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economy_and_jobs | Yahoo News | https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inflation-reduction-act-savings-average-household-analysis-142038472.html | Inflation Reduction Act would lead to $1,800 in savings for average household, analysis finds | 2022-08-03 | Economy And Jobs, Inflation, Consumers, Taxes, Economic Policy | Sweeping climate and health care legislation unveiled by Democrats last week would lead to significant cuts in energy costs for American households, according to a new analysis.A report by non-profit group Rewiring America found that the tax incentives included as part of the $369 billion dedicated to climate initiatives in the Inflation Reduction Act would save the average household $1,800 per year on energy bills.“It is a market-tilting level of investment,” Ari Matusiak, the group's co-founder and CEO who was involved with the crafting of the bill, told Yahoo Finance. “The beneficiaries of [this measure] in the long term are going to be all of us on the planet. In the short term, it’s going to be Americans at their kitchen tables realizing savings on a month-to-month basis.”The new measure sets out to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and dramatically reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions through a slew of tax incentives aimed at reducing the cost of electrification.While those cost savings are dolled out among more than 100 different programs, Matusiak said the biggest reductions are likely to come from rebate and credit programs that cushion the cost difference between electric appliances and cars, and those that rely on fossil fuels.Here are some of the biggest cost savings.Electrifying householdsA program dubbed the High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEERA) sets aside $4.5 billion in direct rebates for low- and moderate-income households that install new, efficient electric appliances.Under the proposed rebate framework, a low-income household would receive a rebate of up to $8,000 for a new heat pump, $840 for an electric stove or electric dryer, and $2,500 for updated electrical wiring, among other rebates. Matusiak said those incentives will enable 1 million households to go electric.“The challenge is that these machines are new and they are not ubiquitous in the market yet, so they have not yet achieved industrial scale, which means that their prices off the showroom floor are higher than the fossil fuel machines that they will be replacing,” he said. “So the investments in the Inflation Reduction Act are directly going at bridging the delta between the cost of an off-the-showroom fossil fuel machine versus a clean electric machine.”Washing machines and dryers stand in a Manhattan appliance store on September 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) · Spencer Platt via Getty ImagesCredits for EV purchasesThe climate legislation also sets aside new money for a $7500 federal vehicle tax credit, expected to give major car makers like Tesla (TSLA) and GM (GM) an added lift, along with drivers.While the credit for new electric vehicles is seen as an extension of an existing program, the clean vehicle credit program comes with additional conditions, including a requirement that eligible cars be built with materials sourced and processed in a country that the U.S. has a free trade agreement with. It also requires the battery used to include a large number of components manufactured in North America. | 9d13a969d4bbfad1 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
defense_and_security | Jennifer Rubin | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/28/defense-officials-just-debunked-much-criticism-bidens-afghanistan-withdrawal/ | Defense officials just debunked much of the criticism of Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal | 2021-09-29 | National Defense, US Military, Afghanistan, Middle East, Joe Biden, Pentagon, Defense And Security | clockThis article was published more than 3 years ago Testimony from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday was enlightening in several respects. The two defense officials may not have persuaded those who wanted to continue an unwinnable war in Afghanistan, but they certainly put President Biden’s decision-making in context. | 86a7e72144b44141 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
technology | The Post Millennial | https://www.thepostmillennial.com/twitter-bias-twitter-employee-tweets-harassment-at-andy-ngo/ | Twitter employee tweets harassment at Andy Ngo | 2019-12-05 | Social Media, Twitter, Media Bias, Andy Ngo, Technology | Daniel Koren is the director of Hasbara Fellowships Canada , an organization that empowers student leaders to fight against anti-Israel and antisemitic discrimination on campus .
In an opinion piece titled “ Free Speech , but not for Palestine ” published in the Toronto Sun on Nov. 28 , two anti-Israel activists ( one of whom is known for his anti-Israel activism at York University ) suggest there is nothing wrong with calling for an intifada on campus .
As the director of Hasbara Fellowships Canada , which empowers student leaders to fight against anti-Israel and antisemitic discrimination on campus , I strongly disagree .
In their op-ed , Hammam Farah , a York alumnus and founder of the university ’ s Students Against Israeli Apartheid ( SAIA ) club , and Mona Dennaoui , a former member of SAIA , suggest they were bullied by members of the Jewish Defence League ( JDL ) and other Jewish counter-protestors at the now infamous York rally on Nov. 20 .
This , despite the fact that , according to most accounts , Jewish protestors were outnumbered by anti-Israel demonstrators by at least six to one .
Astonishingly , referring to members of the JDL ( known for their hawkish position on the Arab-Israeli conflict ) as “ snowflakes ” isn ’ t the most ludicrous comment in Farrah and Dennaoui ’ s op-ed .
No , what ’ s most absurd is that they suggest there is no free speech for Palestine at a campus known for its hostility towards Jews and pro-Israel students , a campus notorious for a vulgar and violent mural that Jews have for years demanded be removed , a campus where even uttering the words “ Israel ” or “ Zionism ” can result in harassment and discrimination .
Farrah and Dennaoui are right about at least one thing , though : the importance of freedom of speech on Canadian college and university campuses . What they fail to articulate is that chanting “ Viva , viva intifada ! ” is not free speech . In my view , it ’ s hate speech .
Take the word of Adele Banita-Bennett , whose 22-year-old husband Aharon was stabbed to death in the name of intifada as Adele , their two-year-old daughter , and infant baby watched in horror .
Or , to illustrate why the Palestinian Roots mural promotes violence against Jews , take the word of Yosefa or Maya Levlovich , who were in the car with their father Alexander when Palestinians hurled rocks at their car , forcing it to crash . Alexander , now known as the first victim of the “ Stabbing Intifada ” of 2015-16 , died in hospital the next day .
Or take the word of any of the relatives of the victims of the October , 2015 Jerusalem bus attack , where three Israelis were killed and 16 others were wounded in the name of intifada .
I can go on and on . This is the real face of intifada , and not just to the Jewish- and Arab-Israelis who have been mercilessly attacked in cold blood , but to anyone who has been paying attention .
When a small number of Jews are subject to chants of “ Viva , Viva Intifada ! ” from a much larger group , that ’ s not just some innocuous saying to us . It ’ s a call for a violent uprising of knife stabbings , car rammings , and suicide attacks , not “ peaceful resistance , ” as many anti-Israel activists have suggested . It ’ s a horrific promotion of murder and genocide .
Palestinians , like all people , deserve the right to protest and freedom of speech . Palestinians , like all people , should not be held collectively responsible when their leaders promote bloodshed by calling for an intifada .
But to imply that this term can mean anything else but violence and murder is to assume it is subject to interpretation when it is not . These examples are indisputable facts concerning hundreds of innocent Israelis , Jewish and Muslim alike , murdered in the name of intifada .
It is the height of hypocrisy that Hammam Farah , who has personally attempted to silence oh so many Jewish- and Israeli-Canadians , claims to be interested in preserving freedom of speech . If he were , then that freedom would have to be awarded to all people , even those he disagrees with .
Following the rally at York , some of the IDF soldiers who spoke said it was unfortunate not a single anti-Israel protestor would give them the chance to start a dialogue that could lead to interfaith building . Instead , they were just trying to shut them down . As the founder of SAIA York , who organized the rally , this is Hammam Farah ’ s legacy .
Sadly , if anyone is guilty of denying freedom of speech and expression , it is the anti-Israel activists at York , U of T , McGill and other campuses around the world where Jews are being told what they can and can not do or say . Or am I just being a snowflake ? | 15b3d5ecd0305b78 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Axios | https://www.axios.com/2023/04/19/bipartisan-house-group-unveils-debt-limit-plan | Bipartisan House group unveils plan to avoid U.S. default | 2023-04-19 | Economy And Jobs, Debt Ceiling, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Debt, Federal Budget, Deficit, Bipartisanship, US House, US Congress, Politics | 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 Problem Solvers Caucus co-chairs Brian Fitzpatrick and Josh Gottheimer. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images. The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus on Wednesday released a proposal for avoiding a default on U.S. debt if the White House and congressional leadership fail to reach an agreement. Why it matters: Congressional leaders have begun openly referencing the prospect of defaulting as House Republicans and the Biden administration dig into diametrically opposite positions. Driving the news: A draft framework by the caucus — which is made up of 31 Republicans and 32 Democrats in the House — was shared with Axios. It outlines four steps to avoiding a default if the government's debt limit isn't increased when it's expected to be reached, possibly within a couple of months: Zoom in: The Problem Solvers Caucus is led by centrist Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). Reality check: Congressional leadership in both parties has shown little interest in climbing out of their respective trenches and coming together on such a plan. What's next: House GOP leaders say they plan to hold a vote on a debt ceiling bill as soon as next week — though far more than the five Republicans who could sink the legislation say they aren't yet sold on it. Want more stories like this? Sign up for Axios Hill Leaders Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios Once-unthinkable options for averting a U.S. debt default have invaded the mainstream debate, a day after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen predicted a shorter countdown to catastrophe than previously thought. Why it matters: President Biden is finally set to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) next Tuesday, but there is so far zero indication that either side is prepared to move from their entrenched — and seemingly irreconcilable — negotiating positions. Photo: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images House Republicans on Wednesday narrowly voted to pass House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) legislation to raise the debt ceiling through 2024 and slash government spending. Why it matters: The bill is going nowhere with Senate Democrats and the White House firmly opposed, but it serves as a demonstration that Republicans can get votes behind a debt limit proposal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell listens as Kevin McCarthy, now the House speaker, speaks to reporters at the White House in 2021. On Tuesday, McCarthy, McConnell, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will discuss the debt ceiling with President Biden. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Some House Republicans are fretting about whether they'd be able to pass a watered-down version of their debt ceiling bill once the terms are negotiated with Senate Democrats and the White House, Axios has learned. Why it matters: House moderates say House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and GOP leadership aren't doing enough to tamp down expectations with the right-wing Freedom Caucus — harming the chances for any compromise bill. Copyright Axios Media, 2024 | 80bd6f1f87521ec2 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/330341-infighting-cools-down-in-trumpland | Infighting cools down in Trumpland | 2017-04-25 | white_house | President Trump ’ s White House is making an effort to heal the wounds from the infighting and leaks that have dogged the administration over its first 100 days .
Trump appears to have brokered at least a temporary peace between son-in-law Jared Kushner , a senior adviser with a growing portfolio of responsibilities , and chief strategist Stephen Bannon , the former Breitbart News chief whose rough edges and nationalist vision were among the animating characteristics of Trump ’ s insurgent campaign .
People who have spoken with Bannon say he has given explicit orders to allies who may have been taking swipes at Kushner in the press to knock it off .
But the persistent internal warring and fears over what stories might appear in tomorrow ’ s newspapers have driven some administration officials to exhaustion .
It has sometimes felt like top officials have been in an arms race to plant or kill stories in the press . Those who decline to participate in the sniping feel at risk of being thrown under the bus by their colleagues or described by the media as having diminished influence , according to officials interviewed by ███ .
That kill-or-be-killed mentality has trickled down to junior staffers , who have increasingly joined the melee themselves .
Frustrations among White House officials over the back-and-forth in the media boiled over earlier this month , when palace intrigue stories dominated the news cycle on the same day that the Senate confirmed Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court , overshadowing coverage of a major victory for the Trump administration .
The infighting has also split Trump ’ s supporters , who have increasingly bought into the idea of a power struggle between grassroots conservatives , led by Bannon , and the rising coalition of what they view as New York City “ liberals ” : Kushner , Ivanka Trump , economic adviser Gary Cohn and deputy national security adviser Dina Powell .
Republicans interviewed by ███ say the infighting and leaks have been extraordinary for their ferocity and persistence .
Trump ’ s allies say the infighting stands in the way of his success as president .
“ We ’ ve all been shocked by the unprecedented level of leaking , ” said Scott Reed , the senior political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce .
“ Trump is a businessman and likes the competition and flow of different ideas , but the secret is for his team to have a level of discipline and keep it in-house . When they don ’ t , it gives ammunition to the press and is bad for the president . Trump has cracked down on it and he was right to . People should shut up and do their jobs and get back on offense in a policy-oriented way . Palace intrigue is not going to grow the economy . ”
It ’ s been a quiet few weeks on the intrigue front since Trump intervened in the feud between Bannon and Kushner .
The final days leading up to Trump ’ s 100th day in office represent a test for whether Trump ’ s team of rivals can put forth a united front going forward .
White House officials and Cabinet members will be out in force , making themselves available to local and national media outlets as they seek to sell Trump ’ s agenda and cast his first 100 days as a resounding success .
“ I think we ’ ve gotten past all this , ” said one GOP operative with close ties to the administration .
White House officials have been frustrated by the stories and insist the infighting is being overplayed by the media and in some cases made up entirely .
Other officials have recounted to ███ how reporters call them to confirm salacious details . After the officials swear the items are untrue , they end up getting printed anyway .
“ Palace intrigue sells papers and is click-bait , ” White House adviser Sebastian Gorka said in a speech at Georgetown University on Monday . There , Gorka contended that most of the stories he reads about internal tension are totally false .
Still , the struggle for influence and backstabbing in the press is undeniable .
Some of Trump ’ s allies say it ’ s a byproduct of the president ’ s preference for “ creative tension , ” in which aides are expected to compete so the best ideas win out .
“ He likes hearing from everyone to get the broadest range of views he can get before deciding on something , ” said Frank Cannon , the president of the conservative think tank American Principles Project . “ But it ’ s better for the president when that conflict plays out internally , and I think he ’ s made that clear in recent weeks . ”
In the early days , rumors that Trump planned to fire chief of staff Reince Priebus beset the former Republican National Committee chairman .
Priebus ’ s allies believed those stories were fanned by former campaign aides and Bannon allies , who viewed Priebus as an establishment figure who was insufficiently loyal to Trump during the campaign .
Priebus ’ s allies helped him beat back those stories , and Bannon and Priebus have since come to what appears to be a friendly alliance .
Now , some conservatives are alarmed by the rise of the Kushner-Cohn wing . Cohn , a former Democrat and Goldman Sachs executive , has drawn extra suspicion from Trump ’ s base .
Many conservatives worry that Cohn ’ s rise has come at the expense of Bannon , who was rumored to be on the way out after Trump removed him from the National Security Council ’ s principals committee .
“ If Trump were to get rid of Bannon , there would be an explosion among the conservative grassroots , ” Tea Party leader Debbie Dooley told ███ in an interview last week .
That reading has frustrated mainstream conservatives , who are happy to see the president take counsel from a wide array of advisers , including Powell , the deputy national security adviser who has been tied to the Cohn-Kushner wing .
“ It ’ s important for people to understand Dina Powell worked for [ former House Majority Leader ] Dick Armey [ R-Texas ] and George W. Bush , ” said veteran GOP operative Charlie Black . “ She ’ s no liberal . ”
“ I don ’ t know Gary Cohn . He ’ s from New York and like everyone there was a registered Democrat . But he ’ s a businessman and a problem-solver . People need to understand it was Trump ’ s message that won . Bannon wasn ’ t involved early on and Trump ’ s message didn ’ t change much along the way . Anyway , there ’ s no reason to think Trump doesn ’ t listen to all of these people . ”
Conservatives say they ’ re watching closely for signs that the “ liberal ” wing is winning . They haven ’ t seen it yet . Trump ’ s message in recent weeks has focused heavily on manufacturing and creating American jobs , and he hasn ’ t wavered on trade , immigration , building the border wall or defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria , said Tea Party leader Mark Meckler .
“ We are watching closely what the White House is actually doing , ” Meckler said . “ All the rest of this is just noise . ” | gGbQWOWIR3SrbAJG | 1 | Politics | -0.5 | White House | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
trade | Politico | https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/02/china-trade-talks-trump-1349666 | China says U.S. ‘solely to blame’ for collapse of trade talks | 2019-06-02 | trade | Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen said the U.S. was being “ irresponsible ” in accusing Beijing of backtracking on its promises . | Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo South China Morning Post China says U.S. ‘ solely to blame ’ for collapse of trade talks
This story is being published as part of a content partnership with the South China Morning Post . It originally appeared on scmp.com on June 2 , 2019 .
China has laid the blame squarely on the United States for the breakdown of trade talks between the world ’ s two biggest economies , but hinted at its willingness to resume stalled negotiations with Washington while rejecting any attempt to force concessions from Beijing .
In a white paper on China ’ s official position on the trade talks released by the State Council Information Office on Sunday , Beijing made it clear the U.S. government “ should bear the sole and entire responsibility ” for the current stalemate , and hit back at allegations that Beijing had backtracked from its earlier promises .
On the specific allegation that China significantly changed the text under negotiation after the latest round of talks , the white paper said it was “ common practice ” to make new proposals and adjustments as the talks progressed , something the U.S. had done consistently .
“ The more the U.S. government is offered , the more it wants , ” the document said .
At a press conference in Beijing on Sunday , Wang Shouwen , China ’ s vice-minister for commerce , accused the U.S. of being “ irresponsible ” in accusing Beijing of backtracking on its promises .
“ Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed , ” he said in English , the only time he strayed from his native tongue .
Meanwhile , the white paper said that Beijing remained “ committed to credible consultations based on equality and mutual benefit ” , but would “ not give ground on matters of principle ” .
When asked what the U.S. side needed to do for the negotiations to continue , Wang referred to a preliminary agreement made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Argentina in December .
“ The consensus then was to not raise tariffs , and work towards canceling them , ” he said .
Despite the presidents ’ efforts , Beijing ’ s white paper came just a day after it introduced new tariffs on goods imported from the United States .
In a separate allegation , Sunday ’ s document accused the U.S. of insisting on “ mandatory requirements concerning China ’ s sovereign affairs . ”
Though it did not elaborate , the Post reported earlier that Washington had asked Beijing to “ completely open its internet ” as part of the trade deal . And at a seminar in Beijing on Friday , a group of former Chinese officials accused the U.S. of using the trade talks to undermine China ’ s national security on issues like Taiwan and the South China Sea . They also did not elaborate .
Beijing has been increasingly critical of Washington in recent weeks over the breakdown of the trade talks and its treatment of Chinese technology giant Huawei .
On Friday it said it planned to publish a list of “ unreliable ” foreign entities deemed to have damaged the interests of Chinese firms , based on anti-monopoly and national security grounds.A day later , Beijing announced an investigation into US logistics company FedEx for the “ wrongful delivery of packages , ” after Huawei accused FedEx of re-routing of its packages from China to the US .
Speaking about the case , Wang said that any foreign company suspected of breaking the law was subject to investigation .
At the same time , the lawful rights of foreign firms operating in China would always be protected , he said .
When asked about U.S. firms ’ complaints that customs clearance was taking longer since the start of the trade war , he advised companies to contact the relevant authorities .
“ If certain firms are faced with specific issues , they can talk to local commerce departments , ” he said .
On the matter of exports of rare earth minerals , Wang repeated Beijing ’ s comments of the past week .
“ With the world ’ s richest rare earth resources we are willing to satisfy the normal needs of other countries , ” he said . “ But it ’ s unacceptable if other countries use rare earths imported from China to suppress China ’ s development . ”
On the possibility of a summit between Xi and Trump on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka , Japan , later this month — as suggested by the American president in May — Wang said he had no information on the matter .
Shi Yinhong , an adviser to China ’ s State Council and a specialist in U.S. affairs at Renmin University in Beijing , said that despite the pressure from the US , Beijing had shown restraint in its efforts to fight back .
“ In the areas of trade and technology , China has less leverage than the U.S. , but it has kept its retaliatory measures within these areas , ” he said . “ If it extended its efforts to areas like North Korea and Iran , it could do much greater damage to Trump . ”
On the chances of the two sides achieving a breakthrough in their trade negotiations by the time of the G-20 summit , Shi said : “ The difference is too wide and would be impossible for them to bridge in a month . ”
The Trump White House and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not respond to questions . | N2WtXF0wK6cxbbig | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.8 | Trade | -0.5 | China | 0.3 | null | null | null | null |
isis | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/452868/trump-isis-victory | Did Trump Beat ISIS? | 2017-10-19 | isis | Syrian Democratic Forces fighters enter the former ISIS stronghold of Raqqa , October 17 , 2017 . ( Erik De Castro/Reuters )
Unlike Trump ’ s other boasts , the shift in the war occurred on his watch and after he changed the rules of engagement .
When President Donald Trump boasts , the nation rolls its collective eyes . From his first moments in office , Americans on both sides of the political aisle understood that his claims of triumph usually had little to do with the facts . That was true of the talk about record attendance at his inauguration and continues to also be true about his claims of passing more legislation or getting more done than all of his predecessors . The controversies engendered by Trump ’ s bragging or false statements ( such as those he recently made about other presidents consoling the survivors of American combat troops killed in battle ) have become the obsessive concern of his critics as well as of fans who brand the president ’ s debunkers as purveyors of “ fake news ” or merely take delight in his trolling of his liberal opponents .
But when it comes to one of Trump ’ s boasts , it ’ s hard for even his sternest detractors to gainsay him . Try as they might to deny it , even the efforts of the New York Times to discount his assertion rings false . ISIS was still largely undefeated and in control of much of the territory of Iraq and Syria when Trump was sworn in before a non-record setting crowd . But only nine months into his administration , the Islamic State ’ s hold on these countries has dwindled , and after the liberation this week of Raqqa , Syria , capital of the Islamists ’ caliphate , it ’ s fair to say that the group is being routed after years in which it held its own against coalition forces .
As with any war and , indeed , a great many other occurrences during any administration , the personal credit or blame that accrues to a president is widely exaggerated . The people winning this war are the U.S. air crews and special operators killing the terrorists as well as the coalition forces — principally local militias and the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters — who have paid for the ground won from the terrorists in blood . Trump didn ’ t personally beat ISIS anymore than Franklin Roosevelt beat Japan and Germany singlehandedly . Nor , on the other side of the ledger , were Kennedy , Johnson , and Nixon solely to blame for the disaster in Vietnam . But that is how history and politics works , and if the current victories lead , as seems highly likely , to the collapse of the caliphate , the only reason to deny Trump his fair share of the credit is partisan politics and the personal animus most of the press harbors toward him .
Recent political history provides us with a clear example of how this works .
Republicans and conservatives winced in 2011 when President Barack Obama took credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden . Their irritation grew as Obama and other Democrats never missed an opportunity during the 2012 election to do a bin Laden touchdown dance , which sought to draw a contrast between this easily understood symbolic American victory and the bloody stalemates produced by the frustrating wars George W. Bush fought in Iraq and Afghanistan .
But while Obama may have exploited bin Laden ’ s death for partisan purposes , the fact remains that it happened on his watch , not that of Bush , who had done all that he could to achieve the same object , as well as to avenge 9/11 by depriving al-Qaeda of its base in Afghanistan . Dismiss it as mere luck if you like , but if we are prepared to blame presidents for everything else that happens while they are in the White House , it ’ s only fair to let them take credit for anything good , especially if they are the ones involved in making the decisions , as Obama was on the bin Laden operation .
The facts about the campaign against ISIS are just as clear-cut .
When Trump took office , the U.S. had been mired in a discouraging stalemate in the fight against a group that Obama had initially dismissed as the “ JV ” terrorist team and therefore unworthy of his attention . Obama had little appetite for another Middle East war after he pulled U.S. forces out of Iraq . Having claimed that he had ended or wound down America ’ s wars , it took more than a year for him to admit that his Iraq bugout and refusal to intervene in the Syrian civil war — even to enforce his “ red line ” over Bashar al-Assad ’ s use of chemical weapons — had created a vacuum that ISIS filled . That reluctance seemed to carry over into U.S. efforts during the two years following Obama ’ s 2014 pledge to “ degrade and ultimately destroy ” the terrorist group as coalition forces made little headway against the enemy .
Did Trump entirely reinvent the war against ISIS ? No , he didn ’ t , and his liberal detractors have spent the year correctly pointing out that the coalition war plans implemented this year were conceived by Obama ’ s Pentagon . But try as they might to deprive Trump of credit , there ’ s no way to pretend that the coalition didn ’ t have better success with those plans this year than they had in the previous two . In January , ISIS controlled 23,300 square miles . Today it holds onto about 9,300 square miles .
It is unfair to U.S. and coalition troops to claim , as Trump does , that they didn ’ t “ fight to win ” until he arrived in the Oval Office . But as the Times admits , there was one significant difference . In the spring , Trump loosened the rules of engagement to allow commanders in the field more authority in day-to-day decisions about fighting the enemy . Under Obama , the White House micromanaged the conflict in a manner that calls to mind the way President Lyndon Johnson and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara fought the Vietnam War with similar dismal results .
Trump loosened the rules of engagement to allow commanders in the field more authority in day-to-day decisions about fighting the enemy .
The Times and other Trump critics blame Trump for the increase in civilian casualties in the fighting against ISIS since then . But if you are going to link Trump to that statistic , it isn ’ t logical to assert that the new rules of engagement had nothing to do with freeing up the coalition to attack the enemy with more aggression . Though the number of air strikes hasn ’ t increased , their impact has been greater , and that is probably because competent military commanders in the field are making the decisions rather than civilian staffers posing as military experts in the White House situation room .
It ’ s true that the taking of Raqqa and the collapse of the caliphate as a functional state won ’ t end the war . ISIS fighters will probably reassemble to fight a guerilla war . Trump ’ s defense team will have to be nimble enough to adapt to the shift . Trump must also understand that the fight against ISIS shouldn ’ t distract the U.S. from Iran , which remains the main threat to Western interests in the region . Ultimately , he ’ s going to have to choose between his correct instinct to confront Tehran and his desire for better relations with Russia , Iran ’ s ally in Syria .
Yet none of that changes the fact that ISIS is being defeated on Trump ’ s watch and , at least in part , because of decisions he has made . There will be plenty that happens during his presidency for which he will deserve to be blamed but , his boasts notwithstanding , this victory also belongs to him .
The Fall of Raqqa Is a Marvelous , Bipartisan American Victory
If ISIS Falls , Don ’ t Forget the Lessons of the Recent Past
— Jonathan S. Tobin is opinion editor of JNS.org and a contributor to ███ Online . Follow him on Twitter at : @ jonathans_tobin . | ORQ0B5CtVIAfM80R | 2 | ISIS | -0.8 | Terrorism | -0.8 | White House | 0.6 | Donald Trump | 0.6 | Syria | 0 |
immigration | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44578339 | Migrant families separation poster girl 'not taken from mum' | 2018-06-22 | Border Separations, Media Watch, Immigration | A little girl who became the public face of US migrant family separations was not taken away from her mother at the US border , says her father .
A photograph of the Honduran toddler sobbing in a pink jacket was snapped at the scene of a border detention .
But thousands of other child migrants have been taken from parents in the US .
The Pulitzer prize-winner told the BBC that the mother had been breastfeeding her child after crossing the Rio Grande in a raft in the moments before they were detained .
Mr Moore said they were taken away together by border patrol .
The photo stoked outrage over the Trump administration 's child migrant separations policy , rolled out in April , of removing young undocumented people from their mothers and fathers as they are detained for crossing the US-Mexico border .
The photo helped secure $ 17m ( £13m ) in donations from hundreds of thousands of people on a Facebook fundraiser for the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services , a Texas-based non-profit organisation .
`` My daughter has become a symbol of the separation of children at the US border , '' Denis Valera told Reuters news agency .
`` Seeing what was happening to her in that moment breaks anyone 's heart , '' he added .
Mr Valera said his daughter and her mother , Sandra Sanchez , have been detained together in the border town of McAllen as Ms Sanchez sought asylum .
Honduran Deputy Foreign Minister Nelly Jerez verified Mr Valera 's version of events to Reuters .
Carlos Ruiz , the Border Patrol agent who stopped Ms Sanchez and her daughter , said the mother was asked to set the child down so she could be searched .
`` The kid immediately started crying as she set her down , '' said Mr Ruiz . `` I personally went up to the mother and asked her , 'Are you doing OK ? Is the kid OK ? '
`` And she said , 'Yes . She 's tired and thirsty . It 's 11 o'clock at night . ' ''
The little girl is two-year-old Yanela Denise , according to the Daily Mail newspaper .
Mr Valera said Ms Sanchez and their daughter had left the Honduran city of Puerto Cortes without telling him or the couple 's three other children .
He said he believed she went to the US in search of better economic opportunities .
Mr Valera told Reuters : `` If they are deported , that is OK as long as they do not leave the child without her mother . I am waiting to see what happens with them . ''
He told the Daily Mail he understands Ms Sanchez paid $ 6,000 to a smuggler to get her across the border .
According to the newspaper , the couple 's three other children are aged 14 , 11 and six .
Mr Valera said : `` The kids see what 's happening . They 're a little worried but I do n't try to bring it up that much . They know their mother and sister are safe now . ''
Time magazine defended its cover on Friday , saying that the photograph of the girl `` became the most visible symbol of the ongoing immigration debate in America for a reason '' .
`` Our cover and our reporting capture the stakes of this moment , '' wrote the magazine 's editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal .
The magazine also corrected its story , which said the girl was `` carried away screaming by US Border Patrol agents '' , to instead say the mother and daughter were `` taken away together '' .
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Twitter claimed that Democrats and the media `` exploited this photo of a little girl to push their agenda '' .
`` She was not separated from her mom . The separation here is from the facts , '' she wrote .
On Friday , Mr Trump accused Democrats of playing politics with `` phony stories of sadness and grief '' .
Approximately 2,300 children have been removed from their families since Mr Trump 's `` zero-tolerance '' policy began in May , and housed in detention centres run by the Department of Health and Human Services .
Some shelters , including three in Texas , house so-called `` tender age '' children , who are under five years old .
About 500 children have been reunited with their families since May , a Homeland Security official said on Thursday . | 421b26635566fe10 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/337177-house-panel-demands-trump-release-comey-tapes | House panel demands Trump release Comey 'tapes' | 2017-06-09 | white_house | Congress wants to know if President Trump taped his conversations with fired FBI Director James Comey .
A House panel led by Reps. Mike Conaway ( R-Texas ) and Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffGraham : Senate trial 'must expose the whistleblower ' Graham says Schiff should be a witness in Trump impeachment trial Democrats seize on new evidence in first public impeachment hearing MORE ( D-Calif. ) sent a letter on Friday to White House counsel Don McGahn demanding the release of any `` tapes '' of conversations between Comey and Trump . The president first suggested the existence of such tapes after Comey revealed that he wrote memos of his private conversations with Trump leading up to his firing .
Conaway and Schiff are representing the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 's Russia investigation , and a separate bipartisan group of Senate Judiciary Committee members led by Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles ( Chuck ) Ernest GrassleySpeaker Pelosi , it 's time to throw American innovators a lifeline Barr : Inspector general 's report on alleged FISA abuses 'imminent ' Pelosi aide hopeful White House will support drug-pricing bill despite criticism MORE ( R-Iowa ) also sent letters requesting the notes Comey wrote documenting the same meetings with Trump .
The Senate group requested the memos from Professor Daniel Richman , the friend Comey gave his notes to , and the House group requested any memos still in Comey 's possession .
In early May , Trump sparked a firestorm in the media when he appeared to threaten Comey with the existence of `` tapes '' that detailed conversations Comey and Trump had in the White House . On Friday , Trump revived that controversy when he refused to answer a question from reporters in the Rose Garden about whether the tapes truly exist .
“ Lordy , I hope there are tapes , ” Comey said during his testimony Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee .
During his testimony , Comey also revealed that he had leaked memos regarding his interactions with Trump to `` a good friend '' at Columbia Law School . Richman later confirmed he was the friend . | 09VjuWV4gjfZq2fE | 1 | James Comey | 0.5 | White House | 0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/21/obama-approval-rating-sinks-to-new-low-in-cnn-poll/ | Obama approval rating sinks to new low in CNN poll | 2013-11-21 | White House, Barack Obama, Approval Rating, Politics | Washington ( CNN ) - As President Barack Obama 's approval rating hits another all-time low , a new national survey also indicates that Americans say the President has less power than congressional Republicans when it comes to shaping events over the next year .
According to a CNN/ORC poll released Thursday , 41 % of Americans approve of the job the President 's doing in the White House , the lowest level for that crucial indicator in CNN polling . Fifty-six percent questioned say they disapprove of Obama 's performance , an all-time high in CNN surveys .
The President 's approval rating has now reached new lows or tied his all-time lows in polls released over the past three weeks from CNN/ORC , CBS News , ABC News/Washington Post , Quinnipiac University , National Journal Heartland Monitor , and NBC News/Wall Street Journal . And the CNN survey is the fourth non-partisan live operator national poll released this week to put Obama 's approval rating between 40 % and 42 % . A CBS News survey released Wednesday showed the President 's approval rating at 37 % .
Geography appears to play a role in the President 's falling numbers .
`` The drop in Obama 's approval rating comes entirely among suburbanites , '' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland . `` Compared to the October CNN poll , positive views of Obama held steady among people who live in big cities and rural areas . But in the suburbs , his approval rating was 45 % a month ago but has dropped to just 37 % now . ''
The President 's overall job approval rating is down three points since mid-October after being stuck in the mid-40s for several months in CNN polling . But it 's worth noting that Obama 's woes did not begin with the disastrous launch of the HealthCare.gov website in October , Holland pointed out .
`` The real damage came in June , when reports about NSA spying and IRS treatment of conservative groups caused an eight-point drop in his approval rating - a far more significant change than what the numbers from October suggest , '' he said .
Fifty percent believe that congressional Republicans will have more influence over the direction the nation takes in the next year while only 42 % saying the President will have more influence , according to the poll . That 's a change from November 2012 , when more six in ten said Obama would have more influence in the year to come .
The poll shows 47 % want Obama to be in charge while 45 % say the GOP should have more influence over the country .
`` There is a hint of good news for the President - but only a hint - in those numbers , since that means that the number of Americans who support Obama in his struggles with the GOP is a bit higher than the 41 % approval rating would suggest . But that number is also a step down in Obama 's support , representing a four-point decline since the last time the question was asked just after Obama won re-election last year , '' Holland said .
The poll was conducted Nov. 18-20 for CNN by ORC International , with 843 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points . | a8cb1c53f04813e1 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | HuffPost | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/01/congress_n_6247462.html | Congress Crams Unfinished Agenda Into Final Days | 2014-12-01 | US Congress, Politics | HuffPost turns 20 this year, and our mission is clearer than ever: We won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. The next four years will reshape America as we know it, but we will never bow to political pressure.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how. Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how. You have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | 113a41dae1e86a55 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2015/12/21/unreal-obama-claims-isis-cant-destroy-the-united-states-or-change-it-in-a-systematic-way-n2095809 | Unreal: Obama Claims ISIS Can't Change U.S. In a "Systematic Way" | 2015-12-21 | terrorism | President Obama is on a roll over the past few days . First , he told a group of columnists during a meeting at the White House that he was unaware of serious American concerns about the terrorism threat because he was n't watching enough cable television .
Now in a new interview with NPR , President Obama is claiming that not only is ISIS incapable of destroying the United States , but that the terror army can not systematically change how America operates .
Just weeks after the shooting in San Bernardino , President Obama is seeking to downplay the reach and impact of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ( ISIS ) , saying America 's strength is `` not threatened '' by the extremist group .
`` This is not an organization that can destroy the United States , '' Mr. Obama told NPR in an interview released Monday . `` This is not a huge industrial power that can pose great risks to us institutionally or in a systematic way . ''
`` They can hurt us , and they can hurt our people and our families . And so I understand why people are worried . ''
But the president remains `` confident '' that the U.S. will prevail over the terror group at home and abroad : `` We are pounding ISIL 's core structure in Syria and Iraq . We have put together a coalition that is increasingly effective . We have seen ISIL lose about 40 percent of its populated territory in the region . ''
`` The most damage they can do , though , is if they start changing how we live and what our values are , '' he continued . If Americans `` remember who we are and make sure that our resilience , our values , and our unity are maintained , '' the president pledged that `` ISIL will be defeated . ''
Of course ISIS , much like Al Qaeda , has the ability to systematically change the United States . After 9/11 we saw the creation of TSA , which was a systematic transformation of the country and not necessarily for the better . As a result of the ISIS threat , we 've already seen systematic changes throughout the country .
Last week , the largest school district in the country was shut down after a bomb threat , which luckily turned out to be a hoax .
Schools across the city reopened under tightened security Wednesday after an emailed terror threat prompted officials to shut down more than 1,000 schools to the district 's 650,000 students Tuesday .
`` Thanks to the extraordinary effort by Los Angeles Unified School Police and our law-enforcement partners , all L.A. Unified schools and charters have been inspected and Chief Steven Zipperman has given the all-clear for students to return to campus , '' the district said in a statement .
Schools Police Chief Zipperman said school police officers will wear uniforms this week , and city Police Chief Charlie Beck said LAPD officers will have an expanded presence around schools as well .
Walt Disney World , SeaWorld , and Universal Orlando now have metal detectors for guests to walk through when entering the theme parks . SeaWorld started this process at the beginning of the holiday season , while Walt Disney World had no comment as to how long the detectors would be in place . Universal Orlando is using the holiday traffic to test the metal detectors at the entrance of the park .
Disney World has now discontinued the sale of toy guns and will not be allowing guests 14 and older to wear costumes into the park , even during Halloween parties . Park security has been even more prevalent lately , with trained dogs patrolling main areas , as well as a higher number of security guards and officers .
Further , major American theme parks and other public places have implemented extra security measures in light of the ISIS threat .
ISIS does have the ability to systematically change the country and they already have , which Obama admits after trying to claim the terror army does n't have the power or ability to do so . To say different is to deny the severity of the threat and to downplay the significance of ISIS , something the Obama administration has repeatedly done over the course of the past two years . | 7hBzHTThpXDztVxm | 2 | ISIS | -1.6 | Barack Obama | 0.2 | Terrorism | 0 | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/05/politics/second-amendment-supreme-court/index.html | Where the Supreme Court stands on the Second Amendment | 2019-08-05 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | ( CNN ) As the country reels from two mass shootings , supporters of gun restrictions are turning again to the debate over the scope of the Second Amendment , demanding that gun laws be strengthened .
But it 's unclear how Congress will act and also how the Supreme Court will react to any legislation or regulations from the federal or state governments .
Since issuing landmark opinions in 2008 guaranteeing an individual right to have a gun , and a follow on opinion in 2010 , the Supreme Court has largely dodged petitions testing the scope of the holding . That prompted Justice Clarence Thomas to lash out in 2018 , complaining that the lower courts were treating the Second Amendment right `` cavalierly . ''
But next term , the court will take up a Second Amendment case concerning a New York City ordinance that limits where licensed individuals can take their guns . The court 's move , so soon after the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy , prompted court watchers to speculate that with the addition of Justice Brett Kavanaugh , the court might be ready to take a more expansive view of the Second Amendment .
In District of Columbia v. Heller , Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for a 5-4 court that Washington , DC 's ban on handgun possession in the home `` violates the Second Amendment . '' Supporters of the landmark opinion believed that gun restrictions across the country would be cut back in the aftermath .
But many lower courts seized upon the words in the opinion where Scalia wrote , `` Like most rights , the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited , '' to uphold restrictions .
Until his death last month , retired Justice John Paul Stevens -- who wrote a stinging dissent in 2008 -- criticized Heller , writing in his book `` The Making of a Justice , '' that it was `` unquestionably the most clearly incorrect decision that the Court announced during my tenure on the bench . ''
Stevens said that he circulated a draft dissent five weeks early , hoping to influence his colleagues . He noted that in the end , Scalia did `` not change the result '' but Stevens thought his dissent may have contributed to Kennedy `` insisting on some important changes before signing on to the Court 's opinion . ''
In the opinion , Scalia ultimately wrote , `` Nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill , or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings , or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms . ''
Now Kennedy is no longer on the bench , having been replaced by Kavanaugh , who received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association last year .
`` President Trump has made another outstanding choice in nominating Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court , '' said then- NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox . `` He has an impressive record that demonstrates his strong support for the Second Amendment . ''
Cox may have been referring to a dissent Kavanaugh penned in 2011 as a lower court judge . He wrote that DC 's ban on semi-automatic rifles and gun registration requirement are `` unconstitutional and may not be enforced . ''
Kavanaugh testified at his Senate confirmation hearing last year that he based his opinion on the Heller decision . `` This is all about precedent for me , '' he said and noted that Scalia had said that dangerous and unusual weapons could be prohibited . Kavanaugh said it 's `` very important to recognize under the Heller decision that machine guns can be prohibited '' but he continued that the ban at issue `` seemed to fit common use and not being a dangerous and unusual weapon . ''
Some court-watchers question whether one reason that the Supreme Court has been slow to take on additional cases after Heller was because it was unclear how Kennedy would vote . Others dismiss the notion , suggesting that after Heller , the court may have wanted the issue to percolate more in the lower courts . They contend that the court may have moved to take up the new case because the law at issue was an outlier .
The case the Supreme Court is set to hear next term concerns a provision of a New York City gun law that regulates where licensed handgun owners can take their firearms . The law blocks licensed individuals from removing a handgun from the address listed on the license except to travel to nearby authorized small arms ranges or shooting clubs .
The challenge comes from the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association . In court papers , their lawyers argued that a New Yorker can not transport his handgun to his `` second home for the core constitutional purpose of self-defense or to an upstate county to participate in a shooting competition , or even across the bridge to a neighboring city for target practice . ''
`` New York City 's transport ban infringes the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the 2nd and 14th Amendments , '' Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued in a friend of the court brief earlier this year .
Since the Supreme Court granted the case , however , the law was changed and lawyers for New York told the justices in briefs they thought the case should be considered moot .
The city amended the regulation to allow licensed individuals to transport their handguns to additional locations including second homes and shooting ranges outside of city limits . The lawyers told the justices that the case should be dismissed because the new statute `` gives petitioners everything they have sought in this lawsuit . ''
But even if it dismisses the New York case there are other petitions waiting in the wings .
Mance v. Barr , for instance , concerns out-of-state handgun purchases . Pena v. Horn concerns California 's Unsafe Handgun Act . Those cases and others have been distributed for conference but not acted upon .
Last term the justices denied a request to put the Trump administration 's rule banning bump stocks on hold while legal challenges play out . A bump stock is an attachment that essentially allows shooters to fire semi-automatic rifles continuously with one pull of the trigger . In his comments Monday , Trump praised his action on bump stocks
The justices are also considering a case that stems from the Sandy Hook shooting , although it does not directly target the Second Amendment .
Last week , the Remington Arms Company asked the court to take up a lawsuit next term brought by a survivor and families of nine other victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012 who argue the gun manufacturer should be held partly responsible for the mass shooting .
A 2005 federal law protects many gun manufacturers from wrongful death lawsuits brought by grieving family members . But the Sandy Hook plaintiffs are seeking a way around the law by targeting the company 's marketing strategy . While the state Supreme Court ruled the case could move forward , it agreed to put its ruling on hold pending appeal . | zgZpLZiridtMGUsD | 0 | Supreme Court | -0.5 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 0.4 | 2nd Amendment | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
politics | NPR (Online News) | https://www.npr.org/2021/07/21/1018850848/pelosi-rejects-2-gop-nominees-for-the-jan-6-panel-citing-integrity-of-the-probe | Pelosi Rejects 2 GOP Nominees For The Jan. 6 Panel, Citing The Integrity Of The Probe | 2021-07-21 | US House, Kevin McCarthy, Nancy Pelosi, Capitol Chaos, Republican Party, Democratic Party, Politics | By Brian Naylor House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pictured on July 1, has rejected two of the five members nominated by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to serve on the Jan. 6 select committee to investigate the U.S. Capitol riot. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pictured on July 1, has rejected two of the five members nominated by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to serve on the Jan. 6 select committee to investigate the U.S. Capitol riot. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has vetoed two Republican nominees to the panel set to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Citing "statements and actions" made by the pair — Reps. Jim Banks of Indiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio — Pelosi said she was rejecting their nominations "with respect for the integrity of the investigation." "The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision," Pelosi said. The two lawmakers were among five that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy nominated to the committee. Pelosi named one other GOP member, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, to the panel. The House speaker said she would accept McCarthy's other nominees: Reps. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota and Troy Nehls of Texas. Banks, Jordan and Nehls voted against certifying the election, the proceedings that the rioters disrupted. McCarthy called Pelosi's move "an egregious abuse of power and will irreparably damage this institution." "Denying the voices of members who have served in the military and law enforcement, as well as leaders of standing committees, has made it undeniable that this panel has lost all legitimacy and credibility and shows the Speaker is more interested in playing politics than seeking the truth," he said in a statement. "Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republican nominees, Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts." Attempts to establish a bipartisan panel to look into the storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob have been marked by partisan squabbling. Senate Republicans blocked an attempt to name an independent commission, which led to a near-party-line vote to create a select committee. The committee is one of several efforts to investigate what led to the insurrection and what happened that day. The federal investigation is one of the largest in history, with more than 500 arrests so far. Pelosi said she spoke to McCarthy on Tuesday morning about the impact that Banks' and Jordan's appointments "may have on the integrity of the investigation." The Democratic members of the panel are Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the panel's chair, and Reps. Zoe Lofgren of California, Adam Schiff of California, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Pete Aguilar of California, Stephanie Murphy of Florida and Elaine Luria of Virginia. The panel is expected to hold its first hearing next week. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through the NPR Services and to enable you to use some of their features. For example, these cookies allow NPR to remember your registration information while you are logged in. Local station customization, the NPR Shop, and other interactive features also use cookies. 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The information collected includes the number of visitors to the NPR Services, the websites that referred visitors to the NPR Services, the pages that they visited on the NPR Services, what time of day they visited the NPR Services, whether they have visited the NPR Services before, and other similar information. We use this information to help operate the NPR Services more efficiently, to gather broad demographic information and to monitor the level of activity on the NPR Services. These cookies allow our Services to remember choices you make when you use them, such as remembering your Member station preferences and remembering your account details. The purpose of these cookies is to provide you with a more personal experience and to prevent you from having to re-enter your preferences every time you visit the NPR Services. These cookies track your browsing habits or other information, such as location, to enable us to show sponsorship credits which are more likely to be of interest to you. These cookies use information about your browsing history to group you with other users who have similar interests. Based on that information, and with our permission, we and our sponsors can place cookies to enable us or our sponsors to show sponsorship credits and other messages that we think will be relevant to your interests while you are using third-party services. | 5147bd4fa506cc6f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/15/us/politics/the-challenge-of-helping-the-uninsured-find-coverage.html?ref=politics&_r=0 | The Challenge of Helping the Uninsured Find Coverage | 2013-08-15 | healthcare | Her agency has asked for $ 495,000 , about a third of the total navigator funds allocated for Virginia . That would cover the equivalent of seven and a half full-time navigators ( some may end up working part-time ) , computers and other equipment for them to do their jobs , informational materials , marketing , and continuing outreach events in five counties .
The federal government did not anticipate having to cover the cost of running the insurance markets in 34 states , which is why it has only $ 54 million — transferred from a fund for public health prevention programs — for navigators in those states . The health care law set aside much more money for states that built their own markets , assuming that most would do so .
To fill in the gaps , other organizations will also be working to get the word out and helping people sign up for health plans through the new markets . About 1,200 community health centers around the country , which provide medical care for the uninsured , have received a total of $ 150 million in federal money to help with outreach and enrollment . Virginia ’ s health centers received $ 2.5 million .
In addition , many groups that did not apply for navigator funds will nonetheless help educate the uninsured about their options , connect them with navigators or point them toward the new insurance markets .
Insurance agents or brokers may also help people sign up for coverage through the markets ; insurance companies selling plans through the markets will also play a role . Northern Virginia Family Service plans to enlist a network of partner organizations , many of whom already work with the uninsured , to help with outreach and enrollment or provide space and other resources .
“ Other local groups may have funding or be in a position to get volunteers to do some of this work , ” said Christine Barber , a senior policy analyst at Community Catalyst , a consumer advocacy group . “ Everyone is anxious to know who the navigators are so that other groups can partner with them , know who to refer people to , know how to flesh out their coalitions and their outreach . ”
Navigators , who will also help small businesses and their employees learn about and enroll in health plans offered through the new markets , can not recommend any particular health plan or receive compensation from an insurance company . They will get at least 20 hours of training and take a certification test . | aFcA1igkKbcalmNA | 0 | Healthcare | 0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/03/donald-trump-justice-department-hillary-clinton/ | Donald Trump Challenges Jeff Sessions: ‘Where Is Our Justice Department’ on Hillary Clinton? | 2017-11-03 | Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, Hillary Clinton, Justice | President Donald Trump signaled frustration with the Justice Department ’ s failure to respond to the ongoing scandals involving the Clinton family , the DNC , the FBI , and the “ phony ” Russian sourced dossier .
“ A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department , including me , ” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday morning before leaving for his trip to Asia .
Trump said that the Justice Department should be investigating Democrats and the Clintons , sharing several observations on Twitter .
“ This is real collusion and dishonesty , ” Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday night , responding to Donna Brazile ’ s revelation that Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign was controlling DNC operations and fundraising well before winning her primary .
….This is real collusion and dishonesty . Major violation of Campaign Finance Laws and Money Laundering – where is our Justice Department ? — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) November 3 , 2017
“ Major violation of Campaign Finance Laws and Money Laundering – where is our Justice Department ? ” Trump wondered .
The president appears unhappy with Attorney General Jeff Sessions failure to investigate the Clintons , despite recent revelations about their “ crooked ” behavior .
Trump said he thought Clinton ’ s “ deleted E-mails , Uranium , Podesta , the Server , plus , plus… ” all deserved closer scrutiny .
“ People are angry , ” Trump continued on Twitter . “ At some point the Justice Department , and the FBI , must do what is right and proper . The American public deserves it ! ”
Trump also spoke about his frustration with the Justice Department in an interview with WMAL ’ s Larry O ’ Connor .
“ The saddest thing is because I ’ m the President of the United States , I ’ m not supposed to be involved in the Justice Department , I am not supposed to be involved in the FBI , ” Trump said . “ I ’ m not supposed to be doing the kinds of things I would love to be doing and I ’ m very frustrated by it . ”
Trump indicated that he wanted the Justice Department to investigate the Clintons .
“ I look at what ’ s going on with the Justice Department , well , why aren ’ t they going after Hillary Clinton with her emails and dossier ? ” he asked . “ It ’ s very discouraging to me . To be honest , I ’ m very unhappy about it . ”
Trump signaled frustration with Attorney General Jeff Sessions for failing to target the Clintons .
“ Everybody is asking why the Justice Department ( and FBI ) isn ’ t looking into all of the dishonesty going on with Crooked Hillary & the Dems , ” Trump wrote on Twitter .
Everybody is asking why the Justice Department ( and FBI ) is n't looking into all of the dishonesty going on with Crooked Hillary & the Dems .. — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) November 3 , 2017
The president , however , appeared to be aware that he could not order the Justice Department to investigate .
“ As a president , you ’ re not supposed to be involved in that process , ” he admitted to Ingraham . “ But hopefully are doing something . At some point , maybe we ’ re going to have it out . ” | fad9508b9dce8b48 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Townhall | https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2018/10/22/supreme-court-halts-commerce-secretary-wilbur-ross-scheduled-deposition-about-th-n2530982 | Supreme Court Halts Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' Scheduled Deposition About the Census. Here's Why. | 2018-10-22 | supreme_court | The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross can not be questioned in lawsuits about a citizenship question that will appear on the 2020 census , which halted a scheduled deposition .
Dozens of states and big cities have brought about lawsuits over the question . They argue that a citizenship question will keep illegal aliens from participating in the census , which would drastically shift state and federal representation and dollars . Of course , that would be negatively impact Democrats .
A federal court in New York had previously said Ross had to provide a deposition as part of the lawsuits brought about by states and cities .
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman had based his ruling requiring Ross to submit a deposition on concerns about Ross ' truthfulness in relating how the decision to add the citizenship question came about . The judge noted that Ross claimed in March , when the decision to add the citizenship question was announced , that he considered adding it after a request to do so last December from the Justice Department . `` The record developed thus far , however , casts grave doubt on those claims , '' the judge wrote in September .
The Trump administration argued that Ross ' reasonings and/or motives are irrelevant , the New York Times reported .
“ Those reasons include the Justice Department ’ s view that citizenship data from the decennial census would be helpful to its enforcement duties under the Voting Rights Act , ” Noel J. Francisco , the solicitor general , wrote in an emergency application .
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas wanted the Court to go further and completely prohibit pretrial `` fact-gathering '' in this case .
“ There ’ s nothing unusual about a new cabinet secretary coming to office inclined to favor a different policy direction , soliciting support from other agencies to bolster his views , disagreeing with staff or cutting through red tape , ” Justice Gorsuch wrote . “ Of course , some people may disagree with the policy and process . But until now , at least , this much has never been thought enough to justify a claim of bad faith and launch an inquisition into a cabinet secretary ’ s motives . ”
The Court 's decision was brief and gave no reasoning , which is normal in these instances . The order remains in effect until Oct. 29 , at which point a trial will begin . | qXoiSvhWWKIuT2C3 | 2 | Supreme Court | 1.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2014/6/2/5768464/think-obamacare-helped-you-youre-probably-a-democrat | Think Obamacare helped you? You're probably a Democrat | 2014-06-02 | healthcare | Republicans are five times less likely to say they 've been helped by Obamacare than Democrats — and about half as likely to know someone who has gained coverage through the law .
Those are some of the key findings from the newest Kaiser Family Foundation poll . They could suggest that Democrats really are way more likely to get help from Obamacare — and know way more people getting help , too .
But there 's a simpler , and arguably more plausible explanation of the new data . Political views deeply color impressions of whether the Affordable Care Act is working — or is a miserable failure . Democrats likely overestimate the health law 's reach , Republicans underestimate and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle .
There are two questions in the new Kaiser poll that show huge differences between how many people Democrats and Republicans think the health care law is helping . The first was about whether individuals themselves had been helped by the Affordable Care Act . More than a quarter of Democrats said yes , they 'd been helped , while the number was 5 percent among Republicans .
The second question asked whether respondents knew someone else who had been helped by the Affordable Care Act . Again , there was a big disparity between what Republicans and Democrats saw happening with the people they know .
Republicans , meanwhile , were more likely to say they knew someone who lost their health coverage , or had their hours cut because of Obamacare .
There could be some reasons why Democrats know more people who have benefited from Obamacare . Democratic governors , for example , have been more likely to expand the Medicaid program , meaning voters there would have access to a part of the health care law that is n't available in some Repubican-run states .
But its unlikely that would account for the huge disparities in perceptions of how the health care law is going . Instead , they seem to reflect the more basic fact of whether people like Obamacare or hate it . | W4WdIPML1kg5cH8f | 0 | Obamacare | 0.7 | Democratic Party | 0.5 | Healthcare | 0.4 | null | null | null | null |
us_congress | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/house/328404-gop-infighting-imperils-agenda | GOP infighting imperils agenda | 2017-04-12 | us_congress | Three months into the new Congress , some Republicans are fearful that their failure to repeal ObamaCare could spell doom for the rest of President Trump ’ s legislative agenda .
Some Capitol Hill Republicans have envisioned the nightmare scenario for 2017 , and it goes like this : No ObamaCare repeal . No tax reform . No trillion-dollar infrastructure package . No border wall .
It ’ s a striking change from the period after Election Day , when GOP leaders vowed that the new unified Republican government would “ go big , go bold ” and deliver for the American people .
While many Republicans hold out hope the ObamaCare repeal bill will be revived , skeptics say the GOP infighting during last month ’ s healthcare collapse may have poisoned the well for future big-ticket legislative deals .
“ I don ’ t see how you put a coalition together to deal with tax reform , ” said one House Republican who is close to Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan Retirees should say 'no thanks ' to Romney 's Social Security plan California Governor Newsom and family dress as 2020 Democrats for Halloween DC 's liaison to rock ' n ' roll MORE ( R-Wis. ) and his leadership team . “ Unless we can bridge this divide and get a win on the board , I don ’ t know how we pull the other things together , all the other big things we got ta do . ”
Despite some signs of life , healthcare talks between the White House and centrist and conservative holdouts did not result in a deal before Congress began a two-week April recess .
And the recriminations among Republicans only seem to be getting nastier .
Rep. Mark Meadows ( R-N.C. ) , the head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus , “ is a pathological liar who isn ’ t interested in getting to yes , ” one House GOP colleague of Meadows told ███ in a fit of frustration over the stalled health negotiations .
But Rep. Raúl Labrador ( R-Idaho ) , a fellow Freedom Caucus leader , defended Meadows as “ a man of great integrity. ” “ When members of Congress resort to personal attacks while hiding behind anonymity , ” Labrador said , “ it ’ s usually because their position is weak in the first place and they are getting heat back home for not keeping the promises that they made to their constituents . ”
At a town hall in Cedar Springs , Mich. , GOP Rep. Justin Amash Justin AmashTrump allies assail impeachment on process while House Democrats promise open hearings soon Hoyer : We are going to move as fast 'as the facts and truth dictate ' on open hearings Conway spars with Wallace on whether White House will cooperate with impeachment inquiry after formal vote MORE , another Meadows ally , hurled blame at the feet of Ryan : Republicans need “ either a change in direction from this Speaker , or we need a new Speaker . ”
“ I don ’ t know that the Lord himself could unite our caucus , ” veteran Rep. Mike Simpson ( R-Idaho ) told The Associated Press .
Late last month , when Ryan realized he was short of the votes and yanked the health insurance bill off the floor , he and Trump insisted they were moving on to tax reform .
But within days , they had returned to the healthcare legislation .
In part , it ’ s because passing the ObamaCare repeal-and replace-bill smooths the path for tax reform , something Ryan and many other congressional leaders have emphasized to members . Mick Mulvaney , Trump ’ s budget director and a top health negotiator , has been explicit about the need to pass a health bill , telling RealClearPolitics it ’ s the “ linchpin ” of Trump ’ s entire legislative agenda .
The bill , known as the American Health Care Act , would cut about $ 1 trillion in ObamaCare taxes over a decade , significantly lowering the revenue budget baseline . That improved baseline would give Republicans greater flexibility to lower corporate tax rates in comprehensive tax reform .
Some Republicans , including Rep. Tom Reed ( N.Y. ) , have also echoed Trump ’ s call for tax reform and infrastructure to be tied together .
“ These items are all connected , and the connectivity is funding , ” Rep. Daniel Webster ( R-Fla. ) , a critic of the GOP healthcare bill , told ███ .
Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist highlighted the challenges facing GOP leaders since the delay of the healthcare bill .
“ You try to run a marathon , but if you don ’ t do healthcare first , you ’ re a trillion dollars back from the start of the marathon , ” Norquist said during a recent visit to ███ ’ s offices . Without healthcare , “ it ’ s an extra 10 to 20 miles to get the trillion dollars , and then you ’ re off to the races .
“ Taking a trillion dollars of tax increases off the table gets you closer to what you wanted tax reform to look like . ”
Ryan has argued that tax reform will be an easier lift than healthcare because Republicans are more unified around the idea of fixing the outdated U.S. tax code .
But even some of Ryan ’ s closest allies in Congress dispute his assessment .
“ I have a lot of respect for the Speaker , but I don ’ t see it that way , ” longtime Rep. Tom Cole ( R-Okla. ) , a senior appropriator , said in a phone interview .
“ There is a lot of resistance ” to Ryan ’ s proposal known as the border-adjustment plan , which would impose a 20 percent tax on imports .
The idea , as of now , is for Republicans to tackle tax reform using the budget reconciliation process , which would allow them to avoid mustering 60 votes to break a filibuster .
But Cole argued that that process imposes constraints — specifically , a bill passed under reconciliation can not hike the budget deficit after 10 years — and could lead to the same intraparty warfare that thwarted the ObamaCare repeal bill .
“ Since we weren ’ t able to do healthcare reform by reconciliation , why would we be able to do tax reform by reconciliation ? It ’ s really difficult , ” said Cole , who added that Republicans should focus on more basic government functions .
“ We can still get some things done , ” he said , “ but we need to get the government funded , think about how to deal with the debt ceiling and begin negotiations ” on fiscal 2018 appropriation bills .
It ’ s no secret how much Ryan despises stopgap or catch-all omnibus spending bills , but the former Budget Committee chairman will have to shepherd one through the House anyway at the end of the month .
Lawmakers need to pass a spending bill by April 28 to avert a government shutdown . They ’ ll have just three full legislative days to act , given that the House isn ’ t scheduled to return from its recess until April 25 .
Trump is getting impatient with all the congressional inaction , especially as his administration nears the 100-day mark . He won a major victory with the Senate ’ s confirmation of his Supreme Court pick , Neil Gorsuch . But now he wants Congress to pass funding for his wall along the southern border , one of his central campaign promises .
GOP leaders and their allies say the government funding bill is the wrong place to have a fight over the wall .
“ What ’ s the justification for shutting down the government that you run ? ” asked Cole , the chairman of an appropriations subcommittee . “ It ’ d be a Republican House and Senate shutting down a Republican administration . That doesn ’ t make any sense to me . ”
Healthcare talks have continued into the two-week recess . Vice President Pence has been calling up House negotiators and conservative outside groups as he searches for a deal , GOP sources said .
“ I still feel confident that we still will be able to move forward with our plan . The American people deserve it and they want it , and we ’ re certainly committed to it , ” Rep. Vicky Hartzler ( R-Mo . ) told ███ .
“ Where there is a will , there is a way , and certainly there is a lot of will here to get this done . ”
But without a healthcare victory to tout back home in western Missouri , Hartzler said she planned to spend the recess taking her anti-opioid campaign to local high schools . | vHgjuzCYlhJcyt6c | 1 | US Congress | -0.2 | Republican Party | -0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
technology | The Hill | http://thehill.com/policy/technology/388415-post-zuckerberg-tech-ceos-under-pressure-to-testify | Post-Zuckerberg, tech CEOs under pressure to testify | 2018-05-20 | technology | Leaders of major technology companies are under increasing pressure to testify before Congress as lawmakers sound the alarm about the industry ’ s data practices and market power .
It ’ s been a month since Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Mark Elliot ZuckerbergHillicon Valley : Federal inquiry opened into Google health data deal | Facebook reports millions of post takedowns | Microsoft shakes up privacy debate | Disney plus tops 10M sign-ups in first day A book can explain why Elizabeth Warren 's ideas bother billionaires so much Facebook says it removed millions of posts over hate speech , child exploitation violations MORE appeared in a pair of hearings on Capitol Hill to explain his company ’ s role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal . The executive largely held his own during the hours of questioning — thanks in no small part to lawmakers ’ unfamiliarity with internet policy — but his answers didn ’ t alleviate concerns about privacy and antitrust .
Now lawmakers are pushing for other major tech CEOs to testify before Congress .
When Jack Dorsey , Twitter ’ s chief executive , visited Capitol Hill on Thursday , a pair of top Republicans gently urged him to think about testifying , according to their aides .
A spokeswoman for Rep. Greg Walden Gregory ( Greg ) Paul WaldenHouse panel advances flavored e-cigarette ban Microsoft embraces California law , shaking up privacy debate Hillicon Valley : Schumer questions Army over use of TikTok | Federal court rules against random searches of travelers ' phones | Groups push for election security funds in stopgap bill | Facebook 's new payment feature | Disney+ launch hit by glitches MORE ( R-Ore. ) , chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee , said he extended an open invitation to Dorsey to testify before the panel . The spokeswoman said Dorsey “ expressed an interest ” in the suggestion and the committee intends to have more discussions with Twitter .
In an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle last week , Walden urged other technology CEOs to appear before Congress , saying that his committee still has questions about the industry after hearing from Zuckerberg . The Oregon Republican said he thinks it ’ s in their best interest if they testify sooner rather than later .
“ I strongly encourage the best and brightest of the tech world to accept this invitation , ” Walden wrote . “ Trust me , it ’ s much easier to testify at a congressional hearing before your company gets caught up in a scandal . ”
That ’ s also what Sen. John Thune John Randolph ThuneSenate GOP waves Trump off early motion to dismiss impeachment charges Trump encounters GOP resistance to investigating Hunter Biden Republicans warn election results are 'wake-up call ' for Trump MORE ( R-S.D . ) , chairman of the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee , told Dorsey when they met on Thursday , suggesting that Twitter would fare better on Capitol Hill when the company is not facing a major controversy .
According to a committee aide , the message Thune conveyed to Dorsey was , “ Hey if I were you , I 'd be looking for an opportunity to come in and testify and address questions and concerns members have about privacy and data retention and wrongdoing that happens on your platform — before there 's a very specific example that comes up and you 're answering those questions in the context of a specific problem . ”
A Twitter spokeswoman declined to comment , but the company said in a statement on Thursday that Dorsey discussed data privacy during his meetings with lawmakers . Spokespeople for Google , Amazon and Apple — all of which were mentioned in Walden ’ s op-ed — either declined to comment or didn ’ t respond when asked about the possibility of their CEOs going before Congress .
The industry responded to Walden 's op-ed through its top lobbyist , Internet Association CEO Michael Beckerman , who offered to testify on behalf of Silicon Valley and cautioned against new regulations .
`` Internet companies , like all industries , do not face a static set of challenges , '' Beckerman wrote in a letter to Walden last week . `` Static solutions in the form of regulations , based on a snapshot in time , are unlikely to withstand the stress of changed circumstances . ''
The implication of the warnings from Republicans is that the situation for technology companies in Washington is not going to improve . Still , Thune , Walden and other GOP leaders have so far resisted calls to pursue tougher regulations despite mounting data scandals , and that may not change even if other technology titans appear before Congress .
After Equifax ’ s massive data breach exposed information for more than 145 million people last year , the credit bureau ’ s former CEO , Richard Smith , was grilled for hours over four marathon hearings in one week .
Lawmakers of both parties spent the sessions lashing out at the executive and his former firm but , seven months later , Congress has done little to crack down on the company or other data holders .
Yet there ’ s little for tech companies to gain from the intense scrutiny that comes with testifying before Congress ; the CEOs appear inclined to stay out of the spotlight while they can .
When it was revealed last year that a Russian “ troll farm ” known as the Internet Research Agency had purchased thousands of dollars of political ads on the internet and engaged in an online disinformation campaign , Congress invited social media CEOs to testify about their platforms ’ roles in the scandal .
But sending a lawyer wasn ’ t an option for Facebook after it was reported in March that a political consulting firm with ties to President Trump Donald John TrumpGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Warren goes local in race to build 2020 movement 2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes MORE had improperly obtained data on 87 million Facebook users . The uproar over that scandal propelled Zuckerberg to appear before Congress for the first time .
In the op-ed that Walden published in Silicon Valley ’ s backyard , he said Zuckerberg ’ s testimony only “ scratched the surface ” of consumer protection and privacy issues facing the industry , and that the public needs to hear more from technology leaders .
“ There ’ s no doubt that both lawmakers and consumers will recognize that this transparency is happening voluntarily and without negative press coverage or federal regulations forcing your company ’ s hand , ” Walden wrote . | x2t2aA1MY7fnuYsw | 1 | US Congress | -0.3 | Technology | -0.2 | Mark Zuckerberg | -0.1 | Facebook | -0.1 | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/03/super-tuesday-ted-cruz-judgement-day-213691 | Ted Cruz’s Judgment Day | 2016-03-01 | elections | HOUSTON — It was July , only four months into the campaign , and Ted Cruz ’ s Iowa chairman was nervous .
Scott Walker and Mike Huckabee were practically living in Iowa , but Cruz was all over the map : On a book tour in Georgia , visiting Oklahoma , rolling out a leadership team in Tennessee . Matt Schultz got on a plane and flew to Houston , planning to tell Cruz ’ s senior staff that their candidate risked becoming an afterthought in the most important state for a conservative , evangelical Republican .
When he got to the Chick-fil-A-fueled confab , planned as a strategy session for early-state leaders , Schultz confronted the team : Cruz needs to get back to Iowa and show some real commitment to the state , said Schultz , who didn ’ t understand the attention showered on the South , when much of it wouldn ’ t vote until March . If he doesn ’ t , Schultz warned , Cruz would be overshadowed on winnable turf .
Campaign manager Jeff Roe heard him out . The campaign wouldn ’ t ignore Iowa , he promised . But the South , Roe said , isn ’ t a distraction—it ’ s the big prize .
Since the very beginning , the Cruz campaign has seen a strong Super Tuesday—when 595 delegates will be awarded—as the critical , defining moment in the effort to emerge as the consensus conservative choice . It ’ s the day Cruz has said will be an “ amazing ” one for his team , the day his campaign has described to potential donors as the one that will demonstrate this campaign , unlike every other conservative insurgent campaign in recent memory , is built to last in a long nomination fight .
But Cruz walks into March 1 on his heels . He failed spectacularly in South Carolina , the first test of his appeal in the South , and is now on the defensive even in his home state of Texas . And if polls are to be believed , he could lose it all on Tuesday to Donald Trump—a man his political and personal opposite in almost every relevant way , yet one who has still managed to commandeer a significant slice of the anti-Washington conservative base Cruz long banked on .
“ He ’ s gained our voters , there ’ s no two ways around that , ” said one of Cruz ’ s senior advisers . “ Yeah , we ’ re getting beat because he is getting some of our votes . He ’ s not getting all of our votes , but he ’ s getting some of our votes , there ’ s no working around that . ”
When Cruz officially launched in March 2015 , his team began building voter models in states with March 2016 primaries — the initial models were based off profiles of Cruz ’ s Texas supporters—and using analytics to identify possible county chairs and supportive local leaders . The numbers told them Cruz had strong potential in states that looked most like Texas—Oklahoma and Georgia , for example .
By mid-summer , the campaign was ready to introduce Cruz to the region—a place where he was already well-known in conservative activist circles as a tea party hero but not as a like-minded evangelical . To that end , Roe conjured up the idea of a bus tour through the region , designed to show Southern voters that they could identify with Cruz .
Cruz speaks to the media upon arriving at GraceWorks Church , in Chattanooga , Tennessee in mid-August as part of a bus tour of the region . | AP
“ What do we share with the culture ? It ’ s food , it ’ s football , ” Roe said as he opened another July discussion at the Houston headquarters , recalled a source familiar with the planning of the bus tour .
The room full of the strategists with ties to the South and the rural Midwest lit up in conversation about barbecue and Friday night football games . “ We were joking about things we remember growing up doing , joking about , ‘ Should we have Cruz throw hay in the back of a pick-up truck ? ’ ” recalled another Cruz source in the room , who like many people interviewed for this story was not authorized to speak on the record .
At that meeting , the Cruz operatives decided that instead of the usual campaign stops , Cruz would instead host events with a distinctly Southern flavor : a biscuits and gravy breakfast in Chattanooga , for example , or a stop for barbecue in Newnan , Georgia .
It was a branding decision designed to signal to Southern voters , “ He shares our values , ” said the source familiar with the bus tour planning .
“ The idea was that , Ted is the candidate for this area , ” this person said . “ We thought at the time , you want to be the conservative , evangelical , tea party candidate—a big part of that is the South . Knowing the math lined up like it did , what ’ s a really good way to show you ’ re a candidate that most identifies with those people ? Culture is a very uniting factor . ”
A few weeks later , it wasn ’ t culture on Cruz ’ s mind as he rolled through rural Georgia on the second day of his bus tour ; it was raw politics .
Several state lawmakers , newly minted co-chairs of his Georgia efforts , climbed aboard Cruz ’ s bus . The senator wanted to hear about his chances in their state , which offered the second-biggest delegate bounty on Super Tuesday . So over soft drinks and coffees , Cruz peppered them with questions : Who were the influential conservatives he needed to meet in the state ? What were the key issues at hand in the Georgia General Assembly ?
And he shared his own strategic vision , saying that laying the groundwork in Georgia and other Southern states in the summer would help ensure that he would still be standing , and in a good position to benefit , should rivals such as Ben Carson and Rick Perry stumble , according to state Sen. Marty Harbin , one of lawmakers aboard the bus .
The idea was that Ted is the candidate for this area . ... You want to be the conservative , evangelical , tea party candidate—a big part of that is the South . ”
Off the bus , Cruz ’ s first major foray into the South was going well too .
He met large and adoring crowds everywhere he went , finding that the message that works in Texas—heavy on faith , the Constitution and supporting the military—was playing equally well across the South . And as he traveled , Cruz ’ s team saw evidence that the theories suggested by the campaign ’ s data modeling , and their assumptions about the South , aligned with the reception he was receiving on the ground .
It was encouraging enough , in fact , that Cruz began talking up the stakes of Super Tuesday to reporters , framing it as a day when his campaign would—and must—do well . | 8uq9nkshYyxoP9NT | 0 | Presidential Elections | -0.5 | Ted Cruz | 0.4 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
national_security | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/26/donald-trump-accuses-china-of-2018-election-meddli/ | Trump accuses China of 2018 election meddling: They 'don't want me to win' | 2018-09-26 | national_security | UNITED NATIONS — Veering off the carefully negotiated agenda , President Trump told a U.N. Security Council meeting he was chairing Wednesday that China was meddling in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections to undercut his tough trade agenda .
Mr. Trump , wrapping up three days of high-stakes diplomacy here at the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering , said at the top of a meeting that was officially dedicated to the problem of weapons proliferation that the Chinese government is trying to subvert the U.S. vote out of frustration over his administration ’ s bare-knuckle trade posture toward Beijing .
“ Regrettably we have found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election , coming up in November , against my administration , ” Mr. Trump said , breaking from protocol at the traditionally highly-scripted Security Council .
“ They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade , and we are winning on trade — we are winning at every level . ”
Speaking later in the same session , Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appeared to break from his prepared statement at the end to deny what he called the “ unwarranted ” U.S. accusation of election meddling .
“ We do not and will not interfere in any countries ’ domestic affairs , ” said Mr. Wang . “ We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China , and we call on other countries to also observe the purposes of the U.N. charter and not interfere in other countries ’ internal affairs . ”
While Mr. Trump did not offer specifics at the Security Council session , the president indicated later he that he was referring in part to China ’ s retaliatory tariffs against U.S. farm products , as opposed to the type of cyberhacking that Russia conducted in the 2016 U.S. elections .
“ You have statements made [ by the Chinese ] that they were going to hit our farmers , those are my voters , ” Mr. Trump told reporters . “ I love the farmers , I ’ m taking care of the farmers . ”
The president refused at a press conference later Wednesday to detail what steps the U.S. will take against China , but insisted again , “ They ’ re trying to convince people to go against Donald Trump . ”
In a conference call arranged by the White House , a senior administration official said China is using a “ whole-of-government approach ” to interfere in the U.S. democratic system , including political , economic , commercial , military and informational “ tools . ”
“ The activities have reached an unacceptable level , ” the official said .
Referring to targeted Chinese tariffs , the official said , “ Some examples of the ways that China is actively interfering in our political system include hurting farmers and workers in states and districts that voted for the president , because he stood up to the ways that China has taken advantage of our country economically . ”
China has responded to Mr. Trump ’ s tariffs in part by penalizing U.S. farm exports , hitting especially hard at Mr. Trump ’ s GOP base in Midwestern and southern states . China also placed a four-page ad in the Des Moines Register last weekend calling the dispute over soybeans “ the fruit of a president ’ s folly . ”
Mr. Trump used his post as this month ’ s holder of the rotating Security Council presidency to level fresh threats against Iran , saying new U.S. sanctions against Tehran will be in place within weeks , and that even more penalties against Tehran are being prepared to curb its military programs and support for anti-U.S. proxy groups .
“ All U.S. nuclear-related sanctions will be in full force by early November , ” Mr. Trump said . ” … After that , the United States will pursue additional sanctions , tougher than ever before , to counter the entire range of Iran ’ s malign conduct . ”
But Mr. Trump ’ s criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal found little support in Wednesday ’ s sessions , as European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May joined China ’ s Mr. Wang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in urging that the deal be preserved .
Iran was not represented at the morning session , but Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a Wednesday press conference in New York that the U.S. pressure campaign was failing and even predicted that an isolated Washington would eventually rejoin the pact . Mr. Trump found virtually no support from the 15-nation Security Council to scrapping the 2015 nuclear deal .
“ We do not want to attack [ the U.S. ] , ” Mr. Rouhani told reporters . “ We do not wish to increase tensions . ” | UOlj72uAWIe4WukW | 2 | China | -1.2 | Donald Trump | 0.5 | National Security | 0.3 | Defense And Security | 0.3 | Election Integrity | 0 |
politics | ABC News | http://abcnews.go.com/US/south-carolina-house-approves-bill-removing-confederate-flag/story?id=32319323 | South Carolina House Approves Bill to Remove Confederate Flag | politics | The South Carolina House has approved a bill to remove the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds , and the flag will be taken down Friday .
The vote early this morning came after more than 13 hours of debate .
The House approved the Senate bill by more than a two-thirds margin . Republican Gov . Nikki Haley will sign the bill at 4 p.m. today and the flag will come down at 10 a.m. Friday , the governor 's office confirmed today .
“ Today , as the Senate did before them , the House of Representatives has served the State of South Carolina and her people with great dignity , ” Haley said in a statement after the House vote . “ I 'm grateful for their service and their compassion . It is a new day in South Carolina , a day we can all be proud of , a day that truly brings us all together as we continue to heal , as one people and one state . ”
Efforts to have the flag removed intensified amid a June 17 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston in which nine people died .
Republican Rep. Jenny Horne scolded fellow members of her party for stalling the debate with dozens of amendments , recalling the Rev . Clementa Pinckney , the pastor of Emanuel AME and a former house member who died in the shooting .
`` For the widow of Sen. Pinckney and his two young daughters , [ keeping the flag ] would be adding insult to injury and I will not be a part of it , '' she screamed into a microphone .
The flag has been flying at the statehouse since the early 1960s , serving , for many , as a reminder of a racist past . Others have argued that the flag reflects Southern pride .
The vote marks a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement . | iZq8aeewHMEduJSi | 0 | South Carolina | 0.9 | Confederate Flag | 0.2 | Politics | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | |
white_house | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/03/02/media-fail-netanyahus-favorability-ratings-best-obama/ | Media Fail: Netanyahu's Favorability Ratings Best Obama | 2015-03-02 | White House, Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, Media Bias, Politics | Despite months of relentless attacks coming from President Obama , his White House , and his sycophants in the mainstream media , here in America Benjamin Netanyahu has seen a boost in his favorability rating to where the Israeli Prime Minister is now in much better shape than our own President .
According to the latest Gallup poll , 45 % of Americans view Netanyahu favorably while only 24 % view him unfavorably . Since 2012 , Netanyahu ’ s favorability rating has jumped a full 10 points , while his unfavorable rating has risen an insignificant 1 % .
The latest favorability ratings for Obama come from a Feb 23 Economist/YouGov poll that shows Obama tied with Netanyahu in favorability with 45 % , but with an unfavorable rating of more than double that of Netanyahu ’ s at 50 % . This is a poll of 1000 adults . Gallup polled 837 adults .
As far as job approval , according to the most recent Gallup poll Obama sits at 44 % approve , 51 % disapprove .
Netanyahu ’ s jump in approval is a massive failure for a mainstream media that has red-lined in its attempts to derail Netanyahu ’ s much-anticipated Tuesday speech before both chambers of Congress .
The very same media that champions Obama ’ s lawless crusades around Congress is now comically furious over a breach of diplomatic protocol that saw House Speaker John Boehner invite Netanyahu to speak without first alerting a president — a president who his currently writing the laws he wants and violating his Constitutional oath by refusing to enforce those he doesn ’ t .
The media did everything in its power to promote a failed boycott of the speech by Democratic lawmakers ( so far only about 10 % have refused to attend ) and to paint those who support Netanyahu ’ s speech as disloyal to President Obama , and by extension America .
The media has been on a McCarthyist rampage all year ; brutally punishing anyone they perceive as disloyal to Obama . On top of these attacks against Netanyahu and his American supporters for defying The King , the media spent a full week blasting Rudy Giuliani for questioning Obama ’ s patriotism . Then the media spent 4 days blasting Republican Governor Scott Walker for not vouching for Obama ’ s faith and patriotism .
The media fails to understand that loyalty to country does not mean loyalty to the president or to the government . | 500555d43a00a47f | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Wall Street Journal - News | http://online.wsj.com/articles/iran-talks-likely-to-figure-in-any-hillary-clinton-2016-bid-1417823608 | Iran Talks Likely to Figure in Any Hillary Clinton 2016 Bid | middle_east | WASHINGTON— Hillary Clinton has distanced herself from the Obama administration ’ s increasingly unpopular handling of international issues , including Syria and Russia .
The former secretary of state is much more closely tied to current U.S. diplomatic efforts toward Iran aimed at curbing Tehran ’ s nuclear program . Mrs. Clinton has taken credit for initiating secret talks with Iran in 2012 that formed the foundation for negotiations that were recently extended another seven months . In addition , one of her closest foreign-policy advisers at the State Department , Jake Sullivan , remains one of the Obama administration ’ s top negotiators with the Iranian diplomats .
Republicans are already citing Iran as a likely top foreign-policy issue in the 2016 campaign , when Mrs. Clinton is expected to be the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination . They say the White House is allowing Tehran to use the talks as a cover to weaken Western sanctions and to advance its nuclear program . The White House has said its diplomacy , and an interim agreement reached last year , have capped key parts of Iran ’ s nuclear program and rolled it back in some areas .
In a July CNN interview , Mrs. Clinton pushed for a U.S. negotiating line that would allow Iran to maintain little to no ability to produce nuclear fuel in the near term . But U.S. diplomats have already conceded in talks that Tehran would maintain thousands of centrifuges used to enrich uranium as part of any final deal .
She spoke about the Iran nuclear talks at an event Friday night hosted by the Brookings Institution think tank , saying she supported the extension of nuclear negotiations with Iran . But she displayed distance from the White House ’ s policies on Iran . She said she wished the Obama administration “ had spoken out more ” to support a pro-democracy movement that broke out in Iran in 2009 . “ You never know ... what you may say that gives heart to people . ”
Interviewed at the event by a political supporter , Haim Saban , Mrs. Clinton said the U.S. mustn ’ t be overly willing to reach a deal with Iran . “ I remain strongly of the view that no deal is better than a bad deal , ” she said .
Still , she said the negotiations are an important step . “ I think it is a very important effort to continue to pursue , and to try to see if we can reach an agreement that is in line with our requirements . ”
Despite her apparent differences with the negotiators , Republicans say she is locked into the Obama administration ’ s policy because of her role in shaping it . Rep. Steve Chabot ( R. , Ohio ) , a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee , said she was the “ chief architect ” of the Obama foreign policy for four years and will have to answer for any failings when it comes to Iran . “ For the most part , the current secretary of state has carried on the policies that she started , ” he said . “ There hasn ’ t been a tremendous difference between the two relative to Iran . ”
Mrs. Clinton , through her office , declined to comment for this article .
During her 2008 presidential bid , Mrs. Clinton occasionally roiled the Democratic contest with hawkish statements about Iran , at one point slamming then-Sen. Barack Obama ’ s call for direct talks as “ naive . ”
On joining Mr. Obama ’ s administration , she expressed greater skepticism than did Mr. Obama toward engaging Iran . Weeks after moving to the State Department , she told the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates she was “ doubtful ” Tehran would respond to U.S. offers to hold talks over its nuclear program , according to senior U.S. officials , a comment seen as a slap at the White House .
Still , Mrs. Clinton moved aggressively to implement Mr. Obama ’ s strategy , offering the prospect of talks while boosting economic pressure on Tehran .
Her supporters and some foreign-policy experts say she will be able to argue that her efforts to impose sanctions were the primary reason Tehran agreed to hold direct , high-level talks .
“ She was one of the foremost Iran skeptics , and by taking a tough line…she also teed up the kind of leverage that might lead to an agreement , should there be one , ” said the author David Rothkopf , who recently published a book on the Obama administration ’ s foreign policy .
At the same time , Mrs. Clinton was intimately involved in establishing the diplomatic channel that laid the groundwork for today ’ s nuclear negotiations , said current and former U.S. officials .
In the summer of 2012 , Mrs. Clinton secretly dispatched Mr. Sullivan , then her deputy chief of staff , to the Omani capital , Muscat , to meet senior Iranian diplomats . Not even Mr. Sullivan ’ s colleagues were told of his mission .
“ For the delicate first meeting with the Iranians , Jake was not the most experienced diplomat at the State Department I could have chosen , but he was discreet and had my absolute confidence , ” Mrs. Clinton wrote in her new book , “ Hard Choices. ” “ His presence would send a powerful message that I was personally invested in this process . ”
Mr. Sullivan went on to become one of the Obama administration ’ s top nuclear negotiators with Iran , remaining in that role after Mrs. Clinton left the State Department in early 2013 .
The 38-year-old is widely expected to be in line for a senior position in a Clinton administration . Mr. Sullivan ’ s departure this summer as a foreign-policy aide to Vice President Joe Biden was seen as a prelude to his transition into advising the former first lady ’ s presidential bid .
“ Unlike others in the Obama administration who will be long gone in 2017 , he will own this deal if Hillary Clinton becomes president , ” said Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , a Washington think tank that has criticized the U.S. negotiating strategy with Iran . “ The pressure on him to do a good deal is enormous . ”
Mr. Sullivan is currently teaching at Yale University but has continued on as part of the U.S. negotiating team with Iran . In meetings with Republican skeptics of the Iran talks , he has mirrored Mrs. Clinton ’ s more hawkish line , according to participants in some of the meetings .
People close to Mrs. Clinton say she will likely approach Iran from two perspectives during a campaign . If there is a deal , she can point to her role and that of Mr. Sullivan in establishing the diplomatic channel to Tehran . If it fails , she will argue she was always skeptical about the chances of success . | DUPPiT85Z7p3xnBe | 1 | Middle East | -0.2 | Hillary Clinton | 0.1 | Iran | 0 | null | null | null | null | |
politics | BBC News | http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41808283 | George Papadopoulos: Biggest Trump-Russia news wasn't about Manafort | politics | On Monday morning Paul Manafort and business associate Rick Gates were charged with 12 counts of money laundering , undisclosed foreign lobbying , lying to government investigators , and various and sundry other serious-sounding offences .
It turned out that was n't the biggest news of the day .
Indictments had been telegraphed since news reports on Friday evening mentioned they were signed , sealed and soon-to-be-delivered . Manafort 's name was at the top of most lists of possible targets . It was the follow-up revelation from Robert Mueller 's independent counsel team , however , that caught most of Washington by surprise .
George Papadopoulos - hardly a household name - had pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his contacts with Russian nationals and connected individuals while he was serving as a foreign policy with the Trump campaign .
Where the Manafort indictment was somewhat expected and covered business dealings prior to his time as head of the Trump campaign , the Papadopoulos news sits at the heart of Mr Mueller 's investigation into possible Trump team collusion with Russia .
Here are three reasons why Papadopoulos is a key piece of the puzzle . And lest we give the Manafort case short shrift , here are three more reasons why it could end up being even more explosive .
Per details of the indictment and plea agreement , Papadopoulos has revealed that he was in contact with individuals - a London professor , a female Russian national , a Russian foreign affairs ministry official - either directly or tangentially connected to the Russian government .
He was passing along details of conversations he had to senior members of the Trump presidential campaign team including , reportedly , Manafort . At one point , a `` campaign supervisor '' , responding to one of Papadopoulos 's emails , replied `` good work '' .
While not evidence of collusion , this is clear indication that the Russian government was seeking back channels to the Trump campaign - and were finding at least some success .
The White House has diminished Papadopoulos 's role within the campaign , noting he was an unpaid adviser and that his efforts to set up a senior-level meeting between the Trump team and Russian officials were rebuffed .
Papadopoulos did have a sit-down conference on 31 March 2016 , with Mr Trump and the rest of the foreign policy team . Candidate Trump also mentioned Papadopoulos , whom he called an `` excellent guy '' , as an adviser in a 21 March interview with the Washington Post .
Papadopoulos may have been on the campaign periphery , but he was far from a total unknown .
On April 26 , 2016 , Papadopoulos 's professor contact told him he had just returned from Moscow and learned from `` high-level Russian government officials '' that they possessed `` dirt '' on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the form of `` thousands of emails '' .
It 's unclear from the indictment whether Papadopoulos passed this bit of information on to his campaign contacts , although it notes he `` continued to correspond '' with them .
What is clear , however , is that there is now evidence that individuals with Russian government connections on two separate occasions tried to let the Trump campaign know that they had information they thought was damaging to the Democratic candidate .
Papadopoulos was the first . The second was when the president 's eldest son , Donald Trump Jr , heard a similar line from his publicist-friend Rob Goldstone in June 2016 .
Trump Jr responded by writing `` if it 's what you say I love it especially later in the summer '' . Later that month , Trump Jr , Manafort and Donald Trump 's son-in-law , Jared Kushner , met a group of Russian nationals .
In July , embarrassing emails that were hacked from the Democratic National Committee were published by Wikileaks . In October , the contents of Clinton campaign chair John Podesta 's personal email inbox were released .
If there 's anyone in Trump 's campaign circle with something to hide , they should be concerned that Papadopoulos was arrested back on 27 July . He struck a plea agreement with the Mueller team on 5 October .
That was nearly four weeks ago and , according to the court documents , Papadopoulos has been co-operating with government investigators ever since . In fact , Mr Mueller told the relevant court he did not want the arrest made public because it would `` significantly undermine his ability to serve as a proactive co-operator '' .
So who has Papadopoulos spoken to since his arrest ? And what sorts of topics could he have discussed ?
According to Dan Dale of the Toronto Star , a former prosecutor told him the term `` proactive co-operator '' can indicate someone who is willing to wear a wire tap .
HotAir Blog goes through an extended what-if scenario that envisions how Papadopoulos could go about surreptitiously gathering incriminating details from members of Trump 's campaign inner circle . He could ask for their `` advice '' on how to disrupt Mr Mueller 's investigation after disclosing that he had been arrested .
`` Suddenly those people woke up this morning and realised they 'd had conversations with Papadopoulos recently about how to throw Mueller off the trail and only now do they realise he 's been in cahoots with Mueller for three months , '' the theory goes . `` Hoo boy . ''
Even if , as Mr Trump writes in a tweet , Manafort 's alleged illegal activities occurred `` years ago '' , before he took a senior position in the Trump campaign , it still reflects poorly on the then-candidate 's personnel choices .
It was clear at the time Manafort came on board with Mr Trump that he had some questionable dealings in his past - including work for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians , Philippine ex-leader Ferdinand Marcos and a group with ties to Pakistani intelligence .
Like many politicos in Mr Trump 's orbit , Manafort was thrust into the campaign spotlight with little background vetting because more established hands wanted nothing to do with the upstart candidate 's presidential efforts .
The decision to run with Manafort , who was backed by Trump confidante Roger Stone , has come back to haunt his presidency .
Part of the case against Manafort - that he was operating as an undisclosed agent for a foreign government - echoes similar allegations made against another Trump associate , former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn .
Flynn resigned his White House post after revelations that he had lied about discussing US sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016 . It was later disclosed that Flynn was also working for the Turkish government - something he did n't disclose on his relevant government forms .
If Manafort can face charges for his Ukrainian involvement , Flynn may be in jeopardy as well .
Slate 's Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern also theorise that Mr Mueller 's case against Manafort for financial misdeeds relating to foreign income could serve as a blueprint for a future case against Mr Trump 's own business organisation , which also brings in a fair amount of revenue from foreign sources .
`` This is an indictment that should terrify Trump in that it shadows and hints at his own unlawful conduct , '' they write .
Mr Trump was n't named in the Manafort indictment , but the message may have been sent nevertheless .
Then there 's the million-dollar question . If Manafort and Gates are each staring at double-digit prison terms if convicted , might they follow Papadopoulos 's lead and seek to strike a deal with Mr Mueller in exchange for leniency ?
Papadopoulos , of course , is a figure from the edges of the Trump campaign . Manafort , for months , was at the heart of it .
Mr Mueller and his veteran team of prosecutors know how to build a case against a large enterprise . Start with the easy targets , then offer a deal . Work your way up from the bottom . Reward those who co-operate early , and throw the book at the hold-outs . Turn the screws , and have your targets constantly looking over their shoulders .
Manafort and Gates may have nothing to bargain with - the White House insists that there is nothing there . If they do , however , this rollercoaster ride is only just beginning . | XQmYfsxF1uo8WfoO | 1 | Politics | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
immigration | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/29/americas/migrant-caravan-us-border-crossing/index.html | Migrants who traveled with caravan vow to wait at border until they are granted asylum | 2018-04-30 | Immigration | Tijuana, Mexico CNN —After a difficult, monthlong journey from Central America to the US-Mexico border, dozens of asylum-seeking migrants are vowing to remain outside an immigration processing center until “every last one” is admitted into the country, an organizer with the caravan said late Sunday.Earlier, the migrants marched from Friendship Park in Tijuana, Mexico to the San Ysidro port of entry. They stood on the Mexican side; on the other side lay San Diego, California. It was the final leg for some in the caravan of hundreds of migrants, which had reached Tijuana on Tuesday.Alex Mensing, an organizer with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which assembled the caravan, said 50 migrants were admitted to the immigration processing center on the Mexico side. However, that is incorrect. The migrants congregated on a bridge leading to the US border while waiting to be processed by American officials.Before the group arrived, US Customs and Border Protection officials said the port had already reached full capacity, and migrants trying to get into the United States may need to wait in Mexico as officials process those already in the facility.Some migrants said they had walked the last leg of the journey filled with anxiety. Others scarfed down food before they filed into the center, afraid there would be no food once they turned themselves in to border officials.One woman in a wheelchair said she was leaving a part of herself in Mexico. She didn’t know where she was going, just that she was going to the United States, she said.In anticipation of the final march of a trip that has riled President Donald Trump, supporters lined both sides of the border on Sunday.The migrants say they want a better life for themselves and their children, safe from violence and poverty in their home countries. The caravan is both a humanitarian and an activist mission, as organizers created the event to draw greater attention to the migrants’ plight.One such migrant is Gabriela Hernandez, a pregnant mother of two who fled Honduras and crossed Guatemala into Mexico to join the group heading north. She and her two sons left behind their friends and family and battled hunger and exhaustion along the monthlong journey.“There are people who think I just woke up and said, ‘Oh, I want to just go to the United States.’ It’s not that easy,” she said.Isabel Rodriguez, 52, traveled with her two grandchildren, Anderson, 7, and Cristofer, 11, from El Salvador with the caravan over several weeks. She said she was grateful to be in Tijuana but was worried about what’s ahead.“I hear they are separating people who are not parents of children,” she said, “but I am ready to get to the border.”Instagram post not found. Post has been removed or is no longer public.Why this caravan is unlike othersSimilar migrant caravans have ventured toward the US border for the last several years. But this trip has become better known because of critical tweets from Trump and the heightened controversy surrounding immigration policy.Trump has encouraged Mexico to break up the caravans and tweeted that he would not accept the migrants into the country.Despite the Democrat inspired laws on Sanctuary Cities and the Border being so bad and one sided, I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. We are the only Country in the World so naive! WALL — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2018“I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. We are the only Country in the World so naive! WALL,” Trump wrote.“If members of the ‘caravan’ enter the country illegally, they will be referred for prosecution for illegal entry in accordance with existing law,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement.Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott of the US Customs and Border Protection said several groups of people associated with the caravan illegally entered the United States by climbing over a metal fence.“We are a very welcoming country but just like your own house, we expect everyone to enter through our front door, and answer questions honestly,” he said in a statement.It is not illegal to enter the country at a port of entry and ask for asylum, as international law requires that the United States consider asylum claims. The migrants say they’re not planning to sneak across the border, but to turn themselves in peacefully and ask for asylum.“People who have a legitimate fear of persecution under US law have a right to present their case,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the top Democrat on the House subcommittee on immigration, said on Monday. “That’s not a violation of immigration law. That’s a part of immigration law.”In general, having asylum granted is difficult. More than three-quarters of immigrants seeking asylum from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala between 2011 and 2016 lost their cases, according to immigration court statistics published by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. | b46abf1e78409861 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
cia | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2014/07/26/335483947/former-cia-officials-denied-chance-to-preview-torture-report | Former CIA Officials Denied Chance To Preview 'Torture' Report | 2014-07-26 | cia | About a dozen former CIA officials named in a classified Senate report on decade-old agency interrogation practices were notified in recent days that they would be able to review parts of the document in a secure room in suburban Washington after signing a secrecy agreement .
Then , on Friday , many were told they would not be able to see it , after all .
Some of them were furious , while Democratic Senate aides were angry that they were given the chance in the first place .
It 's the latest chapter in the drama and recriminations that have been playing out behind the scenes in connection with what some call the Senate torture report , a summary of which is being declassified and is expected to be released in the coming weeks .
`` I am outraged , '' said John Rizzo , one of the former officials who was offered , and then refused , a chance to see the summary report before publication . He retired in 2009 as the CIA 's top lawyer after playing a key role in the interrogation program .
`` They are accusing people of misleading Congress , of misleading the Justice Department , and they never even asked to talk to us , '' he said . `` And now they wo n't let us read the report before it is made public . ''
The 6,300-page report , along with a CIA rebuttal , represents the most detailed accounting to date of a set of bitterly controversial interrogation , rendition and detention practices the CIA carried out in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks - practices many Americans now consider to have been immoral or illegal .
President Barack Obama stopped the practices when he took office , but he decided against a `` truth commission '' to examine what happened . Criminal investigations conducted in secret resulted on no charges .
Advocacy groups say the Senate report 's 600-page executive summary , which is to be released along with a CIA response and a minority dissent , will be the last chance for public accountability .
For months , the former officials who are implicated in the report have strategized about how to rebut it . Many of them sincerely believe that they did what the country asked of them after Sept. 11 and that they are being impugned now because the political winds have shifted .
About a dozen officials were called in recent days and told they could read the executive summary at a secure room at the Office of Director of National Intelligence , as long as they agreed not to discuss it , four former officials said .
Then , on Friday , CIA officials called them and told them that due to a miscommunication , only former CIA directors and deputy directors would be given that privilege . Former directors Michael Hayden , Porter Goss and George Tenet have been invited to read it , as have former acting directors John McLaughlin and Michael Morell .
Senate aides familiar with the matter say Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee , protested to the White House that it had no business allowing retired officials to read a Senate oversight report . Representatives for Feinstein , the CIA and the White House had no comment .
Several people who have read the full report , and who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss still-classified material , say it shows that the CIA interrogation program was far more brutal than previously understood , and that CIA officials repeatedly misled Congress and the Justice Department about what was being done to al-Qaida detainees . The report asserts that no unique , life-saving intelligence was gleaned for the harsh techniques .
It 's long been known that the CIA used slapping , stress positions , sleep deprivation and other harsh tactics on several detainees and a near-drowning technique known as water boarding on three of them . The CIA 's use of water boarding has drawn particular scrutiny since it is considered the harshest technique on the list of those used , but the report asserts that the other tactics , as applied , were extremely harsh and brutal .
Torture is illegal under U.S. law . CIA officials dispute that water boarding amounted to torture .
CIA interrogators were acting under since-repudiated Justice Department legal opinions saying that the techniques were not torture . Obama decided that anyone who followed legal guidance would not be prosecuted .
The report asserts , however , that the Justice Department 's narrow , meticulous rules for how the harsh techniques were supposed to be applied were not always followed , those who have read the full report said . The CIA inspector general reached that conclusion years ago .
CIA officials who read the Senate report said it was filled with errors , that it cherry-picked evidence , and that it reached deeply flawed conclusions , say former agency officials who would not be quoted because the report is classified .
Proponents call that spin from people trying to protect their reputations .
Among the critics ' biggest complaints is that the report relied heavily on millions of CIA documents , and that Senate investigators did not interview any of the participants . Senate officials have said the pending criminal investigation made interviews impossible .
Most of the Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee voted against the report , saying they did n't support its conclusions .
The dispute has poisoned relations between the Democrats who run the Intelligence Committee and the CIA . The climate worsened when Feinstein took to the Senate floor in March to accuse the CIA of improperly accessing Senate computer systems in pursuit of documents the CIA claimed the Senate was not entitled to have .
CIA Director John Brennan referred the matter to the Justice Department . The department recently announced it has declined to take the case , a development that did little to cool the bitterness on both sides .
Reporters who happened to be at the ODNI building in McLean , Virginia , on Tuesday saw Morell walking in . He told them he was going to read `` something I do n't want to read , '' but he did n't elaborate . A senior intelligence official later said he read the Senate report . | J6bkTR0ieHDU5VIA | 1 | CIA | -0.6 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/19/politics/donald-trump-jeb-george-w-bush-9-11-jeb-bush/index.html | Donald Trump on Bush 9/11 remarks: 'I'm not blaming anybody' | 2015-10-19 | elections | Washington ( CNN ) Donald Trump on Monday stood by his comments that former President George W. Bush did not keep the country safe since he was president during the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
Trump insisted he is n't `` blaming anybody , '' but repeatedly reminded Fox News viewers that the `` worst attack in the history of our country '' occurred on Bush 's watch and suggested that the attacks could have been prevented .
`` The fact is we had the worst attack in the history of our country during his reign . Jeb ( Bush ) said we were safe during his reign . That was n't true , '' Trump said . `` And I 'm not blaming anybody and I 'm not blaming George Bush , although if you look at his three primary agencies , they hated each other , they were n't talking ... And a good leader would 've made sure that they would get along and talk and lots of other things happen . ''
Trump is joined by his family as he is sworn in as President on January 20 .
Trump is joined by his family as he is sworn in as President on January 20 .
Trump walks on stage with his family after he was declared the election winner on November 9 . `` Ours was not a campaign , but rather , an incredible and great movement , '' he told his supporters in New York .
Trump walks on stage with his family after he was declared the election winner on November 9 . `` Ours was not a campaign , but rather , an incredible and great movement , '' he told his supporters in New York .
Trump apologizes in a video , posted to his Twitter account in October , for vulgar and sexually aggressive remarks he made a decade ago regarding women . `` I said it , I was wrong and I apologize , '' Trump said , referring to lewd comments he made during a previously unaired taping of `` Access Hollywood . '' Multiple Republican leaders rescinded their endorsements of Trump after the footage was released .
Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate , which took place in Hempstead , New York , in September .
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July , accepting the party 's nomination for President . `` I have had a truly great life in business , '' he said . `` But now , my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you . It 's time to deliver a victory for the American people . ''
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July , accepting the party 's nomination for President . `` I have had a truly great life in business , '' he said . `` But now , my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you . It 's time to deliver a victory for the American people . ''
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville , Indiana , on April 28 . After Trump won the Indiana primary , his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race .
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville , Indiana , on April 28 . After Trump won the Indiana primary , his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race .
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens . Marco Rubio , left , and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10 . Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May .
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens . Marco Rubio , left , and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10 . Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May .
Trump speaks in Sarasota , Florida , after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012 . It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa .
Trump speaks in Sarasota , Florida , after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012 . It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa .
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011 . Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe , Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996 .
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011 . Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe , Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996 .
Trump appears on the set of `` The Celebrity Apprentice '' with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009 .
Trump appears on the set of `` The Celebrity Apprentice '' with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009 .
For `` The Apprentice , '' Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007 .
For `` The Apprentice , '' Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007 .
Trump wrestles with `` Stone Cold '' Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007 . Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO , Vince McMahon .
Trump wrestles with `` Stone Cold '' Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007 . Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO , Vince McMahon .
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife , Melania Knauss-Trump , and their son , Barron , in 2006 . Trump and Knauss married in 2005 .
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife , Melania Knauss-Trump , and their son , Barron , in 2006 . Trump and Knauss married in 2005 .
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University . From 2005 until it closed in 2010 , Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate . Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York 's attorney general -- argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception . Trump 's camp rejected the suits ' claims as `` baseless . '' And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated .
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004 .
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004 .
An advertisement for the television show `` The Apprentice '' hangs at Trump Tower in 2004 . The show launched in January of that year . In January 2008 , the show returned as `` Celebrity Apprentice . ''
An advertisement for the television show `` The Apprentice '' hangs at Trump Tower in 2004 . The show launched in January of that year . In January 2008 , the show returned as `` Celebrity Apprentice . ''
Trump dips his second wife , Marla Maples , after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993 . The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together , Tiffany .
Trump dips his second wife , Marla Maples , after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993 . The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together , Tiffany .
Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White , a young child with AIDS , in 1990 .
Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White , a young child with AIDS , in 1990 .
Trump signs his second book , `` Trump : Surviving at the Top , '' in 1990 . Trump has published at least 16 other books , including `` The Art of the Deal '' and `` The America We Deserve . ''
Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino , the Taj Mahal , in 1989 .
Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino , the Taj Mahal , in 1989 .
Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987 .
Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987 .
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990 , when they divorced . They had three children together : Donald Jr. , Ivanka and Eric .
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990 , when they divorced . They had three children together : Donald Jr. , Ivanka and Eric .
Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979 .
Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979 .
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis , New York 's economic development administrator , in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel . After graduating college in 1968 , Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City , New Jersey . Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City .
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis , New York 's economic development administrator , in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel . After graduating college in 1968 , Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City , New Jersey . Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City .
Trump , center , wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964 . After he graduated from the boarding school , he went to college . He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School , the University of Pennsylvania 's business school .
Trump , center , wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964 . After he graduated from the boarding school , he went to college . He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School , the University of Pennsylvania 's business school .
Trump , center , stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964 .
Trump , center , stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964 .
Trump , left , in a family photo . He was the second-youngest of five children .
Trump , left , in a family photo . He was the second-youngest of five children .
Trump at age 4 . He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City . His father was a real estate developer .
Trump at age 4 . He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City . His father was a real estate developer .
President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years . From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows , he became a celebrity long before winning the White House .
President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years . From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows , he became a celebrity long before winning the White House .
Trump was referencing how in the run-up to the 9/11 attacks top law enforcement and intelligence agencies including the CIA and the FBI were n't coordinating as closely as they do now .
Former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush , one of Trump 's rivals for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination , said during the last Republican debate that his brother , the former president , `` kept us safe . '' Trump on Friday reopened that feud and challenged that assertion .
Jeb Bush responded swiftly after Trump 's initial comments , calling the line `` pathetic . ''
`` How pathetic for @ realdonaldtrump to criticize the president for 9/11 . We were attacked & my brother kept us safe , '' he tweeted .
Trump even suggested Monday that the Bush administration `` knew in advance '' the U.S. would be attacked .
`` CIA Director George Tenet knew in advance that there was going to be an attack , '' Trump said . `` He knew in advance that there was going to be an attack . ''
While Tenet did go to the White House two months before 9/11 with intelligence reports suggesting al-Qaeda was plotting a terrorist attack on the U.S. , Tenet did not know when or how those attacks would unfold and he did not know how reliable the intercepted chatter was .
Former Trump political aide Roger Stone , who is also a well-known conspiracy theorist , pushed a similar line hours before Trump called into Fox News , tweeting that Tenet `` admitted he had 60 day advance warning of attack on America-and did nothing . ''
JUST WATCHED Jeb Bush slams Donald Trump for 9/11 remarks Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Jeb Bush slams Donald Trump for 9/11 remarks 03:18
Stone also tweeted two days before that `` . @ realDonaldTrump is right - Bush Admin knew of attack on America 60 days in advance- did nothing . ''
Trump also said Monday that tougher immigration policies like the ones he would implement if he became president would have thwarted the 9/11 terrorist attacks . Those hijackers entered the U.S. legally , but Trump said he would have implemented tougher visa standards to prevent their entry into the country in the first place . It 's unclear what those standards would have been .
Trump also said he would have had a `` massive whistleblower system '' to gain advance knowledge of the attacks . He did not explain how such a system would work .
The latest sparring between Trump and Jeb Bush is just the latest in a series of feuds that have marked the two contenders ' relationship through the primary .
Trump has repeatedly knocked Bush over his last name -- suggesting there should be no more Bushes and Clintons in the White House -- and claimed that the former Florida governor is too `` low-energy '' to take on the job of commander-in-chief .
After first resisting to engage the brash billionaire , Bush has in recent months taken Trump on directly and forcefully , this weekend explaining on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' that he has `` grave doubts '' about Trump 's preparedness to handle the responsibilities of president of the United States . Bush also linked Trump 's candidacy to the antics of Trump 's reality show , `` The Apprentice . ''
JUST WATCHED Jeb Bush : Do n't give Donald Trump U.S. nuclear codes Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Jeb Bush : Do n't give Donald Trump U.S. nuclear codes 02:49
But Trump 's criticism of the two Bushes is doing more than just dragging the former Florida governor and one-time establishment favorite for the nomination into a mud fight . It 's also provoking Jeb Bush into repeated impassioned defenses of his brother 's tenure as president , which remains contentious .
Jeb Bush struggled early in the campaign to call his brother 's decision to invade Iraq a `` mistake '' -- a judgment that today has broad consensus -- as he almost reflexively defended his brother .
And Jeb Bush did it again this weekend , in the face of Trump 's latest attack over 9/11 :
`` My brother responded to a crisis , and he did it as you would hope a president would do . He united the country , he organized our country and he kept us safe . And there 's no denying that . The great majority of Americans believe that , '' Bush said . | cx1nYqHxoDGZ96xL | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.2 | Elections | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2014/12/13/Act-of-Love-Jeb-Preps-Run-for-the-Presidency | Act of Love: Jeb Preps Run for the Presidency | 2014-12-13 | Elections, Presidential Elections, Jeb Bush | If you believe everything old can be new again , then you ’ ll appreciate the Bush family , this time in the person of Jeb Bush , mapping out the same old plan that gave Democrat Barack Obama two terms in the White House and , in terms of presidential politics , has the GOP looking more like yesterday ’ s news than it ever has .
And that ’ s saying something . But no matter , Jeb is more interested in what failed presidential candidate Sen John McCain has to say .
“ Lock up the center and let them fight it out on the right , ” Mr. McCain said .
Forget genuine leadership , least of all anything anyone would ever confuse with ‘ bold. ’ No one could ever accuse Jeb of being that . He is plotting a course of perhaps warm fuzzies and pastel colors , even more watered down by the passage of time and the aging of a political family that seems to think it was , perhaps not to the manor , but to the White House born for sure .
This below from Ronald Reagan in 1975 remains as the antithesis of what Bush family politics represents . It ’ s not a philosophy truly interested in leading anywhere , but simply continuing to manage it along in what far too many on the Right view as its ongoing decline .
I don ‘ t know about you , but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying , “ We must broaden the base of our party ” -when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents . Our people look for a cause to believe in . Is it a third party we need , or is it a new and revitalized second party , raising a banner of no pale pastels , but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people ?
But words and thoughts like the above , ones capable of actually building enthusiasm , not only within the base , but across a larger population seemingly always willing to embrace change aren ’ t what Republicans will be hearing from Jeb , should he run . He may talk a good game , no matter how time-worn , but one would be hard pressed to find anything the least bit different , or exciting about it . And like it , or not , the last eight years have proven that excitement helps win elections . Perhaps John McCain isn ’ t able to impart that perspective to Jeb Bush , as he seemingly slept through so much of it back in 2008 when he lost to an all but unknown .
Reading what ’ s likely to be the Bush plan if he opts to jump in and comparing it in large part to what a Democrat might have to offer , from Common Core , to amnesty for illegal immigrants , one is tempted to invoke Hillary Clinton in pondering the difference between Jeb Bush and her … what difference does it make ? One can only imagine what type of turn out that message would produce for Jeb . But it ’ s hard to see how it will derail or even hurt Hillary Clinton much in the end .
In recent weeks , Bush has been talking with Republican leaders and strategists about how to effectively address his support for immigration reform and the education standards known as Common Core . Both positions are anathema to conservative activists , especially in Iowa , home to the nation ’ s first presidential caucuses .
During a recent speech at a Wall Street Journal event , Bush said anyone running for president should be prepared “ to lose the primary to win the general [ election ] without violating your principles . ” | d94c991ededfbc86 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/us/9-11-anniversary-mourner-who-lost-mother-in-attacks-criticizes-ilhan-omars-some-people-did-something-comment | Ilhan Omar slammed on 9/11 anniversary by victim's son after 'some people did something' quote | politics | Nicholas Haros Jr. wants Rep. Ilhan Omar and “ the Squad ” to know exactly who those `` some people '' are that perpetrated the `` something '' that took the life of his mom – and nearly 3,000 other people – 18 years ago .
The New Jersey resident , who lost his mother Frances in the 9/11 terror attacks , ripped the Minnesota congresswoman on Wednesday during a reading of victims ’ names at Ground Zero after Omar 's infamous remarks earlier in the year in which she described the most horrific attack to ever occur on the American homeland simply as “ some people did something . ”
PROGRAMMING ALERT : NICHOLAS HAROS JR . JOINS 'HANNITY ' TONIGHT AT 9 P.M . ET ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL
“ Today I am here to respond to you exactly who did what to whom , ” said Haros Jr. , who sported a shirt with Omar 's words and was met with some applause from a crowd of families and relatives who had gathered for the ceremony . “ Madam , objectively speaking , we know who and what was done . There is no uncertainty about that . Why your confusion ? ''
He continued : “ On that day 19 Islamic terrorists , members of Al Qaeda , killed over 3,000 people and caused billions of dollars of economic damage . Is that clear ? ”
TRUMP SAYS 9/11 IS 'SEARED INTO OUR SOUL ' AS NATION REMEMBERS 18 YEARS LATER
As Haros Jr. spoke , he was standing just steps away from the site of the former World Trade Center 's south tower — where his 76-year-old mother , Frances , walked into work one pleasant Tuesday morning and never returned home .
“ But as to whom ? I was attacked . Your relatives and friends were attacked , ” Haros Jr. said , looking out to the crowd . “ Our constitutional freedoms were attacked and our nation ’ s founding on Judeo-Christian principles was attacked . ''
He added : “ That ’ s what some people did , ” Haros Jr. concluded . “ Got that now ? We are here today congresswoman to tell you and the Squad just who did what to whom . Show respect in honoring them , please . ”
KRISTIN CAVALLARI 'S 9/11 SOCIAL MEDIA TRIBUTE SLAMMED AS 'INSENSITIVE ' AND 'TONE DEAF '
Omar tweeted about the attacks on Wednesday around the same time Haros Jr. was making his remarks , though it was n't immediately clear if Omar 's tweet was in response to his words .
`` September 11th was an attack on all of us , '' she wrote . `` We will never forget the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the largest terror attack on U.S. soil . I will continue to fight to make sure we care for the first responders and families who lost loved ones . # NeverForget ''
The `` some people did something '' comment from Omar that drew such widespread criticism was made at a March 23 fundraiser for the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations .
“ Here ’ s the truth : Far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen and , frankly , I ’ m tired of it , and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it , ” she said . “ CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties . ''
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MARK 9/11 ANNIVERSARY : ' WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER '
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley – the other three members of the Democrat quartet dubbed `` The Squad '' – sprang to Omar 's defense , with Tlaib telling MSNBC that Omar ’ s words were taken out of context .
“ They do that all the time , especially women of color , they take our words out of context because they ’ re afraid because we speak truth , we speak truth to power , ” Tlaib said .
Haros Jr. , in a 2001 interview with the Staten Island Advance , described his mom as a tireless receptionist at Keefe Bruyette & Woods , a financial firm that had office space on the 88th and 89th floors of the World Trade Center 's south tower .
`` The traders used to treat her like an office mother , '' he told the newspaper at the time , noting she chose to continue working that year instead of retiring . `` Until she could n't physically walk or crawl , she was going to work . ''
SISTER OF 9/11 VICTIM TRAVELS TO GITMO , DEMANDS JUSTICE AS KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED CASE DRAGS ON
Wednesday ’ s comments also were not the first time Haros Jr. has called out politicians at Ground Zero on the anniversary of the attacks .
“ A representative of the House referred to our loss as just another incident ’ ” he said last year , referring to remarks from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
“ And last week , a Senator attacked a Supreme Court nominee and called him a racist for alleged comments after 9/11 ” he also had said , referring to Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J .
“ Stop . Stop , please stop using the bones and ashes of our loved ones as props in your political theater , ” Haros Jr. declared . “ Their lives , sacrifices and death are worth so much more . ” | ohTlvuq8ZkxVy0IL | 2 | 9/11 | -1.8 | Terrorism | -1.8 | Ilhan Omar | -1.6 | The Squad | -1.6 | Politics | 0 | |
economy_and_jobs | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/26/states-employment-under-4-percent/13112405/ | Five states with unemployment under 4% | 2014-07-26 | economy_and_jobs | If any proof of the unevenness of the economic recovery still has to be made , it is the wild disparity of unemployment from state to state . Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ( BLS ) data for June , the jobless rate was under 4 % in five states .
With the exception of Vermont , which had an unemployment rate of 3.5 % in June , the states with extraordinary jobless figures are in the Great Plains , where an energy boom has helped the economy . Shale-rich North Dakota had a jobless rate of a mere 2.7 % in June . Following it were Nebraska at 3.5 % , Utah at 3.5 % and South Dakota at 3.8 % . The only state with 4 % unemployment was Wyoming . While it is hard to prove a correlation , the states have small populations that are nothing close to being dense .
At the other end of the spectrum , employment remains very high in several formerly industrial states and others with poor populations . Rhode Island , stripped of its factory workers and people from the financial services industry , had an unemployment rate of 7.9 % in June . So did extremely poor Mississippi , which has among the poorest populations in the country based on median household income . In another poor state , Kentucky , the jobless rate is 7.4 % , and higher in the eastern counties that were once a center of coal production . Illinois , one of the most factory-rich northern states , had an unemployment rate of 7.1 % in June . Michigan 's was 7.5 % . And Nevada , home to the greatest real estate collapse of the Great Recession , which gutted construction jobs , had a jobless rate of 7.7 %
It is fair to say that if the U.S. economy is to have a normal , fully recovered jobless rate of 5 % or better , these most troubled states have a very long way to go to contribute . There is nothing in their economic compositions that make that likely .
24/7 Wall St. is a ███ content partner offering financial news and commentary . Its content is produced independently of ███ . | Svji5nAYBb7FtKR4 | 1 | Unemployment | -0.8 | Economy And Jobs | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Daily Caller | http://dailycaller.com/2018/07/17/comey-meddles-in-2018-election/ | Comey Meddles in 2018 Election | 2018-07-17 | Midterm Elections, James Comey, Elections | Former FBI Director James Comey said that “ all who believe in this country ’ s values must vote for Democrats ” and that Republicans have been “ incapable ” in a Tuesday tweet .
“ This Republican Congress has proven incapable of fulfilling the Founders ’ design that ‘ Ambition must … counteract ambition. ’ All who believe in this country ’ s values must vote for Democrats this fall . Policy differences don ’ t matter right now . History has its eyes on us , ” Comey tweeted on Tuesday .
This Republican Congress has proven incapable of fulfilling the Founders ’ design that “ Ambition must … counteract ambition. ” All who believe in this country ’ s values must vote for Democrats this fall . Policy differences don ’ t matter right now . History has its eyes on us . — James Comey ( @ Comey ) July 18 , 2018
Comey , who was previously a registered Republican , has blasted President Donald Trump ’ s handling of the Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin , stating that Trump “ stood on foreign soil next to a murderous lying thug and refused to back his own country ” in a Monday tweet . ( RELATED : Trump Approved Press Conference Of Russian Indictments To Strengthen Hand Against Putin )
This was the day an American president stood on foreign soil next to a murderous lying thug and refused to back his own country . Patriots need to stand up and reject the behavior of this president . — James Comey ( @ Comey ) July 16 , 2018
Comey ’ s statement about the midterms comes after a Department of Justice Inspector General report found he was “ insubordinate ” and defied authority while he was director of the FBI , ███ reported in June 2018 .
Comey is also under investigation for how he handled classified reports about his meetings with Trump , ███ reported in June 2018 . He came under fire for his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton ’ s email server . | 08538b55f6b7dc14 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/13/coronavirus-relief-bill-congress-444848 | Bipartisan group to offer 2-part coronavirus relief package | 2020-12-13 | Coronavirus, Life During Covid-19, Safety And Sanity During COVID-19, Coronavirus Stimulus | Congress Dividing the measure could make it more likely that at least some of it will pass. “We’ve done what this place is supposed to do,” said West Virginia Democratic Joe Manchin, one of the senators working to craft a bipartisan relief plan. | Patrick Smith/Getty Images By Nolan D. McCaskill and Burgess Everett 12/13/2020 11:36 AM EST Updated: 12/13/2020 06:07 PM EST Link Copied A bipartisan group of senators is expected to introduce a $908 billion coronavirus relief bill as soon as Monday, with a twist: The deal is expected to be split into two pieces, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. One would be a $748 billion piece of coronavirus relief with less controversial items like schools and health care; the other would marry $160 billion in money for local governments with a temporary liability shield. Those two components have been the toughest part of the negotiation so far, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested dropping them and concentrating on the less divisive areas. McConnell had long called a liability shield from coronavirus legislation his “red line,” while congressional Democrats say the money for states and cities is their top priority. Some Republicans from states with hard-hit budgets like Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also are pushing for local aid, but many conservatives don’t want to send money to states. Splitting the bill could make it more likely that a relief package can be finalized before Congress leaves for the holidays — something deemed essential with 12 million Americans set to lose unemployment benefits in the coming weeks. No coronavirus relief legislation has been enacted since the spring even though the pandemic continues to exact a staggering toll in lives, hospitalizations and economic distress. Earlier Sunday, Cassidy and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said the group of bipartisan negotiators will introduce its $908 billion bill Monday. Manchin framed the proposal as an emergency measure that would help the nation survive the first quarter of 2021, a three-month stretch he predicted would be the “toughest” first quarter the U.S. will have ever faced. Several federal unemployment programs are set to run out the day after Christmas, cutting millions of Americans off from their financial lifelines if Congress doesn’t pass another relief package. The West Virginia Democrat noted that the bipartisan group of lawmakers and their staffs have been meeting regularly for the past month, including a call Saturday and an upcoming call later Sunday to “finish things up.” “The bottom line is there’s a lot of parts to this bill, and in the spirit of compromise, you have to work through all of that,” Manchin told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.” “But at the end, you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Cassidy called the soon-to-be-released legislation “the only bipartisan game in town,” echoing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s reference Thursday to these talks being “the only real game in town.” “We’re the only one where people have come together from both parties and said, ‘Listen, I’m not with you on that, but if you give me this, I’ll give you that because we’ve gotta do something for the American people,’” Cassidy told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He acknowledged, however, that “what Leader McConnell decides to do, I don’t have control over,” and “others can decide to accept our work product or not.” Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are also demanding a vote on a new round of direct checks to Americans, further complicating the week ahead. Also Sunday, a House Democratic leader suggested that the party may be willing to support a coronavirus relief package without aid to state and local governments, potentially ceding a Democratic priority in pursuit of a bipartisan deal. “In the legislative process, nobody ever gets everything they want,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN’s Abby Phillip on “Inside Politics.” “And, in fact, when you have a divided government and divided Congress, it’s critically important that we deal with these very, very important objectives even if we don’t get, on either side, everything we want.” Hoyer conceded that while Democrats believe state and local aid is “critically important,” other policies are “critically important, too.” “If we can get that, we want to get it, but we want to get aid out to the people who are really, really struggling and are at great risk,” Hoyer said. “Life is a series of trade-offs and gives and takes, but we need to make sure that we get the very important health, unemployment, small business, vaccine delivery dollars, school dollars, child care dollars, all of which are in the agreement that has forged — the bipartisan agreement forged by the senators, and by the Problem Solvers in our own House, and by members in both the House and the Senate.” Manchin said that after the bill’s text is released, his congressional colleagues “can choose if you like it or not” and “vote for it or against it.” And he lamented the possibility of lawmakers taking “the easy way out” by dropping the most contentious issues — liability protections and state and local assistance — to avoid “a tough vote.” “We’ve done what this place is supposed to do,” Manchin said, referring to the bipartisan negotiators. “We’ve worked together. We didn’t work apart and condemn each other and point fingers.” But will their measure pass later this week, when Congress faces a government funding deadline? “There’s no guarantee,” Manchin said, noting that Congress consists of 535 voting members. “I can’t guarantee they’re all going to vote for it and pass it, but I can tell you one thing: What’s the alternative? What are you going to do?” The unofficial guide to official Washington, every morning and weekday afternoons. The unofficial guide to official Washington, every morning and weekday afternoons. Loading You will now start receiving email updates You are already subscribed Something went wrong © 2025 POLITICO LLC | d98d1d4e4ff5392f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | ABC News (Online) | http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/kellyanne-conway-found-violated-hatch-act/story?id=53557326 | Kellyanne Conway found to have twice violated law banning use of office for political ends | 2018-03-06 | White House, Politics | Kellyanne Conway has been found in violation of the Hatch Act. An independent government investigative agency said on Tuesday that senior counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway twice violated a federal law prohibiting government employees from engaging in political activities. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC), which is in not affiliated with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, announced Tuesday that Conway violated the Hatch Act in two television interviews. "In the first interview, Conway advocated against one Senate candidate and gave an implied endorsement of another candidate," the OSC said in a statement following its investigation. "In the second interview, she advocated for the defeat of one Senate candidate and the election of another candidate." The interviews occurred last November and December when President Donald Trump came out in support of Judge Roy Moore in Alabama's U.S. Senate special election. Conway appeared in her official capacity as counselor to the president on both "Fox and Friends" and CNN's "New Day" and "discussed why voters should support" Moore over his Democratic opponent Doug Jones, the OSC said. “Ms. Conway’s statements during the Fox & Friends and New Day interviews impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates in the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate,” according to the OSC. "Doug Jones in Alabama, folks don’t be fooled," Conway said during her "Fox and Friends" interview. "He’ll be a vote against tax cuts. He’s weak on crime, weak on borders. He’s strong on raising your taxes. He’s terrible for property owners. And Doug Jones is a doctrinaire liberal, which is why he’s not saying anything and why the media are trying to boost him." The OSC says it has referred its report to President Trump, but the White House quickly disputed the OSC finding, making it unlikely Conway will face any serious discipline. “Kellyanne Conway did not advocate for or against the election of any particular candidate. She simply expressed the President’s obvious position that he have people in the House and Senate who support his agenda," deputy press Secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. "In fact, Kellyanne’s statements actually show her intention and desire to comply with the Hatch Act – as she twice declined to respond to the host’s specific invitation to encourage Alabamans to vote for the Republican.” Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, wants the president to take disciplinary action against Conway. “This is not the first time that an independent government agency has recommended that the White House discipline Kellyanne Conway for breaking the law. Ms. Conway has received multiple trainings and warnings, yet she still refuses to follow basic ethics rules. The President must take swift and serious disciplinary action against Ms. Conway. Anything else sets a terrible example.” The report from the OSC claims the office gave her ample opportunity to respond to their report, which included a commitment from the White House counsel’s office that it said Conway never followed through on. The report also details how Conway was briefed in some manner at least five separate times on the Hatch Act and the consequences for violating it. According to the OSC's website, the Hatch Act dates back to 1939, and is intended "to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation." There are a few exceptions to the rule, including the president, vice president and some other federal employees. In early 2017 Conway was similarly found to have violated federal ethics rules in an appearance on "Fox and Friends" when she urged viewers to purchase items from Ivanka Trump's clothing line. A report from the Office of Government Ethics was then referred to the president, but no significant disciplinary action was taken as a response. Conway is also not the first Trump White House official to be found in violation of the Hatch Act. Social media director Dan Scavino was issued a warning by the OSC after writing a tweet from his personal verified account against Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., calling for his defeat in a primary. ABC News' Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events | e9232c3fc06f559a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Politico | http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/why-the-iraq-offensive-will-fail-115356.html?hp=t2_r | Why the Iraq Offensive Will Fail | 2015-02-20 | middle_east | In The Arena Why the Iraq offensive will fail Unless the president faces up to the real threat , plans to retake Mosul will fail .
Michael T. Flynn is a retired Army lieutenant general who served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency until August 2014 .
American officials said this week they plan to train up to 25,000 Iraqi troops in a major mission to retake Mosul , Iraq ’ s second-largest city , from Islamic State militants sometime this spring .
The mission is welcome , but frankly it is unlikely to succeed unless there is , at the same time , a deeper understanding on the part of our government of the real threat that the Islamic State and its adherents pose to us as a nation—and what our role in this broader fight must be . Unless the United States takes dramatically more action than we have done so far in Iraq , the fractious , largely Shiite-composed units that make up the Iraqi army are not likely to be able , by themselves , to overwhelm a Sunni stronghold like Mosul , even though they outnumber the enemy by ten to one . The United States must be prepared to provide far more combat capabilities and enablers such as command and control , intelligence , logistics , and fire support , to name just a few things .
Yet to defeat an enemy , you first must admit they exist , and this we have not done . I believe there continues to be confusion at the highest level of our government about what it is we ’ re facing , and the American public want clarity as well as moral and intellectual courage , which they are not now getting .
There are some who argue that violent Islamists are not an existential threat and therefore can simply be managed as criminals , or as a local issue in Iraq and Syria . I respectfully and strongly disagree .
We , as a nation , must accept and face the reality that we and other contributing nations of the world are at war , and not just in Iraq . We are in a global war with a radical and violent form of the Islamic religion , and it is irresponsible and dangerous to deny it . This enemy is far broader than the 40,000 or so fighters in the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria . There also exists a large segment of this radical version of Islam in over 90 nations abroad as well as here at home . Just ask those countries from which foreign fighters are flowing into the Levant to support this “ jihad . ”
Nor is this enemy going away any time soon . As abhorrent as this form of radical Islam is , we must recognize and understand that it is a political ideology with the foundation of its laws emanating from the Qur ’ an and the Prophet ’ s life as its guide—and nothing else is needed . This form of radical Islam is in direct conflict with a large segment of the Islamic community ; a community that must stand taller and be counted right now or they will be counted among the dead—killed at the hands of these radical militants ( this includes both Sunni and Shia ) .
Having served in the theaters of war of Iraq and Afghanistan for many years , and faced this enemy up close and personal , I have seen first hand the unrestrained cruelty of our enemy . While they may be animated by a medieval ideology , they are thoroughly modern in their capacity to kill and maim as well as precisely and very intelligently transmit their ideas , intentions and actions via the Internet .
In fact , they are increasingly capable of threatening our nation ’ s interests and those of our allies , and it would be foolish for us to wait until they pose an existential threat before taking decisive action . Doing so would only increase the cost in blood and treasure later for what we know must be done now .
Not surprisingly , the recent draft authorization for the use of military force , or AUMF ( a minor component of a still required comprehensive strategy ) , signals that we are willing to wait for them to become existential . Again , this is irresponsible and dangerous thinking . This authorization requires far more and far stronger objectives and authorities for our military commanders and not be simply another limiting timetable that sets unreal expectations .
Instead , this authorization should be broad and agile , and unconstrained by unnecessary restrictions . These restrictions cause not only frustration in our military and intelligence communities but they also significantly slow down the decision-making process for numerous fleeting opportunities . If this is due to a lack of confidence in our military and intelligence leadership , get rid of them and find new ones .
And if there is not a clear , coherent , and comprehensive strategy inclusive of all elements of national power forthcoming from the administration , there should be no authorization at all , simply leave the existing one in place .
There are solutions to this problem . However , solving tough , complex problems such as eliminating this radical form of Islam from the face of the planet will require extraordinary intellect , courage , and leadership . Leadership that isn ’ t consensus building , but thoughtful , insightful , yet , when it matters , decisive .
We have seen this type of leadership throughout world history and we have examples in our own history—Washington , Lincoln , FDR to Ronald Reagan . When faced with threats to our way of life and the lives of our friends and allies around the world—they stepped up to lead . Whether that leadership meant forcing our will on the enemy or outmatching them with our wits and imagination , they faced the difficult reality head on .
To that end , I offer the following three strategic objectives :
• First , we have to energize every element of national power in a cohesive synchronized manner—similar to the effort during World War II or the Cold War—to effectively resource what will likely be a multi-generational struggle . There is no cheap way to win this fight .
• Second , we must engage the violent Islamists wherever they are , drive them from their safe havens and kill them . There can be no quarter and no accommodation . Any nation-state that offers safe haven to our enemies must be given one choice—to eliminate them or be prepared for those contributing nations involved in this endeavor to do so . We do need to recognize there are nations who lack the capability to defeat this threat and will likely require help to do so inside of their own internationally recognized boundaries . We must be prepared to assist those nations .
• Third , we must decisively confront the state and non-state supporters and enablers of the violent Islamist ideology and compel them to end their support to our enemies or be prepared to remove their capacity to do so . Many of these are currently considered “ partners ” of the United States . This must change . If our so-called partners do not act in accordance with internationally accepted norms and behaviors or international law , the United States must be prepared to cut off or severely curtail economic , military and diplomatic ties .
Winning doesn ’ t come without cost and solving difficult messy problems is never easy , but that ’ s what leaders do . Let ’ s lead ! | GFT3ZLKIpuMnL4gx | 0 | Iraq | -0.6 | Middle East | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times (News) | http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?ref=politics&_r=0 | Two Women Say Donald Trump Touched Them Inappropriately | 2016-10-13 | Presidential Elections, Elections | Advertisement Supported by transcript These are not memories that you want to go over. It’s been somewhat unnerving since Friday to be rehashing it so many times. You suppress it. It’s not part of your active thinking every day. But you don’t forget. I’m Jessica Leeds. I’m 74 years old. I’ve had the privilege of living in New York City since 1981. It was over 35 years ago. I was hired by a newsprint company. I was a sales rep. I was traveling in the middle West. I was coming back into New York City. And it was on that flight that the stewardess asked me to — would I like to move up to first class? I didn’t need to be asked twice. And I sat down next to a young man — blond, tall — and he introduced himself as Donald Trump. I was not really aware of the real estate world of Trump. We just chatted back and forth. Nothing particular. It wasn’t until they cleared the meal that somehow or another, the armrest in the seat disappeared. And it was a real shock when all of a sudden his hands were all over me. He started encroaching on my space. And I hesitate to use this expression, but I’m going to. And that is, he was like an octopus. It was like he had six arms. He was all over the place. If he had stuck with the upper part of the body, I might not have gotten — I might not have gotten that upset. But it’s when he started putting his hand up my skirt. And — that was it. That was it. I — I was out of there. And I don’t think I said a word. During the late ’60s, ’70s and into the ’80s — The culture had instilled in us that somehow it was our fault, the attention that we received from men. That we were responsible for their behavior. You didn’t complain to the authorities. You didn’t complain to your boss. If something happened to you, you just bucked up and you went on. I thought to myself, “Gee, I wish the stewardess would come and rescue me.” And then I decided. I got up. I got my purse. And I said, “I’m going back to my seat in coach.” I was so glad to get back to that seat. I started telling my story about a year and a half ago when it became apparent that Trump was actually running for president. And I started telling my friends: “Let me tell you what this guy’s all about.” I would like to think that sharing this story would make a difference, both in the election and in society’s view of women. To change some of the behavior, the sexual behavior between men and women in both directions. And I — I would like very much to feel like I’ve been a part of that. I feel it’s a control issue. That if men could get past trying to control women — Whatever we can do to get through to people that this is not the way it should be. It would be very important. By Megan Twohey and Michael Barbaro Donald J. Trump was emphatic in the second presidential debate: Yes, he had boasted about kissing women without permission and grabbing their genitals. But he had never actually done those things, he said. “No,” he declared under questioning on Sunday evening, “I have not.” At that moment, sitting at home in Manhattan, Jessica Leeds, 74, felt he was lying to her face. “I wanted to punch the screen,” she said in an interview in her apartment. More than three decades ago, when she was a traveling businesswoman at a paper company, Ms. Leeds said, she sat beside Mr. Trump in the first-class cabin of a flight to New York. They had never met before. About 45 minutes after takeoff, she recalled, Mr. Trump lifted the armrest and began to touch her. According to Ms. Leeds, Mr. Trump grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt. Advertisement “He was like an octopus,” she said. “His hands were everywhere.” She fled to the back of the plane. “It was an assault,” she said. Ms. Leeds has told the story to at least four people close to her, who also spoke with The New York Times. Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. Kitty Bennett contributed research. Find out what you need to know about the 2016 presidential race today, and get politics news updates via Facebook, Twitter and the First Draft newsletter. Advertisement Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Times. See subscription options | e2b58c6ed37f3754 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/gop-tries-to-quell-dissenters-on-taxes-84947.html | GOP tries to quell dissent on taxes | 2012-12-11 | fiscal_cliff | Some Republicans believe that John Boehner has said enough for now . GOP tries to quell dissent on taxes
The growing number of GOP defectors on taxes is causing heartburn in Republican ranks and prompting fresh fears that the party is giving President Barack Obama crucial leverage in the fiscal cliff negotiations .
“ I think it ’ s not helpful on anything to negotiate in public , ” said Sen. Richard Shelby ( R-Ala. ) , echoing the concerns of many in the party eager to tamp down internal dissension ahead of a high-stakes year-end deadline .
Sen. Mike Crapo , an Idaho Republican who has supported revenue increases in the past , said he ’ s intentionally keeping those thoughts to himself these days .
“ Most of us are , as I am , holding back and saying , ‘ Let ’ s wait and see what happens with the speaker and the president , ’ ” Crapo said Tuesday . “ That ’ s the best approach right now . ”
Since the election , House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans have gone to lengths to demonstrate they ’ re willing to raise new revenue by closing loopholes or capping tax deductions . For now , that ’ s as far out on a limb as anyone in the party should step , some prominent GOP lawmakers argue .
“ It ’ s now time to hear something from Democrats , ” said Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , who has long signaled willingness to raise tax revenues in a deficit deal . “ I haven ’ t heard one prominent Democrat come out with anything that they ’ re willing to do , to make a statement about what we should do on entitlements . I think we should let them speak for a while . ”
The concerns come as the rabid anti-tax stance that has bonded Republicans for a generation is unraveling , giving way to messy factions of lawmakers who have very different prescriptions for averting the fast-approaching fiscal cliff .
On one side are Sens . Bob Corker of Tennessee , Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and others who say it ’ s time to concede higher taxes on the top 2 percent of wage earners in order to secure deep spending cuts to entitlement programs like Medicare , a top prize for the GOP . On Tuesday , Sen. Susan Collins , a Maine moderate , joined Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole ’ s call for Congress to quickly pass an extension of tax cuts for those who earn less than $ 250,000 , in line with the White House ’ s position .
Privately , some top Republicans believe such comments are actually helpful — giving Boehner cover as he tries to reach a deal that includes new taxes without setting off a revolt among the rank and file .
The Republicans conceding ground on the tax issue aren ’ t making any apologies .
“ I wasn ’ t out there on my own , ” Corker said Tuesday . “ I think there are a number in our caucus that want to move beyond the revenue discussion to an entitlement reform discussion . ” | t1vXVbzaBUceKS4d | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/15/concealed-carry-gun-reciprocity-2014-bill-senate/ | Gun rights reload in 2014, concealed carry reciprocity back in Congress | 2014-01-15 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | While 2013 was a year of Second Amendment advocates on defense , 2014 is lining up to be a year of gaining ground on gun rights .
President Obama continues to issue his dictates . Michael R. Bloomberg is still throwing around millions of dollars . And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is just keeping a finger in the dike on Capitol Hill until the midterms .
But the American people are ready to get back to strengthening their rights to keep and bear arms .
On Monday , Sen. John Cornyn introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act , which is the first pro-gun legislation leveled since the showdown over Mr. Obama ’ s gun control votes last April .
“ It strikes me that , at a time we ’ re talking about the role of guns in society , we should acknowledge that it is a constitutional right , ” the Texas Republican told me in an interview Wednesday . “ Law-abiding people buy and use guns for legitimate purposes , protecting themselves and their families . ”
He added that the iron is hot since Illinois became the 50th state to allow for concealed carry , after being forced by the federal courts in 2013 to rewrite its laws .
Anti-gun activists have attempted to make Mr. Cornyn ’ s bill seem extremist .
“ There ’ s some scaremongering going on out there , but it ’ s pretty straightforward , ” he said . “ It ’ s like a driver ’ s license . It doesn ’ t trump state laws . Say you have a carry permit in Texas ; then you use it in another state that has a concealed-carry law . ”
This popular , common-sense legislation is necessary because the current system is totally convoluted . Each state decides which permits from other states it recognizes as lawful , and some recognize none .
Gun owners are stuck doing extensive legal research to travel , but they can still get caught in the thicket . Mr. Cornyn said , “ There are some jurisdictions like to play ‘ gotcha . ’ ”
That is exactly what just happened over New Year ’ s when Maryland police held a Florida man at a traffic stop for three hours to search his car because records showed he had a carry permit . John Filippidis didn ’ t even bring his gun when he drove his wife to a family wedding in New Jersey .
But Mr. Filippidis told The Tampa Bay Tribune that he was treated “ like a criminal ” in anti-gun Maryland for having a gun permit , and he wasn ’ t even cited for a traffic violation .
Mr. Cornyn is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , which is the first hurdle to a floor vote . ( The House passed this legislation in 2011 . )
Mr. Cornyn last brought up the bill in April as an amendment to “ Manchin-Toomey , ” which was a legislative vehicle for Mr. Obama ’ s gun grab . While the president ’ s agenda only got 52 of the 60 votes needed for passage , concealed carry got 57 votes .
With many Democrats in rural or Western states up for re-election in 2014 , Mr. Reid will have to revert to his current dictatorial tactics to prevent getting concealed carry to a vote and possibly passing .
The Democratic leader has allowed only four roll-call votes on Republican amendments since July .
The voters ’ support for the Second Amendment has become so important again that Mr. Cornyn ’ s most well-known primary opponent — of seven — is trying to outgun him in the campaign .
Rep. Steve Stockman has touted his endorsement from Gun Owners of America and sent out repeated press releases attacking Mr. Cornyn ’ s record on firearms rights .
Last week , Mr. Stockman put out a statement that said Mr. Cornyn had “ opened a new front in the Left ’ s War on Guns. ” The Texas Republican congressman wrote that a bill on access to firearms for the mentally ill is “ nearly identical to Barack Obama ’ s latest Executive Order . ”
An amused Mr. Cornyn responded , “ He must be clairvoyant because the bill hasn ’ t been written yet . ”
Mr. Stockman ’ s spokesman , Don Ferguson , explained , “ The federal NICS gun-owner database was part of the anti-gun Brady Bill , and any proposal to expand it is another attack on gun rights . ”
He added , “ No wonder John Cornyn told Texas Monthly , ‘ I ’ m not sure what the point is about open carry . ’ ”
Mr. Cornyn said , “ Part of what goes along with running for office is , people will misrepresent and lie about your record , and mine is rock solid . ”
The National Rifle Association endorsed the senator for the March 4 primary and gives him an A+ rating .
Gun Owners of America lowered Mr. Cornyn ’ s rating from an A+ in November to a B in December .
The group ’ s founder , Larry Pratt , told me in an interview Wednesday that the reduction was a result of the Texas senator ’ s opposition to fellow Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz ’ s filibuster over defunding Obamacare back in October .
“ This massive privacy invasion on veterans ’ psychiatric records will be used as a predicate to grabbing their guns , ” Mr. Pratt said of the health care law . “ We think it is pretty major because it ’ s a backdoor issue that has to be explained , and already there ’ s knocking on doors . ”
Mr. Cornyn would only say that the rating drop “ sounds like politics to me . ”
Mr. Pratt explained that his organization is backing Mr. Stockman because he “ enjoys fighting ” and is an “ activist like Cruz who gets out of bed thinking , ‘ Which liberal head can I make explode today ? ’ ”
In a recent poll by Wilson Perkins Allen in Texas , Mr. Cornyn had 50 percent of GOP support , while Mr. Stockman had just 6 percent .
Nevertheless , the fact that a congressman is trying to outgun a sitting senator with an impeccable record shows how important the issue is in the nation ’ s second-largest state .
The resurrection of proactive Second Amendment policy and politics shows that the American people will not be cowed by a New York City billionaire or a president who is totally out of touch with their views on the right to keep and bear arms .
Emily Miller is senior editor of opinion for The ███ and author of “ Emily Gets Her Gun ” ( Regnery , 2013 ) . | Lau36zfH6JE28fNq | 2 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 1.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
great_britain | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/9/the-legacy-of-margaret-thatcher/ | GARDINER: The legacy of Margaret Thatcher | 2013-04-09 | great_britain | With the passing of Margaret Thatcher , we ’ ve lost not only one of conservatism ’ s heroes . We ’ ve lost one of the greatest figures of modern times , a woman who battled incredible odds to become prime minister , and then turned her country around after decades of decline .
I had the honor of working for Lady Thatcher in her private office from 2000 to 2002 . Like anyone who has had that privilege , I had the opportunity to observe firsthand how fully she dedicated her life to serving her country . She was a true leader in every sense of the word , and Britain not to mention the world is safer , stronger and more secure because of it .
Well did Lady Thatcher deserve the nickname “ the Iron Lady. ” She displayed an iron will , to be sure , but she also possessed that great presence and spirit that made her a titan on the world stage .
Every time I visited Lady Thatcher , which I did for many years after she retired from politics , I found her to be cheerful and contented , with a clear spring in her step . Indeed , my former boss succeeded in outliving many of her own obituary writers .
They learned that Margaret Thatcher was someone you underestimated at your peril . You could never count the Iron Lady out .
Her concern for Britain , the “ Special Relationship ” between the United Kingdom and the United States , and the future of the free world remained undimmed throughout her life . It was always a deeply moving experience to meet with her , a figure of great conviction and principle , who had devoted her life to helping her country regain its position of leadership on the world stage .
For the current generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic , Lady Thatcher remains a role model of fortitude , principle and leadership at a time of economic upheaval and mounting threats to international security . Her great wisdom and example are sorely needed now as much as they were when she came to power in 1979 .
It seems almost providential that her tenure in office would coincide with that of Ronald Reagan ’ s . The two of them worked so well together that they soon made the stagnation and malaise of the 1970s seem like a distant memory for both of their respective nations . By standing up to communism , they broke the back of the Soviet Union and brought the Cold War to an end without , as they say , firing a shot .
Lady Thatcher knew that liberal policies simply didn ’ t work . As she famously declared back in 1976 : “ Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess . They always run out of other people ’ s money . ”
She won three general elections outright for a reason , and not just because the left was heavily split . It was because she offered a clear-cut set of policies based upon core conservative principles of limited government and free enterprise . Lady Thatcher understood the issues that Middle England really cares about : the economy , taxes , immigration , and law and order among them . She went to great lengths to support the creation of small businesses , while reducing burdensome regulations and cutting the level of business and personal taxation . She also understood the importance of maintaining and investing in a strong defense .
She offers many important lessons for today ’ s would-be leaders on the right . A conservative party can win , but only if it sticks to conservative values . Otherwise it becomes an empty shell that succeeds only in alienating its own base and destroying its very identity .
We will miss Lady Thatcher , but we remain hugely grateful for her example . Her legacy will serve as a living inspiration to conservatives all over the world .
Nile Gardiner , a former aide to Mrs. Thatcher , is the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation . | X43VI8S5ESDfAD2g | 2 | World | 0.8 | Margaret Thatcher | 0.6 | Great Britain | 0.2 | null | null | null | null |
fbi | Townhall | https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2018/05/18/obamas-fbi-spied-on-trump-campaign-so-what-did-he-know-and-when-did-he-know-it-n2482145 | Obama's FBI Spied On The Trump Campaign, So What Did He Know And When Did He Know It? | 2018-05-18 | fbi | Katie wrote about it this morning . It ’ s confirmed , folks : The FBI was spying on the Trump campaign . She added the bureau did not have enough evidence to launch a criminal investigation , so they executed a counterintelligence probe instead in July of 2016 . The code name was “ crossfire hurricane. ” This was the investigation signed off by FBI agent Peter Strzok . Sztrok was a top counterintelligence agent before being transferred to human resources after his extramarital affair with bureau lawyer Lisa Page was made public and the two ’ s texts , which numbered in the tens of thousands , were riddled with anti-Trump and pro-Hillary sentiments . Once then-FBI Director James Comey was fired by President Trump in May of 2017 , Robert Mueller took over the investigation . Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein oversees him .
The Page-Strzok texts formed the basis of inquiry into the FBI ’ s role in all of this . How impartial were they ? The texts were so problematic that Mueller removed him in August of 2017 . The two discussed how they felt the FBI was going too hard on Hillary as well ; Strzok was also involved in that investigation as well . Was the bureau in the tank ? The optics weren ’ t good , especially when reports came that Strzok was presented with evidence that the former first lady ’ s email server was breached and did nothing about it . But the main focus was the text Strzok sent about a meeting with then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe in which he referenced an “ insurance policy ” against Trump . Many have alleged this is a reference to the Trump dossier , which was used to obtain a spy warrant against Carter Page , who was a foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign . This is unsettling because the dossier was a bankrolled project by Democrats . The Clinton campaign hired research firm Fusion GPS , who then contracted former MI6 spook Christopher Steele to compile dirt on Trump . Still , the counterintelligence probe into Russian collusion and the Trump team , in which there is still zero evidence , moved forward :
Counterintelligence investigations can take years , but if the Russian government had influence over the Trump campaign , the F.B.I . wanted to know quickly . One option was the most direct : interview the campaign officials about their Russian contacts . That was discussed but not acted on , two former officials said , because interviewing witnesses or subpoenaing documents might thrust the investigation into public view , exactly what F.B.I . officials were trying to avoid during the heat of the presidential race . [ … ] The F.B.I . obtained phone records and other documents using national security letters — a secret type of subpoena — officials said . And at least one government informant met several times with Mr . Page and Mr. Papadopoulos , current and former officials said . That has become a politically contentious point , with Mr. Trump ’ s allies questioning whether the F.B.I . was spying on the Trump campaign or trying to entrap campaign officials . [ … ] They said that anything the F.B.I . did publicly would only give fodder to Mr. Trump ’ s claims on the campaign trail that the election was rigged .
Pavlich , citing The Washington Post , added that there was also a secret source feeding the FBI information :
President Trump ’ s allies are waging an increasingly aggressive campaign to undercut the Russia investigation by exposing the role of a top-secret FBI source . The effort reached new heights Thursday as Trump alleged that an informant had improperly spied on his 2016 campaign and predicted that the ensuing scandal would be “ bigger than Watergate ! ” [ … ] The stakes are so high that the FBI has been working over the past two weeks to mitigate the potential damage if the source ’ s identity is revealed , according to several people familiar with the matter . The bureau is taking steps to protect other live investigations that the person has worked on and is trying to lessen any danger to associates if the informant ’ s identity becomes known , said these people , who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence operations . [ … ] The Post first reported earlier this month that an FBI informant and top-secret , longtime intelligence source had provided information early in the FBI investigation of connections between Russia and the Trump campaign . [ … ] FBI Director Christopher A. Wray testified Wednesday before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the FBI takes seriously its responsibilities to Congress but said the bureau also has important responsibilities to people who provide information to agents . [ … ] The source is a U.S. citizen who has provided information over the years to both the FBI and the CIA , as The Post previously reported , and aided the Russia investigation both before and after Mueller ’ s appointment in May 2017 , according to people familiar with his activities .
Which bring us to Mr. Larry O ’ Connor , a former editor of Hot Air who now writes for The Washington Times , asking this key question : If these investigations can ’ t get the green light without the White House knowing , what did Obama know and when did he know it ? O ’ Connor added his own commentary as well , rightfully asking where ’ s the outrage in all of this ? O ’ Connor also had Andrew McCarthy , a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York , on his radio show on WMAL and plainly stated that none of this could have gone on without the Obama White House knowing :
No ! No . no . Everybody knew about it . The agents ’ texts made that clear . The Susan Rice , the memo she wrote , the “ CYA ” memo she wrote going out the door makes that clear . The White House had to know about this from the start . And look , Larry , it ’ s the kind of thing… An important thing about counterintelligence… there ’ s nothing wrong with the president knowing about it . Because , unlike criminal investigations and prosecutions where we don ’ t want the political people interfering in the four corners of the case , counterintelligence is done for the president . The purpose of it is to gather intelligence , to gather information to enable the president to carry out his most important constitutional responsibility , which is protecting the country from foreign threats to national security .
The intelligence apparatus of the U.S. was spying on the opposing campaign of a presidential race . Who in the media will ask that follow up ? Also , isn ’ t it odd that Obama isn ’ t mentioned anywhere with these developments [ emphasis mine ]
Let ’ s just reflect for a moment ( with the help of Mollie Hemingway at The Federalist ) on the damning revelations in this 4,000-plus article which paint a picture of an Obama White House meddling in a presidential election at a level that would make Vladimir Putin green with envy : “ The story says the FBI was worried that if it came out they were spying on Trump campaign it would “ only reinforce his claims that the election was being rigged against him. ” It is easy to understand how learning that the FBI was spying on one ’ s presidential campaign might reinforce claims of election-rigging. ” “ Now we learn that it wasn ’ t just Page , but that the government was going after four campaign affiliates including the former campaign manager , the top foreign policy advisor , and a low-level advisor whose drunken claim supposedly launched the investigation into the campaign . The bureau says Trump ’ s top foreign policy advisor and future national security advisor — a published critic of Russia — was surveiled because he spoke at an event in Russia sponsored by Russia Today , a government-sponsored media outlet. ” “ The surveillance didn ’ t just include wiretaps , but also national security letters and at least one government informant to spy on the campaign ” [ … ] Why wouldn ’ t the New York Times ask that of their plugged-in , exclusive , anonymous sources ? It seems like the most important question in this entire episode , wouldn ’ t you think ? Since Sen. Howard Baker uttered the question in the height of the Watergate hearings in the early 1970s we ’ ve been told that this was the most fundamental question when breaking down a presidential scandal . Yet the word “ Obama ” only appears once in the Times article and is only used to reference the president for appointing Sally Yates as Deputy Attorney General .
In March , new texts between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page seemed to suggest there was collusion between the Obama White House , CIA , FBI , and Senate Democrats concerning the Russia probe ( via Fox News ) :
Newly uncovered text messages between FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page suggest a possible coordination between high-ranking officials at the Obama White House , CIA , FBI , Justice Department and former Senate Democratic leadership in the early stages of the investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia , according to GOP congressional investigators on Wednesday . The investigators say the information provided to Fox News “ strongly ” suggests coordination between former President Barack Obama ’ s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough , then-Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid , and CIA Director John Brennan — which they say would “ contradict ” the Obama administration ’ s public stance about its hand in the process . Page texted Strzok on Aug. 2 , 2016 , saying : “ Make sure you can lawfully protect what you sign . Just thinking about congress , foia , etc . You probably know better than me. ” A text message from Strzok to Page on Aug. 3 described former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe as being concerned with “ information control ” related to the initial investigation into the Trump campaign . According to a report from the New York Times , Brennan was sent to Capitol Hill around the same time to brief members of Congress on the possibility of election interference . Days later , on Aug. 8 , 2016 , Strzok texted Page : “ Internal joint cyber cd intel piece for D , scenesetter for McDonough brief , Trainor [ head of FBI cyber division ] directed all cyber info be pulled . I ’ d let Bill and Jim hammer it out first , though it would be best for D to have it before the Wed WH session . ”
The news organization added that “ D ” was in reference to then-White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough . At the time no conclusions could be made , though one GOP congressional source told Fox News that the timeline was troubling , even possibly warranting a special investigator to see if the Obama White House was involved with this probe . Also , the FBI and CIA are supposed to act as independent agencies , not pawns for a coordinated political effort . It hasn ’ t been the FBI ’ s best moment . The bureau ’ s reputation has been scarred due to the level of bias and potential tipping of the scales that occurred concerning both the Russia and Clinton investigations . But these new revelations take it to a new level—and Obama remains under the radar , though all of this happened under his administration . | fa6SLAos51NGItXV | 2 | FBI | -0.9 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/18/white-house-relents-on-dc-school-voucher-bill/ | White House relents on D.C. school voucher bill | 2012-06-18 | education | The Obama administration reversed course Monday and agreed to fully implement a controversial school voucher program that provides federal tuition assistance to a limited number of D.C. youths despite historically mixed opinion of the program among city leaders and the White House ’ s own efforts to eliminate it .
House Speaker John A. Boehner , Ohio Republican , and Sen. Joe Lieberman , Connecticut independent - two high-profile supporters of vouchers- announced Monday that they had struck an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education to carry out the program with no specific cap on enrollment , so both new and existing enrollees can apply to the program .
Mr. Obama had not included any funding for the politically sensitive scholarship program in his fiscal 2013 budget proposal , part of a trend by his administration since 2009 to phase out the program by funding only existing enrollees .
The agreement builds on a “ dramatic explosion ” of school-choice initiatives across the country , totaling 25 bills in 13 states over the past two legislative cycles , said Robert Enlow , president and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice .
“ The reality is the [ D.C ] program is helping children do better , ” he said . “ It ’ s really good they have reversed course on this and don ’ t want to get in a big fight with Congress . ”
Rep. Darrell E. Issa , California Republican , and Rep. Trey Gowdy , South Carolina Republican , who are charged with oversight of D.C. affairs , said in a joint statement Monday that they are “ pleased that the Obama administration has apparently given up on its opposition to fully implementing this bipartisan initiative . ”
D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray has said the city will act “ with fidelity ” to implement the scholarship program despite his long-standing objections to it .
Mr. Boehner said the agreement is “ consistent with the law already on the books , ” namely the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results ( SOAR ) Act of 2011 , which Mr. Obama signed during last year ’ s springtime budget standoff . The legislation , which Mr. Boehner and Mr. Lieberman pushed to passage , renewed the scholarship program for five years and mandated that an annual federal payment of $ 60 million be split in equal thirds among the program , D.C. Public Schools and public charter schools in the District .
Mr. Boehner ’ s spokesman said congressional leaders expect the program to be fully funded at $ 20 million in light of the Obama administration ’ s commitment , “ and we will work to make sure that happens . ”
The administration ’ s depiction of Monday ’ s development was more limited in scope than that of Capitol Hill lawmakers , who claimed Mr. Obama had “ reversed course ” through the agreement . The U.S. Department of Education said that rather than an open-ended program , it wants to increase enrollment from 1,615 to about 1,700 students for the coming year to allow for a “ statistically valid evaluation of the program , as directed by Congress . ”
“ The president and I are committed to ensuring that the education of the children currently in [ the program ] is not disrupted , ” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said through a spokesman . “ Beyond that commitment , however , we remain convinced that our time and resources are best spent on reforming the public school system to benefit all students , and we look forward to working with Congress in a bipartisan manner to advance that goal . ”
The National Education Association shares that position because vouchers “ divert essential resources from public schools to private and religious schools , ” according to its website .
Congress established the D.C . Opportunity Scholarship Program in 2004 , a first-of-its-kind program for the city ’ s parents who want to send their disadvantaged children to Catholic schools or other private options instead of struggling public schools .
The new agreement would allow for new enrollees with new scholarships , said Ed Davies , vice president of external affairs for the D.C. Children & Youth Investment Corp. , which administers the program .
The program has been a political flash point since then and even surfaced in this year ’ s presidential race . Mitt Romney , the presumptive Republican nominee , denounced Mr. Obama ’ s stance on the campaign trail last month , declaring it “ inexcusable ” for the president to try to shut down the program .
Mr. Gray , a Democrat , said true school choice lies with a robust system of traditional public schools and charter schools . When federal lawmakers struck a deal on D.C. vouchers in 2011 , Mr. Gray accused Congress of using city residents as “ bargaining chips in political negotiations and guinea pigs for the favorite social experiments of important congressional leaders . ”
“ The Congress has said that the city will have a voucher program , and we ’ ll move forward to continue to implement it , ” Mr. Gray told The ███ on Wednesday . “ But I really believe that the future lies in having a strong public education system . ”
For nearly a decade , the program has straddled the delicate fault line between federal oversight of the nation ’ s capital and the District ’ s self-governance , although mixed views among city politicians make the vouchers a more complex issue than typical disputes over D.C. home rule . Former D.C. Council member Kevin P. Chavous , a Democrat and early champion for the program , has continued to voice support for the scholarship program and even tested the city ’ s unflagging loyalty to Mr. Obama with a series of ads that criticized the Democratic president ’ s stance on the scholarships .
“ The program ’ s been an incredible success , ” Mr. Chavous said in a phone interview . “ The only thing that ’ s gotten in the way is politics . ”
Mr. Gray said school choice is alive and well in the District , with enrollment in public charter schools surpassing 40 percent of the city ’ s public student body - 41 percent in public charters and 59 percent in D.C. Public Schools - for the first time during the past year .
“ I would love to see them invest [ available federal funding ] in our charters and our traditional D.C. Public Schools , ” Mr. Gray said of Congress .
Meanwhile , local officials are knee-deep in applications for the federally backed voucher program . The trust that administers the scholarships recently passed its first major deadline for the 2012-13 school year , and Mr. Davies said the new agreement could allow the trust to offer more awards this year among the applications it has received .
More than 1,600 students enrolled in 53 participating schools through the voucher program in the 2011-12 school year . Among them , 87 percent were black and 11 percent were Hispanic . Students from east of the Anacostia River accounted for more than 43 percent of participating students , and the average household income for enrollees citywide was $ 23,401 in 2010 .
High school students can receive up to $ 12,000 in assistance per year ; middle school and elementary school students are eligible for up to $ 8,000 . The students attend a variety of institutions , including prep schools , for-profit private schools and an array of Catholic schools , according to the trust .
During the past school year , 816 recipients of the scholarships attended 18 Catholic schools in the District , Archdiocese of Washington spokeswoman Brie Hall said . The archdiocese praised Monday ’ s announcement as “ significant for the children of the District of Columbia ” because it allows low-income families to “ choose the school that best fits their child ’ s needs . ”
“ Access to quality education should not be denied because of one ’ s income or residence , ” Ms. Hall said .
The archdiocese , which said its lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill were limited to letters of support from its superintendent of schools Deacon Bert L ’ Homme , praised Mr. Boehner ’ s work to resuscitate the program last year as “ a promising step forward for education in the District of Columbia . ”
But the mayor rallied with education and civil rights leaders in April 2011 to denounce the program as another form of federal interference into local affairs .
His views stood in contrast to those of then-council Chairman Kwame R. Brown , who spoke in support of the program and positioned himself as an education reformer during his tenure on the council . He resigned in disgrace this month and pleaded guilty to bank fraud and a campaign-finance violation that stemmed from his 2008 re-election as an at-large member of the council .
A spokeswoman for the newly appointed chairman , Phil Mendelson , a Democrat , said the council leader is “ with Mayor Gray on this one . ”
Meanwhile , proponents like Mr. Chavous say support for the program should be a no-brainer .
“ D.C . residents like the program because they see the benefits , ” he said . | AehtM5dM6zA2EdOI | 2 | Education | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
polarization | New York Magazine | http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2017/05/the-right-and-left-are-both-bad-at-hearing-opposing-views.html | Liberals and Conservatives Are Equally Likely to Seek Out Political Bubbles | 2017-05-09 | polarization | The moment that inspired psychology professor Jeremy Frimer ’ s latest research happened a while back , in the middle of a casual chat with one of his colleagues , a liberal philosophy professor , about what it means to be intellectually humble .
“ I wondered out loud about being willing and even interested in hearing from the ‘ other side , ’ ” recalls Frimer , the director of the Moral Psychology Lab at the University of Winnipeg in Canada . “ He reacted strongly , stating that he didn ’ t even want to hear what opponents of same-sex marriage had to say . I was speechless . The juxtaposition of an expert of philosophy —which literally means ‘ love of knowledge ’ — and a desire to avoid knowledge surprised me . ”
That conversation spurred Frimer to investigate why people avoid information that goes against their beliefs . All of us are susceptible to confirmation bias — in general , people tend to expose themselves to information that confirms their beliefs , and to interpret and remember new information the same way . What Frimer wanted to know was how that confirmation bias broke down along political lines : whether people on the right and left were differently motivated to remain in their respective ideological bubbles . The resulting study , published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , found that when it came to hot-button social issues , liberals and conservatives were similarly motivated to avoid hearing each other ’ s opinions .
Across five different experiments encompassing roughly 2,400 participants , the researchers identified a handful of issues that people seemed particularly keen to avoid debating , including climate change and the merits of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump as presidential candidates ( the study was conducted before the 2016 election ) . Harkening back to Frimer ’ s experience with his colleague , same-sex marriage sparked a similar reaction among the study subjects : In one experiment , when it came to the issue of same-sex marriage , the majority of people on both sides of the debate willingly passed up on a chance to win money so that they wouldn ’ t have to hear from someone with an opposing view .
The study authors also found that this lack of interest was not related to election fatigue , nor was it because people already felt well informed about both sides of the issue . Rather , participants from both sides were trying to avoid the discomfort that comes with being confronted by conflicting opinions , and were concerned that disagreeing with someone would damage the relationship they had with them . “ People are looking to avoid feeling angry and frustrated when they hear from the other side , and they are also looking to avoid fights , ” Frimer says . Or , as the study put it : “ People have a fundamental need to feel mental synchrony with others … Seeking out information from like-minded others could satisfy this fundamental need , and avoiding information from unlike-minded others could undermine [ it ] . ”
This latest study adds a new nuance to previous research on these so-called “ bubbles , ” which has generally found that political conservatives are more prone to avoiding dissenting opinions than liberals .
“ The dominant view within social psychology has been that conservatives are small-minded and fearful people , ” Frimer says , but he and his colleagues found that liberals and conservatives are “ remarkably similar in their cognitive and emotional processing . ”
In other words , the tendency to self-segregate by political beliefs is far from one-sided . “ Liberals are very open-minded — toward other liberals . Beyond that , they might be a little more self-congratulatory than the evidence warrants , ” Frimer says . Both liberals and conservatives , he argues , perceive themselves to be on the right side of an epic moral battle . “ Ideology breeds self-righteousness — the sense that ‘ our ’ side is motivated by love and reason and the ‘ other ’ side is motivated by hatred and ignorance . ”
The study come with a few caveats : First , the participants were disproportionately wealthy , well-educated , and white . Additionally , all the opinions included in the analysis were ones that the subjects had already developed ; the researchers didn ’ t ask subjects to form a new opinion on a novel or hypothetical issue .
It ’ s also possible that one side may have better reasons to want to ignore the other or be justifiably disinterested in what the other side has to say . As an example , the study authors cited the fact that Trump lied much more often than Clinton on the campaign trail during the 2016 presidential campaign . They also noted the “ the emergence of fake news aimed at undermining the credibility of Clinton ” as another “ asymmetry in the defensibility of the two sides. ” It ’ s one thing to discuss two valid , differing opinions ; it ’ s another to position lies against truth .
Still , regardless of where they are on the political spectrum , people tend to see their own views as unquestionably right and others ’ as unquestionably wrong . “ Liberals may think that conservatives ’ views truly are irrational , indefensible , and the product of fear — and thus not worth hearing , ” Frimer and his colleagues wrote , but “ a conservative might have a similar impression of liberals ’ beliefs , opinions , and reasoning. ” The result : “ What could ultimately be a contest of ideas is being replaced by two , non-interacting monopolies ” — a situation we ’ re all responsible for helping to create . | Z1rpqPIZAoZyCZg8 | 0 | Political Polarization | 0.2 | Polarization | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Wall Street Journal - News | http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323820304578413063272797112.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTTopStories | Senate Sets High Bar on Border Security | immigration | Immigrants in the U.S. illegally would not gain green cards under a bipartisan Senate bill until law-enforcement officials are monitoring the entire southern border and stopping 90 % of people crossing illegally in certain areas , according to people familiar with the plan .
The border-security proposal , part of a broader immigration bill being written by eight senators , sets several goals that would have to be met before any of the estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally could apply for permanent legal residency , also known as a green card , according to the people familiar with the Senate talks . Meeting all the goals is expected to take 10 years .
In a major change for businesses , all employers would be required after a five-year phase-in period to use the government 's E-Verify system , which screens for illegal workers . E-Verify now is largely voluntary , though some states require it . Some 409,000 employers had enrolled in the program as of last year , the federal government says , a tiny fraction of the estimated six million private U.S. employers , many of which have only a handful of employees .
Along the U.S.-Mexican border , 100 % of the border would have to be under surveillance , and law enforcement would have to catch 90 % of those who cross the border illegally at `` high risk '' sections—a term that people following the Senate talks did not define . In 2010 , the Department of Homeland Security reported that only 44 % of the border was under operational control , meaning officials had the ability to detect and block illegal activity there .
In addition , the government would have to create an electronic system to monitor everyone who exits from the U.S. through airports or seaports , in an attempt to identify people overstaying their visas . People who overstay visas account for a large share of illegal immigrants , as much as 40 % by some estimates .
Once all of those measures are met , immigrants could begin qualifying for green cards . In the meantime , the legislation would grant probationary status to illegal immigrants who passed a criminal-background check , paid a fine and met other conditions . The legislation , which would also set special rules for agricultural workers , is not fully drafted and has not yet been released publicly .
Setting tougher border-security measures as a prerequisite to offering legal status to illegal immigrants could ease the way for many lawmakers , particularly Republicans , to support the immigration-law overhaul . Many Republicans have said the border must be secure before they would consider any change in the status of illegal immigrants .
Immigration Law in America Review legislative milestones and key shifts in immigration policy .
Meanwhile , advocates for immigrants and some Democrats worry that stringent border-security requirements would create an indefinite delay for illegal immigrants seeking legal status . Frank Sharry , executive director of the group America 's Voice , said the Senate plan seemed poised to include the `` toughest border-security requirements ever . ''
`` It raises the question of whether it 's actually achievable , and whether it will end up thwarting the path to citizenship for 11 million people , '' he said . `` I think there will be a lot of heartburn when the bill is released . ''
The measures laid out in the Senate plan are similar to a border-security bill unveiled Tuesday by Sen. John Cornyn and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul , both Texas Republicans .
How to determine whether the border is secure is a contentious issue in the debate over overhauling the nation 's immigration laws . President Barack Obama and other Democrats have argued that border security has already improved , but the Senate plan would push the Department of Homeland Security to go further .
Republicans say they want to prevent another wave of immigrants from entering the U.S. illegally . Many in the GOP cite a 1986 immigration law legalizing millions without , they say , adequately improving border security .
Mr. Cornyn , who has been skeptical of immigration-overhaul efforts , said he would be pleased if the eight senators writing the new legislation adopted security measures similar to ones he put forward . `` I would be favorably impressed if they embraced this , '' Mr. Cornyn said . But his bill could also offer an alternative to GOP lawmakers who want to sign on to a measure boosting border security without offering legal status to illegal immigrants .
How tough the security measures prove to be will depend on the details of the legislation . Lawmakers will have to define , for instance , `` high-risk '' areas subject to the 90 % apprehension requirement . The border-security targets will also depend on how lawmakers define requirements for surveillance , also known as border `` awareness . ''
The standards could change over time or prove to be subjective . The Department of Homeland Security would be charged with collecting the data .
The 90 % apprehension rate , technically referred to as the effectiveness rate , includes people who turned back after entering the U.S. , as well as people detained . The Border Patrol estimates the total number of illegal crossings based on agent sightings , camera monitoring and referrals from other credible sources .
It is hard to know if apprehension rates are tallied accurately , said Thad Bingel , partner at Command Consulting Group and a former Customs and Border Protection official . `` You can detect something and not know for certain if it turned back or if it got past you . That 's what makes it a really tough challenge . '' He said that even if the U.S. has full surveillance and control of the border one day , that may not hold true a month later .
`` The bad guys are sophisticated , too , '' he said . `` You may one day have 100 % awareness , and then they 'll figure out where your holes might be . ''
In recent years , illegal border crossings have fallen as a result of the tepid U.S. economy , stronger border enforcement and other factors , several studies have found . The federal Government Accountability Office said apprehensions fell in fiscal 2011 , mirroring a decrease in estimated illegal entries .
The Senate plan lays out three steps aimed at meeting the security goals , people familiar with the proposal said . Homeland Security officials would be required to report to Congress within six months about what resources and technology are necessary to meet the 90 % apprehension rate and where additional border fencing should be installed . After that report , the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. would become eligible for provisional legal status .
If border-security targets were n't met after five years , a commission of border-state officials—potentially governors or attorneys general—would make recommendations to meet the 90 % apprehension goal . The legislation designates money to implement the commission 's recommendations .
Illegal immigrants would be able to apply for green cards after 10 years only if the border-security targets had been met and the visa exit and full E-Verify systems have been implemented , according to the two people familiar with the plan .
`` Twenty years could pass by , and if there 's no E-Verify , not one person is going to get their green card , '' said one of the people familiar with the plan .
The price tag for the additional security measures is unclear , but it is likely to be costly . The U.S. government spent $ 18 billion in fiscal 2012 on federal immigration enforcement , more than all the other main federal law-enforcement agencies combined , according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute .
Senators are hoping to offset some security costs with additional revenue from fines and fees .
`` We do not intend to have the proposals that we are enacting be additional costs to the taxpayers of America , '' said Sen. John McCain ( R. , Ariz. ) , a member of the Senate group working on immigration . | Qpc9tzeSuGe5wfA5 | 1 | Immigration | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
foreign_policy | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/17/politics/vp-mike-pence-dmz-bash/index.html | On North Korean border, Pence tells CNN US will drop 'failed policy' | 2017-04-17 | foreign_policy | Panmunjom , South Korea ( CNN ) With North Korean soldiers standing less than 100 feet behind him at the Korean Demilitarized Zone , Vice President Mike Pence told CNN that Pyongyang should understand that the Trump administration 's approach toward the regime will be different than that of past US presidents .
`` We 're going to abandon the failed policy of strategic patience . But we 're going to redouble our efforts to bring diplomatic and economic pressure to bear on North Korea . Our hope is that we can resolve this issue peaceably , '' Pence said in an exclusive interview at the DMZ .
Numerous US officials have visited military bases overlooking the border , and the Panmunjom Joint Security Area , where North and South Korean soldiers stand watch facing each other and several meeting rooms straddle the border between the two countries .
It was established by the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953 , though both sides technically remain at conflict as no peace treaty has ever been signed .
The demilitarized zone ( DMZ ) is a heavily-fortified buffer , four kilometers ( 2.5 miles ) wide and 250 kilometers ( 160 miles ) long , that separates North and South Korea .
To achieve this new strategy , the administration is relying heavily on China , a country President Donald Trump spent his entire campaign railing against , but has since stopped as it became clear North Korea would be a top priority requiring China 's help .
`` I know the President was heartened by his discussions with President Xi ( Jinping ) . We 've seen China begin to take some actions to bring pressure on North Korea but there needs to be more , '' Pence said .
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a daily briefing Monday that the onus was on all parties -- including the US and China -- to reach a peaceful solution .
`` Resolving this issue requires all relevant parties , especially parties that bear major responsibility and play a key role in this issue , to work in the same direction and make a joint effort , '' he said .
The North Korean regime began its nuclear program in earnest during the Clinton administration , which tried to prevent its buildup with a diplomatic agreement .
It ultimately failed after Pyongyang violated it by continuing its nuclear buildup . Later , the Bush administration tried global pressure with the so-called `` six party talks , '' but those failed too , and North Korea launched its first nuclear test in 2006 . During the Obama administration , the regime launched four more nuclear tests .
Now , some estimates are that North Korea may have the capability to launch a missile that could hit the continental US by the year 2020 .
Asked about that , Pence paused for several seconds before answering .
`` I know the President of the United States has no higher priority than the safety and security of the American people . The presence of US forces here in South Korea are a long-standing commitment to the Asia Pacific . And insuring the security of the continental US will be a priority in this administration .
`` Look , we want to be clear : our hope and frankly our prayer is that by marshaling the resources of nations across the Asian Pacific -- not just South Korea , Japan , other allies -- and China bringing renewed pressure to bear , '' he said .
On behalf of @ POTUS , I am here to express the unwavering support of the United States for our longstanding alliance with S Korea . # VPinASIA pic.twitter.com/YsSRgMMSC9 — Vice President Pence ( @ VP ) April 17 , 2017
The plan was for the vice president to stay inside the glass enclosed Freedom House at the DMZ and not step outside towards the military demarcation line ( MDL ) , where North Korean soldiers are standing .
However , once there , Pence declared he wanted to go outside -- and so he did just that . As the vice president stood and looked on , North Korean soldiers quickly came out on their side of MDL and began taking pictures of Pence .
A North Korean soldier takes a photo during US Vice President Mike Pence 's visit to the Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) , April 17 .
Military officials here told CNN in advance that snapping photos is what North Korea does when seeing VIPs across the way -- both to document their presence and intimidate .
Most US dignitaries go even closer to the North Korean side when here -- to a set of blue buildings called conference row that spans the MDL and allows them to actually step foot in North Korea . For security reasons , Pence did not .
He did , however , go to Observation Point Ouellette , a lookout post from where not only are the North Korean hills visible , but its propaganda machine can be heard -- music and political messages blast there across the DMZ .
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives at Observation Post Ouellette in the Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) , near the border village of Panmunjom .
For the vice president , this first trip to the Korean Peninsula is an emotional one . His father , 2nd Lt. Edward J. Pence , Jr. , US Army , was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in the Korean War .
Meaningful visit to DMZ where 64 years ago my dad earned Bronze Star in Korean War . His medal stays close in my West Wing office . # VPinASIA pic.twitter.com/e2OCJsEiIK — Vice President Pence ( @ VP ) April 17 , 2017
US military officials prepared a briefing for Pence about the so-called Battle of Pork Chop Hill , where his father earned his medal .
`` It 's very meaningful for me and my family to be here . So many years after my father 's service . To be honest with you , my dad did n't talk about his combat experience much until we were all grown up . It was a lot of tough fighting here , '' Pence told CNN .
`` I think , in some way , my Dad just might be smiling from heaven to see the sacrifices that he and other American soldiers and South Korean soldiers made here are now passed on to my generation . That 's not changed out our commitment to the secure and prosperity of South Korea . '' | QXcs1zUdOGrOnWbK | 0 | Mike Pence | 0.4 | North Korea | -0.1 | Foreign Policy | 0 | World | 0 | null | null |
elections | Newsmax | http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/reasons-marco-rubio-strong-presidential/2015/01/23/id/620414/ | 9 Reasons Why Marco Rubio Is a Strong Presidential Candidate | 2015-01-23 | Marco Rubio, Presidential Elections, Elections | Do You Support Marco Rubio for the GOP Nomination ? Vote Here Now
Who Should the GOP Nominate in 2016 ? Vote Here Now
Sen. Marco Rubio announced on Monday that he will seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination — and there are compelling reasons why the Florida legislator would be a strong candidate in a White House race.He has hired a leading GOP fundraiser — Anna Rogers , finance director for American Crossroads , Karl Rove 's political advocacy group . She will lead the effort to raise at least $ 50 million for a campaign . It is also significant that Rubio is one of only four potential GOP candidates invited to a gathering hosted by major Republican donors Charles and David Koch . Romney and Jeb Bush were not invited.Rubio would likely garner a larger share of the Latino vote in the general election than recent GOP candidates . Poor showings among Hispanic voters have hurt Republicans in past elections.Rubio has bucked a GOP trend and backed a plan providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States , although he has more recently backed away from some of the provisions.With California and New York solidly blue and Texas solidly red , Florida stands as the most significant swing state and the key to winning a presidential election . Look no further than the 2000 race when a handful of votes in the Sunshine State gave George W. Bush the win over Al Gore.While the GOP presidential field is expected to be crowded , so far only two other candidates have officially announced that they are running : Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul.The Washington Post has referred to him as the `` crown prince '' of the Tea Party movement , and he has earned perfect 100 ratings from the American Conservative Union.Rubio has been on tour to promote `` American Dreams : Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone . '' It outlines his proposals for addressing a number of issues including economic security and income inequality.Political observers have praised Rubio 's rhetorical skills and he was chosen to deliver the official Republican response to President Barack Obama 's 2013 State of the Union address.Before joining the U.S. Senate , he served four terms in the Florida legislature and had stints as speaker of the House , majority leader , and majority whip . And those who maintain that he would not be a formidable candidate after just one term in the Senate need to be reminded that Obama had been in the Senate barely two years when he announced what would be a successful run for president . | 2fe53787d0ce6621 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/03/politics/trump-religious-liberty-executive-order/ | Trump signs executive order to 'vigorously promote religious liberty' | 2017-05-03 | religion_and_faith | ( CNN ) President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday meant to allow churches and other religious organizations to become more active politically , though the actual implications of the document appeared limited .
The order , which Trump inked during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden , directs the IRS not to take `` adverse action '' against churches and other tax-exempt religious organizations participating in political activity that stops short of an endorsement of a candidate for office .
But pastors are already free to deliver political speeches , and regularly do . Churches and other tax-exempt organizations are restricted from endorsing or explicitly opposing political candidates under the 1954 Johnson Amendment , but the executive order Trump signed Thursday makes clear that those activities would still not be permitted .
Instead , the order prevents the IRS from expanding its restrictions on political activity by religious groups . It also provides `` regulatory relief '' for organizations that object on religious grounds to a provision in Obamacare that mandates employers provide certain health services , including coverage for contraception .
Evangelical Christian leader Russell Moore said the order is `` more symbolic than substantive . ''
`` The very fact that religious freedom is part of the conversation and religious freedom is being affirmed I think is a step in the right direction , '' he said on CNN 's `` Erin Burnett OutFront '' Thursday night . `` Now obviously if this is the end of the story , I 'm really disappointed , but I think we ought to hold out the hope that this is just the beginning and that there are more steps to be made . ''
JUST WATCHED Moore : We need to hope Trump succeeds Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Moore : We need to hope Trump succeeds 01:58
During remarks Thursday , Trump said the order would prevent religious groups from being singled out for their political views .
`` We will not allow people of faith to be targeted , bullied or silenced anymore , '' Trump proclaimed , which were marking the National Day of Prayer . `` And we will never , ever stand for religious discrimination . Never , ever . ''
Trump 's language stood in contrast to certain steps his administration has taken to bar entry to citizens from some Muslim-majority nations and his campaign trail vows to stop all Muslims from entering the country . Courts have put his travel ban executive orders on hold -- finding Trump 's own words provided evidence of a `` Muslim ban . ''
In his remarks , Trump said that `` pastors , priests and imams '' were targeted by the Johnson amendment , and would be freer to engage in political activity under his executive order .
The 1954 Johnson amendment says any tax-exempt group can lose its exemption if it is found to have endorsed or actively opposed a candidate for political office . The IRS is officially tasked with investigating suspected violators of the law , though only one organization has lost its exemption as a result of IRS action in the six decades the law has been in place .
Legal experts said the order would not have a discernible effect on policy .
`` President Trump 's executive order did not ease the current restrictions on political activity by religious organizations , '' said Lawrence Noble , general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center . `` The executive order allows the IRS to restrict the activity it currently considers political , but prohibits the IRS from expanding the restrictions to cover activity not covered before the executive order . ''
The order , which declares that it is the policy of the Trump administration `` to protect and vigorously promote religious liberty , '' also stops short of offering broad exceptions for groups to deny services based on religious grounds .
An earlier version of the order , which had previously leaked to The Nation , would have provided sweeping legal protections for people to claim religious exemptions , provisions that civil liberties groups claimed would allow for discrimination against LGBT Americans .
`` America has a rich tradition of social change beginning in our pews and our pulpits , '' Trump said in front of an audience of religious leaders Thursday . `` We must never infringe on the noble tradition of change from the church and progress from the pew . ''
`` Under my administration , free speech does not end at the steps of a cathedral or a synagogue or any other house of worship , '' he went on . `` We are giving our churches their voices back and we are giving them back in the highest form . ''
Trump himself vowed early in his presidential tenure to get rid of the measure , though completely striking the amendment would require an act of Congress .
`` I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution , '' Trump said in February .
Some religious leaders , however , object to any measure that would make it easier to inject politics into places of worship .
`` For decades , the Johnson amendment has prevented houses of worship from being turned into partisan political tools . A majority of clergy -- and Americans -- support the status quo and oppose political endorsements from the pulpit , '' Interfaith Alliance president Rabbi Jack Moline said . `` President Trump 's executive order reportedly aims to gut the Johnson Amendment and clear the way for the Religious Right to weaponize their churches for partisan battle . ''
`` If the effort succeeds these churches would become conduits for unregulated 'dark money ' in elections , with no restrictions or disclosure requirements , '' he said .
In a letter delivered to House and Senate leaders last month , a group of religious leaders argued against scrapping the Johnson amendment , citing similar concerns that such a move could turn religious groups into political organizations .
`` The charitable sector , particularly houses of worship , should not become another cog in a political machine or another loophole in campaign finance laws , '' the group wrote .
Briefing reporters Wednesday evening , a senior Trump administration official downplayed the possibility that churches would soon act as political groups advocating for particular candidates .
`` Nobody is suggesting that churches are allowed , or it 's legal , for tax-exempt organizations to tax out ads endorsing candidates , '' the official said . `` That 's illegal now for them , as a condition of their tax-exempt status . So we 're not changing what 's legal , we 're not changing what 's illegal , just enforcement discretion . ''
Selectively enforcing law has drawn scrutiny in past administrations , and before the order was signed Wednesday , some experts predicted it could present another legal challenge to Trump 's administration .
The American Civil Liberties Union threatened the Trump administration with a lawsuit when details of the executive order emerged Wednesday .
But on Thursday , the group rescinded its threat , saying the order had no teeth .
`` It turned out the order signing was an elaborate photo-op with no discernible policy outcome , '' the organization tweeted . `` Trump 's assertion that he wished to 'totally destroy ' the Johnson amendment with this order has proven to be a textbook case of 'fake news . ' '' | VOdrt8GwDEz2rsKz | 0 | Religion And Faith | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Axios | https://www.axios.com/2023/05/05/april-jobs-report-economy | U.S. labor market booms in April, adding 253,000 jobs | 2023-05-05 | Economy And Jobs, Labor, Unemployment, Interest Rates | 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 The labor market added 253,000 payrolls in April, while the unemployment rate dipped to 3.4% — a historically low level. Why it matters: Job growth continued to boom last month, the latest sign that the economy has strong momentum despite recent bank failures. Details: The April job figures are a pickup from the 165,000 jobs added the previous month, which were revised down by 71,000, the Labor Department said on Friday. The big picture: In recent months, more Americans have joined the workforce, helping to ease labor force shortages. Where it stands: The Federal Reserve has been concerned about an out-of-balance labor market that it fears could stoke inflation that's already running high. Editor's note: This story was updated with a chart showing monthly job growth. Want more stories like this? Sign up for Axios Hill Leaders The U.S. economy added 175,000 jobs in April, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9% from 3.8%, the Labor Department said on Friday. Why it matters: Jobs growth slowed from the prior month's hot pace, but the data suggests that the labor market is still chugging along with healthy demand for workers. The U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4% from 3.9%, the Labor Department said on Friday. Why it matters: The boom in hiring shows workers are still in demand. The U.S. labor market continues to add jobs at a strong pace: Payrolls rose by 236,000 in March, while the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5%, the lowest level in over a half-century, the Labor Department said on Friday. Why it matters: Employers still have plenty of demand for workers, despite aggressive efforts from the Federal Reserve to cool off the economy. Copyright Axios Media, 2024 | 4cb3561982585e6f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/18/first-step-act-criminal-justice-reform-passes-senate | Criminal justice reform bill passed by Senate in rare bipartisan victory | 2018-12-18 | US Senate, Criminal Justice, Justice | First Step Act , a landmark bill which would reduce drug crime sentences , saw support from both progressives and law-and-order conservatives
A sweeping bill seeking to reform the criminal justice system has cleared the Senate , in a legislative victory for both progressive advocates and law-and-order conservatives that would give judges more discretion when sentencing some drug offenders and would boost prisoner rehabilitation efforts .
The First Step Act , which passed 87-12 , attracted support from both sides of the aisle , as well as from public figures such as Patricia Arquette , Mark Cuban , Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West . Donald Trump supported the iteration of the bill that passed in the House in May , and the most current version that will need to return to the House for another vote ( which it is expected to pass ) , before it reaches his desk for a signature later this week .
I went to prison for 19 years . Here is why I did n't become a statistic | Joseph Jackson Read more
The sweeping bill addresses concerns that the nation ’ s war on drugs had led to the imprisonment of too many Americans for non-violent crimes without adequately preparing them for their return to society .
“ America is the greatest Country in the world and my job is to fight for ALL citizens , even those who have made mistakes , ” Trump tweeted . “ Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill . ”
The president continued : “ …This will keep our communities safer , and provide hope and a second chance , to those who earn it . In addition to everything else , billions of dollars will be saved . I look forward to signing this into law ! ”
The act would reduce mandatory minimum sentences for a number of drug-related crimes , allow judges to circumvent federal mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders when they see fit , expand rehabilitative opportunities for federal prisoners , and ban some correctional practices criticized as inhumane , such as the shackling of pregnant women . The act would give elderly and terminally ill inmates a path home and invest tens of millions in re-entry programming .
The act would end so-called “ three strikes ” mandatory life sentences for defendants facing a third drug conviction , except for those with a prior “ serious violent felony ” . The “ stacking ” regulations that make it illegal to posses a firearm while committing a crime , even if the firearm is not used , would also no longer come into play .
The bill would also retroactively extend the 2010 Fair Sentencing Act , a move that could affect thousands of drug offenders serving disproportionately long sentences for crack cocaine versus the powder variant . As many as 4,000 people currently serving long sentences could be eligible for release , according to some advocates .
Jessica Jackson Sloan , the national director for # cut5o , a criminal justice reform advocacy group , applauded the Republican judiciary committee chairman , Chuck Grassley , and Dick Durbin , the Senate Democratic whip , for “ leading their respective parties to consensus on one of the most important challenges our country faces – unwinding the catastrophic harm of the incarceration industry ” .
“ Tonight , we stand as neither Republican or Democrats but as people seeking to take the first step of many to criminal justice reform , ” she said .
Grassley hailed a “ big bipartisan victory ” , saying : “ Historic criminal justice reform happens once in a generation . ”
Cory Booker , the New Jersey senator and possible Democratic presidential hopeful for 2020 , said the nation ’ s prisons were full of Americans who are struggling with mental illness and addiction and who are overwhelmingly poor .
He said the nation ’ s criminal justice system “ feeds on certain communities and not on others ” and added that the bill represents a step toward “ healing ” for those communities .
“ Let ’ s make no mistake , this legislation , which is one small step , will affect thousands and thousands of lives , ” Booker said .
The ACLU , which initially opposed the House version of the legislation , tweeted that the First Step Act was “ by no means perfect – but we ’ re in the midst of a mass incarceration crisis and the time to act is now . We ’ re glad to see common sense prevail in the Senate voting to move this bill closer to the finish line . ”
The bill would affect only federal prisoners , who make up less than 10 % of the country ’ s prison population . | 7112a39cf92afbd4 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-signals-it-might-accept-a-short-term-spending-bill-to-avert-shutdown/2018/12/19/63148a02-0395-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.570e5a4458d4 | Senate to pass bill that would keep government open, deny Trump wall funding | 2018-12-19 | US Senate, Politics | clockThis article was published more than 6 years ago The GOP-controlled Congress on Wednesday severely undermined President Trump’s drive for a border wall, embracing a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open but deny any new money for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The agreement announced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would fund the federal government through Feb. 8, averting a partial shutdown scheduled to take effect at the end of Friday absent action by Congress and Trump. | 046c882314bcc70e | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/21/opinion/opinion-state-of-the-union-roundup/index.html | OPINION: Obama goes on offense | 2015-01-21 | politics | ( CNN ) CNN asked for views on President Obama 's State of the Union address Tuesday night , in which he touted a reviving economy , laid out an agenda aimed at helping the middle class and appealed to Republicans to work across the aisle . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors .
Julian Zelizer : Good luck getting it past a Republican Congress
President Obama delivered a tough State of the Union address that offered some solace to Democrats who feared he had given up the fight . Most importantly , he put forth a controversial plan to tax wealthier Americans through reforms that close loopholes in order to finance tax cuts for middle class Americans , tapping into the populist sentiment that has driven support for politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
Yet Democrats should not get too excited . Speeches can be moving and they certainly can inspire , but the situation on Capitol Hill remains dire for proponents of liberal reform . Republicans are in firm control of the House and Senate , and the GOP has steadily drifted to the right . Congressional Republicans have proven that they know how to employ procedural tools to obstruct the President 's progress .
There are almost no indications that Republicans are preparing to do some sudden about face and begin negotiating with the White House . The tax proposal will most likely get stifled in Congress , or the president will be forced to trade away the increases on the wealthy and end up simply giving tax cuts to all . Hardly the stuff of progressive politics .
The erosion of Democratic strength in Congress since 2010 has been devastating to the party . The Democratic Congress was the driving force behind President Obama 's success in his first two years . Even in his most spirited moments , the President has found little room to maneuver . The situation is not any different today . In fact , it is worse .
Republicans are also ready for a fight and , with control of Congress , they 'll be able to hit back hard .
Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and a New America fellow . He is the author of the new book , `` The Fierce Urgency of Now : Lyndon Johnson , Congress and the Battle for the Great Society . ''
Tuesday night , the President delivered a speech that was strong , bold and inspirational . He challenged the Republican Party , but was conciliatory as well . It should have been called the Audacity of Progress . With a new pep in his step and rising poll numbers , President Obama finally talked more freely -- more assertively -- about the economic progress that has been slowly revealing itself to the nation over the past several months .
More importantly , he described how the middle class can partake of that progress ; he laid out sensible proposals and tools that the middle class can use -- tripling the Child Care Tax Credit , giving $ 500 tax credit to couples that work , offering paid sick leave , helping families pay down a mortgage and incentivizing workers to save for retirement .
Many of these are proposals have had GOP support in the past . Can the Republicans finally put politics aside and prove to the nation they have more in their legislative vocabulary than just `` no ? '' Will they reject their well-known , yet destructive path -- that of a party that puts middle class voters , those who need the most , aside , and fights for those at the very top who need the least ?
The President laid out the Audacity of Progress and an agenda for the future . For the sake of the nation and the survival of their own party , Republicans should have the audacity to at least meet him halfway .
Maria Cardona is a political commentator for CNN , a Democratic strategist and principal at the Dewey Square Group . She is a former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and was communications director for the Democratic National Committee . She also is a former communications director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service .
What a surreal State of the Union speech that was . What a strange man President Obama can be . His party has suffered a historic defeat in the midterm elections , Islamist terrorism is on the march and his approval ratings remain unimpressive . And yet Obama 's speech suggested that he was on top of the world . Celebrating , mocking the opposition , making promises well beyond his capacity to deliver and even pledging to colonize Mars . It was a good speech , well delivered . But it was also pure fantasy .
The economy is not as good as he suggested : the l abor force participation rate has fallen to a 36-year low . He wallowed in the suffering of the Russian people thanks to sanctions and then cheered the normalization of relations with Cuba -- one contradiction among many .
Another example of his ability to inhabit two positions at once came when he first appealed for a new , nicer politics and then , in an unscripted remark , reminded the Republicans that he 'd won two presidential elections .
But his memory was n't so great on some issues . The President celebrated gay marriage as a story of freedom and a `` civil right . '' Yet he was opposed to it until just before the last election . And while he reasserted the need for men and women to be paid the same wages , at the White House , differentials persist .
We all know that Obama is a good speaker and , yes , this was a fine speech . But it had elements of self-delusion . The people with the real power are the Republicans . And they wo n't let Obama treat the next two years like some vain victory lap .
Timothy Stanley is a historian and columnist for Britain 's Daily Telegraph . He is the author of the new book `` Citizen Hollywood : How the Collaboration Between L.A. and D.C. Revolutionized American Politics . ''
If only President Obama had as valid a reason to gloat about progress on foreign policy as he did on the domestic economy ! The president 's boasts about success beyond America 's borders rang hollow .
`` I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership , '' he said , explaining his strategic calculus .
Just hours before Obama spoke , Iran-backed rebels launched a coup against the U.S.-backed president of Yemen , just on Saudi Arabia 's doorstep . Obama did not talk about that , of course . The reality , and Obama knows it , is that the global situation is dire , and it has grown much worse since he took office .
The festering wound at the center of the greatest failure of the Obama administration suppurates from Syria . After promising and repeating his promise to arm moderate rebels , the administration has acted timidly and the result is disaster across the Middle East , spreading to Iraq , reverberating in the streets of Paris , Sydney , Ottawa , and elsewhere .
More than three years after he declared that Syrian President `` Assad must go , '' the crisis has metastasized . Today , international conflicts have left more than 50 million people as refugees , the highest number since World War II . Obama managed to brag about Iraq , a state that nearly spiraled out of existence in recent months as ISIS forces captured its second biggest city and continued their march , capturing large swaths of the country .
On Iran 's nuclear program , Obama 's strongest words targeted members of Congress considering new sanctions , which he vowed to veto .
And Obama took credit for the Russian economy 's collapse , although it is low oil prices that are hurting Vladimir Putin 's Russia more than U.S. policies . In fact , the drop in oil will help U.S. foreign policy more than anything .
Obama can take credit for improving relations with Cuba and Burma . But claiming that his presidency has succeeded on the foreign policy front is simply incorrect . He still has two more years to show results -- for the things about which he is already boasting .
Frida Ghitis is a world affairs columnist for The Miami Herald and World Politics Review . A former CNN producer and correspondent , she is the author of `` The End of Revolution : A Changing World in the Age of Live Television . '' Follow her on Twitter @ FridaGhitis
It was as if President Obama completely missed the outcome of the November election . Someone needs to tell him that his party no longer controls even one house in Congress -- let alone both , as was the case in 2009 to 2011 .
In his seventh State of the Union address , Obama was as bold and audacious as ever . He spent the first part of the speech bragging about how his administration had singlehandedly saved the country from prolonged war , decaying values and economic ruin , and the second part laying out a wish list for what he believes still needs to be done in the remaining two years of his presidency to complete the salvation .
Normally , Americans might find this sort of thing refreshing -- i.e. , a leader so committed to his principles that he wo n't waver in the policies , even in the face of growing political opposition .
Yet that 's not how this drama comes across . It 's not refreshing . It 's ridiculous . The President has just suffered a clear repudiation of his policies , and , instead of backing up and recalibrating his strategy for getting things done in a landscape that has changed dramatically , he 's doubling down on his bet . That 's not leadership . It 's hubris . And sadly , the latter is often incompatible with the former .
Ruben Navarrette is a CNN contributor and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group . Follow him on Twitter : @ rubennavarrette .
Last night , the President laid out his vision of progress for the country -- an agenda focused on expanding opportunity for all , fighting for middle class families and moving the country 's economy forward . As we heard President Obama say , `` At this moment -- with a growing economy , shrinking deficits , bustling industry and booming energy production -- we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth . It 's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years , and for decades to come . ''
What we also saw clearly was that Democrats and Republicans have two very different ideas about what we want that future to look like .
This country has tried trickle-down economics and it failed , leaving many Americans behind with policies that favored the richest among us . Economic policies that are rooted in the middle class work , and they ensure that everyone is able to benefit from this recovery . But still , Republicans continue to fight for only those at the very top and big corporations , which coincidentally are in line with their own financial and political self-interest .
While the President offered his vision for the country -- expanding opportunity -- where `` everyone gets a fair shot , everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules , '' Republicans have shown time and again that they are n't interested in fighting for shared opportunity for all . Just look at their striking refusal tonight to applaud things like access to education , affordable child care or paid sick leave .
The President has one more SOTU to deliver . Let 's hope that next year , both parties will find something to cheer about with regards to an improving economy for all .
Unfortunately , a President who 'd like to focus on the middle class ca n't escape the Middle East .
Unlike last year 's State of the Union speech , in which the President declared that `` America must move off a permanent war footing , '' this time he could n't downplay the challenges that America faces in the broken angry , dysfunctional Middle East . Recent jihadi terror attacks and plots in France and Belgium ; the Houthi takeover of much of Yemen ( which President Obama had held up as a model of counterterrorism last September ) ; and ISIS 's successes in Syria and Iraq simply would n't allow it .
But make no mistake . When it comes to the Middle East , this President remains broadly risk-averse . His remarks on foreign policy were more about continuity than change .
Sure , the President proposed to negotiate a new Authorization to Use Military Force ( AUMF ) with Congress . But if the language in tonight 's speech is an indication , such a new authorization will be quite consistent with what the United States is already doing -- training and equipping local allies and relying on air power rather than large numbers of U.S. forces .
Sure , he talked tough on combating jihadi terrorists . But he will do this through what the President called `` smart leadership , '' i.e . focused counterterrorism instead of his predecessor 's nation-building and deployment of thousands of ground forces .
And , sure , he 's rightly proud of the tough sanctions regime that brought Iran to the negotiating table on its nuclear program . But as he indicated tonight , he 'll resist any congressional effort on new sanctions , let alone force , until it 's clear that diplomacy has failed .
Rhetoric notwithstanding , the President remains extricator-in-chief -- determined to reduce America 's Middle East profile and to get the U.S. out of long and profitless old wars into new ones .
Aaron David Miller is a vice president and distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and was a Middle East negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations . Follow him on Twitter
Barack Obama sure did n't look like a man whose party just got whipped in the midterm election a few weeks ago . He was powerfully confident , deeply optimistic and relentlessly , proudly progressive . He justly saluted our troops , bringing both parties to their feet . But from there he drove hard at an economic agenda beloved by Democrats and loathed by Republicans . He declared that , `` the verdict is clear . Middle class economics works . Expanding opportunity works . And these policies will continue to work , as long as politics do n't get in the way . ''
The President put the GOP on their heels , pushing an agenda targeted at the heart of the middle class - especially those working women who are the base of his party : tax fairness , child care , maternity leave , pay equity , raising the minimum wage and reducing the cost of community college `` to zero . ''
With millions of new jobs , gas below $ 2.50 a gallon , wages finally starting to rise and the deficit falling , America has regained its mojo . So has the American President .
Paul Begala , a Democratic strategist and CNN political commentator , was a political consultant for Bill Clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House . He is a consultant to the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action .
Filled with grandiose rhetoric and recycled themes , the President 's speech amounted to nothing more than a campaign rally masquerading as a State of the Union address with fresh ideas that did little to distract from his impotent foreign policy and economic failures here at home . I am referring here , for instance to an abysmal 62.7 % labor participation rate ( a 36-year low ) , and stagnant wages for American workers .
Wildfires of conflict and terrorism are raging worldwide on President Obama 's watch . From the meteoric rise and hegemonic ambitions of the brutal Islamic State in Iraq and Syria , to the proliferation of radical Islamic attacks against our allies , to the continued aggression of Russia in Ukraine , coupled with Iran 's unencumbered march toward obtaining a nuclear weapon , the absence of definitive American leadership from the White House is palpable , and a clear projection of weakness .
According to a recently released Pew Poll , for the first time in five years , 76 % of Americans believe defending the U.S. against terrorism should be the top policy priority . Yet the President virtually brushed past it without providing anything substantive discussion of national security .
Instead he reverted to his bread and butter . Campaign style promises of big government freebies at taxpayers expense and policy prescriptions laced with themes of class warfare .
The President listed a series of things he `` wanted '' for the American people as he enters the twilight of his term and proclaimed it 's time to `` turn the page . '' In a democratic republic , what the President wants should not supersede the authority of the Constitution or the will of the American people . They 've already turned the page , repudiating the President 's policies at the ballot box last November , and giving Republican governance a chance .
Tara Setmayer is former communication 's director for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ( R-CA ) and a CNN Political Commentator .
Optimism wins . That was the message at the heart of President Obama 's surprisingly moving State of the Union speech last night . He laid out his policy priorities , yet he did so while appealing to the `` basic decency of American values , not our basic fears . '' He could have taken an in-your-face victory gap , given his rising poll numbers and favorable economic news .
Instead he showed grace as he laid out his vision for the next two years . He even tailored parts of his message to appeal to conservative talking points -- noting that he wanted all Americans to contribute to and share in our country 's success .
Cuba was the country that merited the most mentions in tonight 's speech , and Obama 's mention of his administration restoring diplomatic ties there drew some of the loudest applause of the night . The President laid it out so simply : `` When what you 're doing does n't work for 50 years , it 's time to do something new . ''
The contrast between his willingness to forge greater connection with the Cuban people contrasted sharply with the TV images of Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-Fla. ) glowering in his seat . Nor did the president miss the chance to remind Congress that it should begin the work of ending the embargo -- a position supported by a clear majority of Americans .
Most impressively , the president touched on our country 's most contentious issues -- immigration , women 's reproductive rights and race relations -- by noting that they had the potential to be unifying issues . This was as personally inspiring as it was politically masterful . The President stood strong in his belief that we are , indeed , the United States .
Raul A. Reyes is an attorney and member of the USA Today Board of Contributors . Follow him on Twitter @ RaulAReyes
President Obama delivered arguably his best State of the Union address since the first one he made . It was not only passionate but it delivered moments of humor and more importantly -- good news . For the first time he said , `` the State of the Union is strong '' something many Americans are still slow to feel and Democratic candidates in November failed to bring up .
The unemployment rate is down , more than 150,000 American troops are home and 10 million more Americans have health insurance than did when Obama took office . He was optimistic and he had the metrics to support it , especially on his domestic policy . And while no one believes all of the proposals he outlined will fly unharmed through the new Republican Congress , there appeared to be enough bipartisan morsels mentioned to challenge the idea that the two parties wo n't get anything done .
Like trade . Like getting new authorization to use force against ISIS . Like legislation to encourage companies to hire veterans . But the crowning moments of his speech were the last three minutes or so . This is when Obama showed again the man who won the presidency and re-election in historic fashion .
He defended religious freedom and included Muslims in that conversation . He repeatedly spoke about equality for LGBT people and pointed out 7 out of 10 Americans live in states where same-sex marriage is legal . He brought up the racial tension in Ferguson , the concern for safety with our police force and again replaced the notion of a red America and a blue America with one of the United States of America -- something he did when he first burst onto the scene in 2004 at the Democrat National Convention in Boston .
At the end I found myself asking , `` Did n't the Democrats lose in November ? '' Was n't Obama rebuked in an election where the Senate flipped from Democratic to Republican ?
And yet , there he was . Confident . Emboldened . Optimistic . Something we have n't seen in quite some time . But then again , the country has not had some of the positive economic numbers it currently boasts in quite some time either . Democrats in November fumbled the good domestic news . Obama in January did not .
LZ Granderson is a CNN contributor , a senior writer for ESPN and a lecturer at Northwestern University . He is a former Hechinger Institute fellow , and his commentary has been recognized by the Online News Association , the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association . Follow him on Twitter @ locs_n_laughs | pQwysSKlyPYjXRqq | 0 | Politics | -0.3 | State Of The Union | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/07/politics/un-security-council-syria/index.html | Haley to UN: US 'prepared to do more' in Syria | 2017-04-07 | foreign_policy | ( CNN ) US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned Friday that the United States `` is prepared to do more '' in response to Syria 's use of chemical weapons and delivered a sharp rebuke to Russia for its support of the Syrian regime .
`` The United States took a very measured step last night , '' Haley said . `` We are prepared to do more . But we hope that will not be necessary . It is time for all civilized nations to stop the horrors that are taking place in Syria and demand a political solution . ''
Haley was speaking at a special UN session one day after the US military struck an airbase that served as home base for the Syrian planes that conducted the chemical attack that killed dozens of civilians , including children , earlier in the week .
Haley also slammed Russia , which has troops in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad 's regime . The council meeting took place as the United States and allies press for a resolution condemning the Assad regime for the bombing . Russia is likely to veto the resolution .
`` Every time Assad has crossed the line of human decency , Russia has stood beside him , '' Haley told the council .
Russia `` bears considerable responsibility '' for Assad 's use of chemical weapons , Haley said . `` The joint investigative mechanism has found beyond any doubt that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons against its own people multiple times , '' Haley said .
`` Assad did this because he thought he could get away with it . He thought he could get away with it because he knew Russia had his back . That changed last night . ''
The US strike was the first direct military action taken by the US against the Assad regime in the country 's six-year civil war . It represents a substantial escalation of the US military campaign in the region , and could be interpreted by the Syrian government as an act of war .
Russia 's envoy to the United Nations slammed the US action , calling it `` a flagrant violation of international law and an act of aggression '' in remarks at a UN Security Council meeting on Friday .
Haley defended the strike Thursday , telling the Security Council that `` there are times when states are compelled to take their own action . '' Preventing the spread and use of chemical weapons is in America 's `` our vital national security interest , '' she said .
Acting in her capacity as president of the UN Security Council , Haley then yielded the floor to Syria 's Deputy UN Ambassador Mounzer Mounzer .
Mounzer maintained Syria `` would never use such weapons in any of its operations against armed terrorist groups . '' The chemical attack killed more than 80 people , including 33 children , and injured more than 500 , according to the Syrian Civil Defense group .
Responsibility , he hinted , lay with outside powers . `` Let me stress that it is well known that those weapons have been used and stockpiled in many parts of Syria by terrorist armed organizations in cooperation or rather with a wink and a nudge by some ruling regimes in the region and outside , including Turkey , Saudi Arabia , Qatar and some European states , '' Mounzer said .
`` They completely ignore all the facts and documented information on the use of chemical weapons by terrorists in many parts of the Syrian Arab Republic . ''
Russian Deputy Ambassador Safronkov warned that `` the consequences of this for regional and international stability could be extremely serious . '' He was joined in his criticism by Bolivia 's ambassador to the UN , Sacha Sergio Llorenti Soliz , who criticized the US of acting as `` prosecutor , '' `` judge '' and `` jury '' in Syria .
`` The United States not only unilaterally attacked , but while we were discussing here and demanding the need for an independent investigation an impartial investigation , complete investigation into the attacks , the United States has become that investigator , has become the prosecutor , has become the judge , has become the jury , '' said Soliz .
At one point , he held up a picture of former Secretary of State Colin Powell , and referred to Powell 's 2003 presentation to the UN in which he pushed the Bush administration 's case that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction , a claim that was never substantiated .
The United Kingdom , however , came out strongly in support of the US action .
The UK supports the US airstrikes `` because war crimes have consequences and the greatest war criminal of all , Bashar al-Assad , has now been put on notice , '' United Kingdom Ambassador to United Nations Matthew Rycroft said .
`` The US strike was a proportionate response to unspeakable acts that gave rise to overwhelming humanitarian distress , Rycroft said . `` It was also a strong effort to save lives , by ensuring such acts never happen again . ''
`` Russia has given Assad everything he could dream of , '' Rycroft said . `` Without Russia 's seven vetoes in the Security Council , defying the views of other members of this council , Assad would now have faced sanctions and justice . ''
He added , `` Russia sits here today humiliated by its failure to bring to heel a puppet dictator , entirely propped up by Russia itself and Hezbollah and Iran . ''
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said all parties must remember their `` shared duty to uphold international standards of humanity . ''
`` Mindful of the risk of escalation , I appeal for restraint to avoid any acts that could deepen the suffering of the Syrian people , '' he said in a statement . `` These events underscore my belief that there is no other way to solve the conflict than through a political solution . '' | 44MQqr7YozfYMHbc | 0 | Nikki Haley | 0.7 | Foreign Policy | 0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/09/04/437500851/bidens-latest-signal-he-wont-run-for-president | Biden's Latest Signal He Won't Run For President | 2015-09-04 | elections | Joe Biden does n't sound like a man who 's preparing for a grueling presidential campaign .
The vice president 's latest remarks on a potential 2016 bid came Thursday night , questioning whether he has the `` emotional energy '' to run so soon after his eldest son , Beau , died from brain cancer in May .
For all the chatter and predictions of the past month that Biden was eagerly readying a run , the vice president has put forth a different face when he has spoken about a campaign . And it 's one of a grieving father , a not-yet-healed family and someone who certainly does n't sound mentally prepared for the emotional rigors of the campaign trail .
`` I will be straightforward with you . The most relevant factor in my decision is whether my family and I have the emotional energy to run , '' Biden said in Atlanta , where he was speaking on the Iran nuclear deal . He was asked after his remarks about his intentions for a possible campaign . `` Some might think that is not appropriate . But unless I can go to my party and the American people and say that I am able to devote my whole heart and my whole soul to this endeavor , it would not be appropriate . ''
Biden , 72 , said there were other concerns , too — whether he can ramp up a competitive organization with such a late start , wooing donors and staff and building infrastructure in early states . But those were n't driving his decision .
`` That 's not the factor , '' a visibly drained Biden told the crowd in a Georgia synagogue . `` The factor is : Can I do it ? Can my family undertake what is an arduous commitment that we 'd be proud to undertake in ordinary circumstances ? The honest-to-God answer is I just do n't know . ''
Biden is no stranger to tragedy , and he has soldiered on in the face of it before . Shortly after his election to the Senate in 1972 , his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident and his two sons — Beau and Hunter — were badly injured . He had to be convinced to even take the oath of office , and he did , in the hospital beside his children .
The vice president referenced that first deep loss on Thursday night , but said he had learned `` there 's no way to put a timetable on '' recovery from the scars .
`` If I can reach that conclusion that we can do it in a fashion that would still make it viable , I would not hesitate to do it , '' Biden continued . `` But I have to be honest with you , and everyone who 's come to me , I ca n't look you straight in the eye and say , 'Now I know I can do that . ' That 's as honest as I can be . ''
This was an even more honest and raw assessment than Democratic insiders heard last week from Biden . On a closed conference call with the Democratic National Committee to sell the Iran deal , Biden again opened up about his presidential decision-making — and did n't sound any closer to pulling the trigger .
`` If I were to announce to run , '' Biden said , `` I have to be able to commit to all of you that I would be able to give it my whole heart and my whole soul , and right now , both are pretty well banged up . ... I 've given this a lot of thought and dealing internally with the family on how we do this . ''
Multiple reports have said that Beau encouraged him to run before he died , and while the idea of a presidential campaign at that point may have seemed feasible , it 's clear the elder Biden is still not ready — and there 's no sign when he will be .
Unfortunately for the vice president , the clock is ticking . He initially said he would make an announcement by the end of the summer . The unofficial end is this Monday on Labor Day , but technically by that deadline he has until Sept. 22 .
But it 's actual deadlines that are important instead of symbolic ones . The first Democratic debate on Oct. 13 is on the horizon , and filing deadlines are approaching . It may be true that Hillary Clinton has stumbled , but it 's insurgent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , not Biden , who 's been the beneficiary of those foibles .
Only someone with the name identification and built-in political advantages like Biden 's could even make such a late play , and if he did pull the trigger , he would be a formidable candidate . He 's the last wild card on either side before the 2016 field is crystallized . And a superPAC backing him , Draft Biden , has staffed up in recent weeks with notable hires and close Biden allies .
Biden may give a more direct answer next week , when he will appear on one of Stephen Colbert 's first Late Show episodes on CBS . The more relaxed , comedy setting may be one where Biden feels more comfortable and more free to be frank .
But Biden has already been pretty transparent already — and all signs so far point to him not getting in . | ipEtnRmMAP76MiAC | 1 | Joe Biden | -0.3 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/21/rep-peter-king-boston-investigation-needs-focus-mu/ | Rep. Peter King: Boston probe needs to focus on Muslims | 2013-04-21 | terrorism | Authorities still are trying to pinpoint the motives behind the Boston Marathon bombings , but a leading GOP congressman pulled no punches on Sunday and urged the FBI to focus on threats from within the Muslim community .
“ Ninety-nine percent of Muslims are outstanding Americans , but the fact is , that ’ s where the threat is coming from , ” Rep. Peter T. King , New York Republican and chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on counterintelligence and terrorism , said during an interview on “ Fox News Sunday . ”
“ If you know a threat is coming from a certain community , that ’ s where you look , ” he added .
Terrorists ’ strategy , Mr. King said , has changed since Sept. 11 , 2001 . No longer is al Qaeda or related groups plotting massive attacks from training camps in the Middle East . Instead , they ’ re using men such as the two suspected Boston bombers , 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev , who died during a shootout with police on Thursday night , and his brother , 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , who was shot and remains in serious condition in a hospital . Both men were of Islamic faith .
“ They ’ re getting people in our country who are under our radar screen with clean records , ” Mr. King said .
He also blasted the FBI for failing to catch the two men before their bombs killed three and wounded more than 160 at the iconic Boston race on Monday . The FBI reportedly had interviewed Tamerlan Tsarnaev but found nothing to link him to terrorism .
SEE ALSO : Boston police chief : Bombers had more attacks planned ; explosives may be out there
“ We can not help but feel angry that all this has happened to our city , ” the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center said in a statement . “ Both of these suspects had been known to our Boston community — to our public schools , to their local boxing club , to one of our faith communities at the Cambridge mosque , and even to the FBI . Yet , no one inside these institutions was able to predict these acts of terror by the alleged suspects . This hurts , and we wish we all … could have done something to prevent this . ” | nypRJTJcTd1bPMk2 | 2 | Terrorism | -2.6 | Boston Bombing | -2.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | CNBC | https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/03/jobs-report-april-2024-us-job-growth-totaled-175000-in-april.html | U.S. job growth totaled 175,000 in April, much less than expected, while unemployment rose to 3.9% | 2024-05-03 | Economy And Jobs, Unemployment | watch nowThe U.S. economy added fewer jobs than expected in April while the unemployment rate rose, lifting hopes that the Federal Reserve will be able to cut interest rates in the coming months. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 175,000 on the month, below the 240,000 estimate from the Dow Jones consensus, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 3.9% against expectations it would hold steady at 3.8%.Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% from the previous month and 3.9% from a year ago, both below consensus estimates and an encouraging sign for inflation. The jobless rate tied for the highest level since January 2022. A more encompassing rate that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time jobs for economic reasons also edged up, to 7.4%, its highest level since November 2021. The labor force participation rate, or those actively looking for work, was unchanged at 62.7%. Wall Street already had been poised for a higher open, and futures tied to major stock market averages added to gains following the report. Treasury yields tumbled after being little changed before the release. The report raised the prospect of a "Goldilocks" climate where growth continues but not at such a rapid pace to force the Fed to tighten policy further. "With this report, the porridge was just about right," said Dan North, senior economist at Allianz Trade. "What would you like at this point the cycle? We've had interest rates jacked up pretty high, so you would expect to see the labor market slow down a little. But we're still at pretty high levels."Consistent with recent trends, health care led job creation, with a 56,000 increase. Other sectors showing significant rises included social assistance (31,000), transportation and warehousing (22,000), and retail (20,000). Construction added 9,000 positions while government, which had shown solid gains in recent months, was up just 8,000 after averaging 55,000 over the previous 12 months. Revisions to previous months took the March gain to 315,000, or 12,000 from the initial estimate, and February to 236,000, a decline of 34,000. Household employment, which is used to calculate the unemployment rate, increased by just 25,000 on the month. Workers holding full-time jobs soared by 949,000 on the month, while those hold part-time jobs slumped by 914,000. The report comes two days after the Fed again voted to hold borrowing costs steady, keeping its benchmark overnight borrowing rate in a targeted range between 5.25%-5.5%, the highest in more than 20 years. Following the decision, Chair Jerome Powell characterized the jobs market as "strong" but noted that inflation is "too high" and this year's economic data has indicated "a lack of further progress" in getting inflation back to the Fed's 2% target. But market action shifted after the jobs report indicated an easing labor market and softer wage increases. Traders priced in a strong chance of two interest rate cuts by the end of 2024, with the first reduction expected to come in September, according to CME Group data. | eeeaf6981fb83c0e | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
food | The Daily Wire | https://www.dailywire.com/news/as-grocers-and-delivery-workers-keep-america-stable-debate-erupts-on-if-they-should-receive-hazard-pay | As Grocers And Delivery Workers Keep America Stable, Debate Erupts On If They Should Receive Hazard Pay | food | The American economy has been ground to a halt in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in China . Throughout all this , grocers , gas station attendants , drive-thru cashiers , truckers , health care providers , and delivery workers have all been working tirelessly to keep society stable with a steady stream of supply-chains during a time of unprecedented uncertainty . As the weeks unfold , a debate has erupted if these individuals should receive some form of hazard pay , given that they are performing an essential task that exposes them to a potentially life-threatening illness .
Writing at Eater , Jenny Zhang argued that such workers should receive hazard pay as defined by the Department of Labor : “ Additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship , ” including “ extreme physical discomfort and distress … not adequately alleviated by protective devices . ”
“ Given the current situation , it ’ s impossible to conceive of duties like jostling against hordes of panic shoppers as anything but intensely physical and hazardous , ” argued Zhang . “ The work that these laborers are doing is vital , and should be acknowledged as such , not just abstractly , but materially . ”
As of Thursday , the states of Vermont and Minnesota classified grocery store clerks as “ emergency workers , ” which will provide them free childcare . A coalition of Trader Joe ’ s employees has also launched a petition calling for hazard pay .
“ Trader Joe ’ s workers – from the distribution warehouses to the stores – need hazard pay now , ” the petition states . “ As the company rakes in millions of dollars amid the frenzy of people across the country filling our stores to stock up , grocery workers are at the frontlines of this global pandemic and we are terrified . We are exposing ourselves ( and our loved ones ) to COVID-19 . We aren ’ t being paid for the extra work we ’ re doing or the risk we ’ re undertaking . We ’ re being told we can ’ t wear gloves . We are terrified . ”
“ We need our company to have our back by introducing hazard pay at the rate of time and a half , plus guaranteeing forced closure pay , ” it continues . “ Workers who are typically scheduled a certain number of hours per week need to be guaranteed that if their store closes , they will continue receiving pay equal to their average scheduled wages . ”
As of this writing , that petition has garnered over 17,000 signatures . According to Business Insider , Trader Joe ’ s released a memo announcing to its employees that it would be creating a “ special bonus pool ” for each store based on the surplus in sales .
“ We want to acknowledge the incredible hard work and dedication of our Crew Members in supporting each other and our communities by sharing the financial benefit of this sales increase with our store crew who have worked so hard during the past several weeks , and for as long as this challenge remains , ” the memo said .
People on social media have also highlighted the poor treatment some of these workers have received at the hands of irate customers whose patience has grown increasingly thin amidst the pandemic , advising everyone to express gratitude to those who serve us at this time .
“ [ A ] cashier at Whole Foods just told [ me ] she now spends her lunch breaks crying in her car trying to process how ‘ mean and vicious ’ customers have been this past week… It ’ s not only your obligation to look these people in the eye and say ‘ thank you , ’ but to call these mean people out , ” tweeted singer/songwriter Simon Curtis .
“ Loud sighs and side-eye aren ’ t enough , ” he continued . “ If you witness someone being cruel to a customer service person , risking exposure every day to help YOU get basic necessities , you had better step up to the plate and speak up . ” | 58Yn3o7ooDbpTPx5 | 2 | Coronavirus | -1 | Pandemic | -0.8 | Public Health | -0.8 | Food | 0.2 | null | null | |
white_house | TheBlaze.com | https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/03/23/no-way-to-spin-a-huge-defeat-for-trump-says-jesse-watters-in-scathing-commentary | ‘No way to spin’ a ‘huge defeat’ for Trump, says Jesse Watters in scathing commentary | 2018-03-23 | white_house | Fox News host Jesse Watters panned the budget signed by President Trump Friday and said that he did n't believe the president 's promise to never sign such a bill again .
. @ JesseBWatters on lack of border wall funding : `` This was a huge defeat for [ @ POTUS ] on a signature issue . It 's really , really bad ... I know he wanted more money for the military , and that 's incredibly important , but he sacrificed everything else to get it . '' # TheFive pic.twitter.com/sL9bVfY2gj — Fox News ( @ FoxNews ) March 23 , 2018
`` Well I know one thing , '' Watters said , `` Mexico 's not going to pay for the wall , and neither are we . Because it says there 's gon na be only 1.6 billion for the wall and you ca n't even use the new concrete wall prototypes that he just surveyed . ''
`` And it 's only supposed to be for 93 miles , the border is 3,000 miles , '' he added . `` And the only fencing that is gon na be done is backup fencing and repairs . ''
`` This was a huge defeat for the president on a signature issue , '' Watters continued , `` it 's really really bad , there 's no way to spin it . I know he wanted more money for the military and that 's incredibly important but he sacrificed everything else to get it . ''
`` And I hate to do this , I hate to quote Rand Paul , but Rand Paul said something , '' he added after an interruption , `` well only for this instance , he said there 's an unholy alliance between Republicans and Democrats in Congress . ''
`` The Republicans want to spend like crazy on the military , '' he said , `` and the Democrats say , 'OK we 'll give you the military spending , if we can spend whatever we want on domestic spending , and they get together and they just run deficits . ''
`` But the border is a mess , and crying [ Senator ] Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) gets all the money he wants for a tunnel from New Jersey to New York and there 's no border wall funding ? '' he asked . `` I saw some of this other pork , I mean Planned Parenthood a half a billion dollars , the John F. Kennedy Center is getting forty million ? Stuff that is , they wanted to cut the budget for the EPA , the EPA budget is at a historic high !
`` It 's really insulting . And he says it 's never gon na happen again ? '' he continued . `` I do n't see how he 's going to change the dynamic in Congress to have this never happen again . Democrats are never gon na work for border wall funding and Republicans are n't gon na go to the mattresses for it . ''
`` Maybe he should have his rich billionaire friends pony up , maybe they can privatize it ! '' he concluded .
The president signed the budget after initially saying he was thinking about vetoing it Friday . Trump allies Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter said Trump would be impeached after losing the House of Representatives to Democrats in the midterms because of the budget he signed . | hoI8F6dhaBbyw9V0 | 2 | Donald Trump | -2 | Politics | -1 | White House | -0.7 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/donald-trump-ad-strategy-228505 | Trump's bizarre ad strategy | 2016-09-22 | elections | poster= '' http : //v.███.com/images/1155968404/201609/2845/1155968404_5137034737001_5137032609001-vs.jpg ? pubId=1155968404 '' Confusion about Trump ’ s strategy runs beyond the scale of his advertising — it ’ s the unpredictable nature of where and when he is advertising . 2016 Trump 's bizarre ad strategy It 's less than 50 days until the election and the GOP nominee 's television advertisements have all but vanished .
It ’ s seven weeks before Election Day , five days before the highly anticipated first debate , and Donald Trump ’ s television advertisements have all but vanished .
Trump ’ s ads last ran nearly a week ago in four battleground states : Florida , North Carolina , Ohio and Pennsylvania . Since then , the GOP presidential nominee has ceded the airwaves to Hillary Clinton — and is only poised to launch a limited , less-targeted ad campaign in the days before next week ’ s debate .
While his campaign announced a new ad on Tuesday , it ’ s only going to run on national cable news stations and during two Sunday morning public-affairs shows , according to data from The Tracking Firm , a company that monitors media buys . And even with that seemingly modest buy — the full extent of which was n't clear on Wednesday night — Clinton is still outspending him this week many times over .
“ It ’ s unprecedented for a major-party nominee in this century to have such an on-again , off-again TV buy , ” said Elizabeth Wilner , a former TV-network political director who , until last month , monitored political advertising for Kantar Media/CMAG .
The strategy has perplexed political media buyers who aren ’ t affiliated with the campaign . Trump ’ s campaign is underfunded compared to Hillary Clinton ’ s — his campaign had only $ 50 million on hand as of Aug. 30 , according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday night — but Trump ’ s failure to advertise consistently threatens the efficacy of his entire paid media campaign , limited as it is .
The political media buyers , including Republicans who declined to be named in criticizing the nominee , warned that the effects of television ads are fleeting , and any benefit Trump might get from putting his paid advertisements in front of voters can be undone with time if those messages aren ’ t reinforced .
The GOP nominee ’ s absence is also compounding Clinton ’ s domination of the airwaves . Last week , Smart Media Group , a media buying firm that works with the Republican National Committee , wrote in a memo to the Trump campaign that through Sept. 12 , Trump had spent just $ 17 million on TV ads , compared to $ 126 million for Clinton . If outside group spending is counted , the disparity is even more stunning : $ 244 million for Clinton versus $ 33 million for Trump .
The highly unusual decision to go mostly dark in advance of the debate is emblematic of Trump ’ s approach to television advertising in the general election , a patchwork effort that has engaged in swing states only in fits and starts . Of the 20 days thus far in September , Trump has advertised in Florida , North Carolina and Pennsylvania for 11 days , and for 12 in Ohio . He ’ s also run one-week flights in a number of other states beginning over Labor Day weekend , only to let those expire more than a week ago and decline to rebook .
A Trump campaign spokesman declined to reply to inquiries on Tuesday and Wednesday about the campaign ’ s strategy .
Clinton , meanwhile , is continuing to blanket eight states in ads .
Confusion about Trump ’ s strategy runs beyond the scale of his advertising — it ’ s the unpredictable nature of where and when he is advertising . When Trump first launched his TV ads in mid-August , they were focused on four core states : Florida , North Carolina , Ohio and Pennsylvania . Together , those states will award 82 electoral votes — and Trump will win the election if he carries those four and holds all the other states Mitt Romney won in 2012 .
Trump went on the air in those states on August 19 , and he kept advertising in them through September 6 or 7 , depending on the state .
While those ads were on the air , Trump expanded to six new states : Colorado , Iowa , Michigan , Nevada , New Hampshire and Virginia . Ads began in those states in early September and ran for roughly one week – including an eye-popping , $ 2.2-million buy in Virginia , where the Clinton campaign stopped advertising last month after pulling comfortably ahead in the polls .
But the Trump ads ended between September 7 and September 10 , depending on the state . Trump has been off the air in those places ever since .
Meanwhile , he reengaged in his four core states — Florida , North Carolina , Ohio and Pennsylvania — on September 12 . ( Both campaigns abstained from airing ads on the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks . ) After nearly a week off the air in those four states most central to his candidacy , Trump last Monday rolled out a combined $ 2.5-million ad buy over five days . But those reservations ended last Friday .
In their place , Trump ’ s campaign is planning a limited ad campaign , buying time on four cable stations : Fox Business Network , Fox News Channel , MSNBC and CNBC . He ’ s also planning to run national ads during at least two of the national Sunday morning public affairs programs on broadcast TV : “ Fox News Sunday ” and NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press . ”
For political purposes , it ’ s a relatively inefficient buy . The 11 states that make up ███ 's Battleground States project hold roughly 29 percent of the population . That means , roughly speaking , that seven-in-10 Americans reached by a national ad buy live outside the battleground states .
The Clinton campaign , on the other hand , continues to advertise heavily in eight targeted states : Arizona , Florida , Iowa , North Carolina , New Hampshire , Nevada , Ohio and Pennsylvania , while also , at times , running national advertisements . ( The campaign ’ s investments in Arizona , which has voted Republican in 15 of the last 16 presidential elections , are much smaller than in the other states . )
Just this week — from Tuesday through next Monday , the day of the first debate — Clinton is poised to spend nearly $ 6.8 million on TV ads , backed up by another $ 5.6 million from pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA Action in those states , minus Arizona .
Trump ’ s air cover from outside groups is also far more limited than Clinton ’ s . Rebuilding America Now , a pro-Trump super PAC , is spending $ 635,000 in Pennsylvania this week . And an anti-Clinton super PAC based in Wisconsin , Reform America Fund , is spending $ 332,000 in that state , where neither campaign has advertised thus far .
There are some signs Trump ’ s campaign may be focusing on its seemingly haphazard ad efforts . GOP ad-maker Rex Elsass met with Trump campaign officials last week , ███ reported on Tuesday . The campaign has already reserved about $ 2.8 million in satellite TV ads slated to air beginning on Tuesday , Sept. 27 , through the day before Election Day in eight states : Colorado , Florida , Iowa , Nevada , New Hampshire , North Carolina , Ohio and Pennsylvania .
For Trump , there ’ s risk in continuing to delay : Booking ads at the last minute , as Trump ’ s campaign has been doing , sometimes means spending more money for the same spot as a campaign that makes its reservations earlier . And there are some signs that some of the late decision-making is driven by the candidate : The New York Times reporte d earlier this month that Trump himself has been selecting the media markets in which the campaign has been advertising .
Since research suggests the effects of television ads are short-lived — and with the race tightening in the battleground states in recent weeks , Trump can ill-afford to regress .
“ It has to be consistent , ” said one GOP ad-buyer , “ because the recall on these just evaporates when you go dark . ” | AFVOQdGRlB6rpnTY | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | Campaign Ads | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
taxes | Vox | https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/12/21/16803312/chip-extension-congress-tax-cuts-obamacare-repeal | This Congress’s clear priorities: corporations, not children | 2017-12-21 | taxes | Congress is preparing to go home for the holidays having delivered a historic tax cut for corporations — and having done only the absolute minimum to stave off disaster for the Children ’ s Health Insurance Program .
The government spending bill released on Thursday , which Republican leadership hopes to pass in a matter of hours , would provide $ 2.8 billion that is supposed to fund the program through March .
It would prevent an impending disaster — nearly 2 million kids could lose coverage in January without congressional action — but it is a long way from the five-year extension CHIP advocates are seeking and that Congress has been sitting on for three months .
“ It ’ s better than nothing , but the program will sputter along without the certainty it needs for states to feel confident enough to do outreach and put out the welcome mat for children , ” Joan Alker , executive director of Georgetown University ’ s Center for Children and Families , told me Thursday morning .
She added of the preferred five-year extension : “ Why not do that instead and do right by kids for the holidays ? It is troubling that they can ’ t get this done when they have had bipartisan agreement on the policy for months now . ”
In a matter of days , at least two states — Alabama and Connecticut — would stop enrolling new children in the program . Real negative impacts will be felt by some number of children across the country the longer Congress fails to act . This would be an unprecedented breach of trust for this program that everybody seems to agree is good and should be funded .
“ Our phones are ringing off the wall , ” Alabama CHIP director Cathy Caldwell told reporters this week . “ We have panicked families wondering what in the world they have as options . ”
It would cost a mere $ 8 billion for Congress to extend the program , which covers 9 million American children , for the next five years . There is bipartisan support for the program . There is a working plan to do it , which the House already passed . There is no discernible reason that CHIP has been left unfunded for nearly 90 days or that families are starting to receive letters warning them that their coverage could soon end .
Except the Republican majorities in Congress didn ’ t make it a priority .
Don ’ t get it wrong : Republicans do generally support CHIP . Sen. Orrin Hatch ( R-UT ) helped write the law . He wants its funding extended . So do most of his colleagues . But they have limited time on their hands . They chose to pursue other priorities — first , a last-ditch effort to repeal Obamacare , then a major tax overhaul centered on a massive corporate tax cut — instead of funding CHIP .
Instead , Congress is scrambling mere days before states would start freezing CHIP enrollment . Their gambit will depend on Republicans actually managing to pass this spending bill .
For people working on CHIP , the damage is , in a sense , already done . The program ’ s reputation could take years to recover from the uncertainty sown over the past three months .
“ This may go down as the worst year for children in Congress in decades , ” Bruce Lesley , president of First Focus , told me .
Funding CHIP is a pittance next to the Republican tax cuts
On its face , it ’ s remarkable that Congress hasn ’ t yet found the money to extend CHIP for five years and take this headache away from them and the program ’ s families .
CHIP costs about $ 12 billion to $ 14 billion each year . But because the Congressional Budget Office assumes the program will remain indefinitely , even if it hasn ’ t been funded yet , it technically only “ costs ” about $ 8 billion to extend CHIP for five years . ( This is wonky congressional budget math , but that ’ s how it shakes out . )
That is a minimal lift . Republicans just passed a $ 1 trillion corporate tax cut .
( A quick note on the tax bill ’ s child tax credit : Republicans have expanded it , but in such a way that the poorest families will see a minimal benefit . The bigger benefits will go to families with higher incomes . )
So Congress needs to find $ 8 billion in spending cuts ( or new revenue ) to fund CHIP for five years and erase any risk that a kid in the United States would be denied or lose health insurance . They had no problem approving a tax bill projected to balloon the federal deficit by $ 1 trillion over the next 10 years . Extending CHIP should be no problem . But it ’ s still not done .
The House did pass a CHIP extension in early November , almost entirely with Republican votes ( though 15 Democrats also backed the bill ) . But it has been hampered — and likely isn ’ t viable in the Senate , where Democratic votes will be needed — by the spending cuts that Republicans chose to include .
The House paid for its CHIP funding by cutting Obamacare ’ s public health fund , by increasing premiums for higher-earning Medicare enrollees , and by shortening the grace period ( to one month ) for Obamacare enrollees who fail to pay their premiums . The left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that last provision would lead to nearly 700,000 Americans losing health insurance .
That legislation also still came nearly a month after CHIP ’ s funding had technically expired . Congress hasn ’ t since found the time to work out a long-term deal that would actually extend the program for good and could actually pass the Senate and be sent to President Trump ’ s desk .
But they did find time to rush a massive tax overhaul through the House and Senate in less than two months .
Let ’ s go back to mid-September , before CHIP ’ s funding had expired on October 1 and when advocates were warning Congress not to let the program lapse . It was already too late , even then , in their eyes .
`` This is ridiculous , '' Alker said in September . `` We have never had a situation like this before . ''
There was a deal , in principle , to extend the program for five years . Sens . Hatch and Ron Wyden ( D-OR ) had announced an agreement , though they still needed to work out some details , like how exactly to pay for it .
But around that same time , momentum for a last-ditch Obamacare repeal plan , Graham-Cassidy , was picking up . Senate Republican leaders devoted their next two weeks to whipping support for the plan , rushing to beat a September 30 deadline for the special “ budget reconciliation ” privileges they were using to advance the plan .
They ultimately came up short , but Graham-Cassidy had effectively consumed the second half of September and CHIP ’ s funding was allowed to lapse at the end of the month .
Shortly thereafter , the House introduced its bill . It wasn ’ t smooth sailing , of course , because of the pretty explicitly partisan offsets included in the plan . It didn ’ t pass until a month later and was always likely dead on arrival in the Senate .
Otherwise , the work has been more or less on hold — but Republicans have managed to muscle through a generational tax overhaul in less than two months , when the last major tax reform bill , in 1986 , took two years to produce .
They gleefully promised to deliver a big , beautiful tax cut for Christmas . And they did it . They made time to approve a record number of federal judges . They had time for their holiday parties , hosted by Washington lobbyists .
But Congress will leave town having done the absolute bare minimum to prevent an unprecedented disaster for CHIP . The funding that they are hoping to pass Thursday might not even last as long as they ’ d like — Lesley noted to me that $ 2.8 billion for a $ 12 billion-a-year program doesn ’ t seem like it would cover six months .
This year , Congress made sure that it worked for corporations . The 9 million children covered by CHIP were left to pick up the scraps . | 0Mihqya4DyCtgA7J | 0 | Corporate Taxes | 0.6 | Taxes | 0.5 | Republican Party | 0 | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/09/trump-destabilizing-status-quo-is-chaos-impeachable-offense/ | OPINION: Is Chaos an Impeachable Offense? | 2018-09-11 | impeachment | President Trump with then-Chief of Staff John Kelly at a White House briefing in October 2017 . ( Yuri Gripas/Reuters )
Trump is destabilizing the status quo , as he promised to do . The keepers of the status quo cry foul .
Until 2017 , there were certain political assumptions that most people no longer really believed but also preferred not to question — given the likely animus from the so-called bipartisan establishment , a naked entity which , by convention , we all agreed was splendidly clothed .
China could freely cheat on trade , and the U.S. could take the commercial hit , because one day its misbegotten riches would force liberalization and thereby make China a member in good standing of the family of democratic nations . After 40 years , we are still waiting on the promised democratic transformation — at great cost to the industrial and manufacturing heartland of the United States .
NATO member nations always would promise , indeed swear , that they would meet their military spending commitments , even as they had no intention at all of doing so . Fine , we shrugged , since World War II it has been the duty of the United States to lead and protect the West . What other nation had America ’ s inexhaustible wealth and power to subsidize rich socialist democracies , and commensurate unconcern with its own insidiously hollowed-out industrial interior ? Accordingly , American presidents would lecture NATO nations about their promised obligations and meanwhile expect public nods and private snickers . In the New York and Washington corridor , the gospel was never to question the changing role or funding of NATO but always to utter “ NATO is the linchpin of the West. ” End of discussion .
The Palestinians will always remain “ refugees ” in a way that similar contemporaneously displaced people who were also forced out of their homeland — Prussians , Jews of the Middle East , or Volga Germans — no longer have refugee status , after more than 70 years . A chaotic Trump recently accepted reality and quit funding the United Nations relief organization that supposedly attends to “ refugees ” who in reality are a political construct deemed useful for demonizing Israel around the world .
Jerusalem has long been privately accepted as both the historic and natural capital of Israel , and it ’ s now far more open and freer than it was prior to 1967 . But we were not supposed to say that given fears of Palestinian pique , or terrorist attacks , or inflaming the Middle East . Trump in his supposedly reckless fashion simply moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem , and other nations strangely are beginning to follow .
No one really believed that the Iran deal would stop Iranian nuclear proliferation , or even prune back Iran-backed terrorism . The deal ’ s asymmetrical nocturnal ransom-for-hostages payments , its myriad exceptions to spot inspections , and its inability to check ballistic-missile construction were all ignored . The fallback excuse for the deal was that it would take a little longer for Iran to gain nuclear weapons , and would make Iran a little nicer to the United States . Yet few even believed those yarns . And no one had been willing to invoke a crisis with Iran by saying so . So we shrugged that the Iran deal was bad , but it was at least our bad deal — and then Trump dashed our illusions .
Serious people assumed that the Paris climate accord was even more ridiculous than the Kyoto protocol — grandstanding without any real collective enforcement effort to address “ climate change. ” All agreed that the vast production and utilization of natural gas de facto made America the most effective major nation in reducing carbon emissions , far more effective than supposedly greener Europe . The elite assumed as well that the Paris deal was a blueprint for expropriating Western wealth and redistributing it to the non-West . All publicly praised it ; none privately liked it . And now it ’ s gone with a whimper , not a bang .
Blocking the construction of the Keystone pipeline and the opening of the ANWAR oil fields to energy development had become iconic # Resistance causes . We knew the pipeline would streamline energy transference and likely take the burden off more dangerous rail and truck transportation , and that ANWAR would help to achieve U.S. energy independence or at least increase national wealth . So now both are under construction and development . The nation yawns its assent .
Even the proponents of open borders — Democratic strategists , Latino activists , corporate employers , the Mexican government — privately concede that without a border there is no nation , that walls work ( as fences and walls do around their own yards ) , and that they would not wish to conduct their own lives on the principles of picking and choosing which laws to follow .
We also assumed that liberal grandees do not put their children in schools with large numbers of non-English speakers . Employers know that identity theft and fake social-security numbers are a national epidemic . Realists accept that without massive and illegal influxes of new foreign nationals , assimilation and integration of legal immigrants would eventually put the vested illegal-immigration interests out of business , in the sense that there are no longer German , Scandinavian , or Japanese ethnic czars .
Mexico knew that under the guise of “ caring , ” it exported human capital and exploited its own , on the theory that Mexican expatriates ’ standard of living , often subsidized by American local and state welfare programs , would take a hit by collectively sending $ 30 million back home in remittances . Then the bull Trump supposedly tore apart the carefully arranged immigration China shop .
The list of status quo absurdities is nearly limitless , from the politically biased monopolies of Silicon Valley high-tech public utilities that are mysteriously exempt from all oversight ( including product-liability laws and anti-trust legislation ) to the idea that it is apparently either normal or inexplicable that nearly 8,000 African-American youth are murdered each year , but no one knows how to stop , or even dare try to stop , the carnage .
Again , the stance toward all these paradoxes was that it was more of a problem to tell the truth , address reality , and make the necessary difficult adjustments than to shrug , continue on , and maintain the façade of normality . Then a president came along with no prior investment in the economic and foreign-policy establishment , and apparently no desire to create any , or to worry much about his own ignorance of past conventional wisdom . And so in breakneck speed he began cancelling deals , renegotiating asymmetrical agreements , and questioning protocols of decades past — and he did so without adopting the comportment of past presidents and the advice of either the administrative state or the Washington political-media establishment .
The ensuing reaction was that the Trump medicine was said to be worse than the preexisting disease , although no one could really explain why that was so .
So we are left only with “ Trump did it , ” and therefore he should be impeached , declared insane , sued , forced to resign , or face an intervention from “ loyal ” patriot aides because of his impulsiveness and lack of “ first principles ” that had given us the above status quo . Even the recent anonymous New York Times op-ed author offered no real explanations of what exactly Trump has done wrong that would warrant anti-democratic removal other than to concede that Trump has done things that most felt were long overdue . And he made changes in a rude and uncouth manner that the establishment did not like — just as a nude emperor in invisible clothes does not like it when an outsider observes that he is naked . | nxvF8m8Rwiv6WNgq | 2 | Impeachment | 0.5 | White House | 0.5 | Politics | 0.5 | null | null | null | null |
world | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmmqq4qv81qo | PM backs JK Rowling's views on new hate crime law | 2024-04-04 | World, United Kingdom, Transgender Issues, Culture, Hate Crimes, Free Speech | The prime minister has said people should not be criminalised "for stating simple facts on biology" in response to JK Rowling's criticism of Scotland's new hate crime law. The author took to social media to hit out at the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act which came into effect on Monday. The law creates a new crime of "stirring up hatred" relating to protected characteristics. Rishi Sunak said the UK had a proud tradition of free speech. In a series of social media posts, Ms Rowling described several transgender women as men, including convicted prisoners, trans activists and other public figures. The Harry Potter author, who lives in Edinburgh but who is understood to currently be abroad, then invited police to arrest her if they believed she had committed an offence. The prime minister would not be drawn on whether he supported her approach, saying that it was "not right for me to comment on police matters, individual matters". But he added: "We should not be criminalising people saying common sense things about biological sex, clearly that isn’t right. "We have a proud tradition of free speech." Under the new law, "stirring up hatred" relating to age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or being intersex is now classed as a criminal offence. First Minister Humza Yousaf said the law was designed to deal with what he called a "rising tide of hatred" in society. Writing on X, Ms Rowling said "freedom of speech and belief" was at an end if accurate description of biological sex was outlawed. Ms Rowling, who has long been a critic of some trans activism, raised concerns that the law did not protect women as a group from hatred. The Scottish government is expected to include this later in a separate misogyny law. The maximum penalty under the new act in Scotland is a jail sentence of seven years. A person commits an offence if they communicate material, or behave in a manner, "that a reasonable person would consider to be threatening or abusive," with the intention of stirring up hatred based on protected characteristics. Stirring up hatred based on race, sexual orientation and religion was already illegal in Great Britain under the Public Order Act 1986, but that will also now fall under the new act in Scotland. The bar for this offence is lower than for the other protected characteristics, as it also includes "insulting" behaviour. Football pundit Ally McCoist has also given his support to JK Rowling, calling the legislation "madness". Speaking on TalkSport radio, he said he, along with thousands of football fans, will flout the rules during this weekend's Old Firm match between Rangers and Celtic. The ex-Rangers player said: "I can guarantee you, next Sunday at Ibrox, I, along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of that hate bill in the particular Rangers Celtic game we are all going to." Mr McCoist did not say which part of the Hate Crime Bill footballs fans were at risk of breaching. SNP ministers, who brought in the legislation have been asked whether Ms Rowling's comments, and acts such as mis-gendering would be classed as criminal under the new laws. Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Health Secretary Neil Gray said he would not comment on individual circumstances but said the "bar is much higher" than Ms Rowling was suggesting. He said offences had to include the use of "threatening or abusive language or behaviour" and that the "protection of freedom of expression" was included within the legislation. Mr Gray said the new law was an extension of existing laws that had protected people from hate crimes on the basis of their race under the Public Order Act 1986. He said he hoped it would help tackle the "hatred that has been permeating across these isles for far too long" and that there would be similar protection to that offered in relation to race for the past 40 years. Humza Yousaf said racist graffiti, which appeared near his home, is a reminder of why Scotland must take a "zero-tolerance" approach to hatred. On X, he said "I do my best to shield my children from the racism and Islamaphobia I face on a regular basis. That becomes increasingly difficult when racist graffiti targeting me appears near our family home." The graffiti on a wall near his Broughty Ferry home the same day the law was introduced. Police Scotland confirmed it had been recorded as a hate crime under the new act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission also wrote to the Scottish government amid the row over single-sex facilities. Teenage patients told BBC Disclosure about a culture of cruelty among nursing staff at an NHS unit. A charity supporting the victim says the attacker told him he was "responsible for the war in Gaza". Debate around single-sex spaces has made headlines after a nurse took a health board and a trans colleague to tribunal. The site is in major need of renovation but a multi-million pound development plan has been halted for years. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | 92736330558783ee | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/17/politics/aaron-schock-resigns/index.html | Aaron Schock to resign amid spending scandal | 2015-03-17 | politics | Washington ( CNN ) Embattled Rep. Aaron Schock announced Tuesday he would resign his seat at the end of the month , in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation into reports that he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events .
In a statement , he said he was stepping down `` with a heavy heart , '' having given his constituents `` my all over the last six years . ''
`` But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself , '' he added .
Politico first reported on Tuesday afternoon that Schock would step down . The news marks the end of an embarrassing chapter for the former GOP rising star known for his Instagram account and a memorable shirtless appearance in a feature in Men 's Health magazine .
Republicans close to Schock have said the biggest questions about his finances involve mileage reimbursements from a car paid by for by his campaign account . A Schock spokesman said Tuesday that the congressman had paid the government back for all of his official mileage , but the exact amount was unclear .
`` In an effort to remove any questions , and out of an abundance of caution , Congressman Schock has reimbursed all monies received for official mileage since his election to Congress , '' the spokesman said .
The four-term Republican was scheduled to attend a St. Patrick 's Day event in Peoria on Tuesday , but did n't show — and the news of the congressman 's abrupt resignation on Tuesday afternoon took at least some staff members in his Washington office by surprise , according to a person close to the office .
And Rep. Patrick McHenry , the GOP chief deputy whip , indicated Schock had not told his fellow leadership members of his plans to resign . McHenry told reporters he had not talked with Schock about his decision , but praised him and called it `` a real loss . ''
`` I think Aaron is a very intelligent person - he has had a great career in public service from his time on the school board , his time in the state House to his time in Congress so I think it 's a real loss . I think it 's a real loss , '' he said .
JUST WATCHED Congressman under fire for hiring photographer Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Congressman under fire for hiring photographer 01:49
Pressed about the multiple stories about improper travel/campaign spending , McHenry said , `` I know none of the details . ''
But House Speaker John Boehner issued a statement shortly after the news broke praising Schock for deciding to step down .
`` With this decision , Rep. Schock has put the best interests of his constituents and the House first , '' Boehner said . `` I appreciate Aaron 's years of service , and I wish him well in the future . ''
Within minutes of Schock 's announcement , national Democrats pounced , with Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Matt Thornton suggesting it was the latest example of disarray within Boehner 's caucus .
`` Fewer than 100 days in , Speaker Boehner has already seen his Speakership challenged , his caucus defiantly reject him time and again , some of his closest colleagues retire rather than watch their reputations dragged down by the gridlock and dysfunction , and now the second member of his caucus has resigned amid ethics scandal , '' Thornton said in a statement , a reference to Long Island Rep. Michael Grimm , who resigned this year after pleading guilty to felony tax evasion charges .
`` Speaker Boehner 's Republican caucus is more like Animal House , and the American people deserve better , '' Thornton added .
Illinois Gov . Bruce Rauner must set an election date within five days of Schock 's resignation , at the end of the month , and the election must occur within 115 days of that , or sometime before the end of July .
Democrats have little chance of taking the deep-red seat , but Republican candidates were already surfacing Thursday afternoon . According to a congressional source , Illinois state Sen. Darin LaHood — the son of former Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood — is planning to run .
LaHood opted out of challenging Schock before and , according to the source , has been laying low watching the scandal plays out . He is expected to announce his candidacy on Wednesday , the source said .
The scandal surrounding the Illinois Republican 's spending practices has ballooned since a Washington Post profile of his whimsically decorated office published last month raised initial questions about his finances .
Schock ended up paying back the government the $ 40,000 it cost to redecorate his office in the style of the popular PBS drama `` Downton Abbey , '' but the controversy did n't stop there . The Illinois Republican later came under scrutiny for flights on private jets — including planes owned by key donors — concert tickets and other entertainment expenses . He 's also under fire for lapses in reporting some of his expenses .
Most recently , The Associated Press reported on an array of Schock 's business dealings that involved his political contributors . A number of Schock 's associates had been contacted by investigators with the Office of Congressional Ethics , sources tell CNN , though the OCE did not respond to a request for comment .
With Schock 's resignation , the Congressional ethics investigation will go away . The ethics committee has jurisdiction over sitting members of Congress . But any other potential probes , including a criminal case , would continue .
A constituent visiting D.C. on Tuesday to meet with Schock 's staff about agriculture issues said that he was `` surprised '' and `` sad '' that the congressman had resigned .
`` I 'm very surprised that that happened . I 'm sad that it happened , especially the way that it did , '' Ted Mottaz , a resident of Elmwood , Illinois , told CNN just outside of Schock 's Capitol Hill office .
Schock , he said , had done a good job representing his district and his group 's interests .
Local news back in the district had carried coverage of the scandal , but Mottaz said he had n't expected the congressman 's spending issues to result in his resignation .
`` When I first went into the office I was just — I was flabbergasted at the size . And I was flabbergasted the next time I came back , how it was decorated , '' Mottaz said .
`` And then today , we were in the main part , and it was beautiful , but I 'm not sure — I 'm not sure if it 's really that bad , but it 's still kind of a questionable statement that makes , '' Mottaz added .
CORRECTION : An earlier version of this story misstated when Rep. Michael Grimm resigned . | 4y1w5cQhwl4L20oI | 0 | Politics | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/16/nyregion/bill-de-blasio-president.html | Mayor Bill de Blasio Enters 2020 Race for President | 2019-05-16 | elections | [ Where does Bill de Blasio stand on the issues ? Find out here . ]
In precampaign stops in Iowa , South Carolina and New Hampshire , Mr. de Blasio has said that the country is witnessing “ the dawning of a new progressive era. ” In interviews , he has said that his leadership in New York should be seen as a model for how “ you can make profound progressive change and make it quickly . ”
He is fond of citing his “ pre-K for all ” program as a prime example ; it was one of Mr. de Blasio ’ s earliest initiatives , and it remains his largest success . He has also highlighted his role in ending the policing practice of stop-question-and-frisk , which a federal judge ruled discriminated against black and Latino men .
Mr. de Blasio often says that he has a “ story to tell ” about New York ’ s accomplishments , but his own narrative is also compelling . He was born Warren Wilhelm Jr. to a German-American father and an Italian-American mother ; his father , a veteran who struggled with alcoholism , later killed himself . His relationship with his father was strained , and Mr. de Blasio eventually took his mother ’ s last name .
Raised in Massachusetts , Mr. de Blasio attended New York University and became a leftist activist who admired Nicaragua ’ s ruling Sandinista party . He later ran campaigns for Hillary Clinton and Charles B. Rangel , and then ran for office himself , winning elections to become a New York City councilman , public advocate and mayor .
He and Ms. McCray , who has spearheaded ThriveNYC , the city ’ s mental health initiative , have two children . Their biracial family ’ s prominence played a large role in his 2013 bid for mayor ; a pivotal campaign ad featured his son , Dante , whose giant Afro gained its own following .
Some of Mr. de Blasio ’ s colleagues have scoffed at the idea of him becoming president and have urged him to abandon his exploration of occupying the White House and instead focus on a bevy of nagging issues in New York City such as crumbling public housing , high levels of homelessness and problem-plagued subways . Mr. de Blasio said that many of the answers for what ails the city actually lie 200 miles beyond its borders in the nation ’ s capital .
“ I am concerned that I think right now our federal government is not helping New York City in a whole host of ways and we ’ re being hurt all the time by bad policies in Washington , ” Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference last month . He cited the lack of a national infrastructure plan and fractured health care policies . “ So real changes are needed in our country , ” he said . “ If they don ’ t happen , New York City continues to suffer . ” | euacemKZRlt7Lrv4 | 0 | Election2020 | 0 | Bill De Blasio | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
elections | Wall Street Journal - News | http://www.wsj.com/articles/final-debate-hillary-clinton-donald-trump-enter-last-face-off-before-election-day-1476918864 | Final Debate: Donald Trump Declines to Commit to Respecting Results if He Loses | elections | LAS VEGAS— Donald Trump refused Wednesday to commit to respecting the results of the presidential election if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton wins , hinting at a challenge to one of the longtime traditions of American democracy .
“ I will tell you at the time . I will keep you in suspense , ” the Republican nominee said here at the third and final presidential debate . “ That ’ s horrifying , ” Mrs. Clinton replied . “ That is not the way our democracy works . ”
The debate at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas was a chance for Mr. Trump to regain momentum in the presidential race , which national and battleground state polls show Mrs. Clinton leading . But the evening ’ s most striking moment came when moderator Chris Wallace asked if the GOP nominee would follow the guidance of his running mate Mike Pence and his daughter , Ivanka , and support the winner even if it wasn ’ t him .
Mr. Trump demurred , and said Mrs. Clinton ’ s very candidacy was proof of conspiracy against him , citing her improper use of private email as secretary of state . “ She should not be allowed to run . Just in that respect , I say it ’ s rigged , ” he said .
Reaction was swift , and negative , from some quarters . “ If he loses it will not be because the system is ‘ rigged , ’ but because he failed as a candidate , ” said Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) , who competed with Mr. Trump in the GOP primaries .
The debate started with a more measured tone compared with their first two showdowns , as Mr. Trump sought to present a more presidential posture that could reassure wavering Republicans and independents about his candidacy . He and Mrs. Clinton offered differing visions over social , economic and foreign policy , and attacked one another harshly over their personal conduct .
Mrs. Clinton pointed to his complaints about his defeat in the Iowa primary , the lawsuit against Trump University and losing an Emmy for his reality TV show . “ Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction , he claims whatever it is , is rigged against him , ” she said .
Mr. Trump ’ s response to the query differed from the one he gave in the first debate . “ If she wins , I will absolutely support her , ” he said then , though he added that he doubted she would win . The differing answers reflect the contours of the race over the course of the three presidential debates . At that time , polls were tighter and Mr. Trump was seen as having momentum . Since the first face-off in New York , the advantage has shifted to Mrs. Clinton , giving her a double-digit lead in several national polls .
The bitterness that has developed in recent weeks between the two camps spilled over toward the end of the debate , when Mr. Trump interrupted Mrs. Clinton and called her “ such a nasty woman . ”
The election has featured scant discussion over social issues , but Mr. Wallace put these matters on the table at the start with a discussion over the Supreme Court , a timely matter given that a vacancy currently on the court .
Mr. Trump promised he would appoint justices who would overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion decision and protect gun rights . “ They will have a conservative bent , ” he said . “ I will be appointing pro-life judges . ”
Mrs. Clinton said she would choose justices who would protect abortion rights , same-sex marriage and overturn Citizens United , which removed limits on corporate and union spending in elections . “ The Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people , not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy , ” she said .
But the debate soon tilted toward the personal attacks that have dominated this presidential contest . Mrs. Clinton accused Mr. Trump of being a “ puppet ” of Russian President Vladimir Putin , whom she tied to the hack of her campaign chairman ’ s personal email account . “ No puppet , ” Mr. Trump shot back at Mrs. Clinton . “ You ’ re the puppet . ”
“ It ’ s pretty clear that you won ’ t admit that the Russians engaged in cyberattacks , that you encouraged spying against our people , that you are willing to spout the Putin line , ” Mrs. Clinton said .
“ She has no idea , ” Mr. Trump said . “ Putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way . ”
On immigration , Mr. Trump emphasized border security , and the wall he wants to build on the southern border . “ We have no country if we have no border , ” he said . He accused Mrs. Clinton of supporting “ amnesty ” for those in the country illegally .
Mrs. Clinton said she voted when she was in the Senate for border security as part of a larger immigration package , but wants to give safe harbor to illegal immigrant already living in the U.S. “ I don ’ t want to rip families apart . I don ’ t want to be sending parents away from children , ” she said . “ I don ’ t want to see the deportation force that Donald has talked about in action in our country . ”
On the economy , Mrs. Clinton offered a positive vision , something her advisers saw as an imperative for her going into the debate . She promised the “ biggest jobs program since World War II ” by investing in infrastructure and advanced manufacturing . She said she would increase the minimum wage and make college “ debt free ” for some families .
“ His whole plan is to cut taxes , give the biggest tax breaks ever to the wealthy and add $ 20 trillion to our debt , ” she said . “ It will truly be trickle-down economics . ”
Mr. Trump said he wanted to “ get government out of the taxes and regulations ” and promised to end the North American Free Trade Agreement , the free-trade agreement with Mexico and Canada .
“ We are going to cut taxes massively , ” Mr. Trump said . “ We are going to start the engine rolling again . ”
He blamed Mrs. Clinton and her husband , former President Bill Clinton , for Nafta , which Mr. Clinton signed , and for backing the pending Trans Pacific Partnership . Mrs. Clinton again vowed to oppose the Asian trade deal but moved fast to turn the trade issue against Mr. Trump , saying he had bought Chinese steel and aluminum for his buildings . Mr. Trump replied that Mrs. Clinton had been in office for 30 years and asked why she didn ’ t “ make it impossible for me to do that . ”
“ He goes around with crocodile tears about how terrible it is , but he has given jobs to Chinese steelworkers , not American steelworkers , ” Mrs. Clinton said .
The former secretary of state pivoted off that critique to contrast their respective careers . “ When I was in the Situation Room monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice , he was hosting the ‘ Celebrity Apprentice , ’ ” she said .
“ I ’ m happy to compare my 30 years of experience , what I have done for this country , trying to help in every way I could…with your 30 years , and I will let the American people make that decision . ”
The question of Mr. Trump ’ s conduct with women again surfaced . He accused the women who have charged since the last debate that he groped or kissed them without permission of lying . “ I think they want either fame or her campaign did it . I think it ’ s her campaign , ” he said .
Mrs. Clinton replied by quoting Mr. Trump ’ s defense , offered at rallies , that these women weren ’ t attractive enough to warrant such advances .
“ Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger . He goes after their dignity , their self-worth , and I don ’ t think there is a woman anywhere who doesn ’ t know what that feels like , ” she said .
Leaving here after their final debate , the Democratic nominee has the upper hand heading into the home stretch , leading in many polls and enjoying a big cash advantage as the candidates concentrate on Ohio , North Carolina and Pennsylvania , where both will be campaigning in the coming days , as well as Florida .
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton , in their final debate on Wednesday , offered a vision of what America would look like — if the other were elected . How grim did they get ? WSJ ’ s Jason Bellini has # TheShortAnswer .
The two candidates are supposed to begin the postdebate phase of the campaign with a few jokes .
The White House contenders will reunite in New York on Thursday for the Al Smith charity dinner , where candidates traditionally poke fun at themselves and offer gracious comments to one another .
Maureen Sherry , a board member for the foundation that puts on the dinner , said candidates in past years have mixed easily even in the closing weeks of fiercely fought campaigns , including at a small private reception that precedes the televised dinner . Organizers are wondering what will happen this time .
“ My hope is that they can set aside this vitriol and this terrible feeling that ’ s been created for each other , ” she said . “ Maybe something to add some levity or elegance to what has been the most horrible campaign we have witnessed in our lifetime . ”
In the coming days , both candidates will campaign in Pennsylvania , a traditionally Democratic state that is must-win for Mr. Trump , and in North Carolina , a traditionally Republican state where demographic changes are shifting the electorate toward the Democrats .
Mrs. Clinton is trying to expand the presidential battleground map with a $ 2 million push in Arizona , where polls show a virtual tie . On Thursday , first lady Michelle Obama , one of the Democrat ’ s most powerful surrogates , will campaign in Phoenix .
Mr. Trump ’ s effort to expand his map into Wisconsin and Michigan appears to be faltering ; polls show Mrs. Clinton firmly ahead in both places .
But her chances have dimmed in Iowa , where she hasn ’ t campaigned since September and where polls show Mr. Trump ahead . The race appears tied in Ohio , where Mr. Trump plans to campaign Thursday and Mrs. Clinton visits Friday . | SfTQ6mfdwxro7Uwr | 1 | Donald Trump | -0.2 | Hillary Clinton | -0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | |
healthcare | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/obamacare-provision-postponed-93677.html?hp=l1 | Key Obamacare rule for business delayed for year | 2013-07-02 | healthcare | The move does not affect the individual mandate . Obamacare rule for business delayed
The Obama administration is postponing the federal health care law ’ s insurance mandate for employers next year , in a major concession to the business community and lawmakers who have become increasingly vocal about the law ’ s potential to damage a slowly recovering economy .
The announcement doesn ’ t affect the main coverage tools in the law — the individual mandate and the new subsidized insurance markets . But it could boost the cost of the law if more people end up seeking subsidies instead of getting covered on the job .
The delay , revealed just as the administration was stepping up efforts to educate the public about enrollment this fall , is at least partial proof of what Republicans have been predicting for months : that the health law is way too complex to be ready to go live in 2014 . And that ’ s a message that may well resonate all through next year - including the 2014 midterm elections .
“ Obamacare costs too much and it isn ’ t working the way the administration promised , ” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) said after Treasury announced the one-year delay . “ And while the White House seems to slowly be admitting what Americans already know , and what I hear consistently in my travels around Kentucky regarding the regulatory burden on employers , the fact remains that Obamacare needs to be repealed and replaced with common-sense reforms that actually lower costs for Americans . ”
Speaker John Boehner ’ s press secretary Brendan Buck tweeted simply : “ Obamacare . Such a train wreck . ”
“ Absolutely thrilled by # ObamaCare delay , ” Republican operative Brad Dayspring tweeted . “ Will help # GOP candidates across the board in 2014 . Debate will be a repeat of 2010 . ”
The Treasury Department , which is in charge of the employer mandate , said it recognized that the steps businesses have to take to show they were complying with the rules were complex and a burden . Treasury said it would try to streamline them over the next year .
There will be no penalties in 2014 for businesses that don ’ t cover workers . Most large businesses do cover their workers . Small businesses , with fewer than 50 workers , were already exempt from the rule .
The delay was announced as Washington was already emptying for the July 4 holiday . It comes in the shadow of a mounting pile of criticisms of the employer mandate . There ’ s been a push by some business groups and lawmakers so that only people working 40 or more hours a week would be covered . The health law currently says 30 hours is full time , and some businesses and more recently , school districts , have complained that they would have to cut their employees hours to escape the mandate penalties .
The move is also likely to raise the prices tag of Obamacare by making more people eligible for subsidies , namely those whom employers would have covered under the threat of penalties under the law . Employers with 50 or more “ full-time equivalent ” employees were required under law to provide affordable insurance or else pay $ 2,000 per year penalty per employee .
The employer mandate ’ s penalties were expected to reduce the deficit by $ 5 billion in 2014 , according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate published in February . | vC7iDff8SkKD8XZY | 0 | Obamacare | -0.5 | Healthcare | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
bridging_divides | Guest Writer - Right | https://townhall.com/columnists/tuckercarlsonandneilpatel/2019/08/09/take-a-breath-america-is-still-a-decent-country-filled-with-decent-people-n2551403 | Take a Breath; America Is Still a Decent Country Filled With Decent People | 8/9/19 | bridging_divides | What 's the point at which rhetoric forces action ? When do words become incitement ? At what point do political attacks get so reckless and unhinged that you can no longer heal the divide they create with politics ? It 's hard to know exactly , but the left is getting very close . Take , for example , this exchange on MSNBC , in which frequent guest Malcolm Nance accuses the president of the United States of sending secret messages to neo-Nazis :
`` These people feel that they are the foot soldiers and executors of the disenfranchisement that the white race is feeling , and Donald Trump is giving them subliminal orders in their head , '' Nance said .
Subliminal orders ? Whatever Trump 's faults , you can be certain he is n't doing that . Trump is the least subliminal politician in American history . He has no subtext . If he 's thinking it , he says it . The claim is ludicrous . But at MSNBC , it was n't even the weirdest thing recently said on air . That distinction goes to Frank Figliuzzi , a former FBI official turned talking head-conspiracy nut . He used numerology to explain the president 's coded messages :
`` It 's the little things and the language and messaging that matters , '' Figliuzzi said . `` The president said that we will fly our flags at half-mast until Aug. 8 . That 's 8/8 . Now , I 'm not going to imply that he did this deliberately , but I am using it as an example of the ignorance of the adversary that 's being demonstrated by the White House . The numbers 8 , 8 are very significant in neo-Nazi and white supremacy movement . Why ? Because the letter H is the eighth letter of the alphabet , and to them , the numbers 8 , 8 together stand for 'Heil Hitler . ''
Got that ? Eight is a racist number . That 's MSNBC 's position . In other words , things are getting dangerously crazy on the left . How crazy ? On Monday , former Jeb Bush spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace explained that Trump is planning a genocide of Hispanic Americans :
`` President ( Barack ) Obama used the power of the presidency to try to pass comprehensive immigration reform with the Latino community , Latino leaders at the table , '' Wallace said . `` You now have a president ... talking about exterminating Latinos . ''
`` Exterminating Latinos . '' Keep in mind Trump got a higher percentage of the Hispanic vote than Mitt Romney did . It turns out that not all Latinos believe in open borders . A lot of them agree with Trump . And yet , the left is now telling you — and demanding that you believe — that anyone who supports Trump is a white supremacist and must be destroyed . They 're telling you that for political reasons . It 's election season , and they want more power . But there are other reasons , too .
Ever wonder why rich people seem the most hysterical on the subject ? Ever notice that it 's the highest-paid people on TV who are the most determined to convince you white supremacy is America 's biggest problem ? Why is that ? Simple : Every minute you spend angry about race is a minute you 're not thinking about class — which , of course , is the real divide in this country . Working-class people of all colors have a lot more in common with each other than they do with some overpaid MSNBC anchor . If you were allowed to think about that long enough , you might start to get unauthorized ideas about economics . That would be disruptive to a very lucrative status quo . So they whip you into a frenzy of racial fear so that it never enters your mind . It 's a diversion . Everyone else hates each other . They get to keep their money . Pretty tricky . Unfortunately , it 's destroying the country . This is the path to civil war .
So we want to take a second to pass on a sincere message to official Washington : Please , for the sake of the nation , calm down . Yes , America has problems . Racism is one of those problems . But so are a fading middle class , a terrifying drug epidemic , and a national debt that is growing by $ 1 trillion a year .
People realize their country is declining , and it 's making them turn to new political leaders . Trump was one of them . Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are others .
This is a time of frustration and change . But America is not on the brink of genocide , not even close . This is not a white supremacist country , plotting the slaughter of its own people . It 's a kind country , full of decent people of all races who , like all people everywhere , make bad decisions from time to time but mean well and generally try their best . Going forward , give them the benefit of the doubt , even when you disagree with them — maybe especially when you disagree with them . These are your fellow Americans . Cut them a break . They deserve it . Remember : The alternative is a disaster . | 02bc50fbdd5daa7d | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | The Dispatch | https://thedispatch.com/p/a-fundamental-flub-from-the-cdc | A Fundamental Flub From The CDC | 2020-05-22 | Coronavirus, Public Health, CDC, Domestic Policy, Facts And Fact Checking, Healthcare | ‘I can’t for the life of me get my head wrapped around why we haven’t fixed something as simple as that.’ After two months lived under the threat of coronavirus, the key characteristic of the crisis remains uncertainty. We don’t know where the virus came from. We still don’t know for sure all the ways it attacks the body, which is a big part of why we still don’t know how best to treat it. We certainly don’t know how to cure it. And as it spreads—despite our best efforts, among asymptomatic carriers and carriers not yet symptomatic and carriers who have no choice but to keep coming into contact with others—we still don’t know with nearly enough precision to whom exactly it has already spread. On this last question, at least, we’d seemingly been making strong progress in recent days. After a rocky April, during which America’s COVID testing apparatus struggled to keep up with the demand of spiking cases, we righted the ship in May: According to official state data accumulated by the COVID Tracking Project, the last day we processed fewer than 200,000 tests was April 27, and we’ve averaged more than 350,000 a day over the last week. Over the past month, the percentage of new tests coming back positive—a key metric of how successfully our testing operation is growing relative to the growth of the pandemic itself—has gone from north of 20 percent down to a much more encouraging 5 percent to 6 percent. We’ve known for a while there were blips in this data. On May 13, The Atlantic reported that the state of Virginia was fudging its testing numbers by combining the results of two incomparable types of tests in their official number: the PCR or nasal swab test, which determines whether a person is currently harboring the virus, and the serology blood test, which checks for COVID-fighting antibodies to determine whether a person has ever had the virus. Serology tests are useful in many ways: People who are shown already to have had the virus can likely safely re-enter the workforce, and their donated plasma is among the most promising early treatments doctors have discovered for people still suffering from the virus. At the macro level, knowing what percentage of the population has already been exposed is a crucial factor in many public health decisions. But when it comes to the most pressing current reason for testing—knowing how many new cases are cropping up in a given region—they are useless. Combining the two, therefore, is an extremely foolish strategy that seriously obscures the public health situation. After the fudging in Virginia was revealed, the government apologized and pledged to separate the data, and that seemed to be the end of it. Only it turns out that this issue was far more widespread than anyone had previously thought. This week, we learned that not only Virginia, but also Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Vermont, and Maine had been likewise combining their testing data. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control had been doing the same thing at the national level—combining the two types of tests in their own state-by-state totals even in cases where states had reported them separately. The news is a blow, one which casts serious doubt on the formerly encouraging testing numbers. What accounts for this extremely basic categorization error? In at least one state, the answer appears to have been politics of the “prisoner’s dilemma” variety. “If another state is including serological tests, and they’re ranked above Virginia, and we are not, and we’re getting criticized for that, hey, you can’t win either way,” a top Virginia official told reporters earlier this month. “Now we are including them, and our ranking will be better, and we’re being criticized.” The CDC’s decision to begin lumping the data this week has seemingly given the other states cover to fess up to the practice, too. In a statement, the Georgia Department of Public Health insisted that it was “following current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention methodology” in lumping the numbers together. What’s less clear is why the CDC opted to do the same in the first place. While many have assumed that this, too, was a political decision designed to airbrush the federal pandemic response, it’s unclear that lumping all the nation’s PRC and serology tests together would actually lower the test-positivity rate overall. In states that are still early on in their pandemic curves, lumping in serology tests drives down the rate dramatically. But in states like New York and New Jersey that have already crested the wave of new infections, lumping in serology tests would actually bump test-positivity higher, since so many people have already had the disease. As time goes on, and the ratio of people who have the disease compared to those who have had it continues to shrink, combining the data would serve less and less of a political purpose to anybody. In other words, it’s an open question whether putting serology and PCR tests in the same data bucket actually makes the data look rosier. What’s undeniable is that it makes the data itself far, far worse. “It’s horrible,” Dr. Howard Forman, a professor of public health at Yale, told The Dispatch. “It’s like the stupidest thing to do, and it doesn’t even serve any political end. I don’t even think that they’re doing it purposely to be deceptive. I think they’re being lazy.” If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that this problem, now brought to light, shouldn’t be too difficult to rectify. Keeping these two dissimilar data sets separate statistically is the easiest thing in the world; all states and the CDC have to do is stop mixing them. Within a week or two, we’ll hopefully have a clear picture again of where our testing operation stands. The bigger issue, Forman said, is how this debacle reflects on the reliability of the CDC and their aptness to handle the current crisis in general. For months, the CDC has done a subpar job tracking and publishing state testing numbers at all, largely ceding that collating work to outside outfits like the COVID Tracking Project. For them now to have flubbed such a foundational element of that work is not an encouraging sign. “Let’s face it: The apparatus that you would have to put in place to have done this part of things really well is tiny,” Forman said. “It’s a less than a million-dollar-a-year operation, right? Four analysts with phones and a couple of higher-level associates tracking data from 50 states, telling them the deadline that they have to have for reporting data to you… I can’t for the life of me get my head wrapped around why we haven’t fixed something as simple as that.” Photograph by Paul Hennessy/Echoes WIre/Barcroft Media/Getty Images. Your membership includes the ability to share articles with friends. Share this article with a friend by clicking the button below. Please note that we at The Dispatch hold ourselves, our work, and our commenters to a higher standard than other places on the internet. We welcome comments that foster genuine debate or discussion—including comments critical of us or our work—but responses that include ad hominem attacks on fellow Dispatch members or are intended to stoke fear and anger may be moderated. With your membership, you only have the ability to comment on The Morning Dispatch articles. Consider upgrading to join the conversation everywhere. You're in! You'll start receiving our flagship newsletters. Use the options below to copy or email a special link so that friends or family can access this article without a subscription. | f2b50f76261b3212 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Vox | https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/6/18/18684463/trump-2020-reelection-speech-rally-keep-america-great | 2 winners and 4 losers from Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign launch speech | 2019-06-18 | elections | President Donald Trump is , officially , off and running in pursuit of a second term in the White House .
Trump ’ s campaign kickoff rally in Orlando , Florida , featured a lot of talk about freedom , a lot of talk about Hillary Clinton , and hardline immigration rhetoric . All the classics showed up : Make America Great Again . Keep America Great . Four More Years . The event was held in Trump ’ s strongest swing state and one of the few competitive 2020 states where he is still barely above water with voters as his campaign gets underway .
It was an angry speech , with Trump lashing out at the “ fake news ” media , at special counsel Robert Mueller and his team of prosecutors , at Democrats , whom he portrayed as posing an existential crisis to America as Trump understands it .
“ Our radical Democrat opponents are driven by hatred , prejudice , and rage , ” Trump said . “ and want to destroy you and they want to destroy our country as we know it . ”
He dragged Clinton back into the center of his 2020 narrative ( and gave a bad impression of her to do it , one of the night ’ s losers ) . Everything Trump has done as president , meanwhile , was a winner , at least in his book : the best , the greatest , with the lowest unemployment and poverty rates . Any sense of perspective , on the other hand , was lost .
Left unsaid , of course , were Trump ’ s dismal approval ratings , the poor internal polling from his campaign that leaked to the media in the last week , and many of the myriad scandals that have plagued his presidency since his first day as president . Trump pushed back against the negative narratives ( especially regarding Robert Mueller ’ s investigation ) and tried to project confidence about his reelection chances .
The crowd really loved it . The president was in his element . He ’ d regularly depart from the podium for a short walk to soak up their adulation . Trump 2020 was underway .
Here are two winners and four losers from the speech .
It took Trump about 90 seconds to call out the “ fake news ” media covering his campaign kickoff .
“ By the way , that is a lot of fake news back there , ” the president said .
At times , Trump sounded like he was running against the media in 2020 as much as any Democrat — and , honestly , he probably thinks about it that way . His first term has been plagued by the scandals revealed in the Mueller investigation , and in his mind , the media coverage is to blame .
“ We went to the greatest witch hunt in political history , ” Trump said , “ and the only collusion was committed by the Democrats , the fake news media and their operatives and the people who funded the phony dossier : crooked Hillary Clinton and the DNC . ”
But he could also turn his framing of the media as “ fake news ” to his advantage , like when he slammed “ career politicians ” for manufacturing jobs evaporating in the United States ( as opposed to , say , the automation of many production lines ) :
The people trying to stop our movement in Washington who spend their careers rigging the system so your losses will be there will be their game . These are the same career politicians presided over decades of flat wages , loss of our manufacturing jobs , 60,000 . Can you believe it ? Who would believe that number ? You know how I know it is true . if it wasn ’ t , I ’ ve been using it a lot . The fake news would have the headlines : Trump used the phony number . They ’ d have headlines . It would be the biggest story . They never corrected it , so I assume that 60,000 shuttered factories be closed up .
Trump has gotten a lot of mileage out of convincing his supporters that most of the news they read isn ’ t true , still reveling in the 2016 election forecasts that predicted his loss and turned out to be wrong . The media — and a Democrat who won ’ t be on the ballot in 2020 but appeared in Trump ’ s speech more than anybody who is running — seems like Trump ’ s opponent in the presidential race . Neither will come out unscathed .
It ’ s not the most important thing , but for as much as Trump has attacked Hillary Clinton over the past four years , you would think he ’ d have a better impression of her to roll out onstage .
TRUMP : `` This election is a verdict on whether we want to live in a country where the people will lose an election , refuse to concede and spend the next two years trying to shred our Constitution and rip your country apart . '' pic.twitter.com/cU1zOtqsCB — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) June 19 , 2019
Anyway , the real takeaway is how much Trump targeted Clinton ( and , to a lesser extent , Barack Obama ) rather than any of the Democrats actually vying to face him in 2020 . Former Vice President Joe Biden got a couple of name-checks . And the president attacked “ socialism ” broadly , with a single reference to “ crazy ” Sen. Bernie Sanders .
But otherwise , you could have plucked much of this speech out of 2016 .
By my count , President Trump has mentioned Hillary Clinton ( at least ) 7 times tonight in the span of about 30 minutes . Seven ! — Monica Alba ( @ albamonica ) June 19 , 2019
Clinton paid for the Steele dossier on Trump , he falsely claimed . She “ acid-washed ” her emails , he alleged . Over and over again , the president attacked his former opponent at the expense of any of the new faces . There was even a brief “ lock her up ” chant .
The Senate Republican leader wasn ’ t mentioned by name , but Trump bragged about appointing his 145th judge — a project prioritized by McConnell more than any other single politician . He has kept conservative judicial nominees moving through the Senate even as other legislating has been scarce .
Trump boasted about the percentage of federal judges on the bench who would be his appointees by the time he finishes his time in office , dinging Obama for leaving so many slots open for Trump to fill . McConnell , of course , had made it his mission in the last two years of Obama ’ s presidency to delay the filling of any judicial openings , up to and including the Supreme Court seat for which Obama nominated Merrick Garland .
“ By the time we ’ re finished with the rest we will have record percentages , our percentage will be a record except for one person and one person has a higher percentage than your favorite president , Donald Trump , do you know who that president is ? ” Trump said , painting his judicial record as historic ( and with good reason ) . “ His name is George Washington . ”
It ’ s easy to become numb to Trump ’ s hyperbole — it ’ s what makes the man , really — but look at these claims :
“ We went through the greatest witch hunt in political history . ”
“ They tried to erase your vote , erase your legacy of the greatest campaign and the greatest election probably in the history of our country . ”
“ We did it once and now we will do it again , and this time we will finish the job . This time should be a lot easier because we ’ ve done so much with our military and with our Second Amendment , with our regulations , with the biggest tax cut in history , with getting rid of so many different problems in so many different things . ”
“ We have to come up with a theme for the new campaign . Will it be Make America Great Again , which is probably in possibly the greatest theme in the history of politics ? ”
( He said several more times that MAGA — used by Ronald Reagan before him — as a political slogan was “ the greatest of all time . ” )
“ The unemployment rate is the lowest rate it ’ s been in over 51 years . Think of that . And as I said before about African Americans , I now say also about Hispanic American and Asian American unemployment have reached the lowest rates in the history of our country . And African American poverty has also reached by far the lowest rate in history . ”
“ Wages are rising at the fastest rate in many decades . And really what ’ s nice is they ’ re rising the fastest for the lowest-income Americans . ”
“ To get relief to working families , we passed the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history , the largest . ”
“ The United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world . And something I want to make clear to the media , we have among the cleanest and sharpest — crystal clean . You ’ ve heard me say it . ”
“ For the first time in half a century , we ’ ve reduced the price of prescription drugs . ”
It would be exhausting to try to fact-check all of these individual claims . Some of them might even be true , or close to it . But take prescription drugs , for example : Experts say what really happened is that spending on prescription drugs grew at a slower rate in 2018 than previous years . That is not the same thing as reducing drug prices .
But this is emblematic of how Trump also presents himself and how he will continue to do so through the upcoming campaign : Everything is the best , worst , or greatest . He ’ ll just hope voters are so overwhelmed that what sinks in for them is that , with Donald Trump , you will certainly get the most .
In this single clip , Trump promises to cure cancer , AIDS , and `` lay the foundation '' for a Mars landing -- all in his second term pic.twitter.com/aLZqbx2p3N — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) June 19 , 2019
Trump had some kind words for his attorney general , William Barr . He actually captured a correct and important bit of nuance from the Mueller investigation ’ s findings : It was not the special counsel ’ s office that concluded Trump hadn ’ t committed any crimes , but instead his self-appointed top law enforcement official .
“ They appointed 18 very angry Democrats to try to take down our incredible movement . After two years , 1.4 million pages of documents , 500 search warrants , 500 witnesses , 200,800 subpoenas and 40 FBI agents working around the clock and what did they come up with ? No collusion , ” Trump told the crowd . “ The facts that led our great attorney general to determine no obstruction , no collusion . ”
He later insinuated that his “ great attorney general ” might still be looking around for the emails Clinton deleted a half-decade ago .
The policy achievement Trump can most honestly claim and , frankly , the one he seems most proud of is repealing the Affordable Care Act ’ s individual mandate .
“ One of the worst things anybody has ever had to live through — we ’ ve gotten rid of the individual mandate , ” Trump said .
How many people are happy they no longer have to pay for the privilege of not paying the bad health insurance ? How many people are happy ? They are healthier . Every time you don ’ t have to make out a check in order to have the health care — think of that , you pay for the very distinct privilege of not having to pay what you had to pay a lot . Now you don ’ t have to pay if you don ’ t want it , you don ’ t have to .
The Republican tax plan did repeal the mandate , though that has not been a fatal blow to the Democratic health care law that Trump promised but failed to deliver . Enrollment on the law ’ s marketplaces has dipped only slightly , insurer participation have been steady , and the premiums for Obamacare plans have flattened . The law isn ’ t working perfectly , and Trump has tried to undermine it , but it has proven resilient even under a hostile administration .
But a win is a win , and it sounds like Trump will be touting this one a lot as he seeks reelection . | 7NKAYaLaoub76gFX | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | Election2020 | 0.1 | Presidential Elections | -0.1 | Elections | -0.1 | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/12/politics/bernie-sanders-democratic-debate/index.html | How Bernie Sanders turned himself into a serious presidential contender | 2015-10-12 | elections | The committed Democratic socialist and sometimes self-styled radical has consistently argued that his brand of populist politics can win elections . In Vermont , his rumpled persona and righteously indignant approach to economic inequality helped him climb from mayor of Burlington to congressman and U.S. senator .
Now he 'll find out whether he can have the same success nationally .
Sanders campaigns at the University of New Hampshire in September 2019 . A few days later , he took himself off the campaign trail after doctors treated a blockage in one of his arteries . The procedure came after Sanders experienced `` chest discomfort '' at another campaign event .
Sanders looks at his notes as he watches President Trump deliver the State of the Union address in February 2019 . That month , Sanders announced that he would be running for president again .
Sanders looks at his notes as he watches President Trump deliver the State of the Union address in February 2019 . That month , Sanders announced that he would be running for president again .
Sanders brings a giant printout of one of Donald Trump 's tweets to a Senate debate in January 2017 . In the tweet , Trump had promised not to cut Social Security , Medicare and Medicaid .
Sanders speaks at a rally in Santa Monica , California , in June 2016 . He pledged to stay in the Democratic race even though Clinton secured the delegates she needed to become the presumptive nominee .
Sanders speaks at a rally in Santa Monica , California , in June 2016 . He pledged to stay in the Democratic race even though Clinton secured the delegates she needed to become the presumptive nominee .
Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Ann Arbor , Michigan , in March 2016 . He won the state 's primary the next day , an upset that delivered a sharp blow to Clinton 's hopes of quickly securing the nomination .
Sanders and his wife , Jane , wave to the crowd during a primary night rally in Concord , New Hampshire , in February 2016 . Sanders defeated Clinton in the New Hampshire primary with 60 % of the vote , becoming the first Jewish candidate to win a presidential primary .
Comedian Larry David and Sanders appear together on `` Saturday Night Live '' in February 2016 . David had played Sanders in a series of sketches throughout the campaign season .
Sanders sits with rapper and activist Killer Mike at the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta in November 2015 . That evening , Killer Mike introduced Sanders at a campaign event in the city . `` I 'm talking about a revolutionary , '' the rapper told supporters . `` In my heart of hearts , I truly believe that Sen. Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country . ''
Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader , a Muslim student , during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax , Virginia . Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States , Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and `` build a nation in which we all stand together as one people . ''
Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader , a Muslim student , during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax , Virginia . Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States , Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and `` build a nation in which we all stand together as one people . ''
Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a campaign rally in August 2015 , a dozen protesters from Seattle 's Black Lives Matter chapter jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone from the senator . Holding a banner that said `` Smash Racism , '' two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson , left , and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- began to address the crowd .
In July 2015 , two months after announcing he would be seeking the Democratic Party 's nomination for President , Sanders spoke to nearly 10,000 supporters in Madison , Wisconsin . `` Tonight we have made a little bit of history , '' he said . `` You may know that some 25 candidates are running for President of the United States , but tonight we have more people at a meeting for a candidate for President of the United States than any other candidate has . ''
In March 2015 , Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare .
In March 2015 , Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare .
Sanders and US Rep. Jeff Miller , chairman of the House Committee on Veterans ' Affairs , walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014 . Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans ' Affairs .
Sanders and US Rep. Jeff Miller , chairman of the House Committee on Veterans ' Affairs , walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014 . Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans ' Affairs .
Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration 's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts . Three days later , Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts . His speech , which lasted more than eight hours , was published in book form in 2011 . It is called `` The Speech : A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class . ''
Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration 's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts . Three days later , Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts . His speech , which lasted more than eight hours , was published in book form in 2011 . It is called `` The Speech : A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class . ''
Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew , director of The Health Center in Plainfield , Vermont , in May 2007 . Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center .
Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew , director of The Health Center in Plainfield , Vermont , in May 2007 . Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center .
Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol in January 2007 . He won his Senate seat with 65 % of the vote .
Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol in January 2007 . He won his Senate seat with 65 % of the vote .
Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House . Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman .
Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House . Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman .
Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990 . He was running for the US House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988 .
Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990 . He was running for the US House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988 .
In 1987 , Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album . `` We Shall Overcome '' was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies . When Sanders entered the US presidential race in 2015 , the album surged in online sales . But at a CNN town hall , Sanders said , `` It 's the worst album ever recorded . ''
Sanders , right , tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984 . US Sen. Patrick Leahy , center , was also on hand .
Sanders , right , tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984 . US Sen. Patrick Leahy , center , was also on hand .
Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington , Vermont , in 1981 . He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes .
Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington , Vermont , in 1981 . He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes .
Sanders , right , leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962 . The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago . It was Chicago 's first civil rights sit-in .
Sanders , right , leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962 . The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago . It was Chicago 's first civil rights sit-in .
US Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Chicago in March 2019 . Sanders , an independent from Vermont , is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress .
US Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Chicago in March 2019 . Sanders , an independent from Vermont , is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress .
The first Democratic debate of the 2016 presidential season on Tuesday — sponsored by CNN and Facebook — offers Sanders his best chance to argue that his campaign is not merely a summertime lark fueled by fickle millennials , but instead a sturdy and battle-ready movement that can span 50 states and capture the nomination and the White House .
Ahead of the showdown in Las Vegas , Sanders spent the weekend making the case he 's not out of the mainstream , repeatedly arguing that it 's `` not a radical idea '' to think someone should be paid a livable wage or that students should not go into a lifetime of debt . `` I do n't think this is a leftist , extremist position , '' he said at a Saturday rally in Boulder , Colorado , referring to a $ 15 minimum wage .
Hillary Clinton 's failure to quiet the questions surrounding her use of a private e-mail account coupled with her establishment credentials have provided an opening for Sanders , who nearly matched her quarterly fundraising total with a $ 26 million haul .
`` He has been waiting for this his entire career , '' said Greg Guma , who wrote `` The People 's Republic : Vermont and the Sanders Revolution . '' `` This is Bernie getting his close-up . ''
Since announcing his candidacy in April , support for the 74-year-old Sanders has grown from 6 % to 24 % of registered Democratic voters , according to CNN/ORC polls . And he 's surged to a lead in New Hampshire , the state that has provided crucial support to the Clintons in the past .
But that wo n't be enough to win nationally . Sanders trails badly against Clinton— and Vice President Joe Biden -- in South Carolina and Nevada , according to a CNN/ORC poll released Monday morning . His problem is particularly acute when it comes to minority voters . In South Carolina , only 4 % of African-American voters back Sanders -- a number that jumps to 7 % if Biden does n't run .
So far , his response to any lingering doubts has been a simple one—massive crowds .
Over the course of roughly 30 days in the middle of the summer , 100,000 people turned out to see him , raising comparisons to Barack Obama 's 2008 campaign . In Madison , Wisconsin , 10,000 people showed up to hear Sanders bash oligarchs and Wall Street fat-cats . In the run-up to the debate , 22,000 heard him in Arizona and Colorado this weekend .
`` We were able to organize organically . We had n't hired 50 advance people , '' said Tad Devine , a Sanders adviser , recalling the early crowds . `` The crowds created this excitement and enthusiasm and gave us this incredible platform to begin to organize states . The thing that made it so interesting and attractive to us is that we were able to marry technology to it . ''
Even the candidate seems surprised by his appeal . Every time he takes the stage to see thousands of people waiting to see him , he does the same thing : Mouths the word `` whoa '' to himself .
But his primetime showdown with Clinton wo n't come in front of 20,000 people on a college campus . And in Clinton , he will face a seasoned debater and policy wonk , who many thought got the better of all of her opponents in 2008 . This means that for Democratic -- or Republican -- voters unfamiliar with him , their first peek at Sanders wo n't come in the type of setting that he has used to build momentum this year .
`` He is very relaxed and familiar , like a college professor just getting up there speaking , '' said John MacGovern , a Republican who debated Sanders the 2012 Senate race . `` But he can be very aggressive , very strong and he speaks loud and in a rat , tat , tat , tat , drum beat . ''
Guma , who once played Sanders in debate prep for his race against Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin in 1986 , said the senator has softened his style a bit .
`` Bernie is modulating his temperament . He is a brusque person who has a tendency to be dismissive , but he is accentuating the winning side of his personality , '' he said . `` He is trying to convince people that he is a candidate with mass appeal . ''
Before becoming a presidential candidate , Sanders , who friends say has studied the media and how messages and narratives are created , carefully cultivated a young and progressive following , with appearances on Bill Maher 's show where he sparred with Republicans . Weekly , for roughly a decade , he has joined popular progressive radio host Thom Hartmann for `` Brunch With Bernie '' town halls .
Sanders also steadily boosted his profile on social media — he now has almost 700,000 twitter followers and counts nearly 1.7 million likes on Facebook . And Sanders ' Reddit footprint is unmatched—his dedicated subreddit has 117,000 users to Clinton 's 760 .
Indeed , his crowds often fit the Reddit demographic — young , male city dwellers .
`` I would say a lot of my interest was spiked from Reddit , I subscribe to the Bernie Sanders subreddit so I 've been just kind of following what is going on , '' said Chris Knapp , a software engineer from Tucson and one of the 13,000 people who heard Sanders Friday night . `` It is a very active community . It is easy to just go to one source and keep up on all the information . It is a crowd sourcing of different news articles . That is how I found out about the rally tonight . ''
From June to August , Sanders nearly doubled his standing in the polls , grabbing nearly a third of the vote and much of the excitement . And Sanders ' voters are n't lukewarm . In Sanders they see a kind of prophetic figure who may have once been the wild-haired and wayward stepson of the Democratic Party , but is now its most passionate spokesman .
As Sanders took the stage in Boulder , before a crowd of 9,000 on Saturday , a woman behind him held a simple sign : `` Bernie : 30 Years of Truth . ''
Yet , for all of his talk of political revolution and stylistic and policy differences with the White House , Sanders sounds conventional and Obama-like when he talks about how he will govern and bend Republicans to his will .
`` I think we can do it . And I think that 's what the bully pulpit is about , '' he said Sunday on NBC 's Meet the Press , suggesting that he would mobilize protestors to descend on Washington to support his agenda . `` And that 's what organizing effort 's about . And that 's what this campaign is about . ''
While the sheer size of his crowds has been his best electability argument , they have also made him a target . Confronted by Black Lives Matter activists this summer , Sanders initially showed his trademark stubbornness , refusing to engage as he stayed on his economic message to the exclusion of race . By comparison , Clinton gave a speech in December 2014 where she said `` black lives matter , '' putting her ahead of her Democratic rivals , even as she had a tense exchange with activists later .
The interactions with young black millennials pushed Sanders to do something that he had n't done in the past—create a campaign staff and message that mirrored the diversity of the Democratic Party . He added lines to his stump speeches about racial disparities in the criminal justice system and met with key stakeholders on the issue .
`` I plead guilty—I should have been more sensitive at the beginning of this campaign to talk about this issue , '' he said in a New Yorker article this month , speaking about police brutality .
Sanders , once called a `` homeless waif '' by Bill Richardson while he was in the House , has been slow to gain establishment support , even as he makes the case for his electability . He just landed his first endorsement from a member of Congress -- Arizona Democrat Raul Grijalva -- while Clinton has well over 100 endorsements from Congress including over 60 % of Sanders ' colleagues in the Senate .
In August , he made his first ever appearance at a Democratic National Committee 's quarterly meeting , where he argued that the party he once called `` ideologically bankrupt '' needs him .
`` Democrats will not retain the White House , will not regain the Senate or the U.S. House , will not be successful in dozens of governors races all across this country , unless we generated excitement and momentum and produce a huge voter turnout , '' he said , clearly nodding to the size of his crowds . `` That turnout , that enthusiasm , will not happen with politics as usual . ''
And the least poll-tested candidate in the field -- someone who to this day does not pay a pollster -- Is now touting polls .
`` New polls confirm what we 've known for a long time -- we can win in both the primary and general elections , '' he tweeted recently . Sanders ' supporters have been invigorated , if not surprised , by his rise in national and state polling .
`` I did n't know that there was this kind of thirst in this country for real political change , '' said Russell Mendell , a 30-year old from Boulder who stood with his friends and waited for Sanders in the baking sun . `` I did n't know that people were paying as close attention as they are . ... Starting from where he started from to already be leading in some polls , it is phenomenal . ''
On banks and college affordability , he has staked out a position that is on the far left—he would break up the big banks and reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act and offer free tuition at public colleges .
But his record on guns has been mixed—he has opposed a federal law mandating a waiting period for gun purchases and voted against the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1993 . He has more recently said the goal should be to `` move forward in sensible ways , '' and has started to highlight his more recent support for gun control legislation . On Meet the Press Sunday , Sanders said he 's open to backing off his vote for a 2005 measure that shielded gun manufacturers from liability in lawsuits over shootings .
Ahead of the debate at two large rallies , Sanders has sharpened his message on immigration and guns , two issues that have the potential to trip him up against Clinton among progressives . Criticized by Latino elected officials for not mentioning immigration reform at all , Sanders now has a line in his speech about the need for comprehensive immigration reform , a push he helped scuttle in 2007 .
Aides said that the debate will offer an opportunity to address the electability question , but a more formal speech might also be in the works .
`` As we get more serious in this process , that is going to be an issue that a lot of voters raise and we 've known that from the beginning , '' Devine said . `` If you look at the history of the New Hampshire primaries and the Iowa caucuses , electability is an issue that those voters care a lot about—not only the ideas that candidates talk about but whether or not those ideas can be lead into action and Bernie will continue to talk about that . '' | ubN8jxv1TpgjIcKo | 0 | Bernie Sanders | -0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0.1 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/politics/obama-netanyahu-relationship/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | The personal tension between Obama, Netanyahu | 2014-10-29 | foreign_policy | Story highlights The relationship between the U.S. and Israel is hitting new lows
An Obama administration official was quoted as calling Israeli PM `` chickens -- t ''
Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu have n't liked each other for years -- they just are n't bothering to hide it anymore .
Long time observers of the U.S.-Israeli relationship struggle to remember when the personal chemistry between the leaders of the two countries was so bad . Even the Israeli prime minister has compared their relationship to that of a bickering `` old couple . ''
The latest example of their dysfunctional marriage emerged Tuesday when a senior Obama administration official was quoted calling the Israeli leader a `` chickens * * t '' who does n't match war talk with action . The unnamed official , speaking to Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg , was only saying in public what key Obama aides have been muttering privately for years .
`` You have a dysfunctional relationship between Netanyahu and Obama , '' said Aaron David Miller , a former US Middle East peace negotiator .
JUST WATCHED Lapid : Relationship with U.S. in crisis Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Lapid : Relationship with U.S. in crisis 05:30
JUST WATCHED Harsh words strain U.S.-Israel relations Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Harsh words strain U.S.-Israel relations 01:41
A senior official with a prominent pro-Israel policy organization in Washington said : `` These guys do n't like each other , they do n't pretend to like each other . ''
Netanyahu offered a pointed response to the Goldberg article , saying he 's `` not prepared to make concessions that endanger our state . ''
The relationship is troubled on multiple fronts . Goldberg also reported that the Israeli leader had `` written off '' the White House , an insult to an administration that still has two years in office . And tensions flared last week when the White House denied Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon meetings with Vice President Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry .
The administration tried to contain the fallout from Goldberg 's story on Wednesday . Alistair Baskey , a spokesperson for the National Security Council , said Obama and Netanyahu have `` forged an effective partnership , and consult closely and frequently . ''
Still , irritants have long tested the alliance between Washington and the Jewish state — over peace talks , wars in Lebanon and Gaza , settlements and Israeli military action in places like Iraq and Syria .
But the dislike between Netanyahu and Obama is particularly acute -- and personal . Goldberg lists a stunning string of insults he has heard officials fire off at Netanyahu over the years , including `` recalcitrant , myopic , reactionary , obtuse , blustering , pompous and 'Aspergery . ' ''
The Netanyahu-Obama relationship has played out in a series of awkward photo-ops , anonymous quotes in US and Israeli media and tense body language . White House officials were apoplectic in 2011 when Netanyahu lectured Obama in the Oval Office about the history of peace talks and warned him not to fall prey to `` illusions . ''
The same year , Obama was caught on an open mic , telling then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy : `` You 're fed up with him ? I have to deal with him every day . ''
The White House , for all its official praise for the `` unshakeable bonds '' between the U.S. and Israel , blames what it sees as Netanyahu 's intransigence over Jewish settlement policy and his playing to a domestic political gallery for the collapse of John Kerry 's peace drive with the Palestinians .
Key officials fumed at Netanyahu 's open backing for Republican Mitt Romney during Obama 's re-election campaign and over what they see as interference in American politics through his strong ties to hawks in Congress .
But the roots of the animosity lie deeper — in sharply differing perceptions of the threat posed by Iran — an issue coming to a head with a deadline looming for a deal between Tehran and world powers next month .
For Obama , the Iranian nuclear challenge is another crisis to be managed , and a test case of his doctrine that the United States should be prepared to talk to its enemies . But people familiar with Netanyahu 's worldview say he believes history has handed him the role of delivering the Jewish state from an existential threat posed by Tehran 's nuclear ambitions .
Israel worries that the agreement that emerges will leave Iran as a nuclear `` threshold state '' with the materials and expertise to quickly break out and build a nuclear weapon .
`` I fervently hope that under your leadership that will not happen , '' Netanyahu told Obama in a White House photo-op this month .
The Obama administration says the kind of 'perfect ' deal envisioned by Israel , which would strip Iran of centrifuges and nuclear infrastructure is not realistic , and says its goal is to ensure that Tehran does not have a nuclear bomb .
The disagreement is likely to provoke a new political showdown over Iran in Congress , where a bipartisan coalition is mulling a number of steps including further sanctions which the White House warns could scupper a deal and lead to war .
While the relationship between Obama and Netanyahu deteriorates , it does not so far appear to be harming the fundamental relationship between their two nations .
That has not always been the case in the past .
In 1981 , the Reagan administration instructed U.N. ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick to back a resolution criticizing Israel for an air attack on an Iraqi nuclear reactor .
Relations became so frayed between President George H.W . Bush and the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir that his secretary of state , James Baker , told lawmakers that if Israel wanted to talk peace , it should call the White House switchboard .
Personal relations may be fraught now with Netanyahu , but Obama has never suggested watering down or delaying mostly military U.S. aid to Israel which amounts to $ 3 billion a year .
Indeed , the Obama administration asked Congress for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the Iron Dome anti-missile system which shielded Israel from Hamas rockets during the latest Gaza war this summer . Senior officials from both sides also say privately that the security relationship between the allies has never been better .
Miller said that Obama 's spats with Netanyahu will cause hurt feelings .
`` But what do they amount to ? It is confined and contained to a soap opera-like exchange that never leads to anything of consequence , '' he said .
What this latest soap opera may amount to for the White House is an unwelcome new political row with Congress over its Israel policy — just as it is gearing up for a fight over Iran .
`` When the president discusses Israel and Iran , it is sometimes hard to tell who he thinks is America 's friend and who he thinks is America 's enemy , '' House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday .
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it was a bit rich to get a lecture by Boehner on `` salty language . '' He insisted that the remarks by the official about Netanyahu did not represent the view of the administration but pledged to continue to air differences with Israel on `` illegitimate '' building .
That will all but ensure another bitter spat with Netanyahu soon . | y0Hu84vgNDUzykFH | 0 | Benjamin Netanyahu | -0.7 | Barack Obama | 0.3 | Foreign Policy | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
education | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2015/02/26/the_rights_fear_of_education_what_i_learned_as_a_former_conservative_military_man/ | The right’s fear of education: What I learned as a (former) conservative military man | 2015-02-26 | Republican Party, Education | My first college experience was failing half my classes at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1992 . The highlight was getting a “ D ” in English 101 . Like many small town kids , I was overwhelmed and underprepared . I dropped out of UNLV , joined the military and got married . Being a 20-year-old father and “ enlisted ” man showed me exactly how not to live , so I started a backward , fumbling and circuitous process of getting my undergraduate degree . In seven years , I attended four community colleges , a university on a military base and attended military journalism school . I pieced the whole mess into a bachelor ’ s degree from Excelsior College , a credit aggregator that caters to military members .
Modern conservative politics push the notion that people who flip switches , burgers or bedpans don ’ t need “ education. ” They instead need “ job training. ” In Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker ’ s budget , someone crossed out this phrase : “ to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses and to serve and stimulate society. ” And added this instead : “ to meet the state ’ s workforce needs. ” Walker backed down on the language change when it was exposed , claiming it was a “ mistake. ” Really it was just one more tired attack on the idea of education as a public good , one that helps people find fulfillment and meaning .
I value education more than many people , because I struggled so hard to get it . I had a bad elementary school experience , failed the fifth grade , muddled through high school and dropped out of college . Teachers were always kind to me , saying things like , “ He ’ s clever , but lazy. ” They were wrong about me , just like when Republicans are always wrong about poor people being lazy or stupid . When I failed out of college the first time I was working a full-time job far above 40 hours a week , while also going to school . I was most worried about making a living , and my skill set mirrored that of so many in the working class : Work hard , day in and day out and be grateful . Educational success has little to do with innate intelligence or “ goodness ” and almost everything to do with class , upbringing and privilege .
I also viewed education with suspicion bordering on paranoia . I came from a rural mining town in Nevada where I knew mostly blue-collar men who neither needed nor wanted a college education . Listening to adults talk they always had a favorite villain : the person who jumped ahead in line and got a job or promotion , only because he or she had a college degree .
I have my own children now , and I know the limits of parenting . Children heed your example far more than your advice . It ’ s painful to watch your children struggle . It was the same for my conservative family who encouraged me to go college . They weren ’ t able to offer any meaningful guidance or help , and it was not their fault . First generation college students , like me , face an impossible climb . If you add in conservative hostility to education , it gets that much harder .
After getting a bachelor ’ s at 27 , I went back to graduate school to study 18th century British literature at California State Hayward . I landed a new job in Reno and moved to the University of Nevada , Reno , finishing a master ’ s in English there . A few years later , I went back again , this time for a master ’ s of fine arts in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles , a school that emphasizes social justice—for many conservatives , a coded phrase that means “ liberal. ” Even as a libertarian attending a liberal college , people went out of their way to be both kind and tolerant to me . My preconceived notions about the “ evil liberals of the ivory tower ” looked more ignorant and narrow by the day .
Before college , I voted conservative , hated gay people , loved America and served my country in the armed services . I ’ ve changed because of many factors , but I know that college and graduate school made a difference . I met people unlike myself and was forced to defend sometimes ugly political positions . The Tea Party thrives on blue-collar “ common sense ” that is composed of a combination of ignorance , superstition and fear . A literate and educated populace is an existential threat to the kind of thoughtless rage that has consumed the right over the past few years .
Some people on the right are very educated . Rick Santorum holds an MBA and a JD ( with honors , no less ) , and his vehement hatred of college seems to stem from his kooky take on religion . Modern politics is drawing bizarre new battle lines between “ family values ” and a halfway decent education . American Christians may dislike “ Islam , ” but they share a lot of opinions with the radical Islamic group “ Boko Haram , ” a name that itself translates into “ education is forbidden. ” In our own country , we have a massive and growing group of people who would rather have illiterate children than let their kids learn anything that contradicts their most extreme religious views .
I know many thoughtful , educated and even liberal people who hold deep faith . Despite my own personal atheism , I accept the authentic religious experiences of others , but I ’ m troubled by a growing chorus of denial on climate change , evolution and the age of the planet . Anti-intellectualism may be an American tradition , but when “ mainstream ” politicians embrace ignorance , education ends up as collateral damage .
“ Serious ” presidential candidate Scott Walker seems to have a problem with evolution , sounding like an idiot , most recently while in England . Unlike Rick Santorum who is an overeducated hypocrite , Walker lives the life of a true education hater . Asked about not finishing his undergraduate experience ( which I 'm not necessarily attacking ) , Walker said , “ The reason I went to college , in large part , was not just to get an education for an education ’ s sake , but to get a job . '' For too many politicians , it all comes down to money .
In America , to our everlasting shame , money is the absolute yardstick of goodness . I like money just like anyone , but many other things have brought me as much or more satisfaction : being a father , writing an essay or seeing a new part of the planet . It ’ s easy to pick on poetry , humanity or art degrees .
I was able to go back to school in large part because my military service made it affordable . The GI Bill paid for both my master ’ s degrees . My background and rough start make me an unlikely champion of college education . I ’ ve also been socially adjusted for my whole life to feel like a pretentious asshole and a fraud every time I bring it up . But education makes a difference in people ’ s lives .
That ’ s why sensible people need to stand up against the vilification of education . A good start is to support Barack Obama ’ s free community college initiative . I earned most of the credits for my very first undergraduate degree at community colleges , and those classes kickstarted my interest in school . It ’ s hard to see how I would have ever overcome my own barriers without the patience of many community college instructors . Obama ’ s plan to fund community college will not only make our country a better place but will also improve , even slightly , the state of our shared humanity .
And to acknowledge the “ other side , ” education does help people find good , fulfilling jobs . Even my “ slapped together ” bachelor ’ s degree helped launch me into a career in public relations . The job has more than sustained me and my family , while also allowing me to explore my own outside interests .
Some days I wish I could use my graduate education to find a full-time academic job , but I passed up too many opportunities and wasted too many years fumbling around . Academic jobs and humanities scholarship itself are under assault , just like so many other valuable parts of America . I ’ m probably a coward , but I also don ’ t like the idea of leaving my longtime profession to start all over . Besides , there is inherent value to education even if someone isn ’ t paying you for it . I know my life would be less satisfying without it . For instance , if I had turned my back on education , I could have ended up as an ignorant asshole trying to turn back the very hands of human progress , much like the party to which I once belonged . | fee3bf31222fb0f5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Christian Science Monitor | http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2016/0523/Why-Sanders-supporters-are-suing-over-California-s-voter-registration | Why Sanders supporters are suing over California's voter registration | 2016-05-23 | elections | Voting registration for California ’ s independent voters should be extended from Monday until the day of the state ’ s primary election on June 7 , argues a group of Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters in a lawsuit .
In a suit filed Friday against Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Alameda County and San Francisco County election officials , attorneys William Simpich and Stephen Jaffe argue that independent California voters are essentially being disenfranchised by complicated voting procedures .
“ There ’ s mass confusion , ” Mr. Simpich tells the Los Angeles Times . “ This is a situation that really shouts for some uniformity . ”
Simpich and Mr. Jaffe represent individual voters and groups – such as the Voting Rights Defense Project – who support Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in asking for a number of voting reforms in the sunshine state .
“ The application to vote by mail procedure makes it very confusing if you ’ re a 'no party preference ' voter to get your ballot , ” Simpich tells 89.3 KPCC . “ We want to see voters obviously turn out in as large numbers as possible . We think , especially with independent voters , it ’ s going to mean more votes for Bernie . ”
The Democratic Party has an open primary in the state of California , meaning that voters don ’ t have to be registered Democrats to cast a vote for the Democratic presidential candidate . But to participate in California ’ s presidential primary , voters with no party preference who vote by mail have to request a ballot for the party whose primary in which they want to vote – otherwise they will be sent a “ non-partisan ” ballot that does not include presidential candidates . And once voters mail in a ballot – whether it be the correct one or not – they are unable to correct their mistake and vote again .
“ The Democratic ( primary ) was sold to voters as an open primary , but it hasn ’ t been as open as everybody said , ” Paul Mitchell , co-founder of the Los Angeles voter analytics firm Political Data Inc and not affiliated with the lawsuit , tells The San Francisco Chronicle . “ It ’ s more like a closed primary with an option for people to get into it . ”
Along with the deadline extension , the lawsuit asks that independent voters be allowed to write in their candidate of choice if they receive the wrong form . And if independent voters already submitted the wrong , blank , form by mistake , they should be allowed the chance to re-vote . Outreach efforts in all 58 counties should improve , argue Simpich and Jaffe , so independent voters understand the state ’ s Democratic primary is open , but with stipulations .
Mr. Mitchell agrees with the lawsuit ’ s basic argument because although independent voters are allowed to participate in the Democratic primary , the rules are unclear . The number of independent voters who vote by mail in California could be as many as 2.1 million , suggests Mitchell .
According to the Public Policy Institute of California , a nonpartisan research think tank , the number of independent voters in the state has increased since 2011 . Of the 17.7 million registered voters in California , 23.6 percent identified as independents in 2015 , compared to the 28 percent that are Republicans and the 43.2 percent that are Democrats .
Such changes to the state 's presidential primary process would almost certainly give Sanders ’ s campaign a boost . As The Monitor ’ s Peter Grier explains , party allegiance is a central difference between Clinton and Sanders supporters :
“ Clinton ’ s supporters are far more likely to be registered Democrats . She ’ s won self-identified party members in the vast majority of states contested so far . That makes sense – she ’ s one of them . She ’ s been a party stalwart for a generation .
Sanders supporters are far more likely to be Democratic-leaning independents . This is a good-size chunk of the electorate . About one-third of US voters identify as independent , and one-third of them are really Democrats who just don ’ t like labels . Sanders has dominated with these voters virtually everywhere . ”
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In fact , Sanders is one of these voters himself . He has run for office as a political independent for years , only becoming a Democrat for the purpose of running for president . Exit polling data indicates that Sanders ’ margin increases with the density of independent voters .
“ As we ’ ve noted before , Sanders has been as successful as he ’ s been in part because of voters just like him : People that vote Democratic but who identify themselves as independents when asked by exit pollsters , ” writes The Washington Post ’ s Philip Bump . | pzxjWPsIXJb8tqyL | 1 | Bernie Sanders | 0.8 | California | 0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
supreme_court | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/03/16/obama-reportedly-to-make-supreme-court-nomination-as-early-as-wednesday.html?intcmp=hpbt2 | Obama to announce Supreme Court nominee Wednesday | 2016-03-16 | supreme_court | President Obama named federal appeals judge Merrick Garland on Wednesday as his pick to succeed Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court – setting up a showdown with Republicans who have vowed to block the choice .
Obama , who said he went through a rigorous and comprehensive screening process , said Garland would bring “ integrity , modesty and an even-handedness ” to the Supreme Court .
“ I said I would take this process seriously , and I did , ” Obama said at the Rose Garden ceremony .
Yet within minutes , Republicans doubled down on their opposition to confirming any nominee in an election year , insisting that the vacant seat not be filled until a new president is sworn in .
“ It is a president ’ s constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice and it is the Senate ’ s constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor .
Obama , anticipating the swift resistance , urged Republicans to reconsider , adding it would be unprecedented for Garland not to at least get a hearing .
“ I hope they ’ re fair . That ’ s all , ” Obama said . “ To give him a fair hearing and up or down vote . ”
Obama said earlier Wednesday that it was both his “ constitutional duty to nominate a justice and one of the most important decisions that I – or any president – will make . ”
He added , “ I ’ m doing my job . I hope that our senators will do their jobs , and move quickly to consider my nominee . ”
A Senate confirmation is required for any nominee to join the bench .
Before the announcement , Sen. Mike Lee , R-Utah , also told Fox News that neither he nor his GOP colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee would back down and declared once more he would stop the nomination from going forward .
“ We ’ ve been clear , ” Lee said of his plan to reject Garland ’ s nomination .
Garland has served under both Republicans and Democrats . He clerked for the court ’ s liberal icon , Justice William J. Brennan Jr . In 1997 , 32 Republicans voted in favor of his nomination , including seven who are still members of the Senate .
Garland was mentioned as a possible nominee when Justice Paul Stevens retired in 2010 .
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York , the No . 3 Democratic leader , called Garland 's section , `` a bipartisan choice , '' adding : `` If the Republicans ca n't support him , who can they support ? ''
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid , who spoke to Obama Wednesday morning , said in brief remarks on the Senate floor that Republicans must act on the president 's choice . `` He 's doing his job this morning , they should do theirs , '' said the Nevada Democrat .
If confirmed , Garland would be expected to align with the more liberal members , but he is not viewed as down-the-line liberal . Particularly on criminal defense and national security cases , he 's earned a reputation as centrist , and one of the few Democratic-appointed judges Republicans might have fast-tracked to confirmation -- under other circumstances .
But in the current climate , Garland remains a tough sell . Republicans control the Senate , which must confirm any nominee , and GOP leaders want to leave the choice to the next president , denying Obama a chance to alter the ideological balance of the court before he leaves office next January . Republicans contend that a confirmation fight in an election year would be too politicized .
Ahead of Obama 's announcement , the Republican Party set up a task force that will orchestrate attack ads , petitions and media outreach . The aim is to bolster Senate Republicans ' strategy of denying consideration of Obama 's nominee . The party 's chairman , Reince Priebus , described it as the GOP 's most comprehensive judicial response effort ever .
On the other side , Obama allies have been drafted to run a Democratic effort that will involve liberal groups that hope an Obama nominee could pull the high court 's ideological balance to the left . The effort would target states where activists believe Republicans will feel political heat for opposing hearings once Obama announced his nominee .
For Obama , Garland represents a significant departure from his past two Supreme Court choices . In nominating Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan , the president eagerly seized the chance to broaden the court 's diversity and rebalance the overwhelming male institution . Sotomayor was the first Hispanic confirmed to the court , Kagan only the fourth woman .
Garland -- a white , male jurist with an Ivy League pedigree and career spent largely in the upper echelon of the Washington 's legal elite -- breaks no barriers . At 63 years old , he would be the oldest Supreme Court nominee since Lewis Powell , who was 64 when he was confirmed in late 1971 .
Presidents tend to appoint young judges with the hope they will shape the court 's direction for as long as possible .
Those factors had , until now , made Garland something of a perpetual bridesmaid , repeatedly on Obama 's Supreme Court lists , but never chosen .
But Garland found his moment at time when Democrats are seeking to apply maximum pressure on Republicans . A key part of their strategy is casting Republicans as knee-jerk obstructionists ready to shoot down a nominee that many in their own ranks once considered a consensus candidate . In 2010 , Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch called Garland `` terrific '' and said he could be confirmed `` virtually unanimously . ''
The White House planned to highlight Hatch 's past support , as well as other glowing comments about Garland from conservatives .
A native of Chicago and graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School , Garland clerked for two appointees of Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower -- the liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. and Judge Henry J . Friendly , for whom Chief Justice John Roberts also clerked .
In 1988 , he gave up a plush partner 's office in a powerhouse law firms to cut his teeth in criminal cases . As an assistant U.S. attorney , he joined the team prosecuting a Reagan White House aide charged with illegal lobbying and did early work on the drug case against then-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry . He held a top-ranking post in the Justice Department when he was dispatched to Oklahoma City the day after bombing at the federal courthouse to supervise the investigation . The case made his career and his reputation . He oversaw the convictions of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols , and went on to supervise the investigation into Unabomber Ted Kaczynski .
President Bill Clinton first nominated him to the D.C . Circuit in 1995 .
His prolonged confirmation process may prove to have prepared him for the one ahead . Garland waited 2 1/2 years to win confirmation to the appeals court . Then , as now , one of the man blocking path was Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley , argued he had no quarrel with Garland 's credentials , but a beef with the notion of a Democratic president trying to fill a court he argued had too many seats .
Grassley ultimately relented , although he was not one of the 32 Republicans who voted in favor of Garland 's confirmation . Nor was Sen. Mitch McConnell , the other major hurdle for Garland now . The Republicans who voted in favor of confirmation are Sen. Dan Coats , Sen. Thad Cochran , Sen. Susan Collins , Sen. Orrin Hatch , Sen. Jim Inhofe , Sen. John McCain , and Sen. Pat Roberts . | aar8mDx5UgIjfCfd | 2 | Supreme Court | 0.9 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
polarization | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/14/trump-condemns-white-supremacists-vows-justice-will-be-delivered-in-charlottesville-attack.html | Trump condemns ‘white supremacists,’ vows ‘justice will be delivered’ in Charlottesville attack | 2017-08-14 | polarization | President Trump on Monday specifically condemned “ white supremacists ” and “ neo-Nazis ” in the wake of deadly weekend clashes in Charlottesville , vowing “ justice will be delivered ” to the perpetrators of that `` racist violence . ''
The president , after meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray in Washington , said his Justice Department has opened a civil rights probe into the deadly car attack on Saturday .
After facing bipartisan criticism for his initial statement over the weekend , Trump was direct in his condemnation Monday .
“ We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred , bigotry and violence . It has no place in America , ” Trump said .
He added , “ Racism is evil , and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs , including the KKK , neo-Nazis , white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans . ”
The president 's remarks at the White House had not been anticipated . He is in Washington for a day of meetings and work , interrupting his August vacation at his New Jersey golf club .
But he delivered the prepared statement on the heels of criticism , including from members of his own party , for not speaking out specifically or forcefully enough at first against the white supremacist groups involved in Saturday 's clashes .
The president on Saturday had condemned violence and hatred on “ many sides , ” but faced swift criticism as video emerged from the scene in Charlottesville showing a car ramming into a crowd of counter-protesters . One person died in that attack ; two state police also died in a chopper crash .
Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in saying Trump should call out white supremacists directly .
The president was again challenged , by a reporter , during a separate White House event later in the day Monday on why he did not condemn these hate groups from the start .
“ They ’ ve been condemned . They have been condemned , ” Trump said . When CNN ’ s Jim Acosta asked if the press could ask more questions , he responded , “ I like real news , not fake news . You ’ re fake news . ”
His remarks Monday , however , could ease some of the outcry , at least from his own party . Trump said Monday that anyone who acted criminally will be held `` fully accountable . ''
`` No matter the color of our skin , we all live under the same laws , we all salute the same great flag , and we are all made by the same almighty God , '' Trump said . | 1Iwu2AdX7Pmmv7R2 | 2 | Polarization | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Just The News | https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/govtrack-rated-kamala-harris-most-liberal-us-senator-2019-webpage-has | GovTrack rated Kamala Harris 'most liberal' U.S. senator in 2019 but webpage has disappeared | 2024-07-25 | Politics, Kamala Harris, Liberals, US Senate, California, Internet | GovTrack, which tracks voting records of House and Senate lawmakers, removed a 2019 webpage that ranked then-Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as the “most liberal” U.S. senator in 2019 at some point between the evening of July 8 Eastern time and July 23 of this year.Social media users have posted that the page was still live on July 22 but GovTrack has not confirmed the exact date the page was removed.The original link to the page leads to a “Page Not Found” error. The last person to share the link to the original on X without noting its removal was mid-afternoon Wednesday.The website rated Harris the “most liberal compared to all senators” in 2019. Harris became vice president in January 2021."I made the change when I saw that attention was being directed to a part of our site that I had warned in 2020 was not reliable," GovTrack founder Joshua Tauberer told Just the News Thursday when asked about the timing of the removal, while noting that all senators' 2019 report cards remained saved in the Internet Archive.He pointed to his comments to The Washington Post in 2020 when the report card was getting attention after candidate Joe Biden chose Harris for his ticket."Obviously our analysis is at odds with what other serious analysis of Harris’s career has found, and I think the short answer is that both things can be true: She can both be sponsoring/co-sponsoring left-leaning legislation, something with typically little risk, while also being pragmatic when push comes to shove on risky and impactful decisions," Tauberer said then."We determined that the limited data available in a single year was not sufficient to create a reliable portrait of the activity of legislators, particularly given the ebbs and flows of the legislative calendar," and so stopped creating new report cards and "subsequently took down the previously-published single-calendar-year statistics for the same reason," he told Just the News.Visitors to its site should instead consult its Vice President Harris page, which presents "the same cosponsorship ideology analysis ... based on her entire tenure in the Senate," Tauberer said, also recommending its "biennial report cards based on complete two-year data for each Congressional session." | de8ee4707e2cc199 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Atlantic | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/robert-mueller-sealed-indictment/544292/ | Robert Mueller's First Charges | 2017-10-27 | elections | No matter who is indicted , the move will send shockwaves throughout the Trump administration and the nation ’ s capital . Until now , the Russia investigation has followed President Trump ’ s first year in office like a shadow , darkening his political fortunes without substantially altering them . A federal indictment of anyone connected to the Trump campaign or the White House would turn that theoretical danger into hard reality .
The news comes after a week of intensifying conservative criticism of Mueller ’ s probe . Trump-aligned media figures latched onto a CNN report that Clinton campaign officials had funded the creation of the Steele dossier , an intelligence document on Trump ’ s Russian ties privately drafted by a British ex-spy in 2016 , to try to discredit the overall Russia investigation . ( The FBI ’ s inquiry predates the dossier , and officials have reportedly said it played no role in the intelligence assessment of Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 election . ) Trump himself joined the chorus , claiming on Twitter that former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton should be the real focus of scrutiny .
It is now commonly agreed , after many months of COSTLY looking , that there was NO collusion between Russia and Trump . Was collusion with HC ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) October 27 , 2017
The indictment marks a major step forward for the Russia investigation itself . Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel to oversee the Justice Department ’ s investigation on May 17 . The selection capped a two-week political firestorm for the White House after President Trump abruptly fired former FBI Director James Comey on May 9 . Trump initially cited the director ’ s controversial actions in the Hillary Clinton email investigation the previous year to justify the dismissal .
In the days that followed , however , Trump undermined that narrative on multiple occasions . He told NBC News ’ Lester Holt that Comey ’ s firing was related to the Russia investigation , and that he would ’ ve fired Comey regardless of the Justice Department ’ s recommendations . He also warned the former director on Twitter that Comey should hope there were no tapes of their White House conversations . In response , Comey asked an intermediary to provide reporters with a series of contemporaneous memos the director had drafted after meetings with Trump earlier in the year .
The memos collectively depicted a president who had little regard for the traditional firewall between the White House ’ s political operations and the Justice Department ’ s criminal investigations . In one instance , Comey wrote that Trump asked him to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn shortly after Flynn ’ s departure as national-security adviser . Trump had fired Flynn , a close but controversial political ally , in February for lying to Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak . | NouGHMtfUIl48mSV | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
national_security | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/us/politics/trump-mueller-interview-questions.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news | Why Answering Mueller’s Questions Could Be a Minefield for Trump | 2018-05-01 | national_security | I like this question , because I like any question that seems to come out of the blue . What we knew is that The Washington Post reported that President Trump actually tried to get Dan Coats to pressure the F.B.I . to shut down its investigation . But we didn ’ t know anything that suggested there was something going on behind the scenes when the special counsel showed up to interview these three senior intelligence officials . So it really makes me wonder : Does Bob Mueller know something ? Does he have some indication that something went on behind the scenes ? Or is this just kind of an open-ended question ? It seems far more likely that Bob Mueller thinks there ’ s a reason for lifting up this rock . This question is toward the bottom of the list , but it gets at the heart of Robert Mueller ’ s investigation . His mandate is to look at Russian election interference and whether the Trump campaign was complicit . We ’ ve already seen evidence that a Trump campaign adviser was told that the Russians had compromising emails about Hillary Clinton . This question gets at whether the candidate himself knew . President Trump has said repeatedly to the public that there is no collusion . “ There ’ s been no collusion. ” “ No collusion. ” “ No collusion whatsoever with Russia. ” Will he say the same thing when he ’ s asked by federal investigators ? We ’ ll see . Well , if you remember , President Trump met with the Russian ambassador to the United States , Sergey Kislyak , inside the White House . And during their meeting he told the Russian ambassador , quote : I think this question stands out to me because it really goes to the heart of this case . Did President Trump try to end the Russia investigation into whether any of his associates colluded with that country by firing James Comey . This question cuts at one of the most sacred powers the president has : the ability to pardon someone . But in this case , was the president using that power as a way of stopping his former national security adviser from cooperating with Mr. Mueller ’ s investigation ? | 79Zfo11DUeUW2mM1 | 0 | Russia Probe | -0.1 | Robert Mueller | 0 | Donald Trump | 0 | National Security | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 |
lgbt_rights | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/supreme-court-gay-marriage-barack-obama-114356.html?hp=l1_3 | Will the Supreme Court cement Obama's gay rights legacy? | 2015-01-17 | lgbt_rights | The Supreme Court ’ s new move toward a definitive ruling on same-sex marriage could cement President Barack Obama ’ s claim to having presided over the most significant advances in gay rights in United States history .
Obama ’ s term has already seen the enactment of a federal law protecting gays and lesbians against hate crimes , an end to the ban on openly gay members of the U.S military and the issuance of a Supreme Court ruling striking down the law banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage . Such unions have now spread to 36 states across the country . A new Supreme Court ruling declaring same-sex marriage rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution could serve as the capstone on a record of change unparalleled on any other issue in the public eye during his tenure .
But precisely how much credit Obama deserves for the tectonic shift on the issue during his presidency is less clear-cut .
Many gay rights activists and historians see Obama as having been reluctant to put much muscle into gay rights causes early in his White House stay , but then warming to the topic as a result of outside pressure and a realization that rapidly changing public opinion made such moves politically advantageous . Some advocates say he ’ s added crucial momentum to the drive for “ marriage equality ” in recent years , while others say he ’ s still cautious on the subject and more inclined to be swept along by the public debate than to lead it .
That gay rights , and in particular same-sex marriage , could wind up as a hulking component of Obama ’ s legacy is a surprising development for a president who publicly snubbed same-sex marriage until nearly 3 1/2 years into his presidency and faced repeated complaints that he was shortchanging gay issues .
“ He was late to the party , but he certainly made up for it , ” said Richard Socarides , a New York lawyer and longtime gay rights advocate . “ This is shaping up to be [ Obama ’ s ] most significant policy achievement of his entire presidency . He has certainly participated and , in some large measure I think , pushed forward the most significant gains in gay rights that we ’ ve seen in the history of the country .
“ He ’ s done so sometimes begrudgingly , but I think that is the nature of the presidency , ” the activist and former Clinton White House adviser said , noting the competing demands on a president ’ s attention .
Obama and his aides “ were against it until they were for it , and then they really owned the issue and championed it in a way that was jaw-droppingly historic , and that ’ s what they ’ ll be remembered for , ” said the Human Rights Campaign ’ s Fred Sainz .
Some historians , however , give Obama less credit and question how much the issue deserves to be seen as part of his legacy . They conclude that Obama has eased the country ’ s moves toward greater recognition of gay rights but hasn ’ t been at the forefront of them .
“ The question is : Is he a leader or a follower ? ” asked Andrea Friedman , a history professor at Washington University in St. Louis .
“ Obama has been carried along by public opinion and shifts in public opinion that have just accelerated so rapidly , ” she said in answer to her own question . “ I don ’ t see him necessarily as a leader or this as part of his legacy . ”
When Obama marked gay pride month last year , he boasted about his record but was careful to temper the remark with an acknowledgement that the White House had often been nudged along on the issue .
“ Because of your help , we ’ ve gone further in protecting the rights of lesbian and gay and bisexual and transgender Americans than any administration in history , ” the president said .
The Supreme Court potentially extended that trend Friday when it announced that it has agreed to take up a set of cases that raise the issue of whether the U.S. Constitution guarantees all Americans the right to enter into same-sex marriages and whether states are obliged to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states .
The outcome of the case is far from guaranteed , but many legal analysts believe the court ’ s liberal justices are likely to join with Republican appointee Justice Anthony Kennedy in a ruling that makes same-sex marriage available nationwide .
Early on , the president showed more timidity in his approach on gay rights . The administration ’ s strategy on the military ’ s “ don ’ t ask , don ’ t tell ” policy , for instance , involved prolonged consultations with the Pentagon . As a result , the project lingered until Democrats lost seats in the Senate and Obama ’ s overall policy agenda bogged down .
Legislation to repeal the “ don ’ t ask , don ’ t tell ” policy passed during Congress ’ s lame-duck session at the end of 2010 , and the president claimed the bill as a triumph , but many activists quietly said the administration ’ s strategy was flawed and the measure only nosed over the finish line due to a last-minute push by the likes of departing Sen. Joe Lieberman ( I-Conn. ) .
Once the law passed , however , advocates generally gave Obama high marks for its implementation , as well as for his appointment of a historic number of gay and lesbian officials to senior posts and judgeships .
Gay rights activists also credit the administration for taking a bold move in 2011 to dismantle the Defense of Marriage Act , the federal law President Bill Clinton signed in 1996 barring federal recognition of same-sex marriages . Attorney General Eric Holder , acting with Obama ’ s concurrence , announced the administration would no longer defend the law in court because there was no plausible argument to support its constitutionality .
“ That was as game-changing as anything , ” said former Rep. Barney Frank ( D-Mass . ) , the first openly gay member of Congress . “ Presidents always have to defend the constitutionality of legislation they dislike . For the president to take the position that DOMA was so blatantly unconstitutional and undesirable that he would take that unusual step [ to abandon the law ] , that was the biggest deal of anything he did , and he deserved an enormous amount of credit for it . ”
That decision drew howls of outrage from Republicans , but in a 5-4 ruling two years later , the Supreme Court struck the law down .
Gay rights activists welcomed Obama ’ s reversal on same-sex marriage in 2012 , but he continued until last year to hold a nuanced stance on the legalities of the issue — arguably undercutting some advocates ’ efforts to have the courts sanction same-sex marriage throughout the country .
In part to fend off Republican calls for a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage , Obama for years declared that marriage has traditionally been a state issue . Even when Obama ’ s evolution on gay marriage reached its apogee in 2012 , he spoke of state-by-state experimentation on the issue as welcome .
“ What you ’ re seeing is , I think , states working through this issue — in fits and starts , all across the country , ” Obama told ABC ’ s Robin Roberts in an interview designed to showcase his change of heart on the subject . “ Different communities are arriving at different conclusions , at different times . And I think that ’ s a healthy process and a healthy debate . And I continue to believe that this is an issue that is going to be worked out at the local level , because historically , this has not been a federal issue , what ’ s recognized as a marriage . ”
In that interview , Obama also declined to quibble with North Carolina voters who had just agreed to insert a new ban on gay marriage in their state ’ s constitution .
Obama ’ s stance has long struck some advocates as misguided , since federal court cases striking down state bans on interracial marriage are at the core of civil rights jurisprudence and Obama once taught that subject at the University of Chicago . The approach also seemed to evoke a thread of the history of “ states ’ rights ” resistance to federal anti-discrimination laws — an odd resonance for America ’ s first African-American president .
When litigation challenging California ’ s voter-approved same-sex marriage ban reached the Supreme Court in 2013 , the Justice Department did not announce unequivocal support for a federal constitutional right to what advocates call marriage equality . Instead , Obama administration lawyers took the highly nuanced position that California could not deny same-sex couples the right to marry because the state already accorded such couples all the other privileges that go along with marriage .
Some analysts said the brief reflected a lack of courage on the administration ’ s part . Others said it was a strategic move aimed at making sure the court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act — a decision most easily reached by deferring to states .
“ As a Republican looking at a Democratic president , President Obama ’ s equivocation on gay equality issues has always been really puzzling , ” said Gregory Angelo of the Log Cabin Republicans , a gay GOP group that backs same-sex marriage rights .
When the Supreme Court announced Friday that it plans to wade into the issue of a federal right to same-sex marriage , the White House remained silent . In fact , on the eve of the announcement , White House press secretary Josh Earnest declined to state the president ’ s views on the legal issues , though the spokesman said the president would welcome wider availability of same-sex marriage .
Holder was more direct , announcing that the administration will urge the court to make same-sex marriage rights the law of the land .
“ We expect to file a ‘ friend of the court ’ brief in these cases that will urge the Supreme Court to make marriage equality a reality for all Americans , ” the attorney general said in a statement Friday . “ It is time for our nation to take another critical step forward to ensure the fundamental equality of all Americans — no matter who they are , where they come from , or whom they love . ”
Gay rights advocates say politics explain much of Obama ’ s reorientation from diffidence to active embrace of their positions . As public sentiment shifted on the issue , the administration saw opportunities to appeal to important constituencies by pushing an issue that differentiated Obama from most Republican candidates .
Prominent blogger and former Obama critic John Aravosis said Friday that he believes the administration ’ s change of approach on the subject became evident during the Democratic National Convention in 2012 . Pushing gay rights there wasn ’ t just the right thing to do , or a move to satisfy gay activists , but projected tolerance in a way that appealed politically to female voters , young people and others .
“ Since 2012 , they ’ ve been embracing it , ” Aravosis said , even describing the administration as “ grandstanding ” on the issue . “ On the left , people talk about ours as one of the only progressive issues where [ Obama ] has had great success . ”
“ Once they understood that this was an issue that could work for them , they got fully behind it . That happened when he got reelected : They realized they could run on this , rather than run away from it , ” added Socarides .
“ Part of being president means you get to take credit for things that happen on your watch , and [ Obama ] came around and he was there when we needed him , ” Socarides said , getting to the issue of whether Obama could claim the sweeping change on the issue as part of his legacy . “ He definitely played a big part . ”
Angelo said Obama deserves credit for embracing same-sex marriage rights even if that move came “ later than it should have. ” However , the gay GOP leader argued that the issue has been one where most politicians lagged , not led , the public .
“ I don ’ t think any factor has been more important in influencing public opinion — and , I dare say , the opinions of the Supreme Court — than Joe and Jane American who happen to be gay and live down the street and are living their lives openly and honestly with their friends , neighbors and family members , ” Angelo said . “ It ’ s trickled up more than it ’ s trickled down . ”
The advances on gay rights under Obama are so dramatic that The New Republic declared last October that he had become , in essence , America ’ s first gay president — a label that echoes author Toni Morrison ’ s branding of President Bill Clinton in 1998 as America ’ s first black president .
However , it ’ s also clear that Obama ’ s rejections of same-sex marriage continued to sting his own supporters and even close staffers all the way until his election to the White House . And even in 2004 — as he ran for the U.S. Senate at the age of 43 — he was unaware of the Stonewall Riots , a watershed 1969 event in the history of the fight for gay rights , according to “ Winning Marriage , ” a book by Marc Solomon of Freedom to Marry .
Frank said that dwelling on Obama ’ s self-described evolution on the issue misses a more basic fact : Without his nominees to the Supreme Court , the ruling expected in June wouldn ’ t even be conceivable .
“ If he had not appointed [ Justices Sonia ] Sotomayor and [ Elena ] Kagan , and if John McCain had been president and had appointed two justices , there isn ’ t any room for doubt we would not have had the DOMA case and the issue wouldn ’ t be before them again , ” Frank said . “ None of this would ’ ve been on the boards right now . ” | yYRIAhGbOauqE84o | 0 | Supreme Court | 0.1 | Barack Obama | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/17/politics/donald-trump-wiretap-obama/index.html | Why Trump just can't (and probably won't) quit the wiretap story | 2017-03-17 | white_house | Washington ( CNN ) For nearly two weeks now , President Donald Trump and his aides have floated a conspiracy theory involving President Barack Obama wiretapping then-candidate Trump 's phone lines in his Manhattan office building .
Even now , as bipartisan agreement has emerged that no such thing happened , Trump has dug in , leaving Trump aides and allies fumbling for excuses and explanations -- like that spying microwaves are apparently a thing , according to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway .
Standing next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a Friday news conference , Trump showed that he was not ready to quit the wiretapping story , giving it another boost , even if it meant embarrassing a world leader .
`` At least we have something in common , perhaps , '' Trump said , gesturing to Merkel , whose phone was once tapped by the National Security Agency
JUST WATCHED Timeline of the 'birther ' movement Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Timeline of the 'birther ' movement 02:33
He launched a kind of trial run for the White House in 2011 by embracing birtherism , laying the groundwork for his successful 2016 bid by aligning himself with the far right , talk radio wing of the GOP . Long after most had given up speculating about Obama 's birthplace -- and years after Obama released his birth certificate -- Trump clung to the racially charged conspiracy theory , insisting that there were still more unanswered questions .
Now , it seems , Trump may have landed on a conspiracy theory that has equal staying power .
In fact , the contours of his recent Obama fixation have much in common with birtherism . With his wiretapping claims , Trump once again positions himself as the great unmasker of Obama , a fraudulent figure who is n't who he says he is -- or so the theory goes .
For Trump 's base , Obama is the ready-made villain , now recast as the embodiment of the `` deep state . ''
But with Congress , the press , ( even Fox News hosts ) , and intelligence agencies all casting doubts on his claims , Trump is a man on an island , a familiar and comfortable place . As with birtherism , it 's Trump against almost everybody , a vantage point that allows him to constantly be the embattled , populist outsider , even as he sits in the White House .
Key to his birtherism claims were constant promises of the big reveal . Investigators had been dispatched to Hawaii , Trump claimed . Once that approach grew thin , Trump 's relationship to birtherism devolved into a constant cliffhanger , which is precisely where things stand now with the wiretapping claims .
Does Trump believe Obama wiretapped or spied on him more broadly at Trump Tower or anywhere ?
For now , Trump seems happy to tell the country what he said for five years about Obama 's origins : stay tuned . Let the countdown clock 'til the big reveal begin . | 0we1gRnJ1sVtcvhL | 0 | White House | -0.7 | Donald Trump | -0.7 | Politics | -0.7 | Wiretapping | 0 | null | null |
banking_and_finance | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/20/trump-could-make-crashing-oil-prices-win-american-taxpayers-heres-how/ | Trump could make crashing oil prices a win for American taxpayers. Here’s how. | 2020-04-20 | banking_and_finance | Now , let me back up a bit and explain what I ’ m talking about .
It involves making an unconventional use of the federal Strategic Petroleum Reserve to take advantage of the big gap between the current and future prices of U.S. crude oil .
Current prices are way down because demand has collapsed as a result of the covid-19 pandemic and because there is so much surplus oil sloshing around that there ’ s little storage capacity available to hold any new oil that gets produced .
However , the Strategic Petroleum Reserve — which we ’ ll call SPR from now on — had 78.5 million barrels of spare capacity available as of April 10 , the most recent data available . That ’ s a lot of spare capacity — and it has the potential to turn a quick , nifty profit for taxpayers .
Had the federal government been able to act in a financially astute way last week , it could have bought 78.5 million barrels of crude oil for the SPR at Friday ’ s price of $ 18.27 on the New York Mercantile Exchange and simultaneously gotten $ 33.82 by agreeing to deliver that same amount of oil in December . That $ 15.55 per barrel difference would have let the government sell the oil for $ 1.22 billion more than the SPR would have paid for it .
Given the huge plunge in oil prices as I write this Monday morning , the profit would be about half a billion dollars higher .
Why didn ’ t the government use the SPR to make some money , which also would have propped up oil prices and held down future oil prices ? And why am I talking about a potential $ 860 million windfall ( at Friday ’ s prices ) rather than a potential $ 1.22 billion windfall ?
First , because arbitraging oil by simultaneously buying and selling it is a Wall Street way of thinking , not a federal government way of thinking .
Second , because in the last stimulus package , Congress refused to grant the Energy Department the money it sought to buy oil for the SPR . So the SPR couldn ’ t have bought the oil and I don ’ t think it has the authority to sell oil in the futures market . At least , it hasn ’ t done so since it was founded in 1975 .
In theory , President Trump could have issued yet another of his “ emergency ” decrees to order the SPR to simultaneously buy and sell oil . But he didn ’ t .
I figure that ’ s probably because the unconventional idea of using our strategic oil reserve to make money by simultaneously buying and selling oil hadn ’ t occurred to his advisers .
Now , let me tell you why I think oil companies rather than taxpayers will profit from the SPR ’ s spare storage capacity if something isn ’ t done — quickly — by Trump , Congress or both .
I ’ m talking about a potential $ 860 million taxpayer windfall ( at Friday ’ s prices ) rather than a potential $ 1.22 billion windfall because the Trump administration has ordered the SPR to store 23 million barrels of oil for hard-pressed oil companies .
Subtract those 23 million barrels from the SPR ’ s spare capacity and it falls to 55.5 million barrels . Assume the same $ 15.55 per barrel spread we discussed earlier ( based on Friday ’ s numbers ) and the potential profit is $ 863 million .
The Energy Department declined to say how big the storage fee is — it takes the form of the SPR returning less oil to the companies than they deposited in the caverns where the reserves are held . The department also declined to say for how long it would store the oil .
The one thing we can be sure of , though , is that the companies depositing the oil and then getting most of it back will turn a tidy profit that could otherwise have gone to the taxpayers .
That ’ s because June oil futures were selling Friday for 34 percent more than the then-current price , July futures were 57 percent higher , and the numbers kept climbing from there . That spread is doubtless way more than the rent rate that the SPR will get .
I can understand why some people oppose anything that helps increase oil production , which is reportedly the reason that the Energy Department ’ s request for money to buy oil for the SPR didn ’ t make it into the recent stimulus legislation .
But let ’ s get real . If the SPR isn ’ t given the authority to simultaneously buy and sell oil to earn a profit , that profit is going to go to oil companies .
That ’ s because Trump has the authority to order the SPR to store oil for producers , and there ’ s no reason to think that he won ’ t commit essentially all the reserve ’ s spare capacity to do that .
And unless the rent the SPR charges is exorbitant — which I ’ m sure it won ’ t be — oil producers will end up with profits that taxpayers could have gotten . I ’ d rather that taxpayers profit from the SPR , which was established at taxpayer expense , than for oil companies to profit from it .
Sure , even a billion or 2 billion bucks is a drop in the bucket compared with the looming budget deficits . But it ’ s a lot more than nothing . Which is what we taxpayers will end up with unless someone deals with the problem . | B0MTnkxrP4GnLa69 | 0 | Coronavirus | -0.6 | Trade | 0 | Banking And Finance | 0 | World | 0 | Economy And Jobs | 0 |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78484.html | The GOP’s crush on Condoleezza Rice | 2012-07-13 | elections | Rice is a 'figure of eternal fascination ' for Republicans , said a GOP consultant . The GOP 's crush on Condi
With a banner headline on the Drudge Report on Thursday night proclaiming her a leading prospect for the vice presidency , Rice has returned to a familiar role : the irresistible , all-too-perfect fantasy candidate of the Republican Party .
Never mind the fact that there are glaring reasons why the former secretary of state could be a political fiasco . She ’ s an abortion rights-supporting former Bush administration official who has never run for public office and whose time in Washington is remembered less than fondly by many .
But as the highest-ranking African-American woman ever to serve in public office — and one of few black leaders the Republican Party has — Rice has a demographic allure that has not faded since she left Foggy Bottom . With the GOP working to define its foreign policy platform , Rice is one of the country ’ s most famous diplomats and an accomplished academic to boot .
In a way , she ’ s the Republican Party ’ s answer to Sam Nunn or Evan Bayh : two former conservative Democratic senators , hawkish on national defense , who were mentioned for years as potential national candidates simply because they looked so good on paper . A running joke in Democratic circles over multiple presidential cycles : Those pushing Nunn and Bayh had never heard either man give a speech or try to work a rope line .
“ She ’ s the shining ornament at the top of the Christmas tree that we can always admire but never reach , ” said GOP consultant Bruce Haynes , who called Rice a “ figure of eternal fascination ” for Republicans .
“ If you drew up a candidate on the drawing board , it would look a lot like Condoleezza Rice . Except she wouldn ’ t be pro-choice , which could really depress enthusiasm for the ticket , ” Haynes continued . “ And she wouldn ’ t be tied to the Bush administration , which is something that , given the choice , the campaign probably doesn ’ t want to litigate . ”
As it is , the Drudge plug for Rice in 2012 was greeted largely with a collective groan on the part of the Republican operative class .
To most , it looked like an all-too-obvious attempt on the part of Drudge — a known Romney campaign ally — to divert attention from several days worth of punishing headlines about Romney ’ s record at the private equity firm Bain Capital .
One Republican campaign strategist emailed in reaction to the report : “ Doesn ’ t it have to be someone believable to actually distract people and at least pretend it ’ s not a diversionary tactic ? ”
Yet Rice ’ s allure within elite Republican ranks is undeniable . Even as Washington scoffed at Drudge ’ s reporting , former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan waxed effusive in her Wall Street Journal column on what the Stanford professor could bring to a national ticket .
“ Consider : A public figure of obvious and nameable accomplishment whose attainments can ’ t be taken away from her . Washington experience — she wouldn ’ t be learning on the job . Never run for office but no political novice . An academic , but not ethereal or abstract , ” Noonan wrote . “ A woman in a year when Republicans aren ’ t supposed to choose a woman because of what is now called the 2008 experience — so the choice would have a certain boldness . ”
For several weeks , Weekly Standard editor William Kristol has pointed to Rice as a counter-intuitive choice for vice president . After Rice spoke at a Romney campaign retreat in Park City , Utah , Kristol penned a column suggesting : “ Romney-Rice ? ” | Lx4UGNnZ8zNFRFQm | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.1 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/13/politics/democratic-debate-fact-check/index.html | Democratic debate: Fact-checking the candidates - CNNPolitics.com | 2015-10-13 | elections | Washington ( CNN ) The Democratic candidates for president gathered in Las Vegas for their first debate Tuesday , and CNN 's Reality Check team spent the night putting their statements and assertions to the test .
The team of reporters , researchers and editors across CNN listened throughout the debate , selecting key statements and then rating them : True ; Mostly True ; True , but Misleading ; False ; or It 's Complicated .
Reality check : Martin O'Malley says U.S. has `` failed '' to invest in overseas human intelligence
O'Malley said , `` We have failed as a country to invest in the human intelligence that would allow us to not only make better decisions in Libya , but better decisions in Syria today . It 's a huge national security failing . ''
Given the opacity of the available data , it is difficult to issue a verdict on O'Malley 's statement , but it is possible to provide some context to what he claims .
The National Intelligence Program requests congressional funding for the intelligence-gathering activities of six federal departments , the Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence .
As a matter of policy , the government does not disclose information about the budget of the NIP beyond the aggregate , or `` top-line '' amount requested and the amount approved by Congress .
The most recent year for which data on the approved congressional appropriation for the NIP is available is FY 2014 . The aggregate amount approved for the year ending March 2015 was $ 50.5 billion . This amount represents a 3 % increase over the previous year , which saw an annual NIP appropriation of $ 49.0 billion , partially due to reductions associated with the sequester .
The amount appropriated in FY 2012 , the year during which the attack took place on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi , was $ 53.9 billion , the second-highest appropriation during the decade 2005-2014 .
In August 2013 , The Washington Post obtained documents from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden regarding the previously undisclosed $ 52.6 billion FY 2013 budget , and providing a level of detail that had never been released on a previous U.S. intelligence budget . The documents indicated that the United States has 107,035 employees in the intelligence community . Of these , the largest employer of civilian intelligence officials is the CIA , which had the equivalent of 21,459 full-time civilian employees .
According to the leaked documents , in FY 2013 , `` human intelligence operations , '' consisting of `` clandestine acquisition '' of documents and other material , `` collection by personnel in diplomatic and consular posts '' and `` official contacts with foreign governments '' comprised an annual budget of $ 3.6 billion .
While specific data on human intelligence operations is not available for other years , CNN military analyst Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling notes that the government has cut human intelligence operations relative to other forms of intelligence collection , fueling a major debate in the intelligence community since the 1990s .
An additional obstacle to effective human intelligence gathering is the lack of racial diversity within the CIA 's own ranks , according to CIA Director John Brennan . Minorities make up less than 24 % of the CIA workforce , and only 10.8 % of its top senior intelligence service . Brennan noted that , in many of the countries that are the focus of the CIA 's current work , it is harder for white employees , and easier for many minorities , to operate covertly .
Reality check : Lincoln Chafee on training and equipping Syrian rebels
Chafee said : `` We just spent half a billion dollars arming and training soldiers , the rebel soldiers in Syria , they quickly joined the other side . ''
JUST WATCHED Lincoln Chafee explains Glass-Steagall vote Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Lincoln Chafee explains Glass-Steagall vote 01:20
The Obama administration recently announced it was going to suspend the train and equip program in Syria and not take on new recruits while they assessed how to better to improve on the program . To be sure , the program faced many challenges despite the near $ 500 million price tag . In testimony last month , U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Lloyd Austin said only `` four or five '' graduates of the program were on the battlefield at that time , nine months after the program began .
An initial group of 54 rebels that had been put into northern Syria this summer came under attack by al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and ceased to function as a fighting force , the Pentagon said last month . At least five of those forces were captured by al Nusra but their fate is not clear . Pentagon officials told CNN in August that some of those rebels got stuck in Turkey and never actually crossed the border into Syria , while others just simply ran away after coming under attack and never came back to regroup with their unit .
And then U.S. officials confirmed last month that coalition-issued pickup trucks and ammunition had fallen into the hands of al Qaeda-linked forces in Syria . But rather than evidence of rebels joining the other side , that equipment was given up in order to gain `` safe passage , '' according to Central Command spokesman Col. Patrick Ryder .
To suggest that all graduates of the program defected from their ranks to groups opposing the U.S.-led coalition is not true .
Reality check : Did Hillary Clinton not have a position on Keystone ?
Clinton said she never had a position on the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline before she said last month that she would oppose it .
`` I never took a position on Keystone until I took a position on Keystone , '' she said .
But as a member of the Obama administration , the then-secretary of state indicated she was likely to support it -- though she never said so explicitly .
JUST WATCHED Clinton defends paid leave , Planned Parenthood Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Clinton defends paid leave , Planned Parenthood 00:39
`` We have n't finish all of the analysis , '' Clinton told the Commonwealth Club in October 2010 . `` So as I say , we 've not yet signed off on it . But we are inclined to do so and we are for several reasons . ''
Over the next five years , Clinton would repeatedly decline to say what her opinion was while the Obama administration studied the project . Last month she finally said , `` I oppose it . ''
O'Malley made the pitch Tuesday night that he could do better than all the promises made by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and others because he had already pushed those priorities into law when he was governor .
`` We raised the minimum wage , passed the living wage , invested more in infrastructure , went four years in a row without a penny 's increase for college tuition , '' O'Malley said .
O'Malley did achieve a key victory last year , during his final year in office , when he won approval of a minimum wage increase from $ 7.25 per hour to $ 10.10 per hour . It put a bookend to his first year in office , when he won a requirement that state contractors pay workers a baseline living wage
JUST WATCHED Bernie Sanders : We have to think through war on drugs Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bernie Sanders : We have to think through war on drugs 00:58
He also increased spending on roads and capital projects and succeeded , after many years of failed attempts , in increasing the state 's gas tax to pay for those improvements .
In addition , O'Malley followed through on a campaign promise from 2006 to freeze tuitions at Maryland 's public universities -- a promise that lasted until 2010 , when the state stopped subsidizing the public university tuition freeze .
But his record on infrastructure investment was far more complicated and his debate claim left out an important fact . O'Malley and Democratic lawmakers came under criticism by Maryland 's county leaders and Republicans as they withdrew money from the state 's transportation trust fund to cover budget shortfalls throughout the recession . The budget-patching maneuver resulted in a referendum drive to place new limits on how and when state leaders could pull money from transportation projects to cover budget shortfalls .
Clinton said , `` I did say when I was secretary of state three years ago that I hoped it would be the gold standard . It was just finally negotiated last week and in looking at it , it did not meet my standards . ''
Negotiations on the TPP trade agreement began while Clinton was secretary of state , but the significant details were worked out after she left that office .
In fact , Clinton did not say she `` hoped '' the TPP would be the gold standard , at the time she said the deal set the gold standard .
`` This TPP sets the gold standard in trade agreements to open free , transparent , fair trade , the kind of environment that has the rule of law and a level playing field , '' Clinton said at an event in Australia in 2012 . `` And when negotiated , this agreement will cover 40 percent of the world 's total trade and build in strong protections for workers and the environment . ''
Nearly three years have passed , and Clinton has been out of office for most of that time as talks have proceeded on the important details of the deal . As such , it is reasonable for Clinton to claim that the deal has changed since she supported it and was involved in its negotiation .
However , in some ways , the deal has strengthened over the years in areas that Clinton has cited as key concerns .
Clinton now says the deal does n't do enough to address currency manipulation . But the deal did n't include clear language on that topic in 2013 either , when critics in Congress were calling for it to be added .
She also says she is concerned about the benefits the deal gives to pharmaceutical companies -- which are strengthened under TPP , but less than they would have been under the deal in its 2013 state .
VERDICT : Clinton 's claim she said she `` hoped '' TPP would be the gold standard is false . She said it was the gold standard and fully supported the negotiations . Her broader point about the deal changing since she left office is True , but Misleading . The deal has changed in the past three years , but in some instances those changes have improved the very deficiencies she cites .
Reality check : Did Bernie Sanders protect gun manufacturers from lawsuits ?
CNN 's Anderson Cooper grilled Sanders repeatedly on whether he was protecting gun manufacturers from lawsuits . After some explaining , Sanders landed on a simple answer : `` Of course not . ''
Sanders has been nailed by liberals and his Democratic opponents for his positions on gun control , including his decision to vote against the Brady bill and for allowing Amtrak riders to bring guns in checked bags . And his comment during the debate sounded like a sharp stance in favor of clamping down on gun manufacturers , defending his vote to shield them from litigation as part of a `` large and complicated bill . ''
JUST WATCHED Bernie Sanders : Black lives matter Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bernie Sanders : Black lives matter 01:05
`` Where you have manufacturers and where you have gun shops knowingly giving guns to criminals or aiding and abetting that , of course we should take action , '' he said Tuesday night .
But in a July interview with CNN , Sanders sounded starkly different , saying that gun manufacturers could not be held responsible . The sole difference was that in that interview Sanders did not say the manufacturer was aware of the crime that would later be committed .
`` If somebody has a gun and it falls into the hands of a murderer and that murderer kills somebody with the gun , do you hold the gun manufacturer responsible ? '' he asked . `` Not any more than you would hold a hammer company responsible if somebody beats somebody over the head with a hammer . That is not what a lawsuit should be about . ''
Reality check : Bernie Sanders said , `` African-American youth unemployment is 51 % , Hispanic youth unemployment is 36 % . It seems to me instead of building more jails and providing more incarceration maybe just maybe we should be putting money into education and jobs for our kids . ''
There is certainly an employment crisis among minority youth . But as he has done in the past , Sanders may have misspoken when he cited those statistics .
JUST WATCHED Jim Webb : Every life in this country matters Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Jim Webb : Every life in this country matters 01:06
The left-leaning Economic Policy Institute has found that 51.3 % of black and 36.1 % Hispanic high school graduates , age 17 to 20 , are underemployed . That means they either do n't have a job , are n't working as many hours as they would like or are n't currently looking for work but would like a job .
The official unemployment rate for black youth , age 16 to 24 , was 20.7 % . For Hispanic youth , it 's 12.7 % , while for white youth , it 's 10.3 % , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . The government data is not limited to high school graduates and has a wider age range .
Reality check : Hillary Clinton said , `` We have to look at the fact that we lose 90 people a day from gun violence . This has gone on too long and it 's time the entire country stood up against the NRA . ''
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , there were 33,636 people killed by firearms in 2013 , the last full year for which data is available . That averages to about 92 people a day . However , the number includes suicides , unintentional deaths , and incidents with undetermined intent as well as violence-related firearm deaths ( homicide and legal intervention ) . In 2013 , 11,675 people were killed in violence-related deaths by homicide or legal intervention , which equates to almost 32 deaths a day . The CDC reports 505 unintentional deaths by firearms in 2013 , or just more than one death per day . They also report 281 deaths where the intent was undetermined in 2013 .
JUST WATCHED Martin O'Malley : Let 's talk about the issues Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Martin O'Malley : Let 's talk about the issues 00:45
Ninety-two people did die each day in 2013 from a firearm injury . However , the number of people killed from violence-related homicides and legal interventions in 2013 was much lower -- about 32 deaths a day .
Reality check : Bernie Sanders said , `` It is wrong today in a rigged economy that 57 % of all new income is going to the top 1 % . ''
He got it almost right . The top 1 % captured 58 % of income gains between 2009 and 2014 , according to research by Emmanuel Saez , a University of California Berkeley economics professor who has long studied income inequality .
The top 1 % saw their incomes soar 27.1 % during that time period , while the bottom 99 % got an only 4.3 % bump in income . Healthy stock market returns helped fuel income gains among the wealthy .
But the good news for the bottom 99 % was that 2014 was the first year of real recovery from Great Recession losses . That 's thanks to a drop in the unemployment rate from 6.6 % at the start of 2014 to 5.6 % by year 's end . | n3fxiMZt1rtJ9Ufl | 0 | Facts And Fact Checking | -0.2 | Debates | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
lgbt_rights | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/23/265050444/virginias-new-attorney-general-will-not-defend-gay-marriage-ban | Virginia's New Attorney General Will Not Defend Gay-Marriage Ban | 2014-01-23 | lgbt_rights | Virginia 's new attorney general has decided to switch sides in an important case that is challenging the state 's constitutional ban on gay marriage .
In an interview with Morning Edition 's Steve Inskeep , Democrat Mark Herring said his office will no longer defend the state 's ban on same-sex marriages .
`` As attorney general , I can not and will not defend laws that violate Virginians ' rights , '' Herring said . `` The commonwealth will be siding with the plaintiffs in this case and with every other Virginia couple whose right to marry is being denied . ''
Herring was sworn in just days ago after a razor-thin win in November , an election that marked big political change in the state and also ushered in Democrat Terry McAuliffe to the governor 's mansion . Herring is taking over for Ken Cuccinelli , a Republican who ran and lost a bid for governor on a Tea Party platform and was a staunch defender of the gay-marriage ban .
On 'Morning Edition ' : Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring talks about why he will not defend the state 's ban on same-sex marriages . Listen
On 'Morning Edition ' : NPR 's Carrie Johnson talks about the national implications of the Virginia attorney general 's decision . Listen
Herring said as he came into office , he asked his staff to review Bostic v. Rainey and , after careful consideration , he came to the conclusion that the ban violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution .
Bostic v. Rainey is one of those cases that are being closely watched . The lawyers challenging the Virginia ban , for example , are David Boies and Ted Olson , who represented the couples who took California 's ban on gay marriage all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court .
While there are several cases moving through the system that could end up in the high court — one from Utah and one from Oklahoma , for example — this is one that marriage equality advocates would like to see reach the top .
Back in September , when Boies and Olson announced they were joining the case , they said they saw the California Proposition 8 case as the beginning `` of our fight for marriage equality . ''
`` What we 're hoping , with the case in Virginia , [ is ] it 's the beginning of the end , '' Boies said .
Herring 's solicitor general will tell a federal judge in Norfolk next week that Virginia is joining the plaintiffs in the case , that the state agrees a ban on gay marriage denies some couples in the state what the Supreme Court has called a fundamental right .
Herring said he 's doing it for Virginians . That 's when Steve reminded him that the amendment to Virginia 's Constitution defining marriage as only between a man and woman was approved by 57 percent of voters in 2006 .
Herring said that his job is to defend laws that are constitutional . This one , he said , is n't . Also , Herring added , he wants his state to be on the right side of history .
`` There have been times in some key landmark cases where Virginia was on the wrong side , was on the wrong side of history and on the wrong side of the law , '' Herring said . `` And as attorney general , I 'm going to make sure that the [ people ] presenting the state 's legal position on behalf of the people of Virginia are on the right side of history and on the right side of the law . ''
Herring also admitted that this issue has been a personal journey for him . In 2006 , when he was a member of the state Senate , he voted against marriage equality .
At the time , he said , he was speaking out against discrimination .
`` I was wrong for not applying it to marriage , '' Herring said . `` I saw very soon after that how that hurt a lot of people and it was very painful for a lot of people . ''
After talking to constituents and his family , including his children , he came to `` see the issue differently . ''
Herring 's decision does n't mean an end for Bostic v. Rainey . There are other defendants on the case who will argue in favor of the gay-marriage ban .
Much more of Steve 's interview with Herring is on Thursday 's Morning Edition . Click here for an NPR station near you .
Update at 1:20 p.m . ET . Herring 's Decision Is `` Disappointing And Really Frightening '' :
Later on Thursday , Victoria Cobb of The Family Foundation told Morning Edition that `` it 's just disappointing and really frightening '' that Herring would come out against an amendment to the state constitution that was put there after a vote by the state 's citizens . She also said Herring should have been `` honest and straightforward '' about his intentions during last year 's campaign .
Cobb 's foundation says its mission `` is to strengthen families in Virginia by applying founding principles and faith to policy and culture . '' | fIW8HNeYuSFEJPcD | 1 | Same-Sex Marriage | 1.4 | LGBTQ Issues | -0.7 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/politics/donald-trump-republican-conservatives/index.html | Is the GOP's stop Trump campaign too late? | 2016-03-18 | elections | Washington ( CNN ) The Republican Party is waking up -- but it might already be too late .
Donald Trump 's stroll toward the GOP presidential nomination is starting to turn the denial evident for months among key party power brokers to desperation . The mood of some in the party was aptly summed up Thursday by Republican lobbyist and former congressman Vin Weber on CNN 's `` The Lead '' with Jake Tapper .
`` All of a sudden , everybody is saying 'Oh My God — the house is burning down we should have done something before it got this far , ' '' said Weber , who is supporting John Kasich in the presidential race and is calling on the party to unite behind the Ohio Governor .
Sen. Marco Rubio , who pulled out of the presidential race on Tuesday after failing to take down Trump , had a grim assessment of the Republican Party 's state of play on his first day back at work in the Senate on Thursday .
`` Hopefully there 's time to still prevent a Trump nomination , which I think would fracture the party and be damaging to the conservative movement , '' Rubio told reporters .
Anti-Trump forces are getting a sense of the backlash they 'd face if they deny him the nomination . Trump warned earlier this week on CNN 's `` New Day '' that the convention could deteriorate into a `` riot '' if he is blocked from power .
And on Friday , a top Trump aide threatened to give up his credentials as a convention delegate and leave the Republican Party in a stark warning to the GOP about the `` consequences '' if Trump is blocked from the nomination .
`` I will tell you this , if the Republican Party comes into that convention and jimmies with the rules and takes away the will of the people , the will of the Republicans and the Democrats and Independents who voted for Mr. Trump , I will take off my credentials , I will leave the floor of that convention , and I will leave the Republican Party forever , '' Sam Clovis , a national co-chair for Trump 's campaign , said Friday on `` New Day . ''
The deepening anxiety in the GOP was underscored by a meeting in Washington Thursday of prominent conservative leaders dedicated to finding a way to prevent Trump from securing the 1,237 delegates needed for the nomination .
Trump 's failure to win Ohio on an otherwise successful night of primaries Tuesday opened a narrow window for opposing forces in the Republican Party to wrest the nomination from him because it lengthened his odds of winning a majority of delegates . If he does fall short , Trump could face an acrimonious contested convention in Cleveland in July .
JUST WATCHED Will `` Never Trump '' forces create a third party option ? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Will `` Never Trump '' forces create a third party option ? 06:30
Conservative activist Erick Erickson raised the specter of a `` unity '' ticket to stop Trump in a statement he issued after the meeting , noting that the party 's revered icon Abraham Lincoln was not nominated until after the third convention ballot .
`` We believe that the issue of Donald Trump is greater than an issue of party , '' the statement read . `` It is an issue of morals and character that all Americans , not just those of us in the conservative movement , must confront . ''
One person at the meeting , Deborah DeMoss Fonseca , a former aide to late Sen. Jesse Helms , said that there was `` definitely a consensus of not wanting Donald Trump . ''
`` I think there 's still several scenarios that could play out . And I think this particular group will look for whatever it is that 's going to do it , '' she said .
Thursday 's meeting was especially intriguing because it appeared to be the most concerted effort yet by the conservative movement , many of whose adherents view the New York real estate mogul as a political apostate , to stop Trump .
But it remained unclear whether the initiative would be any more successful than previous attempts by the Republican establishment to thwart Trump .
After all , a scorching speech by former GOP nominee Mitt Romney did nothing to slow the outspoken businessman . Nor did an extraordinary indictment by National Review , which devoted most of an issue to debunking Trump 's conservative bona fides . And Trump boasted at his victory party on Tuesday night in Florida that he had won the Sunshine State despite a multi-million dollar negative ad blitz attacking him .
And every candidate who tried to destroy Trump by hammering him on policy , his past business deals or his sometimes vulgar outbursts — including Rubio , Jeb Bush , Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal -- only succeeded in sinking their own presidential prospects .
JUST WATCHED Former Tea Party leader renounces Donald Trump Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Former Tea Party leader renounces Donald Trump 01:24
The conservative uprising on Thursday was not the only eye-opening example of the Stop Trump movement .
Former GOP candidate Lindsey Graham , who once said choosing between Trump and Cruz would be like picking between being shot and poisoned , made his choice . The South Carolina Senator told CNN 's Dana Bash that he was now lining up behind the Texas Senator and would help raise money for him .
Graham admitted that Cruz was `` not well liked '' among his peers on Capitol Hill , but implied he was the lesser of two evils .
`` I have doubts about Mr. Trump , '' Graham said . `` I do n't think he 's a Republican , I do n't think he 's a conservative , I think his campaign 's built on xenophobia , race-baiting and religious bigotry . I think he 'd be a disaster for our party and as Senator Cruz would not be my first choice , I think he is a Republican conservative who I could support . ''
The most fundamental weakness in any organized effort to stop Trump in the remaining contests in the Republican nomination is the math after more than half the states have voted .
The billionaire only needs to win 55.5 % of the remaining delegates to be awarded , according to a CNN estimate .
Although he has only won 47 % of the delegates awarded so far , the field , now consisting of just Trump , Cruz and Kasich , is much narrower than before and some contests are now winner take all affairs and do not hand out delegates proportionally as was the case in many previous contests .
Republican political strategist Phillip Stutts said the next six weeks will be crucial in defining whether any attempt to deprive Trump of the nomination would even be possible .
`` If Trump is not slowed down , there is not a convention fight to be had , '' Stutts said , pointing to a set of northeastern primaries on April 26 in Connecticut , Delaware , Maryland , Pennsylvania and Rhode Island as critical to foes bent on stopping Trump .
Another complication for the anti-Trump forces is that the billionaire could be the strongest force in a string of coming primaries . To slow his march , Kasich must show he can harvest more than the single victory he has so far -- on his home ground of Ohio .
Alternatively , Cruz , who is Trump 's closest rival with 418 delegates to the billionaire 's 678 , according to a CNN estimate , would have to show an appeal outside conservative heartland states that he is yet to demonstrate on a large scale .
The strength of Trump 's position has some of his allies warning that any attempt to snatch victory from his grasp would not just be unfair , it would be futile .
What is a 'brokered convention ' ? Here is a ( kind of ) simple explanation
`` Donald Trump is the will of the people . We need to listen to the people , back his candidacy and win in November , '' said Florida Gov . Rick Scott on CNN 's `` The Lead '' with Jake Tapper on Thursday . `` Donald Trump is the will of the people . We need to listen to the people , back his candidacy and win in November , '' said Florida Gov . Rick Scott on CNN 's `` The Lead '' with Jake Tapper on Thursday .
Hopes that a compromise candidate could emerge at a contested convention also took a blow on Thursday when House Speaker Paul Ryan ruled himself out — though he admitted that a delegate showdown was becoming more likely in Cleveland .
As the idea of the first contested convention in decades is gathering steam , the institutional leadership of the Republican Party finds itself in an unenviable position .
Any attempt to deprive Trump of the nomination would not just cause uproar in a year in which establishment politicians have been toppled . It would effectively mean the disenfranchisement of 7.5 million voters who have backed Trump in the primary process so far -- voters who the GOP can ill afford to lose at a time when national demographics give Democrats an easier route to the White House .
That 's why officials like Republican National Committee Communications Director Sean Spicer say that the process of selecting a nominee must be inviolate if a candidate reaches the magic number of 1,237 delegates .
`` Our job is to wait until the voters decide who that nominee will be , '' Spicer told Wolf Blitzer on CNN 's `` The Situation Room , '' calling on Republicans to unite to fight for the `` bigger prize '' -- depriving the Democrats of the White House .
If the latest attempts to thwart Trump fail , and party power brokers decide they can not stomach the Republican nominee , there may be a third option by embracing the final stage of grief — acceptance — and trying to limit the damage that they believe having Trump at the top of their ticket would unleash .
That could mean striving to ensure that even if Democrats win the White House , they are unable to boost an incoming president by making significant gains in Congress .
`` Keeping the majorities in the Senate and the House is for us where the donors should be putting their money , '' said Stutts . | bEn2T3oX4XlEQHVt | 0 | Republican Party | -0.4 | Donald Trump | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
russia | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/09/14/paul-manafort-to-plead-guilty-as-part-plea-deal-with-special-counsel.html | Paul Manafort pleads guilty, agrees to cooperate in deal with Mueller team | 2018-09-14 | russia | Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleaded guilty in federal court Friday as part of a plea agreement that involves cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller and allows him to avoid a second trial .
“ I plead guilty , '' Manafort , 69 , told U.S. District Judge Amy Berman in Washington .
Prosecutor Andrew Weissmann told the judge that Manafort 's deal includes a cooperation agreement with prosecutors , who are investigating whether any Trump associates played a role in Russia 's meddling in the 2016 election . That could include interviews with prosecutors and testifying in court .
A defense attorney for Manafort told Fox News the deal includes `` full cooperation . ''
But the president 's team downplayed the significance of Manafort 's plea .
“ Once again an investigation has concluded with a plea having nothing to do with President Trump or the Trump campaign , '' Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said in a statement to Fox News . `` The reason : the president did nothing wrong . ''
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday that Manafort 's decision is `` totally unrelated '' to the president .
Manafort , in a trial set to begin Sept. 24 , had been facing seven counts of foreign lobbying violations and witness tampering in federal court in Washington .
In August , in a separate trial in Virginia , a federal jury found Manafort guilty on eight counts of federal tax and banking crimes .
Manafort faces up to 10 years on these charges in Washington . He still faces sentencing for his guilty verdict in Virginia .
As part of this agreement , Manafort has forfeited multiple bank accounts and several properties in New York . However , he will keep his properties in Florida and Virginia , where his family live .
Manafort attorney Kevin Downing told reporters after the court hearing it was a “ tough day ” for his client , “ who has accepted responsibility. ” He said Manafort “ wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life . ”
The case was brought by Mueller 's team , which is probing potential crimes related to the 2016 election . But Manafort has not been charged with anything related to the campaign .
In August , Manafort ’ s bank and tax fraud conviction made him the first campaign associate of Trump found guilty by a jury as part of Mueller ’ s probe .
“ I feel very badly for Paul Manafort , ” Trump told reporters after the August verdict , adding that it had `` nothing to do with Russian collusion . '' The president has called Mueller 's probe a `` witch hunt . ''
Trump also said he had “ such respect ” for Manafort and called him a “ brave man. ” In comments interpreted to mean he was open to pardoning Manafort , Trump commended Manafort , saying he “ refused to break ” and “ make up stories in order to get a deal . ”
In the Virginia trial , prosecutors said Manafort hid income earned from political work overseas from the IRS while fraudulently obtaining millions in bank loans . Manafort had pleaded not guilty to all counts .
The prosecution ’ s star witness , Rick Gates – Manafort ’ s former business partner who struck a plea deal to cooperate with the government -- testified during the trial that he and Manafort committed bank and tax fraud together .
Downing , Manafort 's attorney , suggested after the guilty verdict in August that Manafort was open to striking a deal before the second trial .
“ He is evaluating all of his options at this point , ” Downing said of Manafort . | oeyivMZw5e0aZuwk | 2 | Russia | -0.2 | Robert Mueller | -0.2 | Russia Probe | -0.2 | Paul Manafort | -0.1 | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | NPR (Online News) | https://www.npr.org/2022/03/04/1084299987/employers-jobs-february-labor-market-workers | The U.S. added 678,000 jobs in February. It's another sign of a hot labor market | 2022-03-04 | Economy And Jobs, Unemployment | Scott Horsley A hiring sign is posted outside a business in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., on Feb. 22. Employers are keen for workers as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption A hiring sign is posted outside a business in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., on Feb. 22. Employers are keen for workers as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic. Hiring accelerated sharply last month as U.S. employers added 678,000 jobs, the largest gain since last July, and a resilient economy continues its recovery from the stubborn coronavirus pandemic. The unemployment rate fell to 3.8% last month, from 4% in January. Job gains for December and January were also revised up by a total of 92,000 jobs. The health outlook has improved significantly since a winter wave of infections tied to the omicron variant. Job gains in February were widespread with bars and restaurants adding 124,000 jobs, construction companies adding 60,000, and factories adding 36,000. The economy has now recovered more than 90% of the payroll jobs that were lost in the early months of the pandemic. But the strength of hiring this spring will depend in large part on the availability of workers. And Russia's invasion of Ukraine adds another wild card to the economic forecast. "Omicron, which is now fading across most of the country, did not have as much of an economic impact as was expected," said Nela Richardson, chief economist for the payroll processing company ADP. "But it may have had an effect of keeping some workers on the sidelines, due to health concerns." The pandemic shock sidelined a larger share of workers in the U.S. than in other countries. The number of people working or looking for work has increased in recent months but is still below pre-pandemic levels. The workforce grew by 304,000 people in February. "I think as people start to feel a little more comfortable about coming back to the offices, as people feel they don't have to be staying at home with the children anymore, I think you will start to see that number continuing to move higher," said Jay Bryson, chief economist at Wells Fargo. "But that said, there's a number of people who've retired now who probably aren't coming back." Many employers have increased pay to attract scarce workers. Average wages in the private sector were 5.1% higher last month than a year ago. Workers in low-wage industries have seen some of the biggest gains. In restaurants and hotels, for example, average wages in February were 11.2% higher than a year ago. In some instances, rising wages are contributing to higher prices. And because prices are climbing rapidly, many workers' paychecks don't go as far as they used to. For the past two years, the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates near zero in an effort to prop up the pandemic-scarred economy and encourage hiring. But now the Fed is preparing to shift gears — focusing less on employment and more on inflation, which has soared its highest level in nearly 40 years. "Unemployment is low. Wages are going up. The labor market is quite healthy. And inflation is all too high," Fed chairman Jerome Powell told the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. "We're accountable for inflation and we're going to use our tools to bring it down." A hiring sign is displayed at a retail store in Buffalo Grove, Ill., on Feb. 10. Nam Y. Huh/AP hide caption A hiring sign is displayed at a retail store in Buffalo Grove, Ill., on Feb. 10. Powell said he expects the Fed to start raising interest rates — most likely by a quarter percentage point — when policymakers meet in less than two weeks. The goal is to tamp down demand, which has been outstripping supply and leading to higher prices. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine adds new a new wrinkle to the Fed's challenge. The conflict has sharply increased prices for energy and wheat. It also threatens to slow economic growth. "On the one hand, you have an inflation rate that's significantly higher than what the Fed would like to see," said Bryson. "But on the other hand, you have all these uncertainties as it relates to what's going on in Russia and Ukraine right now. So they're not on auto-pilot. They'll be paying very, very close attention to what's going on." Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through the NPR Services and to enable you to use some of their features. 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These cookies track your browsing habits or other information, such as location, to enable us to show sponsorship credits which are more likely to be of interest to you. These cookies use information about your browsing history to group you with other users who have similar interests. Based on that information, and with our permission, we and our sponsors can place cookies to enable us or our sponsors to show sponsorship credits and other messages that we think will be relevant to your interests while you are using third-party services. | 8258f17a77296afd | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | CNN (Web News) | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/09/romney-on-minimum-wage-we-out-to-raise-it/?hpt=po_c2 | Romney on minimum wage: 'We ought to raise it' | 2014-05-09 | Economy And Jobs, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Mitt Romney | Washington ( CNN ) - In a break with many in the Republican Party , Mitt Romney says he backs a move to raise the minimum wage .
`` I , for instance , as you know , part company with many of the conservatives in my party on the issue of the minimum wage , '' the 2012 GOP presidential nominee said Friday morning .
`` I think we ought to raise it , because frankly , our party is all about more jobs and better pay , and I think communicating that is important to us , '' Romney added in an interview on MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe . ''
Romney 's comments come a week after a bill pushed by Senate Democrats to raise the minimum wage to $ 10.10 per hour failed to garner the 60 votes needed to pass . Only one Senate Republican voted for the measure .
In recent days , two opponents of Romney during the last race for the GOP presidential nomination , former Minnesota Gov . Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania , who 's also considering another White House bid in 2016 , both supported some kind of minimum wage increase .
Democrats are using the issue of raising the minimum wage , and the opposition from most Republicans , as part of their income equality push as they campaign in this year 's midterm elections .
Romney was open to a minimum wage hike when he served as Massachusetts governor from 2003 to 2007 and when he first ran for president , in the 2008 campaign . In 2011 and early 2012 , during his second White House run , Romney also supported a wage hike , but he changed his stance a few months later , saying in an interview on CNBC that `` there 's probably not a need to raise the minimum wage . ''
The most recent polls on the issue indicate a strong majority of Americans supporting raising the minimum wage , with Republicans mostly divided on the issue .
GOP lawmakers point to a recent Congressional Budget Office report that found the wage hike could lift 900,000 people out of poverty but also lead to the loss of 500,000 jobs . A recent poll from Bloomberg indicated that a majority of Americans found that trade-off unacceptable .
Romney once again shot down any suggestions that he has a third run for the White House in the works .
`` I ’ m not running for president in 2016 , '' he clearly stated , adding with a smile that `` I think our best prospects of getting back the White House are with someone who has not run twice before as I have . ''
Romney gave a similar answer during a CNN interview in February with the Situation Room 's Wolf Blitzer . | 057a0a39422c4d8b | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | The Daily Wire | https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitter-censors-trump-tweet-denouncing-riots-took-no-action-on-tweets-supporting-riots?%3Futm_source=twitter | Twitter Censors Trump Tweet Denouncing Riots; Took No Action On Tweets Supporting Riots | violence_in_america | Twitter censored a tweet from President Donald Trump on Thursday night where the president expressed anger at rioters in Minneapolis who were “ dishonoring the memory of George Floyd ” and warning that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts. ” Trump ’ s remarks , said Twitter , were “ glorifying violence . ”
“ I can ’ t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City , Minneapolis . A total lack of leadership . Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor , Jacob Frey , get his act together and bring the City under control , or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right , ” Trump tweeted . “ These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd , and I won ’ t let that happen . Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way . Any difficulty and we will assume control but , when the looting starts , the shooting starts . Thank you ! ”
When Trump ’ s tweet is embedded in a post it does not show the censorship label that Twitter applied :
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd , and I won ’ t let that happen . Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way . Any difficulty and we will assume control but , when the looting starts , the shooting starts . Thank you ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 29 , 2020
However , a screenshot of the tweet on Twitter ’ s platform shows the censorship label that Twitter applied :
In a statement , Twitter Comms said : “ This Tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line , its connection to violence , and the risk it could inspire similar actions today . ”
“ We ’ ve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts , but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance , ” Twitter added . “ As is standard with this notice , engagements with the Tweet will be limited . People will be able to Retweet with Comment , but will not be able to Like , Reply or Retweet it . ”
Twitter ’ s actions against the president come after Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that took action against social media companies for repeatedly discriminating against and censoring conservatives . He issued the executive order after Twitter started applying controversial labels to his tweets while largely ignoring false statements from Democrats and the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) .
Twitter took no action against numerous tweets that appeared to encourage rioting , destruction of property , or fighting against law enforcement .
The following controversial tweets , which Twitter did not take any action against , are from public figures or they are tweets that went viral on the platform and garnered tens of thousands of retweets :
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has ties to Black Lives Matter and his company “ painted # blacklivesmatter on a wall at its San Francisco headquarters , placing the company squarely into the national debate about excessive force used by police with blacks , ” USA Today reported in 2014 .
The Daily Caller highlighted in 2018 an article that Dorsey promoted on his Twitter account and said was “ great. ” The article essentially called for turning the entire United States into California and completely eliminating the Republican Party . The Daily Caller reported :
Author and media consultant Peter Leyden and political commentator Ruy Teixeira argued in the article titled “ The Great Lesson of California in America ’ s New Civil War ” that America is already in the midst of a second major domestic conflict of sorts and the way out is for the rest of the country to imitate California . “ In this current period of American politics , at this juncture in our history , there ’ s no way that a bipartisan path provides the way forward , ” they wrote . “ The way forward is on the path California blazed about 15 years ago. ” Essentially , the authors called for a complete marginalization of the Republican Party and its voters since they only care “ about rule by and for billionaires at the expense of working people ” and not “ average citizens. ” California , despite its mass wealth inequality , growing lack of social cohesion , poverty , and soaring housing costs “ provides a model for America as a whole , ” according to Leyden and Teixeira . … Yet , they do not call for Democrats to try to understand their political adversaries . Instead , they proposed Americans “ take the Republican Party down for a generation or two ” in order to save the country .
███ , headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro , is a leading provider of conservative news , cutting through the mainstream media ’ s rhetoric to provide readers the most important , relevant , and engaging stories of the day . Get inside access to ███ by becoming a member . | 4SYLJmNefnKd8xJf | 2 | George Floyd | -0.2 | Violence In America | -0.1 | Censorship | -0.1 | 1st Amendment | 0 | null | null | |
national_defense | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/opinion/nominations-for-defense-and-the-cia.html?hp&_r=0 | Nominations for Defense and the C.I.A. | 2013-01-08 | national_defense | On national security policy , there is much to like about Mr. Hagel , one of a fading breed of sensible moderate Republicans . Mr. Obama hailed him as “ the leader that our troops deserve. ” Mr. Hagel ’ s experience as a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War should give him a special rapport with the troops as well as make him an authoritative voice on the measured use of force . Like Mr. Obama , Mr. Hagel has been deeply critical of the war in Iraq and is believed to favor a more rapid drawdown of troops from Afghanistan . He has also wisely advocated paring the bloated defense budget .
Mr. Hagel ’ s independence and willingness to challenge Republican orthodoxy on Iraq , sanctions on Iran and other issues — both in the Senate and later as an administration adviser — have so alarmed neocons , hard-line pro-Israel interest groups and some Republican senators that they unleashed a dishonest campaign to pre-emptively bury the nomination . It failed , but the confirmation process could be bruising . The opponents are worried that Mr. Hagel will not be sufficiently in lock step with the current Israeli government and can not be counted on to go to war against Iran over its nuclear program if it comes to that .
We are encouraged by what we hear about Mr. Hagel ’ s preference for a negotiated solution with Iran , his reluctance to go to war , and his support for Israel ’ s security , for a two-state solution and for reductions in nuclear weapons . If confirmed , he would have to tackle the hard job of cutting the defense budget and balancing the competing needs of the different services .
Mr. Brennan has worked closely with Mr. Obama over four years as the counterterrorism adviser . He was at the president ’ s side during the raid on Osama bin Laden , and pushed an expanded strategy of using drones to kill terrorism suspects . Mr. Brennan withdrew from consideration for the C.I.A . post four years ago after human rights advocates said that he had failed to stop President George W. Bush ’ s use of torture in interrogating prisoners . He denied those charges at the time , but the Senate Intelligence Committee should revisit the issue at his confirmation hearing . He also should be deeply questioned about how the White House decides on the targets of drone strikes , and whether the American public will ever know if there are explicit rules for these killings .
In his second term , President Obama has an opportunity to put his stamp more firmly on America ’ s relations with the world . He needs his own team to do that , and the Senate should move as quickly as possible to a vote . Ultimately though , Mr. Obama will need some new approaches to achieve new goals , not just new people . | Dqps2DQNX1JqSyy9 | 0 | National Defense | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/406938-allegations-throw-kavanaugh-confirmation-into-turmoil | Allegations throw Kavanaugh confirmation into turmoil | 2018-09-16 | supreme_court | Brett Kavanaugh ’ s Supreme Court nomination was plunged into chaos after a woman accusing him of sexual assault spoke publicly for the first time about the allegation on Sunday .
The fallout from the decades-old allegation is putting a spotlight on Senate Republicans , who must decide if they want to rush forward with Kavanaugh ’ s nomination with questions lingering over the Senate ’ s debate and vote .
Republicans have been confident for months that Kavanaugh would be confirmed by October , when the court starts its next term . But they are under intense pressure to delay a vote after Kavanaugh ’ s accuser , Christine Blasey Ford , told The Washington Post that in high school in the early 1980s , Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a party and forced himself on her .
Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh `` groped her over her clothes , grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it . ''
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans quickly defended Kavanaugh , noting he had undergone multiple FBI background checks , and questioned the timing of the allegations .
Taylor Foy , a spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles ( Chuck ) Ernest GrassleySpeaker Pelosi , it 's time to throw American innovators a lifeline Barr : Inspector general 's report on alleged FISA abuses 'imminent ' Pelosi aide hopeful White House will support drug-pricing bill despite criticism MORE ( R-Iowa ) , released a lengthy statement after the Post published its interview with Ford saying it was “ disturbing ” that the “ uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago , during high school , would surface on the eve of the committee vote . ”
“ It raises a lot of questions about Democrats ’ tactics and motives to bring this to the rest of the committee ’ s attention only now rather than during these many steps along the way . Senator Feinstein should publicly release the letter she received back in July so that everyone can know what she ’ s known for weeks , ” he added .
Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Graham : Senate trial 'must expose the whistleblower ' Graham says Schiff should be a witness in Trump impeachment trial MORE ( R-S.C. ) — who could become Judiciary Committee chairman next year — said that he aligned himself with the statement “ about the substance and process regarding the allegations in this latest claim . ”
Graham became the first Republican to open the door to a hearing from Ford , saying he would “ gladly listen to what she has to say and compare that against all other information we have received about Judge Kavanaugh . ”
But he caveated that the testimony should happen within the current timeline for confirming Kavanaugh , “ so the process can continue as scheduled . ”
And Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey ( Jeff ) Lane FlakeLindsey Graham basks in the impeachment spotlight Kelly , McSally virtually tied in Arizona Senate race : poll ███ 's 12:30 Report — Presented by Nareit — White House cheers Republicans for storming impeachment hearing MORE ( R-Ariz. ) , another member of the Judiciary Committee , said on Sunday he believes the panel shouldn ’ t vote on Kavanaugh ’ s nomination until they ’ ve had time to dig into the allegation .
“ For me , we can ’ t vote until we hear more , ” Flake told the Post .
A spokeswoman for Flake didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment . If the committee tried to move forward on Thursday and Flake joined all Democrats in voting `` no , '' that would likely result in a 10-11 vote in favor of Kavanaugh . But that would n't prohibit his nomination from coming to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote .
The Senate Judiciary Committee has a vote scheduled on Kavanaugh ’ s nomination on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. Republicans hold a majority on the committee , meaning if they stick together he could clear the panel this week .
In a move that could help stave off GOP defections , and keep Kavanaugh ’ s nomination on schedule , Grassley is working to set up calls before Thursday ’ s vote with both Kavanaugh and Ford .
“ Given the late addendum to the background file and revelations of Dr. Ford ’ s identity , Chairman Grassley is actively working to set up ... follow-up calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford ahead of Thursday ’ s scheduled vote , ” a spokesman for the Judiciary Committee said on Sunday .
Republican leadership showed no intention of slowing down their plan to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court by the end of the month . If confirmed , he would give the party a major victory less than two months before the midterm election and is expected to help tilt the court to the right for decades .
A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison ( Mitch ) Mitchell McConnellGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Graham : Senate trial 'must expose the whistleblower ' Graham says Schiff should be a witness in Trump impeachment trial MORE ( R-Ky. ) declined to comment on Sunday , but the tightlipped GOP leader has not signaled that the sexual assault allegations have changed his mind about confirming Kavanaugh before October .
But even as Republican leadership is indicating they want to move forward with Kavanaugh , his nomination remains short of the 50 votes needed to be confirmed .
The caucus ’ s two potential swing votes — GOP Sens . Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiHillicon Valley : Federal inquiry opened into Google health data deal | Facebook reports millions of post takedowns | Microsoft shakes up privacy debate | Disney plus tops 10M sign-ups in first day Senators press FDA tobacco chief on status of vaping ban Federal inquiry opened into Google health data deal MORE ( Alaska ) and Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsLawmakers under pressure to pass benefits fix for military families Senate GOP waves Trump off early motion to dismiss impeachment charges GOP senators warn against Trump firing intelligence community official MORE ( Maine ) — have yet to say how they will vote or if they want to delay the vote in the wake of the allegations , which first surfaced late last week when Senate Democrats said they had given a letter detailing the alleged incident to the FBI .
Spokespeople for both senators didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday . Collins had a one-hour phone call with Kavanaugh on Friday that was previously scheduled .
`` Well I obviously was very surprised and it 's , it 's an issue that I brought up with him last Friday and he denied as he did in his written statement , ” she told CNN on Sunday , declining to comment further .
The two senators are under a mountain of pressure by liberal activists and outside groups to oppose Kavanaugh in the wake of the sexual assault allegation . The two were already considered potential swing votes because they ’ ve previously broken with their party on ObamaCare repeal and abortion-related legislation .
Democrats would need to win over two Republican senators if they want to block Kavanaugh ’ s nomination . And the caucus began to break its days-long silence over the assault allegations on Sunday to unify behind a call for Kavanaugh ’ s vote to be delayed .
`` Senator Grassley must postpone the vote until , at a very minimum , these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated . For too long , when woman have made serious allegations of abuse , they have been ignored . That can not happen in this case , '' Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Charles ( Chuck ) Ellis SchumerOvernight Health Care : Trump officials making changes to drug pricing proposal | House panel advances flavored e-cig ban | Senators press FDA tobacco chief on vaping ban Chad Wolf becomes acting DHS secretary Schumer blocks drug pricing measure during Senate fight , seeking larger action MORE ( D-N.Y. ) said in a statement on Sunday .
Democrats are widely expected to oppose Kavanaugh ’ s nomination , but the sexual assault allegation comes as several red- and purple-state senators up for reelection remain on the fence .
Sens . Joe Donnelly Joseph ( Joe ) Simon DonnellyWatchdog accuses pro-Kavanaugh group of sending illegal robotexts in 2018 Lobbying world Trump nominees meet fiercest opposition from Warren , Sanders , Gillibrand MORE ( Ind . ) , Heidi Heitkamp Mary ( Heidi ) Kathryn HeitkampThe Hill 's Morning Report — Biden steadies in third debate as top tier remains the same Trump wins 60 percent approval in rural areas of key states Pence to push new NAFTA deal in visit to Iowa MORE ( N.D. ) and Joe Manchin Joseph ( Joe ) ManchinFormer coal exec Don Blankenship launches third-party presidential bid Centrist Democrats seize on state election wins to rail against Warren 's agenda Overnight Energy : Senate eyes nixing 'forever chemicals ' fix from defense bill | Former Obama EPA chief named CEO of green group | Senate reviews Interior , FERC nominees criticized on ethics MORE ( W.Va. ) previously voted for Neil Gorsuch , President Trump Donald John TrumpGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Warren goes local in race to build 2020 movement 2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes MORE ’ s first Supreme Court pick , and were widely seen as potential `` yes '' votes for Kavanaugh .
But the three are facing renewed pressure from progressives who believe Kavanaugh ’ s nomination should be withdrawn , or that senators should block him , after the sexual assault allegation . Progressives warn that voting for Kavanaugh would backfire for incumbent senators by angering base voters they need to turn out to win their tight elections .
“ We believe Christine Blasey Ford and so should every U.S Senator , ” Demand Justice , a progressive group that opposes Kavanaugh , said shortly after The Washington Post published its story on Sunday .
Shaunna Thomas , executive director and co-founder of UltraViolet , said on Sunday that all senators must give the allegations the “ seriousness that it deserves . ”
“ Ford ’ s accusations against Brett Kavanaugh are deeply troubling and totally disqualifying . Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination immediately . Violence against women should have no place in our society and it certainly should have no place on the highest court in the nation . ”
Heitkamp , Manchin and Donnelly , who aren ’ t on the Judiciary Committee , didn ’ t immediately echo their colleagues on Sunday to delay Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation . Spokespeople for the three moderate senators didn ’ t respond to a request for comment .
It was a break from fellow red-state Sen. Doug Jones ( D-Ala. ) , who said on Twitter on Sunday that the Senate should hit “ pause ” on Kavanaugh ’ s nomination .
`` It is more important than ever to hit the pause button on Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation vote until we can fully investigate these serious and disturbing allegations . We can not rush to move forward under this cloud , '' Jones , who is not a member of the committee , said in a tweet .
The allegations sparked criticism from the conservative Judicial Crisis Network . `` Judge Kavanaugh is admired in his church , in his community , and in his profession . Throughout his distinguished career in public service , he has undergone half a dozen FBI background checks , and never a whisper of misconduct . Until the eve of his confirmation , '' the group said .
`` It does n't add up . But what does add up is that Democrats are doubling down on a strategy of character assassination , seeking to destroy the life of a distinguished public servant for the sake of appeasing their base . ''
`` Oh boy ... the Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now , '' Trump Jr. added . | FS0H0rKWyKUDSAbd | 1 | Supreme Court | -0.4 | Brett Kavanaugh | -0.1 | US Senate | 0 | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Washington Free Beacon | https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/after-pledging-to-decriminalize-illegal-border-crossings-harris-will-lead-border-crisis-response/ | After Pledging to Decriminalize Illegal Border Crossings, Harris Will Lead Border Crisis Response | 2021-03-24 | Immigration, Border Crisis, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden | Vice President Kamala Harris, who less than a year ago expressed support for decriminalizing illegal border crossings, will spearhead the White House's response to the crisis at the southern border. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he can "think of nobody who is better qualified" to handle the situation than Harris, who he said "speaks for me." The decision comes as the White House struggles to deal with a historic surge in border apprehensions. U.S. Border Patrol agents are currently detaining more than 600 unaccompanied migrant children per day, far more than the 370 daily apprehensions seen during the 2019 migrant surge. While top administration officials claim that Harris's first goal will be to quell the surge of illegal migrants, the Democrat has a history of dismissing illegal immigration and the federal government's role in stopping it. As a presidential candidate last summer, Harris said she backed decriminalizing illegal border crossings and would "not make it a crime" to illegally cross the border if she was elected. Harris's lax approach to border enforcement preceded her run for president—in 2018, Harris encouraged a caravan of more than 7,000 migrants who were seeking to enter the country illegally. The then-California senator said "we are welcoming" as a nation. The comments came just days after migrants violently stormed the Guatemala-Mexico border chanting "we are going to the United States" and "nobody is going to stop us." It also came as former Department of Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen warned that the caravan could be exploited by "transnational criminal organizations"—a dynamic that both Republicans and Democrats say is at play during the current crisis. Harris also faced criticism as a senator for her 2018 line of questioning toward then-acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Ronald Vitiello. The Democrat compared the "perception" of ICE to the Ku Klux Klan, implying that the agency uses "fear and force" to carry out immigration laws. Former Biden campaign senior adviser and current Harris chief spokeswoman Symone Sanders defended the questioning, saying that she feels as though "ICE currently operates with surgical precision in terms of picking out and hunting down folks … based upon the color of their skin." Harris campaigned against the Trump administration's immigration policies, which she said consisted of "putting babies in cages at the border in the name of security." Harris also accused the U.S. government of committing "human rights abuses." Thousands of migrant children, however, are now being held by the Biden administration in holding facilities intended for adults. While the Biden administration has resisted categorizing the current border surge as a "crisis," Harris on Wednesday said it was a "huge problem" that is "not going to be solved overnight." 2025 All Rights Reserved 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 | 615c2dd838cdaa69 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | BBC News | http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40080679 | Portland attack: $600,000 raised for 'heroes' killed defending Muslim teen | 2017-05-29 | Terrorism, Violence In America, Portland | More than $ 600,000 ( £468,000 ) has been raised for the families of the three US men attacked while defending a Muslim teenager and her friend on a train .
Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Ricky John Best were killed and Micah David-Cole Fletcher was severely injured in Portland , Oregon on Friday .
They all intervened after a man launched into a verbal tirade against the teens , one wearing a hijab .
The 35-year-old is due to appear in court on Tuesday , charged with two counts of aggravated murder , attempted murder , intimidation and being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon .
The FBI said it was still unsure if Mr Christian - who allegedly said `` all Muslims should die '' during the attack - will face charges for hate crime .
Meanwhile , Mr Fletcher continues to recover after sustaining a knife wound to his neck that his mother said was `` a millimetre '' from his jugular vein .
He posted a picture from his hospital bed , alongside a poem on Saturday evening . One of the lines said : `` I spat in the eye of hate and lived . ''
The three men have been hailed as `` heroes '' in their local community , not least by Destinee Mangum - the 16-year-old who was travelling with her friend , 17 , when the attack took place .
`` I just want to say thank you to the people who put their life on the line for me , because they did n't even know me and they lost their lives because of me and my friend and the way we look , '' she told local channel KPTV .
Close to 1,000 people gathered for a vigil in memory of Mr Namkai-Meche , 23 , a recent college graduate , and 53-year-old army veteran Mr Best , a father-of-four , on Saturday evening .
There have also been numerous tributes online to the men .
Tributes have been paid to the men by the city 's mayor , as well as Oregon governor Kate Brown and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton , who described their deaths as `` heartbreaking '' .
`` No one should have to endure this racist abuse , '' she wrote on Twitter . `` No one should have to give their life to stop it . ''
US President Donald Trump has yet to mention the attack .
A tweet by a reporter with the Oregonian newspaper , asking Mr Trump if he had any comment on the attack , has been 'liked ' more than 4,000 times .
And veteran journalist Dan Rather wrote an open letter to Mr Trump , which has been shared more than 100,000 times on Facebook , imploring the president to speak out about their deaths .
Mr Rather said : `` Two Americans have died leaving family and friends behind .
`` They are mourned by millions more who are also deeply worried about what might come next . I hope you can find it worthy of your time to take notice . '' | 3b19d8ce45c958b5 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/07/politics/cliff-negotiations-boehner/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | 'Cliff' talks seem to follow old script: Public lines, private events differ | 2012-12-07 | fiscal_cliff | Story highlights Public posturing continues , while tight circle of aides work behind the scenes
Staff level exchanges on `` fiscal cliff '' have resumed after Obama-Boehner call
Congress often works right up until deadline before any deals are struck
Influence of social media can complicate ability to negotiate successfully , insiders say
High-level negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill in times of divided government tend to follow a script .
This year 's talks about how to avert the `` fiscal cliff , '' for the most part , appear to track a familiar line : The outside message from the top players is often different from what 's happening on a parallel track inside the room where the final deal is being crafted .
Publicly , both President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner continue to argue their positions on taxes and entitlement reforms , hoping they can win the public relations battle that frames their respective party as the one responsibly pursuing a solution and the other side as the one that wo n't budge .
`` I 'm not going to sign any package that somehow prevents the tax rate from going up for folks in the top 2 % , '' the president said Thursday at a campaign-style visit with a Virginia family to highlight his stand on taxes .
On Friday , Boehner responded : `` Instead of reforming the tax code and cutting spending , the president wants to raise tax rates . But even if the president got the tax rate hike that he wanted , understand that we would continue to see trillion-dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see . ''
JUST WATCHED Obama , Boehner spoke by phone Wednesday Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama , Boehner spoke by phone Wednesday 01:04
JUST WATCHED Borger : Cliff is Congress ' own creation Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Borger : Cliff is Congress ' own creation 04:32
JUST WATCHED Complete explanation of 'fiscal cliff ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Complete explanation of 'fiscal cliff ' 01:37
After a meeting between the two men Sunday , White House spokesman Josh Earnest and Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck issued identical statements , saying that there had been no breakthrough but that the lines of communication remain open .
But as all that 's happening for public consumption at the White House and Capitol Hill press studios , a tight circle of trusted aides float proposals on how much they might be willing to compromise inside conference rooms or over e-mail .
While those staff-level exchanges did stop for a week after aides on both sides said there was no one giving ground , they have now resumed after a phone call last week between Obama and Boehner .
Two former senior Capitol Hill insiders who worked on opposite sides of negotiations similar to the fiscal cliff talks agree that public posturing will continue for a while . They agree there wo n't be any major breakthroughs on a deal until both sides feel the pressure of the deadline and their backs are against the wall .
`` Nothing happens until it has to happen , '' said Jim Manley , former senior communications adviser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and a longtime aide to former Sen. Ted Kennedy .
Ron Bonjean , a former spokesman for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and aide to top Senate Republicans , noted that while the public may be focused on the dwindling deadline for a fiscal cliff deal , the year-end time frame is `` a lifetime in Congress . ''
Both Bonjean and Manley are veterans of a series of high-profile showdowns on government funding , comprehensive education legislation and tax cuts .
Inside the Capitol , major negotiations often coincide with the holidays at the end of the year . Staffers work long hours inside the building that Bonjean referred to as a `` biosphere . ''
`` Everybody 's Christmas shopping online , '' the GOP strategist said . `` Reporters are standing outside these rooms , waiting , staking out and waiting for something to happen . It 's like watching grass grow for hours . ''
But Manley emphasized that maneuvering the line between public statements and private meetings can be a delicate dance .
`` From my perspective , it was always important to try not to get too wrapped up in the angry rhetoric and the charges being lobbed by either side because in the end my goal was to protect Sen. Reid and make sure he 's in a position to get a deal done , '' Manley said .
Bonjean pointed out that Obama 's campaign-style events could complicate talks : `` It really ticks Republicans off and actually hardens their position . ''
But Democrats on Capitol Hill are applauding the president 's strategy to concentrate in this negotiation on the outside messaging after their frustration that in previous talks he spent too much time trying privately to get House Republicans to compromise .
`` The good news is that I think the president and his team finally came to the realization that they ca n't negotiate with hostage takers and that they 've learned their lessons from the debt limit debacle last year , '' Manley said . `` They 're prepared to take their case to the American people , which I think in this current atmosphere where the political process is largely broken , that that 's the only game in town . ''
In the two years since becoming speaker , Boehner has faced off with Reid and Obama on bills to avoid a government shutdown , raise the debt ceiling and renew tax cuts .
But Boehner previously had earned a reputation as a skilled negotiator as the chairman of the House Education Committee and worked across the aisle with Kennedy on the landmark No Child Left Behind education bill as well as pension reforms and disabilities legislation .
Manley worked for Kennedy then and observed Boehner up close . He pointed to those negotiations as instances when what was said outside the room did n't always match what was going on behind the scenes .
`` Both were smart , wily legislators who realized there 's a difference between what you say outside some times and what you agreed to when you actually begin negotiating . ''
But there are points inevitably when the talks break down , and in many cases deals fall apart multiple times before they get revived .
Quietly , a leader of one party may decide to try to convince members of the other party to break ranks as a way to build pressure -- something these congressional veterans agree is certainly going in as a part of fiscal cliff negotiations .
`` That was key , '' Bonjean said , pointing out times when then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott would try to box in the Democratic leader Tom Daschle by recruiting centrist Democrat John Breaux to bring other Democrats on board .
`` While the negotiations were breaking down on issues like the tax cut or IDEA ( a disabilities law ) , you would try to pick off members and create a bipartisan resolution , '' he said .
One thing that has complicated the ability to get things done behind the scenes is the influence of social media , with an expanded press corps reporting every development , often in real time .
`` The media landscape has changed in this 24-hour news cycle we live in where every moment is tweeted , every utterance is put on a blog , every meeting is known before it even happens oftentimes , and it 's just much more difficult to get something done these days , '' Manley said .
Bonjean said `` sitting in a room and having it being live-tweeted out to the press '' makes leaders nervous as the deadline approaches . | l8nshpRUyTSk2UU6 | 0 | Taxes | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/05/how-internet-conspiracy-theory-led-gunman-into-dc-pizza-parlor.html | How an Internet conspiracy theory led a gunman into a DC pizza parlor | 2016-12-05 | media_bias | Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign chairman may have lost his handkerchief on Martha ’ s Vineyard one day in September 2014 – and two years later that incident has spawned a convoluted conspiracy theory involving a supposed pedophilia ring run out of a Washington , D.C. , pizza joint .
How we got from John Podesta ’ s hankie to claims of a child sex ring – and an armed man arrested Sunday at the pizza parlor attempting to “ investigate ” the claims – is a disjointed tale that reveals how a toxic Internet story is born , fed and spread without evidence .
Edgar Maddison Welch , a 28-year-old North Carolina man , was arrested Sunday afternoon on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon , after police say he fired his rifle into the floor of the pizza place . No one was hurt , but the incident sent customers running . Welch , who told authorities he went to the establishment to “ self-investigate ” the sex ring claims , allegedly was spotted looking for rumored tunnels filled with hidden children , a nearby store owner told The Washington Post .
Welch apparently was searching for proof of the so-called “ # pizzagate ” plot , initially advanced by users on 4Chan and Reddit on Nov. 4 , citing seemingly innocuous details from Podesta ’ s hacked emails as evidence of a child sex operation .
The author of one popular blog that gathered many of the details pointed , for instance , to the 2014 email to Podesta about a supposedly missing handkerchief . The blog claimed the description of the cloth as “ white w/ black ” correlated to a “ handkerchief code ” indicating leanings toward “ S & M ” and “ Virginity/Pedo . ”
The handkerchief was described in the email as “ having a map that seems pizza-related. ” Podesta referred often in his emails to pizza – a popular dish for anybody , never mind hungry and overworked campaign staffers . But the numerous mentions merited a deeper look for some . And that brought them to the pizzeria that Welch walked into on Sunday : Comet Ping Pong .
Comet Ping Pong has been a popular eatery for a decade . Its walls are painted with trendy murals and its owner , James Alefantis , was ranked No . 49 in GQ ’ s 2012 edition of the 50 most powerful people in Washington .
But to posters on 4Chan and Reddit , the murals contained disguised symbols of pedophilia . It was even posited that Comet Ping Pong ’ s logo had Satanic connections . Alefantis ’ personal social media postings , which contained popular memes and pictures of family and friends , were dissected for alleged links to the sex scheme . This included an Instagram image of a girl with her arms stuck with masking tape to a table , with a comment joking about it being a “ procedure for your youngest guests. ” His fundraising links to key Democratic figures – including Podesta – were also cited as proof .
Alefantis was a sender or recipient of about 20 of the more than 50,000 leaked Podesta emails , with messages dating between 2008 and 2016 . In one October 2008 email , Alefantis wrote to Podesta following a fundraiser : `` Raised over 40 grand . My only regret is I did not make you a nice pizza . When can I ? ''
As far-fetched as `` # pizzagate '' is , Bill Clinton 's past helped fuel the theorists . The former president – aside from having acknowledged extra-marital encounters and having been accused of sexual assault by several women , which he denies – flew several times on the private jet of Jeffrey Epstein , a wealthy financier who was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl . For some Redditers , it was a simple act of connecting some very , very distant dots to get from there to Comet Ping Pong .
But even after the election , the controversy refused to die down . Questions about “ # pizzagate ” persisted on Twitter and Facebook . Believers journeyed to the pizza place , posing questions to Alefantis and streaming Facebook Live videos . Finally , an armed man arrived .
Though the “ # pizzagate ” conspiracy was widely shared by far-rightwing elements on the Internet who supported Donald Trump and distrusted Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the election , it was also spread by others . The author of the popular blog about “ # pizzagate ” is a self-proclaimed supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , who claimed to vote for a third party on Election Day .
The son of incoming National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn , also named Michael Flynn , tweeted about Welch ’ s arrest on Sunday night : “ Until # Pizzagate proven to be false , it ’ ll remain a story . The left seems to forget # PodestaEmails and the many ‘ coincidences ’ tied to it . ” | mRV8pzqVMxgZepGy | 2 | Media Bias | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climatechange-trump/trump-rejects-findings-of-u-s-government-climate-change-report-idUSKCN1NV2IG | Trump rejects findings of U.S. government climate change report | 2018-11-26 | Environment, Climate Change, Donald Trump | WASHINGTON ( ███ ) - President Donald Trump on Monday rejected projections that climate change will cause severe economic harm to the U.S. economy , findings outlined by a report his own U.S. government published last week .
The congressionally mandated report https : //www.globalchange.gov said that climate change will cost the country ’ s economy billions of dollars by the end of the century , but Trump said he does not believe the economic impacts will be devastating .
“ I ’ ve seen it , I ’ ve read some of it , and it ’ s fine , ” the Republican president told reporters at the White House . Asked about severe economic impacts , he said , “ I don ’ t believe it . ”
The report was issued on Black Friday , the day after Thanksgiving , when many Americans traditionally go shopping , a timing that Trump ’ s critics said was chosen to bury the report .
Last year , Trump announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris deal to combat climate change , becoming the first country of 200 to do so . Due to U.N. rules , he can not quit the deal until after the 2020 presidential election .
“ Right now , we ’ re at the cleanest we ’ ve ever been and it ’ s very important to me , ” Trump said . “ But if we ’ re clean but every other place on Earth is dirty , that ’ s not so good . ”
U.S. carbon emissions from industry slipped 2.7 percent last year as coal plants shut and use of natural gas and renewable energy rose . But Trump ’ s critics said leaving the Paris agreement means the United States is allowing others to lead the global fight to curb climate change .
Trump has also rolled back Obama-era environmental and climate rules such as the Clean Power Plan , while seeking to boost output of oil , gas and coal for domestic use and for shipping to allies and partners . U.S. output of crude oil is already the highest in the world , above Saudi Arabia and Russia .
The report , written with the help of more than a dozen U.S. government agencies and departments , said the effects of climate change would harm human health , damage infrastructure , limit water availability , and alter coastlines . Agriculture , tourism and fishing , industries that depend on natural resources and favorable climate conditions , would all be hit , it said .
The report also said projections of damage could change if greenhouse gas emissions were curbed , although many of the impacts of climate change , like powerful storms , droughts and flooding , have already begun .
The report supplements a study issued last year that concluded humans are the main driver of global warming and warned of catastrophic effects to the planet . | fd2a7610f6cdc602 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Los Angeles Times | http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-heffernan-michael-cohen-tapes-20180719-story.html | Michael Cohen's tapes might be the kompromat we've been waiting for | 2018-07-21 | Politics | No man’s a hero to his valet. President Donald J. Trump is no exception. He’s plainly lost whatever Caesar status he once had with his longtime valet — I mean lawyer — Michael Cohen. According to media reports Friday, Cohen surreptitiously recorded a shady conversation with Trump two months before the 2016 presidential election. The two goons reportedly discussed how to suppress the 1st Amendment rights of Trump’s alleged former extramarital girlfriend Karen McDougal, a darling-looking skin-mag model. Their cunning plan? To trick McDougal into thinking she was signing a contract to write about the affair exclusively for the National Enquirer. As for so many of us, journalism seemed like a chance for McDougal to make an honest, fully-clothed living. But, according to McDougal, Trump supporter David Pecker, who runs the company that publishes the Enquirer, killed her story. He wouldn’t let her take it elsewhere, she maintains, but he did promise her a bogus fitness-writing deal that never came to pass. The writer’s life! Karen, I’m here for you. Don’t confuse McDougal with Stormy Daniels, the porn actress who accepted money through Cohen’s office to put the lid on her alleged affair with Trump in 2006, around the time that Trump’s third wife, Melania, gave birth to their son, Barron. Daniels is blond. Sure, McDougal describes a similar affair with Trump that overlapped with Daniels’, as well as Melania’s postpartum adjustment to new motherhood and of course Barron’s early infancy. But McDougal is a brunette. Cohen reportedly has lifelong ties to the Russian mafia, and he’s showing a KGB-level knack for betrayal. Oh, one more clarification: McDougal is not the other skinmag model, Shera Bechard, who was also allegedly silenced through Cohen’s machinations. Bechard, whose hair is a whiter-blond than Daniels’, has said she had an abortion after getting pregnant by Elliott Broidy, onetime finance chair of the Republican National Committee — Never mind. What’s this stupid bedroom farce have to do with the fate of the nation? If no one but a prude like me is feeling scandalized by the president’s ritual humiliation of his wife and infliction of trauma on his young son, maybe all this prurient chatter should stop here. Instead, you can approach the president’s perfidy through the indictments of Russian military intelligence commanders for undermining American democracy. But then you have to wade through a lot of Russian and hacker names. (To be honest, I find the actual name of cyber-attack commander Nikolay Yuryevich Kozachek and his online nom de guerre, blablabla1234565, equally hard to remember.) It’s more summery to go the farce route and focus on McDougal, Daniels, Bechard and the Republican bribers who loved them. Plus, Cohen forms a bridge between from Russia and with love. Recall that Cohen’s one-stop valet shop, Essential Consultants, took money from AT&T, Korean Aerospace Industries and Swiss pharma company Novartis, as well as an offshoot business of Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch and Putin ally. This looks a lot like Cohen was peddling influence. And the deal with Vekselberg’s business — well, that goes to the heart of the matter: Trump’s financial ties to Russia. Cohen’s apparent willingness to pay hush money on Trump’s behalf — especially in re. sex capers — also gives credence to the 2016 Trump-Russia dossier by ex-spy Christopher Steele. The dossier warned that the president was vulnerable to sexual blackmail and, if elected, could be grievously manipulated by the Kremlin. In the Steele dossier, the story goes that the Kremlin knew about Trump’s financial tomfoolery — and maybe knew or had recorded something to do with urine and one of those luxe Stearns & Foster mattresses the Ritz-Carlton chain is known for. Or, as the journalist Julia Ioffe wrote this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s kompromat might be hiding in plain sight: He’s the one who knows, and can say, that Trump didn’t win the presidency fair and square. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion » On the home front, kompromat also seems near to hand. If Cohen recorded his boss prattling on about his sexual needs, his extramarital girlfriends and his efforts to silence them, Cohen probably has some other receipts, too. According to Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ sharp-dressed lawyer, some 16 phones were found when the FBI raided Michael Cohen’s office in April. Lordy: tapes. Or the digital equivalent. There’s a useful app called iHere3, which pairs a small keychain device with an iPhone. It lets you wiretap anyone without anything fishy on your phone’s lock screen. If Cohen can manage that kind of spyware, kudos. Impressive — especially while keeping track of all the nude models and Russian oligarchs. One way or another: bugging Trump. That’s some cold, cold valet work right there. Cohen reportedly has lifelong ties to the Russian mafia, and he’s showing a KGB-level knack for betrayal. I think I admire it. Twitter: @page88 Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook A cure for the common opinion Get thought-provoking perspectives with our weekly newsletter. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Follow Us Virginia Heffernan is a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times’ Opinion section. After receiving her doctorate in English and American Studies from Harvard, Heffernan began her journalism career as a fact-checker at the New Yorker. She’s worked as a senior editor at Harper’s, a TV critic for Slate and a columnist for the New York Times Magazine, among other gigs. She is the author of “Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art,” and she hosts the Trumpcast podcast for Slate. Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Letters to the Editor Opinion Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Follow Us MORE FROM THE L.A. TIMES | 413dfdffba96c7cc | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | Brownstone Institute | https://brownstone.org/articles/its-madness-what-is-happening-to-college-kids/ | It’s Madness What Is Happening to College Kids | 2021-12-30 | Education, Higher Education, Schools, Coronavirus, Omicron Variant, Public Health, Coronavirus Vaccine, Vaccine Mandates, Booster Shots | This is a post about the absolutely insane, crushing restrictions being imposed on young, healthy vaccinated (often booster and often naturally immune) people by institutions of knowledge. In order to prove my thesis that these policies are misguided, let me start with some basics. When it comes to COVID19, there are only 3 things any of us can do: What goes in these buckets? Category 1 (risk reduction) is easy. You can’t modify your age, a huge risk favor, but you can modify your vaccination status, and you can modify your weight and general health. Category 2 (delay time to virus) is harder. We don’t have many well done studies, but theoretically if you sealed yourself in a bunker and ate canned food, you would do this. Wearing a snug n95 might also delay the time to meeting the virus. The challenge with these interventions is they are not sustainable by most people, and may lead to fatigue or backsliding, and thus the effect is transient. Delaying serves two purposes: Delaying also has a downside. It may hurt your mental health, particularly when you do it effectively. If you need evidence of this damage: please see twitter. Category 3 (useless, virtue signaling theater) is the most common. Wearing your mask when you enter a restaurant and walk to your table, but not when you sit there for two hours laughing and drinking is one example. The fact this policy exists reflects serious impairment in thinking and total failure of policy makers. Making a 2-4 year old wear a cloth mask in day care (which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the advice of the World Health Organization), but, of course, kids take the cloth mask off to nap next to each other for 4 hours in the same room! Theater. Closing beaches and other outdoor activities. Wearing a mask outside. The list goes on and on, and most things we did fit in this category. On a side note: Here we review all data on masking. The vast majority are either double vaxxed or have natural immunity or both, and some are also boosted. They are young (lucky them!), and the majority are healthy. What more can such students do for Category 1? Nothing. What about category 2? It appears that many universities are making college kids wear masks, restricting their movement, banning gatherings etc. Here is just one example of how extreme they are: Emerson College in Boston has issued a “stay in room directive” for returning students next month — the same students already required to get “boosted” and tested twice a week. Sounds like fun pic.twitter.com/F5mUYZtDKP These severe restrictions might actually delay the time till college kids meet the virus! But it does so with a huge disruption to their lives. All the wonderful things of being young require being very close to other people. Many simply cannot occur with a mask on. Will these restrictions benefit the college kids? Absolutely not. When they eventually meet the virus— and they will— on vacation or next semester— they will just be a little older, but have similar great chances of doing well. Will the restrictions benefit society? Doubtful. After all, everyone not on a college campus is not following any of these ridiculous rules, and the pandemic trajectory will be dictated by those (aka 99.9% ) of places. It will likely not even to protect the faculty and staff on campus, who will largely face risks when they leave work and go home and on vacation, and again, if these folks have already optimized Category 1, delay makes little sense. Will it harm the college kids? Absolutely, it will. Their mental health will surely suffer from this isolation. It has already. I will say again: all of the joys of youth require being close to other people. What is the net balance? The net balance is these policies are catastrophically detrimental to them. Moreover, there is no countervailing benefit to staff or society to justify the huge imposition. It is morally and scientifically bankrupt. Truly, I can’t even understand how anyone thinks these policies are justified. I am also surprised college students have accepted them with scant protest. I can only surmise that many have been mislead into thinking this sacrifice serves a broader interest (i.e. believe they are being altruistic), or that the incentives on their lives and career for conformity are so great they are afraid to speak up. I suspect the strong link between restrictions and political party may also affect them. After all, the youth most strongly leans left (full disclosure: as do i!), and thus adheres to the identity badges of the left (but in my case, sadly, I spent too many years studying & publishing on scientific evidence to turn my brain off). In short, draconian restrictions on vaccinated young people or those with natural immunity living in tiny pockets of college campus makes no sense, and is a policy that contributes to a harm in societal well-being. The policy is unethical and illogical. To young people: I am personally sorry that those of us who recognized the futility and harm of these policies could not have done more to shield you from the anxieties and risk aversion of the irrational. Republished from the author’s Substack. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International LicenseFor reprints, please set the canonical link back to the original Brownstone Institute Article and Author. Vinay Prasad MD MPH is a hematologist-oncologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco. He runs the VKPrasad lab at UCSF, which studies cancer drugs, health policy, clinical trials and better decision making. He is author of over 300 academic articles, and the books Ending Medical Reversal (2015), and Malignant (2020). Your financial backing of Brownstone Institute goes to support writers, lawyers, scientists, economists, and other people of courage who have been professionally purged and displaced during the upheaval of our times. You can help get the truth out through their ongoing work. Sign up for the Brownstone Journal Newsletter and get David Stockman's new book. The industry position is that cage-free is harmful to laying hens, period. And the industry has a lot of money tied up in caged infrastructure, from housing to egg collection… Read Journal Article Within months of US intervention, USAID assisted in the dismantling of protections in the name of “land reforms,”, improved agricultural efficiency, and rescuing the Ukrainian people. In two years, over… Read Journal Article President Trump accomplished what we have been fighting for over the last 4 years. He signed an executive order to halt federal funding to all schools, including colleges and universities,… Read Journal Article The confirmation of RFK, Jr. as Secretary of the DHHS, and the expected confirmations of Drs Marty Makary and Jay Bhattacharya as head of the FDA and NIH, respectively, does… Read Journal Article Brownstone Institute is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 87-1368060 BROWNSTONE INSTITUTE2028 E BEN WHITE BLVD, #240-3088AUSTIN, TX 78741+1-469-842-8976—WEST HARTFORD, CT Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Dissident Web Design, Development, and Hosting by Shyfrog Media | 7fde404539fc1bfa | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/05/02/feel-chill-can-clinton-win-over-bernie-voters.html | Feel the Chill: Can Clinton win over Bernie voters? | 2016-05-02 | elections | Hillary Clinton , even if she can secure the Democratic nomination in the coming weeks , will have to do more than just make peace with Bernie Sanders ’ supporters . She ’ ll need to persuade his true believers they share the same goals -- and to go out and vote for her .
Exit polls consistently show swaths of the Sanders base , at least right now , are uneasy about the idea of supporting Clinton in November .
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump , in an interview with ███ ’ “ Hannity , ” went so far Monday as to claim Sanders ’ young supporters “ are going to come over to my side because they want jobs. ” Trump cited common ground with Sanders on trade .
Whether anti-Clinton supporters of the democratic socialist senator really would gravitate toward the billionaire businessman -- or simply stay home -- is an open question . But anticipating some bad blood , Clinton has taken the first steps toward reconciliation with Sanders supporters in recent weeks .
“ Whether you support Senator Sanders or you support me , there ’ s much more that unites us than divides us , ” Clinton said last week after winning four out of five state primaries .
The front-running Clinton devoted nearly half her victory speech to highlighting such shared goals as increasing wages , expanding Social Security and defending the rights of women and minorities .
“ So in this election , we will work together and work hard to prevail against candidates on the other side who would threaten those rights , ” said Clinton , who will try to add to her wins Tuesday in Indiana , one of 11 remaining state contests .
The extent to which Clinton can break through with Sanders ’ devoted supporters , though , may depend on Sanders .
“ He needs to set the tone . If he backs her like Clinton backed Obama in their 2008 race , then it will be more than enough to tip the scales , ” said Democratic strategist Douglas Smith , a partner at Kent Strategies .
He said the two candidates indeed have shared goals for the country , despite taking different paths to reach them .
But there are hold-outs among Sanders ' supporters . ███ exit polls in the April 26 primaries showed the depth of the divide .
In Connecticut , 17 percent of Democrats said they would not back Clinton if she ’ s the nominee . Among Sanders ’ supporters , the number shot up to 90 percent .
In Maryland , 13 percent of Democrats said they would not back Clinton in November , while 79 percent of Sanders ' supporters made the same vow .
The Clinton campaign did not respond to questions Monday about whether Clinton has indeed started to woo Sanders voters as she prepares for a possible general election race .
She ’ s getting closer to the nomination , having collected 2,165 of the 2,383 delegates -- or roughly 90 percent -- needed to secure the nomination before the party ’ s July convention .
However , the exit polls and other signs suggest Clinton -- a former secretary of state , senator and first lady -- will have to convince anti-establishment Sanders supporters , including many young voters , that she is trustworthy and neither a Washington insider nor a Wall Street supporter .
Jessica Levinson , a law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles , said Monday the best way for Clinton to try to woo Sanders supporters would be to contrast her views with those of the Republican candidates , beyond trying to explain shared concerns and goals .
“ On policy issues , the divide between Sanders and Clinton is almost infinitesimal , compared to the wide gulf between Clinton and Donald Trump or Ted Cruz , ” said Levinson , whose focuses include election law . “ Clinton has and must continue to make the case that she is the only viable candidate in the race who has and will address those concerns . ”
Clinton has tried . During a debate in February hosted by MSNBC , she told Sanders that she was “ thrilled at the numbers of people , and particularly young people , who are coming to support your campaign ” and that she hoped to earn their support .
“ They may not support me now , but I support them and we 'll work together , ” she said .
However , those supporters bristled last month when Clinton was overheard saying she was “ sick ” of the Sanders camp lying about her record on fossil fuel , then said she felt “ sorry sometimes for young people who believe this ” and suggested they “ don ’ t do their own research . ”
Caleb Weaver , a College Students for Bernie member at Georgetown University , said Monday that the Sanders supporters with whom he works suspect Clinton is truly opposed to the policies they support .
“ We have seen Bill Clinton mocking us with the claim that we want to ‘ shoot every third person on Wall Street. ’ And we have seen Hillary herself insisting that … a $ 15 minimum wage is too high , ” he said . “ If this perception goes unchallenged , ( Clinton ) will struggle to pick up Sanders supporters who genuinely believe in these proposals . ”
Weaver said Clinton and her surrogates also need to immediate abandon the line of attack that support for Sanders is “ a manifestation of ‘ white privilege ’ or ‘ male privilege . ’ ”
“ In my experience , nothing turns people off from Secretary Clinton faster than the feeling that they are being accused of racism and/or sexism merely for supporting Bernie . It 's deeply insulting and not at all an effective way to reach out to people already hesitant to support Secretary Clinton , ” he said . | nfFbL5LAC6wNm23Y | 2 | Hillary Clinton | 0.1 | Bernie Sanders | 0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
fbi | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-democrats/trump-blocks-release-of-russia-memo-drafted-by-democrats-idUSKBN1FT2NP | Trump blocks release of Russia memo drafted by Democrats | 2018-02-10 | fbi | WASHINGTON ( ███ ) - President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week that claimed FBI and Justice Department bias against him in the federal probe of Russia and the 2016 U.S. election .
The Republican president ’ s decision — the latest controversy relating to an investigation that has hung over his year in office — infuriated Democrats . Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said , “ Millions of Americans are asking one simple question : what is he hiding ? ”
White House Counsel Don McGahn said the Justice Department had identified portions of the 10-page memo written by Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee that “ would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests ” of the country .
The White House also released a letter from the FBI director and the department ’ s No . 2 official voicing concern about its release in relation to protecting U.S. intelligence sources and methods .
A week earlier , Trump had overruled similar objections from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department about releasing the memo written by the same committee ’ s Republican members that took aim at senior law enforcement officials .
“ The president ’ s double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling , Schumer said .
Trump on Feb. 2 allowed the release of the memo written by the committee ’ s Republicans with no redactions . Democrats said the Republican memo mischaracterized highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation of potential collusion between Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and Russia .
Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to impede the Russia probe .
McGahn said the president would be willing to reconsider the release of the memo if the committee decides to revise it “ to mitigate the risks ” identified by the Justice Department .
The committee ’ s top Democrat , Adam Schiff , said the memo Trump blocked puts forth facts that the public needs to know , including that the FBI acted properly in seeking permission from a special court for surveillance of Carter Page , a Trump campaign adviser with ties to Russia .
Schiff said the committee ’ s Democrats “ take seriously ” the Justice Department and FBI concerns and will review their recommended redactions . He said he hopes the matter can be resolved quickly so the committee can return to the Russia investigation .
The Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Monday to release the document drafted by the panel ’ s Democrats , contingent on the Republican president agreeing to reclassify it .
“ Although the President is inclined to declassify the Feb. 5 Memorandum , because the memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages , he is unable to do so at this time , ” McGahn said in a letter to Devin Nunes , the Republican chairman of the House panel .
The White House also released a letter sent to McGahn by FBI Director Christopher Wray and to Rod Rosenstein , the No . 2 Justice Department official , expressing concerns about the memo ’ s release “ in light of longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods , ongoing investigations , and other similar sensitive information . ”
Democratic Representative Ted Lieu wrote on Twitter that Trump ’ s action was outrageous , adding that he read the memo and is convinced that Trump “ is now intentionally hiding relevant information from the American people in order to mislead the public . An innocent person would not block the memo . ”
The Republican memo portrayed the Russia investigation as a product of political bias at the FBI and Justice Department against Trump . The president said the document “ totally vindicates ” him in the Russia investigation , a claim disputed by Democrats and some Republicans .
Democrats last week warned Trump against using the Republican memo as a pretext to fire Rosenstein , who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation , or to remove Mueller himself . The Republican memo singled out Rosenstein and several other officials by name , including former FBI Director James Comey , who Trump fired in May 2017 , as the agency investigated the Russia matter .
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington , U.S. February 9 , 2018 . ███/Jonathan Ernst
U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign using hacking and propaganda , an effort that eventually included attempting to tilt the race in Trump ’ s favor . Russia denies interfering in the election . Trump denies collusion with Moscow .
The Republican document asserted that a dossier of alleged Trump-Russia contacts compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele , and funded in part by U.S. Democrats , formed an “ essential part ” of requests to a special court to be allowed to conduct electronic surveillance on Page , an oil industry consultant with numerous contacts in Russia , that began in October 2016 . | ru8kAxfdPzZc11le | 1 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | Russia | -0.1 | Nunes Memo | -0.1 | FBI | 0 | FISA | 0 |
china | New York Post (Opinion) | https://nypost.com/2023/02/24/chinas-peace-plan-on-ukraine-is-utter-self-serving-bull/ | China’s ‘peace plan’ on Ukraine is utter self-serving bull | 2023-02-25 | China, Ukraine War, Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Ukraine | What a pack of self-serving bull Beijing just dropped in its supposed “peace proposal” for Russia’s war on Ukraine. Most glaringly, it ignores the fact that Russia is China’s “unshakable” ally, so declared at the Xi Jinping-Vladimir Putin sitdown last February — at which Xi plainly signed off in advance on Putin’s decision to invade, asking only that Moscow hold off until the Olympics wrapped up in Beijing later that month. That the war’s gone far worse than Putin ever imagined is no skin off Xi’s nose, of course: China’s profited immensely by being Russia’s buyer of last resort this past year, and Beijing only benefits from all the Russian and NATO arms used up in the conflict. Xi’s only goal is to bolster his own world power. Very easy for China to call for a ceasefire; maybe Putin will even agree if his current all-out offensive fails and he fears Ukraine’s coming counter. Then they can both blame Kyiv. As for the cynical details of Beijing’s “plan”: Its stated “principles” are mostly a long list of things Russia has violated, from “Respecting the sovereignty of all countries” (Russia did the invading) to “Protecting civilians and prisoners of war” (Moscow’s targeted civilians from the start). China also helpfully expressed its opposition to any nuclear-weapons use; Putin constantly threatens just that, without Beijing utterly a peep of protest. As laughable is China’s call for “abandoning the Cold War mentality,” which the West did long ago: We even let Beijing into the world economy as a Most Favored Nation and member of every global economic institution; Moscow, too. But both nations have been building their militaries for decades, even as the West has cut back. Putin’s launched multiple of invasions of his neighbors; Xi so far only bullies his. Fact is, China’s the only power outside Russia that could end the war now — if Xi told Putin he was cutting him off. Yet Beijing merely abstained in this week’s UN General Assembly vote calling on Russia to withdraw. Xi Jinping doesn’t particularly want peace in Ukraine; he just wants to help the suckers of the world fool themselves into thinking he’s a good guy. Unknown | 37165892058f0935 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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