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coronavirus | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/27/donald-trump-federal-government-help-states-corona/ | Trump to deploy 'full power' of federal government to help states with testing | 2020-04-27 | coronavirus | The White House on Monday said America ’ s coronavirus-testing is in far better shape and the administration is ready to work with governors to meet their diagnostic demands , “ dramatically ” increasing the number of tests to help states reopen safely .
“ The testing is not going to be a problem at all , ” Mr. Trump said in the White House Rose Garden . “ In fact , it ’ s going to be one of the great assets that we have . ”
Members of the coronavirus task force said they will marshal the public and private sector to expand rapid testing at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens , tap unused lab capacity and make sure governors have the supplies they need , such as swabs , to check people for the virus after governors said they had a hard time navigating supply chains .
The guidance also calls for identifying new clusters of cases , isolating people who might have been exposed and ramping up “ serological ” tests that check for antibodies , signaling a more collaborative effort than previous calls for governors to figure out a way forward .
“ We ’ re deploying the full power and strength of the federal government to help states , cities , ” Mr. Trump said .
The coronavirus has upended life in America and around the globe . The domestic case count of COVID-19 neared 1 million Monday and the death toll exceeded 55,000 , though the White House says the broad picture is beginning to improve .
“ Things are moving along — really a horrible situation that we ’ ve been confronted with , but they ’ re moving along , ” Mr. Trump said .
Mr. Trump pointed to corporate efforts as a sign of progress in the fight to expand testing so that states aren ’ t flying blind as they tell residents it ’ s OK to go back to work , get a haircut or see a movie .
For instance , CVS President and CEO Larry Merlo said it is expanding its testing operation , which checks 35,000 per week , at the start of May . The company will start testing operations in up to 1,000 pharmacies , using its drive-thrus and parking lots .
Adm. Brett Giroir , the U.S. testing “ czar , ” said the administration worked with individual companies to produce 20 million swabs and 50 million testing tubes .
“ Early in April , the United States averaged approximately 150,000 tests per day . That ’ s up very , very substantially from a couple of weeks before , and the 150,000 a day has gone to way over 200,000 tests per day since Wednesday , ” Mr. Trump said at a meeting with retail executives earlier Monday . “ This includes a 122 % testing increase in Michigan , 124 % increase in Maryland and many other locations are right in that vicinity . ”
The administration touted its efforts and goals as it faces criticism for early stumbles in developing a COVID-19 diagnostic tests and its failure to meet prior benchmarks for expanded testing .
Vice President Mike Pence said the gap between promises and results was due in part to the gulf between having the tests and being able to process them .
The U.S. has performed 5.4 million tests , or far more than any other nation , Mr. Trump boasted Monday .
Mr. Trump ’ s coronavirus task force outlined its ambitions as governors continued to roll out their plans for gradually getting life back to normal .
Texas Gov . Greg Abbott said he will let his stay-at-home order expire Friday , without restrictions . That means restaurants , retailers , libraries and movie theaters are allowed to operate at 25 % capacity as of May 1 . Places that host non-contact sports , like tennis , can also resume operations .
Salons , bars and gyms were not among the businesses told they can reopen .
Ohio Gov . Mike DeWine said manufacturing , distribution , construction companies and general business offices can reopen starting May 4 , with retailers to follow May 12 .
The reopening businesses will have to practice social distancing measures , such as ensuring at least six feet of distance between people and installing barriers if that ’ s not possible . Employees must wear face coverings while they ’ re working .
“ We ’ ve gotten this far . We ’ ve got a ways to go . These are first steps , ” said Mr. DeWine , a Republican . “ A lot of moving parts , a lot of things going on — this is the beginning . ”
In Louisiana , however , Gov . John Bel Edwards said Monday he had no choice but to extend his stay-at-home order until May 15 , when he promised a “ phased re-opening ” would begin .
Mr. Edwards , a Democrat , said he decided to continue the state ’ s economic shutdown after speaking with the White House .
He left open the possibility of extending shelter-in-place orders that are shattering the state ’ s economy past May 15 .
“ While this is not the announcement I want to make , I am hopeful , and all of Louisiana should be hopeful that we will enter into the next phase of reopening soon , in mid-May , ” Mr. Edwards said . “ I am anxious to get all areas of our economy reopened , but if we accelerate too quickly we may have to slam on the brakes . That will be bad for public health and for businesses , bad for our people and bad for our state . ”
New Jersey Gov . Phil Murphy said his stay-at-home order will remain in place “ until further notice , ” though he ’ s coloring in the lines of a plan to reopen . It ’ s unclear when the state can return to normal , yet the announcement in one of the country ’ s hardest-hit states is notable .
“ We will move as quickly as we can , but as safely as we must , ” Mr. Murphy said .
The governor reported positive trends in terms of hospitalizations , but said the “ curve ” needs to stay down before moving further along in the process .
Over 6,000 people have died of COVID-19 in New Jersey , the nation ’ s second-worst toll after New York , where the virus has killed over 22,000 .
New York Gov . Andrew Cuomo on Monday said 337 people in the state had died in the previous 24 hours .
His stay-at-home restrictions last until at least May 15 . On Monday , he said he would likely extend them for at least some parts of New York beyond that date .
While New York City has an incredibly high number of cases , “ higher than some countries globally , ” upstate New York is “ a very different reality , ” the governor said .
“ In some parts of the state , some regions — you could make the case we should un-pause on May 15 , ” Mr. Cuomo said . “ But you have to be smart about it . ”
Likewise , Florida Gov . Ron DeSantis said it might make more sense to approach things region-by-region , since areas like Miami-Dade County are significantly harder-hit than other parts of the state .
“ For Florida , it really is a different ballgame when you compare southeast Florida to the rest , ” he said . “ I think pretty much the rest of the state has really handled this very well — there ’ s never been even close to a stress on capacity of health care resources . ”
Mr. DeSantis , a key Trump ally , vowed to be “ methodical ” and “ data-driven ” moving forward .
“ I think that people want to have confidence that things are going in a good direction , ” he said .
Out West , Nevada and Colorado said they are joining a West Coast pact with California , Oregon and Washington that seeks to coordinate plans on opening the region ’ s economies .
Alaska , Colorado , Georgia , Minnesota , Mississippi , Montana , Oklahoma , South Carolina and Tennessee have announced a partial reopening of some kind , while a handful of states — particularly rural ones — never really shut down their economies at all , according to a New York Times analysis .
Economist Stephen Moore , who is advising the White House on reopening plans , on Monday described the coronavirus as an “ urban disease . ”
“ That ’ s not anything that ’ s a big surprise — every pandemic hits urban areas , ” Mr. Moore said on Fox Business Network . “ So you have about half of the counties in the United States that were hardly affected at all — in some cases , no cases whatsoever . ”
Mr. Moore said moving forward on reopening plans now should get the U.S. to recovery by the end of the summer .
While a vaccine probably won ’ t be widely available until 2021 , federal and state leaders hope to see effective drug treatment for the virus later this year .
There are myriad clinical trials of different therapies across the country . While the administration does not comment on specific products , an existing antiviral drug from Gilead Sciences , known as remdesivir , is widely considered a contender .
“ I think remdesivir is still a leading candidate , ” said Dr. Michael Mina , assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H . Chan School of Public Health . “ It ’ s a true anti-viral , versus something like hydroxychloroquine . ”
Hydroxychloroquine is typically used to treat malaria . It was pushed hard by Mr. Trump earlier this month , though hasn ’ t touted it much of late , as studies raise questions about its effectiveness and possible side effects on the heart .
Dr. Mina said monoclonal antibodies — lab-produced molecules that can enhance the body ’ s immune system — might be another promising path .
“ I personally think monoclonals are a good way to go , ” he said . “ Our bodies know how to handle them . ” | 3XqLrUcTz6KlZMVa | 2 | Donald Trump | 0.8 | Coronavirus Testing | 0.3 | States | 0.3 | null | null | null | null |
isis | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/world/meast/isis-female-fighter/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 | How she went from a school teacher to an ISIS member | 2014-10-06 | ISIS, Middle East | Story highlights 25-year-old joined ISIS after chaos following protests against Syrian president
Lured by man she met online , she became interested in ISIS
She joined female police brigade that enforces ISIS rules on women
The petite 25-year-old tentatively opens the door to the hotel room where we 've agreed to meet . Her face is covered , but her body language betrays her anxiety .
She slowly lifts her niqab , revealing her young , heart-shaped face . Her large brown eyes , filled with guilt and turmoil , are delicately made up under perfectly sculpted brows .
She calls herself 'Khadija . ' It 's not her real name , because she 's a marked woman . Once a member of a fearsome , female ISIS brigade , she 's a recent defector , disillusioned by the group 's brutality .
Her interview with CNN is the first time she has ever told anyone her story .
Growing up in Syria , Khadija 's family ensured she got an education . She earned her college degree and began teaching elementary school . Khadija describes her family and upbringing as `` not overly conservative . ''
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When the Syrian uprising began more than three and a half years ago , Khadija joined the masses who began peaceful protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad .
`` We 'd go out and demonstrate . The security services would chase us . We 'd write on walls , have different outfits to change into , '' she said . `` Those days were great . ''
But it was when the Syrian uprising spiraled into chaos and violence that she said she began to lose her soul , her humanity .
`` Everything around us was chaos , '' she said , her words tumbling out . `` Free Syrian Army , the regime , barrel bombs , strikes , the wounded , clinics , blood -- you want to tear yourself away , to find something to run to .
She found herself drawn to the eloquence of a Tunisian whom she met online . Taken with his manners , she grew to trust him over time and he gradually lured her into the Islamic State , she said . He assured her that the group was not what people thought , that it was not a terrorist organization .
`` He would say , 'We are going to properly implement Islam . Right now we are in a state of war , a phase where we need to control the country , so we have to be harsh . ' ''
He told her he was coming to the Syrian city of Raqqa , that they could even get married .
`` I got in touch with my cousin , and she said , 'You can come join us in the Khansa ' a Brigade . She was living in Raqqa with her husband who was with the Islamic State , '' Khadija said . The brigade is the feared , all-female police for ISIS .
Khadija convinced her family to move to Raqqa , saying it would be easier to register her younger siblings in school , and that they would have the support of relatives .
With her cousin to open the doors , Khadija was welcomed into the feared Khansa ' a brigade .
The Khansa ' a Brigade is made up of around 25 to 30 women and is tasked with patrolling the streets of Raqqa to ensure that women adhere to proper clothing as outlined by the Islamic State .
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Beaded or slightly form-fitting abayas are banned . Women are not allowed to show their eyes .
The lashings to the women who broke ISIS rules were carried out by Umm Hamza .
`` She 's not a normal female . She 's huge , she has an AK , a pistol , a whip , a dagger and she wears the niqab , '' Khadija said .
Brigade commander Umm Rayan sensed Khadija 's fear `` and she got close to me and said a sentence I wo n't forget . She said , 'We are harsh with the infidels , but merciful among ourselves . ' ''
Khadija was trained to clean , dismantle , and fire a weapon . She was paid $ 200 a month and received food rations .
Her family sensed Khadija was slipping away , but were helpless to stop it . Her mother tried to warn her .
`` She would always say to me , 'Wake up , take care of yourself . You are walking , but you do n't know where you are going . ' ''
Initally , Khadija did not pay attention to her mother 's warnings , seduced by the sense of power . But eventually , she started questioning herself and the principles of the Islamic State .
`` At the start , I was happy with my job . I felt that I had authority in the streets . But then I started to get scared , scared of my situation . I even started to be afraid of myself . ''
She started thinking : `` I am not like this . I have a degree in education . I should n't be like this . What happened to me ? What happened in my mind that brought me here ? ''
Burned into her mind is an image she saw online of a 16-year-old boy who was crucified for rape . She questioned her inclusion in a group capable of such violence .
`` The worst thing I saw was a man getting his head hacked off in front of me , '' she said .
Even more personally , she witnessed ISIS ' brand of violence reserved for women . The brigade shared its building with a man who specialized in marriage for ISIS fighters .
`` He was one of the worst people , '' she said of the man tasked with finding wives for both local and foreign fighters .
`` The foreign fighters are very brutal with women , even the ones they marry , '' she said . `` There were cases where the wife had to be taken to the emergency ward because of the violence , the sexual violence . ''
With her commander pressuring her to submit to marriage , Khadija decided she needed to leave the brigade .
`` So it was at this point , I said enough . After all that I had already seen and all the times I stayed silent , telling myself , 'We 're at war , then it will all be rectified . '
`` But after this , I decided no , I have to leave . ''
Khadija left just days before the coalition airstrikes , but her family remains in Syria .
Khadija still wears the niqab , not just to conceal her identity but also because she 's struggling to adapt back to life outside the Islamic State .
Regretful of her immersion in radical Islam , she is wary of another sudden change .
`` It has to be gradual , so that I do n't become someone else . I am afraid of becoming someone else . Someone who swings , as a reaction in the other direction , after I was so entrenched in religion , that I reject religion completely , '' she said .
Towards the end of our interview , speaking about how ISIS could have gotten a foothold in parts of Syrian society , she has a personal moment .
`` How did we allow them to come in ? How did we allow them to rule us ? There is a weakness in us . ''
Khadija spoke to us because she said she wants people , especially women , to know the truth about ISIS .
`` I do n't want anyone else to be duped by them . Too many girls think they are the right Islam , '' she said .
She desperately wants to be the girl she was before falling under the spell of ISIS -- `` a girl who is merry , who loves life and laughter ... who loves to travel , to draw , to walk in the street with her headphones listening to music without caring what anyone thinks , '' she said . | 8348e292e834c67b | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/disturbed-murkowski-disagrees-with-mcconnells-promise-for-total-coordination-with-white-house | Lisa Murkowski 'disturbed' by McConnell promise for 'total coordination' with White House | 2019-12-26 | Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, Impeachment, White House, US Senate, Politics | GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was troubled to hear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promise “total coordination” between himself and the White House regarding President Trump’s impeachment trial. McConnell, 77, of Kentucky, made the comment about his plan to work with the White House, which sparked fierce outrage among Democrats, during an appearance on Hannity earlier this month. “And in fairness, when I heard that, I was disturbed,” Murkowski explained to KTUU News Tuesday. “To me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand-in-glove with the defense, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process.” “How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen,” she added, referencing one of the main reasons the impeachment is at an “impasse.” 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 | b91ce4ca32b00697 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/10/us/ferguson-protests/index.html | Gunfire erupts in Ferguson on anniversary of Michael Brown's killing | 2015-08-10 | violence_in_america | Ferguson , Missouri ( CNN ) A day of civil disobedience that saw several arrests ended Monday with rowdy protesters throwing rocks and bottles at police .
The St. Louis County police said frozen water bottles were thrown at officers , prompting them to order the crowd to disperse or face arrest .
`` Safety , our top priority , is now compromised . This is no longer a peaceful protest . Participants are now unlawfully assembled , '' the department tweeted
( 1/2 ) Safety , our top priority , is now compromised . This is no longer a peaceful protest . Participants are now unlawfully assembled .
Earlier , a top St. Louis County official declared a state of emergency , saying violence had marred demonstrations marking the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown 's death
`` The recent acts of violence will not be tolerated in a community that has worked so tirelessly over the last year to rebuild and become stronger , '' St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger said in a statement .
The executive order put St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar in charge of police operations in Ferguson and the surrounding areas , Stenger said .
During the day Monday , roughly 200 demonstrators marched from Christ Church Cathedral to the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis . The protesters carried signs , chanted and prayed and demanded the Justice Department take action .
At the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis , protesters hung a banner from two balloons . It read , `` Racism still lives here # fightback . ''
`` Racism still lives here . '' An action at the Old Court House in Downtown St. Louis . A photo posted by Bradley J. Rayford ( @ bradleyjphotography ) on Aug 10 , 2015 at 11:30am PDT
Police arrested 56 people at the courthouse demonstration , St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Schron Jackson told CNN .
Video posted to social media showed officers arresting several prominent protesters , including activist and intellectual Cornel West , who was also arrested during an October protest at the Ferguson Police Department .
One of those protesters , Johnetta Elzie , who has been a mainstay of the demonstrations and goes by Netta , tweeted minutes before her arrest , `` If I 'm arrested today please know I 'm not suicidal . I have plenty to live for . I did not resist , I 'm just black . ''
Later Monday , another group of protesters blocked part of Interstate 70 in Earth City , Missouri . Some of them held yellow signs that said , `` Ferguson is everywhere . ''
Protesters held hands and formed a line across the highway . About 20 minutes later , troopers cleared the roadway , walking with protesters toward the shoulder and apparently arresting some of them in a nearby parking lot .
Monday 's acts of civil disobedience came after a night of violence that left Ferguson on edge .
Peaceful marches in the St. Louis suburb planned by day on Sunday were shattered that same night when gunfire broke out , sending protesters and police scattering to safety .
The alleged gunman , 18-year-old Tyrone Harris of St. Louis , is hospitalized in critical condition and in police custody . The St. Louis County Police Department said officers shot the teenager after he unleashed a `` remarkable amount of gunfire '' at police -- a characterization the man 's aunt contends is not true .
Prosecutors have charged Harris with four counts of first-degree assault on law enforcement , five counts of armed criminal action and one count of discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle , St. Louis County Police Department spokesman Sgt . Brian Schellman said .
Belmar said earlier that Harris used a stolen handgun to fire at officers .
Harris is being held on a $ 250,000 bond , Schellman said .
Harris ' aunt , Karen Harris , said her nephew attended the protests because he was friends with Brown . Recounting what other family members who were with Tyrone Harris described , the aunt said Tyrone Harris was n't carrying a gun and never fired at police .
He was `` running for his life '' just like everyone else , she said , when the gunshots were fired .
The anniversary observations of Brown 's shooting death by a white Ferguson police officer started off peacefully Sunday .
Vigils honored him throughout the day . Attendees observed four and a half minutes of silence to signify the four and a half hours Brown 's body lay on the street after the unarmed black teen was shot last year .
When officers first saw the suspect , he was running away after exchanging gunfire with an unknown person , police said .
Some gunfire rang out as reporters were talking to Ferguson 's acting police chief , Andre Anderson . A startled Anderson continued speaking with a steady burst of gunfire in the background . Crowds scattered .
Detectives in an unmarked SUV turned on its emergency lights and pursued the suspect , only to be shot at , according to Belmar . The bullets hit the vehicle 's hood and windshield several times , Belmar said .
As the detectives got out of the car , the suspect allegedly turned around and fired again .
Then he ran toward a fenced area , where he continued firing -- until officers struck him multiple times , Belmar said .
The four plainclothes officers involved in the shooting have between six to 12 years of experience , he said . They have been placed on administrative leave .
`` We can not continue , we can not talk about the good things that we have been talking about , if we are prevented from moving forward with this kind of violence , '' Belmar said , adding that those resorting to violence are not protesters .
`` Protesters are people who are out there to effect change , '' he said . There were `` several people shooting , several rounds shot . ''
By Sunday night , police presence had turned heavy , and rumors about the shooting flew .
Police and protesters faced off in a tense standoff on West Florissant Avenue , not far from Canfield Drive , where Brown was shot .
Stand off . Protestors and police face off on West Florissant . # Ferguson pic.twitter.com/ayryVhaAqD — Sara Sidner ( @ sarasidnerCNN ) August 10 , 2015
Several objects were thrown at police and some businesses damaged , the St. Louis County Police Department said . A journalist was attacked and robbed in a parking lot . Three St. Louis County police officers were injured : One was struck in the face by a brick , while two others were pepper-sprayed .
Police , with helmets and shields , pushed crowds back and called in tactical units .
If this photo does n't speak to you maybe nothing will . # Ferguson pic.twitter.com/dU8ioUZQIa — Grace Lidia Suarez ( @ gracels ) August 10 , 2015
`` We 're ready for what ? We 're ready for war , '' some in the crowd chanted .
In a separate incident early Monday , a man wearing a red hooded sweatshirt shot two teens , 17 and 19 , in the chest , the St. Louis County Police Department said .
Both were hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening , authorities said .
The teens were walking on a sidewalk near where Brown was killed a year ago .
`` Please pray for peace in Ferguson tonight and forever , '' Danny Takhar tweeted . `` And the police department really needs to look at what they did last year and today . ''
Others posted a video of what they described as a shooting victim in Ferguson lying on the streets bleeding .
`` Please get him some help ! He 's bleeding out , '' a voice said off camera .
Ferguson city officials condemned the violence in a statement Monday .
`` This kind of behavior from those who want to cause disruption and destroy the progress from this past year will not be tolerated , '' the city 's mayor and City Council said . `` We are asking for our citizens and businesses to be diligent and to be watchful for those who want to cause harm to our community . ''
The details of what happened on August 9 , 2014 , and the days of protest that followed have become a polarizing topic in Ferguson and America as a whole .
Brown 's killing by Officer Darren Wilson sparked outrage and protests nationwide against what some described as racial bias by the police .
A grand jury did n't indict Wilson , and the U.S. Justice Department also declined to bring criminal charges , but the feds did issue a report that found the Ferguson Police Department and the city 's municipal court had engaged in a `` pattern and practice '' of discrimination against African-Americans , targeting them disproportionately for traffic stops , use of force and jail sentences .
Brown 's killing sparked weeks of protests that at times intensified into street fires and looting of businesses . Police fired tear gas in response , sparking more tensions .
But protesters -- many of whom are skeptical of the local and federal inquiries into the case -- point to examples of police misconduct exposed in the wake of Brown 's death . The case also led to new policing strategies , including the introduction of police body cameras . | jeWJFkUfyibowXY1 | 0 | Violence In America | -0.9799 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | Media Research Center | https://www.mrc.org/biasalerts/nbc-hails-candid-obama-he-passes-buck-isis-failure | NBC Hails 'Candid' Obama As He Passes the Buck On ISIS Failure | 2014-09-29 | NBC, ISIS, Barack Obama, Media Bias | Even as President Obama clearly attempted during a Sunday 60 Minutes interview to blame others for his failure to recognize ISIS as a growing threat in the Middle East , Monday 's NBC Today spun the buck-passing as a `` very candid '' admission by the commander-in-chief .
Co-host Matt Lauer opened the morning show by proclaiming : `` Underestimated . The President admits his administration and U.S. intelligence officials misjudged the threat of ISIS . '' While that headline suggested to viewers that Obama was taking responsibility for the failure , a soundbite ran of the President distancing himself from blame : `` I think they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria . ''
Introducing the story moments later , Lauer declared : `` President Obama acknowledging in a new interview that U.S. officials underestimated ISIS and overestimated the ability of the Iraqi army to take on the terror group . '' In the report that followed , chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel announced : `` This seemed to be a very candid interview , the President blamed the former U.S.-backed Iraqi government for allowing ISIS to flourish and said American intelligence did n't fully appreciate the threat . '' [ Listen to the audio ]
On Sunday , The Daily Beast 's Eli Lake ripped apart Obama 's attempt to blame the intelligence community for dropping the ball on ISIS : `` Reached by The Daily Beast after Obama 's interview aired , one former senior Pentagon official who worked closely on the threat posed by Sunni jihadists in Syria and Iraq was flabbergasted . 'Either the president does n't read the intelligence he 's getting or he 's bullshitting , ' the former official said . ''
In addition , on August 10 , NBC 's chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell appeared on Meet the Press and similarly dismantled the President 's claims of being in the dark about ISIS :
And to say that he did n't have intelligence . This is not a hard target . This is Irbil . We have people there . The fact is , there was intelligence . And to say that they were shocked by the Peshmerga on Saturday night being routed is a farce . The White House was n't listening .
Even Engel himself on September 3 appeared on Mitchell 's MSNBC show and explained : `` President Obama says he has no strategy yet for Syria . This has been going on for over three years . The buildup of ISIS has not been rapid , it has been quite slow . It has been quite well-documented .... So that we have no strategy to deal with ISIS is quite – is quite ridiculous at this stage . ''
Given NBC 's own reporting on how Obama knew about the ISIS build-up all along , how could the network describe the President passing the blame as `` very candid '' ?
On ABC 's Good Morning America on Monday , co-host George Stephanopoulos tried to push similar spin regarding Obama 's remarks to 60 Minutes : `` ... the President pretty frank about what went wrong here . '' However , White House correspondent Jon Karl called out the presidential blame game : `` The President bluntly acknowledged that the United States got it wrong .... But , George , even as he acknowledged this ... the President made it clear this was a mistake made by the intelligence community , he was n't taking personal responsibility here . ''
Meanwhile , CBS This Morning led with a clip of Obama 's exchange with 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft , then at the top of the 8 a.m . ET hour brought on Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan to offer criticism of the President 's handling of ISIS .
After Ryan pointed out `` colossal mistakes in our Iraq and Syria policy that led to this emergence of ISIS , '' including not arming moderate Syrian rebels earlier , co-host Charlie Rose pinned the blame on the President : `` Why do you think he did n't ? ... When Petraeus , Clinton , and others were saying , 'We 're looking at the same facts and have a different decision ' .... And we should have done it and there would have been an opportunity to stop ISIS . ''
Here is a full transcript of Engel 's September 29 report on Today : | 78f8dcc2dde01594 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | BBC News | http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33314067 | US Supreme Court backs use of contentious execution drug | 2015-06-29 | Supreme Court | A shortage of drugs led to some states implementing alternatives to the lethal injection The US Supreme Court has upheld the use of a contentious drug used in executions, saying it does not violate a ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling is a setback to opponents of the death penalty, who say midazolam is not suitable for lethal injections. The drug raised concerns after it was used in executions in three US states in 2014 that took longer than usual. Executions have been delayed recently in the US amid problems buying drugs as many firms have refused to sell them. In the case, called Glossip v Gross, external, three inmates in Oklahoma argued that the sedative could not achieve the level of unconsciousness required for surgery, meaning severe pain and suffering was likely. This, they said, was contrary to the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which forbids "cruel and unusual punishments". But the court, in a 5-4 decision, handed a loss to the inmates after judges ruled, external they did not prove that midazolam was cruel and unusual when compared to known and available alternatives. Is the death penalty dying out in the US? Voices from the death penalty debate Does a death sentence always mean death? Delivering the opinion of the court, Justice Alito said the inmates had "failed to identify a known and available alternative method of execution that entails a lesser risk of pain". In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the ruling left inmates "exposed to what may well be the chemical equivalent of being burned at the stake". Justice Stephen Breyer, who also voted against the ruling, said the time had come for the court to debate whether the death penalty itself is constitutional. But Justice Alito responded by saying the dissenting judges had resorted to "outlandish rhetoric" that revealed the weakness of their legal arguments. US states have found it increasingly difficult to get drugs needed for lethal injections Several US states turned to midazolam when European manufacturers stopped supplying sodium thiopental to US prisons because of an EU ban on the sale of products used in lethal injections. The shortage of various drugs used by the 32 US states that still have capital punishment led to some reintroducing other controversial methods, such as the gas chamber and firing squad. The BBC's Gary O'Donoghue in Washington says Monday's ruling should make it easier for states to continue using a lethal drug cocktail to carry out death sentences. Is US death penalty dying out? Voices from death penalty debate Does death sentence always mean death? Body returned from Gaza is not Shiri Bibas, Israeli military says Twelve killed in strikes on Ukraine as White House urges Zelensky to reach minerals deal The huge risks facing Starmer at Trump meeting Weekly quiz: What did the kayaker feel on his face when swallowed by a whale? Do US super-carriers make sense anymore? The BBC goes on board one What will Amazon do with James Bond? Zizians: What we know about the vegan 'cult' linked to six deaths Exposing an Indian pharma firm fuelling West Africa's opioid crisis Katya Adler: Far right looks for election breakthrough as Germany falters How safe is it to fly in bad weather? Will quantum computers disrupt critical infrastructure? Off air with Laura K: Get Laura Kuenssberg's expert insight emailed directly to you Upcycle and recycle your way to a new home! Stacey Solomon and her crack team help families transform their homes Why do we often forget our early childhood memories? Marnie Chesterton discovers a phenomenon known as infantile amnesia Great British Menu returns for its 20th anniversary The nation's top chefs compete for the chance to cook at an incredible four-course banquet A musicals mixtape for Layton Williams Clara and Jordan go head-to-head, but whose mix will the West End sensation prefer? Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | 3bde33fc603140f6 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/hillary-clinton-right-trump-gop-227391 | Clinton aims to deny Trump's pass at normalcy | 2016-08-25 | elections | RENO , Nev. — For months , Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have aimed their pitches at distinct sets of voters , each candidate operating under the belief that a November win will be determined singularly by base turnout .
Clinton lands in Reno with a message targeted squarely on center-right Republican voters : Trump ’ s attempted pivot toward moderation , she will suggest , is a head-fake , and the GOP nominee remains too extreme for you .
Clinton may not cast her move to zero in on Republicans so explicitly when she takes the stage here to rail against Trump ’ s position within the “ alt-right ” — a movement her team has branded as “ disturbing ” and supportive of a “ dystopian ” worldview . But coming after a two-week stretch in which Trump has made overtures to minority voters while suggesting he may alter his campaign-defining immigration plan , Clinton ’ s intended audience includes the Republican-leaning women and educated white populations with whom her opponent is polling poorly .
Her goal is to make sure they don ’ t buy into his new rhetoric and begin drifting toward Trump as the 2016 campaign enters the home stretch .
“ Trump ’ s newly installed brain trust of Steve Bannon , Roger Ailes and Roger Stone completes Donald Trump ’ s disturbing takeover of the Republican Party , ” said Clinton ’ s campaign chairman , John Podesta . `` We intend to call out this ‘ alt-right ’ shift and the divisive and dystopian vision of America they put forth because it tells voters everything they need to know about Donald Trump himself . Republicans up and down the ticket are going to have to choose whether they want to be complicit in this lurch toward extremism or stand with the voters who can ’ t stomach it . ''
The timing of Clinton ’ s speech is telling , and not just because Trump has recently gone after the African-American voters Clinton is counting on .
It ’ s been a rough week for Clinton . The FBI found 15,000 more previously undisclosed Clinton emails , Trump called for a special prosecutor to look into the Clinton Foundation , and Republicans have increasingly accused the Democrat of hiding from the press as she chooses to raise tens of millions of dollars on a fundraising spree that has taken her from Massachusetts to California and will take her to New York this weekend for more cash-collecting gatherings .
So on Thursday , her campaign will try to reclaim the week .
“ They want to pin Trump to the right and not allow him to pivot , '' said David Axelrod , the architect of Barack Obama ’ s campaign , noting that it ’ s a message pitched to the Republican and independent voters Trump is also trying to secure . “ And , given her exposure this week , I am sure they are eager to go back on offense . ''
The case Clinton is expected to prosecute will center around Trump ’ s close ties to a movement that ’ s out of step with rank-and-file Republicans due to its divisiveness and reliance on white nationalism . Fully expecting scads of moderate Republicans to fall in line behind him before Election Day , Clinton ’ s team is looking to poison his attempt at normalcy .
“ Donald Trump is at 35 percent favorable , but it ’ s like someone who has a low immune system . He ’ ll catch anything that comes near him , ” said Stuart Stevens , Mitt Romney ’ s chief strategist in 2012 , of Democrats ’ move to pin the “ alt-right ” label to Trump . `` Anything you can say about Donald Trump , the majority of the country that doesn ’ t like him is willing to believe . ''
Trump had a clear opportunity to shift toward his party ’ s mainstream more than two months ago , when he clinched the nomination , and force a real contest in battleground states such as Ohio , Virginia and Pennsylvania . With fewer than three months left on the calendar , however , many are now skeptical that there ’ s enough time , given how well-established Trump ’ s positions have become .
But the nominee , working with Bannon and new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway , has appeared to try and soften his image for the middle-class white voters and Republican women who most GOP nominees can rely on . Even his new message to African-American voters — “ What do you have to lose ? ” — has been widely interpreted by Democrats as actually being a message for white voters who are wary of supporting someone perceived as racist .
To Democrats , this kind of shift is disingenuous at best , and Clinton ’ s speech is expected to highlight the kind of controversial nationalism Bannon — now officially Trump ’ s campaign CEO — is known for .
That will go one step further than even Clinton ’ s usual anti-Trump diatribe : a stinging recitation of his questioning of Obama ’ s birthplace , his insults about Mexicans , his questioning of whether an American judge of Mexican heritage could be impartial , and his hesitant disavowal of former KKK leader David Duke .
`` Putting politics aside , I think it ’ s a very important point to make in the moral dialogue of the campaign , '' said Stevens , a Republican who ’ s remained vigilant in his opposition to Trump no matter how many campaign shake-ups the nominee attempts . `` You can ’ t let this stuff be normalized . I wish more Republicans would speak out . I think it ’ s incredibly detrimental to civic society , and it ’ s an attempt , under the guise of not being politically correct , to normalize hate speech . ”
Most GOP voters , Stevens insisted roughly 24 hours before Clinton was set to make a similar case , should recognize that the “ alt-right ” does not represent them .
“ They ’ re a bunch of racists . It ’ s a rebranding of something as old as time . '' | nTMqEfURbZpO9Z63 | 0 | Hillary Clinton | -0.1 | Donald Trump | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/9/sen-tom-coburn-vows-keep-fight-expanded-gun-rights/ | Sen. Tom Coburn vows to keep up fight for expanded gun rights on federal lands | 2013-05-09 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | Sen. Tom Coburn says that it is just a matter of time before the Senate passes the proposal it rejected this week that would allow gun owners to carry their weapons on federal lands managed by the Army Corps of Engineers in states where carrying weapons is legal already .
Mr. Coburn , Oklahoma Republican , said during an appearance on MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe ” Thursday that he plans to go on a public relations blitz that aims to show the public that expanding this gun right could decreases criminal activity on these lands .
“ I will eventually get it [ passed ] because it makes sense , ” Mr. Coburn said . “ What I will do is publicize every rape that goes on on corps lands and every murder , and I will say , ‘ These wouldn ’ t have happened , or a good portion of them wouldn ’ t have happened , if we passed this amendment. ’ “
The amendment failed Wednesday on a 56-42 vote , putting it four votes shy of the 60 needed to be adopted under Senate rules .
“ The fact is we ought to be worried about making sure that people who shouldn ’ t have guns — people on the do not buy list — do not get them , rather than restricting those who are good , great , citizens from carrying out their own responsibilities and expressing their Second Amendment Rights , ” Mr. Coburn said .
Mr. Coburn compared the proposal to a measure he pushed through the Senate years ago that expanded the right to carry firearms on National Park Service lands .
“ Remember in 2010 ? Everybody said , ‘ You can ’ t dare let guns go into the national parks , ’ and , of course , the rapes murders and robberies and assaults are down about 85 percent since we did that , ” Mr. Coburn said . “ The fact is violence has decreased , safety is up , and the only place you can ’ t do that is on corps lands . Corps lands has more visitors , more rapes , more murders , more violence than we ever had in parks , but , for some reason , they don ’ t want us to give them the ability to express their Second Amendment right . ” | 6d0qn0moXRjAlRpb | 2 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/10/obama-admits-having-bad-night-but-denies-debate-changed-race-fundamentals/ | Obama admits having 'bad night' but denies debate changed race's 'fundamentals' | 2012-10-10 | elections | President Obama is admitting what most of the country already had concluded about the first presidential debate : `` I had a bad night . ''
Obama , trying to bounce back after his lackluster performance last week in the debate against Mitt Romney , doubled down Wednesday on his campaign 's attempt to suggest Romney won that face-off partly because he was n't being upfront about his policy positions .
`` Governor Romney had a good night . I had a bad night , '' Obama said in an interview with ABC News . `` The fundamentals have n't changed . Governor Romney went to a lot of trouble to hide what his positions are . ''
Obama said he plans to do more at the next debate to convey `` how much is at stake and how deeply I care about it , '' and he had words of advice for his vice president , Joe Biden , who is preparing for his own debate Thursday against Paul Ryan .
`` Joe just needs to be Joe , '' Obama said . `` Congressman Ryan is a smart effective speaker , but his ideas are the wrong ones . ''
The interview occurred on a day when a post-debate ███ poll shows Romney erasing Obama 's advantage in the national head-to-head matchup . Various battleground state polls still show Obama with an edge , but Romney has started to close the gap in many of those states .
A SurveyUSA poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and 8NewsNow showed Obama leading by only 1 percentage point in Nevada .
Another survey in New Hampshire showed Romney closing a 15-point deficit and pulling within 6 points of Obama . The WMUR Granite State Poll still showed Obama in the lead , but it marked a significant gain for Romney over the course of just one week .
A rapid-fire succession of state and national polls showed a similar trend .
In a national Gallup poll released Tuesday , Romney was leading 49-47 percent among likely voters . A Reuters-Ipsos national poll showed the candidates tied . The latest ███ poll , released Wednesday , showed Romney with 47 percent to Obama 's 46 percent .
The RealClearPolitics average of polling now shows Romney leading by less than 1 percentage point in Florida , and Obama leading by the same airtight margin in Ohio . Obama was well ahead in those states just days ago .
Further , Romney 's post-debate surge appears to have all but wiped out Obama 's once double-digit lead among women voters .
A Pew Research Center survey released Monday depicted a remarkable swing in the numbers , with Romney pulling even among women in polling late last week . In September , the same polling outfit showed Obama leading by 18 points among women .
Among all likely voters surveyed , Romney climbed from an 8-point deficit last month to a 4-point lead .
There 's little question that his debate performance has played a role . A separate Gallup survey showed registered voters deemed Romney the winner by 72-20 percent , marking the biggest debate victory in Gallup 's recorded history .
But Obama said Wednesday he was n't about to throw in the towel .
`` This was one event . We 've got four weeks to go . Nobody is going to be fighting harder than I am , '' Obama told ABC News before getting in a plug for the next presidential debate . `` What they need is to make sure they tun in on Tuesday next week . '' | 6XmdKN15FaR9GF3u | 2 | Mitt Romney | 0.6 | Election2012 | 0.5 | Presidential Elections | 0.5 | Elections | 0.5 | Barack Obama | 0.2 |
justice | New York Daily News | https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/ny-trump-organization-cfo-allen-weisselberg-to-plead-guilty-tax-fraud-20220818-s7qjxle6o5ecbb6c7elcaqohn4-story.html | Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty to all charges in tax fraud scam | 2022-08-18 | Justice, Taxes, Fraud, Crime, Trump Organization | Daily News e-Edition Evening e-Edition Sign up for email newsletters Subscribers are entitled to 10 gift sharing articles each month. These can be shared with friends and family who are not subscribers. Subscribe now! or Sign in to your account. Sign up for email newsletters Daily News e-Edition Evening e-Edition Trending: Subscribers are entitled to 10 gift sharing articles each month. These can be shared with friends and family who are not subscribers. Subscribe now! or Sign in to your account. Molly Crane-Newman/New York Daily News Allen Weisselberg arrives for his plea hearing at state Supreme Court in Manhattan, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 with his lawyer Nicholas Gravante. Evan Vucci/AP Allen Weisselberg stands behind then-President-elect Donald Trump during a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, Jan. 11, 2017. Molly Crane-Newman/New York Daily News Allen Weisselberg arrives for his plea hearing at state Supreme Court in Manhattan, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 with his lawyer Nicholas Gravante. Allen Weisselberg arrives for his plea hearing at state Supreme Court in Manhattan, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 with his lawyer Nicholas Gravante. The Trump Organization’s long-serving financial gatekeeper pleaded guilty to 15 felonies Thursday and directly implicated former President Donald Trump’s family real estate business in a multi-year criminal tax fraud scheme. Allen Weisselberg admitted to receiving more than $1.7 million in off-the-books perks while chief financial officer of the Trump Organization on top of his hefty salary, defrauding the taxpayer and Uncle Sam by disguising the fringe benefits as work expenses. As part of his plea deal, the CFO, whose June 2021 indictment came after he refused to flip on Trump, will have to testify against the family’s real estate business when it goes on trial for a host of financial crimes this fall. If prosecutors and the court are satisfied with Weisselberg’s testimony, he’ll be sentenced to five months max on Rikers Island and five years probation, said state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. “[If] you fail to testify truthfully at the upcoming trial of the Trump Organization, or if you fail to fully repay the taxes due … those will be considered violations of the plea agreement,” Merchan warned. “I would then not be bound by my sentence promise,” the judge continued. “I would be at liberty to impose any lawful sentence, which again, in your case, would include imprisonment up to five to 15 years.” The judge also ordered Weisselberg to cough up nearly $2 million in restitution and fines and withdraw all defense motions filed on his behalf and waive any appeals. “In one of the most difficult decisions of his life, Mr. Weisselberg decided to enter a plea of guilty today to put an end to this case and the years-long legal and personal nightmares it has caused for him and his family,” his lawyer, Nicholas Gravante, said. “Rather than risk the possibility of 15 years in prison, he has agreed to serve 100 days. We are glad to have this behind him.” The scheme that Weisselberg admitted to lasted from 2005 through 2021. For most of that time — through 2017 — Trump was president and owner of the company. Trump has not been charged in the case, which stems from the district attorney’s ongoing, broader probe into his business dealings. Weisselberg’s plea deal doesn’t require he cooperate with prosecutors investigating the former president or his eponymous family business. Still, his guilty plea and testimony could have devastating consequences for the Trump companies that were indicted alongside him. “Instead of paying his fair share like everyone else, Weisselberg had the Trump Organization provide him with a rent-free apartment, expensive cars, private school tuition for his grandchildren and new furniture – all without paying required taxes,” said Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. “This plea agreement directly implicates the Trump Organization in a wide range of criminal activity and requires Weisselberg to provide invaluable testimony in the upcoming trial against the corporation.” A Trump Organization representative said the company is blameless. “Allen Weisselberg, a long-time, trusted employee of The Trump Organization, is a fine and honorable man who, for the past four years, has been harassed, persecuted, and threatened by law enforcement, particularly the Manhattan district attorney, in their never-ending, politically motivated quest to get President Trump,” the company said in a statement. “[We] now look forward to having our day in court, which, quite interestingly, has been scheduled for Oct. 24 — just days before the midterm elections.” State Attorney General Letitia James applauded the guilty plea. Her office has conducted a years-long civil probe into whether Trump and company executives fraudulently inflated the value of company assets like skyscrapers and golf courses. The AG personally deposed Trump in the investigation. “For years, Mr. Weisselberg broke the law to line his own pockets and fund a lavish lifestyle,” said James. “Let this guilty plea send a loud and clear message: We will crack down on anyone who steals from the public for personal gain because no one is above the law.” Originally from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Weisselberg, who once appeared on “The Apprentice,” for years commuted to Trump Tower from his modest one-story home in Wantagh, L.I. He was hired by Fred Trump as a bookkeeper in 1973 and started working full-time for his son, Donald, around 1986, helping with ground leases in Atlantic City and accounting for the Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. Weisselberg shared those details and more about slowly and steadily rising to become company CFO on a salary of around $450,000 during a 2015 deposition tied to the now defunct Trump University. The trusted company man described himself as a “stickler” for details who didn’t take vacations and worked on the same floor as his boss in Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. “Am I his eyes and ears for his investments?” Weisselberg said of Trump. “From an economic standpoint.” Subscribers are entitled to 10 gift sharing articles each month. These can be shared with friends and family who are not subscribers. Subscribe now! or Sign in to your account. 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us_house | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/11/republican-control-house-of-representatives-unlikely-under-trump/ | History Doesn’t Favor Republicans Recovering the House under Trump | 2018-11-23 | us_house | Most changes in party control have seen the party that held the White House lose the House .
There are a lot of reasons to think that the Democrats ’ new House majority will prove as unstable over the medium-to-long term as their last one , which they built up in 2006 and 2008 only to see it annihilated in 2010 . A lot of the shift to the Democrats , especially in traditionally Republican suburbs , was driven by personal disapproval of President Trump , and many blue-state suburbanites were still upset about the Republican tax bill capping the state-and-local-tax ( SALT ) deduction :
Democrats swept four Republican-held districts in Orange County , Calif. , where at least 40 percent of taxpayers claim the SALT tax break , defeating a pair of Republican incumbents and winning seats vacated by Representatives Ed Royce and Darrell Issa . Those districts include longtime Republican strongholds , like Newport Beach , and rank among the country ’ s largest users of the state and local tax break . Representative Barbara Comstock lost a seat in Northern Virginia , where more than half of taxpayers claim the SALT deduction , by nearly 13 points . Representative Erik Paulsen of Minnesota , a huge champion of the tax bill , lost by about the same margin in a district where 40 percent of taxpayers claim the deduction .
In addition , a number of new House members ran as moderates and pledged not to back Nancy Pelosi for speaker . Democrats may tell themselves that they rode a blue wave of progressivism to victory , but New Jersey suburbanites who voted for Chris Christie twice are not exactly the vanguard of the proletariat . These voters may well prove less willing to sign on to a long-term relationship with the Democrats as the party ’ s economic and tax agenda gains power . Moreover , the House map will be redrawn after the 2020 census in time for the 2022 midterms , with seats migrating out of the Northeast and into places like Texas , Florida , Arizona , and Montana .
But regardless of the specific causes of the Democratic takeover of the House , history is against the Republicans ’ regaining control as long as Trump is president . The House has changed party control 29 times in U.S. history . Let ’ s take a look at the circumstances :
For simplicity here , I ’ m grouping the non-Democratic parties ( the Federalists , the Whigs , and John Quincy Adams ’ s National Republicans ) under the same banner as the Republicans . That ’ s admittedly a bit artificial in two cases , those of John Quincy Adams and John Tyler . John Quincy Adams was a former Federalist , and the faction that coalesced behind him in 1824 would grow into the Whigs , while the faction of his opponent ( Andrew Jackson ) would become the Democrats , but the Democrats ’ loss of the House in 1824 is hard to pin on outgoing incumbent James Monroe , given that John Quincy Adams was Monroe ’ s secretary of state and the election was waged as a contest of factions nominally within the same party . ( The Democrats would take the House back in 1826 , as voters rebelled against what they saw as a corrupt deal that gave John Quincy Adams the presidency . ) The Whigs also lost the House in the 1842 midterm under Tyler ; while elected on a Whig ticket , Tyler was never actually a Whig .
Anyway , with those caveats , 24 of the 29 changes in party control have seen the party that held the White House lose the House . Seventeen of those were midterm losses . Six saw the president ’ s party lose both the House and the White House in a presidential-election year . In the other case , in 1792 , President George Washington was reelected unanimously , but the nascent opposition took over the House ( the first time the House changed control ) .
The trend has been even more pronounced since the 1856 emergence of the Republican party . Since 1858 , 16 out of 18 changes in House control have gone against the party in the White House . The only exceptions have been Harry Truman winning back the House , in the year of his reelection in 1948 , and James Garfield ( the last president elected directly from the House ) reclaiming the House for Republicans in 1880 . In Garfield ’ s case , however , the incumbent Republican president ( Rutherford B. Hayes ) was leaving after just one term , having been “ elected ” by a dubious backroom deal with the Democrats to end Reconstruction . Hayes had lost the House in the 1878 midterm , again thanks in part to voter anger at the legitimacy of the circumstances of his election , but his retirement gave the Republicans a fresh start .
The other three examples of the sitting president ’ s party winning the House all involved a new president . In 1856 , James Buchanan replaced another one-term president of his own party , Franklin Pierce , and won back the House from the ad hoc “ Opposition party , ” which in 1856 was for the first time known as the Republican party . In 1848 , the Whigs took over the presidency from James K. Polk , who retired after one term ( having lost the House in his midterm ) , but the Democrats won back the House . The split decision suggests the extent to which the new Whig president , Zachary Taylor , had been elected on the basis of his personal popularity as a hero of the Polk-led Mexican War . And in 1796 , the Federalists retook the House behind the election of John Adams to succeed Washington — not a reflection on the revered Washington so much as the first general election to feature an openly partisan system .
Some of the exceptions involved very narrow majorities , sometimes when the two-party system was in flux . The anti-administration faction went from a 54–51 majority to a 59–47 Federalist majority in 1796 . The Whigs went from a 116–110 majority to a 113–108 Democratic majority in 1848 . The “ Opposition party ” had just 100 out of 234 House members in a chaotic chamber entering 1856 , and came out with 94 .
But at the end of the day , if you are looking for examples of regaining control of the House without jettisoning an incumbent president , either in a presidential or midterm year , there is only one time in U.S. history it ’ s been done : 1948 . It ’ s a complicated parallel . When Harry Truman became president in April 1945 , just three months into his tenure as vice president , he inherited a once-massive Democratic coalition that had been decaying for almost a decade by the time Franklin D. Roosevelt won his fourth consecutive presidential election . The coalition ’ s internal tensions , and public demand for an opposition-party check , had been suppressed during the war but exploded in a midterm wave in 1946 that saw Republicans capture the House and Senate , both for the first time since 1931 . Republicans flipped 13 Senate seats and 57 House seats . But Republicans overplayed their hand in Congress , pushing conservative legislation on a country that hadn ’ t seen any such thing in two decades , while underplaying their hand in the presidential election , nominating the same colorless East Coast moderate ( Tom Dewey ) who had lost to FDR in 1944 . Truman ’ s party split three ways in the presidential race ( Strom Thurmond won four states as the Dixiecrat candidate , while Henry Wallace ran as the Progressive-party candidate ) , but while Truman ’ s popular-vote victory was somewhat modest , his party gained 75 House seats and nine Senate seats .
In his own reelection campaign , Trump may do well to study how the feisty , populist Truman not only overcame historic trends of his own favoring his defeat , but even won five states ( Ohio , Wisconsin , Iowa , Colorado , and Wyoming ) that Dewey had won in 1944 . But when you have only one example in all of American history and it ’ s tied to the long FDR majority , it ’ s hard to generalize lessons . Undoubtedly , congressional Democrats were helped by carrying Thurmond and Wallace voters down-ticket , as they won 52.6 percent of the popular vote compared with Truman ’ s 49.6 percent . Also , Trump can ’ t count on comparable Democratic policy overreach , since unlike the Republicans after 1946 , today ’ s Democrats don ’ t control the Senate . It ’ s also unlikely that the Democrats will renominate Hillary Clinton , as Republicans did with Dewey . Voters who left the Republican party in 2018 may not be Democrats , but they are not happy with Trump , and they are unlikely to return until he is gone from the scene .
Breaking down the modern history by number of House seats flipped rather than changes in the majority , Robert Romano takes a less grim view :
In presidential election years dating back to 1900 , the White House incumbent party picks up seats in the House 57 percent of the time , with gains averaging 18.7 seats . . . . If Republicans were to pick up seats and win the average number of seats gained in 2020 — it looks like they ’ ll have about 200 seats in the next Congress — they ’ d be well within striking distance . President Donald Trump and GOP could take back the House . It ’ s not impossible .
I agree that it ’ s not impossible , but the odds are not great . Romano ’ s examples of the president ’ s party gaining 20 or more House seats in a presidential election are Republicans in 1904 , 1924 , 1928 , and 1960 , and Democrats in 1944 , 1948 , and 1964 . In all but one of those examples ( 1960 ) , the president ’ s party also retained the White House , in most cases by lopsided margins . Interestingly , none of them involved a president trying to win his second election : FDR was running for his fourth term in 1944 ; Teddy Roosevelt in 1904 , Calvin Coolidge in 1924 , Truman in 1948 , and Lyndon Johnson in 1964 were all running for their first election after becoming president from the vice presidency ; and 1928 and 1960 were elections at the end of eight-year runs of Republican control of the White House . Also , only 1924 , 1948 , and 1960 involved recoveries from a major incumbent-party midterm wipeout in the House . ( Democrats in 1922 recovered 76 seats from a 300–132 majority Republicans had rolled up in the landslide 1920 election , but Republicans kept the majority . )
In short , none of these races look much like those we now expect in 2020 : a president who was elected alongside a strong House majority , had it collapse in his first midterm , and is trying to win it back while running for reelection . Other than Truman , four presidents have run for reelection after losing the House in their first midterm : Barack Obama in 2012 , Bill Clinton in 1996 , Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 , and John Quincy Adams in 1828 . The first three got reelected , but none of their parties got the House back until they were safely in retirement .
The 2016 and 2018 elections generally followed historical trends in a number of ways , but history is never an ironclad guide ; for example , it was unprecedented in recent history for Democrats riding a midterm wave in the House this year to nonetheless lose four incumbent senators . The number of general elections where the president ’ s party has picked up 20 or more House seats does , in fact , suggest that Republicans should not be too quick to completely abandon hope . But the rarity of anything like what Republicans will be trying to do in 2020 suggests that Kevin McCarthy should get his caucus used to being the minority , because they will most likely be in that position as long as Donald Trump is the president . | VIZzzlCsipWz18i4 | 2 | GOP | -1 | US House | -0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Guest Writer - Left | https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/19/politics/donald-trump-presidency-history-immigration-republicans/index.html | OPINION: Trump again dares courts to stop him | 2019-02-19 | politics | Washington ( CNN ) The legal confrontation over Donald Trump 's immigration national emergency is becoming the most important test yet of his vision of an unfettered presidency immune to norms that check executive power .
The President hit back Tuesday after 16 states filed a lawsuit to stop his declaration aimed at redirecting funds already allocated by Congress for different purposes to build his border wall . The structure was the ideological anchor of his campaigns , rooted in claims that an `` invasion '' of undocumented migrants and criminals is swamping America .
`` As I predicted , 16 states , led mostly by Open Border Democrats and the Radical Left , have filed a lawsuit in , of course , the 9th Circuit ! California , the state that has wasted billions of dollars on their out of control Fast Train , with no hope of completion , seems in charge ! '' Trump tweeted .
The new legal fight has revived questions about Trump 's expansive view of his own power and his frequent attempts to evade legal , political and constitutional restraints on his actions that add up to a more untethered notion of the presidency than most of his modern predecessors .
A profound question when Trump entered the Oval Office was whether his unruly , improvisational nature would be tamed by the magnitude of his new responsibilities and codes of presidential behavior framed over more than two centuries .
Or would Trump , a rambunctious , ego-driven outsider who never follows the rules , change the office itself by establishing precedents that his successors would eventually use to justify their own flexing of presidential power ?
It 's too early to assess Trump 's long-term impact on the office of the presidency , a judgment that will be shaped by how his rule ends , after one or two terms , and the final conclusions of the Russia investigation .
But two tumultuous years , and six consequential weeks early in 2019 , suggest that many of the normal codes and conventions that governed the presidency for decades are suspended in the time of Trump .
He has lived up to his promise to his voters to disrupt the Washington establishment and the Western global consensus . Now , thwarted by a new Democratic House and the arcane checks and balances of the Senate , Trump is claiming new executive power to reconcile his hardline vows on immigration .
Trump 's declaration of a national emergency to fund his border wall represents one of the boldest grabs for presidential authority in generations and caps what is now a lengthening record of contempt for the regular political order .
His straining against norms is not confined to his duels with Congress .
Trump 's verbal torching of the institutions of his own government like the Justice Department and the FBI appears to be becoming more intense as Robert Mueller 's special counsel probe grinds on .
One of Trump 's most enduring strategies is his willingness to stake out easily disprovable positions if they support his political goals -- another way that he is unencumbered by the constraints of many of his predecessors . In a new manifestation of his resistance to objective fact , he is now openly trashing the data collected by his own agencies when it does n't support his hunches on what he claims is an `` invasion '' of undocumented migrants .
He 's even insisting he 's already building his border wall -- reflecting the potential political price he may pay for failing to honor his top 2016 promise .
`` I use many stats . I use many stats , '' Trump told a reporter who challenged him with official government data on drug trafficking last week . `` Let me tell you , you have stats that are far worse than the ones that I use . ''
JUST WATCHED Awkward silence after Pence mentions Trump in speech Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Awkward silence after Pence mentions Trump in speech 00:41
Trump 's assault on the international system -- a step no President since the end of World War II would have dreamed of taking -- is widening . He 's undoing trade deals , nuclear pacts and pressuring estranged alliances that underpin decades of US power in pursuit of his `` America First '' creed .
Europe 's feelings were summed up by the stony , embarrassing silence when Vice President Mike Pence brought greetings from Trump to an annual national security conference in Munich over the weekend .
In his jarring news conference on Friday , Trump blasted away at the institutions that mold a free society -- including constitutional principles , the freedom of the press and the independent judiciary . He even publicly envied China 's record on extra-judicial executions in an open rebuke of traditional US values .
And Trump has several times , that we know about , prized the counsel of Russian President Vladimir Putin over that of his own spy chiefs . He bristles when he 's challenged on his world view as the roster of ex-administration officials shows .
One Trump ally , Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy , told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour Monday that the buzz around the White House is that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats may be in danger after contradicting Trump 's national security policies in a recent congressional hearing .
`` There 's a feeling that maybe there needs to be a change of leadership in that position , '' Ruddy said .
If Trump sacks Coats for insubordination , it will be a fresh example of how the President appears more untethered from personal , political and behavioral guardrails than any commander in chief in modern history .
Trump 's coming second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears as much motivated by his personal desire for a political win -- or a Nobel peace prize -- as any sign that their first meeting made much progress towards denuclearization .
His administration , which has shed staff at a historic clip , now looks more and more like the top-down , family business staffed by loyal retainers that characterized his real estate empire .
As his trampling of Republican anxiety about a national emergency showed last week , Trump 's not much worried about putting his own party in unpleasant political spots .
His emergency declaration is in itself an expression of contempt for congressional power and is different than previous emergency declarations since he plans to spend money already allocated by lawmakers for other purposes to build a wall they refused to fund .
And Trump , who once said he knew more about ISIS than his generals , is not partial to military advice that contradicts his own views -- such as the Syria withdrawal plan that has alarmed top military commanders .
JUST WATCHED Cooper : Trump 's 'urgency ' has been 2 years in the making Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Cooper : Trump 's 'urgency ' has been 2 years in the making 05:12
Trump 's explanation for choosing a national emergency last week to build his wall might have undermined his legal case for bypassing Congress in what may be a new effort by the courts -- one of the few roadblocks to Trump during his first two years in office -- to frustrate the President .
But his remark was revealing about a presidency rooted as much in personal gratification and a desire to spark outrage as a long-term ideological program .
`` I wanted to do it faster . I could do the wall over a longer period of time , I did n't need to do this , but I 'd rather do it much faster , '' the President said .
Other presidents have declared national emergencies . Some , such as Richard Nixon , have been erratic and incoherent in public . Franklin D. Roosevelt , seen as one of history 's best presidents , made ambitious power grabs . Barack Obama dodged Congress with his `` pen-and-phone '' strategy of executive orders . Theodore Roosevelt made the presidency an extension of his boisterous and restless temperament . Andrew Jackson harnessed the power of flaming populism and Trump has professed to admire Old Hickory .
But it 's hard to find a historical precedent for a commander in chief as volatile , publicly egotistical and apparently oblivious to constitutional norms as Trump .
Now that most of the restraining influences -- like James Mattis , the former defense secretary , or Rex Tillerson , the ex-secretary of state -- have left the administration , there are few internal limitations on Trump .
`` Donald Trump does n't have a containment vessel , '' said Timothy Naftali , a presidential historian at New York University . `` It is a perfect storm for the presidency . ''
JUST WATCHED Trump defends declaring national emergency for border wall Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump defends declaring national emergency for border wall 04:29
For Trump 's critics , America is heading down a dangerous autocratic path : It hardly seems likely that the President , with a taste for going it alone on a national emergency , will rein himself in .
Yet the fact that Trump , despite never cracking a 50 % approval rating in most polls , remains a viable political force and may have a route to re-election , suggests that a substantial block of millions of Americans like what they see .
To Trump voters , the President is hacking away at a political system and governing structure they have come to believe does not represent them , after long years of economic hardship and endless foreign wars .
His complaints that foreign nations are bleeding the US dry are popular among voters tired of foreign engagements -- a feeling that is also traceable in the Democratic base as the 2020 campaign begins .
Trump 's relentless base-pleasing strategy has intimidated his fellow Republicans , further loosening checks on a presidency that until recently benefited from a pliant Congress dominated by the GOP .
Republicans , such as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , appear to have concluded that the way to avoid a primary fight is to embrace Trump -- testimony to the power of the President with the base .
`` When the leader says do something , there 's become the tendency to do it , '' former Ohio Gov . John Kasich , now a senior CNN political commentator , said on `` New Day '' on Monday .
`` There has been more allegiance to the leader than I am sort of used to , '' the Ohio Republican said . `` When I was in Congress there were times when we just told the leadership , 'We do n't agree with you and we are going to do what we have to do . ' ''
Still , it 's likely that some Republicans will peel away from the President when a resolution to terminate his state of emergency comes up in both chambers , though few observers predict a veto-proof majority .
Relying exclusively on a vocal , if engaged , minority will pose complications for Trump 's re-election hopes .
And the fact there will be debate on the state of emergency at all suggests that from now on -- with Democrats running the House -- Trump will not have things all his own way , especially as a new oversight operation by committee chairs gears up .
`` We have got to keep in mind that not every institution has been Trumpified , '' said Naftali . `` The American people went to the polls in November and they voted in a Democratic majority in the House . That is a big deal . '' | aqOYWfPiN7wrhmyn | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.8 | Politics | -0.8 | Emergency Declaration | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/16/upshot/supreme-court-vacancy-looms-over-five-key-senate-races.html?mtrref=query.nytimes.com&gwh=D1AF282E776D886E2A2510FD214FFB7B&gwt=pay | Republican Risk Five Key Senate Races with Supreme Court Stance | 2016-02-16 | elections | Somewhat more surprising is Kelly Ayotte , a New Hampshire senator who has drawn a strong challenge from the state ’ s Democratic governor , Maggie Hassan . She has a less reliably conservative voting record than Mr. Johnson , but her growing national profile — she ’ s considered a plausible vice-presidential pick — might push her toward a more conservative stance .
Mark Kirk , the Illinois senator , would seem to be likeliest to support an Obama nominee . He has the most moderate voting record and hails from a Democratic-leaning state — one that also happens to be Mr. Obama ’ s home state . The other two senators — Mr. Portman in Ohio and Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania — are in more conservative states and have more conservative records .
The Supreme Court appointment could prove to be one of the biggest issues in the presidential election if Republicans are able to block Mr. Obama ’ s nominee .
Who gets to fill the Supreme Court , of course , is always an issue in presidential elections , and three justices are older than 77 . But nothing would make the stakes higher than a vacancy that the next president would immediately get to fill . If Republicans succeed in blocking Mr. Obama ’ s appointment , it will make the party ’ s senators more vulnerable to the charge that they ’ re obstructionists who are part of the problem in Washington .
The issue could still end up dogging those senators who choose to support Mr. Obama ’ s nominee , since a vote for them would still be a vote for the Republican-controlled Senate . It would naturally complement the Democratic message , especially if the Republicans nominate a divisive candidate like Ted Cruz or Donald Trump . That ’ s troubling for Republicans because there is a strong and perhaps growing tendency for close Senate contests to break uniformly in the direction of the party faring best nationally .
Democrats would be positioned to benefit in the Senate if the national race moved decidedly in their favor . They have strong recruits in another tier of less competitive states , like Indiana , Missouri and Arizona . The potential for extremism to cost Republicans in these states was amply demonstrated in the 2012 cycle , when Republicans lost races in Missouri and Indiana after nominating candidates who made controversial remarks about rape and abortion . | sgRt8EFn4T481pmy | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Axios | https://www.axios.com/court-trump-immigration-sanctuary-cities-565ee05c-46ea-4894-8e1b-52f6a0fde7c8.html | Court rules Trump administration can withhold funds from sanctuary cities | 2020-02-26 | Sanctuary Cities, Donald Trump, Police, Criminal Justice, Immigration | We use cookies and similar methods to recognize visitors and remember their preferences. We may also use them to measure ad campaign effectiveness, target ads, and analyze site traffic. Depending on your location, you may opt-in or opt out of the use of these technologies. Search Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration can withhold millions of dollars in federal law enforcement grants from sanctuary cities and states that don't cooperate with immigration enforcement, AP reports. The state of play: Seven states and New York City sued the U.S. government after the Justice Department said in 2017 it would withhold funds from cities and states that don't give immigration enforcement officials access to jails or notice when an undocumented migrant is scheduled to be released from jail, per AP. The big picture: The decision conflicts with the rulings of three other federal appeals courts and comes amid an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and sanctuary cities, which restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. Between the lines: While this is an important win for the Trump administration, it likely can't begin acting on the decision yet because of nationwide injunctions in other cases. Go deeper: Trump has declared war on sanctuary cities Want more stories like this? Sign up for Axios Markets Immigrant families and activists rally outside the Tennessee State Capitol against a law that will prohibit sanctuary city policies in the state. Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images The Justice Department has repealed a Trump-era order that cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to cities that did not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Why it matters: The 2017 order from President Trump was part of his larger crackdown on immigration. It faced a string of lawsuits from cities and states, per CNN, that argued such cooperation would deter immigrants from reporting crimes. Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Armed with subpoenas, lawsuits and immigration SWAT teams, the Trump administration has declared war on sanctuary cities. The big picture: President Trump and his administration have used every available tool to try to crack down on local governments that refuse to hold unauthorized immigrants in criminal custody, block immigration agents from working in county jails or deny federal authorities access to immigrants' records. A protest outside the San Francisco office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement on July 12, 2019. Photo: Justin Sullivan via Getty Images San Francisco is suing the Trump administration over its crackdown on cities with sanctuary policies that prohibit local law enforcement from aiding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in arresting undocumented immigrants. Why it matters: President Trump has ordered federal prosecutors to investigate local and state officials in cities with sanctuary laws and threatened to pull federal funding if they do not comply. Copyright Axios Media, 2024 | 37d9fb5c1ac7e814 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
general_news | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2014/10/14/352979540/getting-some-me-time-why-millennials-are-so-individualistic | Getting Some 'Me' Time: Why Millennials Are So Individualistic | 2014-10-14 | general_news | This story is part of the New Boom series on millennials in America .
They are a class of self-centered , self-absorbed , selfie-snapping 20-somethings . This is how many critics have come to define the millennial generation .
But hold on , is n't this what was said about every generation when it was young ? Minus the selfies of course .
Some scholars argue that millennials are n't entitled — they just have more time to be themselves .
The rise of individualism has been going on for centuries , says Jean Twenge , a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of Generation Me : Why Today 's Young Americans Are More Confident , Assertive , Entitled — and More Miserable Than Ever Before .
How we define adulthood has also changed , says Jeffrey Jensen Arnett , a research professor at Clark University in Worcester , Mass. , and the director of the Clark Poll of Emerging Adults . People used to feel like adults once they got married or had children , but that 's not so much the case anymore .
The 2014 Clark Established Adult Poll found that the top three markers for adulthood were accepting responsibility for self , financial independence and making independent decisions .
Twenge first encountered this rise in individualism when she was doing a project on gender roles in the 1990s . Both women and men scored high on this masculine scale that includes highly individualistic traits , such as being independent , relying on yourself , being a leader , etc . Twenge began studying other traits such as self-esteem and extroversion and recognized a pattern that these traits were all increasing over time .
`` You have emerging adulthood — taking more time to find yourself in your 20s , '' Twenge says . `` By definition that is an individualistic pursuit . ' I want to have that time to myself before I settle down . ' That is one that is unknown in traditional collectivist societies . ''
But Arnett would n't fully agree with Twenge 's definition of emerging adulthood — a term he coined in his 2004 book , Emerging Adulthood : The Winding Road from Late Teens through the Twenties .
`` It 's partly that , but it 's more than that , '' Arnett says . `` There 's a space that 's opened up in the 20s that is the most individualistic time of life . When you think about it , when are you freer from social rules than in your 20s ? ''
`` I describe it as the self-focused time in life , '' he says . `` I do n't mean that they 're selfish ; I mean that they have fewer social rules and obligations — the freedom to be self-directed . ''
Emerging adults are ages 18 to the mid- to late 20s , so right now , the second wave of the millennial generation falls into this group .
But of course this phase of life was n't always there . Fifty years ago , the median age of marriage for women was 20 . Today , it 's 27 , according to the Pew Research Center .
`` I think it 's hard for young women today to understand the kind of pressure their grandmothers were under to find a husband , '' Arnett says .
Join The Conversation Use # newboom to join the conversation on social media .
The stigma around being single has evaporated , leaving more time for young people to explore and find themselves . Since 1970 , there has been a dramatic shift in the average age Americans get married , Arnett says . Pew 's recent report said 25 percent of millennials will never marry .
There are economic pressures , Twenge says : `` [ It 's ] the idea of marrying only when you have stable jobs , and stable jobs are n't easy to come by . ''
The movements that took off in the 1960s and '70s — the sexual revolution and birth control , civil rights , the rise in college attendance — caused this new life period to open up .
Young people still believe in the institution of marriage , Arnett says . They just want to wait longer . Nearly 69 percent of singles in this cohort would like to marry eventually , according to the 2014 Clark Poll .
While increased individualism opened up new opportunities to people , some researchers suggest that democracy wo n't fare well in the long-run .
Specifically , civic engagement and social capital declined equally between the baby boomers and Generation X , and Generation X and the millennials , Twenge says .
Around The Nation Millennials To Bear The Burden Of Boomer 's Social Safety Net Millennials To Bear The Burden Of Boomer 's Social Safety Net Listen · 5:01 5:01
`` In Europe , their system ... also has very individualistic views which is usually accompanied by more civic involvement , '' she says . `` We have this kind of empty individualism where we have the self-focus but not the engagement that we really need for an individualistic democracy . ''
Others say that young people recognize that the old institutions are n't working . It 's not that they do n't want to participate , but they lack trust that individual participation will make a difference .
`` The reality is when you look at young people , all the data shows that young people are civic-minded in a very different way , '' says Erica Williams Simon , a social impact and communications strategist . `` They are not as interested in politics , but are interested in social change and finding creative , innovative ways to make a difference that are in a way more effective than the systems of the past . ''
Neil Howe , who coined the term `` millennial '' in his 1990 book Generations , says unwanted backlash arises when older generations jump to stereotype millennials .
Howe says when baby boomers view younger workers in a negative light it can lead to poorer productivity throughout the organization , and younger workers can have lower levels of engagement .
Arnett says while millennials are often criticized for being so individualistic , he thinks they will be better off in the long run .
`` I 've argued rather strenuously that it 's inaccurate to call them narcissists because they have this temporary period that is self-focused , '' he says . `` People do get used to making their own decisions . It 's a challenge then to partner with somebody else and have to compromise about things . I think people will make much better choices if they have their 20s to figure it out . ''
Samantha Raphelson is a digital news intern for NPR.org . You can reach out to her on Twitter , where she is often tweeting obsessively about the Foo Fighters and the Phillies . | zHX01fv9lCicTVTM | 1 | Millennials | 0.5 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/dnc-2016-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-supporters-226415 | How Clinton quelled an insurgency | 2016-07-29 | elections | PHILADELPHIA — Hillary Clinton sat in a locker room in the bowels of the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night , watching President Barack Obama make the case for passing her the baton .
With her longtime aides Huma Abedin and Capricia Marshall by her side , she grew emotional watching her onetime rival bring down the hall — at one point placing her hand over her chest as she watched .
Gone from the convention floor were the pro-Bernie Sanders protesters who had disrupted speakers on the opening day of the convention . The “ Not For Sale ! ” chants were replaced with exclamations of “ We Love You ; ” the anti-TPP signs overwhelmed in a sea of “ Yes We Can ” posters distributed to delegates on the floor — Obama ’ s famous 2008 rallying cry , now printed in the Clinton campaign ’ s official font , a customized version of Sharp Sans entitled , appropriately , “ Unity . ”
But the picture of an optimistic , unified party didn ’ t just happen on its own . Sure , by Day 4 , the Democratic National Convention would look smooth , expertly choreographed and far more effectively produced than the Republican programming a week earlier . But that was the result of days of negotiating and wrangling with Bernie Sanders , adjusting the schedule and creating opportunities to publicly make peace between the party ’ s rival factions .
The Clinton campaign began planning for the convention in April after winning the New York primary . They hired Ricky Kirschner , a nine-time Emmy Award-winning producer whose credits include the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show starring Beyoncé , the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show starring Katy Perry , as well as Obama ’ s 2012 convention . The campaign ’ s top consultants , Jim Margolis , Mandy Grunwald and Joel Benenson , all experienced at running conventions , were tasked with the run of show , intro videos and speaker lineup .
The Sanders campaign was in a convention state of mind early , too . In March , Sanders adviser Mark Longabaugh told convention CEO Leah Daughtry the senator ’ s team would want a boiler room , the nerve center from which the nominee ’ s staff would traditionally oversee the show . Daughtry didn ’ t understand the request : The nominee ’ s team would be in charge , she said . Longabaugh ’ s response was unsettling for Democrats : What if there ’ s a contested convention , he asked .
Clinton ’ s chief administration officer , Charlie Baker , reached out to Longabaugh . Brooklyn wasn ’ t going to fight . Instead , Clinton ’ s team offered Sanders shared access to the boiler room . The Clinton team had realized it would have to accommodate more demands from the Sanders camp than it had bargained for if it wanted the certainty of a smooth program .
As Baker worked out the logistics with the Sanders campaign , three separate teams inside Clinton ’ s Brooklyn headquarters were crafting suggested themes for the convention . Independently , each settled on the same one — “ Stronger Together. ” It was an odd moment of consensus for a campaign that spends hours debating issues large and small . So when the three teams dialed into a conference call to discuss the convention message , it was a short discussion ; team members joked that they didn ’ t know what to do when they agree .
After the California primary on June 7 , the Clinton campaign team began convention planning in earnest . They intended to create two plans . One assumed Sanders would endorse Clinton before the convention and be awarded a major speaking role on opening night . That was Plan A .
Plan B would be one that Brooklyn would activate if Sanders didn ’ t endorse . “ We never really got to Plan B , ” admitted a campaign source involved with the planning .
When the two teams arrived in Philadelphia the Friday before the convention , the Clinton team already knew it would have problems with Sanders ’ supporters . And that was even before news broke that Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz had been working against the senator from Vermont .
Clinton ’ s convention planners met with the Sanders team at the Sonesta Hotel , and they found his aides willing to help quell the expected floor insurgency . Together , they created a joint whip operation to keep the floor under control — each state delegation was assigned a Sanders official and a Clinton official to talk down dissenters . Sanders ’ former Iowa state director , Robert Becker , was the main point person on the floor to explain to angry protesters why Sanders had chosen to back Clinton .
But they weren ’ t as quick to find consensus on Sanders ’ speaking slot . The Clinton campaign had scheduled Sanders to take the stage at 9 p.m. — not only before the coveted 10 p.m. hour but as a warm-up act for Elizabeth Warren and Michelle Obama , and even Paul Simon .
Sanders wasn ’ t having it , according to sources inside his camp . Sure , Paul Simon was alright — it was Simon ’ s idea to have “ Bridge Over Troubled Waters ” play as Sanders wrapped— but after giving a full-throated endorsement of a rival he knew had the unfair advantage of a party establishment working the levers in her favor , he wanted the primo speaking slot .
When the teams met again on Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center , Clinton ’ s aides agreed to give Sanders what he wanted . And they made another concession : After originally cutting former NAACP president Ben Jealous , a vocal Sanders surrogate , from the main stage , Clinton ’ s team bowed to Sanders ’ demand that he be added back to the program .
There was one Sanders surrogate who wouldn ’ t get past Clinton ’ s convention gatekeepers , though — former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner , who has been highly critical of Clinton throughout the campaign after initially endorsing her . Clinton ’ s team denied Sanders ’ request that Turner nominate him on Tuesday .
Throughout the week , Margolis and Grunwald reviewed every word entered into the teleprompter from their small room in the basement of the arena . They were also on ego patrol , balancing the needs of politicians and Hollywood stars , paring down the speeches to make sure the convention stayed on schedule — and on message .
Team Sanders , meanwhile , was managing its own delegates , texting them to be respectful with a message from campaign manager Jeff Weaver after they revolted against Sanders in a Monday morning event .
On Monday night , however , the Clinton camp ’ s careful control over the program hit a road bump . Sanders ’ operatives wouldn ’ t hand over his speech , which they said he was still writing until the last moment . Weaver and Longabaugh tried to calm them down . “ You will like the speech , ” they promised .
Hillary Clinton 's acceptance speech at the 2016 DNC Hillary Clinton accepted the nomination for the candidate for the Democratic party on Thursday at the 2016 Democratic National Convention . poster= '' http : //v.███.com/images/1155968404/201607/3095/1155968404_5061836388001_5060493938001-vs.jpg ? pubId=1155968404 ''
Clinton ’ s aides had nothing to worry about . At least not from Sanders .
“ I am proud to stand with her , ” he told the crowd .
He backed up his loyalty by making the rounds to state delegation breakfasts the next day with an unequivocal message to his holdout supporters : “ It ’ s easy to boo , but it ’ s harder to look at your kids in the face , who would be living under a Donald Trump presidency . ”
But it was Day 2 , and Sanders ’ supporters weren ’ t giving up .
Press secretary Brian Fallon was booed while speaking at a breakfast for Maine , New Hampshire and Vermont delegates . Then , during a question-and-answer period , he was peppered with concerns about outgoing Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz ’ s new role as a volunteer coordinator on the Clinton campaign and how that would make their jobs that much more difficult in recruiting volunteers and generating excitement for the Democratic ticket against Donald Trump .
Indeed , the Clinton campaign realized quickly on Tuesday that Monday ’ s moment of unity , courtesy of Sanders , hadn ’ t satisfied the nominee ’ s detractors . Now , the campaign needed to make sure protesters wouldn ’ t disrupt the historic roll call that would officially make Clinton the first woman in history to be nominated to the top of a major party ’ s ticket .
The campaign blasted out an email to its delegates , urging them to take the SEPTA train to the Wells Fargo Center and pack the stands by 2 p.m .
Meanwhile , Robby Mook and Charlie Baker sat down with Jeff Weaver and other Sanders operatives , eager to find a way for Sanders to again play peacemaker . Sanders seemed willing .
He agreed to offer an acclamation speech , taking the mic during roll call to ask that the rules be suspended and Clinton named nominee . But he wanted to do it on the main stage .
Clinton ’ s campaign said no . He had been given his due on Monday and Tuesday was meant to mark a pivot to Clinton and her record .
Sanders didn ’ t push it . Indeed , Clinton ’ s aides said he did “ everything we asked of him . ”
After the roll call , the protests moved outside the hall . One of Clinton ’ s most aggressive surrogates , super PAC maestro David Brock , was chased through the halls of the Wells Fargo Center by two Sanders delegates after Bill Clinton ’ s Tuesday night speech , according to a Democrat who witnessed the spectacle . “ They were yelling ‘ you f—g jerk , ’ ” said the Democrat .
And on Wednesday , Sanders protesters stormed the media tents to express their outrage that Turner had been denied a spot on the debate stage .
But what had been a raging boil on Monday was by Thursday morning just a simmer .
Clinton ’ s historic acceptance speech — at least on television — looked like it was delivered to a unified crowd . Sanders ’ campaign had sent delegates text messages urging them to respect her , just as her supporters respected him . And throughout the speech , Becker worked the convention floor , leading a whip team to calm restive Bernie or Busters . The few remaining hecklers , stationed here and there , mostly in the upper decks of the arena , were drowned out repeatedly by chants of “ Hillary . ”
Gone on Day 4 were the handmade anti-TPP banners and the Bernie-or-Bust T-shirts . The room instead was flooded with American flags and the delegates on cue waved the signs passed to them by convention volunteers to create a uniform look for a television audience .
All the delegates , that is , except one . In the section closest to the Democratic nominee , a red sign with black lettering was lifted high into the air where it stayed stationed all night above all of the “ Stronger Together ” placards Clinton ’ s team had dreamed up before they even knew Sanders would still be hanging on into convention week . | XoUQyx9qDRSA4vQ8 | 0 | Hillary Clinton | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
trade | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/05/huawei-meng-wanzhou-arrested-united-states-extradition/2222525002/ | Huawei chief financial officer arrested in Canada, faces possible extradition to United States | 2018-12-05 | trade | TORONTO – Canadian authorities said Wednesday that they have arrested the chief financial officer of China ’ s Huawei Technologies for possible extradition to the United States .
China demanded her immediate release , and a former Canadian envoy to China warned the case might lead to retaliation by the Chinese against American and Canadian executives .
Justice Department spokesman Ian McLeod said Meng Wanzhou was detained in Vancouver , British Columbia , on Saturday . Meng is a prominent member of Chinese society as deputy chairman of the board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei .
McLeod said a publication ban had been imposed in the case and he could not provide further details . The ban was sought by Meng , who has a bail hearing Friday , he said .
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that U.S. authorities are investigating whether Chinese tech giant Huawei violated sanctions on Iran .
Huawei issued a statement saying Meng was changing flights in Canada when she was detained “ on behalf of the United States of America ” to face “ unspecified charges ” in New York .
“ The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng , ” the statement said .
Huawei said it complies with all laws and rules where it operates , including export controls and sanctions of the United Nations , the U.S. and European Union .
The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said her human rights were violated and demanded she be freed .
“ The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly protests over such kind of actions which seriously harmed the human rights of the victim , ” the statement said .
In April , China appealed to Washington to avoid damaging business confidence following the Wall Street Journal report that U.S. authorities were investigating whether Huawei violated sanctions on Iran amid spiraling technology tensions .
A foreign ministry spokeswoman , Hua Chunying , said then that China hoped the U.S. would refrain from taking actions that could further undermine investor confidence in the U.S. business environment and harm its domestic economy .
That same month Washington barred Huawei rival ZTE Corp. from exporting U.S. technology in a separate case over exports to Iran and North Korea
Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods in response to complaints that Beijing improperly pressures foreign companies to hand over technology . That is widely seen as part of a broader effort by Washington to respond to intensifying competition with Chinese technology industries that Trump says benefit from improper subsidies and market barriers .
David Mulroney , a former Canadian ambassador to China , said U.S. and Canadian business executives could face reprisals in China .
“ That ’ s something we should be watching out for . It ’ s a possibility . China ’ s plays rough , ” Mulroney said . “ It ’ s a prominent member of their society and it ’ s a company that really embodies China ’ s quest for global recognition as a technology power . ”
Mulroney said Canada should be prepared for “ sustained fury ” from the Chinese and said it will be portrayed in China as Canada kowtowing to Trump . He also said the Iran allegations are very damaging to Huawei and said China will push back hard .
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse , a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services and Banking committees , said Huawei is an agent of China ’ s communist party and applauded Canada for the arrest .
“ Americans are grateful that our Canadian partners have arrested the Chief Financial Officer of a giant Chinese telecom company for breaking U.S. sanctions against Iran , ” he said . | fhVFhrtB1CJ83hvp | 1 | China | -1.5 | Canada | -1.3 | Trade | -0.2 | United States | 0 | World | 0 |
economy_and_jobs | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/06/06/319404238/will-the-u-s-finally-gets-past-pre-recession-jobs-total | The U.S. Finally Gets Past Pre-Recession Jobs Total | 2014-06-06 | economy_and_jobs | The U.S. hit a milestone Friday , as the government 's monthly jobs report showed that in May , the country finally surpassed the number of jobs it had before the recession started . The gain of 217,000 jobs put the total U.S. payroll number at nearly 138.5 million jobs .
But analysts note that the recovery has taken more than six years and has excluded many workers .
Update at 8:35 a.m . ET : Jobs Gain Of 217,000 Reported
`` Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 217,000 in May , and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3 percent , '' the Bureau of Labor Statistics says .
`` May marked the fourth straight month payrolls have increased at least 200,000 , the first time that 's happened since September 1999 to January 2000 , '' according to Bloomberg News .
`` The labor-force participation rate , a widely watched barometer for how many folks are actually in the labor market , held steady at 62.8 percent in May . That holds near the lowest levels since the late 1970s , '' says The Wall Street Journal .
The U.S . Finally Gets Past Pre-Recession Jobs Total Listen · 3:02 3:02
We 've updated this post with the new statistics from the BLS .
Before today 's numbers were released , economists expected an increase in payrolls of around 210,000 jobs , according to a Dow Jones survey — a gain that would put the total above the record of 138.4 million jobs at the start of 2008 . The unemployment rate was expected to tick up a notch , to 6.4 percent .
Analysts tell NPR 's John Ydstie that despite approaching the milestone , it 's not really a time to celebrate .
They note that the jobs recovery is the longest since before World War II . And they say that while job growth has been steady , it 's been too slow to absorb young workers who have come of age since 2007 — and too slow to help millions of other people who were laid off .
`` We should have added around 7 million jobs '' in that time , Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute says in John 's report on Morning Edition . `` So , just getting back to where we were before the recession began nearly 6 1/2 years ago leaves us in a really big hole . ''
The U.S. economy is growing , Shierholz says , `` it 's just happening at a pretty slow pace . ''
Economists say some of the problems that are still holding the economy back include weak consumer demand that has crimped hiring plans , as well as employers who ca n't find workers with the right skills for their job openings .
The picture has been bleak in California 's San Joaquin Valley , where NPR 's Kelly McEvers reports that the dominant farm economy is blamed for low wages that leave workers unable to contribute to new growth in an area where unemployment rates are double the national average . | DGnNV2HjB9F9ch4Q | 1 | Unemployment | -1 | Economy And Jobs | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | Howard Kurtz | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/03/empire-strikes-back-why-trumps-private-talks-with-foreign-leaders-were-leaked.html | The empire strikes back: Why Trump's private talks with foreign leaders were leaked | 2017-02-03 | media_bias | The swamp is finding ways to mire the new president in controversy .
A pair of leaks about Donald Trump ’ s conversations with foreign leaders is extraordinary , because these are among the most closely held secrets in government . The information was furnished to the Washington Post and the AP in a clear effort to embarrass the president . And it worked .
Putting aside for a moment what Trump said to the leaders of Australia and Mexico , how can any president function if he can ’ t hold confidential conversations with his counterparts on the world stage ?
These stories were about the bureaucracy striking back . One or more people , in either the State Department or the White House , wanted to damage Trump by portraying him as a rampaging bull breaking the diplomatic china . And this was done by selectively providing excerpts of the private calls . We don ’ t know much about the tone or the context .
They ’ re hot news stories , of course , but the motivation of the leakers is pretty transparent .
Now it ’ s not that unusual for an administration to provide authorized leaks about a president ’ s encounters with foreign leaders to paint him in a positive light . But I can ’ t recall another case in which unnamed sources tried to undermine a president by putting out such specifics .
Maybe that ’ s why Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told employees yesterday that they need to put aside their personal political beliefs even if they wanted a different outcome in the election . And why the president , when he wasn ’ t praying for Arnold Schwarzenegger ’ s ratings , told the National Prayer Breakfast :
“ When you hear about the tough phone calls I 'm having , do n't worry about it . Just do n't worry about it . They 're tough . We have to be tough . It 's time we we 're going to be a little tough , folks . We 're taken advantage of by every nation in the world , virtually . ”
“ President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refu¬gee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win , according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange . Then , 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call , Trump abruptly ended it .
“ At one point , Trump informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day — including Russian President Vladimir Putin — and that ‘ this was the worst call by far. ’ …Trump , who one day earlier had signed an executive order temporarily barring the admission of refugees , complained that he was ‘ going to get killed ’ politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the ‘ next Boston bombers . ’ ”
“ President Donald Trump warned in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart that he was ready to send U.S. troops to stop ‘ bad hombres down there ’ unless the Mexican military does more to control them , according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press…
“ The excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors . Trump 's remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail . ”
Now both accounts are jarring . And White House officials have scrambled to provide context . One source told CNN , for instance , that Trump was a bit fatigued by the time he got to the call with Turnbull . And the AP quoted a White House official in a followup piece as saying Trump ’ s remarks about sending troops to Mexico was “ lighthearted . ”
That is one weakness of such stories , that we don ’ t know what tone was taken .
But the Australia issue is serious . Trump tweeted Wednesday night : “ Do you believe it ? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia . Why ? I will study this dumb deal ! ”
Trump is also getting flak from the unnamed sources at the Pentagon as well in the wake of the raid in Yemen , first planned by the Obama administration , that killed a Navy SEAL :
“ U.S . military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence , ground support or adequate backup preparations . ”
We need to fully investigate what happened , of course , but it ’ s rather remarkable that military officials are using the press to second-guess the commander-in-chief .
All this underscores the fact that Trump , more so than most new presidents , has to deal with hostile elements within the government—a situation that can prompt a White House to become more secretive . The challenge for Tillerson , Jim Mattis and other new Cabinet chiefs will be to instill a sense of loyalty among their troops . | AexfwEb2JvhJNWT2 | 1 | Media Bias | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | BBC News | https://www.npr.org/2019/06/21/734722467/wisconsin-supreme-court-sides-with-gop-lawmakers-to-limit-democratic-governors-p | Wisconsin Supreme Court Sides With GOP Lawmakers To Limit Democratic Governor's Power | 2019-06-21 | supreme_court | Wisconsin Supreme Court Sides With GOP Lawmakers To Limit Democratic Governor 's Power
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Republican state lawmakers and upheld laws limiting the power of Democratic Gov . Tony Evers .
The state 's December 2018 lame-duck session of the legislature passed a number of laws curbing Evers ' power , including one that barred him from authorizing the state 's departure from a federal lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act .
Lawmakers also limited Evers ' ability to change existing state laws through executive action , including Wisconsin 's voter ID and right-to-work laws . The governor 's power to appoint board members to the state 's economic development agency , which is overseeing the state 's $ 4 billion tax incentives deal with tech giant Foxconn , was scaled back as well .
The court ruled 4-3 in favor of the GOP on Friday , dismissing an argument that the session was called unconstitutionally .
The plaintiffs in the case , the League of Women Voters , argued the state constitution does not ascribe the power to call an extraordinary session of the legislature to lawmakers , thereby making the December session and all actions therein unconstitutional and invalid .
The court 's majority opinion , written by conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley , rejected that .
`` The Wisconsin Constitution itself affords the legislature absolute discretion to determine the rules of its own proceedings , '' Bradley wrote .
The court 's liberal justices offered a dissenting opinion , saying the majority `` subverts the plain text of ... the Wisconsin Constitution . ''
`` The Legislature 's ability to determine the rules of its proceedings pursuant to Article IV , Section 8 does not swallow up the meeting requirements of Article IV , Section 11 or allow it to wield unbridled power , '' wrote Justice Rebecca Dallet .
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a 4-3 conservative majority . That will move to 5-2 , when Justice-elect Brian Hagedorn is sworn in in January .
As the state court is the highest judicial power in Wisconsin , the lawsuit ends here .
`` Today 's decision is disappointing and , unfortunately , all too predictable , '' Evers said . `` It is based on a desired political outcome , not the plain meaning and text of the Constitution . ''
Chris Carson , the president of the League of Women Voters of the United States , said the court 's action `` undermines the will of Wisconsin voters . ''
`` The Wisconsin state Legislature 's actions defied the democratic process , which is a major blow to our democracy as a whole , '' Carson said .
`` The Court upheld a previously non-controversial legislative practice used by both parties for decades to enact some of the most important laws in the state , '' said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald . `` This lawsuit , pursued by special interests and Governor Evers , has led to an unnecessary waste of taxpayer resources . ''
One other state-level case challenging the lame-duck session remains before the Wisconsin Supreme Court .
The court has yet to hear arguments in that case , which argues the laws passed during the session violate the Wisconsin Constitution 's separation of powers guarantee by unfairly limiting the authority of the executive branch .
One of those relates to limits on early voting and changes to Wisconsin 's voter ID law passed during the lame-duck session . The other says the session violates the U.S. Constitution 's guarantee clause , which guarantees every state the right to a representative , republican form of government .
As those cases move forward , the vast majority of Wisconsin 's lame-duck laws have been allowed to go into effect .
The only exceptions are the limits on early voting , changes to some voter ID procedures and a requirement that state agencies allow a public comment period on some public guidance documents . Those elements remain blocked by courts . | arGyPgegeuvA3k4b | 1 | Supreme Court | 0.2 | Wisconsin | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/gavin-newsoms-campaign-to-repeal-the-second-amendment | Gavin Newsom’s campaign to repeal the Second Amendment | 2023-06-15 | Gun Control And Gun Rights, US Constitution, 2nd Amendment, Violence In America, Gavin Newsom | Whatever else Gov.Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) campaign for a 28th Amendment gets wrong about guns, at least it implicitly admits that the Democratic Party’sgun controlwish list is unconstitutional under theSecond Amendment. After all, why propose an amendment if the Constitution doesn’t forbid what you want to accomplish?Leaving Newsom’s admission aside, however, his 28th Amendment would accomplish nothing, at least nothing good. At worst, it would lay the legal groundwork for confiscating every gun in the United States.BIDEN’S LAND GRAB HURTS WORKING FAMILIESNewsom has offered no text for his amendment, only four “principles” he wants written into it. This allows him to propose “barring civilian purchase of assault weapons” without ever having to define exactly what an “assault weapon” is.Define it too narrowly and gun manufacturers will create new models that skirt the definition. Define it too broadly by saying it is “any semi-automatic firearm with a detachable magazine,” for example, and you outlaw almost half the handguns in the nation. If the text of Newsom’s 28th Amendment is ever written, he’ll have to choose. The first option renders his amendment useless; the second would mean it never gets the votes to become law.Not all of Newsom’s principles are so vague. Raising the legal age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21 is an easy bright line to enforce, but there isn’t any evidence that it would reduce gun crimes at all. But how can we raise the age to 21 when people may vote when three years younger than that?Newsom’s third principle calls for a “reasonable waiting period for all gun purchases.” What is “reasonable” is not defined. We know from existing state waiting periods that they reduce gun suicides for those over 55, but they have no effect on gun homicide rates overall.Finally, Newsom calls for “universal background checks” for gun purchases. But all commercial gun purchases are subject to universal background checks already. What Newsom is really calling for here is background checks for all private firearm transfers. Anytime anyone transfers gun ownership, from father to son, for example, or from neighbor to neighbor, Newsom wants the federal government to know about it.Some states have tried this, and compliance is nonexistent. It isestimatedthat only 3.5% of private transfers in Oregon, for example, complied with that state’s universal background check law. The only way to achieve anything approaching effective compliance would be for the federal government to create a national gun registry and force all owners to register their firearms with the feds. That is the Democrats’ real goal with a universal background check system: a new government database that knows who owns every gun in the country and where they live.Newsom’s gun grabbing pitch is predicated on the suggestion that mass shootings are a rational security threat and that the public, after “another few dozen of these in the next year or two,” will accept repealing the Second Amendment.Butmass shootings make up just 1% of all gun deathseach year. If Newsom wants to do something about gun violence, he should attack the George Soros district attorneys in his state and across the country who refuse to prosecute minorities charged with gun possession crimes. Democrats need to focus on enforcing existing gun laws before they try to create new ones. | 5de932bbe25f2046 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/02/14/276565622/despite-promising-signs-iran-has-yet-to-escape-economic-troubles | Iran's Hope Is Sanctions Relief, But Reality Is Struggling Economy | 2014-02-14 | middle_east | Iran 's Hope Is Sanctions Relief , But Reality Is Struggling Economy
Iran 's economy may be struggling , but that does n't mean everyone is suffering .
In a downtown Tehran restaurant , a well-dressed young man who asks to be identified only as Ahmad sits with a friend enjoying a water pipe of flavored tobacco .
Ahmad is a bit vague about what he does — first he says he 's in the petrochemical business , then describes himself as an independent trader . He shares the general consensus that President Hassan Rouhani has brought a better atmosphere to the country but no real economic changes .
Ahmad 's own problems , however , might not elicit much sympathy from most Iranians .
`` The regulations definitely need to be changed , '' he says . `` Take importing cars to Iran : The tariff is 105 percent on each car . I wanted to import two Mercedes , but you can only think about one . ''
Income inequality is one problem Rouhani faces , but the Iranian president says better economic times are coming for his country . Iranians are desperate to believe him , but beyond the marginal improvements that come with greater confidence in the new administration , very little has changed on the ground .
Iranians are pinning their hopes on a nuclear agreement and better relations with the outside world — achievements seen as difficult at best .
Another major problem Rouhani faces in lifting Iran 's economy is the opposition of entrenched interests that profit from Iran 's isolation . For instance , the powerful Revolutionary Guard is a major economic player .
One graduate student who gives only his first name , Arman , says things hit a low point under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad .
`` What was really frustrating was the fact that nothing was ever going to get better , because the more sanctions there were going to be , the richer some people are going to get , '' Arman says .
In the poor neighborhoods of south Tehran , the economic struggles are more recognizable . Iran remains an economy of subsidies , although some direct cash payments have been replaced by food baskets for the poor . That does not sit well with those forced to stand in line in the winter cold . Even there , though , flashes of humor can be found .
An old man in a wool cap startles a reporter by shouting : `` We chant 'Death to America ' all the time ! What are you doing here asking questions ? ''
But then as the men around him break into grins , he smiles and says , `` Well , I guess you 're OK then . ''
Mehdi — who also gives only one name — makes it clear that they may need help , but they do n't like food lines . They know the difference between a poor neighborhood and a refugee camp .
`` This is the fourth time I 've come , '' Mehdi , 77 , says . `` They tell me to come back later , and then they say they 've run out . It 's not right . ''
Besides a slight easing of sanctions last month , Iran has benefited from the widespread conviction that Rouhani 's economic team is far more competent than Ahmadinejad 's . Greater confidence — along with limited success in nuclear negotiations with six world powers — has helped reverse Iran 's brutal inflation rate , and steadied the Iranian rial somewhat against the dollar .
Doing more , however , will require the lifting of sanctions by further curtailing Iran 's nuclear program , and that effort has enemies at home and abroad . Conservative Israeli and U.S. watchdogs such as United Against Nuclear Iran sound regular alarms that `` the architecture of the sanctions regime is crumbling , '' largely based on an increase in trade delegations visiting Iran , and inflated Iranian predictions . President Obama says Washington will come down `` like a ton of bricks '' on those who violate sanctions .
But inside Iran , people are n't seeing any improvements that would justify such concerns . Even the man in charge of making Iran 's oil contracts more attractive to foreign companies is tempering expectations .
Oil ministry official Mehdi Hosseini says Iran needs a massive $ 150 billion in foreign investment in the coming years , and so far , companies are n't committing .
`` We still have sanctions now , '' Hosseini says . `` There are companies coming and going , but we ca n't sign contracts while the sanctions remain , and contract talks will take time . ''
For now , Iranians say , there 's nothing to do but struggle on , recognizing that better times ahead depend on factors beyond their control . | 0i7l0HMvuV09OoQM | 1 | Iran | 0.5 | Middle East | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
business | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/desantis-says-disney-lawsuit-has-no-merit-companies-shouldnt-have-their-own-governments | DeSantis says Disney lawsuit has no merit, companies shouldn't have 'their own governments' | 2023-04-27 | Business, Disney, Ron DeSantis, LGBTQ Issues, Florida, Federal State And Tribal Powers, Local Governments, Nikki Haley, Bob Iger, Parental Rights In Education | 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. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reacted to Disney's lawsuit against him, saying it's time for the company to "live by the same rules as everybody else." Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday dismissed Disney's lawsuit against him, calling it politically motivated and saying it is not "pro-business" to let one company get favorable treatment from the government. Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis on Wednesday, alleging the Republican orchestrated a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" against the company that violates Disney's free speech rights. Disney is challenging the legality of a new board appointed by DeSantis to govern the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District – where the Walt Disney World resort is located. "I don't think the suit has merit," the governor said in Jerusalem. The legal complaint is an escalation of a fight between DeSantis and Disney that began last year when the House of Mouse campaigned to overturn Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, which detractors misleadingly labeled the "Don't Say Gay" bill. DeSantis, widely expected to run for president in 2024, responded by pushing the Florida legislature to strip Disney's self-governing authority and create a new board, full of his appointees, which now has control over the theme park's development. "They’re upset because they’re having to live by the same rules as everybody else. They don’t want to pay the same taxes as everybody else and they want to be able to control things without proper oversight," DeSantis said. "The days of putting one company on a pedestal with no accountability are over in the state of Florida." DISNEY SUES FLORIDA GOV. RON DESANTIS OVER LOSS OF SPECIAL DISTRICT Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis talks to the media at a conference titled "Celebrate the Faces of Israel" at Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance, Thursday, April 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo / AP Newsroom) DeSantis was speaking on the third leg of an international trip meant to burnish his foreign policy credentials ahead of a potential campaign for the Republican presidential nomination as a key rival to former President Donald Trump. The governor has leaned in to his spat with Disney, one of Florida's largest employers and a major source of tourism to the Sunshine State, even as business leaders and other GOP 2024 hopefuls have bashed his actions as non-conservative and anti-business. DISNEY'S ‘BACK ROOM DEAL’ TO STOP DESANTIS RIPPED BY LEGAL EXPERT: 'WORTHY OF SCROOGE MCDUCK General views of the Walt Disney World Resort, celebrating its 50th anniversary on April 03, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images) "Hey @Disney, my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida," tweeted Republican presidential candidate former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Wednesday. "SC's not woke, but we're not sanctimonious about it either." Her dig at DeSantis parroted former President Donald Trump, who is also running for president and has taken to calling DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious" or "DeSanctus." Earlier this month, Trump called DeSantis' fight with Disney a "political STUNT." DISNEYLAND UNVEILS FIRST-EVER LGBT ‘PRIDE NITE’ AMID BATTLE WITH DESANTIS Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves as he arrives to a conference titled "Celebrate the Faces of Israel" at Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance, Thursday, April 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, Pool / AP Newsroom) But the Florida governor has brushed off these criticisms. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE "The idea that somehow being pro-business means giving companies their own governments, that is not what a free market is all about, last I checked," DeSantis said Thursday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. | 61f3c45e658b5d91 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Vox | https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/5/15873438/senate-health-bill-job-losses | Hundreds of thousands of workers could lose their jobs if Senate health bill passes | 2017-07-05 | healthcare | CHICAGO — From their offices in a crumbling former nursing school , Aimee Dinschel and Michelle Pihlaja-Olson were preparing to interview 25 applicants for public health jobs . It should have been a moment of optimism for their hospital system , which only recently began to turn a profit after more than a century of bleeding money , and which was expanding its services to the poorest residents of Cook County . Instead , the women were worried .
The health care bill moving through the Senate , and particularly its rollback of Medicaid , would threaten millions of dollars of funding for the county hospital system here . It could end mental health and behavioral services for low-income patients . And it has cast a pall of uncertainty over hospital staff : Dinschel and Pihlaja-Olson could not be sure that the jobs they were hiring for would still exist in a few years .
“ What if we don ’ t have jobs in a year ? ” said Dinschel , a mother of two who is the main income earner in her family . It ’ s a question she ’ s considered several times since the election . “ It ’ s hard to find a job , and this is a good position . ”
Dinschel and Pihlaja-Olson , who manage health care for Medicaid enrollees , are among 300 workers and contractors for the Cook County health system whose jobs rely on the Affordable Care Act ’ s Medicaid expansion . The morning we spoke , Republican senators had unveiled the Better Care Reconciliation Act , which would cut federal funding to cover Medicaid expansion for low-income Americans who qualified for the program for the first time under Obamacare .
The Congressional Budget Office estimates 22 million fewer Americans would have insurance under that plan . But health coverage isn ’ t the only thing at stake . The Senate bill could slash hundreds of thousands of jobs and stunt growth in an industry that has boosted post-recession job creation .
It ’ s unclear exactly how many jobs are on the line . But public health experts at George Washington University estimate that 912,000 health care workers in the United States could lose their jobs if Congress rolls back the Medicaid expansion and removes tax credits to help people buy private insurance . ( The BCRA phases out Medicaid expansion and caps , but does not eliminate , tax credits ) .
Illinois is one of 31 states that chose to expand Medicaid coverage with federal dollars from Obamacare . It received $ 3.2 billion in federal funding to do so in fiscal year 2015 . If the Senate bill passes , it could be one of the states with the highest number of job losses , according to the analysis .
The law would also strain public budgets . Fewer people with insurance means more people show up at the emergency room who can ’ t afford their care . As patients worry about the possibility of losing their insurance in a post-Obamacare world , public hospitals have another worry too : that they ’ ll return to the bad old days of financial instability , costs that are eventually passed along to taxpayers .
Mary Sajdak , who oversees about 60 care coordinators who work with Medicaid enrollees in Cook County , choked up when she described the calls she gets from patients who are frightened about losing their health care .
“ When you see what years and years of untreated chronic disease does to a person , then you give them a chance , and give them a prescription card , it makes their poverty less isolating , ” she said , wiping away tears . “ To give that to people and then take it away , it makes me profoundly sad . ”
Cook County ’ s public hospitals have treated Chicago ’ s poorest residents for more than 100 years . The vast system includes John Stroger Jr. Hospital in West Chicago , the inspiration for the TV show ER , which has one of the busiest emergency rooms in the country .
For most of the hospital ’ s history , the majority of the patients it served had no health insurance at all . When they needed to see a doctor , they went to the emergency room . Under federal law , hospitals can not turn away someone in a medical emergency , even if they don ’ t have health insurance and can not pay . Cook County hospitals charge uninsured patients based on their income — anywhere from zero to 50 percent of their total medical bill . Local taxpayers end up subsidizing the rest .
In 2009 , right before passage of the Affordable Care Act , about 53 percent of the system ’ s patients were uninsured , costing county taxpayers more than $ 500 million . After the ACA expanded Medicaid coverage in 2014 , providing health insurance to hundreds of thousands more people , the county hospital system broke even for the first time . About two-thirds of the hospital system ’ s patients now have health insurance , mostly because of the Medicaid expansion , says Dr. Jay Shannon , CEO of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System .
Shannon said the influx of nearly $ 200 million in Medicaid revenue has helped the hospital hire extra staff , such as psychologists and behavioral health specialists who work with patients to identify — and change — behaviors that are hurting their health , such as smoking , drug use , or unhealthy eating . That includes dozens of social workers , such as Dinschel and Pihlaja-Olson , who have helped Medicaid enrollees navigate the health care system and use preventive care services .
“ The changes have been very , very striking for us , ” said Shannon , whose office is not far from the construction site of a nine-story medical facility , which will replace the county ’ s dilapidated community clinic and administrative offices .
But Shannon may soon have to make some difficult choices . He is closely watching what Republicans in Congress are doing to replace Obamacare , and has serious concerns that both the House and Senate want to eliminate the Medicaid expansion . If that happens , he will have to cut back somewhere .
“ I have to keep the lights in the hospital on ; I have to keep the surgeon on call , ” he said . “ I may have to pull back on care coordination and mental health support . We would have to put off overdue investments in capital . These are the kinds of tough decisions we have to make . ”
Cook County commissioners are panicking as well . They don ’ t have the money to subsidize uninsured patients if they are kicked off Medicaid . Larry Suffredin , a county commissioner for 15 years , said rolling back the Medicaid expansion could cost the county up to $ 400 million a year . Right now , he said , the savings from Medicaid have been funneled into the county courts , jails , and sheriff ’ s office . Suffredin said the commission will not raise taxes , but doesn ’ t know how else to keep people on Medicaid if Congress takes away the federal money .
If the time comes , Suffredin hopes the state will step in and help . But the chance of that happening doesn ’ t look good . The state of Illinois is in the midst of one of the worst financial crises in its history , and is struggling to balance its budget . Suffredin said it ’ s frustrating to see lawmakers in Washington , DC , be so irresponsible with their politics .
“ You can ’ t just put the genie back in the bottle , ” he said . “ This is not a simple accounting exercise . Every decision they are making has an impact on people ’ s health and public safety . ”
Dinschel and Pihlaja-Olson both chose careers as social workers because they wanted to do something meaningful with their lives . Dinschel , a native of Chicago , was passionate about social justice issues in college and realized that she could make a career working with people whom others often overlooked . She got a master ’ s degree in social work , got married , had two daughters , and worked for years helping homeless residents find food and housing .
Soon , many of her colleagues began getting jobs in the field of health care coordination — a field that began growing after Illinois expanded Medicaid with money from the Affordable Care Act . In 2016 , Dinschel got a job in the industry too . She started working as a care coordinator for high-risk Medicaid patients in Cook County . The job paid better , she said , and had great benefits . And it wasn ’ t so different from what she did before . Instead of helping homeless people find food and housing , she was helping low-income Americans get medical care and live healthier lives .
“ When I am doing something to help others , it ’ s more than just a job , ” said Dinschel , sipping a tangerine LaCroix after several back-to-back meetings with her staff . She now manages a staff of 10 care coordinators .
Pihlaja-Olson has a similar story . She used to work with victims of domestic violence before she was recruited by Cook County around the same time that Dinschel switched jobs . She said it ’ s important that her three sons learn to have empathy for people , and she hopes she is setting an example for them .
As a care coordinator , Pihlaja-Olson screened Medicaid enrollees for potential chronic diseases , such as diabetes , asthma , or even cancer . Many of them had never had health insurance before , so they needed to unlearn the habit of using the emergency room for medical care .
“ We basically had to teach some people how to use health care . How to make an appointment , how to use their insurance cards , ” said Pihlaja-Olson , who had just come back from the county jail , where she was starting a pilot program to get inmates drug addiction treatment . She also supervises a staff of 10 social workers , nurses , and community health workers .
After Trump won the election , some employees started asking Pihlaja-Olson if they would lose their jobs . She didn ’ t know what to say . “ I just said , ‘ You ’ re okay for now , ’ and tried to calm people ’ s fears . ”
She doesn ’ t even know what will happen to her job .
“ I think I could find another job , ” said Pihlaja-Olson , who , like Dinschel , is her family ’ s main income earner . “ But I worry a lot about the staff that I supervise and whether they will have jobs . ”
Dinschel , who was seated next to her in a conference room , nodded . It used to worry her a lot more , she said , but now she just feels weary about the news surrounding the Affordable Care Act .
Down the hall , their boss seemed weary too . “ The inconsistency we ’ ve been living with is hard , ” said Sajdak , who oversees care management for the health and hospital system . “ How do you plan for something like this ? ”
She said she would do everything possible to prove to hospital executives that health care coordinators are invaluable . After all , she said , they develop plans with each Medicaid enrollee to make sure they get regular care and see their doctors , which ends up saving hospitals more money in the long run . “ If we can show that we can reduce hospitalization rates , then we might be able to survive . Hope is not really a plan , ” she said at her office next to Stroger Hospital .
In the past few months , Sajdak has had to reassure her employees that she is committed to keeping them on staff . But she acknowledges that even her job isn ’ t safe .
“ I was hoping to finish my career seeing [ the Affordable Care Act ] bloom and grow , ” she said . “ I don ’ t know if I will . ” | HdwLvv6F4j3ixjhJ | 0 | Healthcare | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/politics/us-troops-poland-ukraine/index.html | US troops in Poland are training Ukrainians on how to use weapons sent by the West | 2022-03-30 | World, Facts And Fact Checking, Ukraine War, Ukraine, Russia, US Military, Defense And Security, Joe Biden | CNN —US troops in Poland have been providing Ukrainians with some instruction on how to use the weapons the West has been shipping into Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.President Joe Biden said on Monday that US troops stationed in Poland have been “helping train the Ukrainian troops” in that country. The troops were deployed there to help bolster NATO’s eastern flank amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The training is another way in which the US has aided the Ukrainian military while attempting to not directly engage Russian forces, which would potentially touch off a wider war.Biden had heard from the troops while he was in Poland about how they were providing the tactical weapons training to the Ukrainians there, the sources said.“We were talking about helping train the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland,” Biden said on Monday. He was seeking to clarify a remark he made last week to US troops that they would be seeing “when you’re there … women, young people, standing in the middle of the damn tank, saying, ‘I’m not leaving. I’m holding my ground.’”A White House official told CNN, “There are Ukrainian soldiers in Poland interacting on a regular basis with US troops, and that’s what the President was referring to.”The sources told CNN that while US troops are indeed providing some instruction to the Ukrainians at a military base in Poland, it does not amount to “formalized” training.Rather, the coaching is more tactical and in-the-moment, the sources explained. That includes showing the Ukrainian soldiers picking up the weapons shipments in Poland how to use some of that equipment, like the Javelin anti-tank missiles that the West has been sending in large numbers. Poland has become the central transit point of arms transfers into Ukraine.The US has allocated $1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine in the last month alone, and intends to provide Ukraine’s armed forces with more than 9,000 shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons, including Javelins; nearly 7,000 small arms including machine guns and grenade launchers; 20 million rounds of ammunition; and 100 armed drones.“These are direct transfers of equipment from our Department of Defense to the Ukrainian military to help them as they fight against this invasion,” Biden said earlier this month. “We’re going to continue to do more in the days and weeks ahead.”NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Tod D. Wolters told US lawmakers on Tuesday that the US had been providing “advice and assistance with respect to materiel” going into Ukraine, but that the US forces are not “in the process of currently training military forces from Ukraine in Poland.”“There are liaisons that are there that are being given advice, and that is different than what I think you are referring to with respect to training,” Wolters told Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas when asked about the training.Wolters said separately during the hearing that “as you well know we’ve made dramatic improvements in our information sharing and intelligence sharing, and as [the Ukrainians] continue to pursue their campaign, our advice and our assistance with respect to material will be very, very important,” Wolters said.While the US and NATO have so far ruled out sending any troops into Ukraine, on top of the tactical military training there has been robust intelligence sharing going on between the US and Ukrainian forces, CNN has previously reported.In most cases, two sources familiar with the sharing system said, the intelligence being shared involves information about Russian force movements and locations, as well as intercepted communications about their military plans. | f541ee632c1c333a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Post | https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A//www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/02/10/hillary-clintons-past-problem/ | Hillary Clinton's 'past' problem | 2014-02-10 | Politics | The biggest hurdle for Hillary Clinton as she contemplates another White House bid in 2016 can be effectively summed up by Timon, the meerkat from "The Lion King": "You've got to put the past behind you." Elections are, fundamentally, about the future. The candidate who best captures the hopes of what people want for that future usually wins. It's why Barack Obama is president right now and John McCain and Hillary Clinton, well, aren't. But, for Clinton, putting the past behind her is extremely difficult -- because there is just so much past between her and the American public. No other potential candidate in 2016 (or any other political public figure, for that matter) has spent the better part of the past three decades in the national spotlight the way she has."Hillary embodies the last line of "The Great Gatsby": 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past,'" said Carter Eskew, a longtime Democratic media consultant. "She'll never put it all behind her. But she has such tremendous strengths right now it may not matter." (Eskew quotes "The Great Gatsby," we quote "The Lion King." Draw your own conclusions.)AdvertisementThe latest example of Clinton's past coming back to her arrives via the Free Beacon, a conservative Web site, that has dug through the papers of Diane Blair, a longtime Clinton friend, to paint an at-times unflattering portrait of the at-the-time First Lady. Like, for example, this from a confidential memo sent by Bill Clinton's pollsters during the 1992 campaign: "What voters find slick in Bill Clinton, they find ruthless in Hillary.” There's plenty more like that in the Free Beacon piece; nothing that would disqualify Clinton but plenty that reinforces some of the negative caricatures of her that Republicans (and maybe even her Democratic primary opponents such as they will be) will draw if she runs in 2016.The difficulty in all of this for Clinton is that her past plays no small part in why she looks so strong today as a presidential candidate. First Lady, senator, presidential candidate, Secretary of State. That's how Clinton has spent the last 30 or so years, an unparalleled resume of public service that, when it's all added up, gives people tremendous confidence in her ability to do the job of president and accounts for her clear leads against all comers in early polling.And yet, Clinton had much that same advantage -- resume wise -- in the Democratic primary in 2008. And it was turned into an anchor around her neck by Obama and his team. "I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington," Obama said in his announcement speech seven years ago today. "But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change." And, throughout the campaign, he turned Clinton's experience against her -- painting her as a creature of a broken Washington rather than someone uniquely positioned to fix it.AdvertisementIn 2016, there is no Obama-like figure waiting in the Democratic primary -- at least at the moment -- but a number of the potential Republican nominees (Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal etc.) are a generation younger than Clinton and have spent far less time in public life. That makes it a certainty that whomever Republicans nominate -- unless it's Jeb Bush -- a central piece of their argument against Clinton will be that she represents the past and they the future.How does she solve that problem? "The strategic requirement is to create a present story so glorious that any negative factoid of the past evaporates," said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic consultant based in New York City.That is, of course, easier said than done when it comes to Clinton. The past is part of Clinton's present and will necessarily be part of any future bid too. That means that there will be more stories like this one in the Free Beacon that remind people of the things they don't like (and some of the things they do like) about her. The challenge will be to keep them at molehill level while simultaneously trying to find a way to cast her past experience in a forward-looking light in a way she and her campaign never did in 2008. | 39612ee22fc8d698 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/13/politics/donald-trump-tweets-michael-cohen-sentencing/index.html | Trump publicly breaks his silence after former "fixer" sentenced to 3 years in prison | 2018-12-13 | Campaign Finance, Elections | CNN —President Donald Trump publicly broke his silence Thursday morning on the sentencing of his former personal attorney and “fixer” Michael Cohen.The President did not dispute directing Cohen to make payments to women who accused him of having an affair in order to keep them quiet, but said he did not direct Cohen to break the law while doing so.“I never directed Michael Cohen to break the law. He was a lawyer and he is supposed to know the law,” Trump tweeted.“It is called ‘advice of counsel,’ and a lawyer has great liability if a mistake is made,” he added.During an interview with Fox News that aired later Thursday, Trump dismissed Cohen’s more than decade-long work with his company, saying Cohen did “very low-level work” and more public relations than law.“I never directed him to do anything wrong. Whatever he did he did on his own. He’s a lawyer. A lawyer who represents a client is supposed to do the right thing. That’s why you pay them a lot of money,” the President added.Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday for crimes that included making false statements to Congress, tax evasion, and arranging payments during the 2016 election to silence women who claimed they had affairs with Trump. Trump denies those claims. Cohen attributed his offenses related to Trump to his “duty to cover up his dirty deeds.”As the courtroom drama unfolded Wednesday, Trump remained largely silent and ignored reporters’ questions about Cohen during an executive order signing event at the White House.But CNN reported that the President was privately seething about Cohen’s sentencing, telling associates that Cohen is a “liar,” according to one administration official. While the White House did not comment on Trump’s private conversations, one official pointed to a tweet Trump sent last week as an indication of his sentiments.“He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence,” Trump tweeted about Cohen last week.Trump, during his Fox News interview, also tried to distance himself from the two campaign finance charges related to payments Cohen arranged for two women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.The President said the charges “are not criminal and shouldn’t have been on there.”“They put that on there to embarrass me,” he said, adding, “What happened was, either Cohen or the prosecutors in order to embarrass me, said, ‘Listen, I’m making this deal for reduced time and everything else – do me a favor, put these two charges on.’ “ | b5b54f2899e042ce | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2015/11/28/9810572/abortion-attacks-planned-parenthood-colorado | Attacks on abortion providers have increased since the Planned Parenthood videos | 2015-11-28 | violence_in_america | A white male gunman killed three people , including one police officer , and injured nine others Friday at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs . The gunman has been identified as Robert Lewis Dear . It 's still not clear what the shooter 's motive was , but it 's clear that he started his shooting spree at Planned Parenthood and stayed there .
It 's also clear that threats , vandalism , and violence against abortion providers and clinics have escalated since this summer , when anti-abortion activists released deceptively edited videos that accused Planned Parenthood of `` selling baby parts . ''
The FBI saw an increase in `` pro-life extremist '' attacks after the videos were released
Back in September , CBS reported that the FBI had noticed an uptick in attacks on reproductive health care facilities since the first video was released by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress ( CMP ) . There were nine criminal or suspicious incidents ( including cyber attacks , threats , and arsons ) from July , when the videos first came out , through mid-September .
An FBI Intelligence Assessment at the time found these attacks were `` consistent with the actions of lone offenders using tactics of arsons and threats all of which are typical of the pro-life extremist movement . '' Moreover , the report said it was `` likely criminal or suspicious incidents will continue to be directed against reproductive health care providers , their staff and facilities . ''
Less than two weeks after CBS reported that , another abortion clinic was firebombed in California . It was the fourth arson at a Planned Parenthood location in as many months .
`` The toxic rhetoric directed at Planned Parenthood has dangerous consequences , '' said Sen. Dianne Feinstein in a press release at the time . `` It sends a signal that using violence to close clinics and intimidate healthcare professionals and women is 'OK . ' It is not . ''
Since 1977 , according to NAF , there have been eight murders , 17 attempted murders , 42 bombings , and 186 arsons against abortion clinics and providers .
Reproductive rights advocates have been sounding the alarm for months
Abortion providers have seen `` an unprecedented increase in hate speech and threats '' since the CMP videos came out , Vicki Saporta , president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation , said in a statement Friday . Incidents of harassment at Planned Parenthood facilities increased ninefold in July , when the videos came out , over June , according to a motion for preliminary injunction that NAF filed this month against CMP and its founder David Daleiden .
`` We have been quite worried that this increase in threats would lead to a violent attack like we saw today , '' Saporta said .
In an October feature at Broadly , Callie Beusman interviewed Saporta and representatives from other reproductive health groups . They all blamed the videos for an increase in violent rhetoric and action .
Sasha Bruce , senior vice president of campaigns and strategy at NARAL , told Beusman that while hateful and intimidating rhetoric against abortion providers is nothing new , the `` intensity and the level '' is notable of late . `` It is not common that you hear about three arsons in a row ; it is not common that you hear about this level of vandalism , '' Bruce said .
Notably , the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood health center where the shooting happened is operated by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains — one of the targets of CMP 's videos . One of the doctors featured in those videos was harassed by anti-abortion activists at her home , according to NAF 's motion against CMP :
And less than two weeks after Dr. Ginde was victimized by Defendants ’ `` web series , '' she was met by a group of 50 extremists at her home , holding signs stating `` Planned Parenthood sells baby parts , '' and leaving fliers around her neighborhood claiming in massive print that `` Savita Ginde Murders Children . ''
Pro-life groups have condemned the shooting , but pro-choice advocates say their rhetoric incites violence
Major pro-life groups have condemned the shooting , including National Right to Life Committee , Americans United for Life , Operation Rescue , and Christian Defense Coalition . David Daleiden of CMP , the architect of the anti-Planned Parenthood videos , also condemned the shootings .
To some pro-choice advocates , it 's ironic to hear these condemnations from Daleiden and from Operation Rescue in particular . Operation Rescue 's senior vice president , Cheryl Sullenger , was once jailed for conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic . The group has a history of extremist rhetoric against abortion providers ; for years the group protested Dr. George Tiller , who was shot and killed in 2009 , and called him `` Tiller the Killer . '' The man who murdered Tiller , Scott Roeder , was active on Operation Rescue message boards . And Operation Rescue president Troy Newman , who was recently detained and denied entry into Australia for his extremist writings , is on the board of Daleiden 's Center for Medical Progress .
In short , lots of ppl who violently attack clinics started out as protesters , escalated to vandalism , & then leveled up to guns , bombs , etc . — ClinicEscort ( @ ClinicEscort ) November 27 , 2015
Shootings at abortion clinics are rare , but attacks on clinics like vandalism and arson are common . Incidents of harassment that do n't rise to the level of criminal activity are so common as to be routine , according to volunteers who escort women 's health patients past anti-abortion clinic protesters . And , they argue , these minor incidents can escalate — after all , Scott Roeder vandalized an abortion clinic shortly before he killed George Tiller .
`` Although anti-abortion groups may condemn this type of violence when it happens , the way that they target and demonize providers contributes to a culture where some feel it is justifiable to murder doctors simply because they provide women with the abortion care they need , '' said Saporta of NAF in her Friday statement .
Vicki Cowart , president of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains , cautioned on Friday that we still do n't know the motive for the shooting . But she also said that PPRM shares `` the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country . '' | qNKnIxaG3NKWJvWW | 0 | Violence In America | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
taxes | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/454726/republican-tax-bill-solid-accomplishment | A Solid Accomplishment on Taxes | 2017-12-18 | taxes | As we hoped , the Republican tax legislation improved as it moved through Congress . Harmful ideas such as eliminating the adoption tax credit were abandoned . Some tax relief for the working poor was added . The final bill should increase investment , reduce the distortionary effect of tax breaks , and lighten the especially excessive burden that the federal government puts on parents . While the bill is nobody ’ s idea of perfection , it is nonetheless a solid accomplishment and we are glad that Congress is moving quickly to pass it .
Our 35 percent corporate tax rate has stayed in place for decades as our major trading partners cut their rates . The new tax rate of 21 percent should help us compete better for capital . Allowing businesses to write off the cost of investments more rapidly is another pro-growth win in the bill .
The legislation rightly pares back two major deductions : the ones for mortgage interest , which will be capped at mortgages of $ 750,000 rather than the current $ 1 million , and for state and local taxes , which will be capped at $ 10,000 rather than being unlimited . In both cases we would have preferred more aggressive action , but the more moderate course chosen has the virtue of reducing the number of people who will face tax increases thanks to the bill . If some high-income households react to this change by leaving high-tax states , perhaps those states will in turn be moved to rethink their policies .
The bill ’ s major contribution to tax simplification is the expansion of the standard deduction . That expansion will make tax deductions less important : Only a small percentage of taxpayers will find it worthwhile to itemize . The bill also reduces the number of people who will have to calculate their taxes twice , by limiting the reach of the alternative minimum tax .
Thanks largely to the interventions of Senators Marco Rubio and Mike Lee , the legislation expands the child tax credit . We have long favored a large tax credit for children as the most practical way to remedy a disparity in our old-age entitlements : They overtax parents , who pay the same tax rates and get the same benefits as childless adults no matter how much they have contributed to those programs by raising children .
The House bill eliminated the dependent exemption and expanded the child credit by roughly enough to make up for it . Very roughly : A lot of families would have paid higher taxes . The Senate bill included a real expansion , worth about $ 400 per child for families in the middle of the middle class . Senators Lee and Rubio argued that the credit should apply against payroll taxes as well as income taxes . Most Republicans in Congress , unfortunately , remain wedded to the peculiar belief that relief from income taxes is wonderful but relief from payroll taxes is welfare . Senator Rubio had to threaten to vote against the bill to secure a little payroll-tax relief for families with earnings too low to pay much income tax .
Republicans added a repeal of the individual mandate — the fines Obamacare puts on people who refuse to buy health insurance that complies with its regulations . That step will be a boon for people who have been priced out of the market by regulations and then fined on top of it . Ending the mandate is unlikely to lead to as many people going uninsured as the Congressional Budget Office says . By the same token , it won ’ t save the federal government nearly as much money in insurance subsidies .
Which brings us to the main drawback to the bill : its likely tendency to raise the national debt . Most Republicans say that the tax cut will generate so much extra growth that it will increase revenues . No economic model of the tax cut , not even any of the models produced by conservative economists , backs this claim . It is convenient , though , in letting Republicans offer tax cuts to various constituencies without having to impose any restraint on spending .
Better legislation would have held off on some tax cuts pending that restraint . The corporate tax cut could have been smaller while still marking a vast improvement . Pass-through businesses got , in general , a sweetheart deal in the legislation . The bill cuts tax rates on households making more than $ 500,000 . Not even the editors of the Wall Street Journal , who crusaded for these tax-rate reductions , pretend that they will do anything significant to promote economic growth ; and these households will benefit from many of the bill ’ s other provisions . ( If they own stock , for example , they benefit from the corporate tax cut . ) Without these excesses , the legislation could have promoted growth while providing more tax relief to parents and doing less to raise the deficit .
But while the tax cut is likely to increase the national debt over the next ten years , it is nearly a rounding error in comparison to the growth of entitlements . A tax code that places less of a burden on investment , by businesses and by parents , could be had without any increase in the debt ; but it is worth having even in return for a modest increase .
Republicans are therefore justified in voting for this legislation and celebrating their victory . But only briefly . Many of the tax cuts in the bill are temporary , and Republicans will have to find the votes for future legislation to extend them or make them permanent . And their victory will not hold if they do not reform the entitlements . Perhaps someone could mention that fact to President Trump at the signing ceremony . | kJOspOYaPmFyCm2r | 2 | Taxes | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2014/7/26/5937593/obamacare-halbig-gruber-tax-credits | Congress had lots of Obamacare fights. Ending some subsidies wasn't one of them. | 2014-07-26 | healthcare | A large press corps covered the health reform debate from its start in 2009 . I was , and am , still part of it . We covered the ins and outs of the legislative debate . And much of that debate was about how the subsidies would work .
`` Creating a workable subsidy , '' former Senate aide and current Harvard professor John McDonough writes in his excellent book on the health reform debate , `` was one of the most important and difficult policy challenges in crafting a health reform law . ''
Congress battled over how generous the tax credits ought to be . There was a vicious argument over whether they would cover abortions . But Congress never debated whether they would limit the subsidies to states that built their own exchanges . The subsidies were seen as so fundamental to making the Affordable Care Act work , that , as former Republican staffer Chris Condeluci put it to me , `` we never argued over this particular provision . ''
`` creating a workable subsidy was one of the most important and difficult policy challenges ''
It 's obvious why . Health-care reform was often described as `` a three-legged stool . '' If the government is going to open the individual market to everyone ( leg one ) and require Americans to purchase coverage ( leg two ) , there have to be subsidies to ensure the mandated insurance was affordable ( leg three ) . Take out any leg of the stool and the whole bill might collapse .
The three-legged stool metaphor was popularized by Jonathan Gruber , an MIT economist who was the architect of the Massachusetts reforms that Obamacare largely copied , and an advisor both to the White House and congressional Democrats while the Affordable Care Act was being crafted . But recently , two remarks he made in January 2012 garnering lots of attention . In both ( one more clearly than the other ) Gruber suggests that the Affordable Care Act only intended to deliver subsidies in states that set up their own health insurance exchanges .
`` I think what 's important to remember politically about this , is if you 're a state and you do n't set up an Exchange , that means your citizens do n't get their tax credits , '' Gruber said in one video clip .
This supports the logic in the Halbig v. Burwell case , where Obamacare opponents successfully argued to the D.C . Circuit court that the Affordable Care Act only intended for shoppers in state-run exchanges to receive financial help .
Gruber has since told the New Republic 's Jonathan Cohn that his comments were a `` mistake '' during an `` off-the-cuff '' remark . I 'm inclined to believe Gruber , largely because I 've interviewed him numerous times about threats to the Affordable Care Act , and this idea ( which has huge consequences for Obamacare ) never came up .
In addition , one of Gruber 's main technical contributions during the debate was to help both the Obama administration and the Congressional Budget Office model the outcomes of different changes to the law . Those models always assumed subsidies in all states even as the law 's designers knew that some states would have a federal exchange . As Gruber told Cohn :
There are few people who worked as closely with Obama administration and Congress as I did , and at no point was it ever even implied that there 'd be differential tax credits based on whether the states set up their own exchange . And that was the basis of all the modeling I did , and that was the basis of any sensible analysis of this law that 's been done by any expert , left and right . I did n't assume every state would set up its own exchanges but I assumed that subsidies would be available in every state .
But in the end , what Gruber believed is n't the question in Halbig . The question is what Congress believed .
After covering the debate over health reform since it began in 2009 , I feel completely comfortable saying Congress meant for residents of all 50 states to have access to financial help . It was never a question , during the five years I 've spent writing about Obamacare , whether this would be case .
it was never a question , in the five years i 've covered obamacare , whether all states would get help
One theory advanced recently is that Congress intended to withhold subsidies from states that did n't build exchanges as a way to force them to build exchanges . This does n't line up with the reality of the Obamacare debate : Congress was convinced that states would want to build their own exchanges . They never thought they would need to coerce governors into doing so .
If you search the archives in Politico , for example , you wo n't find a single story from the 15 months leading up to Obamacare 's passage where governors griped about building exchanges . What you will turn up , somewhat ironically , is a letter that 20 Republican governors sent the White House in January 2010 , about 10 weeks before Obamacare passed , praising the idea of state-based exchanges .
Forcing states into a federal exchange would have struck drafters as absurd
Legislators assumed ( in hindsight , quite wrongly ) that nearly all states would jump at the chance to build a marketplace — and , for the handful who could n't get their act together , the federal fallback would be a complete stand-in . The idea that the federal exchange would be designed to hurt states rather than help them — forcing states into a dysfunctional health system where residents were forced through the mandate to buy insurance the government was n't making affordable through subsidies — would have struck the law 's drafters as absurd .
`` It was always intended that the federal fallback exchange would do everything that the statute told the states to do , which includes delivering the subsidies , '' Condeluci told me earlier this week .
Since the Affordable Care Act passed , I 've spent a lot of time writing about state decisions regarding health exchanges . When I worked at Politico in 2010 and 2011 , my entire beat consisted of covering state Obamacare implementation . Lots of states began debating whether or not to set up health insurance exchanges ; the issue of whether they might lose their subsidies never came up .
When many states rejected the idea of building their own Obamacare exchanges , they did so knowing that building the new marketplaces was really hard and that the consequences leaving the task to the federal government were tiny . It was , for many governors , a win-win decision : the feds would step in and do everything necessary to run a marketplace if the state did n't build one — and that included delivering subsidies .
There is reasonable space in the Affordable Care Act 's drafting to debate what the text of the law says — a question quite different from what it intends . That helps explain why two circuit courts came to two disparate rulings on the exact same case this past Tuesday .
But as someone who has covered Obamacare and the people who wrote it for five years , the argument that Congress actually did n't know how it intended for subsidies to work rings hollow : legislators knew exactly how the subsidies were meant to work , and they intended for them to work in every state , no matter who built the exchange . That idea was at the very core of Obamacare , and no one drafting or voting for the law intended to betray it . | LiUepcukYXeyi3Ei | 0 | Obamacare | 0.2 | Healthcare | 0.1 | Congress | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
media_industry | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2024/06/07/media/alex-jones-to-liquidate-assets-to-pay-off-1-5b-sandy-hook-judgment/ | Alex Jones to liquidate assets to pay off $1.5B Sandy Hook judgment | 2024-06-07 | Media Industry, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook School Shooting, Infowars, Defamation | Alex Jones will liquidate his assets to help pay off a $1.5 billion defamation judgment against him after he was sued by the families of the children who died in the Sandy Hook school shooting for saying that the massacre was a hoax.Jones, the host of the popular Infowars site, has asked a US judge to convert his bankruptcy into a Chapter 7 liquidation, giving up on an effort to settle the judgments related to his lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.Jones believes that “there is no reasonable prospect of a successful reorganization” of his debts, most of which stem from $1.5 billion awarded in defamation lawsuits, his attorneys said in a court filing late on Thursday.3 Infowars founder Alex Jones will liquidate his assets to meet a $1.5 billion judgment against him. REUTERSA Chapter 7 liquidation would not allow Jones to escape paying the legal judgments, but it offers a streamlined procedure for selling his assets under the supervision of a court-appointed trustee.Courts in Texas and Connecticut have ordered Jones to pay $1.5 billion to the relatives of 20 students and six staff members killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.Bankruptcy can be used to wipe out debts and legal judgments, but the judge overseeing Jones’ case ruled in October that most of the defamation verdicts cannot be legally discharged because they resulted from “willful and malicious injury” caused by Jones.Jones said Tuesday on his “Alex Jones Show” that the Sandy Hook families were trying to shut down his broadcasts with “a made up kangaroo court debt.”A spokesman for the Sandy Hook families declined to comment on Thursday.Jones claimed for years that the Sandy Hook killings were staged with actors as part of a government plot to seize Americans’ guns. Jones has since acknowledged that the shooting occurred.3 Jones was sued by the families of those who died in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. AFP via Getty ImagesThe Sandy Hook families said that Jones’ conspiracy theories caused grieving parents to endure years of threats and harassment, while Jones profited by driving traffic and sales on his Infowars website.Jones had asked the Sandy Hook families to vote for a bankruptcy settlement that would have paid them $55 million, but they unanimously rejected the deal.The Sandy Hook families instead offered their own proposal for liquidating Jones’ assets, and US Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez will consider approving the Sandy Hook families’ plan at a June 14 court hearing.3 Jones spread the conspiracy theory that the shooting was a hoax perpetrated by the government for the purpose of confiscating weapons from gun owners. REUTERSBecause the bankruptcy will likely result in the liquidation of Jones’ assets, Jones would prefer to liquidate his assets in a lower-cost and more streamlined court procedure, according to the court filing.Jones initially filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allowed him to retain control of his assets while working toward a debt restructuring plan.But Chapter 11 requires more spending on attorneys’ fees and court fees than a Chapter 7 liquidation, and those costs now come with “little benefit,” Jones’ attorneys wrote.Earlier this week, Jones let out a bizarre war cry and sobbed uncontrollably as he claimed the feds were trying to shutter his Infowars platform.With Post Wires | 40db12f5c04a1b84 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49135255 | US Supreme Court gives go-ahead for Trump wall funding | 2019-07-27 | Immigration, Guatemala | The US Supreme Court has said that President Donald Trump can use $ 2.5bn ( £2bn ) of Pentagon funds for a section of wall on the southern border .
The court ruled by five votes to four to block a ruling by a federal judge in California that barred the president from spending the money on the wall .
The wall , dividing the US and Mexico , was Mr Trump 's major campaign promise during the 2016 election .
The decision by the Supreme Court means that the money will be used for wall projects in California , Arizona and New Mexico .
The court in California had argued that Congress had not specifically authorised the funds to be used for constructing the wall .
In a tweet , Mr Trump described the ruling as a `` big victory '' .
The president has argued that a new wall would help to curb illegal immigration , which he says is fuelling crime and placing a strain on the economy .
Democrats say they are in favour of border security but the wall would be expensive and ineffective . They argue that Mr Trump has manufactured the border emergency and that the wall has become a symbol of Trump 's anti-immigration platform .
On Friday , the US and Guatemala also signed a deal , under which migrants from Honduras and El Salvador who pass through Guatemala will be required to stop and seek asylum there first , rather than heading straight for the US .
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said : `` This evening 's Supreme Court ruling allowing Donald Trump to steal military funds to spend on a wasteful , ineffective border wall rejected by Congress is deeply flawed . Our Founders designed a democracy governed by the people - not a monarchy . ''
The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) has vowed to seek an expedited decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals `` to halt the irreversible and imminent damage from Trump 's border wall '' .
Gloria Smith , an attorney with environmental group the Sierra Club , which sued to block the funds said : `` Today 's decision to permit the diversion of military funds for border wall construction will wall off and destroy communities , public lands , and waters in California , New Mexico , and Arizona . ''
Mr Trump declared an emergency earlier this year , saying he needed $ 6.7bn to build the wall as a matter of national security . However this figure is far short of the estimated $ 23bn cost of a barrier along the whole 2,000 miles ( 3,200km ) of border .
Democrats claimed Mr Trump 's decision to declare an emergency exceeded his powers under the US constitution .
About 20 states , along with groups including the ACLU have filed lawsuits to try and stop the president using the emergency declaration to bypass Congress .
Environmental groups have also campaigned against building the wall claiming that it could have a negative impact on wildlife .
In February , Congress approved $ 1.38bn for the construction of `` primary pedestrian fencing '' along the Rio Grande Valley in Texas - far less than Mr Trump had sought .
The House of Representatives is also taking legal action to stop the diversion of further funds for the wall project .
According to US authorities , 104,344 people were arrested along the southwest border in June - a 28 % drop from the previous month .
The Trump administration claims the decrease is due to new policies with Mexico to curb migration , including increased security on the Mexican side of the border , and the expansion of a scheme that makes asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases are being processed .
However , experts say that reduced migration is also typical during the hot summer months .
The UN Missing Migrants project reports that 170 migrants have died or are missing on the US-Mexico border so far in 2019 - including 13 children .
The Department for Homeland Security says `` we are still in an ongoing border security and humanitarian crisis '' .
The number of people detained on the US-Mexico border is far lower when compared with the previous decade .
The number fell in President Trump 's first year but rose again last year - but even before the increase , when migration numbers were at historic lows , Mr Trump described the situation on the border as a national security crisis . | aeb7ebd49f2c7c89 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/13/florida-voter-purge/index.html | Florida's voting standoff deja vu? | 2012-06-13 | elections | Story highlights 2000 cemented Florida 's reputation as a place where elections sometimes go awry
Voting rights groups and Florida elections officials are facing off over strict new laws
Political experts say partisanship at play in state 's voter purge
Government and politics teacher Dawn Quarles ' voice goes tight with frustration when she thinks back to how trying to register her students to vote thrust her into the center of Florida 's high profile and deeply partisan voting rights controversy .
`` I never felt like the voting process was on my side ... That 's not the way it 's supposed to be , '' said Quarles , a registered Republican who was slapped with a $ 1,000 fine when she ran afoul of a state law requiring a 48-hour deadline for third parties to turn in voter registration forms .
`` I felt like I was taking on my own party , '' she said .
Though a federal judge recently struck down the 48-hour deadline requirement , Quarles and other Floridians have been stunned by the state 's standoff with the federal government over voter registration laws .
For some Florida voters , 2012 is starting to feel eerily like 2000 .
Twelve years ago , the fate of the presidency hung in the balance as Florida elections officials scurried to recount ballots to determine whether Republican candidate George W. Bush or Vice President Al Gore , a Democrat , would emerge as victor from the close contest .
In the electoral chaos that followed , a number of minority voters said they were turned away from the polls or not provided language assistance , a matter that leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of the state 's civil rights activists to this day .
The matter of who won the 2000 presidential election was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court .
JUST WATCHED Florida defies DOJ with voter roll purge Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Florida defies DOJ with voter roll purge 10:25
JUST WATCHED Feds , Florida sue over voter purge Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Feds , Florida sue over voter purge 02:49
JUST WATCHED Scott : Voter purge is non-partisan Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Scott : Voter purge is non-partisan 01:29
And Florida , a battleground state with a history of voting irregularities , cemented its reputation as a place where electorally things sometimes go awry .
On Tuesday the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to keep Florida from potentially purging thousands of voters from its registration rolls . Florida Gov . Rick Scott has said the purge — which comes months before the general election — was both legal and necessary to keep non-U.S. citizens from voting illegally .
Florida is suing the Department of Homeland Security to gain access to a citizenship database and blames the agency for the election year timing of the purge .
`` Had they not stonewalled us , we could have easily identified non-citizens , removed them from the voter rolls , and the issue would n't be what it is today , '' said Lane Wright , a Scott spokesman .
So far , the state has identified `` almost 100 individuals '' who are n't citizens but are registered to vote . State officials also say they `` are not aware of any eligible voter who has been removed through this process ; we are only aware of ineligible voters on the list , '' said Chris Cate , spokesman for the Florida Department of State .
Linda Tibbetts , who is originally from the Philippines , became a citizen a few years ago . Getting her citizenship and registering as a Republican was a big day for her and her family . So they were shocked to find her name on the list of voters who could potentially be purged from Florida 's rolls .
`` We did everything that we were supposed to do properly ... She aced her exam on questions of U.S. law and history and everything , '' said her husband , Roger Tibbetts .
`` If she 's already a citizen , why does she have to go out and then reprove that she 's a citizen to bureaucrats that are not researching properly , '' her husband asked .
The state also has tussled with voting rights groups including the League of Women Voters , the NAACP , La Raza and Rock the Vote over the controversial 48-hour deadline requirement to turn in registration forms .
`` It just seems as if the train has gone off the tracks , '' said Deirdre Macnab , president of the League of Women Voters of Florida . `` The lack of justification of these laws . It 's an extraordinary movement toward disenfranchisement of these voters . It 's shocking in a state that has had a history of voter suppression . ''
Florida 's efforts to crack down on illegal voting through strict new laws are part of a national trend . Thirty-two states have put in place varying degrees of voter identification laws , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures .
Some of the states that have the most stringent requirements are also states that have seen an increase in their minority population .
It is also a deeply partisan state where `` the Republicans have made a concerted effort to try and limit turnout by Democratic-leaning voters , '' said CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin
`` After the midterm elections in 2010 , lots of Republican-leaning states passed efforts to limit voting , '' Toobin said . `` What 's particularly noticeable is the effort in Florida because the state has such a history in this area . ''
State officials say they welcome the spotlight and stand by the purge .
`` There is naturally going to be more scrutiny of a state the size of Florida which has such a significant influence on national politics , '' Cate said . `` But we hold ourselves to a high standard and expect Floridians to hold us to a high standard , as well , because we recognize how important it is to have fair elections . ''
In the meantime , voters like Quarles are waiting to see if the 2012 elections are a déjà vu .
`` I agree with folks wanting to clean up the voter rosters , '' Quarles said . `` But being skeptical the way I am , I want to see who is picking and choosing whose getting kicked off . '' | o480ydnB2bWxb82n | 0 | Elections | -1.2 | Presidential Elections | -0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | The Flip Side | https://www.theflipside.io/archives/trumps-immigration-plan | Trump's Immigration Plan | immigration | Some suggest that Congress “ remove Trump from office , so that he can not abuse incumbency to subvert the electoral process , but let the American people make the judgment on whether or not he gets a second term… Removing Trump from office for the remainder of his term would disable him from abusing presidential power again and protect the integrity of the electoral process from inappropriate interference . At the same time , letting him run for a second term would permit the American electorate to decide whether Trump , despite his attempt to subvert the system , should have another chance… Decoupling removal from disqualification lowers the stakes and changes the constitutional calculus . As long as Trump can run again , Republicans can not hide behind a claim that they are [ the ] ones protecting voter choice by opposing impeachment. ” Edward B. Foley , Politico
“ It ’ s useful to spur debate on the right mix of migrants , which in our view would include both the skilled and educated and the kind of scrappy , hungry settlers who have supercharged this nation ’ s economy since its founding . The real test is whether the Trump plan is the basis of dealmaking or just a talking point designed to win over suburban voters in swing districts . As the president likes to say : We ’ ll see. ” Editorial Board , Washington Post
Counterpoint : “ [ Merit-based ] immigration has worked in Canada . Unlike in the United States , a vast majority of immigrants to Canada are evaluated on their skills and qualifications and whether those match the needs of the labor market . It ’ s an imperfect system — what policy isn ’ t ? — but it is the reason Canadians are broadly content that their country has one of the highest rates of immigration in the world . The success of the merit-based system also permits the government to have the generous refugee and humanitarian policies that it does… the left would be wise to reset [ the immigration ] debate by agreeing to focus on highly skilled immigrants. ” Omer Aziz , New York Times
Many argue that “ we need more workers , at all wage levels … we have about 7.5 million unfilled jobs and the fertility rate in the United States plunged to a 30 year low. ” Jennifer Rubin , Washington Post
“ We expect people to arrive from somewhere else in the world , become American , have children who grow up as Americans , and possess loyalty , common civic values and a sense of shared identity . This is a dimension of immigration in which the United States probably has the world ’ s strongest track record . But practically speaking , how does that actually happen ? … “ Throughout U.S. history , families and extended family networks have offered intense social , cultural and financial help to new immigrants . They assist newcomers in finding housing and jobs , as well as translating important information , such as tax , DMV and school registration forms . Many also provide emotional and psychological support and communicate U.S. cultural norms throughout the adjustment process… Are we setting ourselves up to host a set of people who see themselves as global winners , looking to negotiate the best residency deal for themselves without emotional connections to us or intellectual regard for our ideals ? ” Julia Brookins , NBC News
“ While at first this may seem good for tech — an industry experiencing cutthroat competition for the limited number of US tech workers — it ’ s completely unrealistic . You can ’ t expect people to move and work here without the hope of bringing their families with them … ‘ [ They are ] trying to create a dichotomy between supposedly low-skill , low-paid , family immigrants and high-tech , high-wage , not-jobs-stealing , merit-based immigrants… [ but ] the fact is everyone has family ’ ... People coming to work in the US — who aid American companies and generally benefit the overall economy — are entitled to live full lives. ” Rani Molla , Vox
It was a “ lost opportunity… this proposal does not address some of the thorniest elements of the immigration debate . Most notably , it avoids the question of what to do about the 1.8 million immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children… No proposal that fails to grapple with this vulnerable population will be taken seriously by Democrats — nor should it be . The plan also does not address how to bring the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States out of the shadows. ” Editorial Board , New York Times
The right supports the plan , arguing in favor of a merit-based immigration system .
The right supports the plan , arguing in favor of a merit-based immigration system .
“ The United States , unique among developed countries , maintains a quixotic and outdated immigration system—created in 1965—in which the vast majority of immigrants are admitted through family reunification… [ This plan ] would merely bring U.S. immigration policy into alignment with what the rest of the developed world does… we need a modernized immigration system that puts the American economy and American interests first . That ’ s the direction Trump ’ s plan would take us , and it ’ s about time . ”
“ America would still be a beacon for freedom and opportunity across the globe . The refugee program — providing a safe harbor to those who are escaping persecution — would be preserved . First in line to gain visas would still be immediate family members of American citizens…
“ The United States is like an NFL team that every year can have every first-round draft pick . Most immigrants with exceptional skills and talents want to come to America . They don ’ t want to go to France or Brazil or Australia or Russia . Foolishly , we have turned them away… Under the Trump plan , the percent of immigrants with college and advanced degrees would nearly double , according to the White House ’ s calculations . And many of these degrees will be in engineering , the sciences and technology . We need them . ”
“ The people who own software companies think we need more immigrant programmers ; the people who work as programmers often have other views… the buyers and the sellers in any given market often see things very differently from each other… The United States has interests of its own , some of those interests are economic , and immigration should serve American interests first and foremost , with humanitarian concerns and other considerations subordinated . ”
“ Admitting immigrants on the basis that they ’ d make Americans better off — who could oppose that ? ... One thing I like about the proposed bill is that it doesn ’ t cap the number of people we ’ d admit . [ Under a previously proposed bill ] , we ’ d admit no more than 500,000 people a year . But if the 500,001st immigrant would make us better off , why would we reject him ? ”
“ Trump must feel more comfortable with keeping the legal immigration level where it is . It ’ s consistent with his American Greatness theme to want to admit large numbers of the best and brightest from around the world . And his base , while many in it would probably prefer less legal immigration , isn ’ t likely to balk over keeping such immigration where it is , as long as the system is predominantly merit based… perhaps most importantly , by keeping legal immigration where it is , Trump can easily dodge the charge of being anti-immigrant . He can say he ’ s pro-immigrant — but pro-legal immigrants with skills and with proficiency in English . ”
Some , however , are critical that the plan does not reduce the number of legal immigrants . “ The proposal is not really a legislative vehicle ; there ’ s no chance an immigration bill even remotely acceptable to Republicans can make it through this Congress . That means this proposal is more of a campaign platform , outlining the official Republican approach to immigration . Formally embracing the current legal-immigration level of more than one million each year would mean that the GOP , as on so many issues before , would simply be the Democrat-lite party , wanting to go in the same direction , just more slowly . ”
Others note , “ I ’ d hate to be a Democratic member of Congress trying to convince Joe Sixpack that this is a whole new ballgame . The transcript shows Trump being Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky trying to ingratiate himself with the big dog by , for instance , mentioning that he stays at Trump hotels . Trump ’ s conversation is typically scattershot , wandering all over the field , leaving a reasonable listener puzzled about what the takeaways are supposed to be… “ I think Joe Sixpack ’ s response is going to be a hearty shrug . After all that has emerged about Trump so far , his approval rating is closely tracking Obama ’ s approval at the same point in his presidency . To get Mr. Sixpack ’ s attention you are going to have to do better than this . ” | PpkTRdkkKRFdlwal | 1 | Politics | 0.3 | Entertainment | -0.1 | Saturday Night Live | -0.1 | Immigration | -0.1 | null | null | |
elections | The Flip Side | https://www.theflipside.io/archives/super-tuesday | Super Tuesday | elections | On Tuesday , 14 states voted in the Democratic presidential primary . “ Joe Biden swept through the South and earned surprise victories in Massachusetts and Minnesota , while Bernie Sanders held serve in the West. ” Politico
Both sides see the results as a clear win for Biden and a major setback for Sanders .
“ Political junkies figured Biden was on the road to oblivion and that Bernie Sanders was moving inexorably toward the nomination . But [ a ] time traveler would have said , ‘ Wait a minute . Nobody thought Biden would actually win Iowa or New Hampshire . His plan was always to win big in South Carolina and use that to barrel ahead on Super Tuesday. ’ ... it looks like Biden didn ’ t need very much to get himself back on the very same track he had laid out for himself when he started running last April . If that ’ s right , then there was never any Biden collapse . What happened to him was a predictable bump on the road . ”
“ We 've seen candidates skip Iowa , fail to win New Hampshire , and then go on to secure their party 's nomination . But competing in both , finishing fourth and fifth , and then ending up the frontrunner ? That 's unheard of — and it calls into question not just whether those two small and unrepresentative states should come first on the calendar , but whether the way they vote deserves outsized attention at all… Biden also showed that money does n't matter as much as many of us tend to assume it does . The Biden campaign was outspent 7-to-1 by the Sanders camp and an astonishing 100-to-1 by the Bloomberg juggernaut in the states that competed on Super Tuesday…
“ Biden 's remarkable reversal of fortune this past week shows that the party decides presidential nominations after all — or at least it can still do so when the stakes are sufficiently high and leading members of the party resolve to intervene . Tuesday 's results simply could n't have happened had the institutional party not engaged in an astoundingly rapid act of consolidation — against Sanders and in favor of Biden . ”
“ Sanders himself declared victory with just two states under his belt… ‘ We are going to win , ’ he continued as his fans chanted BER-NEE , BER-NEE , ‘ we are going to defeat Trump because we are putting together an unprecedented grassroots multigenerational multiracial movement ’ . That movement somehow doesn ’ t include African Americans in the south… Sanders ’ victory in California will be a source of hope for his campaign . But scraping out a slender delegate lead is not the same as a multigenerational , multiracial movement to beat Trump…
“ Every single exit poll in the Democratic contests have stressed a single factor : beating Trump . In the states that voted on Tuesday , between 60 and 70 % of Democrats said they preferred a candidate who could beat Trump over someone they agreed with on the issues… Super Tuesday ’ s super wins for Biden change nothing about his flaws , but they do underscore the strength of his sales pitch to a Trump-weary world . ”
“ Overall , the story of Super Tuesday is the utter collapse in momentum for Sanders . The African-American vote has just come out in massive numbers for Biden in state after state , while there ’ s no sign of that massive wave of new and younger voters that Sanders promised . Bernie still has a good chance of winning the nomination , but the Democratic Party ’ s establishment pulled its act together at the last minute , and it looks like a long , hard fight all the way to Milwaukee…
“ Democrats may well end up with some buyer ’ s remorse ; Biden is the same guy who unnerved so many Democrats with his aging appearance , forgetfulness , and gaffes . But the party establishment has put its doubts aside and decided to ride or die with him . After a long , cacophonous noise , the Democratic primary is down to two extremely different candidates . ” | 2OOYRfWb1bkrTFoI | 1 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
middle_east | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/12/obama-now-hopeful-russian-deal-avoid-syria-strike/ | As Syria talks with Russia, Obama’s ‘red line’ starts to fade | 2013-09-12 | middle_east | President Obama ’ s “ red line ” vow of action against Syria turned a lighter shade of pink Thursday , with Secretary of State John F. Kerry saying a U.S. military strike “ might ” be necessary if talks led by Russia fail to compel Syria to turn over its chemical weapons .
As negotiators met in Switzerland on the unfolding crisis , Mr. Kerry appeared to concede the diplomatic reins to the Russians , who are insisting that the U.S. withdraw its threat of missile strikes before the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad agrees to give up its chemical weapons stockpile .
“ President Obama has made clear that , should diplomacy fail , force might be necessary to deter and degrade Assad ’ s capacity to deliver these weapons , ” Mr. Kerry said in Geneva after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov .
His comment offered less certainty than President Obama had of a missile strike . Mr. Obama said Tuesday that he was keeping U.S. forces in the region “ in a position to respond if diplomacy fails. ” Asked about Mr. Kerry ’ s remark , the White House said the secretary of state had not misspoken .
“ I think that that allows for , you know , a variety of things that could happen in the next days and weeks with regard to this matter , ” said White House press secretary Jay Carney , adding that “ a military option is important to maintain . ”
Events in the Syria crisis continued to develop at a fast-moving clip Thursday , with much of the action happening far from the White House . Russian President Vladimir Putin , after penning a New York Times op-ed panning the U.S. approach to the Syrian crisis and the idea of American “ exceptionalism , ” pushed forward with his own plan for resolving the crisis . In New York , Syria ’ s U.N . Ambassador Bashar Ja ’ afari told reporters that he had formally presented to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon his country ’ s application to join the Chemical Weapons Convention as a first step to putting the regime ’ s stockpiles under international control .
SEE ALSO : Russia aims to hide its role in stockpiling Syria ’ s arsenal : Rogers
In Damascus , Mr. Assad announced that he had signed the papers putting the treaty accession into motion while pointedly noting that he was responding to Moscow ’ s offer and not to the threats from Washington .
Mr. Kerry ’ s comments in Geneva signaled a further downsizing of Mr. Obama ’ s original vow to punish the Syrian regime for an Aug. 21 sarin gas attack that the U.S. said killed 1,429 people near Damascus . Mr. Obama had been saying for a year that such an atrocity using Syria ’ s known chemical weapons would cross a “ red line ” requiring a tough U.S. response .
On Aug. 31 , Mr. Obama said he had decided to launch a “ limited ” attack on Syria to prevent it from using chemical weapons again , but he would wait for Congress to vote on the use of military force . A few days later , Mr. Obama said he hadn ’ t created the “ red line ” but the international community had , and therefore his credibility was not at stake .
On Monday , Russia seized on an offhand remark from Mr. Kerry to float its own deal through the United Nations to avoid a U.S. strike against Syria . On Tuesday , Mr. Obama asked Congress to hold off a vote indefinitely on military action while he pursued the diplomatic course .
Mr. Kerry Thursday tried to lay down new conditions before Washington would agree to any deal between Mr. Putin and Mr. Assad .
“ This is not a game , ” Mr. Kerry said . “ It has to be real . It has to be comprehensive . It has to be verifiable . It has to be credible . It has to be timely and implemented in a timely fashion . And finally , there ought to be consequences if it doesn ’ t take place . ”
Mr. Lavrov called for rules under which Syria would join the Chemical Weapons Convention and said a solution “ will make unnecessary ” a military strike on Syria .
But Mr. Assad told the Russian TV interviewer that he would agree to turn over Syria ’ s chemical weapons only if the U.S. drops its threat of attack .
“ This does not mean that Syria will sign these documents , carry out the conditions and that ’ s it , ” Mr. Assad said . “ This bilateral process is based , first of all , on the United States stopping its policy of threatening Syria . ”
Mr. Obama and his aides kept up his tit-for-tat exchange of insults with Mr. Putin . Responding to the Russian leader ’ s New York Times op-ed that belittled Mr. Obama ’ s claim of “ American exceptionalism , ” the White House shot back at the lack of openness in Russian society .
“ Russia offers a stark contrast that demonstrates why America is exceptional , ” said White House press secretary Jay Carney . “ Unlike Russia , the United States stands up for democratic values and human rights in our own country and around the world . ”
Mr. Carney said Mr. Putin enjoyed a freedom of expression in his op-ed that the Russian government does not tolerate from its own citizens .
“ There ’ s a great irony … in the placement of an op-ed like this because it reflects the truly exceptional tradition in this country of freedom of expression , ” Mr. Carney said . “ And that is not a tradition shared in Russia , by Russia . Freedom of expression has been on the decrease over the past dozen or so years in Russia . ”
The disrespectful rhetoric seemed like an inauspicious foundation for a diplomatic solution to Syria , and Mr. Obama ’ s aides said they remained skeptical that the talks would produce results . But Mr. Kerry said in Geneva that diplomacy was “ clearly preferable to military action . ”
Mr. Kerry said the U.S. is “ serious about engaging in substantive , meaningful negotiations even as our military maintains its current posture to keep up the pressure on the Assad regime. ” He said the Russian proposal is an “ immense ” challenge .
“ It ’ s too early to tell whether these efforts will succeed , ” he said . “ The technical challenges of trying to do this in the context of a civil war are obviously immense . But despite how difficult this is , with the collaboration of our experts — and only with the compliance of the Assad regime — we do believe there is a way to get this done . ”
In his op-ed , Mr. Putin chided Mr. Obama for threatening military action , writing , “ We must stop using the language of force . ”
But Mr. Kerry said the threat of a U.S. attack brought Russia and Syria to the bargaining table .
“ Only the credible threat of force — and the intervention of President Putin and Russia based on that — has brought the Assad regime to acknowledge for the first time that it even has chemical weapons , ” he said . | VUnHmSaQ46UfVYnq | 2 | Syria | -0.8 | Russia | -0.6 | Middle East | -0.6 | Barack Obama | 0.3 | null | null |
economic_policy | Fox News Opinion | http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/07/31/trumps-economy-has-democrats-singing-same-old-tax-spend-and-regulate-song.html | OPINION: Trump's economy has Democrats singing the same old 'tax, spend and regulate' song | 2018-07-31 | economic_policy | Like a baseball team that is way behind going into the fifth inning , Democrats ( and socialists ) are hoping for the political equivalent of a rainout , so that the game President Trump is winning will be canceled , allowing them time to regroup .
The president ’ s opponents are going to need more than that figurative cancellation , however ; they ’ re going to need a real plan of action . Democrats , whose policies of tax , spend and regulate , are being reversed , seem to have nothing to offer except failed policies that have slowed growth and discouraged business expansion . Their “ policy ” is a vain hope that “ scandal ” and Russian “ collusion ” will lead to Trump ’ s downfall . So far that strategy isn ’ t working . His base continues to support him .
During the 2016 campaign when candidate Trump pledged a growth in the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) of 4 percent , “ experts ” claimed it was impossible . President Obama said we would have to accept much smaller growth because the days of rapid economic expansion were over .
The left is coming up with all sorts of excuses , including the export of large amounts of soybeans , to explain 4.1 percent GDP growth as a one-off . Some of the same “ experts ” who claimed such growth was impossible now say it is unsustainable . Let ’ s recall that other ‘ experts ” said there was no way Donald Trump could beat Hillary Clinton . And yet the media continue to return to these people , as they might a soothsayer , hoping they will get it right next time .
President Obama once said it was impossible to bring back manufacturing . At a 2016 PBS town hall event , Obama derisively said : “ Well , how exactly are you going to do that ? What exactly are you going to do ? There ’ s no answer to it . ''
Within days of his inauguration , the Dow Jones industrial average climbed above the 20,000 mark for the first time . As of last Friday the Dow stood at 25,451 , a 5,000-point rise . Retirees with their 401k accounts and other investments must be happy with those numbers . Low unemployment figures for African Americans and Hispanics ( President Trump claims they are the lowest in history “ because of my policies , ” even though black unemployment had been on a years-long downward trend when he assumed office ) nonetheless have fueled a hiring boom .
Tax cuts and tax reform have put more money in the pockets of some Americans to spend ( or save ) on goods and services , producing more of them and leading to the hiring of more people , who will pay more taxes . The Treasury last quarter again took in record amounts of revenue , though Congress spends it faster than it comes in .
It appears the president may have won a significant battle in the trade war with a promise last week from European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to negotiate zero tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum ; something else the “ experts ” said was impossible . The president is on the way to winning this battle because of his assertion that the U.S. has been treated unfairly by other countries that slap tariffs and taxes on American goods while we import their products with few or no penalties .
President Obama once said it was impossible to bring back manufacturing . At a 2016 PBS town hall event , Obama derisively said : “ Well , how exactly are you going to do that ? What exactly are you going to do ? There ’ s no answer to it , ” adding , “ He just says , ‘ Well , I ’ m going to negotiate a better deal. ’ Well , what , how exactly are you going to negotiate that ? What magic wand do you have ? And usually the answer is , he doesn ’ t have an answer . ”
Would Mr. Obama like salt or salsa on the words he should eat ? President Trump is proving that the past can be prologue . | 2AJfZKpCX3aiPuze | 2 | Economic Policy | -0.3 | Economy And Jobs | -0.3 | Democratic Party | -0.2 | null | null | null | null |
politics | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/07/stormy-daniels-hush-money-deal/1231926002/ | Michael Cohen wants to tear up hush-money deal with Stormy Daniels, have $130,000 repaid | 2018-09-07 | politics | Both the president and his former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen say they do n't intend to enforce the hush agreement Stormy Daniels signed to stay quiet about her claims of an affair with President Donald Trump .
The shell company Cohen used to pay Daniels agreed to throw out its hush-money agreement with the adult film star , a lawyer for Essential Consultants said in a Friday court filing . Lawyers for Trump followed soon after with a filing of their own Saturday , explaining they had no intention of enforcing the agreement , which the president never signed .
Cohen 's company asked Daniels ' to give back the $ 130,000 she was paid to stay silent about the alleged affair she claims to have had with Trump in 2006 . The president denies the affair .
In his letter to Daniels ' attorney Michael Avenatti , Cohen 's lawyer Brent Blakely said that his client 's company `` agrees to accept the rescission of the Confidential Settlement Agreement '' and `` demands that the full consideration paid to Plaintiff , $ 130,000.00 , be returned . ''
Avenatti pushed back after the filing Friday , saying that he doesn ’ t have to accept the offer and that he and Daniels `` will never settle the cases absent full disclosure and accountability . ''
In an interview with CNN , Avenatti called it a `` Hail Mary '' to try to avoid Trump and Cohen facing deposition .
`` Michael Cohen is back to playing games and trying to protect Donald Trump . He is now pulling a legal stunt to try and “ fix it ” so that we can ’ t depose Trump , '' he wrote on Twitter .
After Trump 's move , Avenatti claimed the president was `` frightened '' of the possibility of being deposed .
`` He is desperate and doing all he can to avoid having to answer my questions , '' Avenatti said on Twitter .
Daniels , whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford , has previously offered to pay back the money in order to be freed from her non-disclosure agreement . She has also claimed that the agreement was invalid because Trump never signed it .
Friday 's filing comes amid the ongoing legal battler over the hush money paid to Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election . Daniels is suing to void her non-disclosure agreement and alleges that Trump defamed her by questioning her account of their relationship .
Cohen , Trump 's former personal attorney , pleaded guilty last month to eight charges related to fraud and campaign finance violations . In his plea , Cohen said he paid off two women at Trump ’ s `` direction '' to silence them before the election and admitted that the payments were illegal . | SbKCWYm8lYZRayKu | 1 | Politics | 0 | Stormy Daniels | 0 | Michael Cohen | 0 | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/1-3m-jobless-claims-last-week-as-number-remains-above-1-million-for-17th-straight-week | 1.3M jobless claims last week as number remains above 1M for 17th straight week | 2020-07-16 | Jobless Claims, Unemployment Benefits, Coronavirus, Labor Department, Economy And Jobs | The number of new jobless claims last week was 1.3 million, the Labor Department reported Thursday, which marks the 17th straight week that claims have exceeded 1 million. Economists projected that 1.25 million jobs were lost last week. On average, over the past four weeks, more than 1.3 million jobless claims have been filed each week, according to the Labor report. The total number of people claiming benefits for all jobless programs for the week ending on June 27 was over 32 million. Compared with the same week last year, there were 1.6 million claims. These figures are not seasonally adjusted. During the week ending on July 11, less than 1 million people claimed the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a category of benefits for people sidelined by the pandemic who would not normally be eligible for unemployment insurance. 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 | e7e5348aab9245d2 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/french-lawmakers-debate-extending-state-of-emergency/2015/11/19/bf3a1f9e-8e41-11e5-934c-a369c80822c2_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-banner-high_paris545am%3Ahomepage/story | France confirms suspected leader of Paris attacks was killed in police raid | 2015-11-19 | World | clockThis article was published more than 9 years ago BRUSSELS — Responding to rising threats across Europe, France on Thursday sought to extend a sweeping state of emergency for three months, as Belgium proposed tough new measures to detain and monitor suspects who support jihadist groups. The calls for a crackdown came as French prosecutors confirmed Thursday that the accused ringleader of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris was killed in a massive pre-dawn police raid Wednesday. The death of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian militant of Moroccan descent, did little to calm European unease about the specter of more attacks. | 37f09371a0c3c2a2 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2013/10/30/libertarians_are_even_whiter_and_wealthier_than_the_gop_partner/ | Libertarians are even whiter and wealthier than the GOP | 2013-10-30 | Libertarian, Republican Party, Politics | You could call it the wealthy white fratboy wing of the GOP . Or perhaps its masters-of-the-universe subset , as exemplified by Wall Streeters who regularly rank private profits above the common good and whose credo is “ get government out of my way . ”
Libertarians make up a small but enduring slice of the Right , a nationwide studyby the Public Religion Research Institute confirms . Of course , they have their own party that nominates presidential candidates—like the Greens . But , practically speaking , libertarians line up with Republicans most of the time .
They are the economic conservatives and privacy rights adherents that existed before the Tea Party emerged in 2010 , PRRI finds , and today—as in years past—they split with the religious right on regulating morality , and they are not always Tea Party fans .
PRRI ’ s “ 2013 American Values Survey ” is the latest reminder from respected pollsters that “ committed libertarians ” —who comprise seven percent of all voters , with another 15 percent leaning their way—have an out-sized influence . Libertarians feel that there is almost nothing good that government can do for them personally or for society , PRRI reports . In contrast , the GOP ’ s evangelical wing wants government to ban abortion , reject same-sex marriage and bar assisted suicide for the terminally ill .
According to PRRI , a room full of libertarians would be overwhemingly young , male and white . “ Nearly all libertarians are non-Hispanic whites ( 94 percent ) , more than two-thirds ( 68 percent ) are men , and more than six in 10 ( 62 percent ) are under the age of 50 , ” they report . Libertarians tend to be WASPs—white Anglo-Saxon Protestants ( 27 percent ) —or religious agnostics ( 27 percent ) , but a few are Catholic ( 11 percent ) and amazingly “ no libertarians identify as black Protestant , ” PRRI said , without offering an explanation .
It would one thing to dismiss libertarians as a fringe movement , as “ only 12 percent of self-identified Republicans are libertarians , compared to 20 percent of Republicans who identify with the Tea Party , [ or ] 33 percent who identify with the religious right. ” But with benefactors such as the Koch brothers channeling more than $ 250 million into the 2012 election for campaigns targeting Democrats and unions—and continuing today by leading attacks on Obamacare and trying todiscredit climate change—it is important to know what they believe and how they differ from others on the Right .
On economic issues and social safety nets , PRRI reports they are old-school economic conservatives . Two-thirds oppose raising the federal minimum wage , which now is $ 7.25 an hour . Nearly all ( 96 percent ) have “ an unfavorable view of the 2010 health law [ Obamacare ] , compared with 83 percent of white evangelicals. ” Seventy-three percent oppose stronger environmental laws .
Economic and religious conservatives have always occupied conflicting corners of the GOP—and that continues , as libertarians disagree with the religious right on culture war issues . “ Nearly six-in-ten ( 57 percent ) oppose making it more difficult for a woman to get an abortion , a proportion identical to the general population , ” PRRI said . Seventy percent favor lethal injections by physicians for the terminally ill—nearly twice the rate of other Republicans . Seventy-one percent favor legalizing pot , compared to 59 percent of Tea Partiers . In contrast , 69 pecent of “ white evangelical Protestants oppose legalizing marijuana , ” PRRI found .
One area where libertarians are less liberal is LGBT issues—though they are more open-minded than much of the GOP . “ While a majority ( 59 percent ) of libertarians oppose same-sex marriage , they are significantly less opposed than Republicans overall ( 67 percent ) and than other conservative-leaning groups such as Tea Party members ( 73 percent ) and white evangelical Protestants ( 80 percent ) . ”
When it comes to the intensity of their political beliefs , PPRI found that libertarians dislike Democrats more fervently than they like Republicans—who they have a hot-and-cold relationship with . Fifty-seven percent “ have a favorable view ” of the GOP , “ but a substantial minority ( 40 percent ) have an unfavorable view , ” the survey said . That may be why they are less likely than Tea Partiers to vote in GOP primaries , PRRI found . When it comes to Democrats , 89 percent `` have an unfavorable view '' and 64 percent `` have a very unfavorable opinion of the party . ''
Libertarians name Sen. Rand Paul as their first choice for the GOP ’ s 2016 presidential nominee , with Tea Party darlings Ted Cruz , Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan following in descending order . But the PRRI survey offers no explanation about why one candidate would be more popular than another . Of course , there is a Libertarian Party , which has nominated its own national candidates in the past , such as Texas congressman Ron Paul—Rand Paul ’ s dad .
On other issues , their platform includes a strong aversion to the government ’ s domestic spying , an isolationist foreign policy , and reluctance to use military force . On economic growth , they favor lower taxes and do not support public programs to help people get ahead . That survival-of-the-fittest , hands-off mindset includes opposing gun control laws , as well as censoring online pornography .
Libertarians tend to register to vote at a slightly higher rate ( 80 percent ) than the national average ( 76 percent ) , PRRI found . And the survey finds that they follow politics more than most Americans . “ Libertarians are much more likely than Americans overall to pay attention to what is going on in government and politics , ” it said . “ Fewer than four-in-ten ( 38 percent ) Americans report paying attention… Among libertarians , a majority ( 56 percent ) report that they pay attention to politics always or most of the time . ”
Americans who identify as firm libertarians might only be seven percent of the electorate , but with some of the deepest pockets in America backing their beliefs—particularly on economic issues and the role of government—they remain an outsized political force . They certainly are an enduring part of the Republican Party , even if they have been eclipsed by Tea Partiers—such as during the recent government shutdown . | fe7b8e8106adad1c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
defense | International Business Times | http://www.ibtimes.com/us-air-force-chief-sexual-assault-prevention-jeffrey-krusinski-arrested-after-alleged-sexual-assault | USAF Chief Of Sexual Assault Prevention, Jeffrey Krusinski, Arrested After Alleged Sexual Assault | 2013-05-07 | defense | The Air Force ’ s chief of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch , Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Krusinski , has been removed from his post at the Pentagon pending an investigation after his arrest this weekend on a sexual battery charge .
According to ARLNow , which broke the story , Krusinski , 41 , was arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly fondling a woman in a Crystal City parking lot . The police report stated : “ On May 5 at 12:35 a.m. , a drunken male subject approached a female victim in a parking lot and grabbed her breasts and buttocks . The victim fought the suspect off as he attempted to touch her again and alerted police . ”
“ The victim called 9-1-1 off her cell phone after she was able to break free , ” Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said . “ Patrol units were in the area of the crime scene and arrived shortly after. ” Sternbeck added that the victim did not know Krusinski .
Krusinski was arrested on the scene and held at the Arlington County Detention Facility on $ 5,000 unsecured bond . A spokesman for the facility said that he was released later that day .
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand described the report as “ extremely disturbing ” and said that it was evidence that further reform is needed regarding sexual assault in the military .
`` It is clear that the status quo ... is simply unacceptable , '' Gillibrand wrote in an email to ABC News . `` Next week , I am going to take this issue head on by introducing a set of common-sense reforms . We have to reform how the military handles sexual assault cases and take on the culture that perpetuates this kind of behavior . ''
On Tuesday , the Pentagon released a statement about the incident , in which Pentagon spokesman George Little said that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had expressed “ outrage and disgust over the troubling allegation. ” Little added that an investigation into the incident would be “ dealt with swiftly and decisively . ''
“ Sexual assault has no place in the United States military , ” Little said . “ The American people , including our service members , should expect a culture of absolutely no tolerance for this deplorable behavior that violates not only the law , but basic principles of respect , honor and dignity in our society and its military . ”
Little added , `` Secretary Hagel is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of behavior in America 's armed forces and will take action to see this through . ” | HC8iKBGbNCXOZ7YB | 1 | Military | -1.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2017/08/27/trump-restores-program-sending-surplus-military-weapons-equipment-to-police/?deferJs=true&outputType=default-article&utm_term=.b5979aaae034 | Trump to restore program sending surplus military weapons, equipment to police | 2017-08-28 | White House, Politics | clockThis article was published more than 7 years ago President Donald Trump plans to resume the transfer of surplus weapons, vehicles and other equipment from the nation’s military to its state and local law enforcement agencies, reviving a program that was sharply curtailed by President Barack Obama two years ago. The program launched in 1990 but was greatly limited after public reaction to images of heavily militarized police in the streets of Ferguson, Mo., and other sites of civil unrest. | 05033e68bbe18ef3 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/us/politics/super-tuesday.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news | What to Watch for as 12 States Begin Voting on Super Tuesday | 2016-03-02 | elections | Mr. Trump is favored on Tuesday in every state except Texas , but the battle between Mr. Cruz and Senator Marco Rubio for second place is an important one . If one of the freshman senators were to emerge as a decisive runner-up , he could make the case that the other should exit the race to give the party a better chance at stopping Mr. Trump .
But the results might not lend themselves to such a clean outcome . Mr. Cruz and Mr. Rubio could trade second-place finishes across the map . And even if Mr. Rubio were to capture second place in all 11 states , Mr. Cruz could still win Texas outright and hold that victory up to argue that , as the only other candidate to beat Mr. Trump and win a state , he has every justification to go forward .
But after emphasizing the importance of March 1 to his campaign , and investing so much in winning support from evangelicals , Mr. Cruz would be in a rough spot if he were to finish behind Mr. Rubio in such Bible Belt states as Alabama , Oklahoma and Tennessee .
There is also pressure on Mr. Rubio to find a state he can win Tuesday , and Minnesota may represent his best opportunity .
With 155 delegates , the Lone Star State is the big enchilada ( or , keeping with current Texas trends , the big breakfast taco ) of Super Tuesday . But even more important , it is a crucial test for Mr. Cruz , who would face intense pressure to withdraw from the race if he were to lose .
And the Texas prize for Mr. Trump is found as much in its symbolism as in its delegate distribution . Not only is the deep-red state a citadel of the national Republican Party , but it is also home to George W. Bush , Rick Perry and Mr. Cruz . | jzh3w2PHUwP6DZZ6 | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.4 | Elections | 0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
mexico | The Intercept | https://theintercept.com/2020/02/06/border-wall-construction-organ-pipe/ | Trump is blowing up a national monument in Arizona to make way for the border wall | 2020-02-06 | mexico | Contractors working for the Trump administration are blowing apart a mountain on protected lands in southern Arizona to make way for the president ’ s border wall . The blasting is happening on the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument , a tract of Sonoran Desert wilderness long celebrated as one of the nation ’ s great ecological treasures , that holds profound spiritual significance to multiple Native American groups . In a statement to ███ , U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that the blasting began this week and will continue through the end of the month . “ The construction contractor has begun controlled blasting , in preparation for new border wall system construction , within the Roosevelt Reservation at Monument Mountain in the U.S. Border Patrol ’ s Tucson Sector , ” the statement said , referring to an area also known as Monument Hill . “ The controlled blasting is targeted and will continue intermittently for the rest of the month. ” The agency added that it “ will continue to have an environmental monitor present during these activities as well as on-going clearing activities. ” Rep. Raúl Grijalva , an Arizona Democrat and chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources , told ███ that he has zero faith that the Department of Homeland Security ’ s “ environmental monitor will do anything to avoid , mitigate , or even point out some of the sacrilegious things that are occurring and will continue to occur , given the way they ’ re proceeding . ”
Grijalva ’ s blunt assessment is based on a visit he made to Organ Pipe last month , alongside archaeologists and leaders of the Tohono O ’ odham Nation , whose ancestral homelands and sacred burial sites are in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump ’ s border wall expansion . One of those burial sites lies just beyond the westward advance of the border wall , Grijalva explained . “ It ’ s right in the path , ” he said , meaning that “ the one indignation of the blasting on the hill is shortly to follow with other indignations and disrespect. ” According to Grijalava , “ DHS had mentioned to the tribes that they would back off on developing the hill , but the work is still being done. ” The agency has consistently failed in its legal obligation to meaningfully consult with tribal stakeholders in southern Arizona , Grijalva said . The blasting that ’ s happening now , he added , “ is just the crudest indication of what ’ s going on. ” Celebrated as “ a pristine example of an intact Sonoran Desert ecosystem , ” Organ Pipe was designated as a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve in 1976 . Even before the explosions began , the construction there was already one of Trump ’ s most controversial border wall projects , unfolding on the homelands of the Tohono O ’ odham and in areas that are ostensibly safeguarded by the strictest public-land designations on the books .
Neither factor has stopped contractors from drilling into the ground and draining water from a rare desert aquifer in order to mix concrete to support a towering , 30-foot barrier along the U.S.-Mexico divide . In working to fulfill the president ’ s chief campaign promise , construction crews on Organ Pipe have uprooted saguaro cacti , slicing the iconic plants into chunks and bulldozed a wide roadway to make room for trucks , cranes , and other construction vehicles .
“ A historically significant area is going to be changed irreparably . You ’ re never going to be able to put it back together . ”
With the wall in place , and its floodlights illuminating the area through the night , the migration of several rare desert animal species is expected to come to an end . The construction is particularly threatening to Quitobaquito Springs , the only naturally occurring source of fresh water for miles around . The desert oasis was once inhabited by the Hia Ced O ’ odham — a smaller , though distinct O ’ odham tribe — and remains a monumentally important spiritual site for the O ’ odham people to this day . “ A historically significant area is going to be changed irreparably , ” Grijalva said . “ You ’ re never going to be able to put it back together . ”
The expansion of the border wall under Trump has been made possible , in part , by a post-9/11 piece of legislation known as the Real ID Act , which grants DHS sweeping authority to waive existing laws in order to construct border barriers . The Trump administration has used the act to waive dozens of laws — from the Environmental Protection Act to the Endangered Species Act — in order to push through new border wall construction projects . In Arizona , the administration ’ s efforts have been bolstered by the fact that federal lands , rather than private property , comprise much of the border . Following his visit to Organ Pipe last month , Grijalva , sent a letter to Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf , expressing “ serious concerns ” that the department was “ not respecting tribal lands and sacred sites as they proceed with border wall plans and construction . ”
“ What ’ s particularly frightening right now is that Trump has weaponized DHS , politically weaponized them . ”
Accompanying Grijalva ’ s complaint was a letter from Ned Norris Jr. , chair of the Tohono O ’ odham Nation , to the U.S. Border Patrol , in which Norris reported that border wall construction on Organ Pipe had already “ resulted in the inadvertent discovery of human remains ” near Quitobaquito Springs . “ It ’ s been really frustrating , ” Grijalva said . “ You would think that in a situation like this , that involves human remains , burial sites , bone fragments that are traced and dated a thousand years or more back , that there would be some sensitivity , for lack of a better word , on the part of DHS and the administration . There is none. ” The entire episode is deeply political , Grijalva said , with the Trump administration clearly bent on completing as many new miles of wall construction as possible ahead of the 2020 election . “ What ’ s particularly frightening right now is that Trump has weaponized DHS , politically weaponized them , ” Grijalva explained . “ And so right now , it ’ s about satisfying that political agenda. ” “ The consequence of that , the intended consequence of that , is situations like this , ” Grijalva said . “ Situations like South Texas . The flooding of public lands . The loss of habitat . The list goes on . ”
Thread update : Explosives truck spotted today just north of Organ Pipe . pic.twitter.com/pLydPVo0Z6 — Laiken Jordahl ( @ LaikenJordahl ) February 5 , 2020
With the realities of border wall expansion in southern Arizona coming into grim focus over the past few months , advocates on the ground have worried that construction on Organ Pipe might involve explosives . Though the monument is a desert , it is hardly flat . Just west of Arizona ’ s Lukeville port of entry from Mexico is Monument Hill , a rolling mound of earth that is not conducive to the kind of border wall construction that has rapidly unfolded elsewhere in the area . Laiken Jordahl , borderlands campaigner for the Center for Biological Diversity , first got word the blasting was happening on Tuesday . He drove down from Tucson the next morning to investigate . A former National Park Service employee at Organ Pipe , Jordahl has consistently documented the monument ’ s destruction . At a gas station on his way to Organ Pipe on Wednesday , Jordahl spotted a construction vehicle adorned in yellow cautionary signs that read : “ Explosives . ” | NOicrkKMemPssy5m | 0 | Donald Trump | -1.75 | Customs And Border Protection | -1.5 | Border Wall | 0 | Border Crisis | 0 | Mexico | 0 |
media_bias | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2020/0128/Whose-reality-Propaganda-in-the-age-of-social-media | Whose reality? Propaganda in the age of social media | 2020-01-28 | media_bias | If you do spot misinformation in your newsfeed , one option , Professor Cull suggests , might be to send that friend an email rather than responding publicly and inadvertently boosting engagement to the original post .
So what ’ s a social media user to do ? Katy Byron , the editor and program manager of MediaWise , advises online readers to ask three simple questions : Who is behind the information ? What is the evidence ? And what are other sources saying ?
Draft rumors are nothing new , says University of Southern California historian Nicholas Cull . But modern technology confounds our efforts to tell fact from fiction . “ We ’ re living in one of those dangerous moments right now , ” he says .
The killing of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran on Jan. 3 sent waves of diplomatic uncertainty throughout the Middle East . But the U.S. drone strike that led to his death also released a cloud of uncertainty in the United States . One prominent series of rumors circulating on social media claimed that the United States had instituted the draft . By the end of the day of the drone strike , the servers for the U.S . Selective Service System ’ s website had crashed .
Truth , it is often said , is the first casualty of war , and in the wake of the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran on Jan. 3 , misinformation ran rampant .
In the days following the U.S.-led drone strike , the White House ’ s rationales for the attack shifted wildly . Initially , the Trump administration claimed that the general was plotting an “ imminent ” attack against Americans . Less than a week later , it was to prevent an attack on a U.S. embassy , or four embassies . Or maybe it was U.S. military bases . In the end , “ it doesn ’ t really matter , ” the president tweeted , “ because of [ Soleimani ’ s ] horrible past ! ”
At the same time , social networks like TikTok , Instagram , and Facebook began to overflow with doctored photos and outdated images , false rumors about the draft , and fake tweets from administration officials . In one sense , this is nothing new ; war fighting has always had a psychological component , which includes spreading lies . But in another sense , the informational fog speaks to the defining epistemological issue of our era : the fracturing of the American public ’ s shared sense of reality .
“ The objective seems to be to question the idea that anything is certain , ” says University of Southern California historian Nicholas Cull . “ In a world of uncertainty , the only one you can trust is the strongest guy in the room . ”
One rumor claimed that the U.S. had instituted the draft . Another rumor claimed that LGBT people were exempt . Another claimed that felons were exempt . By the end of the day of the drone strike , the servers for the U.S . Selective Service System ’ s website had crashed .
“ The two-day period after the news broke were very confusing to young people , ” says Katy Byron , the editor and program manager of MediaWise , a Poynter Institute for Media Studies project aimed at helping teenagers identify online misinformation .
Professor Cull points out that draft rumors are nothing new ; a prevalent rumor in the spring of 1942 claimed Jews were exempt . But , he says , modern technology confounds our efforts to tell fact from fiction . “ We ’ re living in one of those dangerous moments right now . [ There is a ] tremendous instability from the overlap of social media and big data-powered targeting of social media that we are in the process of learning to deal with . ”
Misinformation on social media presents a thorny problem . Recommendation algorithms , like the kind that determine what appears in your Facebook newsfeed or YouTube ’ s “ up next ” list , can not by themselves distinguish truth from lies . All they can do is measure how people “ engage ” with the content : whether they scroll past it or linger on it , whether they click on the thumbs , hearts , or other icons associated with the post , and how much time they spend interacting with it .
This algorithmic agnosticism often leads to perverse results . Social networks assign higher ranks to content that prompts more engagement , regardless of whether the content is true or whether it improves the engager ’ s life . And the more highly ranked a piece of content is , the more likely people will see it . That means that , if you come across a Facebook post that you think is false and you write a thoughtful point-by-point rebuttal of it , you ’ ve made it more likely that the misinformation will appear in more peoples ’ Facebook news feeds .
What ’ s more , today ’ s media landscape is immeasurably more fragmented than it was in 1967 . To reach its audience , misinformation – and its deliberate subset , disinformation – no longer needs to travel the highways afforded by the major news outlets ; instead , it can travel the backroads created by niche targeting . That means that what you see may not be what everyone else , including professional fact-checkers , see .
“ The beauty of freedom of speech , historically , is that the freedom of speech is constrained by the ability to observe and respond to problematic speech , ” says Josh Pasek , a media professor at the University of Michigan . “ The challenge in this social media environment is that you can ’ t necessarily do that . ”
Professor Pasek suggests that one way for the government to curb misinformation without running afoul of free speech protections would be to require social media companies to be transparent about who is targeting what content to which users .
“ You don ’ t have the right to not have your speech known about just because you ’ re trying to hide it from someone , ” he says .
If you spot misinformation in your news feed , one option , Professor Cull suggests , might be to go outside the infrastructure . In other words , if a friend posts a false news report on Twitter , instead of responding via Twitter and inadvertently boosting engagement to the original post , you could send that friend an email instead .
Ms. Byron of MediaWise , whose project is backed by Google ’ s charitable arm , Google.org , advises online readers to ask three simple questions : Who is behind the information ? What is the evidence ? And what are other sources saying ?
If you ’ re still not sure , she says , you can tag the post with # IsThisLegit and @ mediawise . “ We ’ ll help you figure out if what you ’ re seeing is real or not , ” she says .
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Professor Cull says that the combination of rapid technological shifts and political instability places society in a dangerous situation , but , if we survive this moment , our minds will eventually adjust to the new media landscape , just as we adjusted to television and radio in the past .
“ In a couple of years , ” he says , “ we ’ ll be able to look back on it and think , ‘ Wow , can you imagine that we didn ’ t understand that ? Now we understand it . It ’ s second nature . We can move beyond it . ’ ” | j2zXfOmi2wBGZh3Z | 1 | Media Watch | 0 | Social Media | 0 | Propaganda | 0 | Media Industry | 0 | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/21/tim-scott-presidential-election-2024-republicans | ‘The exact opposite of Donald Trump’: Republican senator Tim Scott’s vision for America | 2023-05-22 | 2024 Presidential Election, Tim Scott, Elections, Politics, Polls, Public Opinion, Republican Party | Can the politician’s Reaganesque optimism and rightwing principles convince the GOP to pick its first Black presidential candidate? About 45 minutes into his New Hampshire town hall, Tim Scott said he needed to reveal a secret to the Republican voters who had gathered to hear from the presidential hopeful. “Listen, this might surprise some of y’all,” Scott told attendees with subtle laughter in his voice. He paused briefly: “I’m Black.” The line was met with loud laughter from the mostly white crowd, and it underscored the unique role that Scott faces in the Republican presidential primary ahead of the 2024 election. The 57-year-old senator of South Carolina and erstwhile Donald Trump ally, who filed paperwork on Friday to declare his presidential candidacy ahead of a formal launch event on Monday, hopes to become the first Black politician to win his party’s nomination and go on to defeat Joe Biden in the general election next November. Scott’s chances of success appear slim, as Trump continues to dominate in national polls thanks to the enduring loyalty of many Republican primary voters. But Scott believes his sunny vision for America’s future can sway a significant number of Republicans who are ready for “new leadership” in the party. To do that, Scott will need to take on Trump and convince fellow Republicans to abandon the vengeful worldview embraced by the former president in favor of a more positive message about the direction of the country. Relying on Reaganesque optimism about the brighter days ahead, Scott has called for a new era of American policy based on “personal responsibility”, deeply rooted in rightwing principles like restricting abortion access and rigorously enforcing border security. But it remains unclear whether enough Republicans are interested in dumping Trump. “You cannot lean into ‘the best days ahead of you’ until you deal with the cancer inside of you at the moment,” said Michael Steele, a former chair of the Republican National Committee and a vocal Trump critic. “The way you do that is to take down the guy who’s perpetuating that narrative.” As he spoke to the voters at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire earlier this month, Scott pointed to his own family history as an example of America’s promise. He was raised by a single, working mother, and his grandfather dropped out of school in the third grade to pick cotton on a South Carolina farm. That grandfather lived long enough to see his grandson win a seat in the US House of Representatives, where Scott served one term before being appointed to the Senate in 2013. Scott is currently the only Black Republican serving in the Senate. “One of the reasons why we say in my family ‘from cotton to Congress in one lifetime’ is because my grandfather had a stubborn faith,” Scott told the New Hampshire voters. “He had faith in God. He had faith in the American people, but he also had faith in the future of this great nation.” Echoing his message from 2021, when he delivered the Republican response to Biden’s first presidential speech to a joint session of Congress, Scott accused Democrats of turning Americans against each other by bringing attention to systemic oppression. “When I talk to my friends on the other side of the aisle, particularly the ones who disagree with me vehemently, the one thing I can tell them is that the proof of my life disproves your lies,” Scott said at the town hall. “America is a beautiful country. We are the land of opportunity and not the land of oppression.” Scott went on to list the benefits of his “opportunity zones” policy, an initiative aimed at directing private investment into America’s economically disadvantaged communities. He encouraged Americans to “take responsibility for yourself” and reject “today’s cultural victimhood”, alluding to the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” narrative that has been criticized on the left as unrealistic and racist. “My mentor literally taught me that if you take responsibility for yourself, that in that mirror, you see the problem. But in the same mirror, you find the promise,” Scott said at the town hall. Scott’s upbeat tone cast quite a contrast from Trump, whose presidential campaign thus far has focused on promising “retribution” to his political enemies if he wins the White House next year. “Everything about Tim Scott is out of the ordinary. He is the exact opposite of Donald Trump, and that’s why he is so intriguing,” said the Republican pollster Frank Luntz. “He is as nice and kind-hearted as Trump is tough and critical.” Scott’s message was greeted like a breath of fresh air from attendees of his town hall, some of whom said they are looking for the Republican party to break free from Trump’s influence and move in a new direction. “I really liked the guy. I thought he was very good and forthcoming, and he’s got a great message,” Bruce Nest, a 70-year-old anti-Trump voter from Nashua, said after Scott’s town hall. Though Scott’s tone is markedly different from Trump’s, the two politicians’ platforms have far more in common. Like Trump, Scott has called for a tougher stance against China and emphasized the importance of preventing migrants from entering the US. On abortion, which will take center stage in the 2024 election because of the supreme court’s decision last year to overturn Roe v Wade, Scott has vowed to sign “the most conservative, pro-life legislation” that could pass Congress. But Scott has refused to specify his preferred timeframe for a potential federal abortion ban. In the Republican primary, the senator’s tone and temperament alone may be enough to sway some voters. Nest’s wife, Debra, 70, argued it was “time to give someone else a chance” to lead the Republican party. “We want to pass the baton,” she said. “I’m looking for someone to pass the baton to.” But Trump’s enduring popularity left some town hall attendees skeptical. “I think he has a really good backstory, and I think he will connect to a lot of different ethnicities and different cultures of America,” said Robert Plourde, a 59-year-old voter from Loudon. “It remains to be seen whether he has enough traction with the Republican party that really doesn’t know him, I think, nationally right now.” When Scott formally launches his campaign on Monday, he will join a growing Republican primary field where candidates not named Trump have struggled to break through. The most recent Morning Consult poll showed Scott has drawn the support of just 1% of Republican primary voters across the country. There is some evidence to suggest that a crucial share of Republican voters are looking to move on from Trump. One AP/NORC poll taken last month found that nearly half of Republicans do not want Trump to seek re-election, but the same survey showed Trump still enjoys a favorability rating of 68% among Republicans. Even in Scott’s home state of South Carolina, a Winthrop University survey taken last month found that 7% of Republicans supported the senator, putting him in fourth place. The former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who served as South Carolina’s governor and appointed Scott to the Senate, outpaced him by 11 points while Trump and Florida governor Ron DeSantis led in the poll. Scott’s advisers point out that the Iowa caucuses are still nine months away. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, senior campaign officials noted Scott’s campaign committee has nearly $22m in cash on hand. Scott has also received hefty financial support from some Republican megadonors; last year, the tech billionaire and fellow school choice proponent Larry Ellison poured $15m into a Super Pac aligned with the senator. Perhaps Scott’s greatest challenge at this early stage will be distinguishing himself from the other Republican presidential candidates. Scott has not made much of an effort thus far to distance himself from Trump on matters of policy, even as he has refused to commit to supporting the former president in the election if he wins the nomination. Appearing on the Fox News host Sean Hannity’s show in February, Scott was asked what differences there were between his campaign platform and Trump’s. “Probably not very many at all,” Scott replied. “I’m so thankful that we had President Trump in office. Frankly, the policies that we were able to pass from 2017 to 2020 were monumental.” Scott’s embrace of his opponent’s record has intensified speculation that this White House bid is simply a ploy to bolster his chances of becoming Trump’s running mate, although the senator has dismissed those suggestions. “If you’re going to go for it, go for it all,” Scott told reporters last month. “Period.” With Trump maintaining his massive lead in national polls, Steele is skeptical that Scott or any other Republican candidate can seriously fight for the nomination without directly confronting the former president. “Unless your name is Donald Trump, you’re running for vice-president,” Steele said. “Until shown otherwise, that they’re willing to take this man down and willing to really press the point that he is wholly incompetent and too politically damaged to be the nominee of the party again, everybody’s running for something other than the current presidential race.” As Scott continues to insist that he is truly running to win the Republican nomination, his team has pointed to two factors that could help him: his personal story and his evangelical faith. In a video released last month, Scott emphasized those points. “I was raised by a single mother in poverty. The spoons in our apartment were plastic, not silver,” Scott said in the video. “But we had faith. We put in the work and we had an unwavering belief that we too could live the American dream. I know America is the land of opportunity, not a land of oppression. I know it because I’ve lived it.” Scott’s video was filmed at Fort Sumter, the South Carolina military site where the civil war began in 1861, which Scott said represented America’s strength and resilience. That message of unity may not resonate with all Republican primary voters; after all, when a group of Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on 6 January 2021, some of them entered the building waving Confederate flags. “That storyline doesn’t land the same way it used to because a lot of the folks that you’re going to be talking to don’t necessarily look at that as a positive,” Steele said. “They see that as part of the problem, which is why white nationalism has reared its ugly head the way it has.” Scott’s efforts to connect with white evangelical voters, who make up a substantial portion of the Republican primary electorate, will also likely encounter roadblocks. Evangelical voters represent a core piece of Trump’s base, and they have shown hesitation in abandoning the former president. According to data compiled by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) in March, 62% of white evangelicals held favorable views of Trump. “I think it’s going to be pretty heavy lifting for Senator Tim Scott, or really any other candidate aside from Donald Trump, to gain a lot of loyalty from white evangelical voters,” said Melissa Deckman, the chief executive of PRRI. Scott’s fumbled answers on abortion policy could add to his troubles with that cohort. He remains staunchly anti-abortion, but he has bristled when reporters try to nail down his specific views on enacting a nationwide ban. When asked about his preferred cut-off point for banning the procedure, Scott told NBC News last month: “I’m not going to talk about six or five or seven or 10 [weeks].” “For the [Republican] base, the positions on abortion really matter,” Deckman said. “And when you have someone like Tim Scott or Nikki Haley sort of waffling on that issue, not trying to pin down the specifics of where they stand, I think it’s going to be harder for them to pull people away from Donald Trump in the primary.” That task is already proving difficult for Scott. On Monday, he will start finding out if it is, in fact, impossible. | b08fc163f36e35d5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/08/immigrants-preying-on-americans-with-false-tales-abuse-to-stay-in-us-experts-say.html | Immigrants preying on Americans with false tales of abuse to stay in US, experts say | 2016-09-08 | immigration | Renee Sun ’ s 21-year-old son always wondered why his girlfriend of three months regularly ended her tearful breakup speeches by pulling him close and whispering into his ear , “ Text me . ”
The brief but tempestuous relationship began when the two were students at University of Colorado-Boulder -- he an admittedly naïve engineering student and she a foreign scholar from Mongolia .
She approached him , asked him on a date , took yoga classes with him , and learned about his religion , according to Sun , who asked that her son not be named . In retrospect , Sun and her family believe he was being played .
“ This was a setup that trapped a simple American young man for the benefit of gaining legal status for this woman 's entire family , her mother , and her brother , ” Sun said . “ By finding a victim like my son , they can stay in this country and immediately enjoy all the social benefits . ”
The reason for the parting double message seemed to become clear when Sun ’ s son was arrested and learned his erstwhile paramour had gone to campus police claiming he was stalking her .
Every time he texted her , he unknowingly provided digital evidence to prove her claim . That made her and her family members eligible for the only prize they were ever really after , according to Sun and immigration experts : A green card known to bureaucrats and applicants as the “ U ” visa , which would allow them to stay in the U.S. legally and ultimately gain citizenship .
Immigrants , whether legal or illegal , may apply for the U visa if they are victims of certain crimes , including stalking and domestic violence , and if they help law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution . The U visa , created as part of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 , allows the alleged victims to remain in the U.S. while assisting law enforcement , and they can then become eligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status .
According to the Department of Homeland Security , the U visa is in place largely to protect women and children who may be victims of crimes such as human trafficking , domestic violence , sexual assault and other abuse , but are afraid to report the crimes due to factors including the language barrier , cultural differences , lack of knowledge of U.S. laws and deportation fears .
Former Arapahoe County ( Colo. ) District Attorney Michael Steinberg , who now specializes in such cases , said , `` anyone who enters the country illegally and can produce a restraining order or affidavit , even with no hard evidence of abuse , is likely to be approved for a work permit and permanent residency . ''
Steinberg , in a paper posted on his website , notes that accused individuals such as Sun 's son are not allowed to offer Customs and Immigration Services evidence , even if it shows the petitioner has engaged in criminal behavior . The U visa provision even brings to a halt deportation proceedings that may have already been under way , Steinberg said .
A local prosecutor charged Sun ’ s son with stalking , and while the first trial ended in a hung jury , he was convicted on retrial .
“ It has been devastating for my son , our family and the people who know about this relationship and care about my son , ” Sun said , noting the family is considering an appeal .
If it was a con , it was not the first of its kind , say experts . While foreign nationals unquestionably experience domestic violence in America , savvy scammers know that playing the card opens up loopholes to legal residency and even citizenship .
“ Every week we hear from people who have been taken advantage of by fraudsters , ” said Jessica Vaughan , director of policy studies for the Washington-based Center for Immigration Policy . “ It ’ s hard to hear these stories of citizens who are duped and not only have their hearts broken , but often their bank account drained and lose their good name to false accusations of abuse , but is a predictable consequence of giving out green cards to anyone who claims to have been the victim of a crime . ”
The number of people submitting U visa applications to the U.S . Citizenship and Immigration Services claiming to be victims of crime has increased dramatically in recent years , rising to 52,666 last year from 24,768 applicants in 2012 . The number is on track to reach nearly 58,000 by year ’ s end .
“ It can ’ t be that there has suddenly been a wave of domestic violence or victimization of immigrants , ” Vaughan said . “ Instead , the advocates for illegal immigrants have realized that these special green card programs are a way to launder the status of many illegal aliens in the absence of a larger amnesty . ”
John Sampson , a retired Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent , who now operates CSI Consulting and Investigations , which specializes in helping U.S. citizens victimized by foreign national visa scams , was an expert witness in the Suns ’ case .
`` If he was harassing her , why did n't she block his number , get a new phone , tell his parents about him , or get a restraining order before a year 's time ? Why subject herself to a year 's long harassment that turned into stalking ? ''
Sampson said claiming to be a victim of stalking , harassment or domestic violence to obtain a U visa is a common scenario . “ Unfortunately , most of the courts and prosecutors are fully unaware of what is going on . They have no idea , ” Sampson said .
The so-called “ domestic violence ” visas are even easier to obtain if the underlying relationship blooms into a marriage , Sampson warned .
Of the more than 450,000 immigrant visas issued on the basis of a marriage to a U.S. citizen each year , nearly 30 percent are fraudulent , Sampson said , citing US ICE statistics .
“ It is these one-sided immigration marriage fraud schemes that cause the most damage to unsuspecting U.S. citizens and their families , ” Sampson said . “ They are abused emotionally , financially , psychologically and , often times , physically . And no one seems to be interested in stopping this heinous crime . ”
All the foreign nationals have to do , Sampson said , is allege they are the victim of domestic violence or abuse , even on the same day of marriage , and then they become a permanent resident alien “ in an instant . ”
Obstacles that normally prevent a foreign national from obtaining a green card – or being deported – are waived for those claiming domestic violence because the foreign national is now the victim , said Sampson .
“ It 's the mother of all ‘ Get Out of Jail Free Cards , ’ ” Sampson said .
In addition to having their hearts broken , U.S. citizens taken in by the scam can have their lives ruined and even be sent to prison . Some have seen their bank accounts emptied by newly-minted resident aliens , who often go straight onto the government dole , Sampson said .
New Jersey resident Elena Maria Lopez claims she was targeted in an immigration marriage fraud scheme , and now runs an advocacy website to educate the public about such scams .
“ The easiest way to get a quick green card is by claiming domestic violence against your American spouse , ” Lopez said . “ Making such unsubstantiated , uninvestigated allegations can help you bypass background checks and is almost a guaranteed green card for foreign nationals that would 've been flagged on many other levels . ”
While immigrants are often eligible for pro bono legal help , including immigration fraud , no such help is available to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents scammed by immigrants for legal status , Lopez said .
Dani Bennett , spokesman for ICE ’ s Homeland Security Investigations , said the agency places a high priority on investigating identity and benefit fraud .
“ These types of fraud pose a severe threat to homeland security and public safety because they create a vulnerability that enables criminals and other nefarious actors to gain entry and remain in the United States , ” Bennett said .
In 2015 , Homeland Security Investigations arrested 873 individuals on federal criminal charges related to benefit fraud and another 1,282 individuals on federal document fraud charges , Bennett said .
There ’ s no doubt there are true victims of domestic violence , and the Violence Against Women Act , initially signed into law in 1994 , has been key in getting the abused much-needed protection , said Claude Arnold , a retired U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations .
“ This is a tough situation , ” Arnold said . “ You want to have the law protect domestic violence victims , yet the law also creates another vulnerability in our immigration system that is exploited by fraudsters . ” | Wunkh7eJ0HnPeLBI | 2 | Immigration | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | Guest Writer - Right | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/451436/criminal-justice-reform-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-obama-administratdion-abuse-prosecutorial-discretion | On Criminal Justice, Sessions Is Returning DOJ to the Rule of Law | 2017-09-16 | Justice Department, Jeff Sessions, Justice | Two former top Obama-appointed prosecutors co-author a diatribe against Trump attorney general Jeff Sessions for returning the Justice Department to purportedly outdated , too “ tough on crime ” charging practices . Yawn . After eight years of Justice Department stewardship by Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch , and after Obama ’ s record 1,715 commutations that systematically undermined federal sentencing laws , we know the skewed storyline .
The surprise is to find such an argument in the pages of National Review Online . But there it was on Tuesday : “ On Criminal Justice , Sessions Is Returning DOJ to the Failed Policies of the Past , ” by Joyce Vance and Carter Stewart , formerly the United States attorneys for , respectively , the Northern District of Alabama and the Southern District of Ohio . Ms. Vance is now lecturing on criminal-justice reform at the University of Alabama School of Law and doing legal commentary at MSNBC . Mr. Stewart has moved on to the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation , fresh from what it describes as his “ leadership role at DOJ in addressing inequities in the criminal justice system , ” focusing on “ alternatives to incarceration , ” and “ reducing racial disparities in the federal system . ”
The authors lament that Sessions has reinstituted guidelines requiring prosecutors “ to charge the most serious offenses and ask for the lengthiest prison sentences. ” This , the authors insist , is a “ one-size-fits-all policy ” that “ doesn ’ t work. ” It marks a return to the supposedly “ ineffective and damaging criminal-justice policies that were imposed in 2003 , ” upsetting the “ bipartisan consensus ” for “ criminal-justice reform ” that has supposedly seized “ today ’ s America . ”
This is so wrongheaded , it ’ s tough to decide where to begin .
In reality , what Sessions has done is return the Justice Department to the traditional guidance articulated nearly four decades ago by President Carter ’ s highly regarded attorney general , Benjamin Civiletti ( and memorialized in the U.S. Attorney ’ s Manual ) . It instructs prosecutors to charge the most serious , readily provable offense under the circumstances . Doesn ’ t work ? This directive , in effect with little variation until the Obama years , is one of several factors that contributed to historic decreases in crime . When bad guys are prosecuted and incarcerated , they are not preying on our communities .
The thrust of the policy Sessions has revived is respect for the Constitution ’ s bedrock separation-of-powers principle . It requires faithful execution of laws enacted by Congress .
A concrete example makes the point . Congress has prescribed a minimum ten-year sentence for the offense of distributing at least five kilograms of cocaine ( see section 841 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( ii ) of the federal narcotics laws ) . Let ’ s say a prosecutor is presented with solid evidence that a defendant sold seven kilograms of cocaine . The crime is readily provable . Nevertheless , the prosecutor follows the Obama deviation from traditional Justice Department policy , charging a much less serious offense : a distribution that does not specify an amount of cocaine — as if we were talking about a one-vial street sale . The purpose of this sleight of hand is to evade the controlling statute ’ s ten-year sentence , inviting the judge to impose little or no jail time .
Bending statutes to the executive ’ s policy preferences was the Obama approach to governance . We should not be surprised that his appointed prosecutors see it as a model for criminal enforcement , too .
That is not prosecutorial discretion . It is the prosecutor substituting his own judgment for Congress ’ s regarding the gravity of the offense . In effect , the prosecutor is decreeing law , not enforcing what is on the books — notwithstanding the wont of prosecutors to admonish that courts must honor Congress ’ s laws as written .
Absent this Justice Department directive that prosecutors must charge the most serious , readily provable offense , the executive branch becomes a law unto itself . Bending congressional statutes to the executive ’ s policy preferences was the Obama approach to governance , so we should not be surprised that a pair of his appointed prosecutors see it as a model for criminal enforcement , too . But it is not enforcement of the law . It is executive imperialism . It is DACA all over again : “ Congress refuses to codify my policy preferences ; but I have raw executive power so I shall impose them by will . . . and call it ‘ prosecutorial discretion. ’ ” ( In truth , it is a distortion of prosecutorial discretion . )
It should not be necessary to point out to accomplished lawyers that , in our system , “ bipartisan consensus ” is not a comparative handful of Democrats and Republicans clucking their tongues in unison . Yes , between leftist hostility to incarceration and libertarian skepticism about prosecutorial power , there is common ground among some factions of lawmakers when it comes to opposing our allegedly draconian penal code . But these factions are not much of a consensus . The only consensus that matters is one that drums up support sufficient to enact legislation into law . “ Criminal-justice reform ” is of a piece with “ comprehensive immigration reform ” and the Obama agenda : If it actually enjoyed broad popularity , resort to executive fiat would be unnecessary — Congress would codify it .
The criminal-justice “ reformers ” want mandatory-minimum-sentencing provisions eliminated and other sentencing provisions mitigated . Yet , despite the sympathetic airing they get from the “ progressive ” mainstream media , they are unable to get their “ reforms ” passed by Congress . How come ? Because strong majorities of lawmakers understand themselves to be accountable to commonsense citizens — people who aren ’ t “ evolved ” enough to grasp how reducing the number of criminals in prisons will somehow decrease the amount of crime . Most of us benighted types proceed under the quaint assumption that , even in “ today ’ s America , ” the streets are safer when the criminals are not on them .
In light of the caterwauling about mandatory-minimum sentencing by people either unfamiliar with or in a state of amnesia about what the federal system was like before it was instituted , it is worth repeating : Such provisions mean that the public , rather than the judge , decides the minimum appropriate term for serious crimes . As a class , judges are elite products of American universities and tend to be more left-leaning than the general public . That is particularly the case with respect to President Obama ’ s 335 judicial appointees , many of them — like Obama himself , as well as Vance and Stewart — philosophically resistant to incarceration as a response to crime . We can certainly repeal mandatory minimums , but if we do , it will vest those judges with unfettered discretion to mete out punishment . Rest assured , such sentences will not resemble the ones most of us would impose . Note also what the “ reformers ” do not tell you about mandatory minimums : ( a ) Congress has enacted a “ safety valve ” that allows a judge to waive them in cases involving first offenders whose crimes do not involve guns ; and ( b ) they can also be waived if a defendant cooperates with government investigations . By and large , mandatory minimums are applied to hardcore criminals — as one would expect , since they are mainly triggered by very large amounts of illegal narcotics and the use of firearms during violent crimes .
It is always worth considering whether sentencing terms are too severe — or , for that matter , insufficiently severe . Criminal statutes can be modified by legislation , which reflects the judgment of the people ’ s representatives . The fact that they have not been , notwithstanding the purported “ consensus ” for “ reform , ” suggests that the public is not convinced of the need for such modification — or , perhaps , that our representatives grasp the need for a check on the judges .
Unable to change the law , the “ reformers ” are reduced to arguing that justice happens only when prosecutors ignore the law . If you ’ re Jeff Sessions and you say , “ No , you know , I think we ’ ll have them follow the law , ” you ’ re a Neanderthal .
Vance and Stewart persist in the mythology of federal penitentiaries overflowing with “ nonviolent drug offenders. ” They must use this deceptive term because what they ’ d like to be able to claim — namely , that the prisons teem with sad sacks rotting away on misdemeanor drug-possession crimes — is patently false . Federal prosecutorial resources are targeted at narcotics felonies , often involving significant distribution organizations and importation networks .
These schemes are inherently violent . Cocaine , heroin , and the like are illegal commodities that generate major cash transactions . Traffickers can ’ t go to the police when they need to protect a shipment , or sue in court when they get cheated . They therefore protect themselves by cultivating a reputation for violence — which requires liberal resort to violence . Even if an individual drug dealer happens to be unarmed when apprehended , it was the omnipresent specter of violence that enabled his enterprise to thrive . That is why , for decades , evidence of guns , ammunition , and other weaponry has been admissible to prove the existence of narcotics conspiracies — guns , federal jurisprudence teaches , are “ tools of the drug trade . ”
If you ’ re Jeff Sessions and you say , ‘ No , you know , I think we ’ ll have them follow the law , ’ you ’ re a Neanderthal .
Vance and Stewart advance the now familiar prattle that what they describe as “ excessive reliance on arrests and extended incarceration ” — translation : enforcing the criminal laws against narcotics trafficking and violent crime — has “ disparately impacted racial minorities and the poor ” and is responsible for “ the broken relationship between police departments and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect . ”
This is unmitigated nonsense . As Heather Mac Donald has repeatedly demonstrated , based on hard evidence , the disparate impact that the enforcement of law has on racial minorities is a function of offense behavior . The brute fact is that black people , taken as a group , commit more crimes than other racial and ethnic groups . Of course , in the day-to-day work of police and prosecutors , racialized bean-counting is irrelevant . We don ’ t treat people as groups — it ’ s the Left ’ s agitators who want us to view people not as individuals but as members of oppressed classes . In our system , however , guilt is personal . That is real justice , not “ social justice . ”
Regardless of the root causes , it is a remorseless fact that if you are going to enforce the laws , you necessarily will most often encounter the people who most often violate them . And you most often encounter them because they are violating the law , not because of some “ institutionalized ” bias . We know crimes are being committed not because of statisticians but because of victims . If you want to obsess over groups , maybe our sympathetic attention should shift to the prey rather than the predators — the racial minorities and poor people who by an outsize margin are victims of crime . That ’ s the disparate impact worth fretting over . And it is exacerbated when the laws are not enforced .
Moreover , the relationship between police departments and the communities they serve is not broken . That is a progressive narrative that seeks to blame the higher incidence of crime in minority communities on “ institutional racism ” in the justice system . Really ? In “ today ’ s America , ” police departments are more integrated than at any time in history — often run by members of the minority communities that they serve . The court system is run by judges and lawyers educated in American law schools , proud ( and often activist ) members of the most politically progressive profession in our society — with the possible exception of university professors . The thought that these people would tolerate pervasive racism in their institution is laughable — or at least it should be . The reality of the system is that it bends over backward to avoid even the appearance of racism .
Of course there are bad cops , just as there are bad people in every occupation . But there are fewer of them in policing . Law enforcement tends to draw unusually valorous recruits who want to serve their communities , and who accept that their actions will be scrutinized with a zeal unknown to other professions . In a country of over 320 million people , it is unavoidable that there will be some violent encounters between police and civilians . We should marvel , though , at how relatively rare they are . The problem we have is not that the justice system is racist ; it is that the slander that it is racist will cause police to shrink from enforcing the laws , a dereliction that would most harm minority communities .
Vance and Stewart have a point when they object to Attorney General Sessions ’ s unfortunate fondness for what they call “ adoptive forfeiture policies. ” As we at National Review have contended ( as has Justice Clarence Thomas , Kevin Williamson reminds us ) , civil asset forfeitures are property seizures without due process of law . A federal spoils system incentivizes police to grab with both hands . Regardless of their effectiveness against drug lords , such forfeitures should be halted — the police should be required to proceed by criminal forfeiture and prosecution , with the due-process safeguards that entails . But that is because civil forfeitures offend the Constitution , not because they feed a left-wing narrative about fractured police–community relations .
Attorney General Sessions is enforcing the law , and doing so within a noble Justice Department tradition of giving force to Congress ’ s expression of the public will . He is not altering the law by executive fiat , the preference of President Obama , Attorneys General Holder and Lynch , Professor Vance , Mr. Stewart , and the bipartisan minority they portray as a “ consensus . ”
There is a great deal I don ’ t like about the legal system either . Statist government has enacted far too many laws , such that the federal government has criminalized too much of what used to be the province of state regulation — or unregulated private behavior . The drug laws do have severe penalties and may work injustice in some cases — although fewer than Vance and Stewart suggest : Though the hands of federal judges are tied by mandatory minimums , they are not bound to follow advisory sentencing guidelines or prosecutorial recommendations . I would certainly be open to mitigating penalties in exchange for thinning out the federal penal code and transferring areas of enforcement responsibility back to the states . The point , however , is that this has to be done by legislation , not by executive autocrats under a stealthy distortion of prosecutorial discretion .
If Professor Vance and Mr. Stewart are right that we are in a new era , if the public has truly been won over to the notion that incarcerating criminals is counterproductive , the next step is very simple : Pass laws that amend the penal code . In the meantime , the Justice Department ’ s job is to enforce the laws we have . As Attorney General Sessions recognizes , that means charging the most serious , readily provable offense .
Is the Other Advantage of the DACA Deal for Trump that Jeff Sessions Would Hate It ? | fd6b4a3f95c81963 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | Vox | https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/15/18182143/william-barr-attorney-general-confirmation-hearngs | William Barr, Trump’s nominee to serve as attorney general, explained | 2019-01-15 | us_senate | The US Department of Justice is shut down this week , with many staff furloughed and many others working without pay , but the Senate is starting the work of installing a new boss in the form of William Barr , President Donald Trump ’ s selection to succeed Jeff Sessions as attorney general .
Barr , who served as both attorney general and deputy attorney general during George H.W . Bush ’ s administration , is certainly qualified for the job .
But Trump is not particularly known for valuing a depth of government experience in his appointees . It seems instead that what appealed to Trump about Barr is that he is a known critic of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation . Trump has been angry for years that neither Sessions nor Sessions ’ s deputy , Ron Rosenstein , agreed to act as zealous defenders of Trump ’ s personal interests .
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Yet Barr gives every appearance of being a solidly pro-Trump pick on topics beyond Mueller , espousing hardline views on criminal justice and immigration that put him into closer alignment with the Trump/Sessions approach than with the more moderate style of politics that ’ s often associated with the Bush dynasty .
It ’ s a track record that offers plenty for Democrats to object to . And with three Democrats on the Judiciary Committee known to harbor presidential ambitions , it ’ s reasonable to expect fireworks at the hearing . Yet the larger context of Senate proceedings has changed , with the GOP picking up two seats on net in November ’ s election and — perhaps more importantly — shedding some of its most Trump-skeptical members , meaning there ’ s little that Democrats can realistically do about Barr but complain .
Barr wrote a deeply skeptical memo about the Mueller probe
Barr served in the Justice Department near the end of a span of history in which Republicans won five of six presidential elections but Democrats continuously controlled the House and mostly ran the Senate , too .
It was a time , in short , when the balance of power between the branches of government had a clear partisan valence and when “ investigating the president ” almost invariably meant investigating a Republican . Investigative work ended Richard Nixon ’ s presidency , and it deeply imperiled Ronald Reagan ’ s at the height of the Iran-Contra scandal — that inquiry was ultimately scuttled by George H.W . Bush pardoning a number of high-ranking Reagan administration officials .
Consequently , even though Barr ’ s tenure in office was several political epochs ago , it was perfectly timed to produce a Republican legal thinker who would instinctively agree with Trump ’ s basic view that presidential powers are vast and investigations are to be resisted .
More specifically , last June , Barr wrote a private memo to the Justice Department in which he blasted the Mueller investigation . In it , Barr admits that he is “ in the dark about many facts , ” but went on to make a lengthy argument that Mueller appeared to be “ proposing an unprecedented expansion of obstruction laws ” that he claims could have “ grave consequences ” to the executive branch . Barr ’ s key claim is that Mueller ’ s “ obstruction theory is fatally misconceived ” and “ premised on a novel and legally insupportable reading of the law . ”
The problem , Barr asserts , is that Mueller is treating “ facially-lawful ” actions in which Trump exercised his executive authority as if they could be obstructive . The Constitution gives the president authority over the Justice Department and its use of prosecutorial discretion , and Barr argues the president has the authority to ask the FBI director to drop an investigation and to fire the FBI director for whatever reason he wants .
During a press conference shortly after the memo ’ s existence was revealed , Rosenstein was asked about it and seemed to imply that Barr was getting the basic story wrong .
“ Our decisions are informed by our knowledge of the actual facts of the case , which Mr. Barr didn ’ t have , ” he said .
When Barr first became attorney general in 1991 , the United States experienced 9.8 murders per 100,000 residents . That number began to fall in 1994 , eventually reaching just 4.4 murders per 100,000 in 2014 . Murder then ticked up somewhat to 5.4 per 100,000 in 2016 ( a number that would have been considered an enormous victory in Barr ’ s day ) before falling slightly in 2017 and appearing to be on track for a big drop in 2018 when all the numbers are in .
Under the circumstances , it ’ s not particularly surprising that the politics of the early 1990s were awash in “ tough on crime ” rhetoric and policymaking , with Barr very much at the center of things .
As summarized for ███ by German Lopez , Barr was an enthusiast for drastically expanding the prison system and downplaying concerns about racial equity :
As deputy attorney general from 1990 to 1991 and attorney general from 1991 to 1993 , Barr pushed for and helped implement more punitive criminal justice policies , including a 1990 crime law that , among other things , escalated the war on drugs .
In 1992 , Barr signed off on a report by the Department of Justice titled The Case for More Incarceration . In a letter of support , he argued that “ there is no better way to reduce crime than to identify , target , and incapacitate those hardened criminals who commit staggering numbers of violent crimes whenever they are on the streets. ” He also called on the country to build more jails and prisons . ( Although he specified violent criminals , the federal system , unlike the much larger state systems , locks up mostly drug offenders . )
In 1992 , asked about racial disparities in prisons by Los Angeles Times reporter Ronald Ostrow , Barr argued that “ our system is fair and does not treat people differently. ” He went on to defend laws that made prison sentences for crack cocaine much harsher than prison sentences for powder cocaine . The disparity between the two was reduced by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 , in part because there ’ s little justification for it based on the drugs ’ effects , but the higher sentences for crack have a disproportionate racial impact since crack was more commonly used in black communities and powder cocaine was more commonly used in white communities .
In 1994 , Barr co-chaired a commission for Virginia ’ s governor that released a plan to abolish parole ( which allows certain inmates to go free before the completion of their sentences ) in the state , increase prison sentences , and build more prisons .
Barr also once said that it was “ simply a myth ” that there were “ sympathetic people ” and “ hapless victims of the criminal justice system ” in prisons , according to David Krajicek at Salon .
Obviously , the actual situation is very different in 2019 in regard to both the much lower crime rate and the much higher prison population , so many people have changed their views about how to strike the right balance . Barr , however , joined with two other Republican former attorneys general to write an op-ed in November hailing Sessions ’ s “ tough on crime ” approach , specifically praising him for going after drug dealers and reversing Obama-era efforts to reduce the use of excessive force by police officers .
Perhaps most interestingly , Barr took over as attorney general at a time when unauthorized migration from Mexico was rising and when there were few physical impediments to crossing the border .
These days , the large , unfenced areas of the US-Mexico border exist overwhelmingly in remote rural locations that are inconvenient for would-be border crossers and relatively easy to surveil . But in the early 1990s , there were minimal physical barriers even in built-up cross-border metropolitan areas like San Diego/Tijuana or El Paso/Juarez .
Unauthorized crossings were , at the time , heavily concentrated in the San Diego area , and Barr rolled out a multimillion-dollar plan to beef up security there . One component of that plan : building a steel fence with the assistance of the Department of Defense . ( Migrants were unimpressed ; a few days after Barr gave a speech in San Diego announcing the new funding , a group of migrants had dug a large hole under the steel fence . ) The San Diego area started a border-wide trend of building physical barriers to prevent crossings in populated areas — funneling immigrants toward the Arizona desert and , more recently , gang-controlled crossings in the Rio Grande Valley .
Barr also began the trend of hiring Immigration and Naturalization Service investigators to go after “ criminal aliens involved in street gangs ” and advocated for “ summary deportation proceedings to weed out patently phony claims for asylum . ”
He perhaps more tellingly had a broader instinct to see unauthorized migration as not just a problem on its own terms but as a root cause of a much wider set of social ills , telling the Los Angeles Times in the wake of the Rodney King riots that “ the problem of immigration enforcement — making sure we have a fair set of rules and then enforce them — I think that ’ s certainly relevant to the problems we ’ re seeing in Los Angeles . ”
The Justice Department , as currently constituted , has much less authority over immigration issues than it did in Barr ’ s day because many of the relevant agencies have been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security . But Barr clearly shares his broad instincts and can speak firsthand to the merits of wall-building in helping secure specific stretches of the border .
Sens . Cory Booker ( D-NJ ) and Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) are both on the Senate Judiciary Committee and are widely thought to harbor presidential ambitions , for which Barr ’ s confirmation hearings will provide an early opportunity to communicate before a national audience .
Also on the committee is Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-MN ) , whose plans are less clear but who has also been widely touted as a potential 2020 contender . Klobuchar is less well-known than either Booker or Harris ( who themselves occupy a name recognition rung below Joe Biden , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) , and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) ) and could really use an opportunity to make a wave or two . And Klobuchar , unlike Booker and Harris , has relatively little experience appealing to black and Latino voters ; the Barr hearings offer her a potential opportunity to demonstrate concern with key issues of interest to voters of color .
The fate of the Mueller inquiry , however , is overwhelmingly likely to be top of mind for Senate Democrats , who have good reason to fear that installing Barr could be the first step in sandbagging the investigation .
Republicans on the committee , meanwhile , will almost certainly use the specter of presidential ambitions to dismiss Democrats ’ questioning as just so much theatrics . Republicans ’ once razor-thin 51-49 majority in the Senate is now more comfortable at 53-47 . With Jeff Flake , Bob Corker , and John McCain all gone from the Senate , the caucus is also more reliably pro-Trump .
Under the circumstances , there ’ s no reason to think there are potentially persuadable GOP votes out there or any prospect of Barr ’ s nomination getting quashed , and Democrats have little real leverage to extract any concessions from him on the subject of Mueller or anything else . | OyAcuZTBVD96RngT | 0 | William Barr | -0.1 | US Senate | 0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
politics | CBS News | http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-takes-responsibility-for-loss-but-says-others-contributed/ | Hillary Clinton takes "responsibility” for loss, but says others contributed | politics | Speaking at the Code Conference in California , former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she takes responsibility for her campaign 's missteps , while at the same time arguing that she lost last November 's election largely for reasons beyond her control .
`` I take responsibility for every decision I made , but that 's not why I lost , '' Clinton said .
Clinton called media coverage of her campaign `` unprecedented '' and criticized `` weaponized information '' from fake news sites as major factors in her unsuccessful campaign .
`` Over the summer we went and told anyone we could find that the Russians were messing with the election and we were basically shooed away , '' she said . `` We could n't get the press to cover it , '' she later added .
She specifically called out media coverage of her private email scandal , in which she used an unauthorized private email server to conduct communications during her time as secretary of state in the Obama administration .
`` They covered it like it was Pearl Harbor , '' Mrs. Clinton said of the press .
`` The overriding issue that affected the election that I had any control over — because I had no control over the Russians — was the way the use of my email account was turned into the greatest scandal since Lord knows when , '' she said .
Clinton also looked to social media , saying sites like Facebook and Twitter have been `` victimized by deliberate efforts to shape the conversation and push it towards conspiracies , lies , false information . ''
Hillary Clinton talks coping with election loss in commencement address at Wellesley
Clinton , however , admitted that she had not been a `` perfect candidate . ''
`` I never said I was a perfect candidate , and I certainly have never said I ran perfect campaigns -- but I do n't know who is , or did , '' she said . `` Were there things we could have done differently ? You could say that about any campaign , '' she later said .
As for her next move in politics , Clinton is getting involved with political action organizations such as `` Onward Together , '' which she founded this month .
`` I 'm not going anywhere , '' she said . `` I have a big stake in what 's happening to this country . '' | MwkOklbvxGSsKrMr | 0 | Politics | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
world | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47663031 | Brexit: Departure date pushed back by at least two weeks | 2019-03-22 | European Union, Great Britain, Brexit, World | Theresa May has been granted an extra two weeks to come up with a Brexit solution after talks with EU leaders. The UK's departure date had originally been set for 29 March. If Mrs May can get her withdrawal deal through Parliament next week, that date will be pushed back to 22 May to give time to pass the necessary legislation. If the prime minister can't get the deal through, the UK will have to propose a way forward by 12 April for EU leaders to consider. European Council President Donald Tusk said all Brexit options would remain open until then. "The UK government will still have a choice between a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50," he said. "The 12 April is a key date in terms of the UK deciding whether to hold European Parliament elections. "If it has not decided to do so by then, the option of long extension will automatically become impossible." Mrs May ruled out revoking Article 50, which would cancel Brexit, and she also said "it would be wrong" to ask Britons to vote for candidates for the elections to the European Parliament, due to be held from 23-26 May, three years after they voted to leave the EU. The UK's departure date is still written in to law as next Friday, 29 March. 29 March: Current Brexit date in UK law 12 April: If MPs do not approve the withdrawal deal next week - "all options will remain open" until this date. The UK must propose a way forward before this date for consideration by EU leaders. 22 May: If MPs do approve the deal next week, Brexit will be delayed until this date 23-26 May: European Parliamentary elections are held across member states Mrs May is expected to table secondary legislation - that has to go through the Commons and the Lords by next Friday - to remove 29 March from UK law. But Downing Street sources say an agreement with the EU to extend the Brexit deadline would be a piece of international law and would take precedence even if Parliament rejected it. Mrs May said MPs had a "clear choice". Speaking on Thursday, after waiting for the 27 other EU countries to make their decision at a summit in Brussels, the prime minister said she would now be "working hard to build support for getting the deal through". The withdrawal deal, negotiated over two years between the UK and EU, sets out the terms of the UK's departure from the bloc, including the "divorce bill", the transition period, citizens' rights and the controversial "backstop" arrangements, aimed at preventing a return to border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. But it must be approved by UK MPs, who have already rejected it twice by large margins. MPs are expected to vote for a third time on it next week, despite Commons Speaker John Bercow saying what is put forward must be substantially different to be voted on. Theresa May has been granted a little breathing space. The EU has allowed a few more days to try to get her deal through the House of Commons. But it's not the timetable that she chose. And as things stand, the expectation that the compromise deal will get through is low. And, more to the point, the government does not believe that it can hold off another attempt by a powerful cross-party group of MPs who are resolved to put Parliament forcibly in charge of the process to find alternatives. Ministers are therefore today not just wondering about how to manage one last heave for the prime minister's deal, but what they should do next, when - odds on - the whole issue is in the hands of the Commons, not Number 10. Read Laura's blog Senior Labour MP Hilary Benn has also said that he will table an amendment on Monday, enabling MPs to hold a series of "indicative votes" on Wednesday on alternatives to Mrs May's plan. He said these could include a free trade agreement, a customs union and a referendum. He told the BBC the EU's decision was "a case of crisis delayed, not crisis ended" as it still looked unlikely that Mrs May's deal would be approved. "We cannot have a no-deal Brexit in three weeks' time," he said. The government is also exploring with opposition parties the idea of holding "indicative" votes on alternatives to its own Brexit policy, in an effort to retain some control over the process. Plaid Cymru's leader at Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts, who has been taking part in the talks, said: "The government is now openly exploring a process to allow Parliament to take control - an effective admission that they have lost all authority. "We will be continuing to push for a People's Vote as a way out of this Brexit mess." At a news conference on Thursday night, Mrs May also struck a conciliatory tone when she referred to her speech from Downing Street the previous evening, which had sparked an angry reaction from MPs after she blamed them for the Brexit deadlock. "Last night I expressed my frustration and I know that MPs are frustrated too," she said. "They have difficult jobs to do." Speaking to Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast, Business Secretary Greg Clark said that speech "clearly wasn't a great success". "I don't think it was helpful in resolving the matter. But, listen, none of us is infallible and even prime ministers sometimes don't get the tone quite right," he said. It comes after a petition calling for Article 50 to be revoked passed three million signatures. A march demanding another referendum is also planned for Saturday in central London. In her briefing to journalists, Mrs May dismissed calls to revoke Article 50 - the process by which the UK leaves the EU - which would mean Brexit is cancelled. Mrs May said people had voted to leave and were told their decision would be respected. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | 519c6e1878c0eecd | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/17/obama-amnesty-supreme-court-case-to-test-limits-of/ | Obama amnesty Supreme Court case to test limits of presidential power | 2016-04-17 | immigration | The Constitution was ratified more than two centuries ago , and in all that time no president had ever tested the limits of executive power enough to force the Supreme Court to rule whether he has lived up to the founders ’ command that the laws be “ faithfully executed . ”
When the justices convene Monday morning , they will hear what is shaping up to be the biggest case of the term , and perhaps one of the most consequential in a generation , as they consider whether President Obama has overstepped his constitutional powers by trying to grant a tentative deportation amnesty to up to 5 million illegal immigrants .
“ In 225 years , the Supreme Court has never had occasion to ask the president whether he has reneged on his oath to take care that the laws are faithfully executed . However , with pens and phones replacing checks and balances , the Supreme Court is now poised to break new constitutional ground in order to preserve our embattled separation of powers , ” said Josh Blackman , associate professor at the South Texas College of Law , who has followed the case from the start and filed amicus briefs opposing Mr. Obama ’ s claim of powers .
At issue is the Take Care Clause , which is what scholars call the Constitution ’ s charge to presidents to “ take care that the laws be faithfully executed . ”
That clause has been read to be both empowering to presidents , emboldening them with independent authority to see through the execution of laws , but also as a check — that , in the end , he carry out laws rather than write them .
For many , Mr. Obama ’ s deportation amnesty for illegal immigrants , announced in November 2014 , strays too far into lawmaking .
At that time , Mr. Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced a policy of granting nearly half of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. a proactive stay of deportation , along with the promise of work permits , entitling them to driver ’ s licenses , Social Security numbers and some taxpayer benefits .
Texas led 25 other states in suing , arguing that they suffered economic harm from the amnesty and that it would likely lead to even more illegal immigrants . The states said Mr. Obama broke administrative law and immigration law , and violated the Constitution .
Lower courts sided with the states and halted the amnesty on statutory grounds , and never reached the constitutional questions . But the justices , in what Mr. Blackman said was a first , asked both sides to also file briefs on the Take Care Clause .
Immigrant rights advocates say the case should be easy for the justices , pointing to smaller actions taken by Presidents Reagan and George H.W . Bush that they say paved the way for Mr. Obama . Those advocates say immigration legislation passed by Congress appear to approve of the “ deferred action ” power Mr. Obama used to halt deportations and grant work permits .
If Congress granted the president that kind of broad authority , then it ’ s legal and constitutional , said Brianne J. Gorod , chief counsel at the Constitutional Accountability Center .
“ If the court concludes , as I think it will and should , that these executive actions are consistent with the laws passed by Congress , then it necessarily follows that they are consistent with the Constitution , ” she said .
But John Yoo , a law professor at the University of California , Berkeley , said Mr. Obama ’ s intention in this instance wasn ’ t to carry out the law , but rather to undermine it by halting deportations — and granting a future get-out-of-jail card .
“ The president gets to make the policy decisions about how the law is enforced . But he can ’ t take it all the way to say I ’ m not going to enforce it at all , and I think that ’ s where the line is crossed , ” said Mr. Yoo , who served in the Bush administration and helped explore the limits of presidential war powers .
Mr. Obama has complicated his case by his own words . Before his 2014 announcement , he repeatedly and forcefully denied having the power to use deferred action so broadly . But after Congress refused to act on his immigration proposals , he reversed himself and claimed he did , after all , have the power .
Then just days after he announced the policy , he told an audience he “ took an action to change the law ” — a power that is supposed to be reserved for Congress .
Lower courts noted both of those statements in ruling against Mr. Obama , but Mr. Yoo said they are not likely to have much effect on the justices . He said it ’ s similar to how Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. didn ’ t give much credence during the Obamacare case to the president ’ s initial claim that the health care law wasn ’ t a tax .
Indeed , the justices eventually ruled that the reason Obamacare was constitutional is because it was a tax , no matter what Mr. Obama told voters .
Legal analysts said the case could decide the limits of presidential powers for years to come . Mr. Yoo said if the justices side with Mr. Obama , it opens the way for a future Republican president to use prosecutorial discretion to stop enforcing tax laws .
He also said Mr. Obama ’ s expansive interpretation of carrying out laws could frighten Congress away from dealing with the White House .
“ He ’ s actually damaging the presidency for the future , because if you ’ re Congress in the future , and you ’ re working out some deal with the president , you can ’ t trust any deal you make with the president again , ” he said .
A ruling is expected from the justices by the end of June .
But with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia , the eight-member court could deadlock 4-4 . That would leave the appeals court ’ s decision in place , which would be a victory for Mr. Obama ’ s opponents .
A tie ruling , though , would also mean the court wouldn ’ t issue a definitive statement on Mr. Obama ’ s claims of power . That would leave for a future court the question of just how far a president can go to shape or , as Mr. Obama said , to “ change ” the law unilaterally .
Ms. Gorod said the justices may not even reach the big issues in the case . She said there is a good chance they throw out Texas ’ challenge altogether , ruling that the state can ’ t show it ’ s has been harmed by the president ’ s action .
She said Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy were skeptical of similar claims in other cases .
Hispanic rights groups say the issue is already baked into the November elections no matter what the justices do and that voters are prepared to reward Democrats for backing Mr. Obama and punish Republicans for opposing him .
By a 5-1 margin , Hispanic voters say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who fought the amnesty . They also said they increasingly see Republicans as “ hostile ” toward Hispanics and view Democrats as “ increasingly welcoming , ” according to polling conducted by America ’ s Voice , a major advocacy group for immigrants ’ rights .
Mr. Obama has argued that legalizing illegal immigrants and giving them a chance to work could pour billions of dollars into federal and state treasuries , bringing the immigrants into the above-ground economy , where their wages will be higher .
But the legal fight over the amnesty has proved damaging to the president , after the Homeland Security Department admitted it violated a lower court ’ s order halting the entire program early last year . Judge Andrew S. Hanen is still pondering whether to sanction the Justice Department for its behavior , saying the lawyers misrepresented some facts in the case .
On Friday , the Justice Department insisted it didn ’ t try to mislead the judge , saying there was an “ unintentional miscommunication that occurred here . ”
Judge Hanen issued an order in February 2015 keeping Mr. Obama ’ s broad amnesty from taking effect , and last year a federal appeals court , in a 2-1 decision , upheld that ruling . | GtAADsOyXp69BP2r | 2 | Immigration | 0.5 | Supreme Court | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/26/some-say-obama-already-missed-chance-syria/ | Obama already missed chance on Syria: Analysts | 2013-08-26 | middle_east | As President Obama weighs a military response to Syria ’ s purported use of chemical weapons , some observers say the administration ’ s best chance for effective intervention has already passed .
The president consulted with the leaders of Britain and France over the weekend , and a senior administration official said there was “ very little doubt ” that Syrian government forces had killed civilians with chemical weapons last week .
Mr. Obama is “ evaluating the appropriate response ” but has not made a decision on military action , White House press secretary Jay Carney said .
“ This violation has to be taken very seriously , ” Mr. Carney said . “ The president is consulting with his national security team . ”
But as the international chorus grows louder for a military strike , some Middle East specialists believe such action would be too late to weaken the position of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad .
“ Even if the U.S. does intervene militarily , the time window for its best option has already passed , ” said Anthony Cordesman , an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington . “ Every option today comes up against the reality that Assad is now far stronger , the country is increasingly being split into Assad and rebel-controlled sections , the rebels are fractured and rebel forces have strong Sunni Islamist extremist elements , and the nation is increasingly polarizing . ”
SEE ALSO : No good options : Bad news for U.S. no matter who wins in Syria
Mr. Obama has resisted for two years taking direct military action in Syria , even after reports surfaced in the spring that chemical weapons likely had been used in the civil war . The president has long warned that the use of weapons of mass destruction would cross a “ red line ” requiring a harsher U.S. response .
The president has all but ruled out sending in ground troops , and he also has resisted calls to establish a “ no-fly zone ” over Syria . Among the remaining options are missile strikes against such potential targets as chemical-weapons stockpiles or other military installations .
Lawmakers in Congress increasingly are asking the administration that they be apprised of any planned military moves .
Sen. Ted Cruz , Texas Republican , said on his Twitter account Monday : “ Pres . Obama considers waiting on UN for permission to intervene in # Syria , but will he wait on the U.S. Congress ? ”
An aide to Speaker John A. Boehner , Ohio Republican , said Mr. Obama needs to explain to Congress and the public “ clearly and resolutely ” before taking any military action .
“ The options facing the president are complicated , have far-reaching ramifications , and may require significant resources , ” said Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck . “ More than just to Congress , the president has an obligation to the American people to explain the rationale for the course of action he chooses ; why it ’ s critical to our national security ; and what the broader strategy is to achieve stability . ” | manywwOHctqjB0Ja | 2 | Syria | -0.4 | Middle East | -0.1 | Barack Obama | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-to-consider-trumps-travel-ban-and-the-presidents-authority/2018/04/24/7413b180-480a-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.26a7d1362c56 | Supreme Court to consider Trump’s travel ban and the president’s authority | 2018-04-25 | Supreme Court | clockThis article was published more than 6 years ago The conservative majority on the Supreme Court seemed to agree Wednesday that President Trump has the authority to ban travelers from certain majority-Muslim countries if he thinks that it is necessary to protect the country. Lower courts have struck down each of the three iterations of the president’s travel-ban proclamation, the first of which was issued just a week after he took office in January 2017. But the conservative-leaning Supreme Court may be Trump’s best hope, and it gave the administration a boost by allowing the ban to go into effect in December while considering the challenges to it. | f97f3647adad8158 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Guest Writer - Right | http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2016/11/05/why-america-is-no-longer-great-n2241777 | Why America Is No Longer Great | 2016-11-05 | Presidential Elections, Elections | When did caring about the Constitution , morality and making sure future generations of Americans have it as good as we do become “ radicalism ” in America ? When did believing that we should have a border and that people shouldn ’ t be able to cross it illegally become “ racism ? ” When did expecting politicians to tell us the truth if they want our vote become too much to ask ?
We live in a country where Hillary Clinton is so above the law that the FBI refuses to prosecute her even when it catches her dead to rights and illegal aliens are aided by the government in breaking our own laws with impunity . Our government can ’ t balance the budget , secure the border or win a war ; yet no one ever seems to pay a price for incompetence .
No one in D.C. who ’ s in charge of anything today deserves to be in charge of it after the election . We ’ ve already reached banana republic levels of corruption , incompetence and arrogance in D.C . The only people who have a real voice in America are the rich , the powerful and the special interest groups . Ordinary Americans who point out how broken , dysfunctional and haywire things are going in this country are laughed at and impugned .
Anyone who thinks that way must be one of those racists , one of those “ deplorables , ” one of those hicks in flyover country whose opinions don ’ t matter . Obviously , they don ’ t understand how all these things work because if they did , then they ’ d realize that the smartest people were already in charge . You can tell that these people are smart because of how they talk and the schools they went to , not because they actually get anything done for the country . For example , if the Affordable Care Act actually did everything our Harvard educated President promised it would do , it would have been great . Unfortunately , Obamacare isn ’ t great because the entire project was sold with lies . Isn ’ t it so funny that all those dumb “ deplorables ” and “ hicks in flyover country ” seemed to know it all along while the “ smart set ” in the media and in D.C. seemed to be the ones who were buffaloed by all of Obama ’ s meaningless promises about the program ?
There is no problem too big for Americans to handle , but there ’ s also no big problem that will ever be handled as long as “ leaders ” like Chuck Schumer , Nancy Pelosi , Mitch McConnell , Paul Ryan , Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are in charge of anything .
America ’ s elite seem to believe that the country is indestructible . No matter how far into debt we go , how many wars we lose , how poor the quality of our immigrants are or how much hatred Democrats stir up against anyone who stands in their way , everything will be fine . The country will stay strong , prosperous , united and decent . What ’ s more realistic ? That view or the view that if America doesn ’ t continue to do the things that made us successful , we won ’ t continue to be successful ?
Then to add insult to injury , it ’ s those same elites who blame the people they ignored for all of America ’ s problems . They ’ ve blamed the Tea Party for America losing its AAA credit rating , conservatives for the failure of Obamacare and white Republicans for the crime and despair in black communities run by Democrats for decades .
See , in America , we now have designated victim classes that we ’ re all supposed to eternally excuse , baby and promote . However , if you ’ re not part of those special groups of victims , you ’ re treated with all the compassion a 15th century lord had for his serfs . Oh , you ’ re a straight white guy who hasn ’ t been able to find a job since the only factory in your town shut down ? Your issues are distracting us from the complaints of college students who ’ ve been triggered . You ’ re worried about your kids being exposed to the most degenerate culture since the Roman Empire ? Stop trying to ruin everyone ’ s fun ! You ’ re a Christian and you think your faith should be treated with as much respect as Islam by the media and the government ? You want respect for your faith ? Then cut somebody ’ s head off or burn a newspaper office to the ground after the paper runs a Jesus cartoon . That ’ s the message .
Not only are you told you deserve no sympathy , you ’ re told that you ’ re the ones who ’ ve messed everything up for everyone else . That unemployed white office manager ? He ’ s taking advantage of his white privilege . That struggling Christian small business owner ? He ’ s trying to hurt gay Americans by refusing to provide cupcakes for their wedding , not making a difficult moral choice that may hurt his bottom line . All those people talking about running the government according to the Constitution ? That ’ s old timey stuff written by slave owners and it ’ s only relevant if we ’ re finding some imaginary “ right ” we invented yesterday that we want to claim is in the Constitution .
It ’ s no different for the people in unfavored groups who aren ’ t behind the 8-ball . We ’ re treated like saps . Like suckers . In so many words , we ’ re told to keep our heads down and our mouths shut because our betters who can ’ t secure our borders , fix our healthcare system , win a war , pay our bills or run an honest government know better . Our job is to pay our taxes so that illegal aliens , welfare queens and fat cats who gave large donations to politicians can use our money . When we complain , we ’ re told to be grateful we have roads and street signs , as if that represents anything other than a tiny percentage of what our taxes are wasted on . We ’ re also told that we better be careful about what we say . It doesn ’ t matter if you spent your whole life working with black inner city youth , make one politically incorrect joke people disagree with and you ’ re no different than the KKK . Oh , you disagree with Hillary Clinton ? Then you must hate women . You don ’ t want grown men with mental problems alone in the bathroom with your little girl ? Then you must hate transsexuals and gays . Meanwhile , we ’ re supposed to take the blame for everything that ’ s wrong with America . If any woman , minority or gay American succeeds , it ’ s because that person is so wonderful , but if any of these people fail , it must be because all those horrible , straight white men are holding them back by basking in our imaginary white privilege . You want one of the surest signs of a culture going to hell in a handbasket ? Look for culture that BLAMES successful groups for their success instead of trying to learn from them .
Of course , it doesn ’ t have to be this way . Just be a liberal ; then other liberals will excuse you doing everything from taking bribes like Hillary Clinton to leaving a woman to die in a tidal pool . Suddenly you ’ ll get better press coverage . When other liberals are talking about those awful racist white people and call for their extinction , you can kid yourself that they don ’ t mean you . Suddenly , all the “ sins ” of America are off your shoulders , even the ones that liberals made happen . It ’ s a cultural get out of jail card combined with a shot of Novocain to your conscience all rolled up into one . The good news is you won ’ t be lumped in with those awful conservatives you ’ re supposed to hate by people looking for scapegoats for their own failure . On the other hand , you ’ ll be part of a philosophy that ’ s slowly but surely turning what was once the greatest nation in human history into just another decadent country in decline that ’ s coming apart at the seams . | 7cbdbdde7bcbe321 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/trump-moore-loss-alabama.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news | Trump: ‘I Said Roy Moore Will Not Be Able to Win’ in Alabama | 2017-12-13 | elections | Other presidents have been knocked off stride by special elections that ultimately presaged greater defeats . In 1991 , George Bush was stunned when his attorney general , Dick Thornburgh , lost a special election for Senate against Harris Wofford , a little-known Democrat whose strategists went on to help Bill Clinton topple the incumbent president a year later .
In 2010 , Barack Obama was likewise thrown by the election of Scott Brown , a Republican , to fill a vacant Senate seat in heavily Democratic Massachusetts . The election not only cost Democrats their filibuster-proof supermajority just as they were trying to pass health care legislation , but it also foreshadowed a Republican landslide in midterm elections later that year .
“ It becomes the chink in the armor of the person who just a year before or 18 months before was the most popular figure in the country , ” recalled Jennifer Psaki , a veteran of Mr. Obama ’ s White House . “ For us , it was certainly the case that you have a moment of depressed sulking . And then you have to pick yourself up and figure out how to move forward . ”
For Mr. Obama , the special election forced a strategic re-evaluation . Some aides advised him to trim his ambitions for health care and seek a narrower bill . But Mr. Obama opted to push for his original , more sweeping legislation . Ultimately , he pushed it through without Republican backing , but it never developed bipartisan support and remains a target of efforts to repeal it .
For Mr. Trump , who has already endured off-year Republican election defeats in New Jersey and Virginia , Alabama has now delivered not one but two humiliating defeats in a state that he won by 28 percentage points just a year ago . In a Republican primary to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions , now the attorney general , Mr. Trump first endorsed Luther Strange , the choice of the party establishment , only to watch him lose to Mr. Moore , who was backed by Mr. Bannon .
Undeterred by allegations that Mr. Moore sought sexual contact with teenagers as young as 14 , Mr. Trump endorsed him against the advice of White House advisers . But as he sat watching the results in the White House residence on Tuesday , alone for much of the evening with the first lady out of town , Mr. Trump once again saw his preferred candidate defeated , in this case by Doug Jones , a Democrat in a state that had rebuffed Democrats for decades . | 0B2b0jtjJGOCLxob | 0 | Elections | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/08/politics/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump/index.html | Trump not sold on Giuliani defense | 2018-05-08 | politics | Washington ( CNN ) President Donald Trump has been flustered by the onslaught of negative coverage generated by his new personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , who has exacerbated his political troubles in recent days with a series of unscripted interviews , four sources familiar with knowledge of the President 's thinking tell CNN .
`` If he were flustered he would have told me on Sunday , '' Giuliani told CNN 's Dana Bash , referring to a lengthy meeting he had that day with the President at his golf resort .
Giuliani joined Trump 's legal team amid a shakeup less than three weeks ago to represent him in the special counsel 's investigation into Russian election interference and possible ties to Trump associates . Since he made the bombshell announcement last Wednesday that the President had reimbursed his attorney Michael Cohen for the $ 130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels , Giuliani has appeared on several television shows and given interviews to more than half a dozen outlets .
Trump has grown irritated by Giuliani 's performances and the headaches he has caused as contradictory statements between the two flash across the chyrons on his screen .
The President was initially pleased with his new attorney 's brashness , but that has steadily eroded as the parade of interviews has continued . Trump was irked by Giuliani 's interview on ABC News Sunday , particularly the clip of Giuliani refusing to rule out him pleading the Fifth Amendment , which has since played on a near-constant loop on cable television .
Giuliani insisted that if the President were not happy with his performance , the President would let him know .
`` We have been close friends for 30 years and we can say things to each other that others ca n't , '' he told Bash .
`` The key people involved in this are very happy , '' Giuliani said , insisting he is totally on the same page as Jay Sekulow and other Trump lawyers .
He once again pointed to Tuesday 's decision on Iran and an upcoming planned summit with North Korea , saying their legal strategy `` freed him up to focus and put some wins on the board . ''
When asked specifically about sources telling CNN that the President was annoyed with Giuliani leaving open the possibility of Trump pleading the 5th Amendment , again Giuliani pushed back .
`` It 's the perfect way it should be done . It 's honest . He wants to testify . We have to figure out what 's right , '' said Giuliani , saying if his answer was `` no way '' to the question about the 5th Amendment , that it would not be accurate because none of this has been decided .
More broadly , Giuliani defended not coordinating with White House staff .
`` ( Trump ) does n't let us talk to them about the case . We can talk to the counsel , not people in the White House , '' Giuliani said .
JUST WATCHED Giuliani : It 's possible Cohen paid off more women Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Giuliani : It 's possible Cohen paid off more women 00:56
Giuliani was a Trump loyalist during the 2016 presidential campaign who kept his eye on one position -- secretary of state -- but it soon became apparent that he would n't get it . A source with knowledge of the President 's thinking at the time said Trump passed Giuliani over for the high-profile role because he thought he was n't as sharp as he used to be .
The former New York City mayor told Trump he was n't interested in any other Cabinet positions and would instead remain an effective ally of his outside of the administration . The two stayed in contact during Trump 's chaotic first year in office .
But more than a year later , the President was growing increasingly frustrated with his legal team , who had promised him for months that the special counsel 's investigation would wrap up soon . Instead , it seemed to be expanding .
As Trump looked for a more aggressive approach to the Russia probe , he sought solace in his old friend `` Rudy , '' who had a similarly abrasive and volatile style . But after a string of stunning interviews in recent days raised more questions than answered them , the President began to realize that his hope that Giuliani could end the investigation quickly might have been misguided .
Giuliani , however , has been insistent that he and the President are synced .
`` You wont see daylight between me and the President , '' he told CNN Thursday .
Though the President has been displeased with Giuliani , a source familiar with his thinking said it 's not likely he will fire him . Instead , one source predicted , he will leave him on his legal team , but move him to the backburner . Giuliani has given the rest of the legal team pause , two people familiar with the matter say . Since he joined , Giuliani and Trump have maneuvered the strategy separately from everyone else , and are expected to be the two who decide whether Trump will ultimately sit down with Robert Mueller .
The response in the West Wing to Giuliani 's arrival has been overwhelmingly negative . White House staffers have been rankled by his media parade , three sources said , with some questioning in private when he last practiced law and remarking that he might be losing his mental faculties . Giuliani has complicated things for West Wing officials , they say , by undermining the defense strategy they have used for the last several months while speaking on behalf of the President without coordinating it with the White House .
The White House 's initial strategy for responding to Giuliani 's questions has been to refer them back to Giuliani himself . At the briefing Monday , White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump `` certainly feels that he 's an added member -- added valued member to his outside special counsel . '' She later fielded several questions to the `` outside special counsel . ''
A Republican strategist close to the White House said if they were on the communications team they would `` get used to having my eyes open wide in horror and terror on a regular basis . ''
`` I 'd get used to getting more blindsided on a regular basis and not really knowing what the heck is going on and understanding that you are not going to be able to message the good policy things you are doing , '' the strategist said . `` It 's really the President taking over . It 's the President saying you know what I 'm going to do it my way . ''
`` You can plan and plan and plan your short-term and long-term communications strategies , but when you are faced with the reality of this President 's mode of operating you might as well just throw the plans out the window , '' the source added .
Though he is not an official government employee , Giuliani is now being introduced to a similar treatment that other White House staffers -- and former favorites of Trump 's -- have faced in the past , where your rank with the President depends on the outcome of the news cycle .
Giuliani 's diminished influence on Trump has shown . On Sunday , he told The Washington Post that he and Trump had struck a deal for the President to stay focused on `` North Korea , Iran and China '' while Giuliani handled the Mueller probe . The next day , Trump tweeted nearly a dozen times . Only two were about the Iran deal .
Among the President 's national security aides , Giuliani 's willingness to freely discuss ongoing negotiations on the Iran deal and US prisoners in North Korea was viewed as deeply problematic , according to multiple officials and others familiar with the situation . Aside from concern over the negotiations themselves , the officials said Giuliani 's statements could lead to confusion over who is speaking on behalf of the US government .
One official attributed Giuliani 's free-wheeling comments to a misunderstanding of his role -- which is no longer as a `` principal , '' but as a surrogate for Trump . Another official said without any internal White House coordination over Giuliani 's television appearances , there was little hope of providing him with accurate information . Giuliani does not work at the White House and does not have a security clearance .
His insistence on Fox News last week that the American detainees would be released within the day was not based on US intelligence or conversations with the President , according to sources . Instead , Giuliani was relaying a loosely sourced story that had been repeated on conservative media outlets with no confirmation from the White House .
US officials have been negotiating the release of the three detained Americans , and it 's widely expected they 'll go free ahead of Trump 's upcoming summit with Kim Jong Un . Giuliani 's remarks were viewed inside the White House as detrimental to those efforts , the officials said , since it upped the stakes for the President .
`` This is n't how we should be doing this , '' sighed one US official after Giuliani 's appearance on Fox . The official said the administration had hoped any announcement about the Americans ' release would come from the President himself .
Officials inside the West Wing , who have been exasperated by Giuliani 's string of brazen cable news appearances , have joked among themselves that he has unofficially replaced Michael Anton , the National Security Council spokesman who quit last month .
The former New York City mayor also suggested over the weekend that Trump was in favor of regime change in Iran , which runs counter to official US policy . Officials said the statement came as a surprise and were concerned Giuliani may inadvertently lead people to believe he speaks on behalf of the United States .
On Monday , the State Department made clear he does not .
`` He speaks for himself and not on behalf of the administration on foreign policy , '' Heather Nauert , the State Department spokeswoman , said . | SkH7Si6L6OcEEpqZ | 0 | Rudy Giuliani | -0.3 | Donald Trump | -0.3 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2016/02/09/hillary_clintons_progressive_problem_the_real_policy_differences_between_her_and_bernie_sanders_can_actually_be_quantified/ | Hillary Clinton?s progressive problem: The real policy differences between her and Bernie Sanders can actually be quantified | 2016-02-09 | Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Progressives, Presidential Elections, Elections | In the immediate aftermath of the Iowa caucus , both Democratic candidates and their supporters have become engaged in an argument over who 's more progressive . That in itself would surely be a good thing—far better than competing over who 's most moderate . But the way the Clinton team is initially pursuing their side of the argument is both inherently self-contradictory , and unlikely to sufficiently connect with and motivate voters in the general election , should she be the nominee .
The two problems are not unrelated . The self-contradictory argument is founded in her self-branding as “ a progressive who gets things done. ” When it 's rolled out into an argument against Sanders it becomes : ( a ) she 's really more progressive than Sanders , and ( b ) she can get things done , because she 's not as wild-eyed—i.e . as progressive—as Sanders is . When Sanders challenges the obvious contradiction here , its unsustainability forces Clinton 's fall-back into the second problem : Clinton 's response is to treat anything Sanders says to challenge her argument as an attack against President Obama . That may be a savvy way to win the primary , but a profoundly counter-productive approach in the long run .
Do n't let me put words in Clinton 's mouth . Here 's how she responded in CNN 's town hall when Anderson Cooper asked her about being a moderate or a progressive :
I said that I 'm a progressive who likes to get things done . And I was somewhat amused today that Senator Sanders has set himself up to be the gatekeeper on who is the progressive because under the definition that was flying around on Twitter and statements by the campaign , Barack Obama would not be a progressive , Joe Biden would not be a progressive , Jeanne Shaheen would not be a progressive , even the late , great Senator Paul Wellstone would not be a progressive .
Twitter chatter aside , when it comes to judging who 's more progressive than who , political scientists have an app for that—at least for those who 've served in Congress , as Sanders and Clinton both have . It 's the DW-Nominate first dimension , scaled from +1 to -1 , which explains the lion 's share of how members vote . [ Explanation|Data ] . For the two years when they served in the Senate together , Sanders had a score of -.717 , making him far and away the most liberal member . Number two , Sheldon Whitehouse had a score of -.507 , while number 15 , Hillary Clinton had a score of -.403 . The difference between Sanders ' score and Clinton 's was greater than the difference between Clinton and Evan Bayh , the second-most conservative member of the Democratic caucus at the time . So in short , the difference between them in terms of who is most progressive is both objective and huge .
The difference can be seen internationally as well . Sanders identifies as a democratic socialist , and regularly points to countries that fully embody that philosophy , such as the Nordic countries of Denmark and Sweden . These serve as objective embodiments of what his politics aims to achieve—and they can be used to contrast with Clinton 's objectives as well . In his groundbreaking book , The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism , Gøsta Esping-Andersen identified three distinctly different models for welfare state organization , each driven by a different logic . The socialist or social democratic model seen in Nordic countries is based on the logic of social solidarity , to provide maximal protections for all ; the conservative model , typified by Germany and seen elsewhere throughout continental Europe , aims to consolidate the existing social order and its hierarchical relations in various ways ; the liberal model , typified by English-speaking countries from Britain to the U.S. , Canada and Australia , aims to deal with imperfections in the market system with minimal interference to the basic system . As I explained in an article here about Sanders ' campaign last June :
Sanders wants to move the U.S. more in the direction of Scandinavia , just as he ’ s openly stated . Clinton , in contrast , with her market-oriented emphasis , simply wants to strengthen the existing liberal welfare state structure . We can best think of comparing where Sanders and Clinton would take us by looking at the results these two models produce , and when we do this , we find that the social democratic welfare states consistently outperform the liberal ones . Most notably , they produce the least inequality and poverty , and the highest rates of labor force participation . The dependency these robust welfare states are supposed to breed is simply a figment of the imagination .
At the time I was making the crucial point that socialist/social democratic welfare states produce objectively better results than liberal ones do . Here I simply add that they are objectively more progressive as well , across a range of issues . This is what reality tells us—not Bernie Sanders .
What Clinton was trying to do in the passage I quoted—and what she said next—was to wholly occupy the space of “ progressive ” and cast Sanders as a divisive voice . But Sanders himself , in that same town hall , struck a decidedly affable tone on the same subject
Some of my best friends are moderates . I love moderates . But you ca n't be a moderate and a progressive . They are different .
If it 's somehow a secret that Clinton has moved left in response to Sanders , it 's the worst-kept secret in D.C . When Sanders takes note of it , that 's just what he 's doing—taking note . He 's not attacking her , he 's not making things up , and he 's not setting himself up as the world 's sole authority on who is or is not a progressive Indeed , he 's often said that he and Clinton share much in common , even as there are sharp differences as well .
Clinton 's response is defensive overkill—entirely understandable , for someone who 's been in the rightwing crosshairs for over 25 years . But overkill , nonetheless . More to the point , however , it 's counterproductive in the long run , and she really needs to rethink her approach . Her plan seems to be to be ruthlessly effective in mobilizing elite party and near-party support , particularly with women and minorities , to maximize her existing advantages with such groups . When she gets endorsements from groups like Planned Parenthood , or large blocks of minority congress members , that 's precisely what 's she 's doing But doing this all in a “ How can you question me ? ” manner does not do a lot to attract first-time , marginal or disaffected voters , whose support will be absolutely crucial for Democratic success—not just in the general election , but beyond that , in getting anything done .
The idea that Clinton 's policies are more practical than Sanders ' flies in the face of the whole history of GOP obstructionism that Obama has faced . The real winner of the “ get things done ” contest will be whichever candidate can be most successful in weakening , and ultimately overcoming , the GOP 's stranglehold in Congress—and that will mean mobilizing the constituency that Sanders is speaking to best , including women and minorities whose less alienated counterparts may favor Clinton , but who need a different approach to overcome their profound skepticism .
This is not just my opinion , drawn out of thin air , my hot take on the situation . It 's a clear consequence of the argument made Democracy Corps pollster Stan Greenberg in his recently-published book , America Ascendant : A Revolutionary Nation 's Path to Addressing Its Deepest Problems and Leading the 21st Century . Greenberg has a long history with Clintons—James Carville is his co-principal at Democracy Corps—so no one should think he 's shilling for Bernie Sanders . But he does have a long history of paying attention to economical progressive voter sentiments that other pollsters routinely overlook . In fact , that 's part of the reason Bill Clinton became president in the first place . And it 's also why his arguments implicitly support Bernie Sanders ' efforts in the current campaign—and could support Hillary Clinton , too , if she took them more seriously to heart , and shifted the nature of her argument .
Greenberg , whose new book “ America Ascendant ” argues that the nation will soon be “ exceptional again ” because of its cultural diversity , argued that the Democrats shouldn ’ t be afraid to now advocate for “ very bold policy changes. ” In an interview with the Huffington Post , Greenberg said that he was pleasantly surprised by the degree to which the all the Democratic candidates had embraced such boldly progressive policy prescriptions thus far . But speaking of Vice President Joe Biden ’ s urging for Democrats to run on President Obama ’ s legacy as he announced his decision not to run for president , Greenberg argued that a third Obama term is not what voters want , despite the President ’ s recent proclamations . “ The Democratic Party is waiting for a president who will articulate the scale of the problems we face and challenge them to address it , ” Greenberg argued . “ The problem the president has had is that he ’ s not tried to educate the country on how deep the downside is , ” Greenberg said , referring to Obama ’ s selling of his domestic agenda . “ He was trying to tell the country that we ’ re on an upward path without being honest , leveling with them about how big a price we have [ to pay ] in the short term and how much government has to do in order to get us onto a different path . ”
This is almost exactly the same way that Sanders views and talks about Obama 's accomplishments . Again , in the CNN town hall , after first acknowledging differences he has with Obama—the TPP trade agreement specifically—Sanders went on :
On the other hand , let 's be very clear . And I got a little bit upset that our Republicans friends suffer from a very serious illness called amnesia . ( LAUGHTER ) SANDERS : They forgot what the economy of this country was like seven years ago when we were losing 800,000 jobs a month , when we were running up a $ 1.4 trillion deficit , and by the way , the world 's financial system was on the verge of collapse . President Obama and Vice President Biden have taken us a very , very long way from those dismal days . Are we where we want to be today ? No . But we have come a long way and President Obama deserves an enormous amount of credit for that .
So there you have it—the Clinton 's first national pollster and Bernie Sanders have almost identical views of Obama 's accomplishment—and what needs to happen next . And so could Hillary Clinton , if she choose a truly pro-active way of engaging in the primary debate that 's now unfolding . Trying to defend her past , and wrong-foot Sanders with word games , relying on a framework of shared assumptions with the establishment pundit/media world may well be enough to win her the nomination—but not in a way that energizes and mobilizes the ascendant electorate that Greenberg writes about , and that Democrats absolutely must to have in order to govern .
Let me cite one other voice advancing the same argument , author Jedediah Purdy . He first situates Sanders ' democratic socialism internationally , as I 've done , as well noting “ much of his 'socialism ' is updated New Deal and Great Society liberalism. ” He then explains what distinguishes Sanders ' effort , in contrast—not opposition—to Obama :
The Sanders campaign , if it succeeds , will build both a movement and a cohort—a political generation—around the ideas and policies of this new American socialism . The voters , the networks and above all , the ideas that the campaign is cultivating will remain for other candidates to tap and develop , at all levels of government , from city councils and state legislatures to presidential elections . This is very different from anything Barack Obama did .... Anyone who participated in the 2008 campaign can remember the heartfelt sense of being part of something , of moving history a little . But the Obama campaigns were ultimately about the candidate : his intelligence , charisma , integrity , and almost preternatural rhetorical gifts . After the long darkness of the Bush years , he brought alive the wish for progress , solidarity , and unity around a better version of the country . Nothing he said was unfamiliar ; it was just that he said it—embodied it—so well . Those campaigns gave a generation knowledge of how a movement feels , but not what a movement is . Viewed hopefully , the Sanders campaign is the next stage of maturation in a rebirth of American progressivism . This time , people understand that no personality , however compelling , can ever change a country . Youthful progressive politics is growing up .
This is the deeper story of progress that Sanders has to tell—a story not just about progressive ideas , or policies or values , but a progressive development of progressive politics itself . It 's just this sort of long-term story that 's essential for helping to make sense of the struggle we 're engaged in , and making sense of any struggle is always crucial for attaining victory .
The challenge for Clinton is not to engage defensively as she has been doing , but to really articulate her own deep story of how she sees us getting where we need to be . As long as Clinton focuses on turning hardcore Obama voters against Sanders , she may think she 's locking up the nomination , but it 's a tragically short-term way of thinking ( doomed to fail when it comes to governance ) , as well as being disingenuous . In reality , Sanders has long been more in tune with their concerns—as reflected in a still-small but significant number of thoughtful supporters and endorses , like Keith Ellison , Raul Grijalva , Nina Turner , Ben Jealous , Shaun King and Killer Mike . Equally , if not more importantly , he realizes the need to empower & engage them beyond the election itself , just as Purdy described .
It should be noted , there 's an element of truth in Clinton 's argument . The reality is that Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were ideologically quite similar—neo-liberals who strove to adapt to Reaganism rather than challenge it fundamentally . While both were able to get some things done and inspire intense personal loyalty , both produced historic midterm loses of power two years after their first elections . A discouraged , demoralized Democratic base and a shrunken electorate were the reasons why , and there 's no reason—up to now—to believe that Hillary Clinton would do any better .
That 's her real challenge : demonstrate how she 'd build a stronger movement beyond herself than either her husband or Obama did . That 's the standard that she has to meet in order for her argument that she 'd be more effective to make sense . Because the existing Congress would not let her be any more effective than Sanders . Hence , the real pragmatism argument revolves around mobilizing voters and keeping them engaged for the long haul , which is what Sanders has made the foundation of his campaign . Unless Clinton finds her own credible counter-proposal to this—and begins living it—the argument over who 's more progressive will not be rooted in reality , or directed to the future .
Future-focused . Reality-based . That 's what Sanders ' argument has been , notwithstanding all the establishment spin to the contrary . If Clinton wants to beat him , she should respond in kind . If she does , the party and the country will be better for it , no matter which candidate wins . | 3b10bcc0738195b6 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/10/01/gun_nuts_tragic_confusion_why_open_carry_groups_misunderstand_police_brutality/ | Gun nuts’ tragic confusion: Why “open carry” groups don’t get police brutality | 2014-10-01 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | After finally being allowed to view the video of the police shooting of a man in an Ohio Wal-Mart , it 's very hard for any reasonable person to conclude that the authorities acted responsibly . They appear not to have given him any chance to drop the toy gun in his hand before shooting him . It 's possible that they were persuaded by the frightened 911 caller that they were entering a deadly situation , but there 's no evidence they heard anything but a description and location of a black man with an afro , wearing jeans and a T-shirt carrying a rifle and threatening people in Wal-Mart . An Ohio grand jury seems to have thought that it was reasonable for police in that situation to shoot first and ask questions later .
If you did n't know it was a toy gun , it 's easy to see why someone might be afraid . Any time you see people casually carrying guns around you know there 's the potential for a deadly accident or some kind of altercation resulting in death . But obviously , the answer to that problem is not for the police to simply shoot them down . In fact , Ohio is an open carry state , which means that it is perfectly legal to walk around Wal-Mart with a real AR-15 much less a toy they sell right there in the store .
And open carry advocates stage demonstrations to `` exercise '' their right to wear firearms in public all the time . For example , in May a couple of men in Medina , Ohio , walked the streets with such guns slung casually over their backs . Police were called numerous times by people alarmed at the sight of two men carrying AR-15 rifles in the town square . ( You can listen to the 911 calls here . ) But interestingly , in this case the police did n't deploy a SWAT team or rush in with guns drawn and start shooting :
Their encounter with police was captured on video cameras , carried by both the men and the officers , which showed the men at first refusing to show their identification when approached by officers . The men complied only after an officer told them they would be disarmed if they didn ’ t . The officers said they were justified in demanding the IDs because of the 911 calls and because one of the men fumbled when asked his age .
The demand for the ID was the key issue cited by several demonstrators . “ We have a constitutional right to carry a firearm to protect ourselves , ” said Harry Wynn , of Stow , who wore an AR-15 across his chest and also carried a Glock 30 . “ Nobody should get forced ID ’ d because they have a firearm — I don ’ t care how many 911 calls came in . ”
They were asked politely for their IDs . And when they provided them they were allowed to keep walking around in public with real AR-15s . A couple of weeks later a local open carry group staged a demonstration and the police did n't ID any of them , much less shoot any of them , as they walked up and down the streets of Medina . A local columnist commented on the event , making what sounds like a reasonable observation :
The pushback from open-carriers comes from a perception that officers are treading on their rights by requesting ID . Sure , if a person is walking down the street and doing nothing more than humming the latest pop song , then of course there ’ s no legal basis for an officer to get all up in their grill . But the plain-view sight of a firearm prompts officers to request state ID - just to make sure and maybe even celebrate that such a person is following the law . It can be fun ! It ’ s not a “ reasonable suspicion ” issue ; it ’ s the simple fact that a machine created solely for the purpose of killing things is being introduced into a public setting . Which is fine , per Ohio law , as long as a diminishing list of requirements is met . Police are the people that society grants the ability to check out those reqs , however ill-begotten their methods most of the time .
One assumes that most Americans do not have a problem with police checking to see if armed men walking the streets are on the up and up . That 's something only the fanatics would oppose . But nobody would countenance killing them on sight . And at least in this case , even though they scared people enough to call 911 , with their real guns ( possibly loaded with real bullets ) , the cops were polite and let them go on their way .
Meanwhile , John Crawford , the 22-year-old man in Wal-Mart was gunned down without mercy for carrying a toy . Besides the fact that one had a real gun and one did not , what was the other difference in these two situations ? Not much . Except for the fact that the two men in Medina were white and Crawford was black .
To their credit , the Ohio open carry organization has been appalled by the Crawford shooting and has people prepared to demonstrate on behalf of the family . If one objects to having to show ID to a police officer when wielding a weapon it would n't make any sense to support shooting them instead . The person who runs their Facebook page has been actively deleting any comments made by supporters who feel that Crawford had it coming or who made racist remarks . The fact that he had to announce he was doing that obviously means some open carry supporters were making those comments , but that can happen on any Facebook page .
Still , one can not help wondering why this anger at police harassment only seems to come up when the victim is carrying a gun . This Crawford killing is horrifying on any number of levels , only one of which is that it happened in an open carry state where having a gun on your person in Wal-Mart is legal . The real problem is that the police decided to shoot him down without properly assessing the situation in the first place .
There are no good statistics on police shootings , unfortunately , but what we do know is that police kill far more unarmed black men than anyone else . And over the past few months we 've seen several notorious examples , some of which have been videotaped . There was , of course , the infamous shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri . The NRA and Gun Owners of America did n't concern themselves with that one . Perhaps if Michael Brown had been armed they might have joined the protests . As it was , their local adherents just bought more guns to protect their homes from rioters . Some open carry enthusiasts maintained their anti-government position , others revealed a depressingly familiar reason for their desire to own guns -- - and it is n't fear of police :
During the LA Riots , it was said that liberals were shocked when they were told that they would have to wait 15 days before they could get a gun for protection ! `` As far as I recall , the issue was that liberal types were shocked that in order to purchase a firearm to protect themselves , a wait time of ( I thought it was 14 days ) would ensue before they could take possession . Obviously if you lived in the most affected affluent areas say Hancock park and the Beverly Wilshire areas that actually saw damage , fires and looting , This would have come as quite a shock to the unknowing types . And that 's the way it was ( and of course still is ) albeit now for 10 silly days . '' And in that case , the Korean shop owners used AR-15 's to keep the looters from their stores . Now if people ask why we need `` those '' rifles ( AR-15 's ) ... the LA Riots and now the Ferguson Riots are two good examples .
A few days later a video revealed another young black man named Kajieme Powell was mowed down by police within seconds of their arrival on the scene . He was carrying a knife . And was mentally ill . They did n't ask him for his ID , which I 'm sure would have inflamed the open carry people . The shooting itself does n't seem to have caused them any concern -- - he was n't carrying a gun , after all . And then there was this poor man in North Carolina , Levar Jones , stopped for a seat belt violation and then shot for reaching for his driver 's license in the front seat of his car . Again , this would be a big problem for the gun proliferation folks if he actually had been exercising his constitutional right to bear arms . But he did n't actually have a gun so it 's not a big deal .
The John Crawford incident in Wal-Mart is horrifying because the tape shows that he picked up the gun from the shelf as easily as if he 'd picked up a hair dryer or a kid 's baseball bat and was carrying it around the store , absentmindedly playing with it like a kid with a toy while he was talking on the phone . Because it was a toy ! It 's fair to question why Wal-Mart sells such realistic facsimiles of deadly weapons to kids but they do . However , it 's also fair to wonder whether the police would have reacted the same way if the call coming in had said the man with the gun in Wal-Mart was a white guy . Who knows , they might even have taken a big chance and asked the guy for ID before they started firing .
Black men are routinely shot down by police in the country , that 's the bottom line . And while it 's certainly admirable for open carry advocates to stick to their principles and defend John Crawford 's right to carry a toy gun around Wal-Mart , it 's failing to see the forest for the trees . John Crawford , Michael Brown , Kajieme Powell , Levar Jones were all unarmed black men killed shot by police in the last few months . It would n't have helped them to actually be carrying guns , real or otherwise .
Surely these open carry people , however well intentioned , should realize that nice white men and women openly carrying firearms on the street are n't being gunned down on sight by police officers . The worst thing that happens to them is they are forced to show their ID . It 's unarmed black men ( and unarmed mentally ill people of all races ) who are being gunned down on sight by police officers . Are they agitating for their right to shoot cops ? I doubt it . Nor should they be .
The problem is n't that people do n't have enough guns . The problem is that police are too often using the guns they have . That wo n't be solved by a bunch of average suburban white people wandering around public spaces with their rifles slung over their backs . Those are n't the people most likely to be shot by police -- whether they 're armed or not . They 're missing the point entirely .
Update : Initially , this post indicated that `` John Crawford , Michael Brown , Kajieme Powell , Levar Jones were all unarmed black men killed by police in the last few months . '' Jones survived his shooting , and this post has been updated to reflect that fact . | bbf3e72a5168bd23 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80387.html?hp=t1_3 | Mitt Romney's make-or-break night | 2012-08-30 | elections | Romney 's speech will be one of his last chances to sketch a portrait of who he is . | M.Scott Mahaskey/███ Mitt 's make-or-break night
TAMPA , Fla. — Mitt Romney is about to face the most important political moment of his life .
The speech Romney delivers at the Republican National Convention ’ s final night in Tampa will be one of his last opportunities to sketch a portrait of who he is and what he stands for to a country whose battleground states have seen him relentlessly portrayed by the Obama campaign as a heartless corporate raider — a perception that has dented his approval ratings and made it difficult for the GOP to change the campaign narrative .
In a precious hour before a national television audience , Romney has the opportunity to connect with voters in the convention hall but also well beyond . There is a deeper , softer , and much kinder side to Romney , those who know him insist , but he provides only those closest to him with a view of it . He has run the least biographically anchored campaign of any presidential nominee in recent history , declining to present his own fleshed-out accounts of his time at Bain Capital , his time as a bishop in the Mormon church , or his term as Massachusetts governor .
That case has been made for him over the first three days of the convention through speeches and videos — and most dramatically through a Tuesday night prime-time appeal from his wife , Ann , — that his experience as an executive , church leader , Olympics chief and dad have created a three-dimensional , attractive candidate , not the caricature Republicans feel the Obama campaign team has created .
The aim has been to “ make the argument that all these things have prepared him to make him uniquely qualified to handle all the things ” the country is facing , said Romney adviser Russ Schriefer , who has masterminded the convention programming . “ There ’ s lots of different ways that he can tell that story . ”
But few will be as important as the speech he delivers himself .
He needs to make his case for the presidency , but he also needs to let the shrinking pool of undecided voters who are watching see who he is and what kind of president he would be . He needs elements of George H.W . Bush ’ s “ thousand points of light , ” George W. Bush ’ s , “ They have not led . We will , ” and John McCain ’ s straight talk to describe his own career . But he needs to show his humanity .
Romney ’ s speeches are usually drafted by committee , then he tears into them , or he writes portions himself .
The words he says tonight will be authentically his , for better or worse .
With that in mind , here are five ways Romney can use his speech to maximum effect :
1 . Go bold . The Romney campaign has used that word frequently to describe the choice of Paul Ryan on the ticket .
But while choosing the controversial Wisconsin congressman was politically risky , Romney has largely reverted back to his no-details posture , the one he ’ s had for much of the campaign .
The convention speech is not the place for policy planks . But it is the place for Romney to show he can be bigger .
“ Republicans have a tendency to ask voters to choose our medicine because it tastes the worst , not because it works the best , ” said Republican strategist Alex Castellanos , who worked on Romney ’ s 2008 presidential campaign .
“ We need to explain that if you vote for Romney-Ryan , you are not voting for less , you are voting for more , ” he added . “ More growth , more jobs , more prosperity , bigger paychecks , and more government revenue to save Medicare and Social Security , too . We need to put the Democrats on the defensive on austerity . We need to explain that Obama is the one asking you to settle for less . ”
To make that case , Romney should pitch his own plans , in as much of a positive frame as possible . He needs to explain why picking Ryan wasn ’ t about getting editorial board headlines with the word “ bold , ” but that he shares Ryan ’ s principles , that he believes the nation is headed down the wrong path and that he wants to do what is politically risky but philosophically right .
That kind of language hasn ’ t been Romney ’ s strong suit before . But he needs to present voters with the path forward . | K6Wa64lUfXjQgSgd | 0 | Election2012 | 0.1 | Mitt Romney | 0.1 | GOP Convention | 0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 |
economy_and_jobs | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/02/20/gop_loses_the_minimum_wage_war_why_their_position_is_clueless_and_doomed/ | GOP loses the minimum wage war: Why their position is clueless and doomed | 2014-02-20 | Republican Party, Minimum Wage, Economy And Jobs | Increasing the minimum wage is a popular idea . It 's also a good , if suboptimal , way to help low-wage workers , address inequality , and reduce poverty . It 's also a policy that distributes a significant amount of money down the income scale using an entirely off-budget mechanism , which means the government is n't creating a politically vulnerable welfare program and is n't financing that welfare program with new debt or by taxing outraged rich people .
This makes it an attractive option for liberal elites and lawmakers , too . And at a time when conservatives are n't willing to entertain more income support or another payroll tax cut , without simultaneously taking it out of the hide of the poor in some other way , the minimum wage is the natural , last-best way for liberals to fight on their behalf . It 's just about the last arrow left in their quiver .
With all that to speak for it , it 's no surprise that conservatives hate the minimum wage , certainly do n't want to increase the minimum wage , and are desperate for independent confirmation of their claim that a $ 10.10 minimum wage , as President Obama has proposed , is a job killer .
They got their wish on Wednesday , when the Congressional Budget Office released an analysis concluding that a phased-in $ 10.10 minimum wage would have a modest but real disemployment effect . They projected that at $ 10.10 , the minimum wage would reduce employment somewhere between a trivial amount and 1 million jobs by the end of 2016 . Their best estimate within that range is that a $ 10.10 minimum wage would cost the economy 500,000 jobs relative to what would happen without any increase at all .
Conservatives , who would oppose a minimum wage increase of any size even if the impact on employment amounted to the loss of a single job , were ecstatic . The minimum wage is too popular to oppose with ideology alone . The only way to oppose a policy that 's popular among wage earners , and speaks to a widely shared moral sense that full-time workers should n't live in poverty , is to make supporters worry that their jobs might be on the line .
It 's a tough finding for Democrats to spin away , in part because the finding itself is large enough to command attention without being large enough to invite a ton of second guessing . And if you work in Democratic politics , you ca n't just ignore the finding . You have to call it into doubt .
I 'm not equipped to adjudicate CBO 's finding . But fortunately that 's not my problem . Mine is explaining why increasing the minimum wage is a good idea in spite of its modest disemployment effect , and drawing out the disingenuousness of the right 's employment-based objection to doing so . Those are both pretty easy tasks .
Let 's start with this wise tweet from economist Austin Frakt :
If increasing the minimum wage entailed literally no downside , there 'd be no reason not to set it at infinity-jillion dollars . Likewise , if establishing a minimum wage entailed literally no upside , the only reasonable argument would be to set it at $ 0.00 . If you accept that the minimum wage entails both , then you ought to accept that it should be set somewhere in between .
I know zero liberals who believe the federal minimum wage should be infinity dollars , or $ 1,000 or $ 100 or even $ 50 . But the case for a $ 10.10 minimum wage is very strong .
According to CBO , a $ 10.10 minimum wage would pull about twice as many people out of poverty ( 900,000 ) as it would leave without a job , and increase wages for nearly 20 times more people ( 16.5 million ) than that . If a conservative Republican introduced a bill to reduce the minimum wage by as much as Obama wants to increase it , and CBO found that it would thrust a million people into poverty , reduce wages for 15 million more , but created 500,000 jobs , I do n't think that bill would garner much support , no matter how widely its supporters touted it as a `` job creator . ''
Likewise , a higher minimum wage would probably mitigate some of the consequences of Obamacare conservatives claim to be so distraught about . People who earn higher wages are less likely to quit their jobs . Likewise , when people 's wages increase they slide up the ACA 's means-tested benefit scale . In states that have expanded their Medicaid programs , a higher minimum wage would draw a bunch of new eligibles into the exchanges , creating a savings for the federal government . In states that have refused to expand Medicaid , a higher minimum wage would pull people out of the coverage gap and make them eligible for tax credits on the exchanges . This would come at a cost to the federal government , but would diminish one of the most inhumane unintended consequence of the GOP 's ACA sabotage campaign , and a big political liability for Republican governors .
Nobody on the left disputes that it 's possible to increase the minimum wage beyond the point at which the costs outstrip the benefits . But $ 10.10 is not that point .
Conservatives , by contrast , overwhelmingly oppose having a minimum wage altogether , whatever the benefits , and have to ignore all of these ancillary ones simply to keep the minimum wage where it is today . Thus , the incongruous spectacle of conservatives touting a CBO report for finding that a certain course of legislative action reduces labor demand . By their own logic , Republicans should have agreed to extend emergency unemployment compensation yesterday , and refused to vote for sequestration -- their big victory over Obama -- back in 2011 .
But confront them with the inconsistency and they retreat to ideology .
Which is great . It gets us closer to what 's really animating the right 's opposition to increasing the minimum wage . And it demonstrates that liberals do n't need to fear the debate , even if an increase would reduce hiring a little bit . The argument makes itself , and it 's a winner . The counterargument is either a swindle or a loser . | 727f9c655cde33b4 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
state_department | Guest Writer - Right | http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/08/27/what-if-hillary-clinton-has-been-pulling-wool-over-our-eyes-for-years.html | OPINION: What if Hillary Clinton has been pulling the wool over our eyes for years? | 2015-08-27 | state_department | What if former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been pulling the wool over our eyes for years ?
What if , while she was secretary of state , she ran two secret wars , one in Libya and one in Syria ? What if there already were wars in each of those countries , so she used those wars as covers for her own ?
What if President Obama gave permission for her to do this ? What if the president lacks the legal authority to authorize anyone to fight secret wars ? What if she obtained the consent of a dozen members of Congress from both houses and from both political parties ? What if those few members of Congress who approved of her wars lacked the legal authority to authorize them ?
What if her goal was to overthrow two dictators , one friendly to the U.S. and one not ? What if the instruments of her war did not consist of American military troops , but rather State Department intelligence assets and American-made military-grade heavy weapons ?
What if Hillary Clinton just doesn ’ t care whether she has broken any federal laws , illegally caused the deaths of thousands of innocents , and profoundly jeopardized and misled the American people ?
What if under federal law the secretary of state and the secretary of the Treasury are permitted on their own to issue licenses to American arms dealers to sell arms to the governments of foreign countries ? What if Clinton secretly authorized the sale of American-made military-grade weapons to the government of Qatar ? What if Qatar is a small Middle Eastern country , the government of which is beholden to and largely controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood ?
What if the Muslim Brotherhood is a recognized terrorist organization ? What if the U.S. has no lawful or military purpose for putting military hardware into the hands of a government that supports or is controlled by a terrorist organization ?
What if the real purpose of sending military hardware to Qatar was for it to end up in the hands of rebels in Syria and Libya ? What if it got there ? What if some of those rebels are known Al Qaeda operatives ? What if some of those operatives who received the American military hardware used it to assault Americans and American interests ?
What if among those assaulted was the U.S. ambassador to Libya ? What if Ambassador Christopher Stevens was assassinated in Benghazi , Libya , by Al Qaeda operatives who were using American-made military-grade hardware that Clinton knowingly sent to them ?
What if the U.S. had no strategic interest in deposing the government of Libya ? What if Congress never declared war on Libya ? What if Col. Qaddafi , the then-dictator of Libya who was reprehensible , was nevertheless an American ally whose fights against known terrorist organizations had garnered him praise from President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair ?
What if the U.S. had no strategic interest in deposing the dictator of Syria , President Assad ? What if Congress never declared war on Syria ? What if the government of Syria , though reprehensible , has been fighting a war against groups and militias , some of whom have been designated as terrorist organizations by the secretary of state ? What if that secretary of state was Hillary Clinton ?
What if Clinton had a political interest in deposing the governments of Libya and Syria ? What if her goal in fighting these secret wars was to claim triumph for herself over Middle Eastern despots ? What if it is a federal crime to fight a private war against a foreign government ? What if it is a federal crime to provide material assistance to terrorist organizations ? What if these are crimes no matter who consents or approves ?
What if , when asked about this while testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee , Clinton professed ignorance ? What if it is a federal crime for a witness to lie to or mislead Congress ?
What if the outcome of Clinton ’ s war in Libya has been the destruction of the Gadhafi government and ensuing chaos ? What if that chaos has brought terror and death to many thousands of innocents in Libya ? What if Clinton has failed to achieve any noticeable result with her secret war in Syria ?
What if she managed these wars on an email system that was not secured in a government venue ? What if she did that to keep her thoughts and actions secret from the president and from the State Department in case she failed to win the wars ? What if she used a BlackBerry she bought at Walmart instead of a secure and encrypted government-issued phone ?
What if her management of these wars on the private email system exposed national security secrets to anyone who could hack into her server or her router ? What if the server or the router had been kept in the bathroom of an apartment of an employee of a computer company in Denver , Colo. , and not under lock and key and armed guard in her home in New York as she has represented ?
What if Clinton just doesn ’ t care whether she has broken any federal laws , illegally caused the deaths of thousands of innocents , and profoundly jeopardized and misled the American people ?
What if the American people do care about all this ? What will they do about it ? | wCOjZ1m35Acirwkx | 2 | Hillary Clinton | -1.1 | Election2016 | -0.9 | State Department | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | BBC News | http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43223279 | Dick's Sporting Goods pulls assault-style rifles as Florida students return | 2018-02-28 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | Two major US retailers have announced new restrictions on gun sales following the shooting at a Florida school where 17 people died. Dick's Sporting Goods, which has more than 600 shops, said it would no longer sell assault-style rifles, and backed "common sense gun reform". Walmart later said it was raising the minimum age for anyone buying guns or ammunition to 21 years. It came as Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pupils returned to classes. Grief counsellors were on hand as students and teachers arrived at the campus, two weeks after 17 of their peers were shot dead by an expelled former student with an AR-15 rifle. In the aftermath of the 14 February shooting, pressure has mounted on US politicians to act on gun control and for corporations to cut ties with the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA). Firms including Hertz car rental, United airlines and Delta airlines have ended discounts to NRA members. Walmart, the largest seller of guns in the US, said it would remove items from its website that resembled assault-style rifles. The retailer stopped selling high-powered rifles in its shops in 2015, citing low demand. In a statement, Walmart said: "We take seriously our obligation to be a responsible seller of firearms." In Washington, President Donald Trump urged a group of lawmakers with diverse views to come up with a comprehensive bipartisan solution in a televised meeting. Republican leaders in Congress have rejected raising the minimum legal age to buy rifles from 18 to 21, but Mr Trump said he "would give pretty serious thought to it", despite opposition from the NRA, which supported him as a candidate. He told the lawmakers: "Some of you people are petrified of the NRA, you can't be petrified." Also on Wednesday, a teacher in the state of Georgia was arrested after barricading himself in a classroom and firing a handgun. No-one was injured. In announcing its policy change, Dick's Sporting Goods said in a statement that it had "tremendous respect and admiration for the students organising and making their voices heard regarding gun violence in schools and elsewhere in our country". It added: "We have heard you. The nation has heard you." The retailer said it was committing itself to: It said that while it supported the Second Amendment to the US constitution, which protects the right to keep and bear arms, "gun violence is an epidemic that's taking the lives of too many people". Dick's CEO Edward Stack told CNN he expected a backlash from some customers, saying "the hunt business is an important part of the business, no doubt about it". The Parkland shooting suspect, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, bought a gun at Dick's but not the weapon he is alleged to have used in the attack, Mr Stack said. "We did everything by the book, and we did everything that the law required, and he was still able to buy a gun," he told ABC. At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a line of police officers, school staff and community members bearing flowers greeted some 3,000 students who returned to classes on Wednesday morning. There were also many reporters, shouting questions to the teenagers about how they felt. Lyliah Skinner, a 16-year-old student, told the BBC before she left home: "We're not going to really be learning much today - it's all about healing." She also said she was feeling nervous "because I'm scared it's gonna happen again". Lyliah listed people she knew who would not be returning, including Joaquin Oliver, who sat just in front of her in a class they shared. David Hogg, a senior student and now leading activist, was also feeling trepidation. It was "really hard to think about" what occurred two weeks ago, he said. "Imagine getting in a plane crash and having to get back on the same plane again and again and again and being expected to learn and act like nothing's wrong," he told NBC News. The handling of the shooting by authorities sparked criticism after it emerged that the FBI and local police had failed to follow up on multiple tips about Mr Cruz, and that an armed deputy at the school had stayed outside the school building while the attack took place. The school's Building 12, the site of the shootings, will remain closed and cordoned off indefinitely. Members of Florida's State House and Senate will soon begin reviewing proposed bills related to firearms, which need their approval and also that of Governor Rick Scott. Among other restrictions, they would raise the legal age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and giving police more control to seize weapons from mentally ill people. A controversial $67m voluntary programme to arm school staff, including teachers, would ensure they were trained by law enforcement and allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus, according to the New York Times. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | 5317e999fe3648ca | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-states/wisconsin-republicans-democrats-debate-laws-that-curb-incoming-democrats-power-idUSKBN1O411E | Wisconsin Republicans pass bill to curb incoming Democrats' power | 2018-12-05 | Elections | ( ███ ) - Facing the loss of complete control of state government next month , Wisconsin Republicans passed legislation on Wednesday to weaken the powers of the newly elected Democratic governor and attorney general .
The final votes in the state Senate and Assembly came around dawn , following hours of debate during which Democrats accused Republicans of a naked last-minute power grab that ignores the results of the Nov. 6 election .
Republicans defended the legislation as a good-faith effort to ensure the legislative and executive branches remain equals .
Republican Governor Scott Walker , who was heckled with chants of “ Shame ! ” from dozens of protesters during a Tuesday tree-lighting ceremony , has indicated he will sign the legislation . His office did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday .
Governor-elect Tony Evers , the Democrat who will succeed him in January , issued a blistering statement criticizing the vote .
“ Power-hungry politicians rushed through sweeping changes to our laws to expand their own power and override the will of the people of Wisconsin who asked for change , ” he said .
The Wisconsin legislation would allow legislators , rather than the attorney general , to decide whether to withdraw the state from lawsuits . That measure is aimed at preventing Evers and the incoming attorney general , Josh Kaul , from following through on campaign promises to end Wisconsin ’ s challenge to the federal Affordable Care Act , popularly known as Obamacare .
The legislation also restricts Evers ’ ability to install rules that implement state laws .
Democrats have said they expect the new bills to be challenged in court .
Republican legislative majorities in other states where Democrats gained power in November have also sought to use lame-duck sessions to push through priorities and hamstring incoming Democrats .
Michigan ’ s Republican-led legislature was poised on Wednesday to advance measures that would allow lawmakers to sidestep the attorney general in litigation and strip away campaign finance oversight from the secretary of state . Both posts , along with the governor ’ s mansion , will be turned over to Democrats in January after eight years of total Republican control .
Republicans in the state also watered down minimum wage and sick leave laws on Tuesday , the culmination of a months-long strategy that involved passing the initial bills in September to keep the measures from appearing on November ’ s ballot as a voter referendum . Democrats have called the move illegal and vowed to sue .
North Carolina ’ s Republican-dominated legislature could approve a new voter identification law as soon as Wednesday during its own lame-duck session . The Republicans are pushing to finish the ID law before January , when they will lose the supermajority that can currently overcome Democratic Governor Roy Cooper ’ s veto .
The various efforts are reminiscent of maneuvers by North Carolina Republicans to remove powers from the governor ’ s office after Cooper won election in 2016 .
Meanwhile , investigators are probing the validity of hundreds of mail-in ballots handled by political operatives in a closely contested congressional race that has led the state to hold off certifying a Republican ’ s apparent victory . | 1861a110ce4e6f7d | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2019/08/27/754811252/how-the-fires-in-the-amazon-rainforest-will-impact-the-global-ecosystem | How The Fires In The Amazon Rainforest Will Impact The Global Ecosystem | 2019-08-27 | environment | How The Fires In The Amazon Rainforest Will Impact The Global Ecosystem
NPR 's Audie Cornish speaks with Dan Nepstad , president and founder of the Earth Innovation Institute , about the immediate and longer-term impact of fires in the Amazon .
Ecologist Dan Nepstad has studied the Amazon for more than 30 years . He explained to me why it 's hard to know the true extent of these fires .
DAN NEPSTAD : In an intact Amazon forest - a virgin forest - if it 's a really dry year and the fire gets going , it 's shin-high . You can step over it , and that means it does n't register a lot of heat , and the satellites do n't pick up that as an act of fire . The best way to know if a forest is burning is to see smoke coming out the top . So it 's really hard to know how much of the virgin forests of the Amazon are catching fire . If they 're open fires or fires burning damaged forests , they 're much easier to spot , and that 's most of what we 're seeing this year .
CORNISH : Talk more about what we are seeing this year . How is it different from fires in the past ?
NEPSTAD : Well , it 's a big fire year . It 's the biggest one in the last decade . A lot of the fires burning now are persistent , and that means that those are felled forests - the giant rainforest trees that have been cut down with chainsaws , allowed to dry , and now they 're being burned in preparation for crops or pasture or whatever . A lot of smoke because there 's so much tree biomass , a lot of energy , meaning that smoke goes really high into the atmosphere - and it can spread across entire regions .
CORNISH : You 've written that the biggest threat to the Amazon is the large-scale displacement of scrub vegetation . What is that , and what does that mean in terms of the Amazon being exposed to more and more fires ?
NEPSTAD : So what was deep , dense shade that kept the litter layer - the fuel layer - moist and difficult to burn is drying out , and there 's a lot more of it . The next fire is much more intense . It kills more trees , and pretty soon , grasses and shrubs start to move into what was a pristine forest , and that 's what I call this scrub vegetation . So that - eventually , you really ca n't recognize that that 's a forest that was - never saw a chainsaw , but it 's completely altered . That , for me , is the most worrisome long-term scenario for the Amazon .
CORNISH : What , then , is the solution ? What steps can the Brazilian government take to protect the Amazon ?
NEPSTAD : You know , I think there 's a huge opportunity to solve this , and not just with dumping water or putting out fires . But to really come up with a systemic strategy that is long-term , we really need to shift from fire-prone systems , like extensive cattle , to more intensive forms that are tree-based so that the landholder will be more reluctant to use fire to manage their land and they 'll invest more in fire prevention .
CORNISH : Before I let you go , I 've heard over and over the last few days this idea that the Amazon is the lungs of the world . Is that a good way to think of it ?
NEPSTAD : That 's a little misleading . There 's a lot of big , old trees , and they respire a lot . Just like people have to breathe in oxygen , those tree trunks also have to breathe in oxygen , and all of that dead wood , as it rots , is taking up oxygen- much better to focus on the Amazon as a cooling system for the planet . You know , really , every time a little droplet of water leaves a leaf and goes into vapor , it 's absorbing energy and it 's cooling things down . And the Amazon is so big that if we lose it , it 's going to change the way air and energy move around the planet , and that means our climate will change . For me , that 's something that really ties us to the health of the Amazon wherever we are on the planet .
CORNISH : That 's Dan Nepstad . He 's president and founder of the Earth Innovation Institute .
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm , Inc. , an NPR contractor , and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR . This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future . Accuracy and availability may vary . The authoritative record of NPR ’ s programming is the audio record . | kpAE9RElzsfjJsbn | 1 | Wildfires | 0.1 | Environment | 0.1 | Brazil | 0 | G7 | 0 | Jair Bolsonaro | 0 |
us_senate | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/23/bob-corker-blasts-donald-trump-over-border-wall-st/ | 'Made-up fight': Bob Corker blasts Trump over border wall stalemate | 2018-12-23 | us_senate | Sen. Bob Corker , Tennessee Republican , criticized President Trump over his determination to secure funding for a border wall , calling it a “ made-up fight . ”
“ This is a made-up fight so the president can look like he ’ s fighting , but even if he wins , our borders are going to be insecure , ” Mr. Corker said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union . ”
Mr. Corker , a frequent critic of the president , said the White House is proposing the wrong solution , arguing that the focus should be on more sophisticated technology .
“ It ’ s not unlike going to the Pentagon and saying , ‘ Look , we need to buy fighters , and we have stealth fighters , and they ’ re supersonic technology and they have precision guided missiles but no , let ’ s use the Wright brothers , ’ ” said Mr. Corker .
He added , “ And so It ’ s not just about the money , it ’ s what we ’ re spending it on . ”
“ This is a made up fight so the President can look like he ’ s fighting , but even if he wins , our borders are going to be insecure , ” GOP Sen. @ BobCorker says about the government shutdown and funding for the border wall . https : //t.co/pOqCGhGexS pic.twitter.com/c9vP9fHsXW — State of the Union ( @ CNNSotu ) December 23 , 2018
Mr. Trump and Democratic leaders are locked in a stalemate over his demand to fund a border wall , prompting a partial shutdown of the federal government .
“ We could secure our borders . We could solve this problem . This is made-up fight , ” Mr. Corker said .
The president tweeted Sunday that technology is fine but that the wall is essential , saying that “ it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works ! ”
The only way to stop drugs , gangs , human trafficking , criminal elements and much else from coming into our Country is with a Wall or Barrier . Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun , but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 23 , 2018 | kWiij7TvxI5dneGP | 2 | Bob Corker | -0.2 | US Senate | 0 | Government Shutdown | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
immigration | Reason | https://reason.com/archives/2016/11/25/two-immigrants-debate-immigrat | Two Immigrants Debate Immigration | 2016-11-25 | Unauthorized Immigration, Immigration | Even as the mighty Statue of Liberty beckons the world 's `` poor and huddled masses '' to America 's shores , Americans themselves have been ambivalent , to put it mildly , about how many newcomers ought to be welcomed and from where . To the extent that a pro-immigration consensus has existed , it was always an uneasy one . But Donald Trump 's meteoric political rise after embracing an extreme restrictionist agenda has shattered that fragile status quo , dividing pundits and public , academics and analysts throughout the 2016 election season . There 's an absence of good polling data to shine a light on how immigrants themselves feel about this issue , but it 's clear that even they do n't all agree .
George J. Borjas is a celebrated Harvard University economist who emigrated from Cuba to the United States with his mother at the age of 12 , three years after Fidel Castro 's regime took over the country and confiscated his father 's garment factory . He has made vital contributions to many fields of economics , especially immigration , and has a new book , We Wanted Workers : Unraveling the Immigration Narrative , out this month . In it , he challenges the notion that immigration is `` universally beneficial . ''
Shikha Dalmia is a ███ Foundation analyst and a native of New Delhi , India , who came to America 31 years ago as an idealistic student looking to escape the corruption of a socialistic mixed economy . She writes extensively about immigration and firmly believes America shuts the door on outsiders at its economic and spiritual peril .
What follows is a spirited exchange between the two on the empirical claims and proposed policy prescriptions in We Wanted Workers .
Let me congratulate you on a book that is a model of clarity . We Wanted Workers systematically walks readers through the immigration literature . Along the way , it offers a sense of the immensely knotty methodological problems that bedevil the dismal science . Also , I agree completely that the `` overreliance on economic modeling and statistical findings '' on this subject is a regrettable development that fosters the notion that `` purely technocratic determinations of public policy '' are possible . In fact , the scientific hubris underlying such efforts prevents a full airing of the normative and ideological commitments that ultimately do—and perhaps should—guide policy .
That said , the more I read , the more despondent I got . The publisher 's teaser promises that the book `` takes a fresh and thought-provoking new look '' that parses the claims on the `` two extreme poles '' of those calling for `` tougher laws…in a racially tinged discourse '' on one end and those pushing for `` more open policies '' on the other . But the book focused almost exclusively on the second target while largely ignoring the first , even when its own facts warranted a smackdown .
You point out that the pro-immigration camp 's claims that America is a magnet for the `` best and brightest '' are overblown because which foreigners—high-skilled or low-skilled—make a beeline for America depends on how well their skills are rewarded in their own country . Highly egalitarian countries such as Denmark lose their highly skilled workers because , relative to less-skilled counterparts , their labor is rewarded less well , whereas the reverse is the case in highly inegalitarian countries such as Mexico . That 's an interesting thesis , but it does n't explain India , my native country , which has extreme inequality and is among the biggest `` donors '' of high-skilled talent . It was odd that you shoehorned India into the same category as Canada and Australia as a country with `` less inequality . ''
But America 's genius is not that it draws the best people but that it draws out the best from people , which is why even the world 's `` wretched '' manage to make something of themselves here . Indeed , the essential thing for `` success '' is not a college degree but drive , which those with the cojones to uproot themselves and make the difficult schlep to a foreign land have in spades . This process of self-selection has served America—and immigrants—so well that even the restrictionist lobby has n't questioned it . But you devote a whole chapter to lamenting the forces of `` self-selection '' that thwart Uncle Sam 's efforts to ensure that immigrants who come to America are `` exactly the types the country is looking for . '' Putting more faith in government over markets to properly regulate labor flows is n't very American !
But even if one accepts that the `` best and brightest '' trope is oversimplified , it 's at least partly true . Not so with the poisonous myths of the restrictionist right about anchor babies and chain migration . These things occur , but are hardly widespread phenomena . Consider chain migration . Restrictionists allege that letting immigrants sponsor non-nuclear family members sets off a chain reaction as immigrants sponsor their relatives to come to America who sponsor more relatives…until entire Third World villages are emptied into America ! But the only `` non-nuclear '' relatives that citizens or permanent residents are allowed to sponsor are siblings . What 's more , there is a strict annual national quota on the number that can be admitted from each country . This produces long wait times that currently touch 23 years for siblings of Filipino immigrants , making widespread chain migration a virtual impossibility . You acknowledge all these facts but never connect the dots to say as much . There are many such omissions .
We Wanted Workers confirms the hardline restrictionist narrative that low-skilled immigrants do n't assimilate economically , meaning that their wages lag behind other groups . I appreciate that you blame this not on their ethnicity , as is the wont of the racist restrictionists , but on their entering skill levels , which track the nations they come from . Comparing German and Mexican immigrants , you note that the 30 percent wage gap that existed between them in 1920 had narrowed to 10 percent in 2000 , lamenting that the melting pot worked but took close to 100 years . My initial reaction to this was `` So what—so long as these groups are making progress relative to their own aspirations ? '' But to truly know how well the melting pot is melting , we need to compare not various immigrant groups to each other , but immigrant groups relative to natives in the same socio-economic strata . In other words , how do the children and grandchildren of Mexican drywall hangers compare with those of Americans doing similar jobs ? If Mexican grandchildren own mid-sized construction companies and American ones remain drywall hangers , surely that would better indicate how rapidly immigrants assimilate .
You question not just the impact of low skilled immigrants on American wages and jobs but also , astonishingly , the high-skilled immigrants that most accept as positive . You say that your fellow economists exaggerate that economic migrants are complements to—rather than substitutes for—American workers and therefore underestimate the downward pressure on native employment and wages . Moreover , you believe that low-skilled immigrants have negative productivity spillover effects—meaning that their habits depress the productivity of the overall economy , not enhance it—while high-skilled immigrants have positive productivity effects , but they are too small to offset their other negative economic impacts on natives .
I will let the experts parse the controversial methodology underlying these claims and simply take them at face value for now . With respect to low-skilled immigrants , the very worst long-term consequence you identify is a 3.1 percent reduction in the wages of native high school dropouts , a vanishing subset of the population . So even if you are right that immigration enthusiasts overstate their claims , is n't this a pretty small downside ? No policy has zero losers , after all . The question is whether the wins outweigh the losses .
But it was your discussion about high-skilled immigration that was truly eye-popping . You insist that high-skilled natives are vulnerable to `` supply shocks '' just like their low-skilled counterparts and explain how an influx of Russian math Ph.D.s drove American math Ph.D.s to pursue different careers . But it is not clear why pushing natives into areas where they can better compete is a bad thing . This may be acceptable , you claim , if these immigrants triggered big productivity gains and , stunningly , offer the example of Albert Einstein to show that 's not the case . His dismissal , along with other Jewish physicists from Nazi Germany , you say , did not lower the publication rate of their German departments `` at all '' —and , presumably , by corollary did n't boost the rate of their new American departments .
But if this example reveals anything it is the glaring inadequacy of your `` publication '' metric that could n't capture the contributions of an incandescent genius who changed the trajectory of human history , making America the formidable giant in theoretical science . ( Same with his Princeton colleague , the math genius Kurt Gödel , an Austrian immigrant . ) Surely , if we are going to question anything , it is your instrument rather than the contributions of such immigrants ? You say that the cardinal mistake of the pro-immigration camp is that it treats immigrants like widgets rather than people whose personal baggage negatively affects the institutions of their adopted country . But certainly such petty bean counting so devoid of qualitative dimensions is also guilty of this mistake ?
Your most scathing observation is that immigration , not counting the fiscal costs on schools , welfare , and other government programs , produces a $ 50 billion economic surplus , but that this essentially benefits employers , the users of immigrants—not American workers , the competitors of immigrants . In essence , you state , this implies a `` redistribution of half-a-trillion dollars from workers to firms . '' But if that 's the case , then every search for efficiency—every groundbreaking innovation , every new trade deal , every revolutionary technology—that disrupts existing employment patterns is tantamount to the redistribution of wealth from labor to capital . If so , your quarrel is n't with immigration but with the market economy .
Based on this downbeat assessment , you endorse a sweeping restrictionist agenda that opposes legalization of the undocumented population unless we 've `` regained control of the border , '' and you advocate serious penalties on employers who hire undocumented workers and an E-Verify mandate on employers . Not surprisingly , you do n't entertain an end to the current regime of labor prohibitionism against low-skilled workers by reviving the Bracero guest worker program with Mexico , the only effective way of stanching the future flow of illegal immigrants . And far from expanding the visa quotas for high-skilled workers , despite industry pleading , you want to jack up the fees for H-1Bs .
To your credit , you openly acknowledge that a `` massive new government '' will be required to `` supervise a massive wealth redistribution '' —and , I might add , disrupt the natural pattern of human mobility that would emerge if Americans and foreigners were left relatively unfettered to associate with each other according to their preferences .
To put my ideological commitments on the table , in my mind such draconian curbs on individual liberty are justified only when there are worse harms to be mitigated . But even if all the harms you list were correct , that wo n't add up to the level of those that an overweening government might cause to get the `` correct '' distribution of income . So my question to you is : What role , if any , does the need to protect individual liberty , mobility rights , and freedom of association play in your thinking on immigration policy ?
I am pleased you found the book valuable and accessible . Let me try to respond by addressing some of the questions you raise and raising some of my own .
You claim that I devote a disproportionate amount of time to debunking the claims of immigration enthusiasts , but much less to debunking restrictionists . I want to address this point head on , as I truly tried to expose myths regardless of their source . For instance , I thought I gave equal time to dismissing the polar claims that immigrants are the `` best and the brightest '' or `` the wretched refuse of those teeming shores . '' As I write in the book : `` There has been an enduring interest in how immigrants are self-selected , and it is customary to pick one of two extremes when describing the selection…I find these types of ideologically motivated assumptions and platitudes thoroughly unconvincing . ''
A little intellectual history may help . I began to think about immigrant selection in 1985 , a time when immigration was far removed from the center of social policy concerns . So my interest had nothing to do with policy . It reflected my curiosity about a technical question : What does economics have to say about the self-selection of immigrants ? If people move from place to place in search of higher incomes , which types of people—the `` best and brightest '' or the `` wretched refuse '' —find it worthwhile to pick up and move ? That question had a surprising answer : It depends on whether the U.S. offers higher rewards for skills than the sending countries . If we do , we attract the best and the brightest . If we do n't , we wo n't .
Pretty obvious , right ? But my question had nothing to do with ideology . And this is one way in which you and I differ . You seem to interpret models and results through an ideological filter . Each `` factoid '' in the book is judged according to how it fits a preconceived notion of how the world should work . I read the same factoids and I think about the underlying economic question : What is driving the market to reach such an outcome ?
There may be another ███ why you get the feeling that I leave the restrictionists alone . You note that I avoided talking about `` the poisonous myths of the restrictionist right about anchor babies and chain migration . No doubt these alleged problems occur , but they are hardly widespread phenomena . ''
There is a very simple ███ for why only some issues ended up in the book . Those are the questions that have preoccupied economists over the past few decades . There have been remarkably few studies—and no single study that someone who is not an immigration specialist would find worth reading—of anchor babies and chain migration .
It is not that these other issues are not important . But they may not be sufficiently attractive to an economist wishing to write a paper that can propel a career forward , or they can not be framed in a simple way , or the data are really bad . Economists are rational human beings too . They will pursue topics that offer the greatest opportunity for professional gains . A fair portrayal of the topics that ended up in the book is that they cover those issues that were of major concern to economists and that led to major advances in our understanding .
Let me now address the wage impact of immigration . This is not the place to go into the many technical details that confound consumers of this very technical literature . But you say something that resonates ( and not in a good way ) : `` The very worst long-term consequence of immigration that you identify is a 3.1 percent reduction in the wages of high school dropouts…Even if you are right that immigration enthusiasts have overstated their claims that immigration generates no losers at all , is n't this a pretty small downside ? ''
You are referring to my conclusion that the earnings of high school dropouts fell by 3 to 6 percent because of immigration . I specifically address the issue you raise in the book : `` The economic , social , and political consequences of pursuing policies that harm the most disadvantaged Americans are ignored at our peril . '' Just look at our current political landscape . I think it is extremely shortsighted to dismiss the impact on low-skill workers by arguing that few workers are affected in this fashion or that the effect is small . The typical male high school dropout earns $ 29,000 annually . A policy-mandated pay cut of $ 900 to $ 1,700 is not trivial , and it suggests that the policy makers perhaps have their priorities all wrong .
You raise an important point about the small $ 50 billion immigration surplus that the textbook economic model produces , and the huge $ 500 billion redistribution that goes alongside it , asking whether perhaps my `` quarrel is n't with immigration , but the market economy . ''
I have no `` quarrel '' with a market economy . My argument is instead that a candid appraisal should not sweep the distributional effects of immigration under the rug . And it should incorporate the insight embodied in Max Frisch 's observation about the guest workers that Germany admitted back in the 1960s : `` We wanted workers , but we got people instead . '' Immigrants are more than the robotic workers that populate the models used in the `` search for efficiency . '' And that fact generates additional wrinkles . For instance , the evidence already suggests that the $ 50 billion surplus disappears entirely if we account for the fiscal burden imposed by immigration . In other words , a fuller appraisal might have to recognize that , in the end , immigration is just another government redistribution program .
Admirably , you affirm where you are coming from when it comes to immigration restrictions : `` In my mind such draconian curbs on individual liberty are justified only when there are worse harms to be mitigated . '' You then ask me where I stand : `` What role , if any , does the need to protect individual liberty , mobility rights , and freedom of association play in your thinking on immigration policy ? ''
My answer will surely shock you , but I have never devoted much time to thinking about that . My research was never motivated or influenced by what I thought about individual liberty or the rights of people to live anywhere they want . My personal experience with Communist indoctrination when I was 10 and 11 years old left me very wary of thinking about anything in ideological terms .
Your question is more specific , however . How do these tenets of libertarianism affect my thinking about immigration policy ? And my answer , again , will shock you . They do n't enter my thinking at all . I myself would not trust my moralizing about what is right and what is wrong . As much as I wish I were a perfect human being with pure motivations and in possession of all the answers , I know I am not .
I tend to see both sides of the coin in everything . Would n't it be wonderful if we inhabited a world where everybody could move to where they wanted and lead happy and productive lives ? But if a billion immigrants from the developing world were to enter Europe and North America , the developed world would surely change . And anyone with any common sense knows that some of those changes would not be to the good .
Immigration creates winners and losers , Shikha , and the net gain may not be as large as some had hoped . I hope that We Wanted Workers has at least given you some food for thought regarding that possibility . So any discussion of immigration policy has to contrast the gains accruing to the winners with the losses suffered by the losers . Who are you rooting for ?
And if your answer is that you stand firmly behind the lofty axioms of mobility rights and freedom of association , then do not act surprised when the losers in that New World Order wake up , realize that the narrative is a crock , and revolt .
Thank you for your clear and candid response—and let me return the favor by being equally clear and candid . You say you strove to debunk both sides . But you did n't fully succeed , in my view . And perhaps that 's because even a pre-eminent and empirically driven economist such as yourself ultimately is n't free from normative assumptions . `` Preconceived notions of how the world works '' inevitably seep into one 's work . You can choose them consciously , or you can absorb them subconsciously from the broader zeitgeist . If you had no moral assumptions , how would you know whom to `` root for '' ?
You acknowledge that you stayed away from addressing poisonous restrictionist myths , noting that there is n't enough of a professional upside to addressing them . I certainly understand the need for beginning scholars to focus on professionally sexy research topics . But you are an established figure who published a `` popular '' book with a commercial press , in the middle of an election cycle in which one presidential candidate is trying to ride such myths to the White House . Surely , you could afford to direct some of your considerable professional status and firepower to straightening that side of the ledger too ?
Both you and I are wary of economic models . Despite my pro-immigration proclivities , you could persuade me that models showing that John Lennon 's utopia , where a borderless world would lead to a $ 40 trillion increase in the global gross domestic product , is overstated . One ███ , as you note , is that they ignore all the transaction , transportation , psychic , and other costs of emigrating and assume that all workers who could boost their wages by moving would do so . That 's not the case . You point out that America has no border restrictions with Puerto Rico , whose construction workers alone could double their wages by buying a `` one-way plane ticket that costs a fraction of a week 's salary . '' Yet `` two-thirds of Puerto Ricans have chosen not to move '' ( your emphasis ) . This same fact can be used to undercut restrictionist claims that looser borders would instantly flood America . Yet you not just fail to note this but repeat it in your response .
`` Preconceived notions '' influence not just the conclusions you draw but also the questions you ask . You posit the existing distribution of wealth as the desirable state of affairs and brand a policy that disrupts it as `` redistribution '' —hardly a morally neutral term . Furthermore , you play up the long-term harm that immigration causes high-school dropouts . But that is the least persuasive part of your analysis precisely because it treats these workers like non-volitional `` widgets , '' incapable of changing their behavior to minimize the direct harm from immigration ( by acquiring new skills ) or taking advantage of the new opportunities ( by exploiting their linguistic edge ) it opens up . But even if you were right about the harm immigration causes them , arguably they may suffer more harm if businesses that ca n't import workers choose to export or automate away more jobs in order to remain globally competitive .
Lastly , when I asked you what role liberty plays in your thinking , I was referring to your policy prescriptions , not your research . That 's because one 's conclusions do n't flow automatically from one 's findings . Even if your findings about the economic harms of immigration were indisputable , which they are not , they may not add up to a case for restrictionism any more than the harms from free speech would add up to a case for scrapping the First Amendment . The draconian government policies that restrictionism entails—and you endorse—might be even more harmful than immigration for a nation with a bedrock commitment to individual rights and limited government . That liberty was no part of the color mix of your normative palette was n't shocking , but it did leave me thinking that your immigration picture was too dark and distorted .
I have truly enjoyed having this exchange . It is invigorating to discuss what it all means with someone from your ideological perspective who is able to extract and enunciate the core issues in such a clear and striking fashion . Let me clarify some relatively minor points before I conclude with the big picture .
One perhaps not-so-minor point is your claim that : `` You acknowledge that you stayed away from addressing poisonous restrictionist myths , noting that there is n't enough of a professional upside to addressing them . '' I acknowledged no such thing . Perhaps my phrasing was n't sufficiently clear , so let me be as clear as I can be now . We Wanted Workers focuses on issues that attracted professional interest ( my own , as well as that of others ) in the past three decades . Perhaps those select issues tend to fall on one side of the ideological divide rather than the other , but the ideological implications of any particular issue had nothing to do with whether they are discussed and `` unraveled '' in the book .
If you contrast the topics I cover with the topics covered in two National Academy reports ( the one published in 1997 , and the one to be published in September 2016 ) , you will find an awful lot of overlap . And that is because it is hard to thoroughly survey topics—regardless of where they fall on the ideological spectrum—that have not been thought through carefully by many researchers before . What I do concede is that I stayed away from many topics throughout my career , including the chain migration issue that started this particular discussion . But the ███ I stayed away from all those topics had nothing to do with ideology . There are only so many hours in a day and I wanted to have a family life . More often than not , I was simply not smart enough to be able to frame the problem in terms of an economic model I could easily manipulate , or I could not get access to data that would enable me to conduct a serious study of the issue .
You are not surprised that `` liberty was no part of [ my ] color mix '' as I spent all these years thinking about and doing research on immigration issues . There 's a sophomoric joke among economists that `` we had our morals removed in graduate school , '' and I plead guilty . My thinking has never been guided by deep philosophical thoughts—a bit ironic , in retrospect , as John Rawls lived a couple of doors down from me for many years . You 'd think that if spillover effects really exist , something `` in the air '' would have rubbed off . But the way I 've pursued my work just reflects my own somewhat geeky interests ( I had to take two or three philosophy classes in college , and absolutely detested them ) , and not a `` dark '' desire to spin what I was trying to say one way or the other .
Which brings me to your description of the picture painted by the book as `` dark . '' This is precisely why I dislike ideological arguments . They demonize the other side in a clever and pithy way without really giving an understanding of why the picture might have turned out that way . I totally reject the notion that the book is `` dark '' in any way . I would argue instead that it is a pragmatic condensation of what we know about immigration . Reality has a way of looking very bleak to those wedded to a very narrow narrative . But facts do n't kneel to ideology .
And , finally , let me get to the elephant in the room . I ended my discussion in the first round by noting that `` immigration creates winners and losers and the net gain may not be as large as some had hoped . So any discussion of immigration policy has to contrast the gains accruing to the winners with the losses suffered by the losers . '' You did not address this very thorny issue in your response , so let me conclude by rephrasing it in even starker terms , as it isolates the problem at the core of our disagreement .
The evidence summarized in We Wanted Workers suggests that it is quite possible that the `` efficiency gains '' that receive so much emphasis in the libertarian narrative are totally offset by the costs associated with welfare expenditures or harmful productivity spillovers . As I said , it may well be that `` immigration is just another government redistribution program . '' My italicization of `` just '' was not a random click on my track pad . It was meant to drive home the point that there is a good chance that all that immigration does is redistribute wealth .
If there are no efficiency gains to be had , then espousing any specific immigration policy is nothing but a declaration that group x is preferred to group y . It is easy to avoid clarifying who you are rooting for by trying to reframe the debate in terms of amorphous philosophical ideals about mobility rights and the like . But this is where we go our separate ways . When push comes to shove , I will side with policies that improve the well-being of the American worker . | b9e9f736a7005e50 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/08/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-national-security-forum/index.html | What last night's forum taught us about Trump and Clinton | 2016-09-08 | elections | Washington ( CNN ) For Donald Trump , this was supposed to be a week in which he established himself as the only presidential candidate fit to serve as commander in chief .
But that 's not working out so easily for the Republican presidential nominee .
Trump is back at the center of controversy following an NBC News forum Wednesday in which he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin , falsely asserted he opposed the Iraq War , seemed to criticize US generals , politicized nonpartisan intelligence briefings and stood by a tweet that implied military sexual assault is the result of women in the armed forces .
Hillary Clinton pounced on Trump 's performance at the event , escalating the battle between the two candidates with less than three weeks before they appear on stage together for the first time to debate .
`` We have never been threatened by a single candidate running for president as we have been in this election , '' she said at a news conference Thursday , arguing that Trump was treating the campaign as his own `` celebrity reality TV program . ''
Trump responded by accusing his rival of trying to change the subject .
`` She tried to make up for her horrible performance last night , it was a horrible performance , so she went on the tarmac and told more lies , '' Trump said , blasting a news conference Clinton held on the tarmac of a New York airport .
Indeed , Clinton struggled during the forum to fend off questions about her use of a private email server during her time as secretary . Though the moderator , Matt Lauer , has faced criticism for spending so much time on the issue , her responses also underscored the challenge she faces in moving on .
Trump and his campaign made clear Thursday they would n't back away from the candidate 's performance at the forum . Trump continued to deny claims that he backed the Iraq War , pointing to an interview he gave with Esquire magazine in August 2004 , over a year after the war started , when he said that the conflict was a mess .
However , in an interview with Howard Stern in September 2002 before the war began , he was asked whether he supported the idea of an invasion .
CNN 's Jeremy Diamond asked Trump on Thursday about his comment in March 2003 that the recent invasion looked `` like a tremendous success from a military standpoint . ''
Meanwhile , GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence backed Trump 's comments in which he suggested Putin was a better leader than President Barack Obama -- despite the fact the Kremlin strongman is accused of domestic repression and of seeking to check US power abroad .
`` I think it 's inarguable that Vladimir Putin has been a stronger leader in his country than Barack Obama has been in this country , '' Pence said in an interview with CNN 's Dana Bash at the Reagan Library in California .
And as Trump faced criticism about Putin comments , the GOP nominee gave an interview to Larry King 's program on RT , a Kremlin-backed cable news channel .
Trump demurred questions about whether Russia , which has been accused of being behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee , is trying to influence the US election .
`` It 's probably unlikely , '' Trump told King . `` Maybe the Democrats are putting that out . Who knows ? ''
Another presidential candidate -- Libertarian hopeful Gary Johnson -- also spent Thursday trying to bounce back from a jaw-dropping moment in which he blanked on a question about how he would mitigate the carnage in the Syrian city of Aleppo .
`` What is Aleppo ? '' Johnson asked during an interview on MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe . ''
Clinton had her own shaky moments at the forum . She was plied with questions about her private email server , seemed defensive and unwilling to abide by time constraints on her responses .
For Clinton , the challenge ahead is deciding whether cloaking herself in the conventional mantle of experience and sobriety distinguishes her from Trump but might not jibe with public anger at the Washington establishment .
She described herself at the forum as offering `` steadiness . An absolutely rock steadiness '' mixed with `` strength to be able to make the hard decisions . ''
She sought to move forward on Thursday as the popular website Humans of New York published interviews in which Clinton spoke candidly about perceptions that she can sometimes come off as `` cold or unemotional , '' describing her struggle to control her emotions without seeming `` walled off '' and speaking in personal terms about what it 's like to campaign as a woman .
`` Sometimes I think I come across more in the 'walled off ' arena , '' she said . `` And if I create that perception , then I take responsibility . I do n't view myself as cold or unemotional . And neither do my friends . And neither does my family . But if that sometimes is the perception I create , then I ca n't blame people for thinking that . '' | oxKYK0dNgQjsFPMy | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.7 | Hillary Clinton | 0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
coronavirus | The Week - Opinion | https://www.theweek.com/articles/906134/compassion-fatigue-about-set-dont-succumb | Compassion fatigue is about to set in. Don't succumb. | 2020-04-02 | coronavirus | This week , President Trump presented Americans with what his administration considers to be a realistic scenario : by the time the COVID-19 outbreak is over , somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans will be dead . That is `` a very low number , '' Trump explained to the press , adding that if fewer than 200,000 people die , he will consider his administration to have done `` a very good job . ''
Well , will they have ? It 's hard to wrap your head around a number like `` 100,000 , '' much less `` 200,000 '' or `` 2.2 million '' — the latter being the projection of the highly-regarded Imperial College study in the `` absence of any control measures , '' as well as the point of comparison by Trump for his projection being a success . But while the president has dramatically moved his own goalposts , having claimed a mere three weeks ago that 14,000 people dying is a `` disaster , '' it should go without saying that the conservative estimate of 100,000 people dead is not , in fact , `` a very good job . '' It is cataclysmic . It is also difficult to comprehend — it means 100,000 mothers , fathers , children , grandparents , cousins , neighbors , friends , teachers , health care workers , heroes , villains , billionaires , and homeless are gone forever . As the outbreak wears on and the death toll climbs , it is imperative that we do not stop reminding ourselves what the numbers truly mean — that we do not lose sight of the fact that while one death is a tragedy , a million are too .
Predictions for how many people will die by the time the outbreak is over run the gamut , so it 's difficult to pin down exactly what sort of numbers we 're actually talking about . Dr. Anthony Fauci described the estimate of between 100,000 and 200,000 as `` middle-of-the-road , '' NPR reports , while the higher-end estimates of 1 to 2 million dead are `` not impossible , but very , very unlikely , '' thanks to the growing lockdown measures being implemented across the country . The Imperial College study estimated 2.2 million dead in a scenario where no measures — like social distancing or the prohibition of nonessential businesses and gatherings — were taken , so it 's a bit misguiding to begin with . But some still think even the upper-end estimate of 200,000 is naïve ; Dr. Neil M. Ferguson , an epidemiologist who is `` regarded as one of the best disease modelers in the world , '' told The New York Times on March 20 that the best case scenario at this point is 1.1 million deaths in the United States .
But let 's stick with the most optimistic number for the moment : Trump 's 100,000 . That is a mind-bogglingly huge loss , the equivalent of 66 Titanics sinking , or 41 Pearl Harbors . It 's only about 16,000 or so short of the number of Americans who died in the first World War . According to The New York Times ' calculator , if 109,000 people die — still vastly fewer than the upper end of the White House 's estimate — coronavirus would be more deadly for Americans than diabetes , drug overdoses , pneumonia , the flu , and car crashes this year . It would be the sixth greatest overall cause of death in the country , and a top-10 cause of death for anyone over 50 , or under 19 . If 480,000 people die — that being the number presented by public heath researcher Dr. James Lawler to hospital executives , and quoted by the Times — COVID-19 would be the third leading cause of death in the country behind only heart disease and cancer , and with more total American victims than U.S. soldiers who died in World War II . If over 1.1 million people die , COVID-19 would have more victims than soldiers who died during the Civil War , or citizens who died during the 1918 Spanish Influenza . It would also be the leading cause of death in the country , with nearly as many fatalities as heart disease and cancer combined .
Those are just numbers , though ; even with context , they are elusive to grasp . The human psyche is n't built to comprehend tragedy at such a scale , and there is a real danger to succumbing to the belief that 100,000 or more dead is in fact `` very good '' and `` very low . '' What does 100,000 people even look like ? ( If each person was a second , it 'd total more than 27 hours ; if each person was a star , it 'd take 50 clear night skies to see them all ) . And thus , here we are , falling prey to two of our most seductive coping mechanisms when faced with calamity : compassion fatigue , and psychic numbing .
Compassion fatigue is a phrase more commonly used in relation to disaster relief , when too much bad news in the media eventually exhausts the empathy of readers or potential donors . What 's alarming is that the fatigue sets in fast ; in a study by economists Philip Brown and Jessica Minty , cited by Psychology Today , `` donations to disaster victims made through the internet peaked approximately one week after the disaster . From then on , fatigue kicked in ... By the end of three weeks post-disaster , donations had slowed to a trickle . '' While Americans are going through a catastrophe distinctly different than , say , a hurricane devastating some far-away city — this is more like the entire world is in a hurricane together , and it 's going to last months — we 're nevertheless reaching the end of our `` compassion '' window right about now . Particularly for those Americans who are lucky enough to not have had their own lives or loved ones threatened by COVID-19 , it can be wearying to maintain a heightened sense of alarm and care about some anonymous 100,000 .
Psychic numbing is also a challenge . Numbers like 100,000 are difficult to care about ; we can understand abstractly that it 's horrifying , but it 's also sterile and detached . A number does n't tell you about the excruciating pain of `` effectively drowning '' as the virus takes over your body , or about husbands who never get to say goodbye to their wives , or about decisions made by anguished doctors over who gets to live , and who 's going to die . `` The reported numbers of deaths represent dry statistics , 'human beings with the tears dried off , ' that fail to spark emotion or feeling and thus fail to motivate action , '' writes University of Oregon psychologist Paul Slovic , specifically in reference to our reaction to atrocities like genocide , although it also applies here .
What 's even more terrifying is how few people it takes dying for us to start losing the ability to muster empathy ; as Slovic and his colleagues found , `` 'compassion fade ' can occur when an incident involving a single person expands to as few as two people . '' Slovic , though , is not the first to have studied this phenomenon ; it was first observed after the incomprehensible toll of the Hiroshima bombing ( in which 146,000 people died , in the middle range of the White House 's coronavirus estimates ) . There , numbness was beneficial ; it helped first responders and survivors to not become paralyzed with trauma . But also , as psychologist Robert Ornstein and biologist Paul Ehrlich once argued , and as Paul Slovic and his son Scott Slovic have paraphrased , `` we were , in a sense , cave men and cave women , struggling to deal with modern problems , like nuclear annihilation , to which our minds were not suited . ''
Our minds are not suited for a tragedy of this scale either . That is both a blessing and a curse — a blessing , in that we need to be able to move forward somehow , and function as a society , to help as many as people as possible now and to so restore whatever we can for those left after . It is a curse , too , because we are at a loss for grasping the magnitude of what is happening , and it is our compassion and empathy that make us human .
Just listen to that number : One hundred thousand . Do not let anyone tell you it is nothing . Do n't accept it as the toll that must dutifully be paid . Do not forget that many of those deaths will have been preventable . Do not lose your ability to be horrified , do not lose your ability to grieve . Even if only briefly , for a moment , for a pause , for a heartbeat , remember that each person in that 100,000 will have had a life , as precious and real as your own .
Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox ? Sign up for The Week 's `` Today 's best articles '' newsletter here . | uK2zudJ1C6rBp41h | 0 | Coronavirus | 0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Axios | https://www.axios.com/deadly-coronavirus-china-us-patient-cdc-0f0583b6-f81f-47f5-9c62-0abfef1ea08a.html | Deadly coronavirus from China found in U.S. patient, CDC says | coronavirus | The first U.S. case of the new coronavirus that 's killed at least six people and caused illness in multiple countries has been confirmed in Washington state .
The latest : In an effort to stem the spread of the deadly virus in America , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is rolling out a `` funneling '' of flights directly or indirectly from Wuhan , China , to five specific airports where screenings will be done , adding Chicago and Atlanta to prior designated screening airports .
Details : The U.S. resident had visited Wuhan and arrived in Seattle on Jan. 15 via an indirect flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport . After falling ill with pneumonia symptoms on Jan. 19 and seeing news reports , he admitted himself into Providence Regional Medical Center , where he was isolated . He is doing well now .
The patient reports he had not visited the Wuhan seafood market implicated in the origination of the 2019-nCoV infection and was not knowingly in contact with anyone who was ill .
People he 's had contact with recently are being traced now and will be monitored , the CDC says .
The World Health Organization confirms cases in Wuhan , Beijing , Shanghai and Shenzhen , as well as Taiwan , Japan , Thailand and South Korea . China suggested travel restrictions for anyone ill and confirmed nearly 300 patients Tuesday night , although the Imperial College London issued a Jan. 17 report estimating the number of people in Wuhan who likely had an onset of symptoms by Jan. 12 may be closer to 1,723 people .
Why it matters : `` This is a rapidly evolving situation and obviously very fluid , '' Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told ███ Tuesday morning . `` The situation is evolving — literally as every hour goes by , new cases emerge . ''
`` The key issue is how easily and sustainably the virus can spread . We do n't completely have that nailed down yet , '' said Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC 's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , at a press conference .
While Chinese health officials initially stated the virus did not appear to transmit easily between people , they confirmed Monday that it does transmit human-to-human .
What they 're saying : Tom Inglesby , director of Johns Hopkins ' Center for Health Security , says the CDC and Chinese health officials appear to be taking `` sensible '' precautions for `` this part of the outbreak . ''
Control measures are being implemented to limit the spread of the infection , while collaboration between countries is improving the understanding of the actual virus , Inglesby tells ███ . The more data that can be gathered , the better health officials will understand the scope and severity of the outbreak .
There 's always a tricky line between preventing the spread of disease — which may or may not cause severe illness — and devastating industries or even economies with decisions to halt travel or trade , he says .
For instance , he says , `` If things get more complicated in the world , and there are changes to flight patterns [ long term ] , we may need a systematically planned collaboration between the public and private sectors . ''
Background : Coronaviruses are zoonotic , which means they can transmit from animal to human , and then have the ability to evolve so they can transmit between humans . They range in severity from causing the common cold to deadly diseases like SARS and MERS .
What 's next : The WHO is holding an emergency committee meeting Wednesday in Geneva to determine whether the outbreak `` constitutes a public health emergency of international concern , and what recommendations should be made to manage it . ''
Meanwhile , Fauci says the National Institutes of Health has started working on a vaccine targeting this particular coronavirus , which he hopes will be ready for a Phase 1 clinical trial in three months or so . | OCzq13rJMeVZr9VP | 1 | Healthcare | 0 | Coronavirus | 0 | DHS | 0 | Disease | 0 | CDC | 0 | |
joe_biden | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65553168 | House Republicans release probe into Biden family finances | 2023-05-11 | Joe Biden, Politics, Biden Administration, House Republicans, China, Romania, Biden Family | House Republicans have unveiled what they say are records of $10m (£8m) in payments to members of the Biden family from foreign entities. Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said Joe Biden's relatives had used the family name to enrich themselves, and the president was "involved". The report itself does not substantiate these claims or implicate Mr Biden. It does not allege illegal conduct. The White House called the findings "baseless innuendo". The roughly 30-page report detailed what lawmakers say are various companies and financial records tied to family members of Mr Biden, including his son, Hunter Biden, and daughter-in-law, Hallie Biden. It contains records of bank transactions, obtained through subpoena, that Republican lawmakers say are linked to Romania and China. The bank records show the receipt of money from a foreign company connected to Gabriel Popoviciu, who was prosecuted for corruption in Romania, reports the New York Times. "We believe that the president has been involved in this from the very beginning. Obviously, we're going to continue to look," Mr Comer told reporters Wednesday. The Kentucky lawmaker also acknowledged there had been "a pattern for a long time" of questionable financial dealings by relatives of presidents from both parties. The report does not show payments to Mr Biden. Neither does it provide explicit evidence to back up the Republican lawmakers' central claim that the business dealings influenced Mr Biden. Mr Comer and his colleagues stopped short of alleging illegal activity. "Congressman Comer has a history of playing fast and loose with the facts and spreading baseless innuendo while refusing to conduct his so-called 'investigations' with legitimacy," White House spokesman Ian Sams told BBC in a statement. Republican leaders pledged to aggressively investigate Mr Biden, his administration and his family when they took over control of the US House of Representatives in last year's midterm election. Mr Comer has faced pressure from within his party to release findings from the House Oversight Committee's ongoing inquiry into the Biden family. Wednesday's report is the most detailed accounting yet of what House Republicans say they have uncovered. Another Republican-led House panel released a report on the same day about a letter published by 51 former intelligence and security officials in the run-up to the 2020 White House election. The letter suggested that US media reports about a laptop owned by Mr Biden's son, Hunter, might be part of a Russian disinformation campaign. The judiciary committee said Antony Blinken, now US secretary of state, had led efforts to get signatures for the letter, and a CIA employee had helped. The laptop - which came to light after it was left at a Delaware repair shop - contained evidence of Hunter Biden's drug abuse and sex life. Federal prosecutors have been investigating Hunter Biden over issues with his taxes and a gun purchase since 2018. The Trump administration is planning more than 6,000 job cuts to the Internal Revenue Service, CBS News reports. Adams is facing charges of conspiracy, fraud, soliciting illegal campaign contributions, and bribery. Facing constituents angry about the impact of sweeping government job cuts, some Republicans are expressing concern. The ex-prosecutor says he will also "rebuild trust" in the FBI, which he has previously linked to the so-called deep state. The Republican senator has spent 40 years in Congress, but said he has "unfinished business" before he goes. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | acbdeb1a344e03f1 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/02/senate-republicans-committee-rules-democrats-supreme-court | Senate Republicans breaking committee rules opens gate for partisan overrides | 2017-02-02 | US Senate, Politics | ‘ Unprecedented ’ move to advance cabinet nominees could be first in series of revisions to circumvent Democratic pushback on supreme court and legislation
As a presidential candidate , Donald Trump skipped a debate , refused to release his tax returns , hesitated to divest from his businesses and otherwise demonstrated little regard for the supposed rules of national politics .
Trump tells Republicans to use 'nuclear option ' to confirm supreme court pick Read more
As president , Trump has shown what some consider to be an equal hostility for the rule of law , banning permanent US residents from entering their own country ( if only temporarily ) , unceremoniously firing the head of the justice department and ordering officials to breeze past environmental regulations to approve permits for industry .
Now Trump has invited congressional Republicans to join him out of bounds , telling the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , to “ go nuclear ” , if he has to , in order to confirm the president ’ s first supreme court nominee , Neil Gorsuch .
Hours before Trump extended that invitation , Senate Republicans had set to work , seemingly of their own initiative , to suspend finance committee rules in order to advance two Trump cabinet nominees . The move , acknowledged by the committee chairman , Orrin Hatch , to be “ unprecedented ” , was attacked by Democrats as a new frontier in partisanship .
But Republican rule-tampering in the Senate fits nicely with the president ’ s broad objectives of installing his nominees and , one day soon , signing legislation that would deliver on the central promises of his campaign .
What may in Trump ’ s case be an exceptional disregard for rules , however , may in the Senate ’ s case be discouragingly closer to business as usual , with potential new rule changes arriving as the latest in a series of revisions pointing to a longer-term gridlock on Capitol Hill .
Republicans are quick to point out that it was Senate Democrats , under the leadership of majority leader Harry Reid in 2013 , who first took apart a “ supermajority ” rule requiring 60 votes for the confirmation of executive nominees . Democrats snap back that the measure was a last resort to combat years of stubborn Republican refusal to allow Barack Obama ’ s nominees to come up for consideration .
Reid ’ s rule changes stopped short of applying to supreme court nominees , who require , for now , 60 votes in the Senate to win nomination . The “ nuclear ” option as encouraged by Trump involves a rules change that would bring the necessary number down to a simple majority of 51 . Republicans currently hold 52 of 48 Senate seats .
Steven S Smith , a professor of political science at Washington University in St Louis and an expert on Senate procedure , described “ a certain inevitability ” in talk of the “ nuclear option ” for supreme court nominees .
“ The truth is , almost everyone in the Senate thought there would come a time , sooner rather than later , actually , in which the so-called Reid precedent of 2013 would be extended to the supreme court , ” Smith said . “ The feeling is , with the parties being so polarized , it ’ s almost inevitable that a filibuster would materialize eventually , and the majority party would be moved to overcome the obstacle . ”
While some Democratic senators have vowed to filibuster the Gorsuch nomination , that is not , as yet , the stated strategy of the minority leader , Chuck Schumer , who must choose which ramparts of policy to defend – and how to spend what political capital the Democrats may have .
Schumer and the Democrats may pick up some unexpected victories . Two Republican senators , Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , said on Wednesday that they would oppose Trump ’ s education secretary nominee , philanthropist Betsy DeVos . One more Republican defection would probably sink the nomination .
But the challenges on the horizon , for Schumer and his colleagues , are numerous . After grappling with Trump ’ s cabinet nominees and his supreme court nominee , congressional Democrats are likely to face waves of hostile legislation to repeal Barack Obama ’ s healthcare law , cut taxes for the wealthy or finance the construction of a wall on the Mexican border .
After taking the “ nuclear ” option on Gorsuch , a Republican majority could eliminate the filibuster possibility for legislation as well , further marginalizing the Democratic minority and empowering the Republican president .
Trump ’ s free advice , as president , for the legislature on its own rules on Wednesday was unusual , but not unprecedented , Smith said . In the early 1960s , President John F Kennedy convinced Democrats to reform a conservative-dominated House rules committee to secure passage of civil rights legislation .
Sally Yates firing and Trump cabinet cause partisan 'bad blood ' to boil over Read more
“ The filibuster rule itself , the cloture rule , Rule 22 , adopted in 1917 , was urged on the Senate by President Woodrow Wilson , who found a critical legislation leading up to world war I being blocked by a handful of senators , ” Smith said . “ That time , there was no law to overcome a filibuster . If a handful of senators wanted to continue talking on the Senate floor , there was no way to stop them , because the cloture rule didn ’ t exist . ”
As Democrats decide whether to force the issue of filibuster reform by opposing Gorsuch , Republicans may be free to tamper with committee rules , as they did on the finance committee on Wednesday , Smith said . Committee rules are not formal Senate rules and are not prescribed in the constitution .
Democrats led by ranking member Ron Wyden , a senator from Oregon , boycotted the finance committee for two days running , demanding that the nominees , Tom Price for health secretary and Steven Mnuchin for treasury secretary , explain perceived inaccuracies in their testimonies and supply missing information .
“ At the very least , these cabinet nominees should answer basic questions about their records before we move forward with a committee vote , ” Democrats on the committee wrote in a letter to the chairman , Hatch .
“ We took some unprecedented actions today due to the unprecedented obstruction on the part of our colleagues , ” Hatch responded in a statement . “ Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs . Yesterday , rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome , our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference . ”
The Republicans voted without the Democrats , passing both nominees through to a Senate floor vote , where they could be confirmed in a vote along strict party lines .
“ It does kind of set a precedent , ” Smith said , “ and next time the majority might pull the trigger a little more easily . ” | afb75a78a26c401e | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles/trump-style-solution-north-korea-says-still-open-to-talks-after-summit-canceled-idUSKCN1IQ02Y | On again? Trump says still chance of June 12 North Korea summit | 2018-05-26 | Foreign Policy, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, Denuclearization | WASHINGTON/SEOUL ( ███ ) - U.S. President Donald Trump late on Friday said the United States was having “ productive talks ” about reinstating a June 12 summit with North Korea ’ s leader Kim Jong Un , just a day after he canceled the meeting citing Pyongyang ’ s “ open hostility . ”
“ We are having very productive talks about reinstating the Summit which , if it does happen , will likely remain in Singapore on the same date , June 12th. , and , if necessary , will be extended beyond that date , ” Trump said in a Twitter post .
South Korea ’ s presidential spokesman said in response : “ We are cautiously optimistic that hope is still alive for US-North Korea dialogue . We are continuing to watch developments carefully . ”
Trump had earlier indicated the summit could be salvaged after welcoming a conciliatory statement from North Korea saying it remained open to talks .
“ It was a very nice statement they put out , ” Trump told reporters at the White House . “ We ’ ll see what happens - it could even be the 12th .
“ We ’ re talking to them now . They very much want to do it . We ’ d like to do it . ”
After years of tension over Pyongyang ’ s nuclear weapons program , Kim and Trump agreed this month to hold what would be the first meeting between a serving U.S. president and a North Korean leader . The plan followed months of war threats and insults between the leaders over North Korea ’ s development of missiles capable of reaching the United States .
Trump scrapped the meeting , planned for Singapore , in a letter to Kim on Thursday after repeated threats by North Korea to pull out over what it saw as confrontational remarks by U.S. officials demanding unilateral disarmament . Trump cited North Korean hostility in canceling the summit .
In Pyongyang , North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said North Korea ’ s criticisms had been a reaction to American rhetoric and that current antagonism showed “ the urgent necessity ” for the summit .
He said North Korea regretted Trump ’ s decision to cancel and remained open to resolving issues “ regardless of ways , at any time . ”
Kim Kye Gwan said North Korea had appreciated Trump having made the bold decision to work toward a summit .
“ We even inwardly hoped that what is called ‘ Trump formula ’ would help clear both sides of their worries and comply with the requirements of our side and would be a wise way of substantial effect for settling the issue , ” he said .
Trump ’ s latest about-face sent officials scrambling in Washington . Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters diplomats were “ still at work ” and said Trump had just sent a note out on the summit , which could be back on “ if our diplomats can pull it off . ”
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Katina Adams declined to give details of any diplomatic contacts but said : “ As the president said in his letter to Chairman Kim , dialogue between the two is the only dialogue that matters . If North Korea is serious , then we look forward hearing from them at the highest levels . ”
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Trump did not want a meeting that was “ just a political stunt . ”
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the White House for a trip to Annapolis , Maryland , in Washington , U.S. May 25 , 2018 . ███/Carlos Barria
“ He wants to get something that ’ s a long-lasting and an actual real solution . And if they are they are ready to do that then ... we ’ re certainly ready to have those conversations , ” she said .
North Korea had sharply criticized suggestions by Trump ’ s national security adviser , John Bolton , and Vice President Mike Pence that it could share the fate of Libya if it did not swiftly surrender its nuclear arsenal . Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed by NATO-backed militants after halting his nascent nuclear program .
Trump had initially sought to placate North Korea , saying he was not pursuing the “ Libya model ” and Sanders said he was following “ the President Trump model . ”
U.S. regional allies Japan and South Korea , as well as North Korea ’ s main ally , China , urged the two countries to salvage the summit on Friday .
At an economic forum in St. Petersburg , Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan said it was necessary to ensure security on the Korean peninsula , which touched on China ’ s core interests .
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , at the same forum , regretted the cancellation and said the world should keep doing its bit to make the summit happen .
South Korea also would continue efforts to improve ties with the North , the office of President Moon Jae-in said after Moon ’ s top security advisers met for the second time on Friday .
Some analysts worried that canceling the summit could prompt a resumption in hostilities , including renewed shorter-range missile tests or stepped-up cyber attacks by Pyongyang and increased sanctions or deployment of new military assets by Washington .
In his letter , Trump warned Kim of the United States ’ greater nuclear might , reminiscent of his tweet last year asserting that he had a “ much bigger ” nuclear button than Kim .
While the Trump administration had insisted on North Korea ’ s complete , verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its nuclear program , Pyongyang had always couched its language in terms of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula .
It has said in previous , failed talks that it could consider giving up its arsenal if the United States provided security guarantees by removing its troops from South Korea and withdrawing its so-called nuclear umbrella of deterrence from South Korea and Japan . | ca4450fa3c1b320a | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Business Insider | http://www.businessinsider.com/senate-healthcare-bill-trumpcare-ahca-details-changes-2017-6 | Senate Republicans just released a significant change to their healthcare bill | 2017-06-26 | healthcare | Senate Republicans on Monday released an updated version of their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act .
The legislation — called the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 — debuted on June 22 . The bill proposes rolling back much of the ACA , the healthcare law better known as Obamacare , including various tax provisions .
The revised version of the bill includes a provision that 's meant to replace the individual mandate by punishing people whose insurance has lapsed , locking them out of coverage for six months .
The revision closes a loophole in the original bill that could have hurt the health insurance market . To avoid adverse selection in the individual insurance market , there needs to be a continuous-coverage provision to keep healthy people buying insurance instead of waiting until they 're sick to do so .
Healthier people paying into the pool helps ensure that costs for everyone stay lower . To make sure the market is n't full of sick people — resulting in higher costs and financial losses for insurers — there needs to be some reason for healthy people to sign up . The most effective way to do so is by having the carrot of coverage benefits and the stick punishing those who do not have coverage .
Under Obamacare , this stick was the tax penalty for not having coverage . In the House Republicans ' bill , people who did not maintain coverage the year before could have their premiums raised by as much as 30 % as a penalty .
According to Larry Levitt , a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation , a nonpartisan health-policy think tank , the new provision may not work as intended .
`` I doubt this encourages many healthy people to sign up , '' Levitt tweeted on Monday after the changes were announced . `` That requires a lot of foresight among people not very focused on insurance . ''
The bill also tweaks some of the language in Section 106 , which discusses stability-program funding for states .
The legislation proposes scaling back funding that goes toward health coverage for low-income Americans and tax credits for middle-income earners who purchase their own health insurance .
The plan would also provide funding designed to help stabilize the Obamacare insurance markets in the near term and funnel money through programs to cut off access to funding for abortion providers .
The Senate legislation contains key differences from the American Health Care Act , the House GOP 's legislation to dismantle Obamacare . The disparities could be sticking points if the two chambers have to compromise on the bill , which they would have to do before it could reach President Donald Trump 's desk .
But first , the legislation faces an uncertain future in the Senate , as it faces some pushback from conservative members who think it may not go far enough in repealing Obamacare and moderates concerned about its slashing of Medicaid spending . Like the House legislation , it could be subject to significant changes to get the needed number of votes .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing for a vote by the end of the week , in part to avoid further public scrutiny of the bill over the weeklong July 4 recess . Similar scrutiny periled the original version of the House legislation . McConnell can afford to lose just two members of his conference for the bill to pass .
Here 's a rundown of the key provisions that were already in the bill :
Tax credits : What 's in the bill : To help people pay for insurance , the Senate bill proposes tax credits based on income level , a feature of Obamacare , rather than on age , as the House bill calls for . The bill would make anyone earning up to 350 % of the federal poverty level eligible for credits ; Obamacare caps that at 400 % . It would , however , adjust the credits to be less generous as a person ages . For instance , a 33-year-old making 175 % of the federal poverty level would receive enough in credits so they spend 5.3 % of their income on premiums . For people over 59 , that would increase to 8.3 % . Additionally , the credits would be capped at a lower percentage of overall medical costs than those under Obamacare , making them less generous overall . What it means : While the tax credits would be more generous for older Americans than the tax credits in the House bill , fewer middle-income people would get financial support to pay for coverage — and those who did would get less .
Medicaid expansion : What 's in the bill : Obamacare 's Medicaid expansion , which extended the program to those making 100 % to 138 % of the federal poverty level , would be phased out over four years — 90 % of the current federal funding would be provided in 2020 , decreasing by 5 % each year until 2023 , after which it would be eliminated . People would not be allowed to join the expansion from 2020 onward . The tax credits would be available to people who fell off the expansion . What it means : While this would save the federal government money , it would also mean the millions of people who have gained access to Medicaid would be rolled off . These people would be able to fall back on the less generous tax credits and access coverage through the individual insurance market .
Medicaid spending growth : What 's in the bill : The Senate bill retains the House 's per capita cap for federal Medicaid spending . After 2025 , however , growth in spending would shift from being tied to the consumer price index for medical care to the CPI for all goods , a lower level of growth . What it means : States would receive less funding each year from the federal government to help cover low-income Americans , and after 2025 the rate of growth would decline , possibly leading to even deeper cuts to the program .
States can institute Medicaid work requirements : What 's in the bill : This would allow states to create a provision under which people must maintain employment , as the state defines , for a period , also determined by the state , for a person to receive Medicaid . What it means : This is another longtime wish for Republicans , but it would also give states significant leeway to define what counts as work and how long someone has to hold a job to be eligible . It would not apply to students , pregnant women , or people with disabilities .
Cost-sharing subsidies : What 's in the bill : The bill would allocate money for cost-sharing subsidies through 2019 . These payments offset the costs for insurers to offer low-income Americans plans with smaller out-of-pocket costs . The uncertainty around these payments has led to instability in the individual insurance market . What it means : This should reassure insurers desperate for guidance ahead of the 2018 plan year and could bring down premium increases for the individual insurance market .
State waivers for Obamacare regulations : What 's in the bill : The Senate bill would allow states to request a waiver to opt out of Obamacare 's so-called essential health benefits , which mandate that all plans must cover 10 basic types of care . The ability to opt out of providing those benefits was a sticking point in the House legislation , and its inclusion ultimately allowed it to pass . The Senate bill , however , would not allow states to repeal community rating , the provision mandating that all people of the same age in the same area be charged the same amount . That 's a change from the House bill , which drew criticism from health-policy experts who said a repeal of community rating would allow insurers to charge people with preexisting conditions more . What it means : If a state were to receive a waiver for the benefits , it would allow for skimpier coverage offerings on its insurance market that would have cheaper premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs .
Repeal Obamacare 's taxes : What 's in the bill : Much like the House version , the Senate bill would do away with things like Obamacare 's 3.8 % tax on investment income on people earning more than $ 200,000 annually . What it means : The taxes in Obamacare fall predominantly on a small percentage of wealthy Americans who would see their tax bills decrease under the Senate bill . For instance , the Republican megadonor and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson could have his 2017 tax bill cut by roughly $ 44 million .
A fund to provide grants to fight the opioid crisis : What 's in the bill : The bill would establish a $ 2 billion fund for states for programs to `` support substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services for individuals with mental or substance use disorders . '' What it means : This is a one-time fund for 2018 , but it is likely to be favored by senators from states hit hard by the opioid crisis . It was a key ask from Ohio Sen . Rob Portman .
No funds can be used for abortions : What 's in the bill : No plan purchased using funding from the bill could cover abortions . Additionally , none of the funds allocated by the bill could be given to healthcare providers that offer abortion services . What it means : In addition to restricting anyone who used the credits or other funds from getting plans that cover abortions , this would effectively defund Planned Parenthood . It is unclear if this provision will pass Senate rules . | isOkrm4CQTqpneyI | 1 | Healthcare | -0.2 | Healthcare Reform | -0.2 | Better Care Reconciliation Act | 0 | null | null | null | null |
democratic_party | Bloomberg | https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-24/michael-bloomberg-joins-crowded-2020-democratic-field?srnd=premium | Michael Bloomberg Joins Crowded 2020 Democratic Field | 2019-11-24 | democratic_party | LISTEN TO ARTICLE 5:42 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email
Former New York Mayor Michael ███ announced he is running for the Democratic presidential nomination , offering his own mix of moderate policy stances and experience in business , government and philanthropy as the way to beat President Donald Trump .
███ , 77 , called Trump “ an existential threat to our country and our values ” as he joined a crowded field of candidates , with fewer than three months before the Iowa caucuses . His late entry will create added difficulties as he seeks to build a campaign infrastructure and support in key states .
“ I ’ m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America . We can not afford four more years of President Trump ’ s reckless and unethical actions , ” ███ said in a statement announcing his candidacy . “ If he wins another term in office , we may never recover from the damage . ”
He reconsidered his earlier decision not to run in 2020 as he saw the Democratic field struggling to produce a front-runner to take on Trump , with none of the current leading contenders able to break out of the pack .
███ is the founder and majority owner of ███ LP , the parent company of ███ News . He served as New York ’ s mayor for three terms and now funds a global philanthropic arm .
In his announcement video , ███ portrayed himself as no-nonsense business and government leader , who created jobs at his own company , helped rebuild New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks and threw himself behind the biggest challenges facing the country , including climate change and gun control . ███ founded Everytown for Gun Safety and Beyond Carbon on the climate front , and his announcement said that he has given $ 10 billion to charitable causes and that ███ Philanthropies works in 129 countries .
At the same time , ███ faces significant hurdles in the campaign , including his late start and questions about why a billionaire and former Republican with a past career on Wall Street should be the standard-bearer for a party whose base increasingly is moving to the left , with young , diverse voters often skeptical of big business .
███ has been sharply at odds with many of the key ideas driving the Democratic party ’ s progressive base , opposing a tax on wealth and Medicare for All plans backed by senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders .
Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said the re-election effort was ready for ███ ’ s entry .
“ It ’ s not that Michael ███ may be unwelcome by the national electorate . It ’ s , is he welcome in his own Democratic primary ? ” Conway said on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation . ”
Former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race as the front-runner , but he has struggled to raise money and at 77 , has faced questions about his age , verbal gaffes and other out-of-step comments . Pete Buttigieg , the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend , Indiana , has broken into a solid lead in Iowa with similarly centrist views , but lags in single digits in national polls and in predominantly non-white areas . That has potentially created an opening for ███ with centrist Democratic voters looking for someone who can defeat Trump .
Warren and Sanders have cemented their positions in the top tier of candidates but also raised concerns in the party that moving too far left would ensure Trump ’ s re-election .
███ spent more than $ 100 million to help Democrats take control of the U.S. House in 2018 . He plans to finance his own campaign , he said .
Refusing donations means that ███ will not qualify for any debates regulated by the Democratic Party , which has required candidates to meet a certain threshold of donations and polling numbers .
“ If that changes and we meet the eligibility requirements , we would gladly participate , ” campaign spokesman Jason Schechter said .
███ ’ s campaign announced a record-setting ad buy late last week , topping $ 34 million . That fueled criticism from some about self-funding a presidential campaign .
“ We do not believe that billionaires have the right to buy elections , '' Sanders tweeted on Sunday . `` That is why multi-billionaires like Michael ███ are not going to get very far in this election . ''
And the Progressive Change Campaign Committee , which supports Warren , called ███ `` the human embodiment of Elizabeth Warren ’ s core case for being president . ''
In addition , ███ already made plans to spend $ 100 million on a digital advertising campaign against Trump in the battleground states of Arizona , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin . He also announced plans to spend another $ 15 million to $ 20 million to register voters in competitive states .
When ███ was mayor , Republicans derided his efforts to limit the consumption of sugary drinks as a “ Big-Gulp ban ” and a symbol of government overreach . His support of a “ stop-and-frisk ” policing policy as mayor has been criticized for targeting blacks and Hispanics , key Democratic constituencies .
Last week , ███ apologized for the “ stop-and-frisk ” policy in a speech to the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn .
The campaign website ███ launched Sunday includes a biographical video and touts his work to stop gun violence and climate change . It says , “ But now , he sees a different kind of menace coming from Washington , so there ’ s no stopping here . ”
The video says everyone should have access to health insurance and “ everyone who likes theirs can go ahead and keep it. ” It also says the wealthy will pay more in taxes , the struggling middle class “ will get their fair share ” and jobs will be created “ that let you get ahead . ”
Biden addressed the new rival in a CNN interview that aired Friday .
“ I welcome the competition , ” he said . “ Watch me . Watch me . The idea that I ’ m not in better shape than Mayor ███ physically and otherwise ? ”
His late entry into the race gives him little time to catch up , so ███ plans to adopt an untested approach . He plans to bypass the first four contests in Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina – the traditional route to the nomination . Instead , he will focus on California and the other delegate-rich U.S. states voting in the March 3 Super Tuesday contests and later . | zmh6iOIXaFg7oUsz | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/obamacare-challenges-linger-89205.html?hp=t1_3 | Will Americans ever love Obamacare? | 2013-03-22 | healthcare | The Affordable Care Act , signed into law by Obama in 2010 , still faces challenges . Will Americans ever love Obamacare ?
All through the Obama years , backers of the Affordable Care Act have lifted their spirits with a consistent refrain : Just you wait .
Someday , the law 's backers insisted , Obamacare will make the transition from a divisive idea to a widely popular one , from a program that many people still find confusing and scary to a familiar and comforting part of American life .
This weekend , which marks the third anniversary of the law ’ s passage , one thing remains clear : Someday has not yet arrived , and may not for a long time .
Even as the pitched ideological and legal battles have faded , a huge raft of complicated and potentially crippling practical challenges remain , raising questions about whether Obamacare ultimately will work and whether it will become the Rushmore-size achievement that President Barack Obama hopes for .
Even the law ’ s most enthusiastic backers concede the path forward is difficult .
“ Sure , things aren ’ t going to be perfectly efficient the first day , ” said Jay Angoff , a health care consultant who formerly ran the federal exchange office and who still remains optimistic that kinks will be worked out .
Here are five challenges that still confront the Affordable Care Act , even three years after it became the law of the land :
The federal role in building the health insurance exchanges is bigger than expected — and money wasn ’ t set aside .
The Obama administration didn ’ t expect 33 states to refuse to build their own health insurance exchanges . When it asked Congress for another $ 1 billion for implementation , including money for the feds to build exchanges , the Republicans did not cut a check — and Democrats didn ’ t push much . The IRS didn ’ t have better luck asking for another $ 360 million for work on Obamacare tax provisions .
That ’ s a problem because although the law provides ample funding for state exchanges , it slotted just $ 1 billion for the feds to make it work . HHS hasn ’ t responded to questions from ███ about how much , if any , of that $ 1 billion is left or precisely how it ’ s cobbling together the rest of the money it needs to finish the job .
HHS keeps saying everything ’ s on track , but some Democrats are openly worried about how to pay for things like vastly complicated computer systems .
“ Without IT infrastructure to process enrollments and payments , verify eligibility and establish call centers , health insurance for millions of Americans could be further delayed , ” Rep. Nita Lowey ( D-N.Y. ) , the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee , said in a recent floor speech criticizing the House for not ponying up more money .
“ The massive uncertainty around their ability to pull this off is causing real problems , ” said James Capretta , a vocal Obamacare critic and former budget official under President George W. Bush .
The law ’ s advocates maintain HHS will get the job done . | FdrnW58pUgkYGj9E | 0 | Healthcare | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/22/us/politics/impeaching-trump-pelosi.html | Pelosi Urges Caution on Impeachment as Some Democrats Push to Begin | 2019-04-22 | impeachment | “ I think we have very good reason to believe that there is an investigation that has been conducted , which has produced evidence that tells us that this president and his administration engaged in obstruction of justice . I believe Congress should take the steps towards impeachment. ” “ If any other human being in this country had done what ’ s documented in the Mueller report , they would be arrested and put in jail . If there is going to be any accountability , that accountability has to come from the Congress , and the tool that we are given for that accountability is the impeachment process. ” “ I think it would be perfectly reasonable for Congress to open up those proceedings and it ’ s clear that Bob Mueller , in his report , left that in the hands of Congress. ” “ I think the American people are going to have a chance to decide this at the ballot box in November 2020 , and perhaps that ’ s the best way for us to resolve these outstanding questions. ” Reporter : “ Do you think there should be a conversation about impeachment , right now ? ” “ No. ” Reporter : “ Why not ? ” “ I think right now , we should continue this investigation . I think Mueller should come before and testify . I don ’ t think we should be having that conversation. ” “ Congress has got to take a hard look at that , and do a hard investigation and ask — subpoena the people who were mentioned in that report and bring them forward so to get to the truth . Did Trump actually obstruct justice ? ” “ I think he ’ s made it pretty clear that he deserves impeachment . I ’ ll leave it to the — [ applause ] but I ’ m also going to leave it to the House and Senate to figure that out because my role in the process is trying to relegate Trumpism to the dustbin of history . And I think there ’ s no more decisive way to do that , especially to get Republicans to abandon this kind of deal with the devil they made , than to have just an absolute thumping at the ballot box. ” “ The impeachment proceedings are up to the House . They ’ re going to have to make that decision . I am in the Senate , and I believe that we are the jury . So , if the House brings the impeachment proceedings before us , we will deal with them . ” | 3Vq1Qfnfoz8pnvtC | 0 | Nancy Pelosi | 0 | Impeachment | 0 | US House | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
elections | Politico | https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/03/democratic-presidential-candidates-2020-1142895 | 2020 Democratic holdouts wait for Harris, Warren to trip | 2019-02-03 | elections | Beto O ’ Rourke has no timetable for deciding if he ’ ll run for president . Terry McAuliffe could stay on the sidelines until March , and Steve Bullock just opened a Montana legislative session that likely would push back any announcement as far as April or May .
Amid a series of high-profile campaign announcements in January — and with Cory Booker ’ s entry Friday continuing the push this month — another class of Democrats is lying in wait . They say they just have n't decided . But they 're also sizing up the emerging field — and hoping for one or more of the early front-runners to stumble .
“ I think what you ’ re seeing right now , if you look at the field , people are taking a minute to see how it ’ s shaping up and what lanes there are , so that when they enter , there ’ s a clear argument to be made about what ’ s missing , ” said an adviser to one Democratic contender who is waiting to make an announcement . “ The people who are getting in early have the advantage of sucking up some press oxygen . But that also comes with six months of consecutively being hit . … It ’ s hard to keep that momentum going for 13 months . ”
A strategist with ties to another Democrat who is expected to run said that contender is making a similar calculation . They figure voters will be more receptive to newcomers by early summer , after copious media coverage of top-tier candidates such as Sens . Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren .
Touching off a tour of early nominating states this week , Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D-Ohio ) , told reporters he will make his decision about running in March , according to The Cincinnati Enquirer . Other late decisions could come from Sen. Jeff Merkley ( D-Ore. ) , Rep. Seth Moulton ( D-Mass . ) and Howard Schultz , the former Starbucks chief executive and self-described lifelong Democrat who is mulling a run as an independent .
O ’ Rourke , who told ███ recently his decision could “ potentially ” take months , said , “ There are people who are smarter on this stuff and study this stuff and are following this and say you ’ ve got to do it this way or get in by this point or get in in this way if you were to get in . ”
COUNTDOWN TO 2020 The race for 2020 starts now . Stay in the know . Follow our presidential election coverage . Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from ███ . You can unsubscribe at any time .
However , he said , “ I think the truth is that nobody knows right now the rules on any of this stuff . I think the rules are being written in the moment . ”
In recent decades , late entrants into presidential primaries have fared poorly , having less time to court media attention and donors , hire staff , and organize in early primary states . Retired Gen. Wesley Clark , who entered the 2004 primary campaign months after his competitors in September 2003 , enjoyed a bounce in public opinion polls before faltering in the early nominating states .
Four years later , Republican Fred Thompson entered his party ’ s primary in the fall of 2007 , but quickly faded .
Schooling her rivals in the benefit of a well-orchestrated , early campaign launch , Harris in late January vaulted ahead of every Democrat other than former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in a ███/Morning Consult poll .
But with no obvious front-runner in 2020 — and with the rise of small-dollar fundraising limiting the influence of major Democratic donors — the opportunity for a late entrant to upend the race is gaining stock in some Democratic circles .
“ I don ’ t think it matters as much as it used to , to get out early , to announce early , ” said former New Mexico Gov . Bill Richardson , who ran for president in 2008 . “ In the past , you wanted to announce early to get the major party donors and to get the workers . … But now things have changed dramatically . Online fundraising has replaced the big megadonors , and there are so many millennials and young people wanting to work that you can afford to wait and still get good workers . ”
In the run-up to 2020 , he said , `` It 's OK to wait . Those that announce late … can afford to do that , when in the past it was folly . ”
The lateness of a campaign announcement is a matter of degree , and most serious Democratic candidates are expected to announce their candidacies well before presidential debates begin this summer . Yet in the interim , candidates who are holding off do not appear to be missing out . Most donors and party activists have yet to commit to any one Democratic contender .
David Keith , a Democratic campaign strategist based in Chicago , said that as long as potential candidates can keep donors and influential Democrats from signing up with an announced rival , they might not suffer at all — and might benefit from speculation surrounding their looming decision .
“ Suspense is certainly a part of politics , ” Keith said . “ And it keeps you in the game without being an official candidate . ”
O ’ Rourke , the former congressman from Texas , has benefited from a deluge of publicity from a solo road trip through the Southwest and a “ Draft Beto ” effort encouraging him to run . Without a declared candidate , Democrats at a “ Draft Beto ” event in New Hampshire read aloud dispatches O ’ Rourke posted online from his road trip . Primary campaigns become more onerous for a candidate once he or she has announced .
“ Before you go into the race , everybody wants you in it , and everybody is so friendly and nice from the media , ” said Clark , a former NATO supreme allied commander . “ As soon as you go in , they unload , and you can already see this happening . … Partly , it ’ s an effort by the campaigns to get the negatives out of the way . But partly it ’ s an effort by the media to take you down and create the controversy that builds reader interest . ”
Nearly a year before Iowa holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses , Harris and Warren have come in for detailed examinations of their records , while 2020 contenders and potential candidates this week began feuding about policy positions related to health care and taxes .
“ When you go in early , you get first dibs at the money raising , you get first dibs at staffers , you get first dibs at speaking opportunities , ” Clark said . “ When you go in later , you get the buildup of the anticipation — the friendly jousting of the media that says , ‘ So and so may come in now , and boy , he or she would be wonderful . ’ ”
Still , there are limits to how long one can wait . Ben LaBolt , a former White House aide and press secretary for President Barack Obama ’ s 2012 reelection campaign , said that “ unless something crazy happens , ” most candidates would need to announce by summer to have time to build name recognition , organize and raise money .
“ It might be slightly different if you ’ re a self-funder or have national name ID that doesn ’ t need to be established for the first time , ” he said . “ But if you ’ ve got to define your brand , define your name with the electorate , organize on the ground in early states , organize a fundraising operation , there ’ s no time like the present to get in . ”
“ Back in the day , there was always some fanfare about a white knight jumping into the race late , ” LaBolt said . “ But Presidents Wesley Clark and Fred Thompson can tell you it didn ’ t work out particularly well . ”
But James Carville , a former Bill Clinton strategist , said the 2020 primary is so unpredictable that a latecomer could succeed where such candidates have failed .
“ It ’ s conceivable that there ’ s somebody who says , ‘ I ’ d really like to be president , but if I get in this meat grinder , I don ’ t see how I come out of it , ’ ” Carville said . “ ’ And there ’ s some chance that the process will be difficult and everybody will get diminished at some point . … If it breaks down , and there ’ s some chance it will , then I will mount my white horse and come into battle . ’ ”
Carville said , “ I don ’ t know if it ’ s a good strategy , but it ’ s a strategy . ” | WKwliODofoSydmtS | 0 | Democratic Party | 0.7 | Presidential Elections | 0.1 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | CBN | http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/June/Protesters-Block-Roads-as-G-7-Summit-Starts/ | Obama's ISIS, Russia Strategy in Question at G-7 | 2015-06-07 | foreign_policy | Russia and ISIS topped the agenda as the leaders of the industrialized democracies gathered in Germany this past weekend for the G-7 summit .
While sanctions against Russia will be maintained , some leaders may be starting to question America 's foreign policy strategy .
Russia missed the summit for the second year in a row . That 's because the leaders of the world 's top industrialzed democracies kicked Moscow out of their annual meeting after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine .
Russia was further isolated when the G-7 nations imposed sanctions against the country last year because of Crimea and its armed support of pro-Russian rebels fighting in Ukraine .
Meeting over a beer Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel , host of this year 's summit , President Barack Obama revealed what was on his mind : `` standing up to Russian aggression in Ukraine . ''
Both Obama and the German chancellor agreed sanctions against Russia should not be lifted until President Vladimir Putin fully implements terms of the peace accord reached in Minsk last February .
Putin said the West has nothing to fear from Russia , insisting it 's actions in Crimea , Ukraine , and elsewhere are simply defensive , not offensive actions .
Some European officials agree , and they may move to weaken the sanctions against Russia with or without the United States and Germany .
Also of concern to the G-7 leaders is the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria .
The general in charge of effort to recapture Ramadi and other areas in Anbar province said the Iraqi military has secured the defense lines leading to Baghdad .
Still , some of the European leaders do n't think Obama 's strategy is working .
With ISIS making gains in both Iraq and Syria -- and Russia 's Putin flexing his military muscle in Ukraine and around the world -- Obama 's foreign policy decisions are being called into question , not only by critics in the United States , but by some of America 's closest allies . | ndVjXs7wqVALvN8W | 2 | Foreign Policy | -0.3 | G7 | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | Baltimore Sun | http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-23/news/bs-ed-common-core-20130923_1_common-core-standards-public-forum | Robert Small deserves an apology | 2013-09-23 | Free Speech, Education | In the grand scheme of obstructions at public meetings , Howard County parent Robert Small 's insistence on challenging state and local education officials about the new curriculum being implemented based on Common Core standards barely registers . He engaged in no name-calling , made no threats and was asking a question directly related to the topic at hand . Had Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance overlooked Mr. Small 's breach of protocol — questions were supposed to be submitted in writing rather than called out by members of the audience — he and the others on the panel might have been able to dispel some myths about what the Common Core entails . Instead , Mr. Small 's arrest by an off-duty Baltimore County police officer , which was captured on video , is serving only to fan a misinformed but growing backlash to the new standards .
The likes of Glenn Beck are attacking the Common Core as a federal takeover of the nation 's education system . Though that 's hardly accurate , it 's a narrative that is helped immeasurably by what happened to Mr. Small . At a public forum in Towson on Thursday , Mr. Small stood and asked the panel to respond to his concern that the Common Core would lower standards and prepare students for community college rather than four-year universities . Mr. Dance can be heard on a video recording of the incident seeking to silence Mr. Small and promising that his question would be answered . Mr. Small would not yield the floor , and shortly thereafter a security guard approached him and said , `` Let 's go . '' Mr. Small kept talking . The security guard showed him his badge , grabbed Mr. Small 's arm and forcibly pulled him into the aisle .
Mr. Small persisted , urging the other parents not to put up with being treated like `` cattle , '' but he also generally backed toward the door . Any contact he made with the officer , at least during the period captured by the video , was incidental and not aggressive in nature . Yet he soon found himself handcuffed and sitting on the curb outside . He was taken to the Towson police precinct and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer and disturbing a school operation . Baltimore County State 's Attorney Scott Shellenberger wisely announced Monday that he would drop the charges . But for those who see the Common Core as something being shoved down the public 's throats by an overbearing government , the fact that Mr. Small was arrested in the first place provided the ultimate proof .
What 's worse , it comes at a time when the implementation of the Common Core is experiencing some significant snags . The federal government has not relaxed its requirement that students be given annual assessments , even though tests geared to the new standards are still in the development stages , so Maryland and many other states plan to continue giving their old exams this year . Teachers remain unsure whether their performance evaluations will be based in part on the results of those tests , and many are experiencing frustration in trying to adapt their lesson plans . In that context , the video of Mr. Small 's arrest has quickly gone viral .
The real shame of the incident is that Mr. Small has it backward when it comes to the Common Core . It is designed to increase academic rigor , not to reduce it . Mr. Small 's contends that `` you 're not preparing them for Harvard , '' but the old curriculum certainly was n't either . The Common Core standards emerged out of an unprecedented collaboration between 48 states , Washington D.C. and two territories to determine what students need to know to prepare them for higher education and careers in an increasingly competitive global economy . The work was validated by teachers , principals , state education officials and researchers — including , for the record , at least one from Harvard 's Graduate School of Education . It focuses on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills and seeks to correct flaws in existing methods that often led to students covering large amounts of material with little depth or understanding .
Moreover , it is important to note that the Common Core is a set of standards , not a curriculum . Individual states and school districts are developing their own curricula to meet those standards , so Mr. Small , who said he moved to Howard County because of its excellent schools , need not fear that his children 's education will be `` dumbed down '' to some lowest common denominator . Finally , the standards do not represent limits on what students can or should learn in school . Those who are seeking admittance to competitive colleges will be expected to exceed the minimum standards under the Common Core , just as they have always done .
There is probably little that Mr. Dance can do now to reverse the damage caused by Mr. Small 's arrest . But issuing a statement on Monday , as Mr. Dance did , that acknowledges the need to better explain the Common Core without even mentioning Thursday 's incident only makes matters worse . Mr. Dance and the rest of those involved owe Mr. Small an apology . | f40aa6cd33d04ab2 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/16/chicago-teachers-union-delegates-could-end-strike-at-meeting/?test=latestnews | Chicago mayor seeks to end strike after teachers decide to extend into second week | 2012-09-16 | education | Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked an Illinois court Monday to force Chicago school teachers back to work and end a weeklong strike he calls illegal , but the court wo n't issue a ruling until later this week .
The union has condemned the move as an act of vindictiveness by a `` bullying '' mayor .
Emanuel spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton said city attorneys asked the Cook County Circuit Court to force Chicago Teachers Union members off the picket line and back into classrooms .
A spokesman for the city 's law office , Roderick Drew , said the judge was n't expected to rule on the filing Monday , nor have arguments been scheduled . He did n't expect a ruling until later in the week .
`` Nothing will be set today , '' he said . `` Beyond that , we do n't know . ''
Cook County Judge Peter Flynn said to a city attorney that he preferred to schedule a hearing on the request for Wednesday , Drew told the Chicago Sun-Times .
Drew did not provide an explanation for the delay , but Flynn later said that Chicago Public Schools likely would want to confer with the union , since the union did not have an attorney in the courtroom .
The delay likely means that students will at least miss school on Tuesday .
The request argues the strike is illegal because state law bars the union from striking on anything but economic issues and that the work stoppage is focused instead on such issues as evaluations , layoffs and recall rights .
The 700-page filing also contends the strike presents a danger to public health and safety , partly because more than 80 percent of 350,000 public students rely on school meals for their basic nutrition ; it says 50,000 others , including autistic students , depend on special instruction . And out of school , children more prone to fall victim to violence , it says .
`` At a critical time in their lives , a vulnerable population has been cast adrift by the CTU 's decision to close down the schools , with consequent grave implications for the residents of the city of Chicago , '' the court document says .
The union blasted the city 's decision to resort to legal action .
In a statement released later Monday , the CTU said the filing appeared to be `` a vindictive act . ''
`` This attempt to thwart our democratic process is consistent with Mayor Emanuel 's bullying behavior toward public school educators , '' the union said in the statement .
The union and school leaders seemed headed toward a resolution at the end of last week , saying they were optimistic students in the nation 's third-largest school district would be back in class by Monday . But teachers uncomfortable with a tentative contract offer decided Sunday to remain on strike , saying they needed more time to review a complicated proposal .
Emanuel fired back , saying he told city attorneys to seek a court order forcing Chicago Teachers Union members back into the classroom .
Teachers on the picket line at Mark T. Skinner West Elementary School on Chicago 's near West Side declined to comment before the lawsuit was filed Monday as the possibility of legal action loomed over them .
The strike is the first for the city 's teachers in 25 years and has kept students out of class , leaving parents to make other plans .
Working mom Dequita Wade said that when the strike started , she sent her son 15 miles away to a cousin 's house so he would n't be left unsupervised in a neighborhood known for violent crime and gangs . She was hoping the union and district would work things out quickly .
`` You had a whole week . This is beginning to be ridiculous , '' Wade said . `` Are they going to keep prolonging things ? ''
Months of contract negotiations have come down to two main issues central to the debate over the future of education across the United States : teacher evaluations and job security .
Union delegates said they felt uncomfortable approving the contract because they had seen it only in bits . The union will meet again Tuesday , after the end of Rosh Hashana , the Jewish new year .
`` There 's no trust for our members of the board , '' Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis told reporters Sunday night . `` They 're not happy with the agreement . They 'd like it to actually be a lot better . ''
Emanuel showed his frustration at the striking public school teachers in a written statement Sunday night .
`` This was a strike of choice and is now a delay of choice that is wrong for our children , '' Emanuel said .
The strike has shined a spotlight on Emanuel 's leadership more than ever , and some experts have suggested the new contract -- which features annual pay raises and other benefits -- is a win for union .
`` I 'm hard-pressed to imagine how they could have done much better , '' said Robert Bruno , a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago . `` This is a very impressive outcome for the teachers . ''
With an average salary of $ 76,000 , Chicago teachers are among the highest-paid in the nation , and the contract outline calls for annual raises . But some teachers are upset it did not restore a 4 percent raise Emanuel rescinded last year .
Emanuel pushed for a contract that includes ratcheting up the percentage of evaluations based on student performance , to 35 percent within four years . The union contends that does not take into account outside factors that affect student performance such as poverty and violence .
The union pushed for a policy to give laid-off teachers first dibs on open jobs anywhere in the district , but the city said that would keep principals from hiring the teachers they think are most qualified .
The union has engaged in something of a publicity campaign , telling parents about problems that include a lack of important books and basic supplies .
`` I do n't think they 're wrong . The things they 're asking for are within reason , '' said Pamela Edwards , who has sent her 16-year-old daughter to one of about 140 schools the district has kept open during the strike to provide meals and supervision .
Others said they understand why teachers are taking their time .
`` As much as we want our kids back in school , teachers need to make sure they have dotted all their i 's and crossed their t 's , '' said Becky Malone , mother of a second grader and fourth grader , who 've been studying at home and going to museums over the last week . `` What 's the point of going on strike if you do n't get everything you need out of it ? For parents , it 'll be no more of a challenge than it 's been in the past week . '' | 2XWfq8QtW13ffDkW | 2 | Chicago Teachers Strike | -1.2 | Education | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | The Hill | https://thehill.com/policy/defense/465143-us-soldier-in-syria-i-am-ashamed-for-the-first-time-in-my-career | US soldier in Syria: 'I am ashamed for the first time in my career' | 2019-10-10 | foreign_policy | A U.S. special forces member serving with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) in Syria said Turkey is inflicting atrocities as it invades northeastern Syria .
“ I am ashamed for the first time in my career , ” the unidentified soldier , who has been involved in the training of indigenous forces on multiple continents , told Fox News Wednesday .
“ Turkey is not doing what it agreed to . It ’ s horrible , ” the soldier added . “ We met every single security agreement . The Kurds met every single agreement [ with the Turks ] . There was no threat to the Turks — none — from this side of the border . ”
Turkey launched an offensive against Kurdish groups Wednesday in northern Syria after President Trump Donald John TrumpDem lawmaker says Nunes threatened to sue him over criticism Parnas : U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed to clear path for investigations into Bidens Five takeaways from Parnas 's Maddow interview MORE announced that U.S. troops would withdraw from the area in anticipation of the operation , removing the chief deterrent to Ankara 's offensive .
Trump sparked a firestorm in Washington over the decision , saying he does not want to fight “ endless wars . ”
“ The Kurds fought with us , but were paid massive amounts of money and equipment to do so . They have been fighting Turkey for decades . I held off this fight for almost 3 years , but it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars , many of them tribal , and bring our soldiers home , ” Trump tweeted on Monday . “ WE WILL FIGHT WHERE IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT , AND ONLY FIGHT TO WIN . ”
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , a staunch Trump ally and defense hawk , fired back , saying the decision was a “ disaster in the making ” that “ ensures [ an ] ISIS comeback ” and “ will be a stain on America ’ s honor for abandoning the Kurds . ”
Turkey has long viewed Kurdish groups in northern Syria , which have worked with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS , as linked with the Kurdistan Workers ' Party ( PKK ) , which is labeled a terrorist organization by both Washington and Ankara .
Reports have emerged of several civilians already being killed since Turkey ’ s military operation began , with the U.S. soldier telling Fox News that Trump “ doesn ’ t understand the problem . He doesn ’ t understand the repercussions of this ” and that U.S. troops are just `` sitting by and watching it unfold . ”
“ This is insanity , ” the U.S. service member said . `` I don ’ t know what they call atrocities , but they are happening . ”
Defense officials have reportedly expressed concerns that the offensive against the SDF could lead to the inadvertent release of several ISIS members it is detaining . Trump confirmed Thursday morning that the U.S. took custody of two militants believed to be part of an execution unit in case the Kurds or Turkey `` lose control . ”
In case the Kurds or Turkey lose control , the United States has already taken the 2 ISIS militants tied to beheadings in Syria , known as the Beetles , out of that country and into a secure location controlled by the U.S . They are the worst of the worst ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) October 10 , 2019
“ This is not helping the ISIS fight , ” the soldier said , adding that many of the ISIS prisoners “ will be free in the coming days and weeks . ” | TUvm7mqopCQVzkRZ | 1 | Military | -0.5 | Donald Trump | -0.2 | Syria | -0.2 | Turkey | 0 | Foreign Policy | 0 |
foreign_policy | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/bernie-sanders-foreign-policy-deficit-218431 | Bernie's foreign policy deficit | 2016-01-30 | foreign_policy | Not long after President Barack Obama ordered U.S. airstrikes in Libya in 2011 , his national security adviser , Tom Donilon , trekked to Capitol Hill to brief Democratic senators . After a few minutes of discussion about the military operation , Bernie Sanders took the floor .
“ Sanders delivered a meandering manifesto about Democratic messaging on the economy , ” says a former Senate chief of staff . “ It was n't that his insights were wrong . It just was n't the time or place . Everyone was thinking , ‘ Here goes Bernie ! ’ ”
Current and former Senate aides call the episode typical of Sanders , who on any given day would rather talk about Wall Street profits than about Middle East conflict .
Now , as Sanders threatens to deal Hillary Clinton a stunning defeat in Monday 's Iowa caucuses , Democrats are increasingly worried that their party could nominate a candidate with unmatched passion on economics but thin credentials on foreign policy .
Sanders has yet to give a speech exclusively on foreign policy , and on Friday his campaign backed away from an earlier commitment to deliver one before the Iowa vote . Numerous Democratic foreign policy insiders contacted by ███ could not name anyone who regularly advises the Vermont Senator on world affairs — a stark contrast to a Clinton campaign teeming with several hundred foreign policy advisers . It is also a contrast to Barack Obama 's 2008 campaign , which by this point in that campaign featured a cadre of prominent foreign policy hands , including former national security advisers Anthony Lake and Zbigniew Brzezinski .
When asked whether Sanders has a full-time campaign staffer who handles foreign policy issues , his campaign did not respond . And several people whom the Sanders campaign has cited as sources of national security advice tell ███ they barely know the socialist firebrand .
“ Apparently I had a conversation with him last August , ” said Tamara Cofman Wittes , a Brookings Institution Middle East scholar , after checking her calendar upon hearing that her name was on a list of people the Sanders campaign said he had consulted in recent months . “ My vague recollection is that it was about [ the Islamic State ] but I do n't really remember any of the details. ” Wittes added that she backs Clinton .
“ I don ’ t know how I got on Bernie Sanders ’ list , ” said Ray Takeyh , an Iran scholar at the Council on Foreign Relations who says he spoke to Sanders once or twice about the Iran nuclear deal at Sanders ’ request in mid-2015 .
With a recent NBC poll showing that only 16 percent of Democratic primary voters call foreign policy or terrorism the most important issue to them , it may be that Sanders can afford to put off the task of building his national security profile until a potential nomination — and the higher expectations of a general election — comes within closer reach . But it is an axiom of presidential politics is that candidates must pass the proverbial “ commander in chief test ” if they hope to be elected .
“ It ’ s critical for someone who wants to serve as commander in chief to speak with a depth of knowledge on this whole range of threats we face , ” from the Islamic State to Russia to China , said Michael Breen , president and CEO of the Truman National Security Project , a nonprofit network of more than 1500 mostly Democratic foreign policy experts and activists .
Breen ’ s group has advised more than 100 candidates at the state and federal level in this election cycle , hosted a June foreign policy address by former Maryland Governor Martin O ’ Malley , another Democratic presidential candidate , and held a November roundtable with Clinton in New Hampshire . But it hasn ’ t heard from Sanders .
“ We really hope that Senator Sanders engages more substantively in these conversations going forward , ” said Breen , who is not aligned with any campaign .
On Friday Sanders ’ campaign sent ███ a list of a dozen foreign policy experts that it said he and his top Senate foreign policy aide , Caryn Compton , have consulted in the past several months . The list includes regional experts from several think tanks like Brookings and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , as well as second-term Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ( D-Hawaii ) , an Army veteran . Other names include Michael Walzer , a Princeton University professor who has written about “ just war ” theory , and James Zogby , president of the Arab-American Institute .
“ Sanders talks about foreign policy all the time , ” said his spokesman Michael Briggs , noting that the subject often comes up during Sanders ’ s appearances on Sunday talk shows .
“ And oh yeah , he voted against the Iraq war , ” Briggs added .
Sanders ’ campaign often invokes his 2002 Iraq vote as a trump card against his primary rival ’ s mounting attacks over his foreign policy chops . Clinton and a majority of other Senate Democrats supported the Senate ’ s authorization of military force against Iraq — a episode that may have cost Clinton her chance at the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination .
Sanders has also criticized Clinton 's support for the 2011 Libya intervention , and her recent proposal to implement a no-fly zone in Syria , which Sanders calls a dangerous escalation of U.S. involvement there . ( `` I fear very much that we will get sucked into perpetual warfare in that quagmire , '' Sanders said at a Thursday breakfast talk sponsored by Bloomberg Politics . ) But he tends to focus on foreign issues only when asked , rather than on his own initiative .
And in Congress , say current and former staffers , Sanders was almost invisible on national security issues . He did not seek out assignments to committees dealing with foreign affairs , defense or intelligence , and rarely sponsored or fought for Democratic proposals on those issues .
That is all the more surprising given the burning interest Sanders showed in world affairs early in his career . As mayor of Burlington , Vermont , in the 1980s , Sanders boasted that the city had its own `` foreign policy '' and his travels to places like Nicaragua , Cuba and the Soviet Union drew complaints that he was distracted from local issues . `` I saw no magic line separating local , state , national and international issues , '' Sanders said at the time .
After his arrival in Congress in 1991 , Sanders began placing far less emphasis on foreign affairs . In a House floor speech opposing the Gulf War he gave as a freshman congressman , he focused on domestic needs : `` The two million homeless people in our country ... are not going to win this war . There will be no money to house them , '' Sanders said .
Other liberal Democrats with strong domestic views have still left imprints on foreign policy , noted Mieke Eoyang a former national security aide to several liberal members of Congress , including the late Senator Ted Kennedy . Sanders 's Democratic Senate colleague from Vermont , Patrick Leahy , was a key player in Obama 's restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba and has fought to link U.S. military aid with human rights .
`` There are progressives who have believed deeply that war and peace are crucial issues for the nation , '' said Eoyang , now with the centrist think tank Third Way and an informal adviser to the Clinton campaign . `` Bernie was n't part of that . He was just missing . ''
Even as she plays defense over her Iraq vote , in recent weeks Clinton has been questioning Sanders ’ grasp of foreign affairs with increasing bite — particularly after Sanders said in a recent debate that the U.S. should “ move as aggressively as we can to normalize relations with Iran. ” Sanders went on to qualify his remark , adding that “ Iran ’ s behavior in so many ways is something that we disagree with. ” But Clinton ’ s campaign pounced on the first half of the statement as dangerously naïve .
“ We are concerned that Senator Sanders has not thought through these crucial national security issues that can have profound consequences for our security , ” wrote 10 pro-Clinton foreign policy experts in a public letter released by her campaign .
Sanders has no equivalent team of defenders . Five of the people cited by his campaign say they have only spoken to him once or twice . One is President Barack Obama 's deputy national security advisor , Ben Rhodes , whom Sanders mentioned at the Bloomberg Politics breakfast . Rhodes told CNN that he had spoken to Sanders twice as part of `` standard briefings '' he gives members of Congress on issues like Iran and ISIS .
At the Bloomberg breakfast , Sanders also named two Democratic Senators , Ben Cardin , the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , and Robert Menendez , who preceded Cardin in the job . `` I work with , you know , people in Congress , we talk , '' Sanders said .
Senate Democratic aides expressed surprise that Sanders named two centrist Democrats who both opposed the Iran nuclear deal , which Sanders supports , and are also allied with Clinton . Menendez is among the Senate 's most conservative Democrats on foreign policy . He was a national co-chair of Clinton 's 2008 campaign . Cardin headlined a 2014 fundraiser for the Ready for Hillary Super PAC .
`` Off-the-cuff conversations between members always spark up between votes or after hearings , and many members certainly seek out the thoughts of Senator Menendez and committee leadership on a range of foreign policy issues , '' said one Senate Democratic aide .
Other foreign policy pros named by Sanders seemed similarly distant from him .
`` I wish that everybody that we meet with would list me as an adviser , '' joked Jeremy Ben-Ami , president of liberal Israel advocacy group J Street , who says he has briefed countless members of Congress and multiple presidential candidates .
`` Of course I 've met with Bernie to lay out our agenda , '' he said . `` But we meet with everybody . ''
Though he said he is no Sanders confidant , Takeyh called the Vermonter thoughtful on the subject of the Iran nuclear deal . Takeyh opposed the deal , but Sanders called him anyway . `` He wanted to hear different perspectives . He demonstrated command of the topic , '' Takeyh said .
Before hanging up , Takeyh added , Sanders told him to keep in touch with his office . It did n't happen . | D86AnTpCF00JVBEp | 0 | Presidential Elections | -0.5 | Bernie Sanders | -0.5 | Foreign Policy | 0.1 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
elections | Christian Science Monitor | http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2016/0307/Why-Michael-Bloomberg-decided-not-to-run-for-president-video | Why Michael Bloomberg decided not to run for president | 2016-03-07 | elections | Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday that he will not run for president , citing a concern that his independent bid would hand the White House to Donald Trump or Ted Cruz .
The billionaire , who has spent months mulling a third-party run that would have roiled this year 's already extraordinarily unpredictable presidential campaign , made his decision official through an editorial posted on the Bloomberg View website .
Bloomberg wrote that a three-way race could lead to no one winning a majority of electoral votes , which would send the race to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives — and , therefore , to one of the GOP front-runners .
`` That is not a risk I can take in good conscience , '' Bloomberg wrote .
Bloomberg was blistering in his critique of Trump , currently the GOP front-runner , saying the real estate mogul has run `` the most divisive and demagogic presidential campaign I can remember , preying on people 's prejudices and fears . ''
He was similarly critical of Cruz , saying the Texas senator 's `` pandering on immigration may lack Trump 's rhetorical excess , but it is no less extreme . ''
Bloomberg acknowledged that he and Trump had been on `` friendly terms '' and that he had twice agreed to be on Trump 's reality TV show `` The Apprentice . '' But the former mayor said Trump 's campaign `` appeals to our worst impulses . ''
`` We can not 'make America great again ' by turning our backs on the values that made us the world 's greatest nation in the first place , '' Bloomberg wrote . `` I love our country too much to play a role in electing a candidate who would weaken our unity and darken our future — and so I will not enter the race for president of the United States . ''
Bloomberg made only an oblique reference to Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and did not endorse a candidate .
The former three-term mayor — who had indicated he would spend $ 1 billion of his own money on the campaign — had set a mid-March deadline for his team of advisers to assess the feasibility of mounting a run , believing that waiting longer would imperil his ability to complete the petition process needed to get on the ballots in all 50 states .
He had taken some initial steps , cutting a mock TV ad , preparing to open campaign offices in Texas and North Carolina — states with early ballot access deadlines — and having aides begin to vet possible vice presidential candidates , including Michael Mullen , the retired admiral and former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff .
Those close to the process said Bloomberg had believed the dominance of Trump among Republicans and the rise of Sanders amid Democrats had opened a centrist lane for a non-ideological , pragmatic campaign . But Clinton 's string of recent victories has given her a firm grip on the lead for the Democratic nomination and is blocking Bloomberg 's possible path , aides to the mayor said .
The decision concludes Bloomberg 's third and likely final flirtation with a White House run , a possibility that had grown popular among New York 's business class and , the mayor 's aides had believed , could have resonated with moderates and independents across the nation .
Aides to Bloomberg , the 74-year-old Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat-turned-independent , have said their own polling suggested that Bloomberg had a viable path to the needed 270 electoral votes if Trump and Sanders were the nominees .
But as Clinton surged , Bloomberg — known largely outside New York for his crusades against guns and Big Soda , positions likely unpopular with Republicans nationwide — grew worried that he would siphon more support from her than Trump , ensuring that part of the mayor 's carefully managed legacy would be that he helped give Trump the White House .
If Clinton won the Democratic nomination , Bloomberg 's aides believed he had enough support to send the race to the House — but not to win there .
One of the richest people in the United States , estimated to be worth $ 38 billion , Bloomberg has previously toyed with presidential runs , but concluded ahead of the 2008 and 2012 campaigns he could not win .
The founder of the financial news and information provider Bloomberg LP , he was a political novice when he launched an unlikely bid for mayor in 2001 .
He is largely a social liberal — he fought for same-sex marriage in New York and is pro-abortion rights — and implemented a number of health reforms in New York City , banning smoking in public places and instituting calorie counts on menus .
He has also become one of the nation 's most vocal proponents of gun control , using his fortune to bankroll candidates across the country who clash with the National Rifle Association . But liberals have found fault with his cozy ties to Wall Street and his unquestioned support for the New York Police Department , which drove down crime during his tenure but engaged in tactics that a federal judge later ruled discriminated against minorities .
After leaving office , he returned to running his company , which posted $ 9 billion in revenue last year , and continues to run his foundation . He gave away more than $ 500 million in 2015 .
Get the Monitor Stories you care about delivered to your inbox . By signing up , you agree to our Privacy Policy | FDN0aoTpLH0dzWky | 1 | Michael Bloomberg | 0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/08/31/romney_here_we_stand_americans_have_a_choice | Romney: "Here We Stand. Americans Have a Choice." | 2012-08-31 | elections | TAMPA , FL - Governor Mitt Romney accepted his party 's nomination for the presidency of the United States of America tonight , telling RNC delegates that voters face a clear choice in November . His remarks focused on his broad executive experience in both the private and public sectors , and the future he envisions for America . The basic message : Here 's who I am . Here 's where I come from and what I 've done . Here are my values . Here 's the current state of the union . And here are my solutions . Please join me . Like Paul Ryan last night , Romney drew contrasts with his opponent , but his criticisms generally seemed less barbed . His was a tone of disappointment , not anger :
But for too many Americans , these good days are harder to come by . How many days have you woken up feeling that something really special was happening in America ? Many of you felt that way on Election Day four years ago . Hope and Change had a powerful appeal . But tonight I 'd ask a simple question : If you felt that excitement when you voted for Barack Obama , shouldn ’ t you feel that way now that he ’ s President Obama ? You know there ’ s something wrong with the kind of job he ’ s done as president when the best feeling you had , was the day you voted for him .
Though he leads in most polls on voters ' top three issues -- the economy , jobs and the debt -- the same surveys also show the GOP nominee suffering from a modest-to-large `` gender gap '' and a likeability deficit . Romney deliberately and aggressively took direct aim at both vulnerabilities this evening . He described the strong women who have surrounded him throughout his life and public career :
My mom and dad were true partners , a life lesson that shaped me by everyday example . When my mom ran for the Senate , my dad was there for her every step of the way . I can still hear her saying in her beautiful voice , “ Why should women have any less say than men , about the great decisions facing our nation ? ” I wish she could have been here at the convention and heard leaders like Governor Mary Fallin , Governor Nikki Haley , Governor Susana Martinez , Senator Kelly Ayotte and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice . As Governor of Massachusetts , I chose a woman Lt . Governor , a woman chief of staff , half of my cabinet and senior officials were women , and in business , I mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies .
He went heavily biographical , seizing his chance to finally tell his story , unfiltered by attack ads and rich-guy stereotypes . Some passages were beautiful :
My mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all – the gift of unconditional love . They cared deeply about who we would BE , and much less about what we would DO . Unconditional love is a gift that Ann and I have tried to pass on to our sons and now to our grandchildren . All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers . If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family – and God ’ s love -- this world would be a far more gentle and better place . Mom and Dad were married 64 years . And if you wondered what their secret was , you could have asked the local florist – because every day Dad gave Mom a rose , which he put on her bedside table . That 's how she found out what happened on the day my father died – she went looking for him because that morning , there was no rose ... I grew up in Detroit in love with cars and wanted to be a car guy , like my dad . But by the time I was out of school , I realized that I had to go out on my own , that if I stayed around Michigan in the same business , I ’ d never really know if I was getting a break because of my dad . I wanted to go someplace new and prove myself . Those weren ’ t the easiest of days – too many long hours and weekends working , five young sons who seemed to have this need to re-enact a different world war every night . But if you ask Ann and I what we ’ d give , to break up just one more fight between the boys , or wake up in the morning and discover a pile of kids asleep in our room . Well , every mom and dad knows the answer to that . Those days were toughest on Ann , of course . She was heroic . Five boys , with our families a long way away . I had to travel a lot for my job then and I ’ d call and try to offer support . But every mom knows that does n't help get the homework done or the kids out the door to school . I knew that her job as a mom was harder than mine . And I knew without question , that her job as a mom was a lot more important than mine . And as America saw Tuesday night , Ann would have succeeded at anything she wanted to .
His subsequent discussion of Bain and its many successes signaled that Team Romney is prepared to go on offense over the candidate 's time in the private sector . Obama 's been pounding away all summer , distorting Romney 's record . Voters are now hearing the other side of that story . On policy , Romney pledged to compartmentalize the myriad distractions of Washington and -- unlike President Obama -- focus intensely on what so many Americans need so desperately today : Jobs .
Today the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us . To put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations . To forget about what might have been and to look ahead to what can be . Now is the time to restore the Promise of America . Many Americans have given up on this president but they haven ’ t ever thought about giving up . Not on themselves . Not on each other . And not on America . What is needed in our country today is not complicated or profound . It does n't take a special government commission to tell us what America needs . What America needs is jobs . Lots of jobs .
Romney outlined his now-familiar five point plan for reducing unemployment , pledged to repeal Obamacare , affirmed the value of life and religious freedom , then delivered the line of the night :
President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet . ( Laughter ) . My promise ... is to help you and your family .
This statement drove a stake through the self-reverential vacuity of 2008 's 'Hope and Change ' mania , and underlined the difficult reality of our nation 's current position , while assuring Americans that a President Romney understands how to prioritize and get to work . The nominee closed on an uplifting note , asking the American people to rally to his cause and build a better future :
Everywhere I go in America , there are monuments that list those who have given their lives for America . There is no mention of their race , their party affiliation , or what they did for a living . They lived and died under a single flag , fighting for a single purpose . They pledged allegiance to the UNITED States of America . That America , that united America , can unleash an economy that will put Americans back to work , that will once again lead the world with innovation and productivity , and that will restore every father and mother 's confidence that their children 's future is brighter even than the past . That America , that united America , will preserve a military that is so strong , no nation would ever dare to test it .
That America , that united America , will uphold the constellation of rights that were endowed by our Creator , and codified in our constitution . That united America will care for the poor and the sick , will honor and respect the elderly , and will give a helping hand to those in need . That America is the best within each of us . That America we want for our children . If I am elected President of these United States , I will work with all my energy and soul to restore that America , to lift our eyes to a better future . That future is our destiny . That future is out there . It is waiting for us . Our children deserve it , our nation depends upon it , the peace and freedom of the world require it . And with your help we will deliver it . Let us begin that future together tonight .
Wednesday night was more electric , no question about it . Tonight felt more serious -- the freaky-deaky , yet mesmerizing , Clint Eastwood performance notwithstanding . Marco Rubio was sensational . He always delivers and makes it look easy , a rare talent . Rubio 's message was moving and perfect for the moment : This nation is exceptional , there 's a critical job to be done , and Mitt Romney is the man with the skills and experience to accomplish it . The nominee 's speech was not flashy or overly dramatic , but that 's not Romney . He needed to soften and define his personal image , draw clear differences between himself and the president he 's challenging , convince Americans that he 's prepared to lead , and appear credible and presidential . He accomplished these tasks . Success . | t8DYSxOnUqsrRqvb | 2 | Presidential Elections | 0.4 | Election2012 | 0.2 | Elections | 0.2 | null | null | null | null |
politics | Vice | https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wjwwyb/the-2010s-killed-off-the-polite-climate-change-conversation | The 2010s Killed Off the Polite Climate Change Conversation | 2019-12-09 | politics | In the past ten years , we lost hope in American politics , realized we were being watched on the internet , and finally broke the gender binary ( kind of ) . So many of the beliefs we held to be true at the beginning of the decade have since been proved to be false—or at least , much more complicated than they once seemed . The Decade of Disillusion is a series that tracks how the hell we got here .
As we lurched into the 2010s , you would n't have been crazy for thinking that a solution for the climate emergency was within reach . It seemed it could even be accomplished without profound economic change . All we had to do , the prevailing early Obama-era political logic went , was bring together people of opposing viewpoints ( Democrats and Republicans , environmentalists and oil companies ) , hash out a plan to apply the appropriate tweaks on our economy , and voila , watch as capitalism took care of the rest .
But a decade of GOP climate denial , fossil fuel industry obstruction , mounting climate disasters , and the cataclysmic election of Donald Trump pushed the climate fight into a much more radical and confrontational mode , so much so that the optimism of 2010 now seems bizarre , if not delusional . The young leaders demanding an economy-transforming Green New Deal , people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Sunrise Movement 's Varshini Prakash , along with social movements they help represent , take it as a given that capitalism is not the solution to impending climate doom , it 's what 's feeding the crisis . The policies held up as solutions in 2010 are today regarded by many as insufficient half-measures , and more people think drastic , society-altering moves are the only way forward . Here 's how we arrived at this point .
July 22 , 2010 : `` We do n't have the votes . '' the Waxman-Markey climate bill collapses and companies avoid shouldering the burden of their emissions
The signature piece of climate legislation that nearly got made into law would have instituted a `` cap and trade '' system on carbon , forcing companies to pay for the emissions they create . Maybe if the Senate had passed this bill ( as the House did in 2009 ) , the U.S. would be much closer to achieving the 50 percent reduction in emissions that the United Nations calculates is needed by 2030 to avoid locking ourselves into environmental chaos . But instead , fossil fuel companies spent hundreds of millions of dollars fighting the effort to put a market price on carbon dioxide emissions , Republicans opposed it , and centrist Democrats from coal states defected , leading Democratic Senator Harry Reid to announce on July 22 that `` we do n't have the votes . '' And so began years of soul-searching by environmental groups . If cap and trade could n't pass Congress when it was controlled by Democratic majorities , what was the path forward ?
Autumn , 2011 : The Keystone XL pipeline battle becomes an emblem of the fight against the fossil fuel industry
Declaring war on a 1,661-mile pipeline proposed to move oil from the tar sands of northern Alberta to refineries on the Texas coast was not the most obvious next move for the climate movement . Pundits and journalists openly wondered how opposing a single piece of fossil fuel infrastructure could effectively slow down climate change . But people like Dallas Goldtooth , a campaign organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network , said `` it was more than just a pipeline . '' Groups such as his , as well as youth-led newcomers like 350.org , which led a Keystone XL protest outside the White House resulting in hundreds of arrests , saw the project as `` a symptom of the greater issue of fossil fuel extraction , '' Goldtooth explained . By late 2011 , the Atlantic was referring to Keystone XL as `` today 's most explosive environmental debate . '' It was a signal that the days of seeking compromise with the fossil fuel industry were over , even if the fate of the pipeline is to this day still up in the air .
At the height of summer in 2012 , the climate author and activist Bill McKibben described oil , coal and gas companies in Rolling Stone as `` Public Enemy Number One to the survival of our planetary civilization . '' He concluded the essay , which promptly went viral , with a call for people to start pressuring institutions to divest from fossil fuels , the same way activists had done against companies doing business in apartheid-era South Africa . Students at schools like Harvard and Swarthmore soon took up the challenge , and within a few years the fossil fuel divestment campaign had spread to hundreds of schools around the world . Today , institutions representing $ 11 trillion in assets have committed in some way .
December 4 , 2013 : We wake up to the reality of a looming $ 674 billion loss in the form of abandoned energy projects
Up until this point , few people in the political or business mainstream questioned the financial logic of companies and governments committing billions of dollars to fossil fuel projects that could destabilize the natural systems on which human life depends . But that began to change with a 2013 report from the U.K. think tank Carbon Tracker , which warned that global efforts to limit carbon emissions could render $ 674 billion worth of climate-destroying energy projects worthless . This concept of `` stranded assets '' has since then wormed its way into the agenda of major institutions such as the Bank of England , whose governor Mark Carney has warned that `` If some companies and industries fail to adjust to this new world , they will fail to exist . '' This was an important truth coming into focus : The fossil fuel industry does n't just cause climate change , it is exposing investors to massive financial risks as well .
September 2014 : Naomi Klein 's blockbuster 'This Changes Everything ' pins the blame for the climate emergency on capitalism
With the subtitle `` Capitalism Vs . The Climate , '' this international bestseller from author and activist Naomi Klein was anything but subtle in its diagnosis of the climate emergency . The book 's arguments—that incremental steps like putting a price on carbon are woefully insufficient and instead we need massive social movements to push for an overhaul of our entire economic system—were not exactly novel , either . Many of these arguments were drawn , as Klein herself acknowledged , from the experiences of frontline groups , many in the Global South , who for decades have fought against corporate encroachment on their land and way of life . But This Changes Everything nonetheless helped reframe the terms of the climate change debate and influenced future climate leaders like Sunrise 's Prakash , who 's called the Canadian writer `` a personal hero of mine . ''
December 12 , 2015 : World leaders negotiate the Paris climate treaty
After two weeks of frenzied and sleepless negotiations in the French capital , world leaders , business executives and other global power brokers burst into tears and applause upon the signing of a major international treaty to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius . `` History is here , '' declared then-French President François Hollande . But the tens of thousands of activists on the Paris streets were far less stoked about a voluntary agreement that in the best case would only limit climate destruction at 2.6 degrees . `` All the people who were on the outside were saying basically that the state negotiators sold out the planet to the highest bidder , '' said Angela Adrar , executive director of the Climate Justice Alliance , which formed in 2013 . Even at a moment when the world finally seemed to be taking climate change seriously , there was a growing sense that actions endorsed by global leaders were too little , too late .
April , 2016 : Indigenous people put their bodies on the line to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock
In the spring of 2016 , members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe set up a camp to protest construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline , which they saw as a direct threat to their water supplies and sovereignty . The standoff eventually became `` the largest indigenous mobilization in living memory , '' Goldtooth said . Shocking images of police blasting protesters with water cannons went viral , revealing to millions of people , some for the first time , that `` the economic system that rules our lives is predicated on the oppression and depletion of life , '' he said . It was n't the first time a pipeline had been protested , but the widespread media attention made it a symbol for the conflict between Indigenous rights and a planet-ravaging fossil fuel industry . Trump approved the pipeline after it was stalled under the Obama administration , but the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is still fighting it .
June 1 , 2017 : Trump pulls the U.S. out of the Paris climate treaty
The news of Trump withdrawing the U.S. from a climate treaty the nation played a major role in negotiating was obviously terrible . Still , many observers tried to put a positive spin on the damage . `` The American government may have pulled out of the agreement , but the American people remain committed to it – and we will meet our targets , '' said former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg . Though individual states and cities have made efforts to stay on track , two years later , U.S. emissions are still far from under control . And Trump 's decision may have so badly undermined international confidence in an agreement based on good-faith voluntary reductions that `` in the 2020s it could break down or even fall apart entirely , '' David Roberts wrote recently on Vox .
November 13 , 2018 : Activists and AOC launch the Green New Deal from Nancy Pelosi 's office
The 2018 midterms initially did not seem all that promising for climate change . Voters in the state of Washington rejected an attempt to put a price on the state 's carbon emissions after the oil industry spent $ 31 million opposing it . But only days after the elections , hundreds of young activists with the Sunrise Movement occupied incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's office calling for a Green New Deal , and when newly elected congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez showed up , it helped launch the concept—as well as the idea that we can only fix climate change by radically altering our economic system—into the political discourse . This inaugurated a new , more ambitious era of climate activism , one in which leaders were unafraid of being branded radicals . `` To me , capitalism is irredeemable , '' Ocasio-Cortez argued earlier this year .
September 23 , 2019 : `` How dare you ? '' Greta Thunberg addresses the United Nations after millions of teens skip school for climate
This was the year teens around the world collectively freaked out about climate change , skipped school in the millions , and threw down a heavy guilt trip on all the older leaders standing in the way of progress . `` How dare you ? '' growled 16-year-old Greta Thunberg to Presidents and CEOs at the Climate Action Summit in New York . They have good reason to be pissed off and mobilized : Global emissions continue to get higher and higher , and the effects of climate change are glaringly obvious , with fires , floods , and hurricanes all becoming more common and severe . Especially for young people , global warming now feels like an apocalyptic threat , in the face of which something like going to school seems pointless . Despite all the terrible news these days , however , climate veterans like Adrar feel a cautious sense of hope . `` Today we 're much closer to systems change than we were in 2010 , '' she said . `` The next couple years are really going to be indicators of how much power we 've been able to build in this decade . ''
Geoff Dembicki is the author of Are We Screwed ? How a New Generation Is Fighting to Survive Climate Change . Follow him on Twitter . | GbZNCvouQ6Y7dNkf | 0 | Climate Change | 1.8 | Environment | 1.2 | Politics | 0.1 | Fossil Fuels | 0 | null | null |
violence_in_america | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/445802/deterring-crime-human-nature-punishment-vs-therapy | Deterrence and Human Nature | 2017-03-15 | violence_in_america | The dream of a therapeutic utopia without punishment for wrongdoing fails in practice .
Deterrence is the strategy of persuading someone in advance not to do something , often by raising the likelihood of punishment .
But in the 21st century , we apparently think deterrence is Neanderthal and appeals to the worst aspects of our natures . The alternative view insists that innately nice people respond better to discussion and outreach .
History is largely the story of the tensions between , and the combination of , these two very different views of human nature — one tragic and one therapeutic .
The recent presidential election results favor a more pessimistic view of humans : that without enforceable rules , humans are likely to run amok — quite in contrast to the prior therapeutic mindset of the Obama administration .
Take illegal immigration . The Trump administration believed the answer was to persuade people not to come illegally into the United States , and to convince those who are already residing here illegally and who have broken American laws to go home . So his proposed wall on the border with Mexico and beefed-up patrols are a sort of insurance policy in case immigrants do not heed appeals to follow the law . Deportation and even the threat of deportation also serve as deterrents to persuade others not to enter the U.S. illegally , given the likelihood of being sent back home promptly .
The early result of that proposed deterrent policy is that in just two months , attempted illegal entries into the U.S. have fallen dramatically .
Past approaches to illegal immigration were largely therapeutic . Bilateral talks with Mexico , sanctuary cities , de facto amnesties , and non-enforcement of immigration laws supposedly would ensure that immigration was orderly and a positive experience for both hosts and guests . Instead , the border effectively became wide open and chaos ensued .
Currently , there are no real repercussions on campus for students who disrupt public discourse or prevent invited speakers from presenting lectures . Universities in theory claim this is a bad thing — a violation of the constitutional rights of free expression and assembly . But campuses rarely punish students for violating the rules . They seldom ask local law enforcement to apply the full force of local and state laws to ( often violent ) student lawbreakers .
If the intent of universities was to persuade students to respect free speech , then their therapeutic policies seem an utter failure . University laxity is seen by protestors as weakness to be held in contempt rather than magnanimity to be appreciated .
The tragic view would hold that had the University of California expelled students for recently disrupting free speech — and had it encouraged law enforcement to arrest miscreants for destroying property and using violence against others — such deterrence would have prevented such unrest in the future .
Middlebury is an elite school where mostly rich kids fear that a criminal record would be fatal to the sort of high-power resumes they hope to compile for the good life to follow graduation .
Such a precedent at Berkeley might have dissuaded Middlebury College students from trying to shout down and even injure the political and social scientist Charles Murray when he was invited to deliver a lecture . The students who charged Murray , apparently intending to physically force him off campus , might not have been so bold had they known in advance that they would be brought up on charges for any such violence .
Middlebury is an elite school where mostly rich kids fear that a criminal record would be fatal to the sort of high-power resumes they hope to compile for the good life to follow graduation .
The same tragic/therapeutic tension characterizes approaches to radical Islamic terrorism . Does vetting incoming refugees from the Middle East deter potential terrorists from entering the country , or does such scrutiny turn off people , radicalize the , m and encourage terrorism ?
Did the Obama administration ’ s euphemistic effort to eradicate the phrase “ radical Islamic terrorism ” — along with Obama ’ s apology tour and therapeutic Cairo speech — win hearts and minds in the Middle East ? Or did such outreach convince radicals that the U.S. was hardly to be feared , thus encouraging anti-American sentiment ?
In the past eight years , the U.S. has backed off the red lines and deadlines it issued to Syria , Russia , and Iran . Did such equivocation earn America appreciation and respect for circumspection — or contempt for empty rhetoric ?
There is no clear-cut divide between deterrence and therapy . Each at times has its place in warning or wooing people and nations . But in general , anytime a government errs on the side of therapy and communicates to individuals and foreign powers that laws are flexible , that punishment is iffy , and that consequences are negotiable , it gets less of what it wants .
It is unfortunate but true that North Korea is deterred more by U.S. military strength than by United Nations resolutions .
In much the same way , radical campus lawbreakers probably respect ( and fear ) the local district attorney a lot more than the college president .
In other words , the more we feel we have entered a 21st-century therapeutic utopia , the more tragic that human nature seems not to have changed all that much from the Stone Age . | GR9jBvKcuukCZlss | 2 | Violence In America | 0.7 | Crime | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
abortion | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html | Akin flub puts abortion at center of campaign debate | 2012-08-20 | abortion | Story highlights Rep. Akin is a no-show on CNN 's `` Piers Morgan Tonight ''
The chairman of the RNC says he hopes Akin wo n't be at the national convention
Calls mount for the Republican candidate to drop out of Missouri Senate race
Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin canceled a primetime TV appearance at the last minute Monday night , shying away from the spotlight on a day he was under fire for controversial comments he made about rape .
Akin was scheduled to be on CNN 's `` Piers Morgan Tonight . '' A studio was booked and a chair was set .
But shortly before he was to appear , Akin canceled . He was editing a new ad , an activity that forced him to bow out , two people with ties to his campaign said .
`` Congressman , you have an open invitation to join me in that chair whenever you feel up to it , '' said Morgan .
Pressure from the mainstream Republican Party mounted on the Missouri representative throughout the day to drop his bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in November because of his comments about `` legitimate rape '' and opposing abortion in rape cases .
McCaskill also was booked to be a guest on `` Piers Morgan Tonight . '' She canceled earlier in the day .
Akin 's remarks shifted the political focus Monday to abortion and women 's rights , causing certain GOP nominee Mitt Romney 's team to clarify the campaign 's abortion stance .
Top congressional Republicans , including House Speaker John Boehner , Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas advised Akin to spend time considering what is best for his family , party and country -- political code for urging him to withdraw .
`` What he said is just flat wrong in addition to being wildly offensive to any victim of sexual abuse , '' McConnell said in a statement . `` Although Representative Akin has apologized , I believe he should take time with his family to consider whether this statement will prevent him from effectively representing our party in this critical election . ''
JUST WATCHED Granderson to women : Wake up Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Granderson to women : Wake up 03:28
The National Republican Senatorial Committee headed by Cornyn has advised Akin that it will not support his campaign if he stays in the race , a source from the group told CNN .
In an interview on Monday with WMUR television in Manchester , New Hampshire , Romney echoed the sentiment of other GOP leaders , according to a tweet from the station 's political director , Josh McElveen :
`` @ MittRomney on if Akin should end senate bid- 'he should spend 24 hours considering what will best help the country at this critical time . ''
Missouri election rules allow a candidate to withdraw with little difficulty through Tuesday , which is 11 weeks prior to the Nov. 6 election .
After Tuesday , the candidate must get a court order and pay for any necessary reprinting of ballots . The state Republican Party would choose another candidate to run against McCaskill , considered one of the most vulnerable senators in the country .
Akin apologized , repeatedly , Monday for what he called a serious error in using the wrong words when he stated in an earlier interview that `` legitimate rape '' rarely resulted in pregnancy .
`` Rape is never legitimate . I used the wrong words , '' Akin said on Sean Hannity 's syndicated radio show .
`` When I was running for this race I never told anybody I was perfect . I make mistakes . But when I do make mistakes , Sean , I admit it and I tell people I 'm sorry and I 've done that from the bottom of my heart , '' he told Hannity .
Akin made it clear he would remain in the race and said he believed the people of Missouri are capable of looking beyond the mistake . `` This campaign is more than just one TV interview . ''
Romney 's camp distanced itself from the Missouri Republican , who is in a race viewed as crucial for determining which party will control the Senate next January .
In addition , the controversy drew attention away from the economic themes of Romney 's campaign in the run-up to the Republican National Convention next week in Tampa , Florida . Romney and his running mate , Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin , held a joint town hall-style campaign event Monday in New Hampshire . Ryan also visited Romney headquarters in Boston .
At the White House , President Barack Obama told reporters that Akin 's remarks were `` offensive '' and did n't make sense . Asked if Akin should withdraw , Obama said that was up to Missouri Republicans .
Earlier , Romney told National Review Online the comments by Akin were `` insulting , inexcusable , and , frankly , wrong . ''
`` What he said is entirely without merit and he should correct it , '' Romney said , according to the website .
When news of Akin 's comments broke Sunday , the Romney campaign responded by declaring a definitive stance on one of the most volatile political issues in the country .
A campaign statement on Sunday night said the former Massachusetts governor and Ryan differed with Akin on the matter and that `` a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape . ''
The issue is particularly sensitive for Ryan , a devout Catholic and staunch anti-abortion politician who has previously expressed opposition to abortion in all cases except when the life of the mother is endangered .
A Romney-Ryan campaign official , speaking on condition of not being identified , confirmed to CNN that Ryan 's personal view opposes abortion in the case of rape . The campaign official said Ryan 's stance differed with Romney 's view , which was described in the statement on Sunday and is the formal position of the GOP presidential ticket .
`` While Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are working overtime to distance themselves from Rep. Todd Akin 's comments on rape , they are contradicting their own records , '' said an Obama campaign statement Monday . `` Mr. Romney supports the Human Life Amendment , which would ban abortion in all instances , even in the case of rape and incest . In fact , that amendment is a central part of the Republican Party 's platform . ''
It also said that Ryan worked with Akin `` to try to pass laws that would ban abortion in all cases , and even narrow the definition of 'rape . ' ``
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said he hoped Akin would not come to the national convention in Florida .
`` If it was me and I had an opportunity to let someone else run to actually give ourselves a better chance of winning , I would step aside , '' he told CNN 's Erin Burnett .
`` Congressman Akin 's statement is another manifestation of the total disregard and disrespect of women by Republican leaders , '' House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement , adding that it was `` almost impossible to believe that any political leader would suggest that any case of rape is 'legitimate . ' ``
In Massachusetts , Republican Sen. Scott Brown called on Akin to drop out of the race because of the `` outrageous , inappropriate and wrong '' comments .
The nation 's largest tea party political action committee , the Tea Party Express , similarly called on Akin to step down , describing the candidate 's comments as `` unfortunate and inappropriate . ''
However , one of the nation 's most prominent conservative organizations rallied to Akin 's defense . Top officials from the Family Research Council said Akin is the target of a Democratic smear campaign , and they also chided Republicans calling for him to step down .
Connie Mackey , who heads the group 's political action committee , said the organization `` strongly supports '' Akin .
`` Todd Akin is getting a really bad break here , '' Mackey told reporters . `` I do n't know anything about the science or the legal implications of his statement . I do know politics , and I know 'gotcha ' politics when I see it . ''
Akin 's controversial comments give Obama and Democrats an opportunity to further strengthen their advantage with women voters -- a demographic that already favors them , according to the polls .
The controversial remarks about whether abortion should be legal in the case of rape were made in an interivew with Missouri television station KTVI . A clip of the interview was posted online by the liberal super PAC American Bridge . In it , Akin explained his opposition by citing unnamed bodily responses that he said prevented pregnancy .
`` First of all , from what I understand from doctors , that 's really rare , '' Akin said of rape-induced pregnancy .
`` If it 's a legitimate rape , the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down , '' Akin continued . He did not provide an explanation for what constituted `` legitimate rape . ''
He added : `` But let 's assume that maybe that did n't work or something . You know I think there should be some punishment , but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child . ''
Statistics on pregnancies that result from rape are difficult to produce , since rape is a crime that often goes unreported .
The Rape , Abuse & Incest National Network , along with Planned Parenthood , each estimate that 5 % of rapes lead to pregnancy . A 1996 study from the Medical University of South Carolina found the same percentage , adding that 32,101 pregnancies occurred annually from rape .
`` Rape can make you pregnant . Period , '' Aaron Carroll , associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the director of the university 's Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research , wrote in an opinion piece for CNN . `` If you put sperm near egg , women can get pregnant . ''
Akin , a six-term U.S. congressman , touted his socially conservative values on the primary campaign trail .
He opposes abortion in all circumstances and has said he also opposes the morning after pill , which he equates to abortion .
McCaskill responded almost immediately to her opponent 's comments , writing Sunday on Twitter : `` As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases , I 'm stunned by Rep Akin 's comments about victims this AM . ''
She later released a statement condemning her rival as `` ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape . ''
Republicans consider McCaskill , first elected in 2006 , highly vulnerable in her bid for a second term . Ahead of the GOP primary , a Mason-Dixon poll showed the senator falling behind Akin and the two other main GOP primary competitors in hypothetical match ups among registered Missouri voters .
Akin was one of the first members of Congress to join the Tea Party Caucus in 2010 and has easily won reelection in recent years . The lawmaker raised $ 2.2 million this cycle , as of July 18 .
Before the new controversy , the top nonpartisan political handicappers had rated the Missouri race a `` toss-up . ''
`` It strikes me that this is a tempest in a teapot , '' said Gene Wood , who voted for Akin and plans to vote for him again .
`` I think he used a word that in reflection he would n't use again ... But this is just a matter of semantics , '' he said .
Jennifer Derfeld , an independent who voted for Akin in the past but is not leaning toward him in the upcoming race , compared his comments to a slap in the face for rape victims .
`` I mean either you have been raped or you have not been raped . It 's not legitimate or illegitimate , '' she said . | c1WsoPTwUQhcGvqm | 0 | Abortion | -0.8 | Mitt Romney | -0.8 | Election2012 | 0.3 | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Guardian | http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/09/elizabeth-warren-endorses-hillary-clinton-running-mate | Elizabeth Warren declares herself ready to be Hillary Clinton's running mate | 2016-06-09 | Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Presidential Elections, Elections | Massachusetts senator endorses presumptive Democratic nominee and puts herself in the frame as possible vice-presidential candidate
Senator Elizabeth Warren has declared herself ready to be Hillary Clinton ’ s running mate in the US presidential election .
The Massachusetts senator – popular among the progressive wing of the Democratic party – made the declaration shortly after endorsing Clinton , calling her “ a fighter with guts ” who would keep Donald Trump out the White House .
In an interview on MSNBC , Warren was asked by Rachel Maddow : “ If you were asked to be Secretary Clinton ’ s running mate , do you believe you could do it ? ”
In another interview with the Boston Globe on Thursday , Warren endorsed Clinton as the party ’ s presidential nominee , saying : “ I ’ m ready to jump in this fight and make sure that Hillary Clinton is the next president of the United States and be sure that Donald Trump gets nowhere near the White House . ”
According to the Globe she also praised Clinton ’ s primary opponent , Bernie Sanders , saying that he had run an “ incredible campaign ” .
Speaking to MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow on Thursday evening , Warren said the Sanders campaign had been “ powerfully important ” .
“ He ran a campaign from the heart , and he ran a campaign where he took these issues and really thrust them into the spotlight – issues that are near and dear to my heart – and he brought millions of people into the democratic process , ” she said .
But , Warren said , “ Hillary Clinton won . And she won because she ’ s a fighter , she ’ s out there , she ’ s tough . And I think this is what we need . ”
Warren ’ s endorsement came within hours of President Barack Obama formally giving his endorsement to Clinton ’ s candidacy . “ I ’ m with her , ” Obama said , in a video recorded on Tuesday . “ I don ’ t think there has ever been someone so qualified to hold this office . ”
Vice-President Joe Biden also appeared to give his endorsement on Thursday , referring in a speech to “ … whoever the next president is – and God willing it will be Hillary Clinton ” .
Warren , a favourite of the progressive left who taught constitutional law at Harvard , is seen as a possible running mate who could help entice back a disaffected left that has been excited by Sanders but ambivalent about Clinton .
Warren has been especially fierce recently in her criticism of Donald Trump , attacking the presumptive Republican nominee in a searing string of speeches , setting herself up for a prominent and pugilistic role in the presidential election whether she is on the ticket or not .
Earlier on Thursday , at a speech to the American Constitution Society in Washington DC , Warren hit out at Trump as “ just a businessman who inherited a fortune and kept it rolling along by cheating people ” .
She described him as “ a loud , nasty , thin-skinned fraud who … serves no one but himself ” , and said his attacks on Gonzalo Curiel , the federal judge presiding over the Trump University suit , was “ exactly what you would expect from somebody who is a thin-skinned racist bully ” . | 48bd908696625ad7 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
lgbt_rights | TheBlaze.com | https://www.theblaze.com/news/hallmark-channel-ceo-resigns | Hallmark Channel CEO who hinted at openness to gay Christmas movies resigns | 2020-01-27 | lgbt_rights | The Hallmark Channel executive who recently said that the company would be `` open '' to doing movies with gay characters and lead actors has resigned from his position .
Bill Abbott , the former CEO and president of Crown Media Family Networks — which encompasses the popular family-friendly Hallmark Channel — stepped down last Wednesday , according to a statement on the company website .
`` After 11 years , Bill Abbott , president and CEO of Crown Media is leaving the company , '' Mike Perry , president and CEO of Hallmark Cards , Inc. said . `` I want to thank Bill for his many years of success and contributions to Crown Media and wish him continued success . ''
Abbott sparked controversy last holiday season when he indicated surprising openness to Christmas films featuring gay lead actors or including gay characters .
`` I 'm gay , where are the same-sex movies ? '' one of the interviewers asked Abbott in a podcast interview with The Hollywood Reporter last November . `` Have you talked about incorporating stories about same-sex couples at Christmas ? ''
`` We 're open to really any type of movie of any type of relationship in any space , '' Abbott said in response .
Later that holiday season , Hallmark Channel sparked further controversy after a series of commercial advertisements that depicted a same-sex wedding were aired , then temporarily pulled , and then aired again .
Following the kerfuffle , Perry apologized for the company 's decision to temporarily pull the ads and said he had been `` agonizing '' over it .
`` The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we 've seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused , '' Perry said . `` Said simply , they believe this was the wrong decision . Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect , celebrate traditions , and be inspired to capture meaningful moments in their lives . Anything that detracts from this purpose is not who we are . We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused . ''
The nature of Abbott 's involvement in the decisions to air and then temporarily pull the ads is unclear , however , as the head of the organization 's media wing , it is reasonable to assume he was at the very least knowledgeable regarding the decision-making process .
The statement regarding Abbott 's resignation did not elaborate on why he parted ways with the company , or whether he was asked to step down .
Instead , Perry noted the need for producing `` relevant '' entertainment for a growing audience .
`` In a time when there is immense competition among television networks and streaming services , it is more important than ever that we find relevant new ways to grow our business and continue to produce high quality programming that resonates with our growing audience , '' Perry said . | ThIPSIztGe05ptDH | 2 | Religion And Faith | 0.7 | Holidays | 0.7 | LGBTQ Issues | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/31/politics/fiscal-cliff/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Significant progress made in fiscal cliff discussions, sources say | 2012-12-31 | fiscal_cliff | Story highlights Senate leaders cut a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff
Obama says more work will be needed and chides Congress for dragging its feet
`` Take the 84 % of your winnings off the table , '' anti-tax crusader advises GOP
Senate leaders and the White House struck a last-minute deal to avert the feared fiscal cliff Monday night , with Vice President Joe Biden headed to the Capitol Hill to pitch the plan to fellow Democrats .
`` Happy New Year , '' Biden , who became the Democratic point man in the talks , told reporters . `` Did you think we would be here New Year 's Eve ? ''
A senior Democratic aide told CNN that if caucus meetings went well , a Senate vote could come `` within the hour . '' But the House of Representatives went home long before midnight , meaning nothing will get through Congress before the combination of tax increases and spending cuts lawmakers have been scrambling to head off starts to kick in , at least on paper .
A source familiar with the deal told CNN that the Senate proposal would put off the cuts for two months and keep the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for individuals earning less than $ 400,000 or couples earning less than $ 450,000 . President Barack Obama has long demanded that the threshold be set at $ 250,000 .
Tax rates on income above those levels would go back to the Clinton-era rate of 39.6 % , up from the current 35 % , and itemized deductions would be capped at $ 250,000 for individuals and $ 300,000 for couples . That would generate an estimated $ 600 billion in additional revenue over 10 years .
Taxes on inherited estates will go up to 40 % from 35 % , but the exemption will be indexed to rise with inflation -- a provision the source said was added at the insistence of moderate Democrats .
Unemployment insurance would be extended for a year for for 2 million people , and the alternative minimum tax -- a perennial issue -- would be permanently adjusted for inflation . Child care , tuition and research and development tax credits would be renewed . And the `` Doc Fix '' -- reimbursements for doctors who take Medicare patients -- will continue , but it wo n't be paid for out of the Obama administration 's signature health care law .
Biden had been in negotiations with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , since Sunday afternoon . Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , both Democrats , agreed to the plan in calls with President Barack Obama , a Democratic source said Monday night .
In the House , GOP sources said earlier Monday that there 's little practical difference in settling the issue Monday night versus Tuesday . But if tax-averse House Republicans approve the bill on Tuesday -- when taxes have technically gone up -- they can argue they 've voted for a tax cut to bring rates back down , even after just a few hours , GOP sources said . That could bring some more Republicans on board , one source said .
Economists warn the one-two punch of tax increases and spending cuts , known as `` sequestration , '' could push the U.S. economy back into recession and drive unemployment back over 9 % by the end of 2013 . Obama had chided lawmakers for their last-minute scramble earlier Monday , hitting a nerve among several Republicans in the Senate .
`` They are close , but they 're not there yet , '' he said . `` And one thing we can count on with respect to this Congress is that if there is even one second left before you have to do what you 're supposed to do , they will use that last second . ''
The president warned that if Republicans think they can get future deficit reduction solely through spending cuts `` that will hurt seniors , or hurt students , or hurt middle-class families without asking also equivalent sacrifice from millionaires or companies with a lot of lobbyists ... they 've got another thing coming . ''
That irked Republican senators who have been grappling for a deal with the Democratic majority in that chamber . Sen. Bob Corker , R-Tennessee , called the president 's comments `` very unbecoming of where we are at this moment '' and added , `` My heart 's still pounding . ''
`` I know the president has fun heckling Congress , '' Corker said . `` I think he lost probably numbers of votes with what he did . ''
As Monday 's deadline drew nigh , federal agencies were preparing for the possibility of furloughing workers . At the Pentagon , a Defense Department official said as many as 800,000 civilian employees could be forced to take unpaid days off as the armed services face an expected $ 62 billion in cuts in 2013 -- about 12 % of its budget .
Those workers perform support tasks across the department , from maintaining aircraft and weapons systems to processing military payrolls and counseling families . The Pentagon believes it can operate for at least two months before any furloughs are necessary , but has to warn its civilian workforce that furloughs could be coming , the official said .
The White House budget office noted in September that sequestration was designed during the 2011 standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling as `` a mechanism to force Congress to act on further deficit reduction '' -- a kind of doomsday device that was never meant to be triggered . But Congress failed to substitute other cuts by the end of 2012 , forcing the government to wield what the budget office called `` a blunt and indiscriminate instrument . ''
In its place , the Senate plan would use $ 12 billion in new tax revenue to replace half the expected deficit reduction from the sequester and leave another $ 12 billion in spending cuts , split half-and-half between defense and domestic programs .
Despite Obama 's backing , one leading Senate Democrat warned a deal could run into trouble -- not only from House Republicans who have long opposed any tax increase , but also from liberals in the Senate who oppose allowing more high-income households to escape a tax increase .
`` No deal is better than a bad deal , and this looks like a very bad deal the way this is shaping up , '' Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa , said Monday morning . Late in the day , nothing had changed that would cause him to support the package .
Conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist , whose Americans for Tax Reform pushes candidates to sign a pledge never to raise taxes , said the plan `` right now , as explained '' would preserve most of the Bush tax cuts and would n't violate his group 's pledge .
`` Take the 84 % of your winnings off the table , '' Norquist told CNN . `` We spent 12 years getting the Democrats to cede those tax cuts to the American people . Take them off the table . Then we go back and argue about making the tax cuts permanent for everyone . ''
But Robert Reich , who served as labor secretary in the Clinton administration , said the $ 450,000 threshold `` means the lion 's share of the burden of deficit reduction falls on the middle class , either in terms of higher taxes down the road or fewer government services . '' In addition , he said , the plan does nothing to raise the federal debt ceiling just as the federal government bumps up against its borrowing limit .
And that , Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain told CNN , is likely to be `` a whole new field of battle . ''
`` We just added 2.1 trillion in the last increase in the debt ceiling , and spending continues to go up , '' McCain said . `` I think there 's going to be a pretty big showdown the next time around when we go to the debt limit . '' | Wa5fJvUM2ehbakRY | 0 | US Congress | -0.5 | Fiscal Cliff | -0.2 | Banking And Finance | -0.1 | Barack Obama | 0 | null | null |
general_news | ABC News (Online) | http://abcnews.go.com/US/43-dead-states-week-devastating-tornadoes-flooding-storms/story?id=35961987 | 43 Dead Across 7 States After Week of Devastating Tornadoes, Flooding and Storms | 2015-12-28 | General News | In a suburb of Dallas, eight people died when an EF-4 tornado touched down. — -- At least 42 people were killed across seven states since Wednesday following days of severe weather, including flash floods in Illinois and tornadoes in Texas. The Marion County, Illinois, Sheriff's Office said five people were killed Saturday as a major storm system brought flash flooding and blizzard conditions to parts of the United States. In central Missouri, eight have died in Saturday flooding incidents, officials said. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency because of the heavy rain. Two deaths were reported in Alabama, 10 were reported in Mississippi, six were killed in Tennessee and one died in Arkansas. Meanwhile, 11 died in Texas after several tornadoes were reported in the Dallas area, causing widespread damage to homes and buildings and sending dozens to the hospital. In Garland, a suburb of Dallas, eight people died Saturday when an EF-4 tornado touched down, the National Weather Service Fort Worth survey team said. EF-4 tornados bring winds over 165 mph. Three others died in Collin County, police said. The same tornado that struck Garland hit the neighboring town of Rowlett, where it weakened to an EF-3, meaning its winds were over 135 mph, the NWS Fort Worth survey team said. Twenty-three people were injured and 39 homes were "totally destroyed," City Manager Brian Funderburk said today. About 6,000 homes lost power. “Texas is doing everything we can to help you piece your lives back together and deal with the challenges you are facing right now," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said today, adding the state is still facing rain and the possibility for more tornadoes. American Airlines said it’s pledging a $100,000 donation to a Texas chapter of the American Red Cross to help those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who were affected by the tornadoes. “American and its employees stand ready to assist in the recovery efforts and we encourage our customers to join us by donating to the Red Cross," said Joe Taney, American’s vice president for Dallas-Fort Worth Hub Operations. ABC News’ Stephanie Savage contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events | 0b661be49faa0da3 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | Washington Post | https://washingtonpost.com/business/2024/08/16/kamala-harris-2024-policy-child-tax-credit | Kamala Harris unveils populist policy agenda, with $6,000 credit for newborns | 2024-08-16 | 2024 Presidential Election, Kamala Harris, Economic Policy | RALEIGH, N.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled an aggressively populist economic agenda to an enthusiastic but intimate crowd, providing the most detailed vision yet of her governing priorities since becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. In a pivot from the raucous rallies that have so far defined Harris’s month-old campaign, the vice president instead opted for a smaller setting of about 250 supporters that allowed her to explain a number of economic policies aimed at “lowering costs for American families.” The event seemed to signal a new phase in Harris’s campaign, one where she will not only hold rallies with thousands of people but also engage more directly with smaller audiences, where she can expound on legislative and executive efforts she would pursue as president.“Together we will build what I call an opportunity economy,” Harris said. “Everyone, regardless of who they are or where they start, has an opportunity to build wealth for themselves and their children.”AdvertisementSome of the economic policies, which Harris’s campaign had announced earlier on Friday, went beyond what President Joe Biden had promised. While Harris is building on much of Biden’s economic agenda, she is also seeking to roll out policies that are unique to her as she works to define herself to millions of voters who may not have a firm grasp of where she stands on a number of key issues. Some Republicans have criticized Harris’s campaign for lacking substance, which she plans to address head on in the coming days and weeks, her advisers said.“Building up the middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency because I strongly believe when the middle class is strong, America is strong,” Harris said. “So in the weeks to come, I will address in greater detail my plans to build an opportunity economy.”The most striking proposals were for the elimination of medical debt for millions of Americans; the “first-ever” ban on price gouging for groceries and food; a cap on prescription drug costs; a $25,000 subsidy for first-time home buyers; and a child tax credit that would provide $6,000 per child to families for the first year of a baby’s life.AdvertisementThe last item followed a suggestion earlier this month from Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), the GOP vice-presidential nominee, that the credit be raised from $2,000 per child to $5,000. Harris is also calling for restoring the Biden administration’s child tax credit that expired at the end of 2021, which raised the benefit for most families from $2,000 per child to $3,000.The flurry of policy positions — released just before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago begins on Monday — represented the clearest articulation yet of how Harris, who has only had a relatively brief time on the national stage, would handle economic policy if elected this fall. Harris has thus far surrounded herself with many former aides to Biden, and her team had made some overtures to business leaders that they hoped reflected a more centrist approach. But the policy positions she embraced Friday suggest she will continue, if not deepen, the party’s transformation under Biden, who pushed for more aggressive government intervention in the economy on industrial, labor and antitrust policies.Before Friday, Harris’s campaign stump speeches had largely focused on broader themes about building a better future, arguing that Donald Trump and Republicans were seeking to take the country backward. Harris also spoke about “freedoms,” including reproductive rights, same-sex marriage and voting rights, but offered few details about what policies would fall under that umbrella.AdvertisementFriday’s remarks struck a starkly different tone. Harris immediately delved into her newly unveiled economic policies and spoke in personal detail about growing up in a “middle-class household.” She spoke of her mother saving up for “well over a decade” to buy a home and working at McDonald’s while she was in college to earn spending money.Harris’s policy positions have evolved and changed considerably from when she first sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019. At the time — when she was trying to distinguish herself among a crowded field of contenders who often tacked to the left to win primary voters — she embraced a number of progressive policies that she has since rejected, including a single-payer health-care system and banning fracking and offshore drilling. The challenge for Harris now is to maintain the energy and enthusiasm that have powered her run so far and dramatically upended the presidential contest against Trump, while simultaneously rolling out concrete policies to demonstrate her seriousness as a candidate that will be subject to scrutiny and criticism.During a press call hosted by the RNC and the Trump campaign, Kevin Hassett, former chairman to the Council of Economic Advisers in the Trump administration, called Harris’s plan for price gouging “completely preposterous.”Advertisement“The proposal is very unfortunate,” he said. “It could cause an enormous amount of damage to the economy, and it reveals the desire for the government to take over the economy that I think really does suggest that Harris agrees that the era of believing that if it’s good for free enterprise, it’s good for America, that that era is over.”In the weeks leading up to this announcement, at least two outside advisers privately suggested to the Harris campaign that she signal a move to the center by backing income tax cuts for middle-class households or a tax break for small businesses, according to the people aware of the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private conversations. Those suggestions were not included in the final package, although they may be released at a later date. The plan also alludes to cutting “red tape” and lowering the deficit but provided no specifics.It’s not entirely clear how much Harris’s sweeping new proposals would cost. But estimates released Friday by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) show that, all told, the plan would increase deficits by $1.7 trillion over a decade. That cost would grow to $2 trillion if Harris’s housing policies — which the campaign says are slated to last only four years — were made permanent.AdvertisementRoughly $1.2 trillion of that bill would come from an expansion of the child tax credit, according to the CRFB. Another $400 billion stems from enhanced health insurance subsidies, and $150 billion comes from the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Another $200 billion comes from support for affordable housing and credits to help first-time home buyers.The campaign says its plan would be paid for through taxes on corporations and some of America’s highest earners, along with other revenue raisers in Biden’s budget. But there were few other specifics as of Friday, leaving open questions on the final price tag and the risks of more inflation. More housing supply, for example, would in theory help cool prices by loosening up the market. But credits for first-time home buyers could work in the opposite direction by increasing demand.Harris’s policy push was not without its detractors, even within her own party. Policy experts in the Democratic Party lamented her recent endorsement of Trump’s plan to eliminate taxes on tips, as well as her promises not to raise taxes on Americans earning under $400,000 per year — positions they see as incompatible with Democrats’ ambitions to approve major new expansions of the nation’s safety net. Business leaders who had hoped for a warmer relationship under Harris also balked at being blamed for higher prices in her push against corporate price gouging.AdvertisementAnd yet despite these drawbacks, Democrats have become increasingly convinced that embracing populist economics is key to beating Trump — the top priority for the party through November. Concerns about the economy and inflation have ranked as among voters’ top issues in the 2024 presidential election, and polling has consistently showed that attacking corporate price gouging is popular.“Vice President Harris faces a dilemma: On the one hand, America is on a fiscally unsustainable path, and if we’re going to embark on some of the more ambitious programs she’d like to pursue we need more revenue,” said Daniel Hemel, a tax policy expert at the New York University School of Law. “On the other hand, democracy is in peril, and that crisis feels — and is — more imminent than the fiscal crisis, and I think she’s made the correct calculus that sacrificing on fiscal policy for a few hundred thousand middle-class voters in the battleground states is worth it.”Perhaps Harris’s most surprising policy announcement was her plan to ban “price gouging” in grocery and food prices. While details were sparse, the measure would include authorizing the Federal Trade Commission to impose large fines on grocery stores that impose “excessive” price hikes on customers, her campaign said. Grocery prices remain a top concern for voters: Even though the rate of increase leveled off this year, grocery prices have jumped 26 percent since 2019, according to Elizabeth Pancotti, director of special initiatives at the Roosevelt Institute.AdvertisementStill, even some Democratic economists balked at that idea and expressed hope that it reflected little more than political messaging. Economists typically say mandatory price-setting creates shortages, by reducing incentives for firms to produce supply, and is the kind of measure far less likely to have been backed under the Clinton or Obama administrations. Biden aides have argued some markets have become distorted by consolidation and require government intervention to be rebalanced on behalf of consumers.On housing, Harris did less to break with the Biden administration but still opted for a more active set of federal proposals than those thus far endorsed by the White House. Harris endorsed a slew of measures to expand housing supply — including an expansion of tax credits to incentivize housing construction — but also a new $25,000 in federal down-payment assistance to more than 1 million first-time home buyers. (Biden had previously proposed a more limited measure only for first-generation home buyers.) Critics say this plan would probably bid up housing prices, which have already soared since the pandemic.Harris also pledged to work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans, building on one of her signature policy issues as vice president. That effort could involve using federal funds to buy and forgive outstanding medical debt from health providers. Harris’s office also recently worked with the state of North Carolina on a first-of-its-kind initiative to forgive the medical debt of 2 million state residents by creating financial incentives for hospitals to relieve medical debt or prevent it from accumulating in the first place. That initiative received federal approval last month, and all 99 eligible hospitals in North Carolina have since committed to participate — a potential model for other states.AdvertisementHarris’s health-care proposals also lean into liberal efforts to take on the pharmaceutical industry, building on ideas popularized by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and adopted by Biden. The vice president is pledging to expand several provisions contained in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, including capping the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month, and capping Americans’ annual out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs at $2,000. Those two provisions are currently in effect for Medicare beneficiaries. Extending them to all Americans could face resistance from the pharmaceutical industry and Republicans.Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden celebrated price cuts to top prescription drugs used by Medicare on Aug. 16 in Largo, Md. (Video: Reuters)During her speech, Harris warned that Trump’s economic proposals would translate into higher costs borne by middle- and working-class families. She characterized Trump’s plans to impose a tariff of 10 percent on all U.S. imports as a “national sales tax,” arguing it would raise prices on everything from food to gas to clothing. Economists say the proposed import duty would raise costs for consumers and domestic producers. The Biden administration, however, has kept most of the tariffs Trump imposed during the first term, although the GOP’s nominees plans for a second term would go much further.“At this moment when everyday prices are too high, he will make them even higher,” Harris said. The crowd broke out into chants of “We’re not going back.”Later in her speech, Harris blasted Trump’s plan to further cut taxes on the richest Americans. “You know, I think that if you want to know who someone cares about, look who they fight for,” Harris said. | 41930ce6451191d9 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/18/onerous-atf-rules-threaten-to-put-gun-dealers-out-/ | Onerous ATF rules threaten to put gun dealers out of business | 2014-09-18 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | Doug Stockman always has had a passion for firearms , so 20 years ago he made a business out of it .
Today , his shop , SSG Tactical , is one of the largest gun dealers in Virginia , with 10 employees , training classes and concealed-carry fashion bags .
Mr. Stockman and co-owner Curt Sebastian are part of an industry that adds $ 31.8 billion to the U.S. economy — roughly equivalent to Nigeria ’ s national budget .
But Mr. Stockman and others in the industry worry that heightened federal scrutiny and government regulations will put them out of business .
Last year , when an inspector from the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives dropped by SSG Tactical ’ s Fredericksburg shop for an unannounced audit , Mr. Stockman thought he was prepared .
Each of the roughly 7,500 guns his business sold that year required a Form 4473 , the federal document that the purchaser and seller must complete , in addition to a background check .
The Form 4473 asks questions such as where the purchaser lives and whether the person has ever committed a crime .
Leaving one of the 132 items on the six-page questionnaire blank , or filling it in incorrectly , is an ATF violation . One violation can lead to a license revocation , which would put Mr. Stockman out of business .
Out of SSG Tactical ’ s 7,500 guns sold , the company could have made as many as 990,000 mistakes from the Form 4473 alone .
Turns out , Mr. Stockman ’ s team made about 180 errors — a 99.98 percent accuracy rate .
The majority of the violations were on the 4473 and included incorrect information on ethnicity , wrong dates and leaving a box empty when the city and county go by the same name , Mr. Stockman said .
“ These mistakes were anything but willful — they were simply human error , ” he said . “ Now , if anything more turns up , in any future audit , we could lose our license — our business . ”
Federal law obligates licensed firearm dealers to record all transactions so guns connected to crimes can be traced . In addition to 100 percent compliance on the Form 4473 , dealers must log all “ acquisitions and dispositions ” by manufacturer , purchaser , model , serial number and caliber , and the date the dealer bought and sold each gun .
All paperwork needs to be kept for 20 years and be made available for inspection . Mr. Stockman ’ s audit took about seven months to complete and required him to make one of his full-time employees available to help ATF ’ s compliance officer sift through the shop ’ s records .
“ The government is making it virtually impossible to grow a business , ” said Mr. Stockman . “ The amount of oversight and regulations has only grown over the years and in this administration . ”
Indeed , the government ’ s scrutiny of gun retailers has increased under President Obama ’ s watch .
Since 2005 , the number of field inspections ATF has conducted on firearms dealers has doubled . During Mr. Obama ’ s term , the number of violations uncovered has jumped 30 percent , according to the ATF ’ s Industry Operation Inspection Results , a report tracking the agency ’ s 2013 audits for the industry .
Although the number of inspections and violations has jumped , the severity of the offenses has not , the data show .
The most common “ failing federal firearms licensees ” committed last year was improperly completing the Form 4473 , according to the report . The next four most common errors were other violations relating to paperwork , including incorrect dates and failure to record inbound shipments within a specified time .
Selling a firearm to a person who should not have been allowed to buy a gun ranked 10th out of 10 on the list .
“ The most common violation — and it ’ s usually almost always the same — is the 4473 , ” said Larry Keane , senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation , the firearms trade association . “ A lot of times these guys will make the same mistake on these forms repeatedly and it has nothing to do with public safety . It makes the violation numbers seem a lot worse than they are . ”
Everyone within the industry agrees that selling firearms to known criminals and not keeping proper tabs on inventory are serious violations that the ATF should track and that dealers should be held to account . It ’ s the small stuff — such as inadvertent clerical errors — that beefs up violation statistics , creates public relations misconceptions , raises the risk for license revocation and increases compliance costs for those already in the industry .
To prevent ATF violation numbers from mounting , the National Shooting Sports Foundation conducts seminars and has posted a “ Sweat the Details ” slide on its website to coach firearms dealers through the paperwork .
The ATF also conducts such classes and allows an electronic version of the Form 4473 to be used , which flags mistakes and omissions before the form can be printed . Because the software is expensive , only larger , big-box retailers have employed it , Mr. Keane said .
“ We now have a very high percentage of retailers being inspected frequently , and they ’ re required to have 100 percent accuracy , ” Mr. Keane said . “ This requires a lot of time and energy to train your employees , to double-check all work . We spend a lot of time and energy pushing the gospel of compliance because we want to keep these guys in business . One violation can put them under . ”
About half of the gun retailers who undergo audits come out with violations , according to ATF data . Those retailers are given a list of wrongdoings , warning letters of possible revocation and conferences with ATF inspectors to hash through the discrepancies if needed .
“ We take our responsibility for licensing persons engaged in manufacturing , importing and dealing in firearms , and ensuring those who are licensed to engage in those businesses do so in compliance with applicable laws and regulations , very seriously , ” said Elizabeth Gosselin , a spokeswoman at ATF . “ It is critical that [ gun dealers ] comply with the Gun Control Act and its implementing regulations first and foremost to ensure public safety , and second to assist law enforcement efforts and prevent the diversion of firearms from lawful commerce to the illegal market . ”
Although the number of licenses the ATF revokes — 81 last year — represents a small percentage in the industry , the threat of being shut down looms large for small-business owners such as Mr. Stockman .
SSG Tactical has met with ATF to work through the audit . The shop has created a plan to address all of the government ’ s concerns , and it has retrained its employees on the importance of paperwork .
Mr. Stockman estimates he has spent $ 100,000 in hourly wages triple-checking his books . His shop will be audited again at an unknown time this year — as is protocol when a violation is found — and his license could be revoked if government concerns persist .
Gun control advocates view dealer compliance efforts as the price of entering the firearms industry and are pushing the government for more inspections and tougher regulations .
“ We believe that not taking measures to ensure that dangerous people can ’ t get guns has a very high cost as we can see in the many Americans killed by gun violence every day , ” said Erika Soto Lamb , a spokeswoman for Everytown for Gun Safety — an organization started by former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg .
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and other organizations would like all firearms dealers to go through audits annually . In fiscal year 2011 , ATF conducted inspections on 9.4 percent of its federal firearm licensees . By contrast , 2011 audits of individual income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service was 1.1 percent . Last year , 14 percent of all federal firearms licenses were audited .
Federal law handcuffs ATF by “ barring it from conducting more than one spot inspection a year for gun dealers , or from requiring store inventories , ” Becca Knox , director of research for the Brady Campaign , said in an email to the Center for Public Integrity .
Balancing regulation for public safety with industry growth is tricky and politically skewed against those in the business , said Matthew Bergstrom , the managing attorney at Arsenal Attorneys , which represents gun owners and the firearm industry nationally .
“ If you talk about simplifying regulation on gun dealers , people will accuse you of trying to get guns in the hands of bad guys , so it ’ s very hard to have an honest conversation , ” said Mr. Bergstrom . “ How many people commit a crime involving a firearm they ’ ve obtained only because a mistake was made on a 4473 ? It ’ s got to be zero .
“ There ’ s a huge burden on the individual gun dealer to complete all the paperwork 100 percent accurately or they can be put out of business for the most insignificant practices , ” said Mr. Bergstrom . “ We ’ ll never have an answer as to how much is too much regulation , because deep down inside the anti-gun advocates don ’ t want anyone to own any guns . And so the regulations will continue — small-business owners will be hurt . ” | 4JasNwtrJfCLbJua | 2 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | -2.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-secondwave/risk-of-new-lockdowns-rises-with-fear-of-second-covid-19-wave-idUSKBN23J187 | Risk of new lockdowns rises with fear of second COVID-19 wave | 2020-06-12 | Coronavirus | LONDON/BRUSSELS ( ███ ) - Fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections shut six major food markets in Beijing on Friday , while India , which opened up this week , recorded a record daily increase and half a dozen U.S. states said their hospital beds were filling up fast .
Health officials worldwide have expressed concerns in recent days that some countries grappling with the devastating economic impact of lockdowns may lift restrictions too swiftly , and that the coronavirus could spread during mass anti-racism protests .
“ We must be ready to roll back relaxation of measures if needed , ” the European Union ’ s health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said after urging its 27 members to plough ahead with testing the population as they reopen schools and businesses .
In China , where the new coronavirus originated , two new cases of COVID-19 , the disease it causes , were recorded in the capital . Authorities closed part or all of six big wholesale food markets which the two men had recently visited but it was not known how they had become infected .
India opened most public transport , offices and malls this week after nearly 70 days even though health officials said it was weeks away from flattening the rising infection curve .
The official death toll , at 8,498 , is relatively small , but the health ministry said registered cases rose by 10,956 on Friday , a record , with many in Delhi , Mumbai and Chennai .
Syed Ahmed Bukhari , the head of Delhi ’ s Jama Masjid , one of India ’ s biggest mosques , ordered a halt to congregations until the end of the month .
“ What is the point of visiting mosques at a time when the virus is spreading so fast ? ” he said .
In Turkey , the top medical association said the easing of restrictions on June 1 had come too soon , although the daily death toll as fallen in recent weeks to about 20 .
“ There is talk of when the second wave will hit , but we have not yet been able to overcome the first wave , ” Cavit Isik Yavuz , part of the coronavirus research team at the Turkish Medics Association said .
While new infections are slowing in most of Europe , health experts see a moderate to high risk that post-lockdown rises may warrant new restrictions .
Related Coverage Factbox : Global surge in coronavirus cases raise fears about second wave
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) predicted a moderate acceleration across Europe in coming weeks , which could place healthcare systems under stress if not checked rapidly . Government control measures could check and reverse upward trends within two to three weeks , it said .
Andrea Ammon , director of the ECDC , stressed the importance of maintaining physical distancing , hand hygiene and what she called “ respiratory etiquette ” .
Officials have expressed concern the virus could spread among the tens of thousands who have crowded together in Europe ’ s big cities to demonstrate against racism after the death in U.S. police custody of George Floyd .
“ Mass events could be a major route of transmission , ” said Martin Seychell , a health official at the EU Commission .
World Health Organization ( WHO ) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said late on Thursday that the threat of a resurgence remained very real .
“ We must also remember that , although the situation is improving here in Europe , globally it ’ s getting worse ... We will continue to need global solidarity to defeat this pandemic fully , ” he said .
Of 5,347 new deaths recorded worldwide , 3,681 were in the Americas , the WHO said on Thursday .
In about half a dozen U.S. states including Texas and Arizona , the number of coronavirus patients filling hospital beds is rising , fanning concerns that the reopening of the U.S. economy may unleash a second wave of infections . Alabama , Florida , North Carolina , South Carolina , Oregon and Nebraska all had a record number of new cases on Thursday .
“ I want the reopening to be successful , ” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo , the top executive for the county that encompasses Houston , Texas , told reporters . “ But I ’ m growing increasingly concerned that we may be approaching the precipice of a disaster . ”
More hospitalisations inevitably mean more deaths ahead , said Spencer Fox , research associate at the University of Texas at Austin .
“ We are starting to see very worrying signs about the course the pandemic is taking in cities and states in the U.S. and around the world , ” he said . “ When you start seeing those signs , you need to act fairly quickly . ”
Wall Street ’ s main indexes opened sharply higher on Friday , a day after the biggest one-day dive in about three months on fears of a resurgence in infections . Global stocks .MIWD00000PUS were up 1.3 % after four days of consecutive losses .
The United States has now recorded more than 113,000 coronavirus deaths , by far the most in the world . That figure could be over 200,000 by September , Ashish Jha , the head of Harvard ’ s Global Health Institute , told CNN . | 736f834b69aa7998 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/us-access-key-bases-philippines-ability-monitor-china | US gains access to key bases in the Philippines, bolstering ability to monitor China | 2023-02-02 | Foreign Policy, World, Philippines, US Military, Defense Department, Defense And Security, China, Taiwan, Lloyd Austin, South China Sea, Asia | The United States has secured access to four more military bases in thePhilippines, allowing for extra support for its allies in the region and increasing Washington’s ability to monitorChina.With access to the bases in the Philippines, the U.S. is much closer toTaiwanand the disputed South China Sea, shoring up its defense and reconnaissance in the region. Washington has already had alliances enabling its stretch from South Korea andJapanin the north to Australia in the south.AIR FORCE GENERAL WARNS TROOPS OF WAR WITH CHINA BY 2025, DISAGREEING WITH PENTAGON ASSESSMENTU.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, second from left, walks past military guards during his arrival at the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on Thursday February 2, 2023. (Rolex Dela Pena/Pool Photo via AP)Defense SecretaryLloyd Austinarrived at the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Philippines, on Thursday. Demonstrators stood outside the defense headquarters in protest of the visit and held signs, including ones that read, “U.S. troops out of the Philippines!”Austin also met with Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Thursday. The two leaders announced their agreement to expand America’s military presence in the country by giving the U.S. access to the four bases. Marcos has taken steps to become closer to the U.S. since taking office in June,according tothe Associated Press.Demonstrators hold slogans as they protest against the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outside Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in metro Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Austin is in the Philippines for talks about deploying U.S. forces and weapons in more Philippine military camps to ramp up deterrence against China’s increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)China has been increasingly aggressive toward Taiwan, which it views as part of its country. By establishing a stronger foothold in the Philippines, which borders the disputedSouth China Seaand is fewer than 750 miles from Taiwan, the U.S. not only can understand more about China’s strategy but also be more equipped to act, should it be necessary.Taiwan, an island of roughly 24 million people, is self-governing and has claimed its independence. The U.S. has recognized China’s claim to Taiwan butdoes not supportany unilateral change in the status. Over the course of the last year, China has demonstrated aggressive military maneuvers, including sending fighter planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan.The U.S. hasn’t said where its new access points on the bases are, but three of them could be on the northern island of Luzon, BBC Newsreported.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINERThe opposition from some Philippine citizens against the U.S. expanding its military in the country will likely not come as a surprise due to the fractured past between the once-colony and its former colonizer. But the talks between Austin and leaders in the Philippines underscore how serious they see the threat China poses to the region and how the U.S. can help ensure security, as well as the country’s own interests, in the area.It remains to be seen what China’s response to Austin’s presence and likely bolstering of American troops in the Philippines will be. House SpeakerKevin McCarthy(R-CA) is expected to visit Taiwan in the spring amid the growing threat posed by China. | d8d48e13f6b70fdc | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Vanity Fair | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/05/elizabeth-warren-big-tech-billboard-silicon-valley | ELIZABETH WARREN’S PITCH TO WIN CALIFORNIA: ANTI-TECH CLASS WARFARE | elections | For the next week , thousands of workers commuting into San Francisco via the Caltrain will be greeted with a giant billboard of Elizabeth Warren ’ s face and the words “ BREAK UP BIG TECH ” —a somewhat bold message in a city made rich by Silicon Valley . Hillary Clinton famously promised , “ We ’ re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business , ” but she never put up a billboard in Appalachia . As Jazz Shaw notes at HotAir , plenty of people who see Warren ’ s sign likely work at one of the companies she wants to break up , or have friends who do . Some of them may even be potential fund-raisers for her campaign . Is it really a great idea to piss them off ?
Still , Warren might be onto something here . Anti-tech sentiment is , in fact , particularly high in the shadow of the Salesforce Tower , where the Big Four—Apple , Amazon , Google , Facebook—and a steady stream of multi-billion-dollar IPOs have made much of the Bay Area unaffordable for all but the super-rich . The people who see Warren ’ s billboard are likely to be precisely the sort of commuters who have been forced into the hinterlands by San Francisco ’ s sky-high housing prices : educated workers making six figures who still can not afford the million-dollar price tag for housing . While the Massachusetts senator ’ s proposal to break up Amazon , Facebook , Google , and Apple might hurt some employees at those firms if they are forced to downsize , it might also allow new companies to thrive , spurring new innovation . ( As Warren writes , referring to the government ’ s 1998 antitrust case against Microsoft , “ Aren ’ t we all glad that now we have the option of using Google instead of being stuck with Bing ? ” ) Tellingly , Warren ’ s team didn ’ t stick her billboard in Palo Alto , but rather in close proximity to somewhat smaller public companies , including Lyft and Dropbox , which make products that compete against the Big Four ’ s portfolios .
There is a larger strategy at play too . While Warren ’ s fund-raising has suffered in the short term , in part because of her decision to stop holding big-donor events and her refusal to take donations higher than $ 500 , her devotion to principle does appear to have helped her stand out in a crowded field . Her standing in the polls has recently been ticking upward , the New York Times reports , and crowds at her rallies have grown bigger . Her fund-raising still lags behind that of wealthier rivals like Joe Biden , but voters seem genuinely excited by her steady release of new policy proposals , such as forgiving student-loan debt , ending the electoral college , and taxing people with a net worth of $ 50 million-plus , with an even higher tax on billionaires . ( Even her lack of money , driven largely by her self-imposed fund-raising limits , has turned into a selling point among her supporters . “ I like that very much , ” Cheryl Scherr of Iowa told the Times , “ because that means that she ’ s not beholden to anybody. ” ) Her detailed proposal to use antitrust law to break up the three megacorporations may ultimately be a near-impossible task , but for the majority of voters who want the government to do more to regulate technology companies , Warren ’ s emphasis on the issue immediately established her as an authority .
The primary purpose of placing an anti-tech message in the heart of Silicon Valley , of course , is to get attention . ( Rarely does a local billboard become a national story , even online . ) But is Warren also signaling her intent to make a real play for California , which recently moved its primary to Super Tuesday ? Biden continues to lead the polls there , as in every other state . Kamala Harris has a hometown advantage too . Still , it ’ s early days , California allocates its 400 delegates proportionally , and perhaps Warren sees an opening with the sorts of upwardly mobile but economically constrained folks who must commute out of San Mateo or San Jose—where even highly educated workers can not afford the average home , and low-income minority voters have been pushed out altogether . One billboard isn ’ t about to launch a tech proletarian revolution , but it does speak to the growing anti-tech sentiment flourishing at the fringes of Silicon Valley .
— Exclusive : your first look at Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker | svavJAuxCy3niKJu | 0 | Class Warfare | 0.6 | Election2020 | 0 | Elizabeth Warren | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | |
politics | CBN | http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2017/october/trump-drug-czar-nominee-rep-marino-withdrawing-his-name-heres-why | Trump: Drug Czar Nominee, Rep. Marino, Withdrawing His Name - Here's Why | 2017-10-17 | politics | Washington – President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Rep. Tom Marino , R-Pa , has withdrawn his name from consideration for the nation 's drug czar .
Rep.Tom Marino has informed me that he is withdrawing his name from consideration as drug czar . Tom is a fine man and a great Congressman ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) October 17 , 2017
The announcement follows a joint investigation by CBS `` 60 Minutes '' and The Washington Post , which reported that the lawmaker was the `` chief advocate '' behind the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act , a law which weakened the federal government 's authority to stop companies from the mass distribution of opioids .
The report shows the bill had heavy support from drug company lobbyists and passed Congress by unanimous consent . President Barack Obama signed the bill into law in April 2016 .
On Monday , Mr. Trump said he would `` make a change '' if he felt Marino 's nomination hurt the administration 's efforts to curb opioid abuse .
`` He 's a great guy . I did see the report . We 're going to look into the report . We 're going to take it very seriously , '' Trump told reporters .
Lawmakers like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , and Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.Va. , had called for Trump to pull Marino 's nomination following the report .
`` He is not going to be -- over my dead body will he be the drug czar , '' said Manchin .
I look forward to working with @ realDonaldTrump to find a drug czar that will serve # WV and our entire country . — Senator Joe Manchin ( @ Sen_JoeManchin ) October 17 , 2017
More than 33,000 people died in 2015 from prescription opioids , heroin , and fentanyl , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The Trump administration has vowed to take on the opioid epidemic , hinting that at an announcement to tackle the crisis could come soon .
`` We 're going to have a major announcement , probably next week , on the drug crisis and on the opioid massive problem . And I want to get that absolutely right . This country , and frankly the world , has a drug problem , '' Trump stated .
███ News reached out to Marino for comment , but he could not immediately be reached . | rADJ6gOORFqPL2Tz | 2 | Politics | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/01/27/trump-campaign-says-candidate-won-t-participate-in-fox-newsgoogle-debate.html?intcmp=hpbt2 | Donald Ducks | 2016-01-27 | elections | Donald Trump ’ s campaign said Tuesday night that the Republican presidential primary front-runner does not plan to participate in the upcoming ███/Google debate , shortly after the debate lineup was announced .
The Republican presidential candidate already had said he probably would not be going , accusing ███ of “ playing games ” with him . Trump has cited concerns with one of the debate moderators , Megyn Kelly – but apparently made his decision not to attend following press statements from ███ .
Trump , though , took heat for his decision from his closest rival in the polls , Texas Sen. Ted Cruz , who accused Trump of being `` afraid of Megyn Kelly . ''
“ If Donald is afraid to defend his record , it speaks volumes , ” Cruz said in a radio interview with Mark Levin , challenging Trump to a one-on-one debate .
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe ” on Wednesday that the boycott had “ nothing to do with Megyn Kelly . ”
But a half-hour later , Trump again went after Kelly on Twitter , calling her a “ lightweight reporter . ”
The ███/Google debate is set for this Thursday in Des Moines , Iowa . It would mark the first GOP presidential primary debate that Trump has not attended .
His campaign put out a statement Tuesday night confirming the candidate “ will not be participating in the ███ debate and will instead host an event in Iowa to raise money for the Veterans and Wounded Warriors . ”
Addressing the matter on “ The Kelly File , ” Kelly later said : “ I ’ ll be there . … The debate will go on with or without Mr. Trump . ”
Despite his complaints , he had easily qualified as one of the eight candidates in the prime-time event .
███ announced the candidate lineup for that debate earlier Tuesday evening , and the qualifying participants were :
Trump ; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson ; former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush ; New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie ; Ohio Gov . John Kasich ; and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul .
The participants qualifying for the earlier , 7 p.m . ET debate were :
Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina ; former Arkansas Gov . Mike Huckabee ; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum ; and former Virginia Gov . Jim Gilmore .
The lineup reflects a polling boost for Paul , who did not qualify for the most recent Fox Business Network prime-time debate earlier this month , and declined to participate in that program ’ s evening event .
This time , Paul suggested he ’ ll attend , saying the campaign is “ very excited ” about qualifying for the main stage .
Meanwhile , ███ Chairman Roger Ailes has defended Megyn Kelly amid the criticism from Trump . He issued a statement earlier to The Washington Post saying , “ Megyn Kelly is an excellent journalist , and the entire network stands behind her . She will absolutely be on the debate stage on Thursday night . ''
Kelly has withstood Trump ’ s attacks since the August debate , when he accused her of purposely attacking him . As part of Trump ’ s explanation for not participating in Thursday ’ s debate he called the `` Kelly File '' host a `` lightweight '' and `` third-rate reporter . ''
Trump ’ s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski even threatened to ramp up the verbal attacks Trump has repeated since the first August debate .
“ In a call on Saturday with a ███ executive , Lewandowski stated that Megyn had a ‘ rough couple of days after that last debate ’ and he ‘ would hate to have her go through that again , ’ ” a ███ statement said late Tuesday .
“ Lewandowski was warned not to level any more threats , but he continued to do so . We can ’ t give in to terrorizations toward any of our employees , ” the statement added .
READ THE ███ STATEMENT ON TRUMP DECLINING TO PARTICIPATE IN ███/GOOGLE DEBATE
Trump , speaking earlier in Iowa , said he ’ d probably raise money for veterans instead of doing the event . And speaking with ███ ’ Bret Baier , Trump said he “ didn ’ t like the press releases Fox put out . ”
The ███/Google debate in Des Moines this Thursday will be the candidates ’ last before next week ’ s Iowa caucuses – which kicks off the Republican presidential nominating process .
In the run-up , the candidates are ramping up their ad spending and shoe-leather campaigning , while going after each other in the process .
After clashing at the most recent GOP debate , Iowa front-runners Trump and Cruz have only turned up their attacks in recent days – particularly as Trump regains his Iowa lead over Cruz in most polls . The race , though , remains close . The latest Quinnipiac University poll showed Trump leading Cruz just 31-29 percent in Iowa .
Cruz said Tuesday that “ no state is a must-win for us. ” But the reality is his campaign is fighting hard for an Iowa victory , as Trump maintains a huge polling lead in the next contest : the New Hampshire primary .
One new ad from a Cruz-supporting super PAC is accusing Trump of being aligned with Democrats on “ government-run health care. ” Another from the Cruz campaign returns to the well of criticizing Trump ’ s “ New York values , ” while playing a clip of him saying , “ How stupid are the people of Iowa ? ”
Trump , meanwhile , called Cruz a “ liar ” in an MSNBC interview Tuesday .
“ Nobody likes him , ” Trump said , attempting to draw a contrast with his own business experience by saying Cruz can ’ t make a deal with anybody .
The debate on Thursday will be moderated by ███ anchors Bret Baier , Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace .
The candidate lineup was decided based on the results of national , New Hampshire and Iowa polling – released before 5 p.m . ET on Tuesday .
To qualify for the prime-time debate , a candidate had to place in the top six in an average of recent national polls , or in the top five in an average of recent Iowa or New Hampshire polls . The evening debate features other candidates who received a minimum 1 percent in at least one recent national poll . | hI4eSGIed2pKBeJP | 2 | Culture | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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