necessary supplies that are necessary and required in order to produce the formula.”More flights expectedEarlier Sunday, President Joe Biden touted the first flight from his administration’s baby formula airlift operation on Twitter.“Folks, I’m excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 pounds of infant formula and about to land in Indiana. Our team is working around the clock to get safe formula to everyone who needs it,” Biden said on Twitter.National Economic Council director Brian Deese told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” on Sunday that as part of the airlift operation, more flights with baby formula “will be coming in early this week.”“We’re going to keep ramping that up until we get there,” Deese said.Pressed by Bash on how the US ended up in a position in which baby formula has to be airlifted into the country, Deese in part blamed market consolidation.“It goes back to this question of how we can bring more competition in our economy, have more providers have this formula so that no individual company has this much control over supply chains,” he said.The Biden administration official told CNN earlier that the product was coming from a factory that has already gone through US FDA approval – meaning US inspectors would only need to conduct “spot checks” Sunday after the product lands. Those checks include ensuring that the product was not damaged in transit and has appropriate labeling. An FDA inspector was onsite to conduct the spot check. Separately, Nestlé is also going to conduct its own quality check at its local distribution site.“This shipment is essentially going to get off this cargo plane, then the Federal Express folks are going to take it from there, they are going to deliver it to a distribution center that the Nestlé Gerber folks have here in Indiana, and then it’s going to go on trucks and it’s going to be delivered in hospitals and home health care clinics across the country, providing support and help,” Vilsack said Sunday.Additionally, the Biden administration is engaged in conversations with makers of other European baby formula to approve and obtain excess supplies for US distribution, the administration official told CNN.Indianapolis was chosen as the arrival site for the formula because the Nestlé distribution site is located there. The official added that the administration is plugging into the existing distribution chain.“We’re turning a two-week process into 72 hours,” the official said.This story and headline have been updated for additional developments.CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this story mischaracterized the timeline of the first round of Operation Fly Formula’s arrival in the United States. | 7876a758e90e704c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Fulcrum | https://thefulcrum.us/voting/georgia-primary-2020 | Long lines, polling site angst, missing ballots sully Georgia primary | 2020-06-10 | Elections, Georgia, Decision 2020, Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Lebron James, Voting Rights And Voter Fraud | Georgians were faced with long lines and problemnatic equipment almost as soon as polls opened. As a staff writer, Sara covers a variety of democracy reform issues, including voting rights, money in politics, gerrymandering and civic education. Prior to joining The Fulcrum in May 2019, Sara reported on local government on Maryland's Eastern Shore for the USA Today network. She is a native West Virginian and a graduate of Syracuse University. It didn't take long for problems to become clear on this month's second big day of voting. But the challenges seemed almost entirely in one place: Georgia, by far the biggest of the five states with primaries Tuesday, and a rising presidential battleground after emerging as a singular focus of voting rights advocates for two years. Thousands, especially in and around Atlanta, faced hours-long lines from the time the polls opened — and then were confronted by frequently malfunctioning equipment and diminished teams of inexperienced poll workers. Many others who took the state's advice and sought to vote remotely said they'd never received a mail-in ballot. The varied troubles with the coronavirus-delayed primary, being conducted after two postponements in the ninth largest state, were the latest foretaste of the myriad challenges facing a presidential election during a pandemic. And that looks to be especially true in places like Georgia, where perceptions of institutionalized voter suppression have already depressed confidence that elections are both healthy and fair — and where this month's protests against excessive policing and racial injustice seem likely to generate a boost in registration and turnout. The day is "turning out to be a self-inflicted mess," Nancy Abudu of the Southern Poverty Law Center said in the early afternoon. "This is no way to run a democracy in 2020. Georgia state leaders need to learn from today to ensure that for remaining elections this year, every eligible voter can easily cast a ballot and have that ballot counted." Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter State officials drastically reduced the number of in-person polling sites to minimize voters' and election officials' risk of Covid-19 infection, meaning some locations were expecting to see as many as 10,000 voters. Delays because of social distancing and disinfecting practices were sure to compound the delays. Tuesday was also the debut of paper-backup-generating touch-screen voting booths that have replaced all-electronic equipment statewide over the past two years — and in many precincts, the machines simply did not work. Long wait times were especially apparent in cities and surrounding suburban areas. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta called attention to these issues on Twitter about 30 minutes after polls opened, noting they were confined not only to her city but were spread into suburban Fulton County. "If you are in line, PLEASE do not allow your vote to be suppressed. PLEASE stay in line," she tweeted. "They should offer you a provisional ballot if the machines are not working." A record-breaking 1.5 million people responded to an invitation from GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — sent to all 6.9 million registered voters — and applied to vote by mail, and his office said 96 percent of the ballots requested had been delivered last week. By Tuesday almost 1.2 million early in-person and absentee votes had been cast. There is not yet a clear understanding of how many more ballots will pour in by Tuesday night and how many were not delivered in time, but many voters who ventured out Tuesday said they did so because their absentee ballot had not arrived. Fewer than 40,000 people typically vote absentee in a Georgia primary because a particular excuse is normally required. "Right now, with the nation rife with racial tension and a pandemic laying claim on black lives, it's more important than ever that we show up at the polls and make our voices heard," said LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, the co-founders of the Atlanta-based Black Voters Matter Fund. "But we can only do that if leaders do their jobs and make our elections fair, safe, and open." Gabriel Sterling, the state's voting implementation manager, disputed Raffensperger's reports of equipment problems and blamed a shortage of experienced poll workers because of the coronavirus. "We have reports of poll workers not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment. While these are unfortunate, they are not issues of the equipment but a function of counties engaging in poor planning, limited training, and failures of leadership. Well over 2,000 precincts are functioning normally throughout the state of Georgia," Sterling said. The election includes the Democratic presidential primary as well as partisan primaries for Congress and state offices and some nonpartisan local elections. Interest has been heightened especially for Democrats, who view Joe Biden as a genuine contender for the state's 16 electoral votes and think they have a shot at electing a senator from their party for the first time in two decades. The elections in the other four states were unfolding with less tension: Nevada automatically sent all 1.8 million registered voters a mail-in ballot for the primary. As of Monday, more than 343,000 had been returned. Although a majority of Nevadans will vote remotely, in-person polling sites are also available. North Dakota was the only state Tuesday to conduct its primary exclusively by mail. The state doesn't have voter registration, so election officials sent absentee applications to all residents of voting age, about 585,000. Mail ballots had to be postmarked by Monday to be counted. South Carolina officials temporarily lifted the excuse requirement for absentee voting, but didn't go as far as to mail applications to every voter. Information on voter turnout won't be released until after polls close at 7 p.m., but participation in the primary is expected to be at a record high. West Virginia voters were sent applications to vote by mail, but they also had the option to vote in person early and on Election Day. Voters with disabilities were allowed to cast their ballots online. Of the more than 260,000 who requested to vote by mail, 76 percent of them had already returned their ballot before the primary. Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday and received by June 15 to be counted. It didn't take long for problems to become clear on this month's second big day of voting. But the challenges seemed almost entirely in one place: Georgia, by far the biggest of the five states with primaries Tuesday, and a rising presidential battleground after emerging as a singular focus of voting rights advocates for two years. Thousands, especially in and around Atlanta, faced hours-long lines from the time the polls opened — and then were confronted by frequently malfunctioning equipment and diminished teams of inexperienced poll workers. Many others who took the state's advice and sought to vote remotely said they'd never received a mail-in ballot. The varied troubles with the coronavirus-delayed primary, being conducted after two postponements in the ninth largest state, were the latest foretaste of the myriad challenges facing a presidential election during a pandemic. And that looks to be especially true in places like Georgia, where perceptions of institutionalized voter suppression have already depressed confidence that elections are both healthy and fair — and where this month's protests against excessive policing and racial injustice seem likely to generate a boost in registration and turnout. The day is "turning out to be a self-inflicted mess," Nancy Abudu of the Southern Poverty Law Center said in the early afternoon. "This is no way to run a democracy in 2020. Georgia state leaders need to learn from today to ensure that for remaining elections this year, every eligible voter can easily cast a ballot and have that ballot counted." Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter State officials drastically reduced the number of in-person polling sites to minimize voters' and election officials' risk of Covid-19 infection, meaning some locations were expecting to see as many as 10,000 voters. Delays because of social distancing and disinfecting practices were sure to compound the delays. Tuesday was also the debut of paper-backup-generating touch-screen voting booths that have replaced all-electronic equipment statewide over the past two years — and in many precincts, the machines simply did not work. Long wait times were especially apparent in cities and surrounding suburban areas. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta called attention to these issues on Twitter about 30 minutes after polls opened, noting they were confined not only to her city but were spread into suburban Fulton County. "If you are in line, PLEASE do not allow your vote to be suppressed. PLEASE stay in line," she tweeted. "They should offer you a provisional ballot if the machines are not working." A record-breaking 1.5 million people responded to an invitation from GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — sent to all 6.9 million registered voters — and applied to vote by mail, and his office said 96 percent of the ballots requested had been delivered last week. By Tuesday almost 1.2 million early in-person and absentee votes had been cast. There is not yet a clear understanding of how many more ballots will pour in by Tuesday night and how many were not delivered in time, but many voters who ventured out Tuesday said they did so because their absentee ballot had not arrived. Fewer than 40,000 people typically vote absentee in a Georgia primary because a particular excuse is normally required. "Right now, with the nation rife with racial tension and a pandemic laying claim on black lives, it's more important than ever that we show up at the polls and make our voices heard," said LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, the co-founders of the Atlanta-based Black Voters Matter Fund. "But we can only do that if leaders do their jobs and make our elections fair, safe, and open." Gabriel Sterling, the state's voting implementation manager, disputed Raffensperger's reports of equipment problems and blamed a shortage of experienced poll workers because of the coronavirus. "We have reports of poll workers not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment. While these are unfortunate, they are not issues of the equipment but a function of counties engaging in poor planning, limited training, and failures of leadership. Well over 2,000 precincts are functioning normally throughout the state of Georgia," Sterling said. The election includes the Democratic presidential primary as well as partisan primaries for Congress and state offices and some nonpartisan local elections. Interest has been heightened especially for Democrats, who view Joe Biden as a genuine contender for the state's 16 electoral votes and think they have a shot at electing a senator from their party for the first time in two decades. The elections in the other four states were unfolding with less tension: Nevada automatically sent all 1.8 million registered voters a mail-in ballot for the primary. As of Monday, more than 343,000 had been returned. Although a majority of Nevadans will vote remotely, in-person polling sites are also available. North Dakota was the only state Tuesday to conduct its primary exclusively by mail. The state doesn't have voter registration, so election officials sent absentee applications to all residents of voting age, about 585,000. Mail ballots had to be postmarked by Monday to be counted. South Carolina officials temporarily lifted the excuse requirement for absentee voting, but didn't go as far as to mail applications to every voter. Information on voter turnout won't be released until after polls close at 7 p.m., but participation in the primary is expected to be at a record high. West Virginia voters were sent applications to vote by mail, but they also had the option to vote in person early and on Election Day. Voters with disabilities were allowed to cast their ballots online. Of the more than 260,000 who requested to vote by mail, 76 percent of them had already returned their ballot before the primary. Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday and received by June 15 to be counted. A check mark and hands. Originally published by Independent Voter News. Today, I am proud to share an exciting milestone in my journey as an advocate for democracy and electoral reform. A photo of multiple checked boxes. This past year’s elections saw a number of state ballot initiatives of great national interest, which proposed the adoption of two “unusual” election systems for state and federal offices. Pairing open nonpartisan primaries with a general election using ranked choice voting, these reforms were rejected by the citizens of Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada. The citizens of Alaska, however, who were the first to adopt this dual system in 2020, narrowly confirmed their choice after an attempt to repeal it in November. Ranked choice voting, used in Alaska’s general elections, allows voters to rank their candidate choices on their ballot and then has multiple rounds of voting until one candidate emerges with a majority of the final vote and is declared the winner. This more representative result is guaranteed because in each round the weakest candidate is dropped, and the votes of that candidate’s supporters automatically transfer to their next highest choice. Alaska thereby became the second state after Maine to use ranked choice voting for its state and federal elections, and both have had great success in their use. The United States Supreme Court. Fourteen years ago, after the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the popular blanket primary system, Californians voted to replace the deeply unpopular closed primary that replaced it with a top-two system. Since then, Democratic Party insiders, Republican Party insiders, minor political parties, and many national reform and good government groups, have tried (and failed) to deep-six the system because the public overwhelmingly supports it (over 60% every year it’s polled). Now, three minor political parties, who opposed the reform from the start and have unsuccessfully sued previously, are once again trying to overturn it. The Peace and Freedom Party, the Green Party, and the Libertarian Party have teamed up to file a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Their brief repeats the same argument that the courts have previously rejected—that the top-two system discriminates against parties and deprives voters of choice by not guaranteeing every party a place on the November ballot. Someone filling out a ballot. In the 2024 U.S. election, several states did not pass ballot initiatives to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) despite strong majority support from voters under 65. Still, RCV was defended in Alaska, passed by a landslide in Washington, D.C., and has earned majority support in 31 straight pro-RCV city ballot measures. Still, some critics of RCV argue that it does not enhance and promote democratic principles as much as forms of proportional representation (PR), as commonly used throughout Europe and Latin America. However, in the U.S. many people have not heard of PR. The question under consideration is whether implementing RCV serves as a stepping stone to PR by building public understanding and support for reforms that move away from winner-take-all systems. Utilizing a nationally representative sample of respondents (N=1000) on the 2022 Cooperative Election Survey (CES), results show that individuals who favor RCV often also know about and back PR. When comparing other types of electoral reforms, RCV uniquely transfers into support for PR, in ways that support for nonpartisan redistricting and the national popular vote do not. These findings can inspire efforts that demonstrate how RCV may facilitate the adoption of PR in the U.S. We won't sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously. Dismiss Opt out | 30d3c2663af43193 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
cia | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rep-peter-king-severe-serious-abuses-by-fbi-cia-in-russia-probe-is-going-to-come-out | Rep. Peter King: ‘Severe, serious abuses’ by FBI, CIA in Russia probe ‘going to come out’ | cia | Rep. Peter King , R-N.Y. , said he is “ confident ” that when Attorney General Bill Barr concludes his investigation of the origins of the investigation of President Trump ’ s 2016 campaign , the American people will learn that the FBI and CIA under the Obama administration engaged in foul play .
President Trump and his supporters have questioned how the investigation started in the first place , accusing the FBI of carrying it out under false pretenses . King is among those leveling such allegations .
RELUCTANT WITNESSES IN FISA ABUSE PROBE AGREE TO TALK TO DOJ INSPECTOR GENERAL
“ There was no legal basis at all for them to begin the investigation of his campaign , ” King said in a Friday interview with New York radio host John Catsimatidis , “ and the way they carried it forward and the way information was leaked , the improper applications they filed in the FISA court to get surveillance , all of this is going to come out . ”
King was referring to the FBI ’ s application for a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page . Republicans , including California Rep. Devin Nunes , claimed that federal authorities did not fully disclose their reliance on an unverified dossier compiled by Christopher Steele , which was part of opposition research for Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign .
Democrats dispute the notion that anything improper took place . They claim the dossier did not play a major role , and point to a footnote in the warrant application that acknowledged that some of the information came from research on Trump that was likely meant to hurt his campaign , even if it did not spell out exactly who paid for it .
Republicans are now waiting on a report from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz , following an investigation of possible FBI abuses of the FISA system . Fox News has learned that key witnesses have come forward , after previously holding out .
Sources familiar with the matter said at least one witness outside the Justice Department and FBI started cooperating -- a breakthrough that came after Attorney General William Barr ordered U.S. Attorney John Durham to lead a separate investigation into the origins of the bureau ’ s 2016 Russia case that laid the foundation for Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s probe .
BIDEN MOCKED FOR SUGGESTING RUSSIA WOULD N'T INTERFERE IN ELECTIONS 'ON MY WATCH '
But it is not just the FBI that King believes engaged in underhanded tactics . He believes U.S. intelligence was involved as well .
“ Just from evidence I ’ ve seen over the last several years being on the Intelligence Committee , being a member of Congress , there ’ s no doubt to me there were severe serious abuses that were carried out in the FBI , and I believe the top levels of the CIA , ” he said .
A recent RealClearInvestigations report of Mueller 's findings pointed to various inconsistencies , as well as the influence of former CIA Director John Brennan , an outspoken critic of President Trump . That report also noted that Mueller 's team did not personally investigate the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails , but used a DNC contractor to determine that Russia was behind it .
King is no longer on the House Intelligence Committee , but current members will have an opportunity to ask Mueller about this when he testifies before the committee on July 17 .
Mueller was subpoenaed by Democrats , who have discussed impeaching Trump over evidence in Mueller ’ s report they believe support a case for obstruction of justice . Republicans , meanwhile , are looking forward to asking Mueller about the origins of the investigation , as well as exactly when Mueller determined that the evidence did not support claims that Trump ’ s campaign conspired with Russia . | czorhy4Xl3L2xwB7 | 2 | CIA | -0.9 | FBI | -0.5 | Russia | -0.3 | Mueller Investigation | -0.1 | null | null | |
elections | ABC News (Online) | http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/things-define-2016-iowa-caucuses/story?id=36630789 | 5 Things That Could Define the 2016 Iowa Caucuses | 2016-02-01 | Presidential Elections, Elections | What to watch for in Iowa today. DES MOINES, IA— -- The 2016 Iowa caucuses have all the makings of an historic night for Democrats and Republicans, with a real possibility the current two frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump could be beaten in what remains a very close race. It's been an election that has in many way re-defined American politics and the way campaigns are run. So when all things are said and done, what are the major storylines you should watch out for tonight as the results are pouring in? 1. High Turnout Bodes Well for Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump The big question surrounding the Republican race is whether Donald Trump's supporters will show up to caucus or avoid the process altogether. In a caucus, there's no absentee ballots or a full business day dedicated to voting, allowing Americans to head to the polls before, during, or after work. You have to physically go to a location at 7 p.m. CT in your neighborhood, even if the temperatures are cold and a snow storm is looming. Caucuses can also last two hours. With a strong ground game, offices all over the state, and more than 10,000 volunteers, Bernie Sanders can expect to have his support out in force. But where they caucus and if that voting is too concentrated in certain areas is the big question. The key for both Sanders and Trump is motivating the first-time caucus-goers they've been able to bring to their Iowa events to come out in large numbers, similar to what happened in 2008, when turnout doubled. 2. Where Will Romney 2012 Voters Turn? Mitt Romney, an establishment Republican, nearly won in Iowa in 2012, losing to Rick Santorum by only 34 votes, receiving 25 percent of the vote in Iowa. But it remains to be seen which 2016 candidate will get the votes of the type of people who supported Romney. The candidates who hold the most similar policy positions to Romney are John Kasich, Jeb Bush, and Chris Christie, who are all polling in the low single digits in Iowa. All three are spending caucus night in New Hampshire, where they're polling higher. Some Iowa Republican strategists say that 25 percent could be split between Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, but that segment of voters could be key to boosting Trump over Ted Cruz. 3. Poor Iowa Performances and the Dropout Effect Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee, both past winners in Iowa, have not picked up any traction in 2016, even after they both made the state a centerpiece of their campaigns. With both of them low on funding, it will be difficult for either to continue on without placing in the top three. In late December, on Iowa's WHO radio, Huckabee said: "If we can't come within striking distance of the victory or win it, then I think we recognize that it's going to be hard to take that on to the other states." But Sunday night at a house party in Iowa, Santorum told reporters he has "no intention of dropping out of the race." On the Democratic side, Martin O'Malley has held 187 events in Iowa, but has not been able to go above 4 percent in the polls and could call it quits if things don't go his way. 4. What a Trump Victory Means for the Future of the Caucuses 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events | 74f4b0e216d4db91 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Townhall | http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/12/31/a-new-year-and-old-problems-n1770005?utm_source=TopBreakingNewsCarousel&utm_medium=story&utm_campaign=BreakingNewsCarousel | A New Year and Old Problems | 2013-12-31 | healthcare | Whenever we stand on the threshold of a new year , we are tempted to forget the hazards of prophecy , and try to see what may lie on the other side of this arbitrary division of time .
Sometimes we are content to try to change ourselves with New Year 's resolutions to do better in some respect . Changing ourselves is a much more reasonable undertaking than trying to change other people . It may or may not succeed , but it seldom creates the disasters that trying to change others can produce .
When we look beyond ourselves to the world around us , peering into the future can be a very sobering , if not depressing , experience .
ObamaCare looms large and menacing on our horizon . This is not just because of computer problems , or even because some people who think that they have enrolled may discover at their next visit to a doctor that they do not have any insurance coverage .
What ObamaCare has done , thanks to Chief Justice Roberts ' Supreme Court decision , is reduce us all from free citizens to cowed subjects , whom the federal government can order around in our own personal lives , in defiance of the 10th Amendment and all the other protections of our freedom in the Constitution of the United States .
ObamaCare is more than a medical problem , though there are predictable medical problems -- and even catastrophes -- that will unfold in the course of 2014 and beyond . Our betters have now been empowered to run our lives , with whatever combination of arrogance and incompetence they may have , or however much they lie .
The challenges ahead are much clearer than what our responses will be . Perhaps the most hopeful sign is that increasing numbers of people seem to have finally -- after nearly five long years -- begun to see Barack Obama for what he is , rather than for what he seemed to be , when judged by his image and rhetoric .
What kind of man would blithely disrupt the medical care of millions of Americans , and then repeatedly lie to them with glib assurances that they could keep their doctors or health insurance if they wanted to ?
What kind of man would set up a system in which people would be forced by law to risk their life savings , because they had to divulge their financial identification numbers to strangers who could turn out to be convicted felons ?
With all the time that elapsed between the passage of ObamaCare and its going into effect , why were the so-called `` navigators '' who were to be handling other people 's financial records never investigated for criminal convictions ? What explanation could there be , other than that Obama did n't care ?
Caring is not a matter of words . `` By their fruits ye shall know them '' -- not by their rhetoric , image or symbolism .
Those who have still not yet seen through Barack Obama will have many more opportunities to do so during the coming year , as the medical , financial and other painful human consequences of ObamaCare keep coming out in ways so clear that not even the mainstream media can ignore them or obscure them .
The question then is : What can be done about it ? Nothing can be done about Obama himself . He has three more years in office and , as he pointed out to the Russians , he will no longer have to face the American voters .
ObamaCare , however , has no such immunity . It is always hard to repeal an elaborate program after it has gone into effect . But Prohibition was repealed , even though it was a Constitutional Amendment that required super-majorities in both houses of Congress and super-majorities of state legislatures to repeal .
In our two-party system , everything depends on whether the Republicans step up to the plate and act like responsible adults who understand that ObamaCare represents a historic crossroads that will determine what kind of people we are going to be , for this generation and generations yet unborn -- citizens or subjects .
This means that Republicans have to decide whether their top priority is internal strife among the different wings of the party -- another circular firing squad -- or whether either wing puts the country first .
A prediction on how that will turn out in the new year would be far too hazardous to attempt . | GhCY4rhM4uJeA92k | 2 | Healthcare | -0.7 | Obamacare | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Wall Street Journal - News | https://www.wsj.com/articles/buttigieg-leans-in-on-his-military-service-11558357127 | Buttigieg Leans In on His Military Service | elections | IOWA CITY , Iowa— Pete Buttigieg is entering a new phase of his White House bid , nodding more forcefully to a part of his background that distinguishes him from nearly all of his campaign rivals—his military service .
Mr. Buttigieg , the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend , Ind. , over the past month has entered the upper tier of public polling and fundraising at this early stage in the crowded 2020 Democratic field , ahead of several candidates who came into the race with bigger national profiles .
In an interview Saturday , he said the opening foray of his campaign , officially launched in April , was dedicated to boosting his name ID . Feeling confident he has done so , Mr. Buttigieg is starting to put greater emphasis on his service with the Navy Reserve , including a six-month deployment to Afghanistan .
He said overseas challenges , such as the political turmoil in Venezuela and U.S. tensions with Iran , offered a chance to make a foreign-policy appeal to voters .
Share Your Thoughts How much should it matter whether a presidential candidate has military experience ? Join the conversation below .
“ I think it ’ s particularly important right now to make clear what a strong , Democratic message on national security—expressed by a veteran—ought to look like , ” Mr. Buttigieg said . “ What I learned being in uniform is a really important part of that . ”
Mr. Buttigieg joined the Navy Reserve as an ensign in 2009 and spent time providing intelligence reports for European Command from the U.S. His six-month overseas assignment , in 2014 , was as an officer with the Afghanistan Threat Finance Cell , tracking financial networks that supported the Taliban and al Qaeda . His deployment overlapped with his job as mayor of South Bend , an office he assumed in 2012 .
Mr. Buttigieg has detailed his experiences in the Navy in his 2019 memoir and featured photos of his time in Afghanistan in campaign ads . But he presented his military record as part of his overall credentials rather than a primary feature of his candidacy . Now , he is changing his approach .
During a swing in Iowa over the weekend , he made repeated mentions of his service .
Mr. Buttigieg told reporters after an event on Friday that a president needed to tread lightly on the world stage to avoid conflict . “ I have low confidence that this administration is capable of doing that . It ’ s one more reason we need a different kind of president . Ideally , one who knows , personally , what it means to be sent off to war . ”
On Saturday , in Iowa City , Mr. Buttigieg nodded to his service with an appeal for national unity . He told a crowd of more than 600 : “ The flag that was on my shoulder when I got on that plane to Afghanistan did not say Republican or Democrat on it . It was a flag for the United States of America . ”
Later that day in Dubuque , Mr. Buttigieg talked up his service when calling for gun control . “ I trained on these things , ” he said of assault-style weapons . “ I know what they can do . ”
Unlike most of their predecessors , Presidents Obama and Trump had no military experience . Twenty six presidents out of 45 have served in the military , according to the Department of Veterans Affairs . Mr. Buttigieg is one of three members of the 23-candidate Democratic field who have military experience , the others being Reps. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts .
Tim Murtaugh , a spokesman for Mr. Trump ’ s 2020 campaign , said : “ We respect his service , but Pete Buttigieg implies that Franklin Roosevelt would not be fully qualified to be president because he didn ’ t serve in the military . And last we checked , FDR was a pretty good wartime president. ” ( President Franklin D. Roosevelt served as assistant secretary of the Navy under President Wilson . )
In his book , “ Shortest Way Home , ” the mayor describes his day-to-day routine in Afghanistan . “ I might have planned to spend my time behind a sophisticated computer terminal in a secure areas somewhere , and sometimes that ’ s just what I did , ” Mr. Buttigieg writes . “ But it turned out my services were more often needed as a driver or vehicle commander on convoys moving people or gear in and around Kabul . ”
In the interview Saturday , Mr. Buttigieg , who is gay , described what it was like serving in the military both under “ Don ’ t Ask , Don ’ t Tell ” and after it was repealed in 2011 . Mr. Buttigieg came out as gay in 2015 after returning from Afghanistan ; he has previously said living in a war zone compelled him to come out so that he could openly pursue a relationship .
“ It wasn ’ t like flipping a switch , ” Mr. Buttigieg said . “ ‘ Don ’ t Ask , Don ’ t Tell ’ was over when I went to Afghanistan . I was not out at the time . There was plenty of casual homophobic humor definitely going around in my unit . ”
Who ’ s Running in 2020 The 2020 Democratic presidential primary is the party ’ s biggest and most diverse in modern history . Meet the candidates .
He added : “ When I came out , it was a lot of those same people who were first to get in touch and let me know they had my back , and that ’ s what it ’ s like to watch a culture start to change . ”
Jon Soltz , chairman of VoteVets , a liberal political-action committee , noted that Mr. Buttigieg also leans heavily on his mayoral record on the stump . “ Pete ’ s not going to overplay that card , ” Mr. Soltz said of his military record . “ He ’ s running as a millennial change candidate . ”
Mr. Soltz said his group hasn ’ t yet endorsed a candidate for president .
Mr. Moulton , the Massachusetts congressman who led a platoon company of Marines in combat and was awarded a Bronze Star for valor , is placing his service at the center of his candidacy . “ I do that with the experience of having served on the ground in combat , doing four tours in the Iraq war , ” Mr. Moulton said in a Sunday interview on ABC . “ It ’ s given me a first-hand perspective on what it means to make America safe and strong. ” He has yet to break through as a top contender .
Mr. Buttigieg left active service in September 2014 and was honorably discharged in November 2017 .
Retired Lt. Chuck Murray , a friend of Mr. Buttigeig from the Navy , said Mr. Buttigieg told him he would leave his Reserve unit to focus on his day job as mayor . “ He said , ‘ I don ’ t feel like I ’ m serving both the Navy Reserves and the City of South Bend well , so I ’ m going to focus on the South Bend part , ’ ” Mr. Murray said . “ I respect that . ”
Craig Reber , a retired Navy sailor who was a clerk on a supply ship during the Vietnam War , saw Mr. Buttigieg in Dubuque on Saturday . He said if the caucuses were held that day , he would vote for Mr. Buttigieg . “ It ’ s good to see a veteran who ’ s been there and done that , ” he said . | ojuJUsuEqAgYaBbz | 1 | Election2020 | 0 | Pete Buttigieg | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | |
fiscal_cliff | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/12/20/167688360/todays-plan-b-vote-part-of-posturing-or-a-push-over-the-fiscal-cliff | Today's 'Plan B' Vote: Part Of Posturing Or A Push Over The 'Fiscal Cliff?' | 2012-12-20 | fiscal_cliff | Today 's 'Plan B ' Vote : Part Of Posturing Or A Push Over The 'Fiscal Cliff ? '
With the House set to vote this afternoon on Republicans ' `` Plan B '' for avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff , the questions that have been asked every day for weeks are being asked yet again , with added urgency :
Are we headed over that `` cliff '' of automatic spending cuts , tax increases and expiring job benefits ? Or are President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner , R-Ohio , closer to a deal than they 're letting on in public ?
On Morning Edition , NPR 's Mara Liasson said the answers may be yes , and yes .
`` Either we 're one step closer to the cliff or this is just part of the 'two steps forward , one step backward ' process that Congress and the White House have to go through , '' she told host David Greene . Both sides , she added , may just need to show they 're `` fighting as hard as they can before they make the ultimate compromise . '' So , Republicans have put forward their Plan B and the White House has threatened to veto it ( though the odds seem low that it would be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate ) .
There 's even talk , Mara said , about going `` over the cliff a little bit '' — for a few days or so after Jan. 1 — before an ultimate compromise .
And what a compromise might look like is taking shape , she pointed out . Boehner has proposed increases in revenues ( a.k.a . taxes ) of about $ 1 trillion by allowing Bush-era tax cuts on income of more than $ 1 million a year to expire . Boehner 's also proposed about $ 1 trillion in spending cuts .
Meanwhile , Mara noted , Obama has proposed revenue increases of about $ 1.3 trillion — by letting those Bush-era tax cuts expire on income of more than $ 400,000 a year — and spending cuts of about $ 930 billion .
As for today 's vote , here are some of the morning 's other stories :
-- `` A House vote on the plan , scheduled for Thursday , poses a major political test for Boehner 's leadership team , which is pitching it as a vote of confidence and a way for Republicans to extract more concessions from Obama in negotiations over government spending and taxes . '' ( The Washington Post )
-- Boehner 's brief statement Wednesday about the scheduling of today 's vote , `` suggested confidence that Republican leaders would have the votes to pass his plan . But lawmakers who were counting votes for the leadership said the tally was short , and House leaders were adding provisions to the speaker 's bill to mollify dissidents . '' ( The New York Times )
-- `` GOP leadership is considering attaching a package of spending cuts to ride alongside Boehner 's tax rate bill . Republican lawmakers are skittish about voting on allowing taxes to snap to near 40 percent for millionaires without paring back federal spending . '' ( Politico )
Update at 12:30 p.m . ET : GOP Plan Is `` Non-starter '' In The Senate , Reid Says :
As we said earlier , it 's unlikely Plan B would pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate .
Sen . Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev. , just called it a `` non-starter . ''
`` We are going to have the votes '' to pass Plan B in the House , Majority Leader Eric Cantor , R-Va. , just told reporters . He also said the House will not go into recess after today 's vote . | kUcg5HN0BqsUOcTk | 1 | Fiscal Cliff | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/jobless-claims-coronavirus-pandemic-october-9 | Jobless claims drop to a fresh pandemic low | 2021-10-14 | Economy And Jobs, Unemployment, Coronavirus Recovery, Jobless Claims | Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Former Chase chief economist Anthony Chan provides insights into inflation, unemployment and the worker shortage. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped to a new pandemic low last week, dipping below 300,000 for the first time since March 2020. Figures released Thursday by the Labor Department show that applications for the week ended Oct. 9 fell to 293,000 from a revised 344,750 a week earlier. It marked the best level of jobless claims since March 14, 2020, when there were 256,000 applicants just as COVID-19 began to shut down the nation's economy. Continuing claims, or the number of Americans who are consecutively receiving unemployment aid, fell to 2.59 million, a decrease of 134,000 from the previous week. It marked another pandemic low. The report shows that roughly 3.6 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits for the week ending Sept. 25; by comparison, exactly one year ago, an estimated 24.9 million Americans were receiving benefits. PRODUCER INFLATION SETS RECORD FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT MONTH "Now we’re talking," said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "A big drop in unemployment claims for the most recent week finally cracked the 300,000 barrier and is the strongest evidence yet that the COVID-19 delta wave has lost its influence on layoffs." Claims have continually declined as the economy recovers from the pandemic and Americans venture out to travel, shop and eat. Businesses have struggled to keep up with the demand, however, and have reported difficulties in onboarding new employees. Thursday's report suggests that companies are making an effort to retain the workers they already have. The Labor Department reported last week that there were 10.4 million open jobs at the end of August. Though a slight decline from the end of July, it's still a staggeringly high figure; there are about 2.7 million more open jobs than unemployed Americans looking for work. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE The number was exacerbated by a record 4.3 million people who quit their jobs in August, representing about 2.9% of the country's workforce, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report. The report was released just a few days after the government's September jobs report, which revealed payroll increased by just 194,000 last month, well below the 500,000 expected by Refinitiv economists. But economists think the latest unemployment report is a sign the labor market is getting back on track after a summer dominated by the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. "We’re now in the period when the government collects data for the forthcoming October jobs report, due in early November," said Mark Hamrick, Bankrate's senior economist analyst. "There’s some reason to believe the payrolls data may look better next time around." Quotes displayed in real-time Get a brief on the top business stories of the week, plus CEO interviews, market updates, tech and money news that matters to you. We've added you to our mailing list. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. | 5944d9bc20c24024 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Daily Beast | https://www.thedailybeast.com/daily-shows-trevor-noah-grills-bernie-sanders-does-america-really-need-another-old-white-guy?ref=home | Trevor Noah Grills Bernie Sanders: Does America Really Need Another Old White Guy? | 2019-04-05 | politics | By almost any measure , Senator Bernie Sanders is the frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination . But when he sat down with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show Thursday night , the host had one big question about his place in the field .
“ This is an interesting time where this field is more diverse than ever before , but some people have said , all right , you have a diverse field , but it feels like the frontrunners are still old white men , ” Noah said , citing Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden , who has not yet announced his candidacy .
Pressing forward , Noah asked how Sanders responded to those who ask , “ Isn ’ t it time for you guys to step aside ? ”
“ Look , I think the American people have to make that decision , nobody else makes it , ” Sanders , who will be 79 years old on Election Day 2020 , replied . “ But I think it is appropriate for people to say , OK , who has been talking about this issue when ? Who had the courage to go forward and at what time ? So it ’ s important not to look at just personalities . I think , in American politics , in general , we do too much of that . ”
Then , the candidate deftly pivoted back to his core message of addressing income inequality : “ What we need to do is focus on a progressive agenda and I ’ m proud of the fact that I have been a leader in fighting for that agenda for a long time . ”
“ You ’ re basically saying people have jumped on but you ’ re the O.G . of this idea , ” Noah said in response , before acknowledging the way Sanders has been able to connect with young , progressive voters . But from there , he went on to question why Sanders has decided to hold a town hall event on Fox News later this month .
“ Trust me , I know Fox News , ” Sanders said . “ I know who they are and I know the role that they are playing . So , to me , it is important to distinguish Fox News from the many millions of people who watch Fox News . And I think it is important to talk to those people and say , ‘ You know what ? I know many of you voted for Donald Trump , but he lied to you . ’ ”
Later in the interview , Noah returned to the issue of Sanders ’ age , asking what he does to keep himself healthy . “ All I can say is thank God my health is good , ” the candidate said . “ As a kid , I was a long-distance runner . I had a lot of endurance , and I still do . ” | GzDJw2EsadZYd6PR | 0 | Democratic Party | 0.9 | Bernie Sanders | 0.6 | Politics | 0 | Election2020 | 0 | null | null |
great_britain | Vox | https://www.vox.com/2019/4/11/18305082/brexit-news-deadline-october-31-eu-theresa-may | The new Brexit deadline is October 31 | 2019-04-11 | great_britain | European Union leaders agreed in the early morning hours on Thursday to extend the Brexit deadline until October 31 , 2019 , postponing the UK ’ s departure about six months from the scheduled April 12 departure date .
The EU ’ s decision to grant another Brexit extension to the UK averts a disastrous no-deal on Friday . But the offer comes with some conditions . The United Kingdom will have to participate in European parliamentary elections May 23 through 26 , or risk leaving the EU on June 1 without a deal . The EU also said it would schedule a summit in June , to review the UK ’ s status and make sure it was behaving during its extended EU membership .
The extension is also notably longer than British Prime Minister Theresa May ’ s request for a June 30 deadline — but the EU also said , as part of its offer , that it would leave open the possibility that if Parliament manages to pass a Brexit deal in the coming weeks , the UK could exit the EU before that Halloween date .
“ This extension as flexible as I expected , and a little bit shorter than I expected , ” Donald Tusk , the president of the European Council , said Thursday . “ But it ’ s still enough to find the best possible solution . Please do not waste this time , ”
An October Brexit is the compromise solution among EU leaders , who were reportedly split on how much extra time to give the UK . French President Emmanuel Macron , who ’ s taken a tough stance with the UK over its Brexit dithering , apparently pushed for a shorter deadline over the objections of EU counterparts . Macron ’ s stance seems to have won out , much to the frustration of other EU diplomats .
Macron ’ s position likely wasn ’ t intended to give May a win , but rather to simply get Brexit over with , though it could work to the prime minister ’ s advantage all the same . An October extension is slightly less humiliating for her than the end of the year , or even March 2020 , some of the other proposed dates that were reportedly discussed . And the flexibility still gives May the chance to get out on her original timeline ; she stressed Thursday she believes the UK must still leave the EU “ as soon as possible . ”
But it ’ s still unclear what the UK plans to accomplish with these extra six months , or what the EU expects it to achieve .
Right now there ’ s only one Brexit deal on offer . May is meeting with the opposition Labour Party to try to find a compromise that will finally get this deal through Parliament , with some tweaks that will likely lock in a softer Brexit for the future UK-EU relationship .
But it ’ s not assured the two sides can forge a bipartisan consensus — or how long it might take . And the deadline is extremely tight when it comes to alternative proposals for Brexit , such as attempting to get approval for and hold a second referendum .
The UK will now have to participate in European parliamentary elections May 23 through 26 , which is as big a signal as any that Britain remains squarely within the EU . This costs money and requires UK parties to field candidates for these positions .
The EU is also likely nervous that candidates who are skeptical of the European Union and mad about Brexit will run for the UK seats — though there are some ( very ) early signs that Labour and other leftist candidates might have an edge .
May ’ s political future is also extremely uncertain . The prime minister has previously said that an extension longer than June 30 would be unacceptable . There ’ s still a chance she could get her current deal through Parliament and take the UK out earlier — but since this is the real world , the likelihood that objections to her deal and divisions within Parliament will suddenly evaporate seems close to impossible .
Pro-Brexit hardliners in her Conservative Party — who just saw Brexit slip from their grasp for a second time — are likely to object to the delay and intensify their calls that May resign . Conservatives are limited in their power to contest her , as she survived a leadership challenge in December , which protects her from another party rebellion for at least a year . May did promise to resign if Parliament passed her deal . And Parliament most definitely has not passed her deal .
This latest Brexit delay saves the continent from a catastrophic no-deal this week . But it hasn ’ t erased uncertainty or chaos altogether . And now that the UK expects to participate in the European parliamentary elections , there ’ s little on the schedule , at least practically , that stops a still-paralyzed UK from asking for another extension sometime this fall . | 0bARyOPE7KLMd1tJ | 0 | Brexit | 0.1 | Great Britain | 0 | World | 0 | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | HuffPost | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/31/supreme-court-birth-control-catholic_n_4526315.html | Supreme Court Halts Birth Control Mandate For Catholic Group | 2013-12-31 | Healthcare | HuffPost turns 20 this year, and our mission is clearer than ever: We won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. The next four years will reshape America as we know it, but we will never bow to political pressure.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how. Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how. You have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | b989fb05defc5a93 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | The Atlantic | https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/06/conspiracy-mainstream-media-trump-farage-journalism/612628/ | The Mainstream Media Won’t Tell You This | 2020-06-12 | media_bias | Photo Illustration by Adam Maida It is strange to watch the creation of a new culture-war meme in real time . Talking directly to the camera from a fishing trawler , Nigel Farage takes a concerned and somber tone . The pro-Brexit politician says he has uncovered a huge scandal—migrant boats traveling from France to England , escorted into British waters by the French navy . He is worried for those on board : Once in Britain , they risk becoming “ modern-day slave labor. ” Gesturing offscreen , Farage adds : “ You might as well have a big sign on the White Cliffs of Dover , over there , that says ‘ Anyone that comes to Britain illegally can stay ’ … We are being taken for a ride by everybody , including the French navy . ”
Farage is a well-known figure in Britain , thanks to his leadership of the U.K . Independence Party , and then his own Brexit Party . Since Brexit was secured , he has reinvented himself as the closest thing Britain has to a Rush Limbaugh–style provocateur . His video has more than 250,000 views on YouTube , and has also been distributed to his 1.5 million Twitter followers and 974,000 Facebook followers . To put those figures in context , after years of decline and a precipitous drop caused by the coronavirus lockdown , no British newspaper now has a circulation as large as Farage ’ s Twitter following . Social media gives him the reach of a traditional media organization , but few of its obligations . If you want to understand the conspiracist turn in modern politics , then Farage ’ s video series , shot during the pandemic , is a good place to start . His reports on migrant boats coming to Britain are filed on his YouTube channel under “ Investigations ” and are designed to look like traditional investigative journalism . They even adopt the tropes of British television-news reporting—the sad , falling intonation ; the piece to camera ; the languorous establishing shots of the sea . Read : The prophecies of Q They are , however , better seen as a dare : Unless media outlets repeat and amplify whatever he says , they are “ sneering ” and corrupt . Farage ’ s videos tell a simple story , with a victim—Britain , which is “ being taken for a ride ” —and a villain : not the migrants themselves , which might trigger accusations of racism , but France , a country typically presented in British folk mythology as arrogant and lazy . ( Look at them with their short working weeks and their Gauloise-smoking intellectuals ! )
What makes the series uniquely suited to this political era is the dash of gasoline he adds by suggesting that he is the only person brave and heretical enough to expose this hidden injustice . Three minutes into the trawler video , he says : “ You do get the feeling this is a story that isn ’ t to be told . Well , you know what—today , we ’ re going to tell it. ” Related Stories Something in the Air
The Conspiracy Theories That Fueled the Civil War When journalism is hijacked by activists , a phrase like that is often invoked . To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson : The louder someone talks about how “ the mainstream media won ’ t cover this , ” the faster you need to count your spoons . Nothing is so flimsy , so overspun , or so poorly sourced that it can not be made to look like a scandal by conjuring the specter of a vast media conspiracy that ’ s repressing it . A story ’ s weakness becomes a strength : Other outlets ’ refusal to follow up on it can be depicted as sinister . Viewers are seduced by the promise of access to hidden knowledge , which will ensure that they alone know what ’ s really going on . The best-rated comments on Farage ’ s trawler video give an idea of how his claims are being received . “ This should be the lead story on the national news , ” one states . “ Anyone remember the BBC doing this with our money ? Nah me neither , ” another adds . Of course , the BBC has reported on the migrant boats—at least seven times in the past month . Far from being a story that “ isn ’ t to be told , ” a parliamentary committee recently heard evidence on the issue , with testimony from a former head of Britain ’ s Border Force . The right-wing Telegraph and Daily Mail have both covered the story , as has the left-wing Guardian . The mainstream media ’ s treatment of the story does , in fairness , differ from Farage ’ s , largely by putting the actions into context : The French navy has a duty under maritime law to help boats in distress , and many migrants threaten to jump into the water if the vessel is boarded . The navy is then left with no option but to shadow the boats . ( Also , although Channel crossings have risen , asylum applications in the U.K. have fallen since the start of the pandemic . )
None of this suits Farage ’ s simple , clean story of French treachery and immigrant invasion . The “ migrant boats ” are best thought of as what movie fans call a MacGuffin—a story element that drives the narrative , but whose actual nature is irrelevant , like Avatar ’ s unobtainium or the holy grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . Here , the broader narrative is about British sovereignty , border security , and the alleged threat of immigration from Muslim-majority countries . Farage ’ s videos show him literally chasing after a boat—a classic use of a MacGuffin—but he doesn ’ t interview the migrants on board , attempt to tell their stories or uncover their motivations , or find out what happens after the Border Force intercepts them . We could call this Potemkin journalism , after the villages consisting only of external facades designed to deceive outsiders . It looks like an investigation , but the conclusion is already determined , and any inconvenient facts are quickly airbrushed . And yet it gains gravitas and authority by copying the grammar of news reporting . It ’ s tempting to say Potemkin journalism can flourish because trust in the media is so low . But that is only partly right . Farage is using the form of television reporting precisely because we recognize it , and instinctively believe it . Behind the external facade , though , there is nothing solid . Yet the mirrored hall of social media reflects the facade , over and over , making the illusion more convincing .
Read : The paranoid style in American entertainment The political right saw the possibilities of appropriating journalistic forms to distribute content more than a decade ago . In 2009 , an American conservative activist , James O ’ Keefe , and a friend filmed undercover at offices of the community organization ACORN , posing as a sex worker and a pimp asking for advice on how to run their illegal business . The videos were misleadingly edited : For example , O ’ Keefe appeared in stereotypical “ pimp ” clothes in the introductions , but wore business clothes when filming . The “ investigation ” would never have been published by traditional news organizations—most of which have clear rules about the use of subterfuge to obtain information—but superficially , it was damning enough to get ACORN shut down . ( A report by the California attorney general , Edmund G. Brown , into the affected ACORN branches in its jurisdiction found that one receptionist “ knew it to be a prank and made outrageous and false statements ” and that O ’ Keefe and his associate “ lied to engender compassion , but then edited their statements from the released videos. ” He concluded that ACORN staff had acted inappropriately , but had not committed prosecutable crimes , adding : “ Things are not always as partisan zealots portray them through highly selective editing of reality . Sometimes a fuller truth is found on the cutting room floor. ” ) Organizations such as O ’ Keefe ’ s Project Veritas continue to use undercover filming today .
In Britain , this style has been adopted by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon , also known as Tommy Robinson , a member of the British far right who framed his activism as a quest to uncover the hidden scandal of “ Asian sex gangs. ” In 2019 , he was jailed for contempt of court after he live-streamed footage on Facebook of defendants in a child-grooming trial . Under English law , the case was subject to reporting restrictions , designed to prevent prejudicing juries in future linked trials . A court ruling later revealed that one of the defendants tried to appeal his conviction by citing Yaxley-Lennon ’ s actions . The activist nearly collapsed the trial , yet his conviction encouraged supporters to present him as “ persecuted. ” Farage ’ s story has also been boosted by claims of martyrdom : After he made his first 100-mile round trip to film a video on migrant crossings in April , the police visited him at home to remind him of lockdown restrictions , which at that point forbade nonessential journeys . Farage claimed that he was a key worker : a journalist covering the pandemic . No further action was taken , and he was neither fined nor arrested . In moments like that , or when he ’ s hosting his radio show or writing for The Telegraph , Farage is a journalist . When he ’ s attacking the “ mainstream media , ” he is not . The story he is reporting also exists simultaneously in two opposing states : One minute it is totally ignored ; the next he is boasting about the “ millions of people ” who have viewed his work . All the power , none of the responsibility . ( On June 11 , his radio show was taken off air “ with immediate effect. ” The broadcaster , LBC , did not explain its decision beyond saying his contract had come to an end . )
Potemkin journalism has more in common with conspiracy theories than with traditional news reporting . It offers sweeping , totalizing narratives , without the complications and caveats that make many genuine investigations a chore to read . ( Look at The New York Times ’ initial reporting on sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein and see how focused and specific the allegations are , and how much space is allocated to rebuttal . Journalists can report only what they can prove to be true—and what they are confident they can demonstrate in court . ) As for MacGuffins , Barack Obama ’ s long-form birth certificate is another example . For several months in his first term , American conservatives demanded to see it , claiming that it was being withheld to cover up the fact that Obama had been born in Kenya and thus was ineligible for the presidency . In 2011 , the White House gave in and published the certificate , which confirmed Obama ’ s birth in Hawaii , hoping to end the suggestions that his government lacked legitimacy . Instead , the conversation moved on to the next “ scandal. ” Adam Serwer : Birtherism of a nation This conspiracy theory , “ birtherism , ” galvanized Donald Trump ’ s run for the White House , so it should be no surprise that he has embraced Potemkin journalism . “ A lot of interest in this story about Psycho Joe Scarborough , ” he tweeted on May 24 about the congressman turned TV host . “ So a young marathon runner just happened to faint in his office , hit her head on his desk , & die ? I would think there is a lot more to this story than that ? An affair ? What about the so-called investigator ? Read story ! ” The link provided was to a site called True Pundit , which has a well-known modus operandi , perfected during the 2016 U.S. election : running baseless stories and then asking leading questions such as : “ MSM Quiet on This One—Wonder Why ? ” ( The pejorative use of MSM for “ mainstream media ” is another tell for activism posing as journalism . )
The husband of that “ young marathon runner ” begged Twitter to remove Trump ’ s tweet . Timothy Klausutis reiterated the facts : His wife , Lori , had an “ undiagnosed heart condition , fell and hit her head on her desk at work. ” However , just like the family of the Democratic staffer Seth Rich and the parents of children murdered at Sandy Hook , Klausutis was faced with an impossible task . There is no standard of evidence that Trump , or his outriders , would accept to prove that Lori Klausutis died of natural causes . Trump is not interested in the answer , anyway ; his tweets quickly moved on . The story was another MacGuffin . The “ just asking questions ” style of fake investigative journalism is designed to be undebunkable . It is the logic of psychosis : Any attempt to deny the existence of a conspiracy means that you must be in on it too . One of Trump ’ s innovations in the genre of Potemkin journalism is to gamify it on a large scale . Those questions act as prompts—encouraging onlookers to join the hunt for the missing piece of the puzzle . Forums pore over “ evidence ” that contradicts the “ official story. ” Rather than being passive recipients of news doled out by elite gatekeepers , audiences can adopt the more flattering role of participants in a treasure hunt . For those caught up in such MacGuffin quests , the toll is high . The gamification of the Sandy Hook conspiracy theories led to one grieving father going into hiding , after his personal details were repeatedly distributed by a “ truther . ” | cTIgJJ9qZ75aosty | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.9 | Conspiracy Theories | -0.7 | Polarization | -0.7 | Media Bias | 0.3 | Journalism | -0.2 |
world | CBS News (Online) | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-conflict-years-mark-milley-house-armed-services-committee/ | Top U.S. military officer expects Ukraine conflict to be "measured in years" | 2022-04-06 | World, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine War, Mark Milley, Sanctions, Defense And Security | Watch CBS News By Eleanor Watson April 5, 2022 / 4:46 PM EDT / CBS News The highest ranking military officer in the U.S. said Tuesday that he expects the conflict in Ukraine to last years. "I do think this is a very protracted conflict, and I think it's measured in years. I don't know about decade, but at least years for sure," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday during testimony on the defense budget. "This is a very extended conflict that Russia has initiated and I think that NATO, the United States, Ukraine and all of the allies and partners supporting Ukraine will be involved in this for quite some time," Milley said. Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin appeared before the committee for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February and as Russia is refocusing on eastern Ukraine. The Pentagon has seen about two-thirds of the less than 20 Russian battalion tactical groups that were arrayed against Kyiv repostion north toward Belarus, according to a U.S. senior defense official.The assessment is Russia will refit, resupply, and potentially reinforce them with additional manpower before sending the units back into Ukraine, likely in the Donbas region. Ukraine has been fighting Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region since 2014. A senior defense official said last week that Russia's reprioritized focus in eastern Ukraine could mean the conflict takes more time instead of less because Ukrainian forces know the territory well, and they have a lot of forces there already who are fighting hard to defend the region. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a White House press briefing Monday that the next phase of the war in Ukraine "may very well be protracted" and if the Russians do achieve some success in the Donbas region, the forces could try to take other areas of Ukraine. To help Ukraine, the Biden administration is shipping weapons to Ukraine as quickly as possible and is working with partners who have equipment Ukraine wants that the U.S. doesn't have. Austin said Tuesday that the Pentagon continues to focus on assistance that the Ukrainians have used effectively like anti-aircraft and anti-armor weapons. He said the Pentagon is working to provide both Switchblade 300 and 600 drones to Ukraine quickly. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted questions about the U.S. force posture in Europe. Milley said Tuesday the posture of the U.S. is still being decided but because of the war in Ukraine, it's likely there will be an increased presence of U.S. troops in the region long term. "My advice would be to create permanent bases but don't permanently station, so you get the effect of permanence by rotational forces cycling through permanent bases," Milley said. The U.S. currently has around 100,000 stationed troops in Europe, the highest number since 2005. As for the coming weeks, the Pentagon has seen indications Russia is looking to reapply the forces that repositioned away from Kyiv to the Donbas region but has not seen any evidence yet that those units have started to move into the Donbas, according to a senior defense official. A recent British military intelligence update said many Russian units withdrawing from northern Ukraine are likely to require significant re-equipping and refurbishment before being available to redeploy for operations in eastern Ukraine. Milley and Austin are scheduled to testify in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Eleanor Watson is a CBS News multi-platform reporter and producer covering the Pentagon. © 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright ©2025 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. These cookies are essential for the proper functioning of our Services. Essential cookies cannot be switched off in our systems. You can set your device to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the Service will not work. Please make sure you click on the Save Settings button at the bottom or otherwise confirm your opt-out choice. If you are in California or Colorado and have enabled the Global Privacy Control signal, we will treat this as a request to opt-out of “sales,” “sharing” and “targeted advertising” for device information. For more information about how to use the Global Privacy Control signal, please see here. For instructions on how to stop receiving marketing emails from us, please see here. | 4c9318b050e9a7d8 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | The Hill | https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/public-global-health/497218-what-you-need-to-know-about-four-potential-covid-19-vaccines | What you need to know about four potential COVID-19 vaccines | 2020-05-12 | coronavirus | The coronavirus pandemic has set off an unprecedented global scramble for a vaccine .
There are more than 100 potential vaccine candidates , according to the World Health Organization , but only eight have entered the crucial clinical trials stage . Four are in the United States and Europe , with the rest in China .
“ I can never remember anything like this , ” Walter Orenstein , associate director of the vaccine center at Emory University in Atlanta , said of the number of vaccines being developed to tackle one disease . “ Hopefully , at least one and hopefully more than one will prove to be safe and effective . ”
None have yet gone through the full trials needed to show that they are safe and effective .
While a range of extraordinary measures — imposing stay-at-home orders , testing millions of people , wearing masks and social distancing — can help slow the spread of the virus , experts say the key to getting completely back to normal is having a safe and effective vaccine that ’ s widely available .
Some researchers involved in the process say that in a best-case scenario , the first doses of a vaccine could be ready in September or October — far faster than any vaccine has ever been developed . The process usually takes years .
President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump taps Brooke Rollins as acting domestic policy chief Trump takes pandemic fight to Michigan Trump to celebrate Memorial Day at Baltimore 's Fort McHenry MORE is projecting confidence on getting a vaccine quickly , saying it 's a top priority .
`` We think we 're going to have a vaccine by the end of this year , '' he said at a Fox News town hall last week . `` And we 're pushing very hard . ''
The U.S. vaccine efforts are more likely to be made available to Americans first .
New technologies are helping speed the process along at a rate much faster than the traditional method of giving someone a weakened version of the virus . For example , new technology uses RNA or DNA to code for a part of the virus to trigger an immune response that offers protection . But that technology has never been used on a wide scale for an approved vaccine , adding to the uncertainty .
And given the logistical challenges of mass production , some companies are already preparing to ramp up manufacturing for millions of doses , even before knowing whether their potential vaccine is effective .
Here ’ s a guide to the four U.S. and European vaccine efforts that have started clinical trials .
Some of the highest hopes , and the most ambitious timeline , come from researchers at Oxford University , who are now working alongside British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca .
`` The aim is to have at least a million doses by about September , once you know the vaccine efficacy results and then move even faster from there , '' Oxford professor Adrian Hill told the BBC last month .
The potential vaccine began testing in healthy volunteers in a Phase I clinical trial late last month at five sites in England . Data from that trial could be available this month , and later-stage trials could start by the middle of the year , AstraZeneca said on April 30 .
The potential vaccine has had success in preventing coronavirus in rhesus macaque monkeys during a test at a National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) lab in Montana , The New York Times reported last month . It works by using a weakened version of a different virus known as adenovirus , which causes infections in chimpanzees , to deliver genetic material of part of the coronavirus into the body . The body then would generate an immune response to the section of the coronavirus , providing protection .
The Massachusetts biotech company Moderna Inc. is partnering with Anthony Fauci Anthony FauciCelebs including Julia Roberts , Hugh Jackman let health experts take over their social media to talk COVID-19 Trying to protect everyone , we exposed the most vulnerable to the virus Moderna CEO says coronavirus vaccine could be ready by end of year MORE ’ s team at the NIH on another leading vaccine candidate .
Moderna announced Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has given the firm fast-track designation , a move designed to expedite the development of treatments for life-threatening diseases , such as COVID-19 .
Last week , the company said it would begin a Phase II study with 600 people “ shortly ” and plans to start a Phase III trial with thousands of people by “ early summer . ”
Stéphane Bancel , the company ’ s CEO , told CNBC that the process is progressing at an unexpectedly fast clip .
“ It has gone faster than my best-case scenario back in January , ” Bancel said . “ When we started this back on Jan. 11 , partnering with the team of Dr. Tony Fauci , we were hoping to get in the clinic in the summer . ”
Instead , Phase I clinical trials started on March 16 , and Phase II trials are about to begin .
He said his employees have been “ working long days , working seven days a week since January , ” and collaborating closely with the NIH and FDA .
Through a partnership with the Swiss biotech company Lonza , manufacturing of the vaccine could start as early as July , Bancel said , even before trials are complete .
Still , he acknowledged that vaccine candidates worldwide “ will all be supply constrained for quite some time , meaning we won ’ t be able to make as many products as will be required to vaccinate everybody on the planet. ” He anticipates working with governments to decide how to allocate the first doses , for example to health care workers and first responders .
This potential vaccine works differently than the Oxford one . It uses messenger RNA ( mRNA ) to deliver the genetic code for part of the coronavirus , which then provokes a response from the body ’ s immune system , offering protection .
Pfizer and the German company BioNTech are also working together on a potential vaccine using mRNA .
They are testing four potential vaccines at once , using different formats of mRNA to see which one works best .
The companies last week announced they had begun a Phase I trial with up to 360 people at sites including New York University and the University of Maryland .
Mikael Dolsten , Pfizer ’ s chief scientific officer , told CNBC that the company expects to produce “ millions of doses ” by October , with plans for “ tens of millions ” later this year and “ hundreds of millions ” in 2021 .
Pfizer , a drug manufacturing powerhouse , said it has selected its facilities in Massachusetts , Michigan and Missouri , along with one in Belgium , to be the initial manufacturing centers for the vaccine .
The biotech company Inovio is working on a potential vaccine that uses DNA rather than RNA to code part of the coronavirus and produce an immune response .
The company says its DNA vaccines can be produced faster and stored more easily , in addition to being safer than other types . This vaccine would require an added step of a hand-held device to deliver an electrical pulse that helps the vaccine enter human cells .
Inovio announced at the end of April that it had enrolled 40 people in its Phase I study at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinic in Kansas City . Interim results are expected by June and further stages of trials could start this summer , the company said .
“ If we are on track , this could be as early as by the end of this year or early next year , ” Inovio CEO J. Joseph Kim told ███ when asked when the first doses of vaccine could be ready for the public .
He said it is “ quite a challenge ” to be able to scale up manufacturing a “ thousandfold ” to produce hundreds of millions of doses and that more funding from the federal government would help .
“ More funding and resources will help us scale up to a larger manufacturing scale , ” he said .
Kim acknowledged the skepticism about his company , namely that it has never had a product approved by the FDA .
But the company has shown promising results in other areas like the MERS virus and cervical cancer , Kim argued .
Ultimately , the results of the COVID-19 trials will have to show the coronavirus vaccine is effective .
“ I think proof should be in the pudding , ” he said . | grK8JGGokKFUowPK | 1 | Coronavirus Vaccine | 0.6 | Coronavirus | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/politics/donald-trump-georgia-coronavirus-economy/index.html | Georgia's reopening is a high-stakes public health bet -- and will likely please Trump | 2020-04-21 | Reopening Business, Georgia, Coronavirus | ( CNN ) Georgia 's fervently pro-Trump governor 's early breakout from a coronavirus shutdown is stirring fears of a deadly new wave of infections and warnings that he is derelict in his duty and acting on political motives .
The move , which is even more aggressive than President Donald Trump 's optimistic call for a May 1 reopening , came after a week in which total US pandemic deaths doubled to more than 42,000 . There is also no genuine sign that the Peach State 's duel with the virus is anywhere near over . Kemp acted as fellow southern states South Carolina and Tennessee also announced plans to ease some social distancing measures .
The reopening decision is not just a huge risk for Kemp but the most aggressive leap by a US political leader to the reopening side of the conundrum that balances vicious job losses against shutdowns meant to suppress the virus as quickly as possible .
It 's a wager with the health and ultimately the lives of many Georgia citizens and potentially the frontline medical workers who will treat newly infected patients that Kemp admitted will catch the disease .
It also appears to flout the logic of epidemiology and warnings by the top government infectious diseases specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci , who was absent from the White House briefing Monday , that `` there is still a long way to go '' in battling the pandemic .
There is so far no vaccine or proven therapy for coronavirus , which can cause serious and fatal respiratory collapses in some patients , especially those who are elderly or have comprised immune systems . That 's why aggressive social distancing is the only way to check the pathogen 's spread .
Kemp 's berth on the Trump train and the President 's repeated agitating for the national economy to open quickly raises questions about whether Georgia 's move is politically motivated .
It raises the prospect that Trump 's hoped-for `` beautiful puzzle '' of state-by-state economic reopening could proceed on partisan rather than public health grounds .
Some states such as New York , Massachusetts and Michigan , which have Democratic governors , are currently approaching or just past peak infections . But there is no guarantee that more rural , Republican states will not become hotspots in future . And Kemp 's move will also begin to fracture the remarkable national respect for social distancing that has alleviated some fears of ventilator shortages and dangerously overcrowded hospitals .
Kemp laid his bet amid a cacophony of calls by opinion hosts on Fox News and other networks for a reopening of the economy that is vital to Trump 's hopes of winning a second term .
Meanwhile , Trump has been offering encouragement to conservative activists who staged a series of protests across the country against stay-at-home requirements that they say infringe on basic American freedoms . State governors are beginning to worry that the protests could act as petri dishes for the virus to widen its spread .
Kemp 's decision also appears to fly in the face of evidence from foreign states and territories such as Singapore and Hong Kong , and the city of Harbin in China , which saw coronavirus infections quickly erupt after social distancing restrictions were lifted or when residents returned from abroad .
Yet if Georgia manages to stave off a disaster , the state could become a blueprint for other areas that choose to live with a certain level of infections -- and by extension , deaths -- in order to alleviate the devastating toll on the economy that has shed more than 20 million jobs in a month .
If Kemp is forced to reintroduce social distancing measures though , his failure could deal a devastating blow to national reopening hopes and the desire of every American who is confined to their homes to a way out of lockdown misery .
`` I think this is the right approach at the right time . It 's not just throwing the keys back to these business owners , '' Kemp said , but admitted his move could cause more infections .
`` We 're probably going to have to see our cases continue to go up , but we 're a lot better prepared for that now than we were over a month ago , '' he said , claiming Georgia had sufficient hospital beds , testing and knowledge to control the virus .
But Van Johnson , Savannah 's Democratic mayor , told CNN 's Erin Burnett that the decision `` blows our minds . ''
`` I am beyond disturbed . In my mind , it 's reckless . Our reality here in Savannah is our numbers are still going up , '' Johnson said .
Stacey Abrams , who lost to Kemp in a controversial 2018 gubernatorial election and is a possible Democratic vice presidential pick , slammed the reopening as `` dangerously incompetent '' on Twitter .
Former George W. Bush administration adviser and renowned cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Reiner warned that Kemp 's decision was `` a dereliction of duty ... this crisis has not abated in that state . ''
Reiner said that the positivity rate of those tested in Georgia was an `` enormous 23 % . '' In Germany , which has had a widespread testing program and began a cautious reopening of small shops and business Monday , the positivity rate of a higher per capital testing level is 7 % .
`` In Georgia , the virus is still very , very active and this behavior is frankly reckless , '' he said on CNN .
Dr. Deborah Birx , who appeared beside Trump at the White House , declined to criticize Kemp directly , adding that each governor needed to assess their state 's readiness .
`` We have asked every governor to follow the guidelines , '' Birx said .
In its rather vague guidelines , the White House plan calls for a downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period before incremental opening can begin .
But Georgia has not had a sustained downward trend over the last two weeks .
There were more than 5,700 new coronavirus cases last week . The number was 6 % down on the week that ended April 12 , when 6,000 cases were added , but it 's still higher than the week that ended April 5 , when fewer than 3,800 new cases were reported , according to figures collected by Johns Hopkins University and CNN .
Experts also say that the state 's comparatively low testing rate means there may be many cases that are not detected .
Momentum toward reopening was swelled by South Carolina , which opened some stores at limited capacity on Monday . Tennessee , which has had 152 confirmed deaths and 7,238 cases , announced that the vast majority of businesses would open on May 1 . The city of Jacksonville , Florida , reopened beaches .
An upbeat Trump on Monday dismissed claims from multiple governors that the rate of testing in the United States is insufficient to permit even lesser-hit states to begin easing restrictions .
Vice President Mike Pence told governors on a call on Monday about multiple sites and laboratories in their states that could conduct testing that the White House suggested the local authorities had not identified .
Medical professionals and governors say that there still is not sufficient testing even to diagnose people exhibiting symptoms of the illness . Some areas have testing kits but not the swabs or reagents needed to diagnose patients .
One governor , Republican Larry Hogan of Maryland , resorted to doing a deal with South Korea , brokered by his wife who is a native of the East Asian country , to bring in half a million testing kits .
Trump lashed out at Hogan , claiming there were already sufficient testing sites in his state .
`` I do n't think he needed to go to South Korea . I think he needed to get a little knowledge -- would 've been helpful , '' Trump said .
The White House has consistently predicted that testing is about to reach world-beating levels . But only just over 4 million tests have been conducted since early March . Public health experts and think tanks say there may be a need for millions of tests a day to permit the economy to be opened and new virus infections to be detected , traced to their source and for all the potential patients exposed to be isolated .
The President dismissed the idea that mass testing was necessary without giving any scientific or epidemiological justification .
`` Not everybody believes we should do so much testing , '' Trump said . The President also recommitted himself to a prediction based on adjusted models used by the White House that the total number of US deaths could number around 60,000 through August .
Given the fast rising crest of fatalities , that figure now seems far too optimistic . | 04a55ca395778463 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
free_speech | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/20/is-obama-trying-to-kill-free-press/ | Is Obama trying to kill a free press? | 2014-02-20 | free_speech | The FCC is launching a new study , taking upon itself the task of deciding what news the public “ needs ” to hear , versus the news the public wants to hear . The agency will conduct a “ General Population Survey ” that will “ measure community members ’ actual and perceived critical information needs . ”
Got that ? What you think ( perceive ) you need to know is different from what the government says you need to know .
Next , the FCC will send monitors to newsrooms across the country who will ask questions regarding the “ philosophy ” of the newsroom , inquire about possible conflicts between reporters and their bosses , and even determine how much influence each individual has in deciding what to report .
Does that kind of government inquiry sound familiar ? Are we not less than a year removed from an IRS apology for inquiring about the internal workings of conservative groups ?
Last week , FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai , who believes the government has no role in how a certain story is covered , disclosed in a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed the existence of the new FCC plan that will ostensibly “ study ” how media organizations report the news .
Last May the FCC proposed an initiative to thrust the federal government into newsrooms across the country . With its `` Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs , '' or CIN , the agency plans to send researchers to grill reporters , editors and station owners about how they decide which stories to run . A field test in Columbia , S.C. , is scheduled to begin this spring .
The purpose of the CIN , according to the FCC , is to ferret out information from television and radio broadcasters about `` the process by which stories are selected '' and how often stations cover `` critical information needs , '' along with `` perceived station bias '' and `` perceived responsiveness to underserved populations . ''
The news was jarring , so I downloaded the FCC ’ s “ Research Design ” and read it for myself .
What I found was even more disturbing than what Mr. Pai reports .
If radio and television stations resist coughing up confidential employee data ( including demographic information ) to aid the FCC monitors , the study also ( on pages 10 and 11 ) provides helpful “ strategies ” for obtaining information -- even when employers and their Human Resources departments refuse to cooperate .
How reassuring that the federal government is devising new ways to violate the privacy of reporters , editors and their employers – all to make sure news outlets are providing Americans with the news the Obama administration says they “ need . ”
The roadmap to censorship is clear . Expect this study to show that some news organizations are failing to cover the “ right ” stories – thus failing to give the people what they “ need . ”
Then , the FCC – which owns the airwaves – will propose to swoop in and fix the “ market failure ” by making sure that Americans learn what they “ need ” to learn – regardless of their own preferences .
And what does the FCC prioritize ? If its list is any indication , it prioritizes the “ environment ” far above the “ weather , ” while war news barely makes the list .
So I suppose when storms are brewing it ’ s more important that I learn about carbon credits than where a tornado might touch down ? And just don ’ t you worry about what ’ s happening in our war against jihadists .
Given the Obama administration ’ s consistent and publicly-expressed loathing for ███ , expect to see the news lineup the Obama administration says America needs to look a lot more like MSNBC ’ s nonstop coverage of climate change and “ bridgegate ” than Fox ’ s rightful focus on lost American lives in Benghazi .
From its inception , the Obama administration has proven that it ’ s not only intolerant of critics , but that it will use the full power of an increasingly partisan bureaucracy to intimidate Americans and rein in dissent . The administration turned the IRS on the Tea Party , it unleashed the Department of Justice on wayward reporters , and now the FCC is preparing to snoop into America ’ s television and radio studios .
In an era of divided government , it ’ s sometimes difficult to stop Obama administration excess , but this call to action should be easy : Under no circumstances should the House of Representatives allocate even a single dime of taxpayer money to authorize or empower government monitors in any newsroom in America . | bbSaYUBD1S0EVxRd | 2 | Free Speech | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
north_korea | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-southkorea-northkorea/u-s-s-mattis-diplomacy-should-impose-reason-on-north-koreas-kim-idUSKBN1FG01Q | U.S.'s Mattis: Diplomacy should impose reason on North Korea's Kim | 2018-01-27 | North Korea, James Mattis, World | U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND HEADQUARTERS , Hawaii ( ███ ) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stressed diplomacy as the way to deal with the North Korean crisis on Friday during talks with his South Korean counterpart in Hawaii , a day after Seoul ’ s top diplomat said a military solution would be unacceptable .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gives field guidance at the Pyongyang Pharmaceutical Factory , in this undated photo released by North Korea 's Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) in Pyongyang January 25 , 2018 . KCNA / via ███
“ Diplomacy should ( impose ) reason on Kim ’ s reckless rhetoric and dangerous provocations , ” Mattis said , referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .
He added that the response to the threat remained “ diplomacy led , backed up with military options available to ensure that our diplomats are understood to be speaking from a position of strength . ”
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has said all options are on the table when it comes to North Korea ’ s pursuit of a nuclear-tipped missile capable of striking the United States .
But Mattis has consistently stressed non-military actions , including international sanctions . He renewed that message as he met South Korean Minister of Defense Song Young-moo at the U.S. Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii .
Song said he expected to discuss North Korea with Mattis , but noted firm coordination between the two militaries .
“ We both understand each other well and that as an alliance , we always go together , ” he said , speaking through a translator .
The exchange came a day after South Korea ’ s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said the standoff over North Korea ’ s nuclear program must be resolved diplomatically , and added that she was certain Washington would consult her government first if a military option were to be considered .
She declined to comment if Washington had given Seoul clear assurance but added : “ This is our fate that is at stake . Any option that is to be taken on the Korean Peninsula , can not be implemented without us going along . ”
After their first formal talks in more than two years this month , officials from the two Koreas have been visiting each other to facilitate the North ’ s participation in the Olympics , to be held in the South ’ s alpine resort town of Pyeongchang .
North Korea has waged a publicity campaign around its attendance , calling on Thursday for “ all Koreans at home and abroad ” to promote inter-Korean cooperation .
Kim ’ s regime has also set a new anniversary to mark the formation of its military on Feb. 8 - the day before the start of the Games . Analysts say the nation may observe the day with a large military parade .
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence , who will represent the United States at the Olympics , said on Tuesday he would seek to counter what he described as an effort by North Korea to “ hijack ” the Games with a propaganda campaign . | db3aee92d163c37b | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2013/04/17/senate-to-start-votes-on-gun-bill-n1570246 | Senate to Start Votes on Gun Bill | 2013-04-17 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | The Senate will take up a series of gun votes today , including the Manchin/Toomey proposal for extending background checks . As of Tuesday evening , however , gun-control advocates weren ’ t even sure they ’ d have enough votes to pass expanded background checks . One Democratic aide told The Hill , “ We don ’ t know if we have 60 votes , but we don ’ t know that we don ’ t have 60…it will be very close . ”
The majority doesn ’ t have the votes to pass their own amendment , so we ’ re not voting , ” said Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa , the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee . “ If we turn to assault weapons or magazines , then it ’ s clear to all that the majority knows the votes aren ’ t going to be there. ” The Senate last week agreed to bring the gun bill to the chamber floor , with many Republicans supportive of that move . Since then , however , the bill has stalled and lawmakers have not voted on any amendments . Earlier in the day , Democrats got a boost from the presence of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords , Arizona Democrat , who was gravely wounded when a gunman opened fire at an outdoor town hall she was holding in Tucson in 2011 . Democrats also heard an emotional plea for action from Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia , a co-sponsor of the background check compromise , as well as Sens . Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy of Connecticut and Tim Kaine of Virginia , who was governor of the state at the time of the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 . The underlying bill has language on background checks that the compromise is supposed to replace .
For this reason , some pro-gun groups , such as the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms , are * supportive of the Manchin/Toomey bill :
These advances for gun rights can not be made unless we win the Senate vote to substitute the Manchin-Toomey language for Schumer ’ s invasive , terrible and overreaching background check that is in the current version of the bill . If you read the proposed substitute bill , you can see the numerous advances for our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms that it contains : interstate sales of handguns , veteran gun rights restoration , travel with firearms protection , civil and criminal immunity lawsuit protection if you sell a gun plus more . It also exempts the sale or transfer of firearms between family members and friends as well as sales outside a commercial venue from a background check . If you have any kind of current state permit to own , use or carry no additional background check is done .
The NRA is not supportive of the proposal , however . And so far , only four of the 16 GOP senators that voted to bring the bill to the floor have expressed support or are leaning towards voting yes on the background check proposal : Sens . Toomey , Mark Kirk , Susan Collins and John McCain—though he ’ s not a definite yes .
Republican amendments could also make the background check bill all the more difficult to pass :
Mr. Grassley , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and other co-sponsors plan to unveil their substitute amendment Wednesday morning that makes changes to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System , provides resources to help address mental health and school safety , protects veterans from false health determinations , and addresses gun trafficking and straw purchasing .
In addition to expanded background checks , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled votes on at least eight other amendments , including bans on “ assault weapons ” and high-capacity magazines .
Update : Manchin says they will not get the votes today .
* CCRKBA has withdrawn its support : `` The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms has withdrawn its support for the Manchin-Toomey alternative background check measure because a key amendment for restoration of firearms rights is not being considered . '' | T06FLQtve1COZVYW | 2 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/6368f572177f6c546a7b709aa2ad205f | Questions over Kim’s health highlight intelligence limits | 2020-04-27 | Foreign Policy, World, North Korea | FILE - In this undated file photo provided by the North Korean government on April 12 , 2020 , North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects an air defense unit in western area , North Korea . Kim 's prolonged public absence has led to rumors of ill health and worries about how it could influence the future of what one analyst calls Northeast Asia 's `` Achilles ' heel , '' a reference to the North 's belligerence and unpredictable nature . Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads : `` KCNA '' which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency . ( Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP , File )
FILE - In this undated file photo provided by the North Korean government on April 12 , 2020 , North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects an air defense unit in western area , North Korea . Kim 's prolonged public absence has led to rumors of ill health and worries about how it could influence the future of what one analyst calls Northeast Asia 's `` Achilles ' heel , '' a reference to the North 's belligerence and unpredictable nature . Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads : `` KCNA '' which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency . ( Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP , File )
SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ’ s prolonged public absence has led to rumors of ill health and worries about how it could influence the future of what one analyst calls Northeast Asia ’ s “ Achilles ’ heel , ” a reference to the North ’ s belligerence and unpredictable nature .
But there ’ s a basic question debated by the media and government intelligence services : Are the rumors even true ?
The exact state of Kim ’ s health matters because it could determine the stability of the dynastic government in Pyongyang and the security of nuclear weapons that the nation has repeatedly threatened to use on its neighbors and the United States .
It ’ s a problem that outside nations have faced for decades . Gathering intelligence on perhaps the world ’ s most secretive , suspicious and difficult-to-read country is incredibly difficult . And there ’ s probably nothing North Korea guards more closely than information on Kim ’ s health , which is only likely shared among a small portion of the elite , including his powerful sister , Kim Yo Jong .
At the heart of the intelligence shortcomings about North Korea is its extremely closed nature . But there is also plenty of blame leveled in South Korea at efforts there .
Supporters of South Korea ’ s liberal government , which remains eager for inter-Korean engagement , lament the previous decade of conservative rule , when exchanges between diplomats , government and business leaders , aid groups and others stopped under hard-line policies toward North Korea ’ s nuclear ambitions . This , they say , deprived spies of high-quality information sources .
Conservatives , meanwhile , blame liberals for supposedly downsizing espionage operations while pursuing inter-Korean rapprochement . They say such networks have been difficult to rebuild .
South Korea ’ s government has repeatedly played down unconfirmed media reports that Kim is in fragile health following heart surgery , saying it has detected no unusual activity in North Korea or any emergency preparation by its ruling Workers ’ Party , military and Cabinet . Without specifying its sources , South Korea ’ s presidential office said it believes Kim is handling state affairs normally at an unspecified site outside the capital , Pyongyang .
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that he has a “ very good idea ” about Kim ’ s health but couldn ’ t talk about it and wished him well .
“ I do know how he ’ s doing , relatively speaking , ” Trump said at the White House . “ You ’ ll probably be hearing in the not-too-distant future . ”
Some experts say South Korea , as well as its regional neighbors and ally Washington , must begin preparing for high-level instability that could come if Kim is sidelined by health problems or even dies . That could include North Korean refugees flooding South Korea or China or military hard-liners letting loose nuclear weapons .
Planning for those are worst-case scenarios is crucial because nobody knows for sure what ’ s happening , said Nam Sung-wook , a North Korea expert at Seoul ’ s Korea University who termed the situation the “ Achilles ’ heel of international politics in Northeast Asia . ”
“ He could very well be OK and reappear in North Korean state media again , but considering his weight and worsening shape , the risks linked to his health will sharply increase as he gets older , ” said Nam , a former director of a think tank affiliated with South Korea ’ s main spy agency .
Kim is overweight , reportedly smokes heavily and has other health problems .
Questions about Kim ’ s health have been raised since he missed the birthday celebration of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15 , the country ’ s most important holiday .
Kim , who is in his mid-30s , was last seen in public on April 11 , when he presided over a meeting discussing coronavirus prevention and electing his sister as an alternate member of the political bureau of the ruling Workers ’ Party . State media have since reported that he sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad , Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa .
On Monday , the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Kim sent a message of gratitude to workers building tourist facilities in the coastal town of Wonsan , which is where some speculate he is staying . No photos of him were published .
South Korean intelligence and North Korean state media reports suggest that Kim could have suffered some sort of medical setback but likely not a life-threatening one , said Du Hyeogn Cha , a senior researcher at Seoul ’ s Asan Institute for Policy Studies .
The root problem may be the shaky nature of South Korean intelligence .
“ Even after decades of work , South Korea has yet to build a reliable intelligence network to gather information on the North , ” said Cha , an ex-intelligence secretary to former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak . “ It ’ s clear our government has some level of information on the North , but not enough to make a confident statement about where he is and whether he ’ s fully healthy . ”
Finding out is important because incapacity at the top could lead to bogged-down decision-making that could boost the hard-liners who emerged following the collapse of Kim ’ s second summit with Trump in February last year . The Americans at that summit rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of the North ’ s nuclear capabilities .
The National Intelligence Service , Seoul ’ s spy agency , has said it can ’ t confirm whether Kim had surgery . If Kim emerges well in state media , he would join past North Korean officials who were incorrectly reported incapacitated by outside media .
“ Kim Il Sung shot dead ” remains perhaps the most famous newspaper headline in South Korean history . The 1986 Chosun Ilbo story was initially backed by a South Korean military statement that North Korea had announced the demise of its founder over loudspeakers at the mine-strewn border between the rival nations . But hours later , Kim Il Sung appeared at Pyongyang ’ s airport to greet a Mongolian delegation .
Another big problem is that for decades South Korea didn ’ t have a strong grip on the location and health of North Korea ’ s top leadership , according to Cheon Seong Whun , a presidential secretary during the South ’ s previous conservative government .
“ Anybody who says they know something for certain is just writing a novel , ” Cheon said . | 4fc8083032400101 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
great_britain | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47620235 | Brexit: New vote not ruled out despite Bercow decision | 2019-03-19 | Brexit, Great Britain, World | The government says it will try to get Theresa May 's Brexit deal through the Commons , despite Speaker John Bercow throwing the process into doubt .
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay suggested a vote could take place next week - after Mrs May has sought a delay to Brexit from the EU .
Mr Bercow has ruled that the PM can not bring her deal back for a third vote without `` substantial '' changes .
The UK is due to leave the EU in 10 days with or without a deal .
The prime minister had hoped to have another try at getting MPs to back the withdrawal deal she has agreed with the EU this week - but Speaker Bercow effectively torpedoed that with his surprise intervention on Monday .
Stephen Barclay told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme the Commons Speaker had made a `` serious ruling '' and ministers were giving it `` serious consideration '' .
He said it was important to `` respect the referee '' and abide by his decisions - but , he added , Mr Bercow himself had said , in the past , that if Parliament was guided only by precedent then `` nothing ever would change '' .
Mr Bercow cited a ruling from 1604 to justify his decision to block a third vote , after the PM 's deal was rejected for a second time last week , by 149 votes .
Mr Barclay suggested that MPs would `` find a way '' to get another vote , if the government manages to persuade enough of them , including the 10 Democratic Unionists , to change their mind and back the deal .
He suggested it would also depend on Theresa May getting `` clarity '' from the EU on the `` terms of an extension '' to Brexit .
He accepted that there would now have to be a `` short extension '' to the Article 50 withdrawal process if the deal gets through Parliament , to get the necessary legislation through .
Mrs May is writing to European Council President Donald Tusk to ask for an extension .
The PM has warned Brexiteer Tories that a long extension may be needed if they do not back her deal but Downing Street said it would not reveal what the PM has asked for at this stage .
There would , however , need to be a vote in both Houses of Parliament to change the 29 March departure date , which is written into law , the PM 's spokesman said .
Mr Bercow refused to discuss his decision when quizzed by the BBC , as he made his way to Parliament earlier .
Government ministers and MPs have been floating different ideas on how to get a vote on the prime minister 's deal , in light of the Speaker 's ruling .
Children and Families ' minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Newsnight that one of the options was for MPs to vote on whether to ignore the 400-year-old convention that Mr Bercow had cited in making his ruling .
Mr Zahawi , who is a Brexiteer , was asked whether the government was going to bypass Mr Bercow 's ruling . He said : `` Let 's see , we have to look at all our options . ''
Solicitor General Robert Buckland said a vote to overrule the Speaker was the most likely way forward .
He told BBC Radio Wiltshire that if enough MPs show they want another vote on the Brexit deal , it can return to Parliament despite the current block .
He said this would be a more practical solution than asking the Queen to formally close and reopen Parliament , which some have suggested would get round the rule that MPs can not be repeatedly asked to vote on the same question in a Parliamentary session .
Nikki da Costa , former director of legal affairs at Downing Street , told the Today programme : `` I think the PM and the government can still have a third meaningful vote ... but it will be extraordinarily difficult to have a fourth meaningful vote so I think MPs really have to think very carefully if that vote does come back . ''
There is also a question mark over whether any agreement reached by Theresa May in Brussels on extending Brexit would overrule a vote by MPs , as it would have force under international law .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would struggle until the last possible moment to achieve an orderly Brexit , saying the interests of Germany , Britain and the EU were at stake .
`` I will fight to the last hour of the deadline on 29 March for an orderly exit , '' she told a press conference in Berlin . `` We do n't have a lot of time for it but still have a few days . ''
EU ministers are , meanwhile , meeting in Brussels to prepare for this week 's summit .
Germany 's Europe minister , Michael Roth , said : `` Our patience is really being put to the test at the moment and I can only ask our partners in London to finally make a concrete proposal why they are seeking an extension . ''
France 's Europe minister , Nathalie Loiseau , said : `` 'Grant an extension , what for ? ' is always the question . Time is not a solution ... we need a decision from London . ''
European Commission chief Jean Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk , who is holding talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin . are due to hold press conferences later .
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to meet the leaders of the SNP , Liberal Democrats , Plaid Cymru and Green Party for talks on Brexit .
The SNP 's Westminster leader Ian Blackford , Lib Dem leader Vince Cable , Plaid Cymru 's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas have all released a joint statement calling for another referendum .
`` The best and most democratic way forward is to put the decision back to the people in a new vote - with the option to Remain on the ballot paper , '' they said .
Mr Corbyn will also meet members of the group of MPs calling for a so-called Norway Plus style of future relationship with the EU . | 50c1504b3b2256c3 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Fox News Digital | https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/576000-americans-file-first-time-jobless-claims | Unemployment claims fall to coronavirus pandemic low of 576,000 | 2021-04-15 | Economy And Jobs, Jobless Claims, Unemployment Benefits | Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, argues that President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan will 'increase prices' and 'decrease jobs.' The number of Americans filing first-time jobless claims last week fell to the lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Labor Department. Data released Thursday showed 576,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the week ended April 10, down from an upwardly revised 769,000 the week prior. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting 700,000 filings. "With a huge, better-than-expected decline in new claims for unemployment assistance, at long last the economic recovery appears to be picking up speed," said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com. Thursday's report highlights further improvement in the labor market after last month's nonfarm payroll report showed the U.S. economy added 918,000 jobs in March as the unemployment rate fell to 6%, the lowest since the pandemic began in March 2020. However, the report wasn't all good news. Continuing claims for the week ended April 3, meanwhile, ticked up to 3.731 million from 3.727 million the prior week. That number was above the 3.7 million that was expected. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Elsewhere on the economic data front, retail sales soared 9.8% month over month in March, exceeding the 5.9% increase that economists were anticipating. Excluding autos, retail sales rose 8.4% versus the 5% gain that was expected. The sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument and book stores category was a standout as sales spiked 24% month over month and 74% versus a year ago. Sales rose across all categories. Quotes displayed in real-time Get a brief on the top business stories of the week, plus CEO interviews, market updates, tech and money news that matters to you. We've added you to our mailing list. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. | 557cfeaa9d55c6e7 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
north_korea | Daily Kos | https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/8/29/1694221/-Donald-Trump-responds-to-North-Korean-missile-launch-by-stating-that-All-options-are-on-the-table | Donald Trump responds to North Korean missile launch by stating that 'All options are on the table' | 2017-08-29 | north_korea | North Korea is desperate to represent itself as a threat ; as being in possession of weapons that make it too dangerous to touch . Kim ’ s regime , which realizes that it ’ s universally hated , sees any thought that it might not be critically dangerous as a an existential threat . To that end , it can be expected to continue building up its missile program , turning its threat from potential to real .
However , North Korea also realizes that the use of its missiles would also be an existential threat : Fire one , and lose everything .
For years , the United States has tried to weigh the potential of North Korea now , versus the real threat that will exist later , looking for that moment when the math says “ attack now , because the future risk is too high. ” However , as even Steve Bannon admitted , no such moment has ever come up , or is likely to come . Because , no matter what else it has , North Korea has an extensive system of conventional weapons and heavily reinforced facilities that are designed to ensure that it gets off a devastating attack on the over 25 million civilians in South Korea that live within 40 miles of the DMZ . It would be nearly impossible , as things stand today , to make any attack on North Korea without knowing that it meant the death of thousands in the south . Possibly millions .
Which , naturally enough , means that South Korea is unlikely to support any effort to attack its belligerent neighbor . North Korea can continue to build better missiles , bigger bombs , and accumulate a stockpile—because that math won ’ t change . That understanding is at the base of North Korean policy , which is actually a lot more coherent that it may seem at a distance .
That puts the biggest threats concerning North Korea in two categories :
United States becomes convinced that North Korea is about to strike ( or that , somehow , the magic math is finally right ) and launches an initial attack described as “ a defensive move . ”
North Korea becomes so convinced that the United States is about to attack , that it launches its missiles first in a “ use it or lose it ” scenario .
The practical results of either scenario are pretty much indistinguishable : Many , many people die .
For Trump , saying that “ all options are on the table ” is pretty much a given . Just hope he doesn ’ t mean it . | dtgKFyq4NxgYGNud | 0 | North Korea | -1.4 | World | 0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/21/politics/candidates-foreign-policy/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Campaigning on foreign policy: World looks different from Oval Office | 2012-10-21 | Election 2012, Presidential Elections, Elections | Story highlights Candidates often struggle in office to live up to foreign policy promises
Romney has promised to help arm Syrian rebels , talked tough on Iran
Much of Obama 's foreign policy agenda from 2008 campaign has n't been realized
Presidential history is littered with unmet promises from the trail , experts say
Bill Clinton , while on the campaign trail in 1992 , attacked the George H.W . Bush administration for collaborating with `` the butchers of Beijing . '' If he won the White House , Clinton promised , he would put human rights first when dealing with the People 's Republic of China .
But six months after assuming the Oval Office , Clinton tossed those promises out the window , and dealing with China returned to `` business as usual , '' according to William Galston , a former Clinton policy adviser .
Clinton is n't alone . Candidates , once elected , usually struggle to live up to their rhetoric on foreign policy . The reason is simple , according to a cadre of international affairs experts : The view from inside the Oval Office is much different from the view from outside .
`` It is very difficult for presidential candidates to know even a fraction of the facts and the texture of diplomatic relations between the United States and other countries , '' said Galston . `` Once you get inside the White House , the world looks very different . ''
With foreign policy about to take center stage on Monday during the last presidential debate of the 2012 cycle , experts say Republican challenger Mitt Romney should be cautious about over-promising .
In Romney 's October 8 foreign policy address , the Republican candidate promised to increase sanctions on Iran , help arm Syrian rebels who `` share our values , '' and close the `` daylight '' between Israel and the United States .
Robert Pastor , a professor of international relations at American University and a former national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter , said Romney joins a long line of candidates who promise too much .
`` He will have to wake up if he were elected , '' Pastor said . `` It would be irresponsible for him to implement '' some of those promises , and `` I suspect his new secretary of state would tell him that . ''
JUST WATCHED Obama and Romney debate foreign policy Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama and Romney debate foreign policy 02:48
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If Romney wants proof of the pitfalls of foreign policy promises , all he has to do is look across the table at Monday 's debate at the man he is trying to unseat .
During the 2008 campaign , then-candidate Barack Obama advocated for regional conferences with Syria and Iran , said his administration would enter diplomatic talks with governments that his predecessor , President George W. Bush , would not , and pledged to eliminate North Korea 's nuclear weapons program .
Syria has fallen into a long civil war , Iran continues to be a provocateur in the Middle East , and North Korea is still developing its nuclear program .
Possibly Obama 's biggest broken promise is the one to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . `` I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo , and I will follow through on that , '' Obama told CBS News ' Steve Kroft in 2008 .
Guantanamo remains open , even though Obama signed an executive order to have it closed two days after he took office in 2009 . The issue has largely been put on the back burner in light of issues on the economy .
Governing on foreign policy is more difficult than talking tough on it , Galston said , because it hinges on the instability of the globe and can change in the blink of an eye .
`` I think this is the reality of political campaigns , '' Galston said . `` You can say things ( on the campaign trail ) in good faith , based on consulting with experts -- and it is rarely the case that candidates say things about foreign policy that they know not to be the case . The issue is once you get inside the White House , the world looks very different . ''
Pastor , the former Carter adviser , says these unmet foreign policy promises can be broken up into three distinct groups .
There are the promises that are sincere but difficult -- or impossible -- to meet because they require action from other governments .
`` Secondly , there are promises that are sincere but can not be implemented because the political opposition makes it impossible , '' Pastor said .
Lastly , according to Pastor , are promises that are made because they are political expedient but prove irresponsible once the ramifications are understood .
Presidential history is littered with promises that fall into these categories .
During the 2000 campaign , then-Texas Gov . George W. Bush promised to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem , a promise that many of his predecessors had also made . The embassy , however , to this day remains in Tel Aviv .
Upon assuming office in 1981 , Ronald Reagan promised to get tough and stop the Sandinistas , a left-wing Nicaraguan political party that swept across Central America . The Sandinistas were still around when Reagan left office in 1989 and to this day continue to hold political power in Nicaragua .
In 1960 , then-Sen. John F. Kennedy used soaring foreign policy rhetoric to help catapult him to the White House at the young age of 43 . According to the State Department 's Office of the Historian , Kennedy failed to live up to his rhetoric on international affairs .
`` The execution of Kennedy 's foreign policy did not quite live up to the stirring rhetoric of his inaugural speech . ... In fact , his foreign policy was marred by a string of failures , '' reads the State Department website .
In April of 1961 , Kennedy had only been in office for a short three months when he called for a meeting with Dwight D. Eisenhower , his predecessor in the office . The Bay of Pigs invasion , a carryover from the Eisenhower administration , had been a massive failure that month and an early blunder by the Kennedy presidency -- even though many attributed the failure to Eisenhower .
The Kennedy-Eisenhower relationship had been frosty , at best , after the young senator defeated the former general 's vice president , Richard Nixon , in the 1960 campaign . Even though Eisenhower had long viewed Kennedy as naive -- he referred to Kennedy as `` Little Boy Blue '' -- the two put their chilly relationship aside and the sitting president invited the former general to Camp David to review the mistakes in Cuba .
According to Eisenhower 's notes from the meeting and a number of media reports , the conversation between the new and former president previewed the pitfalls of foreign policy campaign promises :
Kennedy : `` No one knows how tough this job is until he 's been in it a few months . ''
Eisenhower : `` Mr. President . If you will forgive me , I think I mentioned that to you three months ago . '' | 6298c2d33ff79056 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2015/09/02/exposing-black-lives-matter-for-what-it-is-promotion-of-cop-jilling-n2046941 | Exposing The Black Lives Matter Movement For What It Is: Promotion of Cop Killing | 2015-09-02 | violence_in_america | It 's time to expose the Black Lives Matter [ BLM ] movement for what it is : a racist , violent hate group that promotes the execution of police officers . The evidence is in their rhetoric and written on their shirts .
If you take a look at the Black Lives Matter Twitter feed , you 'll find photos of activists wearing shirts that say , `` Assata Taught Me . ''
Looks like it 's going down in Cleveland . Follow @ FEARLESSnFREE and @ LotusLightSage for more details pic.twitter.com/wVe6oKF7jn — Black Lives Matter ( @ Blklivesmatter ) August 27 , 2015
They 're referring to infamous cop killer Assata Shakur , otherwise known as Joanne Chesimard , who shot and killed a New Jersey State Trooper back in 1973 . In 1977 , Shakur was convicted and sentenced to prison but quickly escaped and has been a fugitive in Cuba ever since . She 's also on the FBI 's most wanted terrorism list . BLM glorifies Shakur as a hero and uses her writings and materials during training sessions . Lee Stranahan has more :
BlackLivesMatter—the activist group that demands a “ racial justice agenda ” that includes constant criticism and activism against police—invokes the words of convicted cop killer Assata Shakur at “ all its events . ”
At a recent event for female bloggers , BlackLivesMatter leaders had a crowd of thousands repeating lines from a letter written by Shakur that include an explicit reference to the Communist Manifesto .
The BlackLivesMatter group , which has met with President Obama and largely been given a free pass by the media , has skyrocketed to national prominence after its involvement with unrest and rioting in Ferguson , Baltimore , and a recent takeover of events the Netroots Nation conference for progressive Democrats in Phoenix , Arizona .
Assata Shakur , who has been living in exile in Cuba for over thirty years , is a hero to communist revolutionaries for her involvement in the 1960s and 1970s with a violent , criminal Black Panther Party offshoot called the Black Liberation Army . Shakur and the group robbed several banks as a revolutionary act and eventually killed a New Jersey State Trooper with his own gun after a highway stop in 1973 .
Former Black Panther Party member Kathleen Cleaver , who is a supporter of Shakur , is `` thrilled '' about the BLM movement .
TR : So what do you think of Black Lives Matter ?
KC : I ’ m thrilled to see such concern for the community . I think Black Lives Matter is exhilarating , exciting , and I ’ m really glad that it ’ s here .
Now , onto those who condone this behavior and the rhetoric being used .
Not only have the leaders of the Democrat Party refused to condemn the movement , they 've desperately tried to embrace it . In the age of Obama , where Democrats thrive on division and embrace a racial justice narrative , this is n't surprising .
Last week at the DNC summer meeting in Minneapolis , a resolution was passed in solidarity with the movement . BLM later rejected it .
`` The DNC joins with Americans across the country in affirming ‘ Black lives matter ’ and the ‘ say her name ’ efforts to make visible the pain of our fellow and sister Americans as they condemn extrajudicial killings of unarmed African American men , women and children , '' the solidarity resolution states .
The day after the resolution was passed , BLM activists in Minneapolis chanted , `` pigs in a blanket , fry em ' like bacon , '' as they marched down the street . This rhetoric also came just one day after the execution of Texas Sheriff Deputy Daron Goforth while he was filling up his patrol car at a local gas station . If you are n't familiar , `` pigs in a blanket '' refers to the bodies of dead police officers in body bags .
Last night I made an appearance on The Kelly File to discuss BLM ( the segment was n't cut short , we just ran out of time ) .
Despite Richard Fowler 's claims that he 's `` watching a different Black Lives Matter movement , '' we are n't and the calls for police executions are not isolated incidents ( he also lied about the Tea Party connection to the Tucson shooting of former Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords , there was n't a connection as he claims but that 's a topic for a other post ) . In December the man who killed two NYPD officers while they were eating lunch in their patrol car posted on his Instagram page , `` Going to put pigs in a blanket '' before carrying out his killings . In Ferguson when news of the NYPD slayings hit , BLM protestors chanted and celebrated , `` Pigs in a blanket ! '' We saw the same over the weekend in Minneapolis . This is n't happening in one place , it 's happening around the country . BLM activists are using their own words and inspiration from convicted cop killers to promote the assassination of police officers .
Finally , it 's important to point out two-thirds of the African American community flat out reject BLM or strongly disagree with the movement 's tactics . From the Washington Post :
The baby boomers who drove the success of the civil rights movement want to get behind Black Lives Matter , but the group ’ s confrontational and divisive tactics make it difficult . In the 1960s , activists confronted white mobs and police with dignity and decorum , sometimes dressing in church clothes and kneeling in prayer during protests to make a clear distinction between who was evil and who was good .
But at protests today , it is difficult to distinguish legitimate activists from the mob actors who burn and loot . The demonstrations are peppered with hate speech , profanity , and guys with sagging pants that show their underwear . Even if the BLM activists aren ’ t the ones participating in the boorish language and dress , neither are they condemning it .
`` It 's a racist movement , racist to the core ... denounce the Black Lives Movement and replace it with All Lives Matter . '' | bcIYWgC7mijnewBU | 2 | Black Lives Matter | -0.3 | Violence In America | -0.2 | Megyn Kelly | 0 | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/15/politics/biden-white-house-railroad-strike/index.html | 'Failure wasn't an option here': How Biden navigated a political and economic minefield at a critical moment in rail negotiations | 2022-09-15 | Economy And Jobs, Labor, Railroads, Amtrak | Washington CNN —As the marathon meeting between rail industry and union representatives neared its 12th hour, the moment Biden administration officials viewed as equal parts inevitable and essential was set into motion.It was time for President Joe Biden to call in and underscore the stakes. Biden’s message was consistent with the one he’d delivered in private calls over the course of the last several weeks, sources said, but an urgency framed around just how devastating a rail shutdown would be for the country was palpable.It would be another eight hours before the White House hit send on the President’s statement announcing the tentative agreement, but Biden’s call at a critical moment was emblematic of an approach as carefully calibrated as it was high stakes.“Failure wasn’t an option here,” one source with direct knowledge of the call said. “Everyone knew the stakes, but the President really hammered home how deep and catastrophic leaving without an agreement would be for the entire country.”For administration officials, the tentative agreement to forestall a freight rail shutdown is a moment to exhale, after weeks of a dual-pronged sprint to encourage negotiations while ramping up an all-hands-on-deck effort to secure contingency options for a worst-case scenario that would cascade through the US economy.In a celebratory White House speech Thursday morning, Biden said the agreement “can avert any significant damage” that a shutdown would have wrought. He thanked all of the negotiators for negotiating “in good faith,” calling it a win for the “dignity” of the work of rail workers.“Together, you have reached an agreement that will keep our critical rail system working and avoid disruptions of our economy,” Biden told leaders in the Rose Garden.He added, “This agreement is validation – validation in what I’ve always believed: unions and management can work together.”US President Joe Biden (C), joined by US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh (2L), Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese (R), and negotiators of the railway labor agreement, speaks about the railway labor agreement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, September 15, 2022. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty ImagesBut it also diffuses an acute political landmine that increasingly unsettled Democrats torn between close union allies and the fear of major economic disruption less than two months before the midterm elections.“Nightmare,” one House Democrat told CNN when asked to assess the dynamics the day before a deal was reached.Biden and his economic team have grappled with a series of major supply chain crises from his first weeks in office. None presented more complex dynamics – or a more dramatic threat to the US economy – than the one he faced this week.Faced with an increasingly volatile mix of elements, administration officials have taken pains throughout the process to stick to the established legal framework and precedent. Biden’s economic team, battle tested by months of port and trucking supply chain crunches, has shifted its well-honed, cross-agency supply chain contingency planning into high gear.Over the course of 20 hours on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh huddled with union and freight rail company representatives in an effort to break the logjam.The closely guarded discussions left those outside the room, including some in the White House, attempting to divine whether the length, or perhaps the selection of Italian food for dinner, signaled meaningful progress. Biden was asking his team for near real-time updates as they weighed when to have him engage directly, sources said.Administration struck delicate political balanceWhite House officials, who viewed an agreement as a necessity, had no misconception about the enormity of the stakes.There was the threat to the broader economy, still contending with an uncertain and unpredictable post-pandemic world.A flood of statements throughout Wednesday from industry groups across nearly every critical US economic sector sought to detail the potential for devastating consequences of a shutdown.The clear and sustained effort to outline catastrophic damage should talks fail coincided with the union contentions that there would be no deal if their chief demand on attendance policies was not addressed.Many of the consequences were outlined in letters to congressional leaders, where Democrats have been reticent to pursue their authority to impose a settlement to end the impasse out of concern it would undercut union allies in the middle of negotiations.Administrations officials were keenly aware that the timing of the amped-up campaign across industry trade groups to highlight catastrophic consequences coincided with the most critical point of the negotiations.“This is how any high-stakes negotiation goes,” the source familiar with the White House approach said. “All parties are always seeking leverage.”But the necessity of maintaining economic stability at a time of high inflation had also run directly into Biden’s own pledge to be the most pro-union president in US history.It’s an unequivocal, if bold, pledge backed both by his actions and with an array of key White House advisers who have close career ties to labor.“I promised you I would be, and I commit to you: As long I have this job, I will remain that,” Biden said in June remarks to the AFL-CIO labor federation convention.Looming over it all: the midterm elections. They now sit less than eight weeks away and at a moment when Democrats see a burst of unexpected momentum driven by several legislative victories and a base of voters motivated by the Supreme Court decision to strike down Roe v. Wade.Senior White House staff, Cabinet officials and Biden himself had worked the phones for days to try and break the impasse. But they had also made clear in those discussions with industry and union representatives that their role is as a neutral arbiter, people familiar with the conversations said.It’s the approach that guided Biden’s decision to appoint a three-member Presidential Emergency Board widely viewed as apolitical, whose recommendations triggered a 30-day window set to close at 12:01 a.m. ET Friday.Officials had been “focused on following the law here and making sure that we’re providing that safe space for parties to come together,” one source familiar with the White House approach said.Biden closely tracked negotiationsVideo Ad Feedback 20 hours of negotiations end with tentative deal to avoid rail strike 04:03 - Source: CNN 20 hours of negotiations end with tentative deal to avoid rail strike 04:03Biden had been closely watching the talks and had received regular updates through the last several days. That included updates during his Wednesday trip to Detroit and a briefing from advisers on the talks that were entering their 10th hour when he returned to the West Wing, an official said.A few hours later he was patched directly into the room by phone.U.S. President Joe Biden greets negotiators who brokered the railway labor agreement after U.S. railroads and unions secured a tentative deal to avert a rail shutdown, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 15, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Kevin Lamarque/ReutersBut he had also said little publicly about the ongoing dispute, despite his close ties and regular public remarks about unions that border on outright reverence. It’s something that, intentionally or not, provided a window into the delicate legal, political and economic balancing act he faced.Walsh had been at the center of the ongoing talks. A former union leader before his time as mayor of Boston, Walsh’s role was described by one official as “part mediator, part motivator, part guy who blocks the door if they try to leave without a deal.”A regular travel partner as Biden hits union locations in his domestic travel, Walsh ingratiated himself with the President’s team at critical moments throughout the last year as officials grappled with other key supply chain problems.In late-night meetings and blunt conversations, Walsh has become an indispensable point person for Biden, one whom one official described as “a guy who is going to roll up his sleeves and do the work. Period.”The overarching message delivered, repeatedly, by Walsh and other top officials in recent weeks to freight-rail representatives had been clear cut: There’s no exit ramp or alternative in the works. The severity of consequences of a strike or lockout cuts across economic, public safety and public health.“It’s just unacceptable for them to not come to a resolution,” the source said.But despite two years of talks, the emergency board and its recommendations and the corresponding cooling off period, an increasingly heated dispute over engineer and conductor attendance policies had left talks at a virtual standstill between the two largest of 12 unions involved in the talks.The engineers’ and conductors’ unions say the railroads are requiring their members to be “on call” and ready to report to work on short notice as often as seven days a week. Penalties, based on a points system, can be applied for missing work due to doctors’ appointments or family emergency, the unions say.The emergency board’s recommendations called for workers to get an immediate 14% pay raise, plus back pay dating back to 2020. It also called for a 24% increase in pay during the five-year life of the contract from 2020 to 2024, and cash bonuses of $1,000 a year.But it did not address the staffing shortages and scheduling rules that drove the impasse – the critical component of the agreement that Walsh would help the two sides reach Thursday morning.Congress debated interveningWhile Biden administration officials went out of their way to avoid weighing in on the specific elements of the talks, the issue had become a growing flashpoint on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers actually had the authority to vote to implement an agreement over the objections of either or both parties – but only if they chose to go down that path.Republican lawmakers accelerated efforts to press Democratic leaders, who control the House and Senate majorities, to move forward on the option, but were met with resistance and clear signals action wasn’t imminent.Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and Roger Wicker of Mississippi attempted to move a resolution that would’ve imposed the emergency board’s recommendations to resolve the dispute.But Sen. Bernie Sanders, the progressive Vermont independent, blocked the effort and in floor remarks detailed deep support for the union efforts.“I wonder if the CEOs and top executives of the railroads would get fired if they got sick or had a medical emergency in their families,” Sanders said. “I doubt it very much.”Several other key Democrats echoed those sentiments.“No one wants the railroad industry to cease operations this week,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio said in a statement. “But it’s time for the railroads to treat railroaders, the heart and soul of the industry, with some dignity and compassion.”Speaker Nancy Pelosi, noting the sick leave issue at the center of the dispute, said she’s been engaged in conversations about where the negotiations stand.“We’d rather see negotiations prevail so there’s no need for any actions from Congress,” Pelosi told reporters. The White House had also refrained from calling for any congressional action.Lessons gleaned from past crisesStill, the potential for the current deadline to come and go had escalated long-running White House efforts to plan for, and around, major supply chain disruptions.The White House had been engaged in intensive discussions with key players in shipping, trucking and air freight to gauge the capacity to backfill freight rail disruptions. Officials have stressed in those conversations they are ready to deploy any tool at their disposal that would help.That included the likely the use of emergency authorities, which multiple agencies have been tasked with identifying and presenting as options during the multiple intra-agency meetings happening each day.What appeared from the outside to be a scramble, however, had a baseline in the extensive work the administration has done across the entire supply chain as the attempted to get in front of developing bottlenecks.Biden named retired Gen. Stephen Lyons, the former head of US Transportation Command, as his port and supply chain envoy in June. The position was an expansion of the portfolio held by John Porcari, Biden’s port envoy who played a critical role in easing the crisis in shipping last year.One of the first issues Lyons grappled with in his new role earlier this summer was establishing lines of communication between ocean liners and rail participants, officials said – something that deepened his relationships inside the industry, but also underscored the necessity of cooperation across supply chain components that are nearly entirely private-sector operated.Lyons has been regular consultations with industry participants across economic sectors that own the cargo being shipped, has standing meetings with players in each mode of transportation and has regularly briefed – along with Walsh – on the status of the labor talks.More than a year of outreach to key industry groups across the supply chain have created the administration’s own clear lines of communication, which one official views as exceedingly critical should the worst-case scenario come to pass.“The government has excellent data, but in a real-time crisis you need to be able to pull real-time data,” the source said. “We already have a set of long relationships, and the industry knows how to work really well with us in these moments.”That work had been underway for several weeks, as officials held real-time discussions with industry participants to identify potential disruptions to essential products like food, energy, and public-health-related products.While there was no dispute about the far-ranging repercussions of a shutdown, White House officials found themselves weighing concerns that the fear of the potential fallout may create a consumer-driven crisis all on its own.There would have been unquestionable near-term effects, with palpable White House concern tied to the treatment of hazardous chemicals. But the time horizon, particularly when it comes to what ends up on store shelves, was likely longer – something officials were continuing to nail down as they sought detailed information from the industry.Still, as the last two years have shown, even minor ripples in the supply chain can create disruptions that take resources – and time – to untangle.It’s a reality that made the focus on reaching an agreement in the waning hours before the deadline so acute and without any alternatives.“They always had to understand that it was their responsibility to get this done,” the source familiar with the White House approach said.This story has been updated with developments on Thursday. | 72753b94a25616f0 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
free_speech | Michael Brendan Dougherty | https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/05/silicon-valley-social-media-companies-censors/ | OPINION: Silicon Valley, America’s De Facto Censor | 2019-05-30 | free_speech | Attendees walk past a Facebook logo at the company ’ s developers conference in San Jose , Calif. , April 30 , 2019 . ( Stephen Lam/Reuters )
Left-wing activists aren ’ t going to stop with social-media networks , or with nibbling at the soft right-wing fringe of discourse .
Silicon Valley ’ s behemoth companies are incapable of steering through the cross-pressures pushing them to censor more . These pressures come from social activists working on them through threatened boycotts , it comes from activists among their own employees and on their boards . These pressures come from centrist and liberal-leaning governments , which increasingly blame social media companies for their electoral failures . And surely these pressures also come from corporations who want to buy advertising on these massive platforms .
Several stories from the last week highlight the sheer variety of these pressures . The health-and-exercise movement Crossfit has recently seen one of its diet-discussion groups suppressed on Facebook . And the group subsequently urged the withdrawal of its members from the platform in stark terms , effectively alleging that Facebook is part of a larger corruptive force in social life :
Facebook is acting in the service of food and beverage industry interests by deleting the accounts of communities that have identified the corrupted nutritional science responsible for unchecked global chronic disease . In this , it follows the practices of Wikipedia and other private platforms that host public content but retain the ability to remove or silence — without the opportunity for real debate or appeal — information and perspectives outside a narrow scope of belief or thought .
Last week YouTube also took down a new documentary , Borderless , produced by right-wing activist Lauren Southern . The documentary features interviews with human traffickers , and undercover recordings of workers for non-governmental organizations who are assisting migrants . Southern is one of the many “ alt-light ” -style YouTube stars who have emerged there . YouTube ’ s decision to take down her video is renewing an argument on the right that access to digital platforms should be a right . This argument is being made vociferously in the renewed Human Events , by Will Chamberlain :
Southern has over 700,000 subscribers on YouTube . Those subscribers belong to her , not the company . She should be able to count on those subscribers seeing a film that violated none of the YouTube terms of service . Indeed , it ’ s hard to imagine that Southern would have embarked on this project had she not assumed she could show the end product to her audience . Southern didn ’ t simply rely on her platform to justify all the time and energy spent making Borderless ; she relied on YouTube ’ s previous commitments to content neutrality to justify building up her platform in the first place . And yet YouTube is utterly flippant about deleting her content .
It ’ s not just a matter of being careless over its own commitments , of course . YouTubers could make an argument that not only the near-monopoly position of YouTube in social video but the fact that digital platforms like it were , because of their viewpoint neutrality , privileged over traditional media companies in the law , has allowed it to capture and profit so much of the public square , and so government has a compelling democratic interest in guaranteeing greater freedom of expression on these platforms .
Finally , Canada seems to be giving Silicon Valley a warning ahead of its upcoming elections . The current government , under Justin Trudeau , announced that it had come to “ an agreement ” with Microsoft and Facebook to “ boost security. ” It also happens to be the case that the government is currently underwater in the polls .
Canada ’ s government claims that bad actors , including Russia , could try to interfere with their election . Though this is something that is rumored or feared in all big elections . You may recall that ahead of the last presidential election in France , there were wild reports of Russian interference on behalf of populist nationalists ; Russia had hacked Emmanuel Macron ’ s email . News reports flew out with the heavy implication that one would be carrying out the Russian interest to vote for the nationalist Marine Le Pen ’ s National Front . Oddly , the defense against election hacking took on an international character . America ’ s National Security Agency announced that indeed it had evidence that the Russians had hacked France ’ s democracy . Months later it was admitted that there was no evidence to suggest that Russia had hacked Emmanuel Macron ’ s email . In other words , by suggesting falsely , that foreign actors were interfering in French elections , security agencies had in reality tarred domestic political enemies as dupes and patsies .
Nevertheless , Canada is being quite plain that it expects to see action from Silicon Valley , or else . Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould has emphasized that Internet and social-media companies that don ’ t freely make their platforms acceptable to her government will face regulation . “ The Wild West online era can not continue — inaction is not an option , ” said Gould . “ Disinformation must not stand . ”
Liberal governments ( and journalists who act as their hype men ) were not at all troubled by the way Barack Obama ’ s 2012 campaign abused the privacy settings on Facebook . They celebrated it . Sash Issenberg gushed in Technology Review that by using the power of social-media companies , “ Obama ’ s campaign began the election year confident it knew the name of every one of the 69,456,897 Americans whose votes had put him in the White House. ” But when Cambridge Analytica studied a much smaller data trove on behalf of conservative and populist causes , it became a major problem for democracy .
Let ’ s stipulate right from the start that Silicon Valley is making up the rules as it goes along . And it is terrible at the job of censorship and political management . It responds to one set of panicked demands in Germany , then another in America . It goes from one publicity crisis manufactured by the mainstream press to another . And we know which direction those cut . The left-winger who was arrested ahead of a plan to bomb Trump Tower bragged on Instagram about donating money to Hamas , an organization deemed terrorist by most Western governments . Facebook , the parent company , did nothing to restrain his behavior . But the weirdos of the online Right — even the fringes — get banned for doing acts of journalism .
Google banned advertising in the run-up to Ireland ’ s national referendum on abortion rights last year for fear of “ meddling , ” a claim that it did not substantiate . The campaign looking to introduce legal abortion welcomed the ban , because it plainly helped them . Facebook also censored an ad , by the conservative Iona Institute , that featured a computer-generated image of an intact fetus . It had to reverse that decision later .
The problem goes beyond the large social networks . Banks , credit-card companies , payment processors , fundraising sites , Internet-hosting sites , and registrars have all been pressured to apply some political tests against users . Looked at from a certain angle , left-wing activist groups have asked that tools and tactics developed by the military and private companies to combat the rise of ISIS and al-Qaeda be deployed against conservatives on the home front .
But let ’ s take it a step further and posit that Silicon Valley ’ s executives and their boards further lack the intellectual wherewithal to come up with , in their terms of service , privacy and expression guidelines that they would be willing to defend during a controversy . What then ?
The traditional libertarian answer is to throw up one ’ s hands and say that private companies can do as they wish . Consumers and readers and Internet users will tire of these ever-changing rules , and surely these social-media giants will go into decline like others before them . For some of these companies , that does seem like one possible fate .
Another traditional conservative response is to see size as the problem . Facebook , Twitter , and other platforms have swallowed expression that had been previously spread over a decentralized Internet , and with power , they have become more corrupt , and make for easy targets for activism . One only has to convince a few handfuls of people in order to create wide-reaching change in this model .
But I ’ m not so sure that the urge to censor will die as competitors move into the social-media space , or if the Internet trends back toward a more decentralized network of individually maintained websites . Activists aren ’ t going to stop with social-media networks , or nibbling at the soft right-wing fringe of discourse . The U.S . Postal Service has a duty to carry National Review or Jacobin to any address . Have conservatives thought hard enough about the duties imposed on Silicon Valley , on Internet-service providers , or on payment processors ?
The above suggests that no , we haven ’ t . And we better think fast .
Something to Consider If you enjoyed this article , we have a proposition for you : Join NRPLUS . Members get all of our content ( including the magazine ) , no paywalls or content meters , an advertising-minimal experience , and unique access to our writers and editors ( conference calls , social-media groups , etc. ) . And importantly , NRPLUS members help keep NR going . Consider it ? If you enjoyed this article , and were stimulated by its contents , we have a proposition for you : Join NRPLUS . LEARN MORE | GPRrQw3R7jBJ4Sy8 | 2 | Censorship | -0.7 | Social Media | -0.4 | Silicon Valley | -0.3 | Free Speech | 0 | null | null |
white_house | Breitbart News | https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/19/white-house-pledges-to-train-3-8-million-new-american-workers/ | White House Pledges to Train 3.8 Million New American Workers | 2018-07-19 | White House, Politics | Companies and associations gathered with President Donald Trump , Ivanka Trump , and American workers at the White House Thursday to announce pledges to provide on-the-job and vocational training to nearly four million workers over the next five years .
Ivanka Trump spoke first to the packed White House East room crowd , including company and association leaders and American workers . She has been traveling across the country , meeting Americans and working with members of Congress to reauthorize the Perkins Act .
Several high school graduates shared their stories of participating in the Pathways in Technology ( P-TECH ) program . Each graduated high school with more than 20 college credits and interned in the areas of science , manufacturing , and electrical engineering .
Some members of the President ’ s cabinet attended the event , as did a few members of Congress and state elected officials .
President Trump then took to the podium , recognizing all those gathered for the event for the same goal of training and hiring American workers . He recounted the “ economic miracle ” under his administration , including historic lows in American unemployment for several segments of the population . He said to keep the “ miracle going ” the country must “ invest in jobs training and vocational eduction . ”
“ We want every American to have the chance to earn a great living doing a great job that they love where they wake up in the morning and they can ’ t get to work fast enough , ” said Trump .
Twenty-three companies and associations joined the president with pledges to expand apprenticeships , providing on-the-job training and vocational education for a combined 3,817,700 Americans . Trump noted their original goal was to get pledges totaling 500,000 , a number far exceeded with Thursday ’ s pledges .
Trump joked as he put together that they were pledging “ apprenticeships ” and his former television program was called The Apprentice .
The president brought up three American workers to tell their stories : an electrician ’ s apprentice , a hotel and lodging association ’ s management apprentice , and a truck driver who is a military veteran .
The president said it ’ s never been a better time to hire and grow in America :
America ’ s strength , America ’ s heart , and America ’ s soul is found in our people . It ’ s their love , their pride , and their patriotism that makes this magnificent land our beloved home . And together with the help of everyone in this room , we will truly make America greater than ever before .
President Trump then signed the new executive order establishing the President ’ s National Council for the American Worker . The council will be co-chaired by the Secretary of Commerce , Secretary of Labor , Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy , and the Advisor to the President overseeing the Office of Economic Initiatives . Other council members will include some cabinet secretaries and other administration officials specified in the order . There will also be an “ outside advisory board of industry leaders and experts ” whose names are yet to be revealed .
Michelle Moons is a White House Correspondent for ███ — follow on Twitter @ MichelleDiana and Facebook | dd81bef9a01653b4 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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