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elections | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2016/03/03/469021762/romney-and-trump-spar-over-future-of-gop | Mitt Romney And Donald Trump Spar Over Future Of GOP | 2016-03-03 | elections | Mitt Romney Calls Donald Trump ' A Phony , A Fraud ' ; Trump Hits Back
The most recent Republican presidential nominee is taking shots at Donald Trump 's fitness to be president .
Mitt Romney , the former Massachusetts governor , called the current GOP front-runner `` a phony , a fraud '' in a speech Thursday morning in Salt Lake City . And he did n't stop there .
Romney described Trump as `` a con artist '' whose demeanor is `` recklessness in the extreme . '' As for Trump 's record as a `` huge business success '' ? `` No , he is n't . '' And when it comes to Trump 's prescriptions to bring back jobs from China and Japan ? `` Flimsy at best . ''
Trump quickly hit back at Romney during a rally Thursday afternoon , again calling him a `` choke artist '' and saying he was disappointed by his 2012 campaign . `` The guy ran one of the worst campaigns in the history of politics , '' Trump said .
Trump added that Romney `` chickened out '' from running in 2016 because of Trump 's candidacy .
Romney spoke for 20 minutes at the Hinckley Institute at the University of Utah and got specific , digging into aspects of Trump 's record as a businessman .
`` His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University . He 's playing the American public for suckers : He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat , '' Romney said , referring to a real estate seminar Trump launched in 2005 that was forced to change its name because it was n't a real university . It is now the subject of multiple lawsuits alleging fraudulent behavior .
Romney then added to the list of failed business ventures : `` There 's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks , and Trump Mortgage ? '' Romney concluded , `` A business genius he is not . ''
Then came the attacks on Trump as a human being .
`` After all , this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter , who attributed a reporter 's questions to her menstrual cycle , who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance , who bragged about his marital affairs , and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity . ''
Romney remarks are unprecedented in the way he β the party 's most recent presidential nominee β attacks the man who seems on track to secure this year 's GOP nomination .
Romney began the speech by saying he is not declaring his own candidacy , adding , `` I am not going to endorse a candidate today . ''
He said one of three others still in the race β Sens . Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio , or Gov . John Kasich β should be the nominee . Then , without saying so specifically , he seemed to endorse a strategy to bring about a brokered GOP convention this summer .
`` Given the current delegate selection process , this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida , for John Kasich in Ohio , and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state , '' said Romney .
The goal would be to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the nomination on the convention 's first ballot in July .
After reports surfaced that Romney was planning to speak out against Trump on Thursday , the billionaire was quick to fire back at Romney on Twitter .
Will Romney 's blunt words have any impact ? It 's not likely Trump supporters will be moved by the critique of a man they see as the ultimate establishment insider β who failed in attempts to win the presidency .
In the past year , Trump has hardly needed excuses to lay into Romney . In stump speeches , he regularly calls Romney a `` loser '' who blew the chance to defeat President Obama in 2012 .
In an interview Thursday morning with the Today show , Trump called Romney a `` stiff . ''
But it was n't always so contentious between these two wealthy Republican businessmen . Trump endorsed Romney 's 2012 White House bid , and Romney eagerly reciprocated the love .
`` I spent my life in the private sector β not quite as successful as this guy , '' Romney said at the time , turning and gesturing toward a gushing Trump . `` But successful nonetheless . ''
Romney has been critical of Trump 's tone for months , but this speech comes as Trump has won 10 of the first 15 nominating contests , holds a lead in convention delegates and shows little sign of flagging . While many Republican insiders are eager to rally around a non-Trump candidate , there 's no indication voters are consolidating around an alternative .
In addition to criticizing his temperament , Romney argued that Trump is unelectable in a general election .
`` Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself . But polls are also saying that he will lose to Hillary Clinton , '' said Romney .
This week , a group of more than 60 conservative foreign policy experts wrote an open letter denouncing Trump 's statements , concluding that Trump is `` fundamentally dishonest '' and would `` use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe , and which would diminish our standing in the world . '' | J2XgzdWATSl0Wmi3 | 1 | Donald Trump | -0.6 | Presidential Elections | -0.2 | Elections | -0.2 | Mitt Romney | 0 | null | null |
elections | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/01/trump-campaign-lawsuit-wisconsin-441784 | Trump files suit to overturn his loss in Wisconsin | 2020-12-01 | Elections, Arizona, Wisconsin, 2020 Election, Joe Biden, Donald Trump | 2020 Elections The lawsuit targets roughly 221,000 ballots in two heavily Democratic counties. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House. | AP Photo/Patrick Semansky By Zach Montellaro 12/01/2020 12:22 PM EST Link Copied President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit seeking to throw out hundreds of thousands of ballots in Wisconsin, in an effort to overturn the results in a state he lost to President-elect Joe Biden. Results in the state were certified on Monday, following a partial recount requested and paid for by the Trump campaign that increased Bidenβs margin of victory in the state by a handful of votes. The Trump campaignβs suit, which was filed in the state Supreme Court on Tuesday morning, targets roughly 221,000 ballots cast in two heavily Democratic counties, Milwaukee and Dane, which encompass the majority of Wisconsinβs Black residents. The president previously targeted those two counties for the recount his campaign requested. The ballots the Trump campaign is seeking to have tossed fall into four buckets, according to a copy of the lawsuit circulated by the Trump campaign: 170,000 in-person absentee ballots, 5,500 ballots that had some witness address missing, 28,400 ballots from voters who claimed they were βindefinitely confinedβ and 17,300 ballots returned during βDemocracy in the Parkβ events hosted by the city of Madison. Bidenβs margin of victory in the state was roughly 20,600 votes. Trumpβs suit alleges that Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, acted too early in certifying the election results on Monday afternoon, following the state elections board canvassing the statewide results and finding Biden winning. Notably, Trumpβs suit does not allege or provide evidence of widespread electoral fraud, as the president has repeatedly claimed on Twitter and elsewhere. Instead, the campaign is alleging that those roughly 221,000 ballots were cast in violation of state law. βThe people of Wisconsin deserve election processes with uniform enforcement of the law, plain and simple,β Jim Troupis, counsel to the Trump campaign, said in a statement. The case does make vague references to a βhigher probabilityβ of fraud with mail ballots. The Trump campaign alleges that the counties did not follow state law with the largest bucket of ballots the Trump campaign is seeking to have tossed, the in-person absentee ballots, by not having voters submitting a separate written application. But the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that the practice of allowing voters to sign a form on the ballot envelope β which counts as both a ballot application and as a certificate that they are the one filling out the ballot β has been in use βfor more than a decade.β The Trump campaign is also trying to toss out ballots from all voters who newly claimed after March 25, the day the first stay at home order went into effect in Wisconsin, that they were βindefinitely confined,β which allows voters to submit an absentee ballot without a copy of a photo ID. The Trump campaign alleges some of those voters donβt meet the criteria. When Trump narrowly carried the state in 2016, his campaign did not challenge practices like in-person absentee voting and clerks filling out missing witness information. Troupis, a former Dane County judge, is actually seeking to have his own ballot tossed. He and his wife both voted via in-person absentee, the Journal Sentinel previously reported. Your guide to Donald Trumpβs unprecedented overhaul of the federal government. Your guide to Donald Trumpβs unprecedented overhaul of the federal government. Loading You will now start receiving email updates You are already subscribed Something went wrong Β© 2025 POLITICO LLC | 33bc349c566946a0 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
housing_and_homelessness | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/03/cori-bush-eviction-crisis-502313 | Cori Bush steers progressives to win on eviction crisis | 2021-08-04 | Housing And Homelessness, Joe Biden, CDC, Cori Bush, Eviction Moratorium | Congress A new member of the liberal βSquadβ stepped to the forefront this week, leading a Capitol steps sit-in that forced the White House to act. Rep. Cori Bush speaks with reporters as she camps outside the U.S. Capitol. | AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana By Nicholas Wu, Heather Caygle and Sarah Ferris 08/03/2021 06:29 PM EDT Updated: 08/03/2021 08:25 PM EDT Link Copied Cori Bush arrived in Congress as an heir to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Now the political neophyte is coming into her own. Bush has led a one-woman protest on the Capitol steps over the last several days that forced the eviction crisis to the top of the nationβs agenda even after the House left town without taking action on the issue. Under intense pressure from the left, President Joe Biden on Tuesday afternoon announced a short-term fix to prevent millions of families from losing their homes despite questioning the constitutionality of doing so. The Missouri Democratβs surprising win after an impromptu vigil on the East Front β which has been broadcast on national television and drawn high-profile figures such as Jesse Jackson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer β illustrates the burgeoning influence held by the freshman progressive and other members of the so-called Squad both inside and outside the Capitol. Once dismissed as liberal firebrands with large Twitter followings but little impact inside Congress, the Squad has added members and continued knocking off high-profile incumbents, forcing senior Democrats to listen. βThis is why this happened. Being unapologetic. Being unafraid to stand up,β Bush told reporters as Biden made his announcement Tuesday after sheβd spent several days sleeping, mostly sitting up, on the buildingβs steps. Rep. Cori Bush speaks alongside civil rights activist Jesse Jackson at a rally against the end of the eviction moratorium at the U.S. Capitol. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images βYou did this,β a jubilant Schumer told Bush and her group of allied Democrats after jogging across the Capitol plaza as the news broke. He bear-hugged Bush and Ocasio-Cortez, who hasnβt ruled out a primary challenge to him next year, declaring: βYou guys are fabulous.β As Bush continued her protest through Tuesday, she got a boost from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was pushing Biden privately. Pelosi spent the weekend phone banking with the White House, including chatting with Biden, pressing the administration to extend the moratorium. Notably, Bushβs strategy shifted over the weekend to align with Pelosi, going from calling for a House vote that was doomed to fail to pushing for the White House to act. Bush, 45, is the latest member of the group to capture national headlines and has arguably delivered the most impactful result since the Squad first formed in 2018. After the Capitol sit-in by Bush, who has experienced homelessness after eviction, millions of Americans will see at least a temporary reprieve from the same threat. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. βI canβt tell you just how important it is, and how much of a change can be brought, by having people who have personal experiences [with] the policy that they are trying to implement,β said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) a founding member of the group. Their fight almost certainly isnβt over: Bidenβs evictions fix is expected to draw a court challenge that could put the onus back on Congress to cobble together a response. Still, Bushβs allies say the intense pressure from her and other Democrats this week compelled the White House into a step it had been highly reluctant to take just hours earlier. But beyond the power of grassroots activism, the Missouri Democratβs move also shows that sheβs building bonds with influential Democrats after coming to Congress as an outsider who knocked off a beloved member of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus. The Biden administration changed course on Tuesday and issued a new eviction ban despite legal questions, putting the White House on a collision course with the Supreme Court. βI donβt care about the spotlight. It doesnβt bother me, it doesnβt make me feel good,β she told POLITICO in a brief interview after holding court on the buildingβs steps since Friday. βI just want to see this happen for my people.β While Bush was quick to join the Squad after arriving in January, her ties to the CBC had been more fragile after her defeat of former Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), whose father had co-founded the group 50 years ago. But Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), the chair of the Black Caucus, said she had flown back from Ohio and joined the vigil after Bush called to invite her. βShe called me to tell me what she was doing, and she said it would mean a lot to her to have me here. Sheβs one of my members, so Iβm here,β Beatty said in an interview after taking part in Bushβs vigil. Congresswomen Joyce Beatty. | Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch via AP And despite the tensions within the Black Caucus over this weekβs Ohio primary battle to replace Marcia Fudge, Beatty said housing was something they could unite around: βFifty-seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus all support extending the moratorium,β she told attendees of the vigil. Rep. Barbara Lee, a former chair of the CBC and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, went so far as to praise Bush for stirring βthe conscience of the nationβ in a victory call late Tuesday for the latter group. Itβs not just the CBC who showed up to support Bush. The freshman progressive has entertained a wide array of Democratic luminaries and crowds of selfie-taking supporters during her outdoor protest. The line-up of fellow Democrats β from House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to moderate Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) β illustrates not just the progressivesβ power in a tightly held majority, but also their growing sway. As a nearly 100-member coalition, progressives remain a major power center in caucus decisions. They will have a huge role to play in as the looming, intergenerational battle over House Democratsβ next leaders after Pelosi and her longtime deputies step aside. βShe wasnβt going to give up. And then we didnβt give up on her either,β said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who joined Bush in her protest on the steps. βAll of us were a team, trying to push the administration to get the quickest result to this.β Rep. Mondaire Jones, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Cori Bush and Rep. Jimmy Gomez celebrate the announcement that the Biden administration will enact a targeted nationwide eviction moratorium. | AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades With the House deadlocked and about to head home Friday night, a visibly nervous Bush and Ocasio-Cortez held an impromptu presser outside Speaker Nancy Pelosiβs office, insisting that inaction was not an option. Inside, House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a progressive dean whoβs spent 30 years in Congress, worked the phones with Democratic leadership. Afterwards, the two junior members dashed to the House floor in an eleventh-hour attempt to disrupt their partyβs plan to leave town by forcing a roll-call vote on whether the House should leave β using a procedural move borrowed from GOP hardliners. But the House had adjourned before Bush and Ocasio-Cortez could get to the floor in time. Bush later said that she and Ocasio-Cortez were walking away from the Capitol together on Friday night when she made the snap decision to stay. Bush recalled turning to her friend and asking if Ocasio-Cortez wanted to join her. βAnd she said yes,β Bush said in an interview. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks with a reporter as she protests the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images While just a freshman, Bush is no stranger to the public eye after her stunning upset of Clay last fall. Even before she was sworn in this January, she was the subject of a New Yorker profile. She made the cover of Teen Vogue during her first month in office. Before that, she first rose to prominence leading Black Lives Matter protests near Ferguson, Mo., a short drive from where she was living as a nurse and pastor when 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police in 2014. And this week isnβt Bushβs first sleep-in. In 2018, the then-activist remained outside Sen. Roy Bluntβs (R-Mo.) district office for days to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Police brutality was one of a long list of priorities when Bush launched her third congressional bid, which she won with a boost from Bernie Sanders β the Vermont independent and liberal lion who also visited Bush and Ocasio-Cortez on the Capitol steps this week. Another of Bushβs top issues was homelessness; she and her two young children were forced to live out of her car after failing to make rent. As a long line of advocates-turned lawmakers have often encountered before her, Capitol Hill is a uniquely stressful stage, but Bush bet that her tactics as an organizer could bring her success in Washington. That bet paid off on Tuesday β at least for now. βActivists in Congress β so expect for things to be different than what maybe people are used to,β she told reporters on Tuesday night, as she prepared to wrap her protest and return home. βWe donβt have the same eyes, we donβt have the same background or the same agenda as some others.β Β© 2025 POLITICO LLC | f34436e44a1cf8ea | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_house | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/11/house-speaker-paul-ryan-wont-run-for-re-election-ap-reports.html | House Speaker Paul Ryan will not run for re-election | 2018-04-11 | us_house | House Speaker Paul Ryan , R-Wis. , announced Wednesday that he is not seeking re-election in November -- a move that ends a nearly two decade career in Congress and comes as the GOP girds for a tough fight to keep control of the House this year .
Ryan said in a press conference after meeting with House lawmakers that his primary motivation was so he could spend more time with his wife and children , who he said he did not want to remember him as a β weekend Dad . β
β If I am here for one more term , my kids will only ever have known me as a weekend Dad -- I just can β t let that happen , β he said .
Ryan , who was first elected to Congress in 1998 , said he believes Congress has achieved β a heck of a lot β under his leadership as speaker since 2015 .
β You all know I did not seek this job , I took it reluctantly , but I have given this job everything I have , β Ryan said , adding that he has β no regrets . β
His decision not to seek re-election follow him playing a key role in passing last year 's tax reform bill -- an issue close to his heart and something he said he has dedicated his career to . But Ryan has had a rocky relationship with President Trump , and condemned Trump 's more controversial moves on a number of occasions during the campaign .
Axios reported that Ryan β s decision was motivated partly by Trump , who has reportedly made the job frustrating for Ryan .
Last month , Trump slammed Congress over the $ 1.3 trillion spending bill , which Ryan played a key role in crafting , over its failure to include funding for Trump β s border wall and a fix for the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program ( DACA ) .
But the two had found common cause on health care , tax reform , and increasing funding for the military -- the latter was hailed by both as a big win in the omnibus . On Wednesday , Ryan said that increasing defense spending and the reform of the tax code were his two biggest achievements .
β I see these as lasting victories that make this country more prosperous and more secure for decades to come , β he said .
Earlier Wednesday , Trump tweeted that Ryan leaves `` a legacy of achievement that nobody can question . ''
Ryan in turn said in an interview on Fox News ' `` The Daily Briefing '' that he and the president had developed a good relationship .
`` We 've spent a great deal of time with each other -- I β m having dinner with him tonight , '' he told Fox News ' Dana Perino . `` We speak on the phone constantly so honestly , we 've just developed a good friendship , developed a good rapport . He is the one who gave us with his victory the ability to all this work done , so I β m very excited about that . ''
His counterpart in the Senate , Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said Ryan 's legacy would be that of a β transformational conservative leader , β citing tax reform and securing increased funding for the military .
β The results have been beyond impressive , β McConnell said in a statement . β Capping off a remarkable twenty-year career in Congress , Paul β s speakership has yielded one signature accomplishment after another for his conference , his constituents in his beloved home state of Wisconsin , and the American people . β
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , called Ryan an `` avid advocate for his point of view and for the people of his district . ''
β Despite our differences , I commend his steadfast commitment to our country , '' Pelosi said in a statement . `` During his final months , Democrats are hopeful that he joins us to work constructively to advance better futures for all Americans . ''
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) said that Ryan β s retirement was a sign of defeat for Republicans in November .
β Speaker Ryan sees what is coming in November , and is calling it quits rather than standing behind a House Republican agenda to increase healthcare costs for middle class families while slashing Social Security and Medicare to pay for his handouts to the richest and largest corporations , β spokesman Tyler Law said in a statement .
β Unfortunately , for the many vulnerable House Republicans that Paul Ryan is abandoning , his historically unpopular and failed policies will hang over their reelections like a dark cloud , β he added .
Ryan ran as 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney β s running mate , and has gained a reputation over the years as a wonkish figure with a focus on limited government and balanced budgets . He also played a central role in the push to repeal-and-replace ObamaCare , passing numerous bills to defund and replace the controversial 2010 law . The most significant effort to repeal the law fell short in the Senate last summer .
Ryan β s decision comes ahead of a tough midterm election cycle for House Republicans , who are expected to struggle to keep control of the chamber in the face of an enthused Democratic opposition . Polls suggest Democrats are likely to pick up the gavel .
Ryan said that the midterms were not a factor in his thinking , but one GOP insider told Axios that his move was a `` tectonic '' shift ahead of November
β This is going to make every Republican donor believe the House can β t be held , '' the Republican said .
But , Ryan said on `` The Daily Briefing '' that he did n't think his announcement would affect GOP performance in the midterms .
`` I don β t think anybody 's election is going to hinge on if Paul Ryan is Speaker of the House , '' he said .
The move also ignites the race to potentially succeed Ryan should Republicans hold the House in November . House Majority Whip Steve Scalise , R-La. , and GOP Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif are both mentioned as possibilities .
Ryan was not believed to be endangered electorally , but he is in a district that favors Republicans by five points in a swing state . | euOQYdXFbmcEFWhW | 2 | Paul Ryan | 0.1 | US House | 0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2020/01/06/793140611/the-trump-impeachment-wars-are-about-to-heat-back-up | The Trump Impeachment Saga Is About To Heat Back Up | 2020-01-06 | impeachment | The Trump Impeachment Saga Is About To Heat Back Up
Last month , the House of Representatives voted for only the third time in history to impeach the president . Then something else unusual happened :
President Trump , members of Congress , much of Washington and millions of Americans effectively pushed pause on a once-in-a-generation political saga to take off for the holidays .
So for those just tuning back in for the first full workweek of 2020 , nothing substantive has changed in the story β but that also means the coming month may churn into a whirlwind .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , still must transmit the articles of impeachment adopted on Dec. 18 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky .
And Pelosi also must announce which lawmakers will cross over to the other side of the Capitol and make the case against Trump as `` impeachment managers '' before a jury comprising the 100 members of the Senate .
But the speaker has said she wo n't send McConnell the articles or name managers until she 's confident about the nature of the process that will take place in the Senate , which is itself still subject to negotiations between McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y .
The White House also has yet to name a team of attorneys to defend Trump .
Schumer and Democrats want to hear from witnesses in the Senate trial , including top administration officials who could talk about what they and Trump did in the Ukraine affair last year .
In remarks on the Senate floor Friday , McConnell said the trial should follow precedent set with President Clinton 's impeachment trial two decades ago , and that `` midtrial questions '' like witnesses should be considered after opening arguments and questions from senators .
The majority leader added that if Democrats want more evidence in the record , they should have done a better job under Pelosi in the House .
`` As House Democrats continue their political delay , they 're searching desperately for some new talking points to help them deflect blame for what they 've done , '' McConnell said .
Pelosi responded by accusing McConnell of `` feebly '' complying with Trump 's `` cover-up '' of his `` abuses of power . ''
Schumer also said Friday it appeared the two sides were no closer to reaching an agreement on how a Senate trial would proceed .
Republicans control the majority in the Senate and are expected to permit Trump to retain his office .
But the way that 's done , and how quickly , is n't settled .
If a small number of Republicans were to join Democrats in voting to request witnesses or other measures that McConnell opposes , an impeachment trial could reveal new facts that might embarrass the administration even if it does n't face oblivion .
Republican senators do n't agree on exactly how a trial for Trump should run .
Some of them have n't closed the door to witnesses . Others have suggested that Senate investigators might take depositions from witnesses behind closed doors .
And although McConnell has promised to keep in lockstep with Trump and the White House about procedure because he does n't feel obliged to be objective , that has n't sat well with a handful of his own members .
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins , for example , have said they take their responsibilities as jurors seriously and do n't want to pre-judge an impeachment case or be seen as a rubber stamp for the White House .
Speaking on ABC 's This Week on Sunday , Schumer seemed to deliver a message directly to certain GOP senators : `` I hope , pray and believe there 's a decent chance that four Republicans will join us , '' he said . `` If they do , we will have a fair trial . ''
Meanwhile , the underlying facts about the Ukraine affair have continued to evolve in press reports since last month .
The New York Times detailed efforts by top administration officials to persuade Trump to unfreeze the military assistance to Ukraine that was blocked for a number of weeks last year .
Trump wanted Ukraine 's government to launch investigations he thought might help him in the 2020 election ; Democrats charge the hold on $ 391 million in aid was attempted extortion .
The website Just Security also revealed messages between the Defense Department and the Office of Management and Budget that appeared to make clear the freeze on assistance was taking place at Trump 's direction .
Schumer has argued those documents mean Republicans must agree to witnesses and a fair trial , `` not a rigged process that enables a cover-up . ''
With the outcome of the Senate trial likely foreordained β Republicans use their majority to preserve Trump in office β both parties want to use the process most effectively for their political ends while it 's running .
Trump goes back and forth about his objectives . One thing he and supporters have said is they see an opportunity to use what began as an impeachment of Trump as an impeachment of former Vice President Joe Biden and his family .
Trump and aides sought an investigation in Ukraine involving Biden 's son Hunter 's tenure on the board of a Ukrainian gas company and Republicans have relished the opening to attack both father and son .
No Republicans voted to impeach him in the House and even if one or two senators were to join Democrats , it 's `` inconceivable '' that the requisite 20 Republicans might break ranks , McConnell has said .
If that holds as expected , Trump and supporters have the time they 'll control in the Senate trial to use in whichever ways make most sense to them politically without fear about the outcome .
Democrats are examining the trial through an inverse lens : Knowing they ca n't remove him , how much political damage , they wonder , can they do to Trump ?
Pelosi echoed Schumer in arguing that the press reports since the impeachment vote have further strengthened the case for it : Not only are facts about the president 's actions further established , his refusal to produce witnesses or documents is all the more unacceptable , they argue .
To the degree that Schumer and Democrats can tease out more facts about the Ukraine affair , they could try to sustain press and public interest and attempt to go on hurting Trump politically , even if they ca n't ultimately eject him .
All the same , the world will continue to turn ; Pelosi implicitly acknowledged the limits of her own efforts by inviting Trump to deliver the State of the Union address in early February even as the impeachment story line wore on .
Presidents traditionally use that annual speech to outline priorities and preview their budget proposals for the coming year , so the speaker 's invitation suggests she expects Trump and the administration will endure .
Also , the presidential race likely will continue unabated , with the awkward reality that several Democratic candidates β the Senate includes Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , Bernie Sanders of Vermont , Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , Cory Booker of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado β will need to break away from campaigning to be present in Washington for Trump 's trial . | DVm0dkUBNewbIIyQ | 1 | US Senate | -0.6 | Impeachment | 0.2 | Donald Trump | -0.2 | White House | -0.2 | Politics | 0 |
healthcare | Politico | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77332.html | Mitt Romney: I'll repeal ACA no matter what | 2012-06-12 | healthcare | Romney drew a standing ovation from the crowd when he repeated his promise . Mitt promises to repeal health law
ORLANDO , Fla. β Mitt Romney pledged Tuesday that no matter what the Supreme Court does about President Barack Obama β s health care law , he β ll still push for a repeal of the whole thing .
Romney β s remarks to supporters at Con-Air Industries , a heating and air conditioning filter factory , didn β t mark any change in his health care policies β but they did acknowledge that the upcoming Supreme Court ruling is what β s on everyone β s minds right now . The court ruling could come in the last week of June β just two weeks away .
Romney drew a sustained standing ovation from the crowd when he repeated his promise to grant waivers from β Obamacare β to all 50 states on the first day of his presidency .
β You know , regardless of what they do , it β s going to be up to the next president whether to repeal or replace Obamacare , or to replace Obamacare . I intend to do both , β Romney said , pretending to pull a copy of the Supreme Court decision out of his pocket .
β If I β m the president at a time when the Supreme Court has left Obamacare in place , I will repeal it on Day One by sending out a waiver for all 50 states , β Romney said . β Now , if we 're able to repeal it , or if the Supreme Court is able to get that job done for us , we want to replace it .
Romney also said Obama β needs to get in touch with what β s happening in the private sector , what 's happening with middle income families and the damage that 's being done by the specter of Obamacare and the taxes it already charges to businesses in the health care sector . β
This article first appeared on βββ Pro at 11:45 a.m. on June 12 , 2012 . | s3GnbB64jfIUCF1y | 0 | Healthcare | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | NBC News (Online) | https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/justice-department-drops-insider-trading-probes-three-senators-n1215196 | Justice Department drops insider trading investigations of three senators | 2020-05-27 | justice_department | Get breaking news alerts and special reports . The news and stories that matter , delivered weekday mornings .
The Justice Department has closed insider trading investigations into three senators who sold off stocks following early briefings on the coronavirus , aides told NBC News .
A spokesman for Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , confirmed that she had been informed that the Justice Department had dropped an inquiry into her trades and called the allegations `` politically motivated . ''
`` Today 's clear exoneration by the Department of Justice affirms what Senator Loeffler has said all along β she did nothing wrong . This was a politically-motivated attack shamelessly promoted by the fake news media and her political opponents . Senator Loeffler will continue to focus her full attention on delivering results for Georgians , '' said the spokesman , Stephen Lawson .
A Democratic aide said Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , was informed that the Justice Department was dropping an inquiry over stock trades her husband made in the wake of her briefings .
A similar investigation into Sen. James Inhofe , R-Okla. , is also being dropped , according to a spokesman β but another one , involving Sen. Richard Burr , R-N.C. , is continuing . The development was first reported by The Wall Street Journal .
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Burr 's office did n't respond to a request for comment . A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment on the Journal report .
Inhofe told The Oklahoman newspaper of Oklahoma City : `` As I 've said all along , I was n't even at the briefing and do not make my own stock trades . I did nothing wrong , and I 'm pleased the Justice Department has exonerated me . ''
Burr temporarily stepped aside as chairman of the Intelligence Committee this month after the FBI seized his cellphone as part of its investigation into his trades .
Unlike the other senators , Burr has acknowledged directing his trades himself . He maintained that he did n't use inside information , and he said in March that he `` relied solely on public news reports to guide my decision regarding the sale of stocks on February 13 . ''
Loeffler said after the trades were disclosed that she 'd been unaware of the transactions when they were made .
`` I had no involvement in these decisions . I do n't have conversations with them about any of this , and so this is a very third-party relationship that many people are familiar with , '' she told CNBC in March .
A spokesman for Feinstein told NBC News at the time her husband 's trades were disclosed that she `` did not sell any stock . ''
`` All of Senator Feinstein 's assets are in a blind trust , as they have been since she came to the Senate , '' the spokesman said . `` She has no involvement in any of her husband 's financial decisions . ''
Inhofe said at the time that `` I do not have any involvement in my investment decisions . ''
`` In December 2018 , shortly after becoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee , I instructed my financial advisor to move me out of all stocks and into mutual funds to avoid any appearance of controversy . My advisor has been doing so faithfully since that time and I am not aware of or consulted about any transactions , '' Inhofe said in a statement . | OF6XHWahqFR9LQDC | 0 | US Senate | 0.6 | Justice Department | 0 | Justice | 0 | Coronavirus | 0 | Economy And Jobs | 0 |
media_bias | Western Journal | https://www.westernjournal.com/report-google-search-strong-preference-towards-showing-users-left-leaning-results/ | Report: Google Search Had βStrong Preferenceβ Towards Showing Users Left-Leaning Results | 2018-10-22 | Media Watch, Google, AllSides, Media Bias | Internet users who go to Google Search for their news are much more likely to get news with a left-leaning perspective than anything else , according to a new report .
The report from the media technology group AllSides reviewed Google News β homepage and search engine results over two weeks . On its website , the group reported its findings .
β Google News and Google News search results have a strong preference for media outlets that have a perspective that is from the left of the US political spectrum , β it reported .
The site reported that in the period from Aug. 23 to Sept. 5 , the β overall bias of Google News β was about 65 percent toward the left ; about 20 percent toward the center and about 16 percent to the right .
That timeframe was also when President Donald Trump was using his Twtter account to blast Google .
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β Google search results for β Trump News β shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media . In other words , they have it RIGGED , for me & others , so that almost all stories & news is BAD . Fake CNN is prominent . Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out . Illegal ? 96 % of β¦
β results on β Trump News β are from National Left-Wing Media , very dangerous . Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good . They are controlling what we can & can not see . This is a very serious situation-will be addressed ! β Trump tweeted in late August .
β¦.results on β Trump News β are from National Left-Wing Media , very dangerous . Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good . They are controlling what we can & can not see . This is a very serious situation-will be addressed ! β Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 28 , 2018
Do you trust Google search results to be politically unbiased ? Yes No
According to the AllSides report , not only did Google show a bias for the left , it gave left-learning news greater prominence .
On average , the report said , left-leaning news was almost always one of the top two results displayed . News from the center of the political spectrum was less visible , but was usually in the top five or six results , the report said .
As for the political right ? The report said that most of the time β users have to scroll down the window on their computer screen before they see their first news article from the right . β
The report tried to analyze what happened when news from the left competed with news from other viewpoints . The left won just about every time .
The report said that 91 percent of the time when β there was bias of one political slant over another in that specific case , β the left won over the right . When the competition was between the center and the left , the left β s dominance was still strong at 80 percent .
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The report stopped short of saying Google rigged the outcome .
β This apparent bias could easily be the natural and unintended consequence of its algorithms and the fact that most news outlets , as well as most journalists , have political views that represent the left side of the US political spectrum . Online news consumers are younger and lean farther Left than the average American , and that directly impacts which articles Google β s algorithm selects and how high it places them on the page , β the report said .
β This study does not suggest that there is intentional favoritism for media sources from the left , nor does this study suggest the opposite . It only demonstrates that the resulting choice of links that Google News provides do have a significant bias in favor of the left , β it added .
When Trump was complaining about Google β s search results , the technology giant denied it β set a political agenda . β
β When users type queries into the Google Search bar , our goal is to make sure they receive the most relevant answers in a matter of seconds , β Google said in a statement , according to Reuters . β Search is not used to set a political agenda and we don β t bias our results toward any political ideology . β
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism . Read our editorial standards . | c74a94d4037a748b | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/10/us/san-francisco-killing/ | San Francisco sheriff says feds to blame in immigrant shooting case | 2015-07-10 | immigration | ( CNN ) San Francisco 's sheriff strongly defended his department 's release of an undocumented immigrant who allegedly went on to kill a woman , saying Friday the blame should be on federal officials who failed to take the proper steps to keep him in custody .
Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi 's comments continued the finger-pointing in the case of Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez , a seven-time felon who had been deported to Mexico five times , according to immigration officials .
Lopez-Sanchez is charged with murder in the random shooting death of a woman in San Francisco this month -- a case that has fueled a fresh round of debate over U.S. immigration policies .
Lopez-Sanchez was released from the San Francisco County Jail in April .
Though U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested notification when Lopez-Sanchez was released , the deputies never called them because the agency did not provide a warrant or court order , as required by city law , the sheriff said .
`` Had ICE sought the requested legal order or warrant , the San Francisco Sheriff 's Department naturally and always would have complied if that legal order or warrant would have been presented to us , '' Mirkarimi told reporters .
ICE took issue with Mirkarimi 's remarks , saying in a statement that `` we strongly disagree with the sheriff 's characterization of the facts in this case . ''
`` The sheriff 's assertion that ICE is required to provide some form of 'judicial ' order in order to receive the requested notification reflects a manifest misunderstanding of federal immigration law , '' a senior ICE official said . `` There is no such document , nor is there any federal court with the authority to issue one . Neither is there a legal requirement that ICE provide a judicial warrant to law enforcement agencies in order to receive such notifications . ''
Critics say 32-year-old Kate Steinle would still be alive if deputies had simply notified ICE of Lopez-Sanchez ' release . Steinle was killed this month as she took a stroll with her father on one of San Francisco 's busiest piers . Lopez-Sanchez , who says he did n't know Steinle , has pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges .
The case has drawn the attention of presidential candidates and brought a renewed focus on U.S. immigration laws and the role local authorities should play in enforcing them .
The key question is whether San Francisco 's policies set the stage for the shooting by putting a criminal on the streets instead of delivering him into the hands of federal authorities who could have deported him again .
But Mirkarimi said notifying ICE would have helped facilitate Lopez-Sanchez 's transfer to federal custody , and deputies could n't do that without having the required warrant or court order . He said it also would have violated the Fourth Amendment regarding unreasonable searches and seizures .
`` The mayor 's throwing his own law under the bus , simply trying to walk away or run away from the very ordinance that he signed into effect , '' the sheriff said .
`` I really do think the mayor is playing politics with public safety , and I really think it 's disingenuous the way he 's going about it . ''
San Francisco is one of about 70 jurisdictions around the country that have policies limiting police involvement in immigration matters , according to the Immigration Policy Center .
The sheriff said he wanted to clear up `` distortion '' and `` misunderstanding '' about the sequence of events regarding Lopez-Sanchez , who is now in custody with a bail set at $ 5 million .
The first date Mirkarimi gave was December 11 , 1995 , when a San Francisco court issued a bench warrant for Lopez-Sanchez for failure to appear on felony charges of possession and sale of marijuana .
Between 1998 and 2011 , Lopez-Sanchez was sentenced to federal custody four times and deported five times .
In March of this year , with Lopez-Sanchez again in federal custody , the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Victorville , California , called the San Francisco Sheriff 's Department to confirm the outstanding 1995 warrant . Lopez-Sanchez was then booked into the San Francisco County Jail on the felony warrant , but a court dismissed the charges the next day , the sheriff said .
Lopez-Sanchez remained in jail for another 18 days , however , while deputies confirmed he had completed his federal sentence . Then , with no outstanding warrants or judicial orders to keep him , Lopez-Sanchez was released , Mirkarimi said .
Asked whether it would have simply been common sense to notify federal authorities , as they had asked , the sheriff put the blame on immigration officials .
`` The common-sense move is exactly what we 've been stating from the onset , that ICE should have deported him , '' Mirkarimi said .
`` One step even better , '' he said . `` I would actually go down to their office on Sansome Street and say , 'Do your job , ' because we 've been telling them that for 18 months leading up to this very event . 'Do your job . '
`` We were actually following through in the course of our protocol as prescribed by local law . Get a warrant , get a judicial order . We 're being consistent . ''
Though defiant about his department 's actions , Mirkarimi called the whole situation `` extremely sad . ''
`` I hope that ... this tragic event propels all of us to muster the measured minds of how we can improve public safety without eroding constitutional rights , '' he said . | TEJhfCp9OtlU6Jzo | 0 | Immigration | -1 | Violence In America | 0.8 | Sanctuary Cities | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
elections | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/06/21/155513323/romney-softens-rhetoric-if-not-message-in-speech-to-latino-leaders | <Romney Softens Rhetoric, If Not Policies, In Speech To Latino Leaders | 2012-06-21 | elections | Romney Softens Rhetoric , If Not Policies , In Speech To Latino Leaders
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney softened his tough primary-campaign tone on immigration , if not his positions , during a speech Thursday to national Hispanic leaders .
In comments to thousands gathered at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Orlando , Fla. , the former Massachusetts governor criticized President Obama 's failure to take action on comprehensive immigration reform .
And he characterized Obama 's decision last week to bypass Congress and defer deportation of many young illegal immigrants as an election-year sop to Hispanic voters .
The president 's action , Romney said , is `` a temporary measure that he seems to think will be just enough to get him through the election . ''
`` After 3 1/2 years of putting every issue β from loan guarantees for his donors to cash for clunkers β before immigration , now the president has been seized by an overwhelming need to do what he could have done on Day One , '' Romney said . `` I think you deserve better . ''
Before last week 's action , Obama had resisted calls to use his executive authority to halt deportations of young illegal immigrants and allow them to apply for legal work permits . He 's scheduled to speak Friday at the 29th annual conference β the first sitting president to do so .
He 'll come in riding a wave of Hispanic support for last week 's action , a move that polls suggest has strong support as well from the nation at large . A Bloomberg poll released this week showed that 64 percent of likely voters agreed with the president 's policy .
On Thursday , Romney did not answer the question of whether he 'd let the deportation deferral stand , instead saying he 'd pursue his `` own , long-term solution . '' And he did not reverse his promise to veto Dream Act-type legislation that , like Obama 's action , would give conditional residency to young illegal residents of good standing .
Facing a decidedly cool audience β Obama won 67 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2008 β Romney chose to focus on how the Latino community has been walloped by the recession , including an unemployment rate that at 11 percent is 2.8 percentage points higher than the national average . He urged those gathered to ask the classic election-year question : Are you better off now than you were four years ago ?
`` I believe he 's taking your vote for granted , '' Romney said , noting that Obama failed to fulfill his 2008 promise of comprehensive immigration legislation β even as he enjoyed Democratic majorities in the House and Senate for his first two years .
`` You do have an alternative , '' Romney said . `` Your vote should be respected . ''
`` Is the America of 11 percent Hispanic unemployment the America of our dreams ? ''
Janet Murguia , president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza , the nation 's largest Hispanic advocacy group , said Romney 's speech felt like a pivot in the right direction .
`` In many respects , Romney is digging himself out of a hole when it comes to Latino voters , and it felt like he was trying to do that , '' said Murguia , who is in Orlando for the conference .
But she said Romney could have gone further in explaining how he would reform the nation 's immigration system and what he envisions for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country .
`` I think he missed an opportunity to talk about the undocumented workers , and about the Dream Act students , '' she said . `` He dipped his toe in the water , but this audience was ready for more . ''
Mark Krikorian , executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies , a nonpartisan group that advocates limited and legal immigration , said he heard little new in Romney 's remarks , which were politely if tepidly received . ( He drew a few scattered boos when he advocated repealing Obama 's health care legislation . )
`` Most of it was the usual stuff β he wants more high-skilled immigrants , he wants a Green Card to come with an advanced degree , he says that legal immigrants are welcome , '' he said . `` He 's talked about all that before . ''
One new element , he said , was Romney 's proposal to exempt from immigration caps the spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents .
`` The main thing for him was to come across as not unacceptable , '' Krikorian said . `` The fact that he pulled it off could be considered a success . ''
La Raza 's Murguia said Romney 's pledge to seek a bipartisan , long-term solution to immigration issues `` felt like an olive branch . '' And she said his comments on the economy resonate with Latino voters .
`` The point he made on the economy is part of his strong case for being elected , '' she said . `` But I think he still has a ways to go to capture the hearts and minds of Hispanics . ''
Romney wound up his speech recounting his father 's American experience β coming to the U.S. as a 5-year-old after his parents returned from living in Mexico , growing up in a boom-and-bust home and becoming a car company chief and governor of Michigan without a college degree .
`` This is my father 's story , '' he said . `` But it could be the story of almost any American . ''
There are estimated to be 21 million-plus eligible Latino voters in the U.S . In 2008 , 9.7 million Latinos voted ; some projections put their potential turnout this year at more than 12 million .
Increasingly , the story of America will be their story , something Romney acknowledged just by being in Orlando on Thursday , and in his comments .
`` Your voice , '' he said , `` is more important now than ever before . '' | 3IjjE9TcKjv4vnqJ | 1 | Presidential Elections | -0.2 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
facts_and_fact_checking | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2020/0602/Vote-by-mail-Is-it-safe-fair-and-ready-for-November | Vote by mail: Is it safe, fair, and ready for November? | 2020-06-02 | facts_and_fact_checking | With six key swing states allowing β no excuse β absentee voting this November , even relatively minor numbers of disqualified ballots could tip a tight race , and potentially determine who will become the next president .
Educating voters , scaling up equipment , and refining rules and procedures in a matter of months is a tall order ; the five vote-by-mail states gave themselves a year . Rushing it could lead to greater inaccuracies ; already , tens of thousands of absentee ballots have been disqualified in previous elections .
Key areas of partisan disagreement : requesting ballots online , free return postage , witness signature requirements , and perhaps most important , how each state will establish standards governing disqualification of ballots . Two dozen legal challenges have already been launched .
That is distinct from absentee voting , which requires voters to apply for an absentee ballot before being sent one . All states allow absentee voting , though about a third usually require a reason .
Amid concerns that the pandemic will prevent equal access to voting , many states are moving to expand opportunities to vote by mail . Five states β Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah , and Washington β already vote entirely by mail , which means all registered voters are automatically sent a ballot .
Many states have expanded mail-in voting ahead of the 2020 election in order to ensure fair access for all amid the ongoing pandemic . This has led to concerns that the expected surge in people voting by mail , could lead to delays and inaccuracies that would undermine faith in the election results .
No . Absentee voters must request a ballot to be mailed to them . Mail-in voting states send every registered voter a ballot automatically .
Currently , all states allow absentee voting . However , a third require voters to provide a reason for why they can not vote in person . Most of those states have eased their rules , including by making COVID-19 concerns a valid reason for requesting an absentee ballot .
Prior to the pandemic , five states voted entirely by mail : Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah , and Washington . Three additional states β California , Nebraska , and North Dakota β allow counties to institute voting by mail if they so choose . And nine more states allow certain elections , such as special elections or nonpartisan issue elections , to be done entirely by mail .
This year , with the pandemic exacerbating concerns about lack of safe access to polling places , at least half a dozen states are mailing every registered voter an absentee ballot application in upcoming primaries . Two of those Ββ Connecticut and Michigan β are doing so for the November general election as well . California Gov . Gavin Newsom has gone a step further , saying he would automatically send the state β s more than 20 million voters absentee ballots without an application process .
The first challenge is the rushed time frame . Most of the current vote-by-mail ( VBM ) states gave themselves a year between enacting the legislation and conducting their first elections by mail . One reason for that is the need to bring voter lists up to date . Some also establish a database of voter signatures used to certify the authenticity of absentee voting .
Second is the infrastructure required . A surge in mailed ballots would require much more powerful scanning machines at centralized locations , rather than smaller ones in each precinct . The $ 400 million that Congress allocated this spring to help states safely run elections amid the pandemic is not likely to cover such a major equipment overhaul .
Another issue is voter education campaigns to ensure that citizens are clear on the revised rules , including when ballots need to arrive in order to be counted . Such campaigns can present substantial up-front costs . ( However , in the long run VBM can cut costs ; Colorado saved 40 % on election administration costs after switching to the VBM model . )
In addition , there are concerns about the reliability of the U.S . Postal Service , which was already in deep financial trouble before the pandemic led to a double-digit drop in mail volume .
While both Republican- and Democrat-led states are making it easier to cast a ballot by mail , key areas of partisan disagreement are : requesting a ballot online , free postage , witness signature requirements , and perhaps most important , how each state will establish standards governing disqualification of ballots . Two dozen legal challenges have already been launched .
Democrats are concerned that without increasing vote-by-mail options , certain groups will not be able to cast ballots without risking their health , therefore undermining a pillar of U.S. democracy . They have proposed billions of dollars in federal funding for states that institute uniform practices , including adopting VBM systems . Republicans argue that such a move trespasses states β rights under the Constitution , and raises the possibility of substantial inaccuracies .
Among the concerns are ballot design flaws that mislead voters , voter confusion over the deadline for submitting ballots , delays in tallying votes , and signature mismatches that result in disqualification of ballots . In previous years , substantial numbers of absentee ballots have been disqualified β sometimes many more than the margin of victory . For example , when Al Franken won the 2008 Minnesota Senate race by 312 votes , giving Democrats the majority they needed to pass Obamacare , about 12,000 absentee ballots were thrown out . In some elections , such as Florida in 2016 , minorities and young people have seen their ballots disqualified at far higher rates .
While the number of known cases of voter fraud is extremely low β one study put it at less than 0.00000013 % of ballots cast in federal elections β absentee voting is more susceptible to fraud than other forms . A bipartisan commission on federal election reform co-chaired by former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter concluded that absentee voting cases are β especially difficult to prosecute , since the misuse of a voter β s ballot or the pressure on voters occurs away from the polling place or any other outside scrutiny . β
A little-noticed change to California law in 2016 paved the way for anyone β including paid campaign workers β to collect absentee ballots on behalf of voters , raising concerns about coercion not only from friends or family members , but campaigns themselves . In the 2018 midterms , Republicans were caught off-guard by this practice , which they dubbed β ballot harvesting , β as tight races tipped against them after absentee voters were counted .
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Meanwhile , a GOP operative from North Carolina was charged with several counts of obstruction of justice for allegedly filling in ballots for absentee voters . The election was ordered thrown out and redone .
With β no excuse β absentee voting in the six key swing states likely to determine the winner in November β s presidential election β Arizona , Florida , North Carolina , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin β even relatively minor numbers of disqualified ballots or other irregularities could tip a tight race , and potentially determine who will become the next president . | FPXwx3hvKIwSsssN | 1 | Elections | -0.3 | 2020 Election | -0.3 | Mail-In Voting | -0.3 | Election Integrity | -0.3 | Facts And Fact Checking | -0.1 |
coronavirus | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/31/pence-task-force-coronavirus-aid-157806 | Pence task force freezes coronavirus aid amid backlash | 2020-03-31 | coronavirus | Though some requests have already been processed and supplies were delivered , the review process has effectively frozen already-approved coronavirus-related PPE aid to at least 13 countries , including Vietnam , Bangladesh , Honduras and the Philippines . Nor have American officials been told how to explain to foreign counterparts why their countries β requests have been put on hold , the administration official said . The danger , officials acknowledge , is that the delays risk damaging relationships with allies who could help the U.S. with critical supplies down the road .
β One of the big questions the task force is discussing is how foreign aid could help us when a second wave hits , whether that β s in the fall or later this summer , β said another person close to USAID . β Pence realizes you have to wait for the right time to provide assistance , but also that foreign assistance can help us as well . β
America β s diplomats are also grappling with China β s attempts to exploit the shortages by supplying aid to Western countries , keenly aware of Beijing β s interest in showing it is supplanting the United States as a global leader .
Just days before a load of medical supplies from China arrived in the U.S. for distribution in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut , the State Department boasted in a press release that the United States was β Leading the Humanitarian and Health Assistance Response to COVID-19 . β
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo highlighted the aid in a press conference on Tuesday , noting , β We 've now made available a total of $ 274 million in funding to as many as 64 countries , β money he said β would go to some of the world β s most at-risk peoples . β
In the last two months , at least five U.S. embassies , including in Myanmar , Tajikistan , Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan and Laos , all announced in press releases that the U.S. government had given protective gear to their host countries , sometimes including pictures of boxes of the donations . U.S. embassies in Kazakhstan , South Africa , Zimbabwe , Mongolia , Nepal and Pakistan also announced support for fighting coronavirus .
There is bipartisan agreement on the need to resupply American hospitals and take care of domestic shortages first . But the issue is tricky : Other countries β ability to fight the virus directly affects the U.S.βan infected man from Wuhan , the sprawling capital of Hubei province in China , is believed to be the first to bring the novel coronavirus to American shores in Januaryβand millions of Americans work , serve , and study overseas in countries that have been hard hit .
β Our domestic response needs to be the priority , but the amount of aid offered internationally has been too slow and too small , risking the continued spread of the virus to Americans and to communities in countries with weaker infrastructure , immense poverty , and ongoing humanitarian crises , β said Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-Va. ) , who is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy .
Other Democrats have been more pointed -- and political -- in their criticism . Dan Pfeiffer , who was a senior White House adviser for President Barack Obama , tweeted over the weekend , β Trump sending two million masks to China weeks before COVID came to America because he didn β t take the threat seriously would be a devastating ad . β
U.S. officials openly promoted the China shipment at the time as evidence of the generosity of the American people . And privately , the administration still defends the February shipment as a reasonable decision at the time .
β That was kind of a different era , β said one of the Trump administration officials , β when there was not much of an appreciation of this hitting the United States . β
But now , given the global shortage of critical medical supplies and U.S. health care workers β daily pleas for more equipment , β the optics would look really terrible β if the U.S. government were to continue the overseas shipments , this official added .
The government has yet to curtail exports by U.S. companies , howeverβroughly 280 million masks in warehouses around the U.S. were purchased by foreign buyers on Monday alone , according to Forbes . A FEMA spokesperson said the agency β has not actively encouraged or discouraged U.S. companies from exporting overseas , β noting that various U.S. agencies are coordinating their activities with their overseas counterparts .
But FEMA is asking USAID to send back most of the reserves of protective gear it has stored in warehouses in Dubai and Miami for use in the U.S. , according to one of the administration officials and a Senate Democratic foreign policy aide .
β What USAID is hoping for is that the market will improve in ways that they will be able to purchase additional PPE for restocking these warehouses or whatever the facilities are , relatively soon , β the aide said . β But obviously that β s aspirational and not based on any confidence at this point . β
A senior State Department official emphasized that the U.S. government is not providing countries with hard-to-find equipment that could be used to fight coronavirus in the United States instead .
β When it comes to PPE in particular , right now our assistance is not a zero-sum game , β the official said . β We are not providing assistance that could be headed to Detroit or to Kansas City . That β s not what we β re doing . β
The official added that the hold isn β t meant to be permanent . When industries β are able to ramp up and we have enough capacity here , we will absolutely shift as much of this stuff [ as we can ] around the world , β he said . | agj7eQyHFkVFygXz | 0 | Coronavirus | -0.6 | Mike Pence | 0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | The Week - News | https://theweek.com/speedreads/913989/trump-casually-accuses-joe-scarborough-murder-live-tweeting-morning-joe | Trump casually accuses Joe Scarborough of murder while live tweeting Morning Joe | 2020-05-12 | politics | `` The big story all week has of course been Donald Trump booting hydroxychloroquine , '' Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday 's Late Show . `` He 's unwilling to wear a mask , but he will take a drug whose side effects include serious heart conditions , including death , '' plus `` blistering , peeling , loosening of the skin ; feeling that others can hear your thoughts ; feeling , seeing , or hearing things that are not there ; unusual behavior ; and unusual facial expressions . Oh no ! We 're too late ! ''
The U.S. has the highest number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities , `` but Donald Trump sees the sunny side of his abject failure , '' calling it `` a badge of honor , '' Colbert said . Trump has been feuding with the CDC over how fast to lift coronavirus restrictions , `` but it 's not just the CDC β it 's hard to find a medical expert anywhere who agrees with Trump 's plan to open the economy without meeting the CDC criteria . Which is why GOP operatives are recruiting 'extremely pro-Trump ' doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible , without waiting to meet safety benchmarks . ''
`` Have you been watching the hydroxy-horror picture show ? '' Jimmy Kimmel asked . `` Our president this week claimed he 's been taking hydroxychloroquine , '' and `` the Trumpers who are wary of Big Pharma have started making their own hydroxy at home . '' He explained why that 's `` dumb , '' then showed White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany scolding him for joking Tuesday that Trump `` might be trying to kill himself with this drug and we should keep an eye on him . ''
`` All 50 states at least partially reopened for business , '' even though `` 17 states are still showing a steady increase in new coronavirus cases , '' Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show . And Georgia `` may actually have been fudging their numbers . ''
Noah also examined embattled Secretary of State Mike Pompeo 's latest scandal , involving `` lavish dinners '' for hundreds he 's been `` throwing on the taxpayer dime . '' Pompeo claims the dinners were for legitimate business , `` but how is the CEO of Chick-fil-A gon na help America 's foreign policy ? '' he asked . `` It sounds more like Pompeo was using the State Department like his own personal Make-a-Wish Foundation . '' | fkfv1cZSVRSkAuS6 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Christian Science Monitor | http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/1116/Will-Islamic-State-attacks-bolster-prospects-for-political-solution-in-Syria-video | Will Islamic State attacks bolster prospects for political solution in Syria? | 2015-11-16 | world | After multiple major attacks in less than two weeks β including the alleged bombing of a Russian jetliner over Egypt , a double-suicide bombing in Lebanon , and Friday 's deadly attacks in Paris β a resolution to the Syrian conflict and the threat of the Islamic State has become top priority for Europe 's major powers .
Perhaps most crucially , the West and Russia have moved closer than at any time in the past four years toward a political solution in Syria , which many believe is central to fighting IS-inspired terrorism .
β There is a new pragmatism emerging in Europe to work with Russia and Iran , and other European partners , and to try and work towards a political solution , β says Eugene Rogan , director of the Middle East Centre at the University of Oxford .
But the obstacles to a Syrian solution remain high , amid Western reticence about further military involvement there and unresolved differences between the Kremlin and the West over the future of President Bashar al-Assad .
β This is a very critical junction for where we go from here , β says Sajjan Gohel , a London-based international security director for the Asia-Pacific Foundation . He says the declaration of β war β by French President FranΓ§ois Hollande , and the support by President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron , amid other heady talk , must be followed by action . β Otherwise [ IS ] are going to believe they can get away with it again .... This can only be a game-changer if the West does something meaningful . β
Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Turkey , Mr. Obama joined with President Hollande in calling the Paris attack a pivotal moment . β We will redouble our efforts , working with other members of the coalition , to bring about a peaceful transition in Syria and to eliminate [ IS ] as a force that can create so much pain and suffering for people in Paris , in Ankara , and in other parts of the globe , '' he said .
US-led efforts to eradicate IS were complicated after Russia intervened six weeks ago , with an expeditionary force of about 50 attack aircraft and supporting troops . But there is a growing consensus , given the reach and sophistication of IS terror , that Russia has helped change the diplomatic conversation , especially the idea that overthrowing Assad is an impossible immediate goal .
β It is dawning on everyone that the only way out of this is a political solution that takes into account the Assad government and the large numbers of people it represents . It has n't survived for four years , with all the forces arrayed against it , without strong social roots , '' says Sergei Karaganov , a senior Russian foreign policy expert . `` It 's also clear that Russia will have to be a part of that solution . The old US approach of just getting together a bunch of like-minded 'friends of Syria ' to decide things is finished . β
The terror attacks in Paris will add to the sense of urgency , at least for Europeans , who have already felt increasing pressures from the growing refugee crisis to move on a negotiated solution for Syria , experts say .
Talks in Vienna on Syria have already made more progress in the past 10 days than in the previous four years , says Andrei Klimov , deputy chair of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council , Russia 's Senate . A rough draft of a transitional program lays out a path to a ceasefire , a new Syrian constitution , and fresh elections within 18 months . Crucially , this was jointly announced by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna on Saturday .
β A lot has happened rather quickly in the wake of Russia 's intervention , and it 's pleasant to note that our initiatives are finally getting some traction , '' says Mr. Klimov . `` But peoples ' minds are also being focused by the victories the Russian-backed Syrian forces are gaining in the field , and by the terrible tragedies from recent terrorist strikes in Turkey , Lebanon , and now Paris . We do see movement , and we are hopeful . ''
One agreement made at the Vienna talks that the Russians say is key is the general consensus that any government that succeeds the Assad regime must be `` secular . '' That will exclude most of the Syrian rebels opposed to Assad , if implemented , they say .
At the same time , the US and Europe are weighing what the next steps are in their own military involvement . France ordered its fighter jets to carry out a massive bombardment Sunday night on Raqqa , the Syrian city that IS claims is its caliphate , as part of a growing global momentum to stop the spread of terrorism .
The US has said it plans to step up its efforts but that it won β t put boots on the ground for now . β The further introduction of US troops to fully re-engage in ground combat in the Middle East is not the way to deal with this challenge , β said Benjamin J. Rhodes , the president β s deputy national security adviser , said Sunday .
Unlike France and the US , Britain has not conducted airstrikes against Syria , amid a public wearied by British involvement in the Iraq war of 2003 , politicians skeptical of the efficacy of bombing there , and a nation generally looking inward .
But Mr. Cameron has stirred the debate , warning the population that the new degree of planning and coordination β as well as ambition for mass causalities β seen by IS in Paris makes the UK more vulnerable .
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Monday , according to local media reports , that his government will try to win anew parliamentary support for airstrikes in Syria . But Mr. Rogan in Oxford says it will be an uphill battle to convince politicians that joining a bombing campaign will not squander their diplomatic potential , which many see as the more important role for Britain in Syria .
Some have even called for NATO β s Article 5 to be invoked , which declares that all members join forces if one NATO member is attacked . But Sven Biscop , the director of the Europe in the World program at the Egmont β Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels , a think tank associated with Belgian Foreign Affairs ministry , says there is no need to put a β NATO flag in the Middle East , '' he says . `` It will contribute to image of this being a crusade . β
Instead he says that long-term plans from Vienna and private talks between the West and Russia and allies is where the solutions will be found . This will help bolster support for more troops from countries in the surrounding region as well as help garner pressure on issues like Saudi Arabia financing . β This is where we need the acceleration , β he says .
There are still concerns that the US-Russia rivalry in Syria could scuttle diplomacy and turn Syria into a cold war-style proxy war .
The issue of Assad , and whether he might be allowed to run in new elections , remains the key obstacle . The US and all its allies insist that while Assad may be allowed to play some sort of transitional role , he must leave soon . The Russians say they are not wedded to Assad , but remain vague on when and how he might relinquish power .
That might stymie forward movement in the peace process , since most Syrian rebels have insisted they will never deal with Assad . β One of the problems at Vienna is that we still do n't have any definition of 'moderate ' rebels . Everyone will agree that IS and Al Qaeda must be excluded . But there are many rebels who took up arms to depose Assad , that is why they are in the field , β says Sergei Strokan , international affairs columnist with the Moscow daily Kommersant .
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`` It is urgently necessary to drop all the polemics , and identify those forces who might be ready to stop shooting , sit down at the negotiating table , and then participate in a provisional government . This sort of thing has happened in many places , at many times , and it 's perfectly possible for Syria . But none of these groups is going to engage with Russia and come into the process until there is clarity about Assad . It 's time for the Russian government to seriously address this issue , '' Mr. Strokan says . | tZ6Z2UHu0OSc74Aq | 1 | Syria | 0.2 | War On Terror | -0.1 | Islamic State | 0.1 | World | 0.1 | null | null |
russia | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/60528276 | Ukraine conflict: Further false images shared online | 2022-02-27 | China, European Union, Foreign Policy, Germany, Joe Biden, Kyiv, Media Bias By Photo, NATO, Russia, Social Media, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, World | The second day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by further false or misleading imagery on social media claiming to be from the conflict. Some show military action taken from older conflicts, while other viral videos have proved difficult to verify. One video clip seen by the BBC and proven to be several years old has been viewed more than 27 million times in one day, while another showed video game footage. Misleading posts have come from "official" sources as well as from "ordinary" social media users. One example was a tweet posted by the verified account of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. Footage of an aerial dogfight is accompanied by the caption "MiG-29 of the Air Force of the Armed Forces destroys the 'unparalleled' Su-35 of the Russian occupiers". However, it's video game footage from the game Digital Combat Simulator World. This isn't the first time that game footage has been used to illustrate military action. One clip of old and incorrectly labelled footage has been viewed over 18 million times on video-sharing platform TikTok. It claims to show Ukrainian troops "facing off" with Russian soldiers at an airbase. While it does show a confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian forces, fact-checkers Logically have ascertained that the footage was shot in 2014 during the annexation of Crimea, and was shot at the Belbek airbase near Sevastopol. The same footage was aired by BBC Turkish at the time, after it was broadcast by Turkish television. One video, which was posted on both Facebook and Twitter from an unofficial account supporting Ukraine's armed forces, claims to show the destruction of Russian personnel and equipment in Ukraine, as seen through a drone aircraft's gunsight. However, it's footage from Syria shot in 2020. The new version sees the image flipped, perhaps in an attempt to prevent verification through reverse-image search tools. The Twitter post was subsequently deleted. Another incorrectly labelled clip on Twitter claims to be of a Russian airstrike on Ukraine "that caused a chain reaction at the Luhansk power plant". Various uploads of the clip have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. The video actually shows footage of the 12 August 2015 Tianjin blasts in China, which killed around 173 people when a container containing chemicals exploded at a port. A BBC report on the Chinese incident can be viewed here. One TikTok video has been viewed 27.5m times and shared by thousands of users who assumed that it was from Ukraine. The clip shows some men in military fatigues shouting and laughing in Russian as they parachute over farmland. Although the caption just says "Original sound - Roman", users have assumed that the video is of Russian troops taking part in the invasion. In fact, it's footage shot by a man who appears to be a member of the Russian armed forces, and uploaded to his Instagram channel in 2015. He uploaded the old footage to his TikTok channel on 24 February, the day of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, leading to viewers thinking it was footage from the conflict. More old footage on Twitter includes video of a rocket barrage, implying it is part of the Ukraine war. In fact it's from 2018, and shows a barrage launched from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). A tweet from 2018 shows the same footage, although there is some doubt about the accuracy of the caption. In some cases it has been impossible to verify the truth behind a viral post. One example is that of a video clip of a missile being fired toward a residential area in Kyiv by a low-flying jet. The footage has been viewed more than two million times on Twitter. However, the aircraft is travelling too fast and the video is of too poor a quality to verify which country's air force the plane belongs to. There is also debate as to whether the residential area was deliberately targeted, or if the missile was fired in error. There have also been conflicting claims over the identity and intention of the aircraft. Fast-moving events such as war mean that misleading imagery will inevitably appear on social media. Misinformation is easily shared, often by those who believe the images to be genuine. Social media users can limit the spread of bad information by taking a few seconds before sharing, to consider whether what they're seeing seems genuine and is from a source that they trust. Checking with multiple trusted sources can help to prevent these images from being widely shared. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions A BBC team asking Russians about their invasion of Ukraine draws police and state TV attention. Ihor Brusylo told the BBC's Jeremy Bowen that US President Donald Trump's stance on the war was "alarming". Laura Mallows sells most of her products via TikTok but "dreams" of opening a physical shop once more. Zelensky had no experience of politics when he was elected but is now a symbol of Ukrainian defiance. A Baltic Sea cable has been damaged for the third time in recent months, Finnish telecom operators say. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | ecda7196af5b0e4a | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
state_department | Democracy Now | https://www.democracynow.org/2016/12/10/exxon_ceo_friend_of_putin_rex | Exxon CEO & Friend of Putin Rex Tillerson Reportedly Picked by Trump to Be Secretary of State | 2016-12-10 | state_department | NBC News is reporting U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state .
Environmental groups widely condemned the selection of Tillerson as secretary of state . Exxon is facing multiple lawsuits over its role in covering up the science behind climate change . In 2015 , InsideClimate News revealed how ExxonMobil β s own research confirmed the role of fossil fuels in global warming decades ago . By 1977 , Exxon β s own senior experts had begun to warn the burning of fossil fuels could pose a threat to humanity . At first , Exxon launched an ambitious research program , outfitting a supertanker with instruments to study carbon dioxide in the air and ocean . But toward the end of the 1980s , Exxon changed course and shifted to the forefront of climate change denial . Since the 1990s , it has spent millions of dollars funding efforts to reject the science its own experts knew of decades ago .
Tillerson has served as CEO and chairman of Exxon since 2006 and is known to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin . The Wall Street Journal reports Tillerson has β known Mr. Putin since he represented Exxon β s interests in Russia during the regime of Boris Yeltsin. β In 2013 , Putin awarded Tillerson the country β s Order of Friendship decoration .
The news of Tillerson β s selection comes a day after President Obama ordered a review of Russia β s role influencing the presidential election . The CIA has reportedly already concluded Russia intervened in the election to help Trump win .
350.org Executive Director May Boeve issued the following statement : β This is unfathomable . We can β t let Trump put the world β s largest oil company in charge of our international climate policy . Tillerson may be a friend of Putin β s , but he β s no friend of the planet . ExxonMobil is still a leading funder of climate denial and is pursuing a business plan that will destroy our future . Tillerson deserves a federal investigation , not federal office . We β ll be pressuring Senators to turn the confirmation process into a hearing on ExxonMobil β s history of climate deception . If Exxon is found guilty of working with other oil companies to deceive the public and their shareholders about the threat of climate change , they could be on the hook for fraud and racketeering charges . It would be the largest corporate scandal in history and could not only stop Tillerson β s appointment , but take down the entire company . β
Greenpeace USA spokesperson Cassady Craighill said : β Just when we thought Trump β s Cabinet could not get farther away from the needs of the American people , he sneaks in a Saturday appointment of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state . In this position , Tillerson will try his hardest to silence global initiatives and the right of state attorney generals to hold fossil fuel companies legally accountable for climate change . We will not be silenced , and we will not allow this cabinet of billionaires to steamroll the people . β
See more coverage of Exxon β s climate change cover-up from βββ ! :
Inside Exxon β s Great Climate Cover-Up : From Early Climate Change Researcher to Epic Climate Denier
Exxon β s Climate Cover-Up Just Got Bigger : Docs Suggest All Major Oil Giants Have Lied Since 1970s | H8xquMNUClTkqJFs | 0 | State Department | -0.9 | Politics | -0.7 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/opinion/high-and-low-premiums-in-health-care.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0 | High and Low Premiums in Health Care | 2013-11-11 | healthcare | The debate over the effect the Affordable Care Act will have on individuals and families who buy their own policies has mostly been waged in anecdotes . Supporters of the law point to grateful individuals who were previously unable to get insurance or paid exorbitant premiums but found affordable coverage on the new health insurance exchanges . Critics counter with frustrated people who liked their old policies but will now be forced to buy a more comprehensive policy and pay a higher premium for it .
As it turns out , there are estimates of how many people might fall into one category or the other . Up to seven million people may be able to get health policies without paying any premium at all . Some four million people may have to pay more for new ( and better ) policies , not all of whom will necessarily be upset at getting better coverage at a competitive rate .
As Reed Abelson and Katie Thomas reported in The Times last week , three independent estimates by Wall Street analysts found that five million to seven million people will qualify for federal subsidies that will exceed the cost of the cheapest plans for individuals and families on the exchanges . Neither the Obama administration nor the insurance companies , however , are promoting the plans vigorously . They believe that many consumers would be better off paying a bit more for a policy that would cover more of the out-of-pocket costs for a doctor β s visit or hospital stay .
In the wake of the federal website problems , there β s worry about whether the administration can reach its goal of enrolling seven million uninsured Americans in 2014 . Surely the five million to seven million eligible for zero-premium policies would be an easy sell . About half of them are under age 39 and uninsured , the kind of young people the exchanges need to broaden the risk pools . Health officials should pull out all the stops to identify and enroll them . | TKZ8AWSFJmhVSVem | 0 | Healthcare | -0.2 | Obamacare | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
bridging_divides | IVN | https://ivn.us/2018/04/18/lawmakers-join-powerful-coalition-cure-americas-toxic-political-environment/ | Lawmakers Join Powerful Coalition to Cure Americaβs Toxic Political Environment | 4/18/18 | Civility | Most Americans agree that civility ( more precisely , the lack of it ) in American politics is a problem . Many would say our apparent inability to engage in respectful and nuanced conversations has hit a crisis level .
That is why April 20-28 has been declared the National Week of Conversation by the Bridge Alliance , a coalition of several civic action groups founded by people from across the political spectrum .
One hundred organizations are sponsoring the National Week of Conversation ( NWOC ) . Events will be held in cities across the country . It is a week `` for mending America one conversation at a time , '' according to the NWOC website .
And while our elected officials are often at the heart of the ongoing partisan bickering , several are joining the Bridge Alliance and its partners to offer a better alternative than the toxic , hyper-partisan status quo .
From the Halls of Congress to Your Community : The Growing Demands for Civility
The national community organizer for the National Institute for Civil Discourse , Cheryl Graeve , explained in an interview for βββ that some of the events policymakers will be a part of will be open to the public , while others will be more personal and private .
`` For example , Ohio members of Congress Steve Stivers ( R ) and Joyce Beatty ( D ) have established a Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus , and will be having conversations with their caucus members , '' she says . They will also host workshops over the next few months for members of Congress to address the need for greater civility and respect in Washington .
Most people probably do n't know there is such a thing as a Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus in Congress . It was created in January by Stivers and Beatty to encourage civility and respect in political discourse on Capitol Hill and in every congressional district .
`` Joyce and I don β t always agree on how to solve the issues facing our nation , but we find common ground where we can . More importantly , when we do disagree , we don β t vilify one another , '' said Stivers upon announcing the new caucus .
Graeve notes that members have to join the caucus in bipartisan pairs . In other words , if a Republican wanted to join the caucus , he or she would have to join with a Democratic colleague .
`` It 's a beautiful model of coming together across the aisle to be part of rebuilding and reweaving a more civil fabric in our country , '' she says .
Then there are more private and personal conversations that will happen between state and local policy leaders , faith leaders , and candidates that will seek to foster productive conversations on the biggest issues in each participant 's respective community .
`` Sometimes , those conversations which we hope will both foster relationships and help us explore what we may do together as citizens and policymakers and the media to improve the tone of our conversations and public discourse -- especially as we look at 2018 now -- sometimes those conversations can happen in a more authentic and personal and deep way when they are outside the glare of the public spotlight , '' Graeve explains .
The media might not like it . There might even be some skeptics among voters , but I can personally attest to the substantive and honest conversations that can happen in this environment .
I have covered an annual conference put on by the Independent Voter Project ( a co-publisher of βββ.us ) with exactly this intent in mind -- get policymakers and industry leaders together , away from the media 's glare and partisan political environment -- to discuss real problems and real solutions .
There is no talk of legislation . There are no backroom deals behind closed doors . There are no talking heads in the media or partisan pundits who can cherry pick soundbites to fit a particular narrative and distract from the big picture . Just real talk and real solutions .
Relationships are formed . Issues are flushed out . Conversations that are deep and raw set the stage for future collaboration and problem solving , and are free from partisan barriers that might otherwise get in the way in a more public setting .
The exact number of policy leaders that will be involved in the National Week of Conversation is not known and could continue to grow , as thousands of invitations were sent out to elected officials , faith leaders , community organizers , schools , and more .
The general perception is that our nation has never been more divided . It 's constant political warfare between conservatives and liberals in this country over every issue , and we ca n't even agree that the sky is blue .
Public opinion polls show that Americans are more aligned than ever before on many issues . On guns , on immigration , on jobs , Americans can find common ground on several topics .
But when we watch cable news , when we spend just five minutes on social media , it almost feels like our country is on the brink of another civil war -- because the media and the most polarizing voices online capitalize on division and reactionary politics .
ALSO READ : Stop Bickering and Start Talking : National Week of Conversation Starts April 20
And now , the biggest political divide in the US has less to do with individual issues and more to do with a team sport mentality . Republican versus Democrat . Conservative versus liberal . Rich versus poor . Urban America versus rural America .
`` When candidates or elected leaders lead with a civil framework , they often get pushback . They do n't get covered in the media . It 's the drama that tends to rise to the attention level , unfortunately , in the media as opposed to all the work that is being done in concert with each other , '' explains Cheryl Graeve .
The impact this has on the body politic is devastating . Politicians become entrenched in the ideological corners of their respective parties . Nothing gets accomplished . And as a result , people lose trust in their elected officials and the process .
There is a hunger , however , to rebuild what Graeve calls the `` civic , civil , respect muscle '' in America . Voters want it , but they do n't necessarily know how to achieve it .
That is where organizations like the National Institute for Civil Discourse and the Bridge Alliance and its partners come in .
`` We are looking at this year and asking Americans -- we 're asking voters , we 're asking candidates , communicating with the media , too -- about what we can do together to improve the tone of our 2018 elections , '' says Graeve .
`` We have had some experience with conversations where we bring together the public , candidates , and journalists around a visioning question for our country about how we want to operate together , how we expect to be in a relationship with each other , how we understand each other , and what our commitment is to our democratic republic . ''
Graeve adds that the NCID and other collaborative organizations in the space are having conversations with diverse stakeholders at the community level , and have the tools and resources to help build a skillset around listening across divides for differences and understanding .
`` I think what 's important is showcasing these stories where people relate to each other across their differences . They come out in a stronger , more civil relationship with each other , and come out of those conversations with a profoundly different understanding . We are not partisan labels ; we are human beings that are grounded in shared concerns and shared hopes , '' says Graeve .
And Graeve says she and others at NCID hope that the National Week of Conversation will result in more of these stories being highlighted .
Events will be held in cities across the country through April 20-28 , encouraging more civil , respectful , and nuanced conversations on the biggest issues facing the US today -- including guns , immigration , health care , jobs and the economy , and more .
A project of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund , 100 organizations are sponsoring the National Week of Conversation , including the National Institute for Civil Discourse , AllSides , the L1sten First Project , Living Room Conversations , Big Tent Nation , and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation .
People can get involved by finding a local or online conversation or hosting their own . To get more information , visit www.nationalweekofconversation.org , and follow βββ.us for exclusive coverage . | 8178ae58f608c292 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_house | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/12/chris-van-hollen-house-democrats-push-tax-increase/ | Dems double down on liberal populism, push bolder wealth redistribution | 2015-01-12 | us_house | House Democrats , fresh off massive election losses , say the problem is they didn β t make a bold enough case for tax increases and wealth transfer to the poor . They rectified that Monday with a speech by Rep. Chris Van Hollen proposing tax increases on the wealthy with the money going straight to tax cuts for the poor and middle class .
The plan uses tax laws to encourage employee wage increases , reduce tax breaks for Wall Street and slap another fee on financial transactions . The government would dole out $ 1,000 tax credits for most workers and increase a slew of other tax credits for poor and middle-class families .
β This is a plan to grow the paychecks of all , not just the wealth of a few . This proposal attacks the chronic problem of stagnant middle-class incomes from both directions . It promotes bigger paychecks and lets workers keep more of what they earn , β Mr. Van Hollen , the ranking member on the House Budget Committee , said in a speech announcing the plan at the Center for American Progress , a liberal think tank in Washington .
The Maryland Democrat said the proposal would restore balance to a tax code that β is now skewed in favor of people who make money off of money and against those who make money off of work . β
The plan built upon the liberal populism that dominates the Democratic agenda for confronting a Republican-controlled Congress , such as the push to raise the minimum wage and reducing student loan debt . But it went further by offering workers a direct cash payment .
The package of tax measures is all but dead on arrival in Congress . Instead , the document will become the tip of the spear for Democrats taking on the Republican majority and for the party β s White House run next year .
The proposal , which Mr. Van Hollen called an β action plan , β included :
β¦ A $ 1,000 β paycheck bonus tax credit β for every worker making less than $ 100,000 a year or a $ 2,000 credit for every couple filing joint returns who earn less than $ 200,000 a year .
β¦ A β saver β s bonus β of $ 250 each year for individuals who put at least $ 500 of their paycheck bonus tax credits or earned income tax credits into tax-preferred savings accounts .
β¦ The CEO-Employee Paycheck Fairness Act that bars big corporations from claiming tax deductions for CEO and other corporate compensation over $ 1 million unless their workers are getting paycheck increases that reflect increases in worker productivity and the cost of living .
β¦ Updating the child and dependent care tax credit by raising the amount of eligible expenses , indexing the caps for inflation and making the credit refundable .
β¦ A β second-earner tax deduction β that would increase the take-home pay of two-earner families with 20 percent tax deductions for second earners with dependents on up to $ 60,000 of their income .
β We can pay for these new tax benefits for working Americans by changing the ways our current tax code is rigged in favor of those who make money off of money , and against those who make money from work , β Mr. Van Hollen said .
He said the cost would be covered with two measures , curbing tax breaks for the financial services industry and imposing a small fee on Wall Street transactions .
The proposal was cheered from the left , including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka , who credited Mr. Van Hollen with bringing β bold ideas to the forefront . β
β Working people want not only to hear what leaders think about raising wages and income inequality , but what they β ll do about it . Rep. Van Hollen is doing exactly that , β he said .
House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price , Georgia Republican , said that repairing the tax code shouldn β t be about redistributing wealth .
β We welcome our Democrat colleagues to the conversation about how we can fix our broken tax code and improve the financial security of American families . But Washington shouldn β t be in the business of picking winners and losers in the economy , β he said in a statement . β We should focus on fundamental tax reform that builds a foundation for job creation and economic growth . β
In a separate speech , Mr. Price outlined a conservative agenda that focuses on combating federal debt and reining in expensive entitlement programs such as Medicare .
Mr. Price signaled that a top priority for Republicans would be to build off of the budget proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan , Wisconsin Republican and the party β s 2012 vice-presidential nominee , that would transition Medicare into a voucher-type program for future retirees .
He said one of the most important things the Budget Committee can do is to β normalize β the debate about issues such as federal entitlement programs .
β Four years ago , nobody would have given us a prayer β a prayer β to be able to lay out a solution to save and strengthen and secure Medicare and thought that we would be able to sustain the onslaught coming from the other side , β he said . β We worked and we worked and we worked and we convinced our colleagues and convinced our friends and moved forward β¦ with a positive solution β so positive that the Romney-Ryan team in 2012 on that proposal won the senior vote in this country . β
Mr. Price delivered the speech at the 2015 Heritage Action Conservative Policy Summit , a two-day event hosted by the political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation . | 8gbZXbw03TNoLEXJ | 2 | Democratic Party | 0.8 | US House | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/23/us/politics/as-tv-ad-rates-soar-super-pacs-pivot-to-core-campaign-work.html?ref=politics&_r=0&mtrref=www.nytimes.com&gwh=7439347D58953CFC299CC3E43A4F7A6F&gwt=pay | As TV Ad Rates Soar, βSuper PACsβ Pivot to Core Campaign Work | 2015-12-23 | elections | Mr. Sousa said the group had compiled a fund-raising list of more than a million potential donors β email addresses , which it is renting to the Carson campaign . That follows the example set by Ready PAC , formerly known as Ready for Hillary , which spent close to a year building support for Hillary Clinton before she announced her candidacy . It never ran a television ad . ( Nor has Correct the Record , a super PAC founded by David Brock that is focusing exclusively on opposition research and rapid response in Mrs. Clinton β s defense . )
Many super PACs will turn to television soon enough , but even those that have done so already have recognized the need for more than just TV ads .
New Day for America , the super PAC supporting Mr. Kasich , is pursuing a highly advanced ground game in partnership with a data-analytics firm , Applecart : The firm says it mines data sources like yearbooks and local news reports to decipher which people have personally influential relationships with sought-after voters . Rather than giving phone-bank callers or canvassers lists of random people to contact , for example , the organizers are assigning each of those volunteers to reach 10 to 20 New Hampshire voters they know personally and convert them into Kasich supporters .
Right to Rise , the super PAC supporting Mr. Bush , is also starting to pour more money into online messaging , where β unlike on television β its dollars go just as far as the candidate β s . All advertisers β campaigns , super PACs , even Frito-Lay β pay the same rates for digital ads .
β With TV getting a bit more crowded , we β re looking at frequency , β said Sheena Arora , a digital strategist at Revolution Agency who works with Right to Rise β meaning β how many times we β re hitting individuals across devices. β The group has been creating a wide range of ads aimed at smartphones , tablets and even Xbox gaming systems .
Not everyone buys into the changing tactics . Rick Shaftan , who leads the pro-Cruz Courageous Conservatives group , suggested that spending money on field efforts made little sense for his operation . β This is what I did as field guy : hung out with the volunteers , brought people signs and brought people literature , β he said . β That was 1984 . Now we β re in a world where it β s all different . People can get their own signs . β | 9Bhj0JnDG8kwZVls | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2016/02/03/obamas-mosque-visit-n2114235 | During First Mosque Visit, Obama Explains How ?Islam Has Always Been Part of America? | 2016-02-03 | religion_and_faith | In an effort to share a message of β religious tolerance and unity , β President Obama visited a mosque on Wednesday , the first time he 's done so on U.S. soil in his seven years in office .
`` We 're one American family , and when any part of our family starts to feel second class or separate or targeted , it tears at the very fabric of our nation , '' the president said .
Muslims , he continued , are `` some of the most resilient and patriotic Americans you 'll ever meet . ''
He even spoke about how β Islam has always been part of America . β
β Islam has always been part of America , β he said , detailing the beginnings of the religion among African slaves brought to America . He also pointed out that Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Virginia statute for religious freedom that the β Mohammedan β should have his faith protected in the United States . β The very word Islam comes from β Salam β β peace , β he said . β The standard greeting is β As-Salaam-Alaikum β β β Peace be upon you , β β he explained . β Like so many faiths , Islam is rooted in a commitment to compassion and mercy and justice and charity . β Whoever wants to enter paradise , the prophet Mohammad taught , let him treat people the way he would love to be treated , β he said as the audience applauded . β For Christians like myself , I β m assuming that sounds familiar , β he continued . [ β¦ ] Obama pointed out that the founding fathers also supported the religion of Islam . β Jefferson and John Adams had their own copies of the Koran , β he said . β Benjamin Franklin wrote , that even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach to us , he would find a pulpit at his service. β He also recalled the history of mosques in America β pointing out that the oldest surviving mosque was in Iowa and that the first American mosque was built in North Dakota .
Obama went on to encourage Christians to defend Muslims-Americans when their religion was being attacked .
`` An attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths , '' he said , noting that `` we have to be consistent in condemning hateful rhetoric ... none of us can be bystanders to bigotry . ''
Obama also denounced the rise in β extremist elements β who have turned Islamic text into a violent ideology . Coincidentally , he was speaking at the Islamic Society of Baltimore , which has a long history of ties to extremism . In 2010 it was even placed under FBI surveillance . | 2fqksCOQQhd4NdGA | 2 | Religion And Faith | -0.1 | Barack Obama | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
transportation | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/08/13/infrastructure-spending-states-that-are-falling-apart/37270513/ | Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst? | 2018-08-13 | transportation | In the Donald Trump era , the United States appears to be more politically divided than it has been in decades . Still , there are matters of public policy that most Americans can agree on -- chief among them is investment in infrastructure . According to a recent non-partisan Gallup poll , three out of four Americans support the president 's plan of spending more federal money on infrastructure .
The president proposed a $ 1 trillion plan to improve aging roads , bridges , and tunnels across the country . While funding the project has proven to be a political challenge , broad public support for the plan is rooted in necessity .
About seven out of every 100 miles of roadway nationwide are in poor condition ; 9 percent of bridges nationwide are structurally deficient , meaning that they are in need of some repair ; and 17 percent of dams in the country have a high hazard potential -- meaning a functional failure would result in the loss of life .
For many , the notion of crumbling infrastructure conjures images of a bridge collapsing during rush hour , or a speeding passenger train hurtling off a faulty track . While such tragedies occur on occasion , they are relatively rare . Most people are affected by aging infrastructure on a daily basis in a number of more subtle ways including traffic congestion , public transportation delays , and vehicle damage .
Kristina Swallow , 2018 president of the American Society of Civil Engineers , explained the extent to which poor infrastructure affects our lives . β It β s hurting our economy , it β s hurting our communities ' ability to grow , it β s hurting our quality of life , and in some cases , there are public safety concerns , β Swallow said . β Our infrastructure is not meeting our needs . β
24/7 Wall Street created an index using the share of bridges , roads , and dams that are in a state of disrepair or potentially hazardous , to identify the states with the best and worst infrastructure . States with a higher ranking are the worst on infrastructure .
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2.1 % ( 3rd lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 6.3 % ( 9th lowest )
6.3 % ( 9th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 457 ( 22nd lowest )
4.7 % ( 7th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 11.0 % ( 15th lowest )
11.0 % ( 15th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 254 ( 3rd lowest )
5.3 % ( 11th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 5.1 % ( 5th lowest )
5.1 % ( 5th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 555 ( 18th highest )
1.6 % ( 2nd lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 28.2 % ( 14th highest )
28.2 % ( 14th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 281 ( 6th lowest )
More : US cities where incomes are shrinking at the fastest pace
8.5 % ( 25th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 4.3 % ( 3rd lowest )
4.3 % ( 3rd lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 537 ( 21st highest )
1.6 % ( the lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 16.7 % ( 21st lowest )
16.7 % ( 21st lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 509 ( 23rd highest )
7.4 % ( 22nd lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 10.0 % ( 14th lowest )
10.0 % ( 14th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 405 ( 15th lowest )
5.9 % ( 16th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 16.0 % ( 19th lowest )
16.0 % ( 19th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 541 ( 20th highest )
5.4 % ( 12th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 18.0 % ( 23rd lowest )
18.0 % ( 23rd lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 318 ( 10th lowest )
5.2 % ( 10th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 16.2 % ( 20th lowest )
16.2 % ( 20th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 906 ( 6th highest )
More : US cities where incomes are growing at the fastest pace
4.7 % ( 8th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 22.2 % ( 24th highest )
22.2 % ( 24th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 270 ( 5th lowest )
2.9 % ( 5th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 29.1 % ( 12th highest )
29.1 % ( 12th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 399 ( 14th lowest )
9.7 % ( 20th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 6.6 % ( 10th lowest )
6.6 % ( 10th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 934 ( 4th highest )
7.8 % ( 23rd lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 24.8 % ( 19th highest )
24.8 % ( 19th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 825 ( 8th highest )
More : What are the worst floods in American history ? a rundown of the Top 30
2.5 % ( 4th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 44.5 % ( 8th highest )
44.5 % ( 8th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 239 ( 2nd lowest )
8.6 % ( 25th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 14.4 % ( 17th lowest )
14.4 % ( 17th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 723 ( 10th highest )
9.9 % ( 19th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 8.6 % ( 11th lowest )
8.6 % ( 11th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 313 ( 8th lowest )
14.0 % ( 8th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 5.5 % ( 6th lowest )
5.5 % ( 6th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 1,743 ( 2nd highest )
8.7 % ( 23rd highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 24.1 % ( 21st highest )
24.1 % ( 21st highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 500 ( 24th highest )
5.6 % ( 13th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 24.5 % ( 20th highest )
24.5 % ( 20th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 305 ( 7th lowest )
7.4 % ( 21st lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 28.7 % ( 13th highest )
28.7 % ( 13th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 383 ( 12th lowest )
More : SNAP benefits : Which cities have the most people on food stamps ?
5.6 % ( 14th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 22.8 % ( 23rd highest )
22.8 % ( 23rd highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 548 ( 19th highest )
5.9 % ( 17th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 15.2 % ( 18th lowest )
15.2 % ( 18th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 495 ( 25th lowest )
6.0 % ( 18th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 27.7 % ( 15th highest )
27.7 % ( 15th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 415 ( 17th lowest )
11.8 % ( 12th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 5.8 % ( 7th lowest )
5.8 % ( 7th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 468 ( 23rd lowest )
13.3 % ( 10th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 11.6 % ( 16th lowest )
11.6 % ( 16th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 610 ( 15th highest )
10.9 % ( 13th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 21.2 % ( 25th lowest )
21.2 % ( 25th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 422 ( 18th lowest )
More : Which state is America 's most miserable ? An analysis of well-being
12.6 % ( 11th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 27.2 % ( 17th highest )
27.2 % ( 17th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 314 ( 9th lowest )
14.7 % ( 6th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 4.8 % ( 4th lowest )
4.8 % ( 4th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 561 ( 17th highest )
10.5 % ( 16th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 16.9 % ( 22nd lowest )
16.9 % ( 22nd lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 172 ( the lowest )
4.8 % ( 9th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 31.0 % ( 11th highest )
31.0 % ( 11th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 385 ( 13th lowest )
6.3 % ( 20th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 52.0 % ( 7th highest )
52.0 % ( 7th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 662 ( 14th highest )
14.0 % ( 9th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 8.8 % ( 13th lowest )
8.8 % ( 13th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 689 ( 11th highest )
More : US population changes : What 's the fastest shrinking county in your state ?
18.6 % ( 4th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 1.2 % ( the lowest )
1.2 % ( the lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 878 ( 7th highest )
8.7 % ( 24th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 20.3 % ( 24th lowest )
20.3 % ( 24th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 449 ( 20th lowest )
10.2 % ( 17th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 42.0 % ( 10th highest )
42.0 % ( 10th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 480 ( 24th lowest )
14.1 % ( 7th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 8.6 % ( 12th lowest )
8.6 % ( 12th lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 450 ( 21st lowest )
4.4 % ( 6th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 75.9 % ( 2nd highest )
75.9 % ( 2nd highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 671 ( 13th highest )
10.5 % ( 14th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 21.6 % ( 25th highest )
21.6 % ( 25th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 366 ( 11th lowest )
7.8 % ( 24th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 58.0 % ( 4th highest )
58.0 % ( 4th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 446 ( 19th lowest )
More : US population boom : Fastest growing county in every state
20.9 % ( 2nd highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 2.6 % ( 2nd lowest )
2.6 % ( 2nd lowest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 684 ( 12th highest )
9.3 % ( 21st highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 22.9 % ( 22nd highest )
22.9 % ( 22nd highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 495 ( 25th highest )
8.8 % ( 22nd highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 27.3 % ( 16th highest )
27.3 % ( 16th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 516 ( 22nd highest )
10.5 % ( 15th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 26.2 % ( 18th highest )
26.2 % ( 18th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 2,374 ( the highest )
6.2 % ( 19th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 52.6 % ( 6th highest )
52.6 % ( 6th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 269 ( 4th lowest )
More : What city is hit hardest by extreme poverty in your state ?
18.3 % ( 5th highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 53.0 % ( 5th highest )
53.0 % ( 5th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 773 ( 9th highest )
19.0 % ( 3rd highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 71.0 % ( 3rd highest )
71.0 % ( 3rd highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 910 ( 5th highest )
5.8 % ( 15th lowest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 93.2 % ( the highest )
93.2 % ( the highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 590 ( 16th highest )
23.3 % ( the highest ) Dams at high hazard risk : 42.3 % ( 9th highest )
42.3 % ( 9th highest ) State highway spending per driver : $ 408 ( 16th lowest )
More : Cities where Americans are struggling to afford their homes
The condition of a given state β s infrastructure is contingent on a number of factors , including weather . When asphalt freezes and thaws , it can crack and begin to crumble , losing its integrity . As a result , road maintenance is required more regularly in states that face harsh winters . Seven of the 10 states with the largest share of roadway in poor condition are in the Northeast , Midwest , and other regions that experience freezing temperatures .
Perhaps the most germane factor , however , is the age of a system or structure . Much of our country β s infrastructure was built over a century ago . β [ These systems ] were never really designed to meet the demands of today , β Swallow said .
Ultimately , the only way to repair roadways , bridges , tunnels , and railways is through investment on the federal , state and local levels . β If we do n't increase the investment , we will continue to see our infrastructure maintain or deteriorate , β Swallow said . `` If we do increase investment , we will start to see changes . ''
To identify the states with the worst infrastructure , 24/7 Wall St. created an index accounting for the share in each state of roads in poor condition , the share of bridges classified as structurally deficient , and the share of dams at high hazard risk . The share of roadways in poor condition and the share of bridges considered structurally deficient came from the Federal Highway Administration 's report Highway Statistics 2016 . The share of dams classified as high hazard potential came from the National Inventory of Dams , a database maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Association of State Dam Officials . Highway spending as a share of total government spending came from the U.S. Census Bureau β s 2015 Annual Survey of State Government Finances .
24/7 Wall Street is a βββ content partner offering financial news and commentary . Its content is produced independently of βββ . | qBLdc8gBLfnWL2Os | 1 | Transportation | -0.3 | Infrastructure | -0.1 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-fans-are-excited-to-rally--but-theyre-not-sure-theyll-show-up-to-vote/2015/12/26/3c29bbb6-a5c3-11e5-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html | Trumpβs fans are excited to rally β but theyβre not sure theyβll show up to vote | 2015-12-27 | Presidential Elections, Elections | clockThis article was published more than 9 years ago DES MOINES β When Donald Trump held one of his boisterous rallies at the state fairgrounds this month, Bonnie and Randy Reynolds arrived two hours early to make sure they could snag seats. They bought "Make America Great Again" hats, put on campaign T-shirts and passed through a security checkpoint. | 758976c65d3e3c4f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | HuffPost | https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dow-jones-stock-market-dive-financial-crash_us_5c1d577de4b0407e907af14e | Dow Jones Index Takes Biggest Dive Since 2008 Financial Crash | 2018-12-21 | Economy And Jobs | Senior Reporter, HuffPost Ahead of a looming government shutdown, the Dow-Jones Industrial Average experienced its worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis as stocks continued to plummet on Friday. The Dow β which indicates the value of Apple, Microsoft and more than two dozen other companies β dropped 6.8 percent by weekβs end, marking the indexβs biggest percentage drop since the height of the financial crash in October 2008. The Dow wasnβt the only index that took a hit this week as President Donald Trump squabbled with Congress over securing funding for his long-promised border wall. The S&P 500 dropped 7 percent and the Nasdaq dropped 8.3. Those major indexes are now 16 to 26 percent below the peaks they reached over the summer and fall. Itβs unlikely they will be able to make significant gains in the final days of December, as trading typically slows during the winter holidays. The next four years will change America forever. But HuffPost won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest β 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 β 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. Aside from the border wall debate triggering shutdown fears, other ongoing factors affecting the market include βtighter U.S. monetary policy, flagging global growth and uncertainty surrounding U.S.-China trade relations,β MarketWatch reported. Financial experts warn that the U.S. could be heading toward another recession, CNBC reported Friday, as it saw following the 2008 crash. 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. | 77548a595fbce13d | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | CNBC | https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/13/iran-police-shoot-at-those-protesting-plane-shootdown.html | Iran police shoot at those protesting plane shootdown | 2020-01-13 | middle_east | `` Oh my God , she 's bleeding nonstop ! '' one person shouts . Another shouts : `` Bandage it ! ''
Another video shows a woman being carried away in the aftermath as a blood trail can be seen on the ground . Those around her cry out that she has been shot by live ammunition in the leg .
Videos sent to the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran and later verified by The Associated Press show a crowd of demonstrators near Azadi , or Freedom , Square fleeing as a tear gas canister landed among them . People cough and sputter while trying to escape the fumes , with one woman calling out in Farsi : `` They fired tear gas at people ! Azadi Square . Death to the dictator ! ''
Iranian security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against the Islamic Republic 's initial denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner , online videos purported to show Monday .
Anti-government demonstrators wave an Iraqi national flag during a demonstration in Tahrir square , against the breach of Iraqi sovereignty by the U.S. and Iran .
Photos and video after the incident show pools of blood on the sidewalk .
Tehran 's police chief , Gen. Hossein Rahimi , later denied his officers opened fire though the semiofficial Fars news agency said police `` shot tear gas in some areas . ''
`` Police treated people who had gathered with patience and tolerance , '' Iranian media quoted Rahimi as saying . `` Police did not shoot in the gatherings since broad-mindedness and restraint has been agenda of the police forces of the capital . ''
However , uniformed police officers were just one arm of Iran 's security forces who were out in force for the demonstrations .
Riot police in black uniforms and helmets gathered earlier Sunday in Vali-e Asr Square , at Tehran University and other landmarks . Revolutionary Guard members patrolled the city on motorbikes , and plainclothes security men were also out in force . People looked down as they walked briskly past police , apparently trying not to draw attention to themselves .
The Guard previously has been accused of opening fire on demonstrators during protests over government-set gasoline prices rising in November , violence that reportedly saw over 300 people killed .
Other videos from Fars showed demonstrators chanting : `` We are children of war . Fight with us , we will fight back . ''
The crash of the Ukraine International Airline early on Wednesday killed all 176 people on board , mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians . After pointing to a technical failure and insisting for three days that the Iranian armed forces were not to blame , authorities on Saturday admitted accidentally shooting it down in the face of mounting evidence and accusations by Western leaders .
Iran downed the flight as it braced for possible American retaliation after firing ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces earlier on Wednesday . The missile attack , which caused no casualties , was a response to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani , Iran 's top general , in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad . But no retaliation came .
Iranians have expressed anger over the downing of the plane and the misleading explanations from senior officials in the wake of the tragedy . They are also mourning the dead , which included many young people who were studying abroad .
At earlier protests Saturday , students in Tehran shouted : `` They are lying that our enemy is America ! Our enemy is right here ! '' Another Fars video showed demonstrators on Sunday night tearing down a poster of Soleimani in Tehran .
Ali Rabiei , a government spokesman , insisted Iran 's civilian officials only learned Friday that the Guard shot down the plane .
`` The point is that we did not lie , '' Rabiei said . He went onto blame the U.S. for `` spreading the shadow of war over Iran . ''
Javad Kashi , a professor of politics at Tehran Allameh University , wrote online that people should be allowed to express their anger in public protests . `` Buckled under the pressure of humiliation and being ignored , people poured into the streets with so much anger , '' he wrote . `` Let them cry as much as they want . ''
There 's also been a cultural outpouring of grief and anger from Iran 's creative community .
Some Iranian artists , including famed director Masoud Kimiai , withdrew from an upcoming international film festival . Two state TV hosts resigned in protest over the false reporting about the cause of the plane crash .
Saeed Maroof , the captain of Iran 's national volleyball team , also wrote on Instagram : `` I wish I could be hopeful that this was the last scene of the show of deceit and lack of wisdom of these incompetents but I still know it is not . ''
He said that despite the qualification of Iran 's national team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after years of efforts , `` there is no energy left in our sad and desperate souls to celebrate . ''
Meanwhile , another video making the rounds showed the national symbol of Iran , four crescents and a sword in the shape of a water lily flying through what appeared to be a 1980s-style video game like `` Galaga . '' Music chimes when it touches oil as it fires on symbols representing people , knowledge and ultimately an airplane . | FkO9IHP9qQjr9Nbx | 1 | Iran | -2.5 | Middle East | -0.8 | Donald Trump | -0.3 | Justin Trudeau | 0 | null | null |
politics | New York Times (News) | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/europe/vatican-us-catholic-conservatives.html | A Vatican Shot Across the Bow for Hard-Line U.S. Catholics | 2017-08-03 | White House, Politics | Advertisement Supported by By Jason Horowitz VATICAN CITY β Two close associates of Pope Francis have accused American Catholic ultraconservatives of making an alliance of βhateβ with evangelical Christians to back President Trump, further alienating a group already out of the Vaticanβs good graces. The authors, writing in a Vatican-vetted journal, singled out Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trumpβs chief strategist, as a βsupporter of an apocalyptic geopoliticsβ that has stymied action against climate change and exploited fears of migrants and Muslims with calls for βwalls and purifying deportations.β The article warns that conservative American Catholics have strayed dangerously into the deepening political polarization in the United States. The writers even declare that the worldview of American evangelical and hard-line Catholics, which is based on a literal interpretation of the Bible, is βnot too far apartββ from jihadists. It is not clear if the article, appearing in La CiviltΓ Cattolica, received the popeβs direct blessing, but it was extraordinary coming from a journal that carries the Holy Seeβs seal of approval. There has apparently been no reprimand from the pope, who is not shy about disciplining dissenters, and La CiviltΓ Cattolicaβs editor has promoted the article nearly every day since it was published in July. Advertisement The article and the backlash to it β accusations of anti-Americanism have been rife, and one prominent American prelate likened the authors to βuseful idiotsβ β have highlighted the widening distance between Francis and American Catholic conservatives. Since the 2013 election of Pope Francis, conservatives have worried that he has given short shrift to the social issues that have animated them, among them abortion and same-sex marriage. They have sat through his warnings to steer clear of politics. They have watched warily as Francis has installed pastors in his image while sidelining conservative leaders. Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. An earlier version of this article misidentified the Catholic website that published an article under the headline βEvil Editor of La CiviltΓ Cattolica Attacks Church Militant.β The article appeared on The Eponymous Flower, not on Church Militant. (Church Militant did publish its own article on the controversy.) When we learn of a mistake, we acknowledge it with a correction. If you spot an error, please let us know at nytnews@nytimes.com.Learn more Advertisement Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Times. See subscription options | 1d167c432a4a04fd | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/cpi-inflation-august-2023 | Inflation rose 3.7% in August as consumer prices heat up again | 2023-09-13 | Economy And Jobs, Inflation | Inflation accelerated for a second straight month in August, reversing previous declines as consumers continued to grapple with the rising cost of everyday goods.The Labor Department said Wednesday that the consumer price index, a broad measure of the price for everyday goods including gasoline, groceries and rents, rose 0.6% in August from the previous month, in line with estimates. It marked the steepest monthly increase this year, underscoring the challenge of taming high inflation .Prices climbed 3.7% from the same time last year, faster than both the 3.2% reading in July and the 3.6% estimate from Refinitiv economists.Other parts of the report also pointed to a slower retreat for inflation. Core prices, which exclude the more volatile measurements of food and energy, climbed 0.3% last month and 4.3% annually. While both of those figures are lower than previous readings, the monthly core measure climbed faster than expected.A FED PAUSE LIKELY WONβT HELP STRUGGLING CONSUMERSCore prices remain more than two times higher than the typical pre-pandemic level."Todayβs report was a disappointment β not because headline inflation jumped, much of which can be explained by an increase in gas prices, but because core inflation moved higher by 0.3%, which was higher than expected," said Chris Zaccarelli, the chief investment officer for Independent Advisor Alliance.US RECESSION REMAINS 'MORE LIKELY THAN NOT,' DEUTSCHE BANK WARNSScorching-hot inflation has created severe financial pressures for most U.S. households, which are forced to pay more for everyday necessities like food and rent. The burden is disproportionately borne by low-income Americans, whose already-stretched paychecks are heavily affected by price fluctuations.The inflation increase hit millions of workers' paychecks last month. Average hourly earnings for all employees declined 0.5% in August from the previous month when factoring in the impact of rising consumer prices.On an annual basis, average hourly earnings remained up 0.5% from the same time last year."This was bad news for Americans who feel inflation most acutely when filling their tanks and writing their rent checks," said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "Some rent relief is in sight, but it wonβt occur until next year, and it will be a small comfort given how high shelter costs have risen. And given core inflation rose, itβs clear inflation around current levels may be with us for months."MOODY'S DOWNGRADES US BANKS, WARNS OF POSSIBLE CUTS TO MAJOR LENDERSThe spike in headline inflation largely stemmed from a surge in gas prices, which accounted for more than half of the increase last month, the Labor Department said in the report. In total, energy prices climbed 5.6% in August from the previous month, including a 10.6% jump in gas prices.Oil prices have surged in recent months as OPEC+, the group of oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, has cut back on crude production.Other price gains also proved persistent and stubbornly high in August. Shelter costs, which account for about 40% of the core inflation increase, rose 0.3% for the month and are up 7.3% over the past year.Food prices, a visceral reminder of inflation for many Americans, also inched higher in August. Grocery costs rose 0.2% last month and are up 3% compared with the same time last year.The cost of things like auto insurance and airline tickets also increased in August.The data indicates that while inflation has fallen from a peak of 9.1%, it remains well above the Fed's 2% target, despite an aggressive interest-rate hike campaign. The U.S. central bank has approved 11 rate hikes over the course of 16 months, lifting the federal funds rate to the highest level since 2001.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREStill, policymakers are widely expected to skip an interest rate increase at their upcoming meeting on Sept. 19-20, despite the latest uptick in inflation. The probability of a 12th rate hike in September is just 3%, according to data from the CME Group's FedWatch tool, which tracks trading.However, the hotter-than-expected report may pave the way for another rate increase in the fourth quarter. The Fed meets two more times this year, after the September gathering, in November and December."It's likely that the Fed stays on hold for this month," Zaccarelli said. "Unfortunately, an increase in inflation β especially one that is unexpected β leaves the door open for the Fed to raise rates again before the end of the year." | 12e2dc3e411ba3e0 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/10/24/war-syria-yemen-russia-clinton-trump-glenn-reynolds/92646022/ | We're at war, but let's talk about sex | 2016-10-24 | media_bias | We β ve spent a lot of time talking about Donald Trump , Bill Clinton and sex . Meanwhile , over atThe Week , Damon Linker asks plaintively , β Why wo n't anyone admit that America is fighting five wars ? β The short answer is that although the next president will inherit an ugly and dangerous world situation , it doesn β t serve the interests of any of the players to talk about it before the election .
Trump , of course , has focused on immigration , political correctness and other domestic issues . His foreign policy , to the extent that he has one , seems to boil down to leaving other countries alone unless they cause trouble , and bombing them into oblivion if they do . That doesn β t leave him a lot to talk about .
Clinton , meanwhile , doesn β t want to talk about America β s military/diplomatic messes because she had a big hand in making them . She likes to talk about her experience as secretary of State , but not so much about her accomplishments , because , to be honest , those aren β t anything to write home about .
In Syria , where we talked about a β red line , β things have gotten much worse . Hundreds of thousands have died , an exodus of refugees has destabilized politics in European nations , and Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be well on the way to dismantling America β s post-Cold War dominance in the region .
Iran is openly mocking the United States as it harasses our vessels and even seizes our boats and sailors . Saudi Arabia is embroiled in a ( U.S.-supported ) war in Yemen that isn β t going well . The Islamic State terrorist group remains a threat in Iraq , Syria and around the world .
In once-peaceful Libya , where the Bush administration , fresh off beating Saddam Hussein in Iraq , had brokered a deal in which dictator Moammar Gadhafi gave up his weapons of mass destruction in exchange for guarantees of safety , things have also gone to hell . Together with the Europeans , then-Secretary of State Clinton led an effort to remove Gadhafi ( β We came , we saw , he died , β she joked afterward ) . But instead of establishing a peaceful , pro-Western state in Libya , we got more problems with terrorist networks and yet another wave of refugees flooding Europe .
Meanwhile , in Asia , things are also awful . The Philippines have long been the cornerstone of American dominance in the Pacific . Now Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte , having pronounced the United States a β loser , β has decided to side with China , a move that a recent article in Foreign Policy calls `` a disaster for the United States . β
And Walter Russell Mead β who voted for Obama β is even harsher in a recent piece in The American Interest :
Obama β s tortuous efforts to balance a commitment to human rights and the niceties of American liberal ideology with a strong policy in defense of basic American security interests have made the world less safe for both human rights and for American security . ... Obama β s foreign policy is making the world safer for people who despise and trample on the very values that Obama hoped his presidency would advance . His lack of strategic insight and his inability to grasp the dynamics of world power politics have opened the door to a new generation of authoritarian figures in alliance with hostile great powers . Unintentionally , and with the best of intentions , he has opened the doors to the demons of hell , and the darkest forces in the human spirit have much greater scope and much more power today than they did when he took the oath of office back in 2009 .
A different Democratic presidential nominee β former senator James Webb , say , or even Sen. Bernie Sanders β could separate himself from Obama β s policies and their results . But Clinton can β t . Obama β s policies , and their ugly results , are Clinton 's policies as well . Better to talk about sex , even Bill 's affairs , than that .
In a healthier society , a free press would be talking about these issues whether the candidates wanted to or not . But in today β s society , the press does n't want to make things tougher for Clinton . As Linker writes : β In a political season in which the media has come in for unprecedented hostility and abuse , this is its greatest , and least appreciated , shortcoming : When everybody else decided it was a good idea to forestall a public debate about enormously important and complicated policy questions , the press decided to go along . β
Whoever the next president is , he or she will likely confront a much uglier and more dangerous world than existed in 2008 . And the 2016 campaign will have done nothing to prepare the nation for the decisions that will have to be made . Thanks , candidates . Thanks , press .
Glenn Harlan Reynolds , a University of Tennessee law professor and the author of The New School : How the Information Age Will Save American Education from Itself , is a member of βββ 's Board of Contributors .
You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page , on Twitter @ USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter . To submit a letter , comment or column , check our submission guidelines . | aH07eLyeaNU4NOpn | 1 | Media Bias | 1.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
homeland_security | Politico | https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/08/trump-hill-dhs-1262097 | Trumpβs DHS purge floors Republicans | 2019-04-08 | homeland_security | President Donald Trump β s congressional allies are alarmed by his purge at the Department of Homeland Security β urging him not to fire more top officials and warning him how hard it will be to solve twin crises at the border and the federal agencies overseeing immigration policy .
The president β s frantic four days of bloodletting at DHS and other agencies blindsided senior Republicans who are already fretting about difficult confirmation battles ahead . Some are worried about the rising influence of top White House aide Stephen Miller . And after November elections in which suburban voters rejected Trump β s hard-line immigration agenda , the president is once again making it the centerpiece of the GOP β s platform .
β It β s a mess , β Sen. John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) said , summing up the dynamic on the border and in Washington .
Republicans note that the president has the right to fire whoever he wants , but few offered an explicit defense of his decisions to oust DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen , pull the top Immigration and Customs Enforcement pick , remove the Secret Service director and threaten more terminations .
β Strikes me as just a frustration of not being able to solve a problem . Honestly , it wasn β t Secretary Nielsen β s fault . It wasn β t for lack of effort on her part . I don β t know if there β s anybody who β s going to be able to do more , β said Cornyn , who spoke to Nielsen on Monday and planned to speak to her interim replacement , Kevin McAleenan , later in the day .
Cornyn said he has no idea what Miller β s β agenda β is in determining immigration policy because he isn β t Senate-confirmed and doesn β t correspond with the Hill .
β I thought that Nielsen was doing a fantastic job , β added Joni Ernst of Iowa , the No . 5 Senate GOP leader . β I would love to see some continuity . I think that β s important . β
Chuck Grassley of Iowa , the most senior GOP senator , is trying to head off even more dismissals as Trump tries to reshape DHS into a β tougher β mold .
In an interview , Grassley expressed concern that Trump may soon boot U.S . Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Francis Cissna and Kathy Nuebel Kovarik , who heads the office of policy and strategy at USCIS .
β I heard that they are on the list to be fired , β Grassley said . β They are doing in an intellectual-like way what the president wants to accomplish . So no , they should not go . β
Republicans empathize with Trump β s frustrations over the border and Congress β languid pace at changing immigration laws . They mostly backed him on his 35-day government shutdown over the border wall , buckling only as the standoff dragged into its second month .
Most of them hated his emergency declaration on the southern border , but only 25 GOP lawmakers between the two chambers ended up bucking him . And when Trump and Miller sought to tank an immigration compromise last year , Senate Republicans overwhelmingly sided with the president and left Democrats holding the bag on the legislative collapse .
But on immigration , the party is not in lockstep with Trump . So even as the president pursues more aggressive strategies on the border , the GOP might not stick with him ahead of an election cycle that has the Senate up for grabs and with Republicans eager to take back the House .
β He thinks it β s a winning issue , β said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota , the Republican whip . β It works for him . It may not work for everybody else . β
Nielsen β s ouster wasn β t a shock . Stories had emanated from the White House for months that she could be kicked off the job given Trump β s rising frustration with the growing number of border crossings .
But Republicans said they did not like that she was made to take the fall .
β Nielsen was doing the best she can . She can β t make Congress get off its ice-cold , lazy butt and fix the asylum laws . She can β t build a wall by herself . She can β t make the Central American countries work with us . β¦ Only the president can do that , β Sen. John N. Kennedy ( R-La . ) said . β If someone resigns and then the White House staff cuts β em to pieces , I just think that β s classless . β
On Monday , Trump found few allies in his decision to get rid of Nielsen with the exception of congressional Democrats who viewed her as the face of the administration β s family separation policy and wanted her gone .
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) admitted the obvious in a written statement : `` I am concerned with a growing leadership void '' at DHS .
Most Republicans liked Nielsen and thought she β d been given an impossible job . Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) praised her glowingly on the Senate floor for her β experienced and steady leadership . β
β I understand the frustration β by Trump , said Rep. Tom Cole ( R-Okla. ) , who backed the president β s efforts to β shake things up β at DHS . β Whether there β s a design behind this , I honestly don β t know . I have been told there β s going to be new policies and proposals , but I don β t know what those are yet . β
Centrist GOP Rep. Will Hurd , who narrowly won reelection in 2018 , said the turnover in the upper ranks of DHS isn β t helpful during a critical time at the southern border , though the Texan expressed confidence in Nielsen β s successor .
β When you β re dealing with something that β s the worst we β ve seen in 12 , 13 years , having to deal with that problem and having new people come in and deal with it is always tricky , β said Hurd , whose district stretches along the U.S.-Mexico border .
Moderate GOP Rep. Tom Reed of New York said he would prefer to focus on issues like infrastructure , drug pricing and health care in the 2020 election cycle , saying the issue of immigration is being kept alive β for political purposes . β
Reed also took a veiled shot at Miller : β One hard-liner is not going to dictate the outcome of this . β
But Miller β s rise in the Trump administration is merely one more indication of how the president gravitates toward the restrictionist wing of his party .
β The president is really unhappy with the results and he β s trying to find a different formula that produces a different result , β said Roy Blunt of Missouri , the No . 4 Senate GOP leader . β Unless you either change the court directives or the asylum law , it β s very hard to quickly come up with a solution . And the president β s frustrated by that . β
The problem for Trump is that that β s not going to happen anytime soon . Congress β dithering on immigration in the six years since the Senate passed its β Gang of Eight β comprehensive immigration bill , which died in the House , is no surprise .
Last year β s bipartisan Senate talks sputtered . Talks between Sens . Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) and Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) on the family migration crisis went nowhere . So it β s easy for the president and his closest confidants to blame the Hill .
That β s what House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-Calif. ) did in an interview Monday .
β Congress also has a responsibility here to act . This is where legislation has to be passed , β he said , echoing Trump β s call to revamp U.S. asylum laws .
β What the president is doing is seeing the crisis and trying to solve the problem , β McCarthy said . β He β s trying to get the right people in the right positions . β | 4tN2WUL4i3gzaxMT | 0 | Immigration | -0.5 | DHS | 0.4 | GOP | -0.3 | Defense And Security | -0.2 | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jul/5/president-tells-of-trade-complaint-against-china-o/ | President tells of trade complaint against China on Ohio tour | 2012-07-05 | economy_and_jobs | President Obama β s two-day bus tour headed to northern Ohio on Thursday , where he touted a new U.S. complaint with the World Trade Organization against China for imposing more than $ 3 billion in duties on American-produced automobiles .
Northern Ohio is home to several major auto suppliers and their employees β votes Mr. Obama must secure to solidify a win in this critical swing state .
During a stop at a museum in a suburb of Toledo , Mr. Obama stressed his role in securing the auto industry bailout , as well as his administration β s string of successful WTO complaints against China .
β Three years later , the auto industry has come roaring back , β he said . β That Chrysler plant up the road is bringing on another 1,100 employees ; the Wrangler , built right here in Toledo , just set an all-time sales record . β
He also attempted to paint Republican rival Mitt Romney as an out-of-touch advocate for Wall Street and the wealthy who would have let the auto industry fail during the height of the economic crisis and , during his time at Bain Capital , was a major proponent of outsourcing American jobs .
β Gov . Romney β s experiences have been owning companies that were called pioneers of outsourcing , β Mr. Obama told the crowd . β My experience has been saving the American auto industry β¦ creating more security for your community .
β That β s why my administration has brought trade cases against China at a faster pace than the previous administration , β he said . β That β s why my administration brought a case today against China β¦ to hold China accountable for unfair trade practices . β
China , which recently became the world β s biggest automobile market , has placed import taxes on nearly 80 percent of the U.S. cars and sport utility vehicles exported to the country , including Jeep β s Wrangler and Grand Cherokee , both made by Chrysler LLC , as well as General Motors Co. β s Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS , according to a White House fact sheet .
The Romney campaign poked fun at Mr. Obama β s bus tour β s theme of β Betting on America , β and reminding voters about the struggling economic recovery with nationwide unemployment remaining above 8 percent for 3Β½ years .
β We shouldn β t double down on Barack Obama , β said former Minnesota Gov . Tim Pawlenty , a Romney surrogate who was on his own bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania . β His presidency has been a losing hand for Ohio , and it β s been a losing hand for the country .
β Families , moms and dads , [ are ] not being able to achieve or see their dreams because they don β t have a job or are worried about losing a job , β he said .
Late last year , Chinese trade officials began imposing both anti-dumping and other duties on imports of American cars after determining that American-made automobile imports were being sold at less than fair value in the Chinese market and had benefited from subsidies .
The Obama administration disputes these claims and argues that China is retaliating against the U.S. for a decision three years ago to impose a β safeguard measure β against Chinese imports .
β As we have made clear , the Obama administration will continue to fight to ensure that China does not misuse its trade laws and violate its international trade commitments to block exports of American-made products , β U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement . β American autoworkers and manufacturers deserve a level playing field , and we are taking every step necessary to stand up for them . β
The WTO complaint is the latest in a series of steps the Obama administration has taken against China to try to force the country to abide by commitments made when it joined the WTO In 2001 .
In two earlier cases , the U.S. challenged duties China had imposed to restrict certain steel imports , chicken products and several industrial raw materials , including rare earth minerals , as well as solar panels and wind-turbine products .
The repeated clashes have led some analysts to predict that the two countries are headed for a trade war . Advocates for the U.S. manufacturing industry applauded the Obama administration β s moves against Beijing , noting that Chinese auto parts are surging into America while less than 1 percent of the estimated 18 million vehicles sold in China last year were made in the U.S .
β This administration has a stellar record on enforcing America β s trade laws and has not hesitated to take action to defend American workers β today β s announcement is further proof of that . But , there is more work to do , β said Scott Paul , executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing .
β Unless strong steps are taken now to also defend American auto-parts jobs , the efforts of the auto companies , unions and the administration to revitalize the American auto sector could be washed away in a matter of a few years , β he said .
But the Romney campaign argued that Mr. Obama has failed to get tough on China β s trade practices , and specifically has refused to accuse China of manipulating currency .
β On issues important to the people of Ohio , President Obama has utterly failed to deliver , β Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said in a statement , citing the loss of more than a half-million manufacturing jobs since Joseph R. Biden β s campaign trip to the same Ohio town in 2008 as vice-presidential candidate .
β Four years ago , Vice President Biden came to Maumee to decry the national debt , which was then $ 8 trillion , β she said . β Today , the Obama-Biden administration has presided over an unprecedented explosion in our national debt , which is now approaching $ 16 trillion . Meanwhile , America has lost over half a million manufacturing jobs since President Obama took office , and he has broken his campaign promise to get tough on China β s trade practices . β | Keg3VQZYerWgYpIH | 2 | Economy And Jobs | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
democratic_party | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/obamacare-deadline-democrats-congress-100289.html?hp=t2_s | As deadline nears, ticking clock on Democratic patience | 2013-11-25 | democratic_party | Democrats in Congress worry that Obamacare 's rollout has left them vulnerable in 2014 . | AP Photos ACA deadline tests Dem patience
Some Capitol Hill Democrats are preparing to launch broadsides against President Barack Obama if the Affordable Care Act website isn β t fixed by the end of the month .
That will come in the form of more aggressive scrutiny in Republican-led oversight hearings , open advocacy for further delay in the enrollment deadline and individual coverage mandate , and more calls for a staff shake-up in the White House .
β The president and his team have repeatedly assured us that the system will be working by Dec. 1 . That β s when I start looking at what we have to do in our oversight function to hold the administration accountable for making it work. β Rep. Bruce Braley , an Iowa Democrat who is running for an open Senate seat said Thursday , adding that he β s contemplating whether to ask the president to fire members of his staff . β I β m thinking about those options . But my biggest concern is fixing the system and making it work . β
( Understanding Obamacare : βββ 's guide to the Affordable Care Act )
Asked whether he was mad at the president , Braley hesitated for a few seconds amid the din of a Capitol hallway .
The building frustration β expressed in part Nov. 15 when 39 House Democrats voted for a GOP bill that would have let consumers keep expiring insurance plans β is driven by the fear that Obama β s failed rollout has suddenly left scores of Democrats vulnerable to defeat in the House and Senate .
These Democrats won β t win legislative changes without the assent of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) β and likely Obama β but their public positioning could put unsustainable pressure on the administration β s efforts to hold the line on the current contours of the law . And while the House is scheduled to return to session on Dec. 3 , the Senate won β t be back in from its Thanksgiving break until the week of Dec. 9 .
But already , Sen. Mary Landrieu ( D-La . ) is leading an upper-chamber push to allow people to keep their existing health plans . Sen. Mark Begich ( D-Alaska ) , who has introduced his own plan to give people other health care options , recently said he thought the appropriate time to act was after Thanksgiving break .
β Let β s just wait and see what happens . We β re gon na β we β re gon na take two weeks off . I β m gon na visit with my five children together for the first time , 16 grandchildren , 44 people for Thanksgiving dinner . Let β s talk about that for a while , β Reid said last week .
But in the meantime , Democratic lawmakers β particularly those on the House side β are preparing to try to put distance between themselves and the president because they β re not confident that the White House has a Plan B for getting the policy right or protecting them in the mid-term elections .
β I don β t sense that at all . When you think about it , a week after the October shutdown Democrats were experiencing a euphoric high . We thought we had Republicans on the mat . We thought we were going to win back the House and then this rollout fails , β said one House Democrat from a traditionally safe seat based in a major city . β Now , we need to be concerned , all of us , me included , that we aren β t viewed as ineffective and kicked out of our seats . β
Not only are Democrats watching helplessly as visions of taking over the House begin to dissolve , but they increasingly perceive the danger that the Senate could flip into GOP hands and that Obama β s final three years in office could be a total loss for their party β s agenda .
That is , the Affordable Care Act has a lot of Democrats feeling uninsured or under-assured by Obama .
White House officials , from the president on down , insist they don β t have to prepare a contingency plan β at least not in terms of the flawed website ; it will be operating for the β vast majority β of consumers by the end of the month , they say .
β The truth is , we β re going to fix it , β Vice President Joe Biden said last Monday , adding a self-conscious appeal to a higher power for help . β God willing , β he said .
But the president β s promises don β t carry the same weight they once did with Democrats on Capitol Hill , and they β d like a little more to fall back on than Biden β s casual appeal for divine intervention . Soon , Democrats say , it won β t just be Republicans who are using high-profile hearings to tear into Obama administration officials .
Democrats , anxious to separate themselves from Obama before the 2014 midterm election , are gearing up to use Capitol Hill hearings to point out examples of waste , fraud , abuse or just outright incompetence to try to persuade constituents that they aren β t responsible for the bungled rollout .
The big-city lawmaker predicted oversight hearings are β going to be ugly β come next month . β The more we find out about this implementation of the ACA , the worse it looks . The Congress did our job . We passed the ACA . It β s up to the administration to implement the law . β
Rep. Diana DeGette ( D-Colo. ) , a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee , said Thursday that if the website isn β t operating , as promised , by the end of the month , there won β t be enough time for consumers to sign up for the exchanges before the Dec. 15 deadline to begin receiving coverage on Jan. 1 .
β If it β s not working substantially by the end of November then we have to think really hard about the Jan. 1 enrollment , because people will only have a couple of weeks , β DeGette said , hinting that there might be congressional Democratic support for a delay at that point . On Friday , the administration announced that it would allow another week β until Dec. 23 β for people to enroll and still begin receiving coverage at the start of the new year , but that may not be enough to please lawmakers who are frustrated that their constituents haven β t had as much time as they thought they would to sign up .
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough β s trip to Capitol Hill two weeks ago appeared to stave off a mass insurrection , but 39 Democrats still abandoned the president on the GOP bill . The vote was held the day after Obama announced his own competing administrative fix and a series of apologies to the American public β and fellow Democrats β which appeared to have the effect of lowering the count of defectors .
But while the one-two punch of Obama and McDonough spared the White House a full-scale embarrassment on the floor of the House , it didn β t quell anxiety or imbue Democrats with new faith that Obama can solve the problems with the Affordable Care Act rollout β or deal with the political flak that would hit if the site continues to fall short after the self-imposed deadline .
β There was an awful lot of eye-rolling when [ McDonough ] insisted that the website will be fixed in time for December 1 , and he really didn β t offer a Plan B , but was adamant that it would be up and running , β said a House Democratic source who attended the meeting .
β At this point , I don β t think there is anyone that would express any confidence in the administration β s ability to right the ship , β said the source , adding that members seem to be β bracing for another tidal wave when Dec. 1 comes and goes and we are still dealing with a dysfunctional website , or β broken computer β as the old-timers have been calling it . β
For now , Republican leaders in Congress are still discussing their options for how to handle the Nov. 30 deadline , but if the website falls short of White House predictions , there β s little doubt that they will pounce .
Administration officials say there β s no need for Democrats to wring their hands .
β We expect that the website will be working smoothly for the vast majority of users by the end of November , β said one administration official . β As [ the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ] has said , this means that by the end of November , the vast majority of website users will be able to move faster through the system , see fewer error messages , experience less time-outs and be able to complete their application and enroll in one sitting smoothly if they choose to do so . β
The official pointed to reduced wait times on the website , lower error rates , and fewer problems with the entire site crashing as evidence that things have gotten better . But they couldn β t have gotten worse since the Oct. rollout , when only a relative handful of consumers were able to navigate the website at all .
β As with any Web project , this is a dynamic online environment and a process that will be ongoing β we will continually be making enhancements , adding features and delivering new content and that will improve the user experience so we can best respond to ongoing consumer demand over time , β the administration official said .
None of this sounds good to the president β s allies outside the White House , even if most haven β t jumped ship on Obama yet .
β As far as I can tell , the Democratic leaders and most members are willing to give the administration the time they asked for to see if they can get the kinks ironed out of the website , but there is a lot of frustration right now on the Hill and time is running out , β Jim Manley , a former senior aide to Harry Reid who is now a senior director at Quinn Gillespie , said in an email . β Most understand that it is the wrong time to be talking about a Plan B , but everyone wants to be reassured that they have an idea of where they want to go and how they intend to get there , and I am not sure that is the case right now . β
They are particularly unhappy with Obama for setting a Nov. 30 deadline for fixing the website , even as he and his aides refuse to set a definable goal for achieving that . White House officials have talked about other options consumers can use to enroll β including in-person , telephone , and ground-mail signups . But those applications still have to be processed through a website that remains faulty , and lawmakers say the White House put too much emphasis on the Web and not enough on the other avenues , which they say might be more readily available to some of the poorest and sickest consumers who need health insurance .
Many Hill Democrats say they have no faith that the administration that botched the healthcare rollout in the first place can meet the expectations Obama has set , and they are afraid that he will fail to make good on yet another Affordable Care Act promise .
β It β s every member β s biggest fear and has been brought up at every caucus , β the Democratic source said . β I can not even begin to tell you how many members have expressed , both at the caucus and privately , their frustration with the president for setting yet another red line . β
One Democratic House member , asked by text message whether he was worried that there didn β t seem to be a Plan B at the White House , wrote back , β Yes ! ! ! β
DeGette said the administration has sought to assure her that the people spearheading the fix-it efforts at federal agencies and in the White House are the right men and women for the job .
β What people say to me is the people who are in charge now have the ability , β she said . β I hope they β re right . β | 5HUy93PnCn0Ln3DR | 0 | Democratic Party | -1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/05/media/elaine-quijano-moderation/index.html | OPINION: Sticking firmly to script, Elaine Quijano loses the debate | 2016-10-05 | elections | Tuesday 's Vice Presidential debate was like a bad version of `` Waiting for Godot '' : The questions lacked focus . The conversation meandered . The men spoke past one another .
Elaine Quijano , the debate 's moderator , lost control of the debate . Fiercely committed to her script , she stopped the candidates when they were in the middle of a good discussion and failed to stop them when they were simply talking over one another .
`` Elaine Quijano seems intent on running through her questions , even when significant exchanges are happening , '' David Axelrod , CNN senior political commentator , observed on Twitter .
. @ Elaine_Quijano seems intent on running through her questions , even when significant exchanges are happening . # VPDebate β David Axelrod ( @ davidaxelrod ) October 5 , 2016
The most notable example came when Quijano switched topics just as Sen. Tim Kaine was pressing Gov . Mike Pence to explain why he had not defended his running mate Donald Trump on six different issues . Instead of letting what may have been a very revealing conversation play out , she moved the discussion along .
`` Elaine Quijano should occasionally go where the debate is going , and not stop these interesting arguments , '' Jeffrey Goldberg , the Atlantic 's national correspondent , tweeted shortly after that moment .
Elaine Quijano should occasionally go where the debate is going , and not stop these interesting arguments . β Jeffrey Goldberg ( @ JeffreyGoldberg ) October 5 , 2016
`` Why change the topic at the best moment ? '' asked Kenneth Li , the managing editor at Newsweek .
At other times , Quijano seemed almost powerless to stop the candidates from simply bickering with one another . She was even forced to reprimand both candidates at one point , telling them : `` Gentlemen , the people at home can not understand you when you speak over each other . ''
On at least one occasion , Quijano was similarly powerless in getting the candidates to address her question . `` I 'll remind you both , the topic was North Korea , '' she told the candidates as they attacked one another over the Clinton and Trump foundations .
To be sure , Quijano had an extremely challenging task . There is only one vice presidential debate , and the format required her to address nine topics in the span of just 90 minutes .
Moreover , both candidates were more interested in attacking one another 's running mates than actually answering the questions at hand . They also had two different styles , which made moderation difficult : Kaine was notably aggressive and interrupted Pence frequently , while Pence cast a more thoughtful , reflective posture .
But her performance served as a reminder that debates are not scripted events , and they require moderators who can be fluid and adapt to the direction the candidates choose to take the discussion . | NuUyUkCyCKinITJg | 0 | Vice Presidential Debate | -0.3 | Elections | -0.2 | Media Bias | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | null | null |
coronavirus | The Week - Opinion | https://theweek.com/articles/897193/tyranny-fueling-coronavirus-pandemic | Tyranny is fueling the coronavirus pandemic | 2020-02-24 | coronavirus | On the other side of the world , one of the worst disease outbreaks in modern history is simmering . As of Friday , what is being called `` coronavirus '' ( this is actually a name for a family of viruses including the common cold ; medical experts are calling the actual virus in question COVID-19 ) had supposedly infected 75,567 people in China and killed 2,239 of them . Outside China , another 1,152 cases had been reported in 26 other countries , causing eight deaths , including recent outbreaks in South Korea and Iran . The director general of the World Health Organization , Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said Friday : `` Our window of opportunity [ to stop the outbreak ] is narrowing . ''
It remains to be seen whether China and other countries will be able to control the outbreak . But one thing is clear : Authoritarian political systems are lousy at dealing with disease pandemics . We see this in China today and in the United States as well .
COVID-19 originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan , and as Laurie Garrett writes in Foreign Policy , the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) horribly botched its initial response to the coronavirus outbreak : `` China now faces international vilification and potential domestic unrest as it blunders through continued cover-ups , lies , and repression that have already failed to stop the virus and may well be fanning the flames of its spread . ''
One primary reason the Chinese government failed to contain the outbreak is because corruption and incompetence are inherent features of tyrannical rule . The CCP ca n't point to democratic elections to obtain the consent of the governed , so they instead rely on techniques like a massive patronage machine to cultivate loyalty . Political reliability is a major prerequisite for filling any of the millions of positions in the vast Chinese bureaucracy , which tends to inculcate a culture of blind order-following , telling one 's superiors what they want to hear , and leveraging one 's position for personal advantage .
At the same time , the CCP , like any tyranny , uses violent political repression to frighten the populace against challenging its rule . Both freedom of speech and freedom of the press are sharply restricted there β and anyone perceived as a threat to CCP rule gets a treatment straight out of 1984 . There are reportedly about a million Uighur Muslims in horrific re-education camps in western China β essentially , the CCP is attempting to commit cultural genocide in a fit of paranoia .
The first person to call attention to the COVID-19 outbreak was a doctor named Li Wenliang , who told colleagues via social media that it looked like a SARS outbreak . This is the kind of honest competence that is absolutely vital in any rapid disease response , but tyrannies often try to suppress bad news rather than deal with the problem . So as Garrett writes , `` for the so-called crime of rumormongering , Li and seven other physicians were brought before China 's security police and compelled to sign a document admitting to 'spreading lies . ' ''
For the critical first few weeks , when aggressive quarantine measures might have stopped the virus in its tracks , the Chinese state first insisted there was no new virus , then that they had this situation well in hand β all while it continued to spread . When the epidemic became undeniable , the CCP looked like the liars they were , sowing panic as Chinese citizens wondered how bad it really was . When Li caught the virus and died on Feb. 6 , heroically trying to raise the alarm to the end , flames of distrust and anger were fanned higher still β and foreign governments reasonably began to suspect they could not trust the numbers coming out of China .
Trust is a vital component of any efficient disease response effort . The population must believe that the government is not lying about what is happening , and that its response measures are based on science and reason β especially so people do not panic and try to flee , possibly spreading disease further by accident . The CCP has proved beyond any question it is not trustworthy , and is relying on yet more brutal repression , locking down entire cities and herding thousands into poorly-equipped quarantine facilities . So far these efforts have not successfully curtailed the virus ' spread .
Americans should not take much comfort in our somewhat-less authoritarian system . The Trump regime 's style of rule bears all the marks of typical tyrannical rule β the bureaucracy stacked with corrupt idiot stooges , the legal system corrupted to protect the president and his cronies from facing criminal charges , and inconvenient information denied by a howling propaganda apparatus .
As Michael Lewis writes in his book The Fifth Risk , the entire federal bureaucracy has been rotting under Trump rule , as he neither knows nor cares to take the most basic actions to keep it functioning . Most of the people running what remains of the American state are either committed ideologues ( like the virulent racist Stephen Miller ) , interested parties , or career civil servants operating without official leadership . Only 35 percent of the key positions in the Department of Homeland Security that require Senate confirmation are currently filled . The department does not even have a nominee for secretary , deputy secretary , or general counsel . The Federal Emergency Management Agency has no nominee for deputy administrator or deputy administrator for resilience .
As Garrett writes in another article , `` In 2018 , the Trump administration fired the government 's entire pandemic response chain of command , including the White House management infrastructure . '' As a result , Trump 's COVID-19 response has been flailing and helpless . `` In numerous phone calls and emails with key agencies across the U.S. government , the only consistent response I encountered was distressed confusion , '' she writes . Recently The Washington Post reported experts at the Centers for Disease Control said 14 infected Americans who caught the virus on a cruise ship should stay in Japan for the moment rather than fly on a plane with hundreds of others and risk spreading it further . But the Trump administration higher-ups overruled the CDC , and all the passengers came back to California and Texas β the infected individuals separated behind plastic screening , but still posing an unknown risk .
Reactionaries often argue that ruthless authoritarian rule is more efficient than the democratic sort . But the world is getting a brutal lesson in how false that is . It was false in fascist Italy and Germany β the Nazi state was a chaotic disaster of corruption and incompetence β and it 's false today . There is no substitute for democratic legitimacy and the patient , dull work of building and maintaining a competent , honest bureaucracy . The tyrannical idiocy of Donald Trump and China 's communist dictatorship may get millions of people killed .
Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox ? Sign up for The Week 's `` Today 's best articles '' newsletter here . | ALHomZ1YbH828tSX | 0 | Oppression | -1.6 | Role Of Government | -0.9 | Coronavirus | -0.4 | Disease | 0.4 | null | null |
white_house | HotAir | http://hotair.com/archives/2013/11/05/oh-my-obama-falls-to-39-job-approval-in-new-gallup-poll/ | Oh my: Obama falls to 39% job approval in new Gallup poll; Update: Under 50% among Latinos too | 2013-11-05 | white_house | I told you it was coming and now here it is .
His all-time low in Gallup is β¦ 38 percent , which he reached twice in late summer and fall 2011 before rebounding . This is why I thought it was noteworthy last week when his favorable rating ended up negative for the first time in that WSJ/NBC poll . He β s had dips in job approval before but retained his personal popularity with voters . People liked him even when they thought he was doing a bad job , which I think provided a floor for his overall approval rating . I β m not sure that floor is there anymore . He β s had a horrendously bad month , from the shutdown to the Healthcare.gov nightmare to the new wrinkles about NSA spying to , of course , the fiasco of β if you like your plan β having been exposed as a grand lie . If you supported Obama before because you thought he β d be an omnicompetent best-and-brightest liberal technocrat , your image of him has been shattered by the Healthcare.gov rollout . If you supported Obama before because you thought he was a straight-shooting hopey-changey fighter for the middle class , your image of him now has to be reconciled with the fact that millions of middle-class people are being forced into more expensive coverage and that O lied , lied , lied his ass off about it for three years . I said it in the WSJ/NBC post and I β ll say it again : Given the amount of crap raining on him , he β s lucky to be as high as 39 percent . If the website can β t be fixed this month and he β s forced to do something drastic like delaying the law for six months , some liberals will abandon him too and he β ll end up in the low 30s . And yes , even a lame duck β s approval rating matters :
If Obama 's job approval were to be -14 on Election Day 2014 , Rs would almost certainly gain seats . Big if . β Sean Trende ( @ SeanTrende ) November 5 , 2013
It β s -14 today , a full year removed from the midterms . Where will it be in October 2014 , a month removed , when the new , almost certainly higher insurance rates for 2015 are released ?
I have no new Obama video for this post so here β s Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitting that he β s smoked crack in the past . Approval rating : 43 percent .
Update : Latinos are big supporters of ObamaCare under normal circumstances , but a month of Glitchpalooza and lies about people keeping their plans isn β t β normal circumstances. β He β s at 49 percent now , down nine points since the week before . | roz3g86o1fxsEbps | 2 | White House | -0.7 | Approval Rating | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
federal_budget | Newsmax | http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/boehner-obama-fiscal-cliff/2013/01/07/id/470324 | Boehner: Automatic Spending Cuts Are GOPΓΒ’Γ’β¬ÒβΒ’s Ultimate Leverage | 2013-01-07 | Federal Budget, John Boehner, Economy And Jobs | House Speaker John Boehner says the biggest weapon congressional Republicans now have on fiscal policy are the automatic spending cuts β sequestration β now set to begin March 1.Many commentators have cited the debt ceiling as the strongest card in Republicans β hand . President Barack Obama needs Congress β agreement to raise the $ 16.4 trillion debt ceiling within weeks to prevent a government default.The debt bill is `` one point of leverage , '' Boehner tells Stephen Moore of The Wall Street Journal . But it β s `` not the ultimate leverage . `` That β s the sequestration , which entails huge cuts in domestic and defense outlays . Congress would have to agree to any modification of the automatic reductions . So that gives Republicans more power to prevent further tax increases and to insist that Democrats agree to entitlement reform.The Republican conference , including defense hawks , is willing to leave the automatic spending cuts in place if need be , Boehner says . `` I got that in my back pocket , . . . [ that β s ] as much leverage as we 're going to get . '' He figures liberals will push Obama to give on other issues so that their favorite domestic programs aren β t gutted.That should push Democrats to give on entitlements , Boehner says . `` Think of it this way . We already have an agreement [ capping ] discretionary spending for 10 years . And we 're already in our second year of it . This whole discussion on the budget over the next several months is going to be about these entitlements . `` Boehner went on to offer a light-hearted take on his difficult role in the fiscal cliff machinations . β I need this job like I need a hole in the head , β he said.In his negotiations with Obama over the fiscal cliff , Boehner was amazed to hear the president insist that the country doesn β t have a spending problem , that the $ 1 trillion budget deficits come from a healthcare problem. β They blame all of the fiscal woes on our healthcare system , '' Boehner tells Moore . And he told the president , `` Clearly we have a healthcare problem , which is about to get worse with Obamacare . But , Mr. President , we have a very serious spending problem . `` Meanwhile , Boehner offers an anecdote that shows Obama as an ungenerous negotiator . When Boehner asked the president what he was getting in return for agreeing to $ 800 billion in new taxes , Obama replied , `` You do n't get anything for it . I 'm taking that anyway . '' | f6da3e28d411c029 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/hardly-anybody-wants-to-speak-at-trumps-convention-224815 | Hardly anybody wants to speak at Trump's convention | 2016-06-27 | elections | A slot at the Republican National Convention used to be a career-maker β a chance to make your name on the big stage and to catch the eye of the Republican donors and activists who make or break campaigns .
With the convention less than a month away , βββ contacted more than 50 prominent governors , senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking . Only a few said they were open to it , and everyone else said they weren β t planning on it , didn β t want to or weren β t going to Cleveland at all β or simply didn β t respond .
β I am not attending , β said South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy , who is overseeing the high-profile congressional Republican investigation into Hillary Clinton β s handling of the attacks on Benghazi . Gowdy , who said he was taking his family to the beach instead , hasn β t gone to conventions in the past and didn β t plan to now .
β I β m not , β said South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford , a former two-term governor . β But hope you have a good Thursday ! β
β Don β t know , β said Sean Duffy , a reality-TV-star-turned-Wisconsin congressman . β I haven β t thought about it . β
The widespread lack of interest , Republicans say , boils down to one thing : the growing consensus that it β s best to steer clear of Trump .
β Everyone has to make their own choice , but at this point , 70 percent of the American public doesn β t like Donald Trump . That β s as toxic as we β ve seen in American politics , β said Stuart Stevens , a longtime Republican strategist who helped to craft the party β s 2012 convention . β Normally , people want to speak at national conventions . It launched Barack Obama β s political career . β
Trump β s team is tight-lipped about to whom it β ll extend speaking invitations , as is the Republican National Committee . But many of the party β s most prominent pols say they β re flat-out not interested β and that Trump should look elsewhere . Their rejections range from terse to abrupt , and β in a year otherwise lacking in GOP unity β they seem to be using the same talking points .
New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte β is not attending the convention , β said a spokeswoman . Illinois Gov . Bruce Rauner β is not attending the convention , β his office said . A spokesman for South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham : β He announced back in May he 's not attending. β For South Carolina Gov . Nikki Haley : β The governor has not been asked to speak at the convention and has no plans to. β Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn : β There are no plans for him to speak . β
House members often have to scrap to get national attention β and eagerly take whatever they can get . But taking the podium in Cleveland ? No thanks .
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik , a rising star who helped to write the GOP platform at the 2012 convention , β will be in her district working for her constituents and not attending the convention , β said a spokesman . Oklahoma Rep. Steve Russell , a former Army lieutenant colonel who helped capture Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein , β has no plans to be a speaker at the convention , β said his office . North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson , who β s frequently talked about as a potential future statewide candidate , β won β t be at the convention. β Mia Love , the charismatic Utah rep seen by many as the GOP β s future , is skipping Cleveland for a trip to Israel . `` I do n't see any upsides to it , '' Love told a reporter on Friday . `` I do n't see how this benefits the state . ''
Among the pols staying mum on their convention plans ? Those playing host . Ohio Sen . Rob Portman will attend the convention and host several events in Cleveland over the course of the week . But a spokesman , Kevin Smith , said β no announcements β had yet been made on whether he would speak . A spokesman for Ohio Gov . John Kasich , a Trump primary rival who has pointedly refused to endorse the presumptive nominee , declined to comment on whether he wants to deliver a speech .
In past conventions , up-and-coming young senators β think Obama , Barack β have used the limelight to raise their profiles . Not so with Republicans this year : Nebraska 's Ben Sasse , who β s said he won β t vote for the real estate mogul , isn β t expected to be at Cleveland . Utah Sen. Mike Lee , an outspoken Trump critic who will be serving on the convention β s powerful Rules Committee , hasn β t been asked to speak , said his spokesman , Conn Carroll . Would he if asked ? Said Carroll : β If I got a hypothetical question I probably wouldn β t answer it. β Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , who recently changed his mind and announced a reelection bid , has said it β s unlikely he β ll be asked to speak β but if he does , it won β t be on Trump β s behalf .
Even the GOP leaders in charge of maintaining the party β s congressional majorities β Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker and Oregon Rep. Greg Walden β wouldn β t say whether they β d take the podium .
Trump β s convention troubles represent a big turnabout from 2012 , when Mitt Romney β s team had an endless list of choices . Whoever Romney wanted to speak , one ex-adviser to the former GOP nominee recalled , he got . They would end up packing the three-day schedule with boldfaced names , including Haley , Portman and Kasich . ( One person who didn β t end up making it to the stage : Trump . The New York businessman had initially been slated to speak on the opening day of the convention , with Romney β s nervous aides agreeing to allow him brief remarks , according to β Double Down , β the post-2012 campaign chronicle . The appearance was scrapped , however , because inclement weather forced the cancellation of that day β s activities . )
View RNC spokesman : Trump 'speaking figuratively ' about convention riots 'Well first of all I assume he β s speaking figuratively , ' Sean Spicer , the RNC 's chief strategist and spokesman , told CNN .
In 2008 , John McCain similarly drew a number of GOP stars to his convention in St. Paul . β There was a great deal of interest , β recalled Ed Goeas , a Republican pollster who oversaw the programming for that convention .
A Trump spokesperson declined to comment on this year β s convention plans . But the billionaire , who has fashioned himself as a Beltway outsider , has hinted that he wants nonpoliticians to have major roles . During a rally this month , Trump floated the idea of having a β Winner β s Evening , β which would spotlight sports stars .
It β s also expected that Trump β s children , including daughter Ivanka and sons Eric and Donald Jr. , will get prime-time spots . The three have emerged as Trump β s most vocal surrogates .
And , while many are reluctant to appear onstage in Cleveland , some aren β t . Those pols who β ve thrown their support to Trump , like New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich , seem like natural candidates to be convention speakers . Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke , a former leader of the Navy SEAL team that would later kill Osama bin Laden , hopes to get a slot , said a spokeswoman . Zinke has endorsed Trump and recently appeared at one of his rallies .
For all the unease about Trump , some argue , a speaking slot at the party β s national convention remains a precious commodity .
β The exposure has enormous upsides for someone who performs well , β said Fred Malek , a prominent GOP fundraiser who helped to organize the 1988 convention , β and this is the Republican convention , not the Trump convention . β | oyCIO6c7hpcQ22nS | 0 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | RNC | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | -0.1 | Elections | -0.1 | null | null |
banking_and_finance | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks/wall-street-enters-bear-market-as-europe-travel-ban-stuns-investors-idUSKBN20Z0CM | Wall Street enters bear market as Europe travel ban stuns investors | 2020-03-12 | Stock Market, Dow Jones, Coronavirus, Bear Market, NASDAQ, Banking And Finance | NEW YORK ( βββ ) - Wall Street tanked on Thursday , slamming the book on the longest-ever U.S. bull market after new travel restrictions to curb the coronavirus spread spooked investors and rattled world markets .
President Donald Trump β s Europe travel ban , announced late Wednesday , sent all three major U.S. stock indexes into a tailspin , with the S & P 500 and the Nasdaq confirming their first bear market since the financial crisis .
The blue chip Dow suffered its worst one-day loss since October 1987 β s β Black Monday . β
The benchmark S & P 500 and the Nasdaq have lost over a quarter of their value since reaching record closing highs just 16 sessions ago , as nations around the world grapple with how to contain the fast-moving coronavirus and its economic effects .
A bear market is confirmed when an index sinks 20 % or more below its most recent closing high .
β The continued negative action in the market is telling us whatever β s been done so far hasn β t been enough , β said Joseph Sroka , chief investment officer at NovaPoint in Atlanta . β People can β t point to a tangible outcome that β s going to restore normal daily life , so uncertainty remains .
β Prominent organizations , educational institutions and even sports leagues are foregoing events out of caution , β Sroka added . β Leading institutions around the world are setting the tone . We β re cautious because they β re telling us to be cautious . β
Trump β s sweeping travel restrictions , limiting flights from continental Europe to the United States , sent European shares to a near four-year low and slammed airline stocks , already battered by the spread of COVID-19 .
Boeing Co ( BA.N ) fell another 18.1 % as J.P.Morgan abandoned its long-term backing for the company β s shares , setting the planemaker on course for its worst week ever .
The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates for the second time this month at the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy scheduled for next week .
U.S. Treasury yields tumbled as anticipation grew for aggressive easing on the part of the Fed .
A price screen display above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE ) after the close of trading in New York , U.S. , March 12 , 2020 . βββ/Brendan McDermid
The New York Federal Reserve announced on Thursday that it would introduce $ 1.5 trillion in new repo operations this week .
β Any government action that has dollars tied to it that β s actionable for the banking system would be viewed as a positive , β Sroka said . β But what the market is looking for is tangible evidence that the government is trying to stave off a recession . β
Interest rate-sensitive bank shares .SPXBK dropped 10.5 % , while corporate credit worries hit bond fund prices as companies began to draw on credit lines .
The CBOE Volatility index , a gauge of investor anxiety , shot up to levels not seen since November 2008 , the height of the financial crisis .
The Trump travel ban also hit oil prices , sending front-month Brent crude down 8.6 % . Oil prices were already under pressure after Saudi Arabia and Russia vowed to boost production , flooding the market with supply despite plummeting demand .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 2,352.6 points , or 9.99 % , to 21,200.62 , the S & P 500 .SPX lost 260.74 points , or 9.51 % , to 2,480.64 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 750.25 points , or 9.43 % , to 7,201.80 .
All 11 major sectors of the S & P 500 closed sharply lower .
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 23.77-to-1 ratio ; on Nasdaq , a 17.69-to-1 ratio favored decliners .
The S & P 500 posted no new 52-week highs and 336 new lows ; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 3 new highs and 1,573 new lows .
Volume on U.S. exchanges was 18.54 billion shares , compared with the 12.49 billion average over the last 20 trading days . | c399cb63863a1108 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/politics/obama-terror-speech/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Obama speech to focus on drones, Guantanamo prison | 2013-05-23 | White House, Guantanamo, Barack Obama, Politics | Story highlights Republicans criticize Obama 's speech , one calling it a 'victory ' for terrorists
Obama lays out a framework and legal rationale for his counterterrorism policy
He makes case that al Qaeda is weakened but that new dangers are out there
Drone strikes are a necessary evil , but one that must be used with more temperance as the United States ' security situation evolves , President Barack Obama said Thursday .
America prefers to capture , interrogate and prosecute terrorists , but there are times when this is n't possible , Obama said in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington . Terrorists intentionally hide in hard-to-reach locales and putting boots on the ground is often out of the question , he said .
Thus , when the United States is faced with a threat from terrorists in a country where the government has only tenuous or no influence , drones strikes are the only option -- and they 're legal because America `` is at war with al Qaeda , the Taliban and their associated forces , '' Obama said .
He added , however , `` To say a military tactic is legal , or even effective , is not to say it is wise or moral in every instance . For the same progress that gives us the technology to strike half a world away also demands the discipline to constrain that power -- or risk abusing it . ''
Increased oversight is important , but not easy , Obama said . While he has considered a special court or independent oversight board , those options are problematic , so he plans to talk with Congress to determine how best to handle the deployment of drones , he said .
The nation 's image was a theme throughout the speech , as Obama emphasized some actions in recent years -- drone strikes and Guantanamo Bay key among them -- risk creating more threats . The nature of threats against the United States have changed since he took office -- they 've become more localized -- and so , too , must efforts to combat them , he said .
JUST WATCHED Pres . Obama interrupted by heckler Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Pres . Obama interrupted by heckler 02:15
JUST WATCHED Obama defends secret drone program Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama defends secret drone program 03:00
JUST WATCHED The battle to force feed Gitmo detainees Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH The battle to force feed Gitmo detainees 02:27
`` From our use of drones to the detention of terror suspects , the decisions that we are making now will define the type of nation and world that we leave to our children , '' he said .
Today , al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan and Afghanistan worry more about protecting their own skin than attacking America , he said , but the threat is more diffuse , extending into places such as Yemen , Iraq , Somalia and North Africa . And al Qaeda 's ideology helped fuel attacks like the ones at the Boston Marathon and U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi .
Obama said the use of lethal force extends to U.S. citizens as well .
On Wednesday , his administration disclosed for the first time that four Americans had been killed in counterterrorist drone strikes overseas , including one person who was targeted by the United States .
`` When a U.S. citizen goes abroad to wage war against America -- and is actively plotting to kill U.S. citizens ; and when neither the United States , nor our partners are in a position to capture him before he carries out a plot -- his citizenship should no more serve as a shield than a sniper shooting down on an innocent crowd should be protected from a SWAT team , '' Obama said .
To stop terrorists from gaining a foothold , drones will be deployed , Obama said , but only when there is an imminent threat ; no hope of capturing the targeted terrorist ; `` near certainty '' that civilians wo n't be harmed ; and `` there are no other governments capable of effectively addressing the threat . '' Never will a strike be punitive , he said .
Those who die as collateral damage `` will haunt us for as long as we live , '' the president said , but he emphasized that the targeted individuals aim to exact indiscriminate violence , `` and the death toll from their acts of terrorism against Muslims dwarfs any estimate of civilian casualties from drone strikes . ''
It 's not always feasible to send in Special Forces , as in the Osama bin Laden raid , to stamp out terrorism , and even if it were , the introduction of troops could mean more deaths on both sides , Obama said .
`` The result would be more U.S. deaths , more Blackhawks down , more confrontations with local populations and an inevitable mission creep in support of such raids that could easily escalate into new wars , '' he said .
The American public is split on where and how drones should be used , according to a March poll by Gallup .
Although 65 % of respondents said drones should be used against suspected terrorists abroad , only 41 % said drones should be used against American citizens who are suspected terrorists in foreign countries .
Guantanamo Bay also threatens to create new enemies of the state and diminish the country 's moral standing in the world , Obama said , revisiting a campaign promise he made before his first term .
`` The original premise for opening Gitmo -- that detainees would not be able to challenge their detention -- was found unconstitutional five years ago , '' he said . `` In the meantime , Gitmo has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law . ''
Because of what Gitmo represents , some allies are reluctant to cooperate on investigations with the United States if a suspect might land at the controversial detention center , Obama said .
That 's not to mention the economic implications , the president said . The country spends $ 150 million annually to imprison 166 suspects , and the Defense Department estimates that keeping Gitmo open may cost another $ 200 million `` at a time when we are cutting investments in education and research here at home , '' he said .
Explaining that no prisoner has ever escaped a supermax or military facility -- and noting U.S. courts have had no issue prosecuting terrorists , some more dangerous than those at Guantanamo -- Obama said he would push again to close the detention center and appoint State and Defense department envoys to make sure the detainees are transferred to other countries .
Seventy percent of respondents to a February 2012 ABC/Washington Post poll said they approve of keeping the facility open for suspected terrorists . Only 24 % said it should be closed .
One of his initiatives aims to lift a moratorium on transferring prisoners to Yemen , long a volatile land but now ruled by a government regarded by the United States as a `` willing and able partner . '' Yemenis make up a significant portion of Guantanamo inmates .
In a statement issued through its embassy in Washington , Yemen 's government welcomed the U.S. decision and vowed to `` work with the United States to take all necessary steps to ensure the safe return of its detainees and will continue working towards their gradual rehabilitation and integration back into society . ''
Obama said he will insist on judicial review from every Guantanamo detainee , and when it 's appropriate , terrorists will be transferred stateside to stand trial in courts and `` our military justice system . ''
`` Given my administration 's relentless pursuit of al Qaeda 's leadership , there is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that should never have been opened , '' the president said .
There are 86 inmates at Guantanamo who have been cleared for transfer , 56 of them from Yemen .
While Obama worked to close Guantanamo early in his first term , Congress enacted significant restrictions on the transfer of detainees from the prison that made its closure impractical .
This year , the State Department reassigned the special envoy who had been tasked in 2009 with closing the facility and lowered the post 's profile by assigning the job to the department 's legal adviser 's office .
The problem has been exacerbated by the fact more than half the facility 's inmates engaging in various forms of hunger strike , more than 20 of them being force-fed .
Obama made the case that the al Qaeda terror network in the Afghan and Pakistan region has been weakened but that new dangers have emerged as the U.S. winds down operations in Afghanistan after more than a decade of war triggered by the 9/11 attacks .
Threats that have emerged come from al Qaeda affiliates , localized extremist groups and homegrown terrorists , like the two men suspected of attacking the Boston Marathon last month .
The administration has been considering shifting control of lethal drone operations from the CIA to the military . One senior administration official said the `` military is the appropriate agency to use force , '' not to rule out the range of options needed to deal with threats .
By law , the military is not able to act in the covert way the CIA can in this particular arena and must answer to Congress .
In his confirmation hearing for CIA director , John Brennan expressed a desire to move the agency away from paramilitary operations and back to traditional areas of espionage .
`` The CIA should not be doing traditional military activities and operations , '' he said .
Obama rejected the idea of a global war on terror in favor of a more focused approach that will engage on specific networks of extremists who threaten the United States .
The administration plans to avoid operations that will cause civilian casualties and wants to work with partners in its operations .
Use of force will be part of a larger strategy to deal with instability and hostility . Obama discussed strategies for promoting democratic governance and economic development and fostering U.S. engagement around the world .
The president also raised the unpopular topic of foreign aid , presenting it not as charity but as a means of national security . It amounts to less than 1 % of the national a budget but is integral to fighting terrorism , he said .
`` For what we spent in a month in Iraq at the height of the war , we could be training security forces in Libya , maintaining peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors , feeding the hungry in Yemen , building schools in Pakistan , and creating reservoirs of goodwill that marginalize extremists , '' he said .
Rep. Michael McCaul , chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee , criticized the idea of closing the Guantanamo Bay prison and said , `` The president 's policies signal a retreat from the threat of al Qaeda . ''
`` The Obama administration 's return to a pre-9/11 counterterrorism mindset puts American lives at risk , '' the Texas Republican said . `` This war will continue whether the president acknowledges it or not . ''
Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia said that announcing plans to close the facility `` sends the message to ... detainees that if they harass the dedicated military personnel there enough , we will give in and send them home , even to Yemen . ''
`` The president 's speech today will be viewed by terrorists as a victory , '' Chambliss said .
But at least one Republican , Sen. John McCain , pledged that he 'd work with Obama and his administration .
`` In light of the president 's speech today , we will pledge our willingness to work with ( Obama ) to see that Guantanamo Bay is closed , '' said the Arizona Republican .
The American Civil Liberties Union 's leader -- even as he cheered plans to close the Guantanamo prison and allow for more oversight on drone strikes -- criticized `` still insufficient transparency '' regarding drones , what he called `` unconstitutional military commissions '' and the lack of what he 'd call a `` clear plan '' to end `` indefinite detention . ''
`` President Obama 's efforts to repair his legacy in the eyes of future historians will require that he continue to double down if he is to fully restore this nation 's standing at home and abroad , '' Anthony Romero said in a statement . | b3f6dc9a4c7ef275 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
trade | CNN (Web News) | https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/10/news/companies/tesla-prices-china-tariffs/index.html | Tesla hikes prices in China as trade war hits US cars | 2018-07-10 | trade | Tesla has hiked the prices of its cars in China by about 20 % after getting caught in the crossfire of the trade clash between Washington and Beijing .
The move by the electric car maker follows China 's decision to slap new tariffs on American vehicles in retaliation for US measures against $ 34 billion of Chinese exports .
It 's the latest major company to feel the impact of the trade war between the world 's top two economies .
Tesla 's ( TSLA ) China website now lists the cheapest price for a Model S sedan at 849,900 yuan ( $ 128,500 ) , up from 710,600 yuan ( $ 107,400 ) previously .
At the top of the range , the most expensive Model X crossover is now 1.57 million yuan ( $ 240,000 ) up from about 1.32 million ( $ 200,000 ) before .
Tesla did n't respond to a request for comment on the price rises .
The company had only just cut its prices in China in May after Beijing announced it was slashing tariffs on car imports from 25 % to 15 % .
That change took effect July 1 , but Tesla and other automakers that export from the United States to China only benefited from the reduction for a few days .
Global automaker Daimler ( DDAIF ) warned last month that the new Chinese tariffs would hit its profits , resulting in `` fewer than expected SUV sales and higher than expected costs , '' which wo n't be completely passed on to customers .
Related : Daimler warns US-China trade war will hit its profits
China is a huge market for Tesla . Revenues in the country doubled last year to more than $ 2 billion , accounting for almost 20 % of the company 's total .
Increasing prices could threaten its position in such an important market . `` This will certainly not be good for consumers or for Tesla 's sales in China , '' said Bill Russo , founder of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility .
He added that Tesla could lose market share to Chinese competitors , such as NIO , as a result . Russo said NIO 's new ES8 SUV has been positioned as a `` Tesla-fighter . ''
Tesla is the first major US automaker to raise prices in China in response to the higher tariffs . Most big American car companies avoid hefty import tariffs by making many of their vehicles for the Chinese market inside the country through joint ventures with local partners .
BMW exported about 81,000 cars from a plant in South Carolina to China last year , generating about $ 2.4 billion in sales . The South Carolina BMW plant , the company 's largest in the world , is also the largest source of US auto exports . BMW said Tuesday that it will have to raise the price of cars shipped from the plant to China because of the tariffs , though it has yet to determine by how much .
`` BMW China will not be able to completely absorb the duty increase for US imported models . We are currently calculating related necessary pricing increases , '' the company said in a statement .
BMW also announced plans to increase production in China , but it said that was because of increased demand for vehicles there . It said it would not be cutting South Carolina production or jobs because of Chinese expansion plans .
Tesla makes most of its cars in California , although it does some final assembly of cars in a much smaller plant in the Netherlands .
On Tuesday , Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in Shanghai to announce plans for the company 's first factory in China . It is expected to build about 500,000 cars a year , enough to rival Tesla 's main factory in California .
The plant is not expected to reach full capacity for four to five years . If there are still tariffs in place when it starts building cars , those cars would not be subject to tariffs .
In a first for a foreign automaker , Tesla was allowed to open the factory without partnering with a Chinese company . Tesla was reluctant to enter into a joint venture with a Chinese partner because it did n't want to share its intellectual property . | o9D3xjO4tSM4d4D7 | 0 | Trade | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sexual_misconduct | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2019/0920/Three-questions-Antonio-Brown-the-latest-NFL-morality-test | Three questions: Antonio Brown, the latest NFL morality test | 2019-09-20 | sexual_misconduct | On Friday , the New England Patriots released Antonio Brown from the team , just 11 days after hiring him . In a game dominated by passing , Mr. Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League . But three days after joining the 2019 Super Bowl champs , Mr. Brown became the latest moral test of the NFL β s commitment to address violence against women by its players .
A civil lawsuit filed Sept. 10 accuses him of two incidents of sexual battery in 2017 and a rape in 2018 . He denies the allegations , and a statement by his lawyer says that Mr. Brown had a β consensual personal relationship β with his accuser , Britney Taylor . The two were friends in college , and later he hired her as a personal trainer . Mr. Brown reportedly turned down an offer to settle the suit for $ 2 million . Another sexual misconduct allegation against Mr. Brown surfaced this week .
Yes . Last year , the Kansas City Chiefs cut running back Kareem Hunt after a video emerged of him assaulting a woman in a hotel . He was quickly hired by the Cleveland Browns , and is currently serving an eight-game suspension .
The Patriots released Mr. Brown after he sent intimidating text messages Wednesday to another woman , who accused him of making unwanted sexual advances , Sports Illustrated reported . Mr. Brown 's agent said on Twitter Friday after his release from the Patriots : `` Antonio is healthy and is looking forward to his next opportunity in the NFL . He wants to play the game he loves and he hopes to play for another team soon . β β
After eight years with the Pittsburgh Steelers , Mr. Brown has been jettisoned from three teams in short order . Most observers say that the accusations - and his off-field behavior - make it unlikely that another team will hire him , at least not this season .
Whether he plays or not is likely to be decided by the NFL . He has not been charged with a crime . He faces a civil lawsuit . But given the controversy , and potential damage to the league β s reputation , if another team chose to hire Mr. Brown , he could be placed on the NFL commissioner β s β exempt list β β effectively a paid suspension .
A player can be put on the exempt list if one of two criteria is met : ( 1 ) A player is formally charged with a violent crime . ( 2 ) An NFL investigation leads the commissioner to believe a player β may have violated β the league β s personal conduct policy .
On Monday , NFL investigators reportedly met with Ms. Taylor for 10 hours of interviews . With an investigation underway , the NFL commissioner may now have grounds for believing that Mr. Brown β may have violated β the personal conduct policy β the second criteria for a suspension . β The speed at which the league has moved to interview Taylor β coming less than one week after she filed her civil lawsuit β suggests to me that a decision to place Brown on the exempt list is coming sooner rather than later , β writes Daniel Wallach at The Athletic ( paid subscription ) .
3 . What is the NFL doing about player violence against women ?
Five years ago , public outcry reached a crescendo when the NFL gave a two-game suspension to Ray Rice , after a video showed the Baltimore Ravens player punching and dragging his then-fiancΓ©e by her hair out of an elevator in Atlantic City . Mr. Rice was later fired by the Ravens and indefinitely suspended by the NFL ( a decision later overturned in court ) .
The Rice incident led to several steps , including a new NFL personal conduct policy , a minimum six-game suspension for players who commit abusive acts against a spouse or partner , funds for the education of players , services for victims and violators , and a special counsel for investigations and conduct . But on Sept. 5 , Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wrote on Twitter : β The NFL has failed to lead on the issue of domestic violence & sexual assault by its players . ... I β m demanding Commissioner [ Roger ] Goodell take stronger action . β
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If history is any indication , a full NFL investigation into the allegations about Mr. Brown could take months . A domestic violence investigation of Ezekiel Elliott , the Dallas Cowboys star running back , took a year and led to a six-game suspension in 2017 .
The courts will determine what β s fair and just for Ms. Taylor and Mr. Brown under the law . That takes time , observes Susan Mullane , associate professor and coordinator of the sports administration program at the University of Miami . But the NFL is a business . She adds in an email ( before the Patriots released him ) : β The decision on whether to suspend [ Mr. Brown ] will not necessarily be based on fairness , ethics , or the law , but what is best for the NFL . β | aG4OBy9dMMYiuT5F | 1 | Sexual Misconduct | -0.5 | Sexual Assault | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times (News) | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/us/politics/mcconnell-roy-moore-sex-teenagers.html | Mitch McConnell Says Roy Moore Should Exit Senate Race βif These Allegations Are Trueβ | 2017-11-09 | Elections | Trump Administration Advertisement Supported by By Richard FaussetJonathan Martin and Campbell Robertson ATLANTA β Republicans in Washington seemed near panic Thursday in the light of a news report in which four women said Roy S. Moore, the Republican nominee for a United States Senate seat in Alabama and an evangelical Christian, had made sexual or romantic overtures to them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican majority leader, said Mr. Moore should step aside ahead of the Dec. 12 special election if the allegations were true. But in Alabama, the fallout was uncertain for a candidate who is considered a hero in some circles for his conservative cultural stances. Mr. Moore, the former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, was twice removed from that office for his positions on gay marriage and a Ten Commandments display. On Thursday, he strenuously denied the allegations the women made about him in on-the-record interviews included in the report, published by The Washington Post. And it was clear that many in his conservative base were in no mood to desert him in a race for a Senate seat Republicans consider crucial to maintaining their majority in the upper chamber. John Skipper, 66, a former chair of the Mobile County Republican Party, declared the allegations βtotal contrived media garbage.β Mr. Skipper said that he would still support the candidate and that he figured most of the Alabama Republicans he knew would probably do the same. Advertisement βMost of them will not be shocked,β he said, βand will rather be expecting these shenanigans being pulled by the Democrats as standard operating procedure.β Whether Mr. Skipperβs prediction proves true remains to be seen. But the report unquestionably introduced new waves of uncertainty and turmoil into a race for the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, the attorney general. Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. An earlier version of this article misstated Roy S. Mooreβs election track record. He has both won and lost statewide races. When we learn of a mistake, we acknowledge it with a correction. If you spot an error, please let us know at nytnews@nytimes.com.Learn more Richard Fausset reported from Atlanta, Jonathan Martin from Washington and Campbell Robertson from Pittsburgh. Alexander Burns, Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Nicholas Fandos contributed reporting from Washington. Advertisement Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Times. See subscription options | 9aab0109913407db | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Reason | https://reason.com/2021/01/12/trump-administration-will-adopt-biden-plan-for-speeding-up-covid-19-vaccinations/ | Trump Will Adopt Biden Plan for Speeding Up COVID-19 Vaccinations | 2021-01-12 | Coronavirus, Coronavirus Vaccine, Healthcare | Coronavirus Ronald Bailey | 1.12.2021 11:55 AM Last week, President-elect Joe Biden announced that his incoming administration would not keep COVID-19 vaccines idling in freezers as boosters for folks who have already been inoculated with the first of two doses. Instead, his team would release all doses now and count on future production to provide the second doses in the coming weeks. This way, far more people could get some initial protection from the virusβa particularly timely consideration, as diagnosed COVID-19 cases have been soaring throughout the U.S. Additionally, it is urgent to get more Americans vaccinated as soon as possible before the spread of a much more contagious variant makes the pandemic even worse. Much to their credit, Trump administration officials will reportedly announce later today that they will adopt the Biden administration's vaccine rollout plan in which doses currently being reserved will be made available almost immediately. In addition, instead of insisting on the complicated recommendations which prioritize groups such as health care workers, nursing home residents, and a variety of "essential workers" for vaccination, the Trump administration will urge states to make vaccinations available to Americans aged 65 and older. If the goal is to dramatically reduce mortality and stress on the health care system, this makes sense since this age group accounts for around 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths and 45 percent of hospitalizations. In the meantime, as Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna continue to ramp up their vaccine production, fingers are crossed that the Johnson & Johnson one-shot COVID-19 vaccine will prove effective and become available in the next few weeks. If approved, the company says that it is "on track" to deliver hundreds of millions of doses in the first half of 2021. Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup. Ξ NEXT: No, Those Viral Videos Don't Prove That the Capitol Rioters Are Being Added to the No-Fly List Ronald Bailey is science correspondent at Reason. Show Comments (57) Emma Camp | 2.20.2025 6:30 AM Rob Johnson | From the March 2025 issue Charles Oliver | 2.20.2025 4:00 AM Christian Britschgi | 2.19.2025 4:55 PM Jared Dillian | 2.19.2025 4:30 PM Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon. Ξ This modal will close in 10 Just $25 per year Notifications | 0db52ee035f6e6b2 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/18/lockdown-protests-spread-coronavirus-cellphone-data | US lockdown protests may have spread virus widely, cellphone data suggests | 2020-05-18 | Lockdown Protests, Coronavirus | Cellphone location data suggests that demonstrators at anti-lockdown protests β some of which have been connected with Covid-19 cases β are often traveling hundreds of miles to events , returning to all parts of their states , and even crossing into neighboring ones .
The data , provided to βββ by the progressive campaign group the Committee to Protect Medicare , raises the prospect that the protests will play a role in spreading the coronavirus epidemic to areas which have , so far , experienced relatively few infections .
The anonymized location data was captured from opt-in cellphone apps , and data scientists at the firm VoteMap used it to determine the movements of devices present at protests in late April and early May in five states : Michigan , Wisconsin , Illinois , Colorado and Florida .
Protesters descend on Michigan capitol but rain washes away demonstration Read more
They then created visualizations that tracked the movements of those devices up to 48 hours after the conclusion of protests . The visualizations only show movements within states , due to the queries analysts made in creating them . But the data scientist Jeremy Fair , executive-vice president of VoteMap , says that many of the devices that are seen to reach state borders are seen to continue across them in the underlying raw data .
One visualization shows that in Lansing , Michigan , after a 30 April protest in which armed protesters stormed the capitol building and state police were forced to physically block access to Governor Gretchen Whitmer , devices which had been present at the protest site can be seen returning to all parts of the state , from Detroit to remote towns in the state β s north .
One device visible in the data traveled to and from Afton , which is over 180 miles from the capital . Others reached , and some crossed , the Indiana border .
In the 48 hours following a 19 April β Operation Gridlock β protest in Denver , devices reached the borders of neighboring states including Wyoming , Nebraska , Oklahoma , New Mexico and Utah .
In Florida on 18 April , devices returned to all parts of the peninsula and up to the Georgia border . In Wisconsin on 24 April , devices returned to smaller towns like Green Bay and Wausau , and the borders of Minnesota and Illinois .
Play Video 4:42 Who is driving the US protests against coronavirus lockdown ? β video explainer
Following the initial wave of anti-lockdown protests in April , epidemiologists warned that they could lead to a new surge in cases .
In North Carolina in late April , one of the leaders of the state β s anti-lockdown protests tested positive for Covid-19 but said she would attend future rallies .
Dr Rob Davidson , executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare , said that although β it β s hard to draw a straight line between devices , individuals at these protests , and cases β , the data suggests that the protests may be epidemiologically significant events .
β The behavior we β re seeing at protests carries a high risk of infection . We can see protesters are going from a highly concentrated event and then dispersing widely , β he added .
Davidson , who has run for Congress as a Democrat , said that neither he nor his advocacy group were currently affiliated with the Democratic party . The group is made up of more than 300 β doctors who are concerned that the healthcare for their patients has become unaffordable β .
In a series of widely shared videos and threads on Twitter , Davidson has criticized Trump , and attempted to dispel what he calls the β distrust in public health β which β Donald Trump has fomented in his movement β . | 18829c766d12ba5c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/news/n-korea-willing-to-denuclearise-if-security-guaranteed-seoul/ | N. Korea willing to denuclearise if security guaranteed: Seoul | 2018-03-06 | North Korea, World | Seoul (AFP) β North Korea said it was willing to abandon its nuclear weapons if the security of its regime is guaranteed, Seoulβs envoy said Tuesday after meeting with the Northβs leader Kim Jong Un.βThe North made clear its willingness for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and made clear that there is no reason to own nuclear (programmes) if military threats towards the North are cleared and the security of its regime is guaranteed,β said Chung Eui-yong, national security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. | e17ea9bf8e2b50c5 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
nsa | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/dec/19/orsi-no-greater-act-of-loyalty-to-the-constitution/ | ORSI: No greater act of loyalty to the Constitution | 2013-12-19 | nsa | On Monday , U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon declared that the bulk of the National Security Agency β s collection of Americans β telephone records is likely to violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution β s ban on unreasonable search .
Some legal experts contend that this may be the first step in a march to the Supreme Court . It may also be the beginning of the rehabilitation of Edward Snowden , the former NSA contractor who disclosed almost 200,000 classified documents to the press . Mr. Snowden has obtained limited asylum in Russia to avoid prosecution in the United States for espionage . In a recent statement , Mr. Snowden praised the ruling saying , β I acted on my belief that the NSA β s mass-surveillance programs would not stand a constitutional challenge . β
If this statement is true , the question must be asked : Should he have fled the United States ?
If he is truly a whistleblowing patriot , there would be no greater act of loyalty to the Constitution than to return and face a trial . Mr. Snowden would be granted every protection afforded by the law . The high-profile attention that this story has already garnered in the media would also guarantee an open discussion on the rights of citizens and the extent that the government can go to protect national security . By fleeing the United States in May , Mr. Snowden , the current face of the controversy , has deprived Americans of the opportunity for a much-needed national debate on these topics .
In a possible move to pre-empt this discussion , a White House advisory panel on Wednesday recommended to President Obama that the NSA no longer store the massive phone database . This may well indicate awareness of the public β s distrust of the government β s intrusion into their private lives . Tellingly , public opinion is now swinging in Mr. Snowden β s favor . The panel β s recommendation may be designed to prevent further restrictions on the intelligence community .
Some government officials have taken cover in the 1979 Supreme Court decision Smith v. Maryland , which held that there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in non-content information held by a third party . Yet others contend that current technology can use phone data to reveal everything about a person β s life β from religious activities to personal health information . This being so , is it possible that the Supreme Court could overturn precedent ?
In 1954 , heightened public sensitivity to racial injustice caused the court to overturn Plessy v. Ferguson ( 1896 ) in Brown v. Board of Education , which recognized state-sponsored segregation as a violation of the 14th Amendment β s Equal Protection Clause . In 2012 , five justices in U.S. v. Jones , dealing with a GPS device used to track a suspected drug dealer , seemed open to this possibility . Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote , β It may be necessary to reconsider the premise that an individual has no reasonable expectation of privacy in information voluntarily disclosed to a third party. β Accordingly , a possible Snowden v. NSA case may well lead to overturning Smith . It is doubtful that the affected government agencies would want to take this risk .
If indeed our privacy rights are being violated , as many contend they are , then action must be taken to stop the abuse .
Throughout history , those who have wished to protect civil rights have risked being punished for their violation of the law . They rightly believed that in the cause of justice , they were answerable to a higher authority or the natural law . They have also been willing to suffer the consequences of their actions to make things right .
The example of the recently deceased Nelson Mandela serves as a case in point . Although he could have easily escaped the clutches of the South African regime , he chose to spend 27 years in prison . His willingness to suffer for his belief that apartheid offended human dignity solidified national and international opinion against the government . Because of him , South Africans now enjoy full rights .
The same can be said of Martin Luther King . He never fled the police or tried to avoid jail . King β s willingness to suffer for the cause of justice helped to galvanize both black and white Americans to demand constitutionally guaranteed equal protection to all citizens .
While in jail , King wrote his now-famous β Letter from a Birmingham Jail. β In it , he acknowledged that some might see his β nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist. β He then weighed different arguments against his course of action and found them wanting .
Many may argue β mutatis mutandis , β or with the respective differences having been considered , Mr. Snowden β s leaking of classified information has risked national security and may perhaps have endangered American lives . Yet there is no convincing evidence that this collection of data prevented a single attack .
Mandela and King have become international heroes in the cause of civil rights . Similarly , Mr. Snowden may still have the possibility of becoming a hero in the cause of freedom . However , he can not do so by hiding behind the president of Russia , Vladimir Putin , who himself limits the free flow of information and freedom of speech in his own country .
If , as he says , he reveres the Constitution , Mr. Snowden should return to the United States and stand trial . His witness is vital to the preservation of those rights for which our forefathers shed their blood .
The Rev . Michael P. Orsi is research fellow in law and religion at Ave Maria School of Law in Naples , Fla . | Ej4iCU7IlXvWYFy0 | 2 | Defense And Security | -0.5 | US Constitution | 0.1 | NSA | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
environment | ABC News (Online) | https://abcnews.go.com/US/canadas-wildfires-air-quality-warnings-connected-climate-change/story?id=99905554 | How Canada's wildfires and air quality warnings are connected to climate change | 2023-06-08 | Environment, Climate Change, Sustainability, Wildfires | Heat in Canada and changing climate contribute to fires and air pollution. Wildfires burning in Canada have prompted hazardous air pollution conditions in the U.S. this week, as smoke moves South and lingers over much of the Northeast. While wildfires in California and other western states have prompted air quality warnings in the past, seeing them on the other side of the country has prompted questions about how much of a role climate change is playing in the event. Here's a breakdown of what we know about the connection between the wildfires in Canada and air quality. Why is Canada's wildfire season so bad this year? Canada has had an epic and especially early start to the wildfire season with more than 1400% of the normal amount of acres burned for this time of the year. More than 8.7 million acres have burned in Canada in 2023, an area larger than the state of Vermont. In an average fire season for Canada, closer to 6.2 million acres will burn due to wildfires. For about a month, the U.S. and Canada have been in a barely moving blocking pattern called an omega block β it has broken down a few times, but briefly. This has allowed persistent heat for Central Canada and The Great Lakes β and short surges of record heat for eastern Canada around MontrΓ©al and Nova Scotia. What's the connection between climate change and wildfires? Wildfires are not caused by climate change, they are part of Earth's natural cycles and are increasingly started by humans either intentionally or accidentally. According to the National Park Service 85% of wildfires in the United States are started by humans, sometimes these are intentional but most often by accident. Canada says about half of their fires this year have been started by humans. However. the conditions that make wildfires more intense and severe, including heat and drought, are strongly linked to human-induced changes in the climate. Canada's natural resources agency says climate change could potentially double the amount of area burned by the end of this century with potential economic consequences like lack of timber supply and changes in which tree species make up the majority of forests. Damaged trees, dead trees, brush in the forests attributed to drought or invasive insects can also increase the amount of fuel for forest fires. What do we know about climate change and air pollution? The wildfires in Canada have prompted air quality alerts for the Northeastern U.S. and other parts of the country this week. Climate change is expected to worsen air pollution conditions due to changes in rainfall and weather patterns that can increase the amount of pollutants like ozone or particulate matter like smoke that linger near the ground. There is preliminary research that shows rising global temperatures can affect the jet streamβs flow making it weaker and therefore allowing air to sit stagnant for longer. The jetstream exists, because there is a large difference in temperature between the poles and the equator. The jet is stronger in the northern hemisphere in winter because the temperature gradient is bigger. In summer, the jet is weaker. Today, we see global temperatures rising overall, but the arctic and poles are warming 2-3 times faster than anywhere else. That means there is less temperature difference and scientists believe this may cause the jet to be weaker in all seasons. The nonprofit organization Climate Central found that of 241 U.S. cities, 83% have seen an increase in the number of stagnant air days since 1973. The Fourth National Climate Assessment published in 2018, found that more than 100 million people in the U.S. live in communities with air pollution above whatβs considered healthy, and that climate change and more frequent, severe wildfires will make that air pollution worse. However, steps to limit global warming like limiting greenhouse gas emissions can mitigate those impacts both by limiting future warming and releasing less pollutants into the air. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events | d46b712f769bffe4 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447665/comey-firing-exceptional-fire-more-unaccountable-government-officials | Severed Heads | 2017-05-16 | politics | Far too many government officials never pay the price for their crimes and misdeeds : Clinton , Rice , Napolitano , Lerner β¦ Comey is the exception .
President Trump β s firing of James Comey revealed strange timing , herky-jerky methods , and bad political optics .
Certainly , in the existential political war that Trump finds himself in , it would have been wiser , first , to have rallied his entire White House team and congressional leaders around the decision and established a shared narrative , to have been magnanimous to the departing James Comey , and to have had obtained private guarantees from a preselected successor that he or she would serve and be appointed within a day or two .
The head of the FBI ( quite outside his purview as an investigatory official ) announced in summer 2016 to the nation that he had decided not to seek an indictment of Hillary Clinton . Then , again in the role of a presumed federal attorney , he seemed to reverse that judgment by reopening his investigation . Then he appeared to re-reverse that decision β all at the height of a heated presidential campaign .
Throughout such a bizarre sequence , Comey stuck to a ( flawed ) exegesis about the nature of federal statutes in question ( intent is not a mitigating circumstance in the felonious insecure transmission of classified federal documents ) .
Comey de facto had assumed yet another new role in addition to his newfound claims to be both an investigator and a prosecuting federal attorney β that of legislator and judge .
Last summer , the many-headed Comey apparently believed that he would face no consequences for his moth-to-the flame desire for public showmanship β given the widely shared belief that Hillary Clinton was going to be president and that Loretta Lynch would probably continue on as attorney general . ( Lynch met privately with Bill Clinton on the tarmac five days before Hillary Clinton β s FBI interview , and , around the same time , Clinton allies said that Hillary was considering retaining Lynch as the attorney general . )
In Comey β s case , in his public and congressional statements , he repeatedly emphasized that he was conducting an ongoing investigation of possible β collusion β between Putin and those who surrounded Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign .
Yet at the same time , Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had casually exonerated Trump from just those charges of collaborating with the Russians . Comey may have confirmed that in private to some senators .
In contrast , in the past , Comey had foolishly put some currency in an unsourced and unverified but tawdry and soon-leaked Fusion GPS dossier of supposed Trump sexual antics in Moscow β fake news stories generated , as Comey should have known , by opposition researchers funded first by Republican Never Trump operatives and then by the hit teams of the Clinton campaign .
Yet Comey was uncharacteristically quiet about ongoing disclosures that members of the Obama administration had unmasked names of people surveilled by intelligence agencies . At best , if true , the administration unduly revealed identities and then leaked them to the press ; and at worst , it deliberately reverse-targeted political opponents , on the pretext that normal monitoring of Russian officials had , mirabile dictu , caught up Trump associates . Either way , it illegally leaked classified material .
Comey probably understood that keeping silent about FBI inquiries into alleged collusion with the Russians could earn bad enough press to endanger his career . And in the opposite fashion , he seemed to think it was wiser to remain mute about FBI investigations into why and how the administration had surveilled American citizens and then leaked their names to pet reporters .
In the end , Comey β s gymnastics were too clever by half , and he strategized himself out of a job . One of his legacies will be that Hillary Clinton broke the law in using an unsecured server , illegally passed on classified materials , destroyed a great deal of evidence , and participated in Clinton Foundation payola through the cheapening of her position as secretary of state β and got off not just scot-free but outraged that anyone would suggest she should face any consequences whatsoever .
The larger problem with modern government is not that high federal and state officials like the megalomaniac James Comey are sometimes fired ( they rarely willingly resign in the fashion of the British or Japanese ) , but they are almost never let go .
We live in a private-guilt rather than a public-shame culture . The now stereotypical β I take full responsibility β fillip of the state apparatchik , by its mere utterance , is supposed to exonerate culpable officials , regardless of the turmoil that their substandard performance has spawned or the absence of real sacrifice that follows such loud penance .
Currently , a University of California internal audit has revealed some rather shocking behavior on the part of Janet Napolitano , president of the UC system .
Her office has requested tuition increases . Student debt is reaching all-time highs in California . At a time that the over-taxed state is facing billion-dollar budget deficits , some retired UC professors are reported to have been earning more than $ 300,000 in pensions while returning as emeriti instructors ; this maxes out their total state compensation at more than a half-million dollars a year . And yet Napolitano apparently failed to disclose that she had accumulated a slush fund of some $ 175 million in reserve cash .
Her stash reportedly was the result of a long and deliberate practice of requesting far more money that she actually planned to spend . That way , she freed up capital for her own agendas β one of which seems to have been to fund lavish retirement parties . Over four years , Napolitano inter alia also billed the university more than $ 200,000 a year for her personal apartment . UC , like many contemporary progressive institutions , has a paradoxical view of capitalism and its fruits : Progressive social-justice warriors must be well accommodated first , if , second , they are to advance social justice .
Even as Napolitano championed social-justice agendas , from global warming to safe and sanctuary spaces , she seemed to adopt an imperial lifestyle at public expense .
Even as Napolitano ( infamous as Homeland Security secretary for authorizing a memo suggesting that returning military veterans and right-wingers rather than radical Islamists posed the greatest terrorist threat to national security ) championed social-justice agendas , from global warming to safe and sanctuary spaces , she seemed to adopt an imperial lifestyle at public expense .
Probably not β and for a variety of well-known reasons .
Savvy public officials purchase de facto indemnity insurance by professing progressive solidarity . Napolitano learned long ago β during her various missteps in the Obama administration β that β noble β aims can more than justify unsavory means to obtain them . In contrast , had she entered UC from the corporate world , had she supported issues such as guaranteeing free speech on campus , or had she opposed the spread of segregated safe spaces and campus attacks on invited speakers , then she probably would have been fired over this latest scandal .
Susan Rice managed to be at the center of almost every major Obama-administration scandal involving national security . She lied repeatedly on national television about the cause and nature of the Benghazi killings . She misled the U.N. about the nature of humanitarian and no-fly-zone resolutions in Libya , in order to facilitate bombing Qaddafi out of power . She fantasized about the Bowe Bergdahl swap and in Orwellian fashion assured the nation that the AWOL soldier had β served with honor and distinction β before being captured on the field of battle as a POW ; β Sergeant Bergdahl wasn β t simply a hostage ; he was an American prisoner of war captured on the battlefield , β she said .
She was a party to the dissimulations about the Iran Deal side agreements ( whose sordid details are slowly trickling out ) , falsely assuring the nation that there was no connection between cash payments to the Iranians and the release of American hostages .
By any fair measure , Rice at some point deserved to be fired . Instead , after the Benghazi debacle , she was promoted from U.N. ambassador to national-security adviser .
She had insisted to the nation that the Assad regime had destroyed all its Sarin gas weaponry : β We were able to get the Syrian government to voluntarily and verifiably give up its chemical-weapons stockpile. β And she uttered this just months before Assad once again gassed his own people .
Plus , in all likelihood , she was central to the unmasking of American citizens surveilled by intelligence agencies during the last election cycle and then leaking their identities to pet reporters .
By any fair measure , Rice at some point deserved to be fired . Instead , after the Benghazi debacle , she was promoted from U.N. ambassador to national-security adviser , a post in which she served a full term .
Lois Lerner , a high-ranking executive at the IRS , resigned under conservative pressure after staging a sort of fake question-and-answer confessional during a panel discussion that disclosed she had targeted conservative groups for undue IRS scrutiny . Like Napolitano and Rice , Lerner understood that she had purchased indemnity with her political partisanship . Barack Obama ultimately characterized her behavior as evincing β not even a smidgeon β of corruption . And why not , given that many conservative groups were defanged by the IRS during the critical months of the 2012 election campaign ?
The list could be expanded , but the message is clear . Rarely do presidents or governors fire miscreant government officials β unless they judge that they have become political liabilities , a status that is largely determined by politicized media coverage . Of course , that reality is known in advance by bureaucrats who make the necessary careerist political adjustments .
Into this matrix barged politically incorrect and often mercurial Donald Trump , whose past televised celebrity was largely a result of hosting a reality show in which he ostentatiously fired poor performers .
Trump β s misdemeanor was not that he fired someone who deserved to be fired , but that he did so as if he were still the host of The Apprentice rather than the president of the United States .
The real felony remains the exemptions given to high officials such as Lerner , Napolitano , and Rice who have wreaked havoc because they assume they will never be fired .
Yet the real felony remains the exemptions given to high officials such as Lerner , Napolitano , and Rice who have wreaked havoc because they assume they will never be fired . Even a badly conducted severing of a culpable government head is always preferable to an adroit exemption from any consequences . The one is rare and salutary , the other is commonplace and insidious .
Cry not for the firing of James Comey , but for the thousands of Americans who suffer from these incompetent and haughty officials who are never held accountable . | sGhWajOTvVBC17Fc | 2 | Entertainment | -0.2 | Arts And Entertainment | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/11/05/we_have_been_stupefied_how_republicans_subvert_democracy_and_the_democrats_sorry_dereliction/ | We have been stupefied: How Republicans subvert democracy, and the Democratsβ sorry dereliction | 2014-11-05 | Election 2014, Elections | The American republic didn β t end this week because conservative Republicans captured the Senate . Conservative Republicans captured the Senate because the republic has been ending , as liberal Democrats and libertarian Republicans surf four predatory new asymmetries in our national life β in security , in speech , in investment and in consumer marketing . These immense imbalances of power are submerging the elections , delegitimizing the liberal capitalist republic that promised to give security , speech , investment and marketing deeply different meanings and consequences than the ones they β ve acquired .
Nothing less than a transformation of American citizenship worthy of Nathan Hale , Mahatma Gandhi , Martin Luther King Jr. ( who learned a lot from Gandhi ) , Vaclav Havel and , yes , Edward Snowden can free us from yet another spectacle of politicians who look like pinheads dancing on pins β heads .
Security : When American civilian planes brought low the American superpower in 2001 , they shook the dollar-driven premise that a massive , militarized national-security establishment can protect an open society . Yet instead of rethinking its premises and policies the β military-industrial complex β that Dwight Eisenhower warned against has recovered from the shock of 9/11 to become a global search-and-destroy directorate , nearly independent of democratic governance , that is making American society less conducive to the voluntary civic discipline , candor and trust that alone sustain a republic .
Certainly technological change is driving an Orwellian transformation of β homeland β security through surveillance . Henry Kissinger warns that β The Commander of U.S. Cyber Command has predicted that β the next war will begin in cyberspace β β and that it will be asymmetrical . But the prospect that our vast military could be paralyzed by hackers is making the national-security β cure β as dangerous as the disease of terrorism itself . Not only liberals but especially libertarian conservatives , who β ve long mocked the line , β I β m from the government and I β m here to help you , β understand the new β security β danger well .
No wonder that Edward Snowden , 29 , a libertarian conservative , has sacrificed so much to warn us that with only a β policy switch , β any administration could use the National Security Agency β s massive database to chill individual Americans β exercise of the most basic freedoms of speech and political action . Fear of such abuse is already inducing online self-censorship and chilling public debate , Snowden believes .
Snowden is impressing viewers of Laura Poitras β documentary `` CitizenFour '' as a brave , levelheaded citizen reminiscent of Nathan Hale , who was similarly young when he was hanged in 1776 for defying the only β legitimate β government of his time , a monarchial , mercantile , multinational regime , on behalf of a nascent republic . Now Snowden is defying what that republic is becoming .
Predictably , some people consider Snowden a traitor , as some of Hale β s contemporaries did him . But just as Hale was reported to have said , with impressive composure and courage , before he was hanged , β I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country , β so Snowden has written that β the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like ... me . We are stateless , imprisoned , or powerless . No , the Obama administration is afraid of β¦ an informed , angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised β and it should be. β That an analogy to Hale isn β t a stretch should be frightening in itself ; more frightening is the growing asymmetry between what 18th century Britain imposed against Hale β s republican spirit and what it β s equipped to impose on everyone in its close cooperation with our NSA , as reported in the Poitras documentary and the Guardian .
Speech : An equally chilling asymmetry between citizen speakers and incorporeal speakers has grown not only with surveillance but also with recent jurisprudence that compounds a long trend of equating business corporations with persons . Rulings such as Citizens United reduce citizens ' sovereignty over markets , championed by both Roosevelts , to trivial β consumer sovereignty β within markets . Markets can not be free and open , or their participants hopeful and prosperous , without appropriate , occasionally aggressive regulation . But today β s market managers , driven to maximize shareholder value at all other costs , unable to engage in long-term planning that might defer their short-term gains , destroy markets β own contributions to society by buying off the politicians whom citizens elect to regulate them .
This is done by funding or otherwise abetting election campaigns that are prohibitively expensive because over-determined by advertisements on profit-driven media . The Supreme Court has intensified this asymmetry . Your speech isn β t free in any republican sense if a few donors and corporate managers have megaphones while you have laryngitis from straining to be heard : As if adding insult to injury in 2012 , megaphones were denied to Occupy protesters against economic and social devastation caused by deregulated markets .
Investment : Another insult has been the pretension that the republic is in crisis because Aunt Millie wants Social Security and firefighters want pensions . They want them all the more now that predatory , casino-like financing has thrown millions of Americans out of their jobs and homes or degraded their wages and working conditions , thanks largely to asymmetries that are inherent in capitalism itself .
The early 20th-century British writer R. H. Tawney noted β the naΓ―ve psychology of the business man , who ascribes his achievements to his own unaided efforts , in bland unconsciousness of a social order without whose continuous support and vigilant protection he would be as a lamb bleating in the desert. β Writing in 1926 , Tawney nicely anticipated investors β reactions to the crash three years later and the admonitions of Sen. Elizabeth Warren right now .
The devastation of the American Dream is also partly a consequence of the global intensification of capitalist asymmetries : Transnational businesses that escape regulation and taxation force governments to compete with one another to attract them by scanting basic public needs even more than they already have by being bought off right at home . The genius of markets in focusing narrowly on investors , workers and consumers as self-interested individuals quickly becomes their stupidity in obliviousness to the social consequences of their gyrations . That β s why we need democracy to catch up with plutocracy by strong transnational regulation . Even in Nathan Hale β s time , Boston Tea Partyers defied the East India Company , one of the world β s first multinationals . Apostles of global prosperity such as Fareed Zakaria -- and perhaps libertarians such as Edward Snowden -- should revisit that page of both American and global history .
So should the apostles of markets to parts of the world that haven β t had them before , promising to empower the tribal and peasant people by commodifying homes and farms that have never had deeds that entitled them as capital . The political scientist Benjamin Barber warns in his book β Consumed β that unless strong political regulation β secures newly manifested capital against exploitation and abuse , β the economy that β discloses , legitimizes , and hence captures β formerly extralegal assets opens doors to predatory and exploitative encroachments on them .
Consumer Marketing : These daunting new asymmetries in security , speech and investment can be reduced only by millions of citizens as vigilant and mobilized as Snowden and Elizabeth Warren . Instead our body politic is so drained of candor and trust that we β ve let a court conflate the free speech of flesh-and-blood citizens with the disembodied wealth of anonymous shareholders , and we β ve let lawmakers , bought or intimidated , render us helpless against torrents of marketed fear and titillation that are dissolving a distinctively American democratic ethos the literary historian Daniel Aaron characterized as β ethical and pragmatic , disciplined and free . β
What might awaken and empower more citizens , instead of isolating , stupefying and discouraging them ? The answer involves breaking out of the Catch-22 that runaway markets have imposed not just by disadvantaging and dividing their supposedly sovereign consumers but also by actively groping and degrading us .
The disease that today β s investors and managers embody and are imposing on the rest of us is their own incapacity to endure short-term pain for long-term gain β or to endure long-term planning and deferred rewards for short-term gratification . What today β s capitalism is becoming no longer permits it , and the chaos it sows makes democratic deliberation impossible and authoritarian non-solutions attractive .
Many over-stressed , over-stimulated Americans have adapted to living with variants of force and fraud that erupt in road rage ; lethal stampedes by shoppers on sale days ; elaborate ( and intensively marketed ) security precautions against armed home invasion ; gladiatorialization in sports ; nihilism in entertainment that fetishizes violence without context and sex without attachment ; micro-aggressions in daily relations ; commercial groping and goosing of private lives and public spaces in the marketing of ordinary consumer goods ; and a huge prison industry to deter or punish broken , violent men , most of them non-white , only to find schools in even the β safest , β whitest neighborhoods imprisoned by fear of white gunmen who are often students themselves .
Stressed by this republican derangement , millions are spending billions on palliatives , medications , addictions and even surveillance designed to protect them from themselves . All those vials , syringes , security systems and shootings reflect the insinuation of what Edward Gibbon called β a slow and secret poison into the vitals of the empire β¦ β until Roman citizens , having surrendered their republic to authoritarians in pursuit of security , β no longer possessed that public courage which is nourished by the love of independence , the sense of national honour , the presence of danger , and the habit of command . They received laws and governors from the will of their sovereign , and trusted for their defense to a mercenary army . β
If the situation looks somewhat worse than it really is , that β s owing partly to profit-crazed media that sensationalize what β s worst and ignore what β s not . Still , some of us feel like the old Roman republicans , who , recalling their former freedoms , felt , as Livy put it , that β We have become too ill to bear our sickness or their cures. β At Davos , more than a few elite economic and strategic leaders survey the public wreckage they β ve caused and tell one another that , after all , the people must be ruled . But these would-be leaders can barely rule themselves .
If there β s a silver lining in Snowden β s having to spend all his energies fighting the state , it β s that his battle spares him the perverse compromises made by libertarian and free-market conservatives who can β t reconcile their sincere commitment to republican ordered liberty with their knee-jerk obeisance to unregulated market riptides that are dissolving republican virtue and sovereignty before their eyes .
Global capital has released the genie of power from the nationalist bottles in which democratic governments held some strength and , with it , some legitimacy . International diplomacy , once a velvet glove on the iron fist of state power , often now finds itself covering only the algorithmically driven nothingness of mercurial β shareholder value. β The United States military β s β Africom β may soon become a hired security service for that continent β s new Chinese investor/owners .
Meanwhile , in China , Africa and the United States , real citizens stand alone . But so it was when Nathan Hale defied a seemingly impregnable British empire ( as would Gandhi , whom Winston Churchill dismissed as β that naked fakir β ) . So , too , when Martin Luther King Jr. and impoverished black churchgoers , unarmed and trembling , walked into Southern squares to face armed men and dogs in what even Justice Clarence Thomas once called a β totalitarian β system of segregation . So , too when a hapless playwright named Vaclav Havel and other activists in Soviet Eastern Europe defied a vast security state that few in the West had thought would give way . So , too , now , as Snowden defies what the American republic has become . Control of the Senate will matter as much as it should only when it reflects a convergence of Snowden-like libertarians and Warren-like liberals against Republicans β perverse determination to subvert democracy and Democrats β equally perverse dereliction of it . | 9e8b5c5a2aa88982 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/bernies-record-220508 | Sanders had big ideas but little impact on Capitol Hill | 2016-03-12 | elections | At the heart of Bernie Sanders β campaign is a promise to bring about sweeping change . But on some of the top issues at the center of Sanders β presidential bid β health care , taking on the big banks and corporations , fighting for rights , raising attention to income inequality β the revolution has been slow in the 25 years he β s spent in Congress .
During the Democratic debate in Miami on Wednesday , Sanders and Hillary Clinton each repeatedly turned to the Vermonter β s Senate record . Clinton hit him for voting against the Troubled Asset Relief Program II bailout , arguing that β if everyone had voted as he voted , we would not have saved the auto industry , β and she attacked him for voting against the 2007 immigration reform bill .
β Madam Secretary , I will match my record against yours any day of the week , β Sanders responded , in one of the many moments he brought up his Senate work .
He was on the committee that wrote Obamacare , he said , and he introduced what he called β the most comprehensive climate change legislation in the history of the Senate . β
β I have been criticized a lot for thinking big , for believing we can do great things as a nation , β Sanders said .
Rarely has that thinking translated into actual legislation or left a significant imprint on it , according to Democratic lawmakers and staffers who have worked with him .
Several top Democrats say the difference is a complete contrast to another progressive , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . ) , who has had a much clearer impact on the financial and inequality discussions in just the three years she β s been in the Senate .
As for taking on Wall Street , one of the issues Sanders is most identified with on the campaign trail , former Democratic Rep. Barney Frank said Warren β s done much more to protect the landmark Dodd-Frank financial regulation law in the years since its passage .
β She has been more effective at blocking efforts to weaken the bill . [ Sanders β ] mind-set is that there β ll be a revolution , β said Frank , adding that he doesn β t remember Sanders being involved in any of the affordable housing work he did in the House . β He plants his flag and expects that someday everyone will see he was right . β
Liberal Sen. Tammy Baldwin ( D-Wis. ) , a Hillary Clinton supporter who describes herself as a big Sanders fan , struggled when asked ahead of last month β s debate in Milwaukee if she could point to examples of the Vermont senator β s actually influencing the outcome of legislation , other than the much praised bipartisan Veterans Affairs reform he led as chairman of that committee in the Senate .
β Um , β she said , pausing for a full eight seconds while thinking , β I β m sure I could . In terms of the things that he talks the most about , is when he was chair of the Veterans Affairs committee . But he actually compromised on a whole heck of a lot . Back in β¦ it β s not coming to my mind right now . β
On the progressive causes that are his core , an episode during the Affordable Care Act debate provides insight into his approach to lawmaking , say those who have worked with him .
While sitting down with then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) , who was meeting with members of his conference one on one during the difficult days in 2009 , Sanders told the then-Senate majority leader not to worry : He was going to vote for Obamacare , though he would continue speaking publicly as if he wouldn β t so he could continue to rail against the absence of a public option .
At the time , Ted Kennedy was dying and Reid was nervously locking down votes . Sanders assured him he wasn β t going to be one of the problem senators .
The Vermont senator β s approach seemed to capture the essence of his Capitol Hill style : more influential than his detractors often give him credit for , more of an inside player than his supporters tend to admit or than he likes to project , though often less consequential in others β retelling of events than in his own version . In his 16 years in the House , he was generally dismissed as being off on his own and irrelevant to the Democratic conference he caucused with and its leadership , people involved at the time say , but in the smaller , more collaborative Senate , he β s been much more of a factor .
Frank , former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee , offered an unblinking assessment .
β His legislative record was to state the ideological position he took on the left , but with the exception of a few small things , he never got anything done , β said Frank , who has endorsed Clinton . β Senators are not impotent . β
To hear Sanders aides describe the previously unreported meeting with Reid about Obamacare , Sanders had a condition for his support . Reid aides and others familiar with the conversation remember it as more of a suggestion : community health centers , to address lack of medical access in urban and rural areas .
Either way , Reid took the idea back to his staff , while Sanders pushed it from his spot on the Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee . Reid put $ 10 billion in the bill for facilities across the country funded by the federal government that don β t require insurance and charge based on ability to pay .
When Reid called with the news , Sanders told him that was going to be more important than anything else in the bill .
The Vermont senator often mentions his success on community health centers when he talks about health care on the campaign trail . While he rails about tearing down Obamacare and starting over , Sanders leaves out his early assurances of support to Reid behind closed doors ( at one point during the committee markup , then-New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg asked him whether he was going to vote for the bill , given all the complaints he was making about the lack of the public option , and Sanders said he wasn β t sure ) .
People who worked on Obamacare in the White House and in the HELP Committee say that they never paid much attention to him . β His contribution was more than that of many senators . But he did not help get the bill passed or help shape its architecture , β said Topher Spiro , a top HELP Committee staffer who helped draft the bill and is now a vice president for health policy at the Center for American Progress .
β His support for the most consequential legislation in years was lukewarm , β said Spiro , noting that in his years of work on the bill , he does not remember a conversation with Sanders on an issue .
That read gets Sanders wrong , say aides who insist the community health centers essentially created a mini-public option and are a lot closer to what he wanted than anyone else would have been able to get .
β Sen . Sanders does not start the conversation off with half a loaf . He starts the conversation off with a full loaf , and then negotiates from there , β said Warren Gunnels , the senator β s senior policy adviser and a member of his campaign staff .
β He had certain things that he was particularly focused on , and one of those was the expansion of community health centers , β said former Sen. Jeff Bingaman ( D-N.M. ) , one of the top members of the HELP Committee at the time . β He was actively involved , and he was putting forth suggestions . β
Bingaman said that was similar to the role that he often admired Sanders for playing on the Energy Committee , where the Vermont senator would talk about β a lot of different proposals β related to solar panels and renewable energy , and sometimes direct attention to them .
β He didn β t win all his amendments , but he certainly championed the issues that he feels strongly about , β Bingaman said .
As far as taking on the banks and large financial interests β the central theme of Sanders β 2016 campaign β there isn β t anything nearly as significant as community health centers in his record that his staff or anyone else can point to .
β He was not a major participant in the financial reform debates , either in the Clinton administration or in the Obama administration , β said Michael Barr , a Treasury official during the Clinton and Obama administrations who helped write the Dodd-Frank financial regulations . β Broadly speaking , I think he β s been consistent in his politics . But when it came to the substance of financial reform , he just wasn β t that involved , except on the Audit the Fed amendment . β
That amendment , for which Sanders partnered with then-Rep. Ron Paul ( R-Texas ) , would have required all of the Federal Reserve β s financial dealings with institutions to be made public , sparking major concerns from banks and other senators . Eventually , then-Sen. Chris Dodd ( D-Conn. ) collaborated on a reduced version that did become part of the Dodd-Frank bill .
Paul at the time complained Sanders had β sold out. β Gunnels credits the compromise for changing the entire dynamic of the financial regulations and exposing $ 16 trillion in low-interest loans made by the Federal Reserve , making it a major accomplishment even if not central to the bill .
β I would say that Audit the Fed was a historic achievement that took countless hours from the senator and countless hours from his staff , β Gunnels said .
Others involved with the development of Dodd-Frank say they don β t remember hearing from Sanders , or being asked for briefings by him or worrying that his vote was at all in the air .
Frank , the leader of the bill in the House , said that he remembers Sanders coming up in conversations only when Dodd said he was proud of getting Sanders to back down .
β He has always talked about revolution , but on Dodd-Frank and Obamacare , he left the pitchfork at home and joined the Democrats because he knew what we were doing was more important than getting half a loaf or no loaf at all , β said one top Senate aide .
Aides to President Barack Obama and to other progressive Democratic senators have trouble pointing to much collaboration with Sanders over the past seven years . As people on both Obama β s and Sanders β staffs acknowledged when the president hosted the senator in the Oval Office in late January , the two had rarely spoken one-on-one before .
People around Sanders tend to place more importance on some of the interactions than do others who were involved . Asked for an example of Sanders β influencing the White House on progressive economics , Sanders staffers pointed to another previously unreported meeting the senator hosted in his Capitol Hill office in late 2013 with White House chief of staff Denis McDonough , attended also by Democratic Sens . Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island . The staffers said the meeting was aimed at improving communication between Senate progressives and the White House , but quickly centered on urging Obama to sign an executive order raising the minimum wage for federal contractors to $ 10.10 per hour .
Progressives had been pressuring Obama to move for months , including a protest outside the White House that Sanders attended . In his State of the Union address the following January , Obama announced he β d do it .
Sanders aides say they believe the McDonough meeting was the tipping point by raising the conversation at the highest levels . The White House says the reality is that the president already wanted to and was prepared to raise the minimum wage for federal contractors , but knowing of the strong support in Congress was a factor in the decision to move forward .
Speaking about his consistent support of gay rights , Sanders often reminds people he was one of the small minority who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 . Aides also point to a 1995 floor speech during the debate about the β don β t ask , don β t tell β policy , when he blasted then-Rep. Duke Cunningham ( R-Calif. ) for referring to β homos in the military . β
β You have insulted thousands of men and women who have put their lives on the line , β Sanders said at the time .
LGBT advocates and others involved with those fights over the years credit Sanders for his support but say he was not really involved in the efforts beyond voting the way they hoped .
β In my entire time doing work for the LGBT community , I never met Bernie Sanders , β said Joe Solmonese , a former president of the Human Rights Campaign .
On repealing DADT , for example , Solmonese said Sanders was never involved in either the daily strategy sessions or the public relations push that led to the policy being killed in 2010 .
β It doesn β t take away from the fact that he β s 100 percent in his voting record , β Solmonese said . β Anybody willing to step up and sit at the table and plan a path forward was more than welcome . β
In the House , leadership aides say Sanders was generally off on his own , essentially ignored by leadership and largely invisible on the floor . In the Senate , where policy discussions are held weekly during conference lunches , Sanders has consistently pushed for more attention to income inequality . Senators and leadership aides say that β s influenced their thinking and , to an extent , their actions .
β On the issues that are his bread and butter issues on the campaign trail , he β s certainly altered the conversation , but in terms of the change and the result , I haven β t seen a lot of it in three years , β said Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-Va. ) , who serves with Sanders on the Budget Committee and has endorsed Clinton , though he also describes himself as a Sanders fan .
That β s the same amount of time Kaine has served with Warren . Kaine said the contrast is clear . She β s influenced the debate β dramatically . β | KMsT5J4YWhDPgvUI | 0 | Bernie Sanders | 0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
national_defense | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/the-memo/477453-the-memo-trump-claims-iran-win-while-turning-down-heat | Trump claims Iran win while turning down heat | 2020-01-09 | national_defense | President Trump Donald John TrumpDem lawmaker says Nunes threatened to sue him over criticism Parnas : U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed to clear path for investigations into Bidens Five takeaways from Parnas 's Maddow interview MORE on Wednesday sought to turn down the heat on confrontation with Iran before the showdown spiraled out of control .
In doing so , he brought relief both to Republicans , who believe he can claim a victory , and to Democrats , who had warned that Trump was careening toward a major and potentially catastrophic war .
In remarks at the White House on Wednesday morning , Trump focused on his insistence that Iran should not get a nuclear weapon and on his long-standing criticisms of the nuclear deal agreed between Tehran and other major powers , including the United States , in 2015 .
But there was no sign that Trump was inclined to ramp up the conflict with Iran any further .
Hours before , Iran had fired missiles into at least two Iraqi bases that host U.S. forces . There were no U.S. casualties in the attacks , however , and Tehran may have calibrated its actions to lessen the risk that the situation could spiral out of control .
The attack came in response to the U.S. β s killing of Qassem Soleimani , the commander of the elite Quds Force , in Baghdad on Jan. 3 .
The situation remains febrile , however . On Wednesday afternoon U.S. time , reports emerged of a further attack in the Green Zone in Baghdad , though details were hazy and there were no casualties reported immediately .
Some Democrats argued that the unpredictability of the situation held political danger for Trump , whose impulsive style has long been a focus for his critics .
β If this ends now , then I suspect people will move on , β said Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky . β If it continues , then voters will have pause about Donald Trump β s leadership and veracity , and his ability to act as commander in chief . β
Roginsky β s reference to veracity appeared to be an allusion to the vague explanations that surround why Trump ordered the strike on Soleimani in the first place .
Previous administrations , under former President George W. Bush and former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaNew Hampshire Rep. Kuster endorses Buttigieg Overnight Defense : Foreign policy takes center stage at Democratic debate | House delivers impeachment articles to Senate | Dems vow to force new vote on Trump 's border wall Ray LaHood backs Biden for president MORE , weighed action against the Iranian general and decided against it , in part because of worries that the reverberations could be too great .
U.S. officials , including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael ( Mike ) Richard PompeoDemocrats clash at debate over keeping US troops in Mideast Democrats request briefing on intel behind Trump 's embassy threat claim Hillicon Valley : Apple , Barr clash over Pensacola shooter 's phone | Senate bill would boost Huawei alternatives | DHS orders agencies to fix Microsoft vulnerability | Chrome to phase out tracking cookies MORE , have suggested that American intelligence learned that Soleimani posed an imminent threat .
There has been no significant evidence yet made available to support that assertion , however β something that disconcerts even some Republicans , who remember the intelligence failures that dogged the run-up to the Iraq War .
Still , for now , some Republicans believe the president has won a victory over his liberal critics , eliminating an American adversary while being apparently able to avoid major negative repercussions .
β He managed his way through a significant international crisis and came out the victor , β said GOP strategist Matt Mackowiak . β He clearly won on a very important national security issue . The world β s worst terrorist is off the battlefield , he didn β t have to pay much of a price at all , and he has restored deterrence with Iran . β
Impeachment , which had been Topic A in American politics , has been sidelined by the focus on Iran .
The issue has put foreign policy at the center of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination , with the Iowa caucuses less than a month away .
In particular , it has renewed scrutiny of former Vice President Joe Biden Joe Biden Parnas : U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed to clear path for investigations into Bidens Five takeaways from Parnas 's Maddow interview Parnas : Trump threatened to withhold more than just military aid to Ukraine MORE , the national front-runner . Biden β s allies say this could be to his benefit , since it reminds voters of his experience in foreign policy . But the danger is that it also reminds the electorate of Biden β s 2002 Senate vote to give Bush the authority to wage war in Iraq .
Biden β s two leading rivals , Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersWarren to Sanders : ' I think you called me a liar on national TV ' Warren-Sanders fight raises alarm on the left On The Money β Presented by Wells Fargo β Trump signs first phase of US-China trade deal | Senate to vote Thursday on Canada , Mexico deal | IRS provides relief for those with discharged student loans MORE ( I-Vt. ) and Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann WarrenWarren to Sanders : ' I think you called me a liar on national TV ' Warren-Sanders fight raises alarm on the left Overnight Health Care : Health insurers urge Supreme Court to take ObamaCare case | Lawmakers press Trump officials to change marijuana rules | Bloomberg vows to ban flavored e-cigs if elected MORE ( D-Mass . ) , have been more emphatic in their criticisms of Trump β s actions .
Republicans , meanwhile , hope that the debate will put the Democrats at odds with the position of the American public at large .
Mackowiak noted that the matter was sure to come up at the next televised Democratic debate , in Iowa on Tuesday .
β All the Democrats will have to answer whether it was right to take Soleimani out , β he predicted . β I would guess 80 percent of the country would say yes and the Democrats will say no . β
There has not yet been extensive polling on that point but the surveys that have emerged suggest a nation much more closely divided .
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted Jan. 5-7 indicated that the strike against Soleimani was approved of by 44 percent of Americans and disapproved of by 38 percent .
As with virtually every issue in contemporary politics , responses broke heavily along partisan lines β only 15 percent of Democrats approved of the drone strike , but it was backed by 84 percent of Republicans .
Some Democrats remain fiercely critical of Trump β s conduct , pointing to the de facto destruction of the nuclear deal and Trump β s continued pressing of sanctions against Iran .
Rep. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarLocal New Hampshire SEIU branch bucks national union to endorse Sanders Enes Kanter sees political stardom β after NBA and WWE Rep. Omar : 'War trauma never leaves you ' MORE ( D-Minn. ) called sanctions β economic warfare β in a tweet posted after Trump β s White House remarks Wednesday .
β You can not claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal . This is not a measured response ! β she added .
But the rhetoric was even more heated on the other side .
The Trump campaign , in a Wednesday email , insisted that Sanders β s criticism of the strike on Soleimani meant he β can β t be trusted to defend American lives . β
With Trump scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Toledo , Ohio , on Thursday evening , there will be plenty more where that came from .
β At the next rally , what β s he going to be talking about ? β Doug Heye , a former communications director of the Republican National Committee , asked rhetorically . β β I killed a terrorist . β β
The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage primarily focused on Donald Trump β s presidency . | eGrHPvRtZjaeBtYc | 1 | Iran | -0.8 | Donald Trump | 0.4 | National Defense | 0.1 | National Security | 0.1 | null | null |
elections | Newsmax (News) | https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-biden-stepien-debates/2020/08/03/id/980253/ | Trump Campaign Manager: We Want More Biden Debates, Sooner | 2020-08-03 | Elections, 2020 Election, Donald Trump, Joe Biden | The Trump campaign wants more campaign debates between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden and it wants them to start sooner, campaign manager Bill Stepien said Monday."The first debate is scheduled by Sept. 29," said Stepien on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "By that time, 16 states will already have been voting. That's a concern for me."Joe Lockhart, former press secretary under President Bill Clinton, has said in a CNN opinion piece and commented over the weekend that Biden shouldn't debate Trump, calling it a "fool's errand to enter the ring with someone who can't follow the rules or the truth."Stepien said that comment marked yet another attempt from the left and liberal media to "create trap doors for Joe Biden to escape his commitment and his obligation to debate Donald Trump on a debate stage in front of the American people."Stepien also commented on statements made over the weekend by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., calling for Democrats to come together to elect Biden and saying that Biden's administration would be "the most progressive administration that it can become.""I don't agree with Bernie Sanders on much but I think he laid out the case for the Biden presidency and what measures we can expect should he somehow get elected," said Stepien.Meanwhile, Biden must be judged by "the people he has surrounded himself with at every step of his campaign," said Stepien, as "he is an empty vessel of the radical left."The Trump campaign is rolling out new ads focusing on Biden's progressive leanings after last week temporarily halting ad spending while it reviews its messaging strategy.One of the ads shows how the "radical left" has taken over Biden and the Democratic Party, said Stepien."In that ad, you see exactly what a Joe Biden administration will bring to America," said Stepien. "Defunding or reimagination of the police, $4 trillion in new and higher taxes. Open borders, the Green New Deal. It's really concerning." | ff6d83d7478dd7e1 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2015/03/11/392285883/hillary-clinton-renews-tradition-of-trial-by-news-conference | Hillary Clinton Renews Tradition Of Trial By News Conference | 2015-03-11 | politics | In the days ahead , strenuous efforts will be made to prove or disprove the assertions Hillary Clinton made in her news conference Tuesday regarding her email accounts . The fate of Clinton 's presumed presidential candidacy will depend on that struggle .
In past presidential cycles we have seen many a news conference where careers on the national stage seemed to hang in the balance . Some of these moments have led to redemption , others to utter disaster . And still others have proved inconclusive , with other factors determining the candidate 's fate .
No . 1 in the redemption category has to be Richard Nixon 's iconic `` Checkers '' speech in 1952 , when stories about gifts received by his family threatened to push him off the Republican presidential ticket as Dwight Eisenhower 's running mate .
The candidate spoke of his wife 's modest `` Republican cloth coat '' ( no mink or fox for Pat Nixon ) and a puppy given to his daughters , Julie and Tricia . The girls named him Checkers . `` We 're going to keep it , '' said Nixon , striking a tone of mock defiance .
The video of this artifact looks hopelessly crude and grainy , but this performance on TV was among the first political events of consequence carried on that fledgling medium . Eisenhower kept the young senator from California on the ticket ( partly to placate the party 's Western conservatives ) and Nixon would be in the White House for nearly 14 of the next 22 years .
Another vice president who saved himself in a perilous moment was Dan Quayle of Indiana , also a young senator when he was picked for the vice presidential slot by GOP nominee George H.W . Bush in 1988 . Quayle was introduced to the national media at a packed news conference in New Orleans . He bungled questions regarding his stateside service in the National Guard during the Vietnam War .
For the next couple of days , Quayle seemed the deer caught in the headlights , seeming woefully unequal to the task suddenly thrust upon him . But then he retreated to his home state and staged another news event . He sat at the bottom level of an outdoor amphitheater with reporters arrayed on benches above him , hurling accusatory questions . Public sympathy turned in a day , and Quayle stayed on the ticket and moved into the vice presidential residence the following winter .
But not all candidates have managed to save their bacon . In 1972 , Missouri Sen. Tom Eagleton was a surprise pick by Democratic nominee George McGovern , himself a senator from South Dakota . Eagleton offered neither regional nor ideological counterbalance to McGovern , but was attractive and well-spoken . Unfortunately , he had also received controversial treatments including electroshock therapy for depression .
When this became public days after the nominating convention , Eagleton became the center of a media storm . Although McGovern initially said he was behind his running mate choice `` a thousand percent , '' it so happened that Eagleton had not leveled with McGovern about his medical history . Eagleton was summarily dropped from the ticket and was replaced by Sargent Shriver . The McGovern ticket lost 49 states to Nixon that November .
The Democrats also lost 49 states in 1984 , and that debacle featured still another troubled vice presidential choice , Geraldine Ferraro . The first woman on a major party ticket , Ferraro at the time was a congresswoman from Queens in New York City . But she was also the wife of John Zaccaro , a businessman who was initially loath to reveal his tax returns or talk about his real estate holdings or connections to local politicians . Ferraro , herself a lawyer , held a news conference that August where she confidently answered questions for two hours . That kept her on the ticket but did not dispel the air of having things to hide . Ronald Reagan got more of the women 's vote that fall than he had in 1980 .
News conferences are surely double-edged swords . While they have helped some candidates , they have been the undoing of others . In 1987 , two leading contenders for the following year 's Democratic presidential nomination were Gary Hart , a former senator from Colorado , and Joe Biden , a senator from Delaware . In May , the Miami Herald reported Hart had spent a weekend with a young woman at his Washington , D.C. , home while his wife was in Colorado . At a news conference a few days later , Hart was besieged by reporters who had heard other stories about his private life . One asked if Hart thought adultery was a sin . When Hart said he did , the reporter asked if Hart had committed that sin .
`` I do n't have to answer that , '' Hart said . But in a sense , he just had . His campaign unraveled and was over the same week .
That summer , Biden was confronted by reports he had borrowed big chunks from a speech by a British politician whose life story Biden found inspiring . The borrowings had gone unattributed , as had sentences elsewhere in Biden 's campaign rhetoric that were quotations of another one-time candidate , Robert F. Kennedy . Biden held a Capitol Hill news conference in September to confidently proclaim himself `` in the race to stay . '' But there was video of the speeches , and in dealing with a citizen question in New Hampshire , Biden misrepresented his resume and lost his temper β also on videotape . Biden suspended his campaign just days after the news conference .
Clearly , the critical factor in many of these cases has been the manner in which the media handled the story β and the manner in which the candidate handled the media .
A major case in point , especially relevant for the current campaign , took place early in 1992 . Bill Clinton , the Democratic governor of Arkansas , went on CBS ' 60 Minutes right after the Super Bowl to answer accusations of extramarital affairs and draft dodging . Clinton was saved by his steadfast , able and tough-talking wife , who sat next to him and said their marriage was their business and no one else 's . The spouse , of course , was Hillary Clinton , who would continue her stand-by-your-man performance throughout the next eight difficult years in the White House ( which included the impeachment of Bill Clinton on charges stemming from an affair with an intern ) .
Hillary Clinton was making her first bid for the White House in her own right in 2008 when an unexpected surge of delegates in caucus states propelled a rival senator to the lead in the Democratic nominating process . His name was Barack Obama , and much of the country was just becoming aware of him as he entered his fourth year as a senator from Illinois .
At this juncture , videotape emerged of Obama 's pastor at a Chicago church delivering fiery sermons condemning U.S. foreign policy β especially the response to the terror attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 . One showed the Rev . Jeremiah Wright thundering `` Not God bless America ... God damn America . '' It was clear the candidate would have to do something or be crucified alongside his `` spiritual adviser . ''
Obama responded with a speech , seven years ago this week , that managed to combine compassion for Wright with a recognition of their differences and a promise to put plenty of daylight between them . The speech also managed to recall some of the great orations of the civil rights era , including those of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr . Some media accounts suggested Obama spoke like a cross between a sage and a siege gun . And though the Wright association was not laid to rest for many weeks thereafter , the story turned around and became part of the burgeoning Obama legend . That summer he would be the first African-American nominated for president by a major party . | 7tQx61cINqwsawsF | 1 | Hillary Clinton | -0.3 | Emails | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
immigration | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/us/in-report-63-back-way-to-get-citizenship.html?hp | In Report, 63% Back Way to Get Citizenship | 2013-11-25 | immigration | The report is based on results from four national surveys , one in Ohio and focus groups in Arizona , Florida and Ohio . It compares results from a national poll in March with a similar bilingual telephone survey that was conducted nationwide in English and Spanish from Nov. 6 to 10 among 1,005 adults , with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points . The nonprofit research institute conducts surveys on public policy issues and religious values .
Support for citizenship has not changed significantly since March , the institute found .
The group drilled down into that issue , creating subgroups for the November survey who were asked questions with differing levels of detail about the requirements immigrants should have to meet to become citizens . When there was no mention of requirements , 59 percent supported an option for citizenship . When the question specified that immigrants would have to pay back taxes , learn English and pass background checks , support increased to 71 percent .
The requirements were β most important for Republicans , β the report said . When the question did not mention requirements , only about four in 10 Republicans supported citizenship . When the requirements were described in more detail , Republican support increased to 62 percent .
In June , the Senate passed a broad bipartisan bill with a 13-year pathway to citizenship that includes the hurdles mentioned in the poll : paying back taxes and passing English tests and criminal background checks . House leaders have said they will not take up that measure , but will address immigration issues in smaller bills . Several House Republican leaders have said they are drafting measures that would provide β lawful status β for many unauthorized immigrants but no β special path β to citizenship .
According to the report , nearly seven in 10 Americans believe the 13-year wait for citizenship under the Senate bill is too long , while 24 percent said it was just right . | Iw2GfyuymSieFOKR | 0 | Immigration | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/11/politics/us-germany-foiled-russian-assassination-plot/index.html | Exclusive: US and Germany foiled Russian plot to assassinate CEO of arms manufacturer sending weapons to Ukraine | 2024-07-12 | World, Ukraine War, Russia, Germany, Europe, European Union, US Intelligence, NATO, Defense And Security, Foreign Policy | CNN βUS intelligence discovered earlier this year that the Russian government planned to assassinate the chief executive of a powerful German arms manufacturer that has been producing artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine, according to five US and western officials familiar with the episode.The plot was one of a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe who were supporting Ukraineβs war effort, these sources said. The plan to kill Armin Papperger, a white-haired goliath who has led the German manufacturing charge in support of Kyiv, was the most mature.When the Americans learned of the effort, they informed Germany, whose security services were then able to protect Papperger and foil the plot. A high-level German government official confirmed that Berlin was warned about the plot by the US.For more than six months, Russia has been carrying out a sabotage campaign across Europe, largely by proxy. It has recruited local amateurs for everything from arson attacks on warehouses linked to arms for Ukraine to petty acts of vandalism β all designed to stymie the flow of weapons from the West to Ukraine and blunt public support for Kyiv.But the intelligence suggesting that Russia was willing to assassinate private citizens underlined to Western officials just how far Moscow was willing to go in a parallel shadow war it is waging across the west.Papperger was an obvious target: His company, Rheinmetall, is the largest and most successful German manufacturer of the vital 155mm artillery shells that have become the make-or-break weapon in Ukraineβs grinding war of attrition. The company is opening an armored vehicle plant inside of Ukraine in the coming weeks, an effort that one source familiar with the intelligence said was deeply concerning to Russia. After a series of gains earlier this year, Moscowβs war effort has once again stalled amid redoubled Ukrainian defenses and punishing losses in personnel.Employees work at a production line as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius attend the groundbreaking ceremony for a new munitions factory of German defense contractor Rheinmetall on February 12 in Unterluess, Germany. Fabian Bimmer/Pool/Getty ImagesThe series of plots, not previously reported, helps explain the increasingly strident warnings from NATO officials about the seriousness of the sabotage campaign β one that some senior officials believe risks crossing the threshold into armed conflict in eastern Europe.βWeβre seeing sabotage, weβre seeing assassination plots, weβre seeing arson. Weβre seeing things that have a cost in human lives,β a senior NATO official told reporters on Tuesday. βI believe very much that weβre seeing a campaign of covert sabotage activities from Russia that have strategic consequences.βThe National Security Council declined to comment on the existence of the Russian plot and the US warning to Germany. But, NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, βRussiaβs intensifying campaign of subversion is something that we are taking extremely seriously and have been intently focused on over the past few months.βThe United States has been discussing this issue with our NATO Allies, and we are actively working together to expose and disrupt these activities,β she said. βWe have also been clear that Russiaβs actions will not deter Allies from continuing to support Ukraine.βThe National Security Council declined to comment on the existence of the Russian plot and the US warning to Germany. But, NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, βRussiaβs intensifying campaign of subversion is something that we are taking extremely seriously and have been intently focused on over the past few months.βThe United States has been discussing this issue with our NATO Allies, and we are actively working together to expose and disrupt these activities,β she said. βWe have also been clear that Russiaβs actions will not deter Allies from continuing to support Ukraine.βGerman officials declined to comment on the specifics of CNNβs reporting. But speaking on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday, Germanyβs Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said it shows how Russia is βwaging a hybrid war of aggressionβ on European allies.βWe have seen that there have been attacks on factories. And this underlines once again that we as Europeans must protect ourselves as best we can and not be naive,β Baerbock said.In a separate statement sent to CNN, the German Interior Ministry said that Berlin βwill not be intimidated by the Russian threatsο»Ώ,β emphasizing that they are fundamentally aimed at βundermining the support of Germany and our partners for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian war of aggression.βA spokesman for Rheinmetall, Oliver Hoffman, declined to comment.βThe necessary measures are always taken in regular consultation with the security authorities,β Hoffman said.CNN has asked the Russian embassy in Washington for comment.NATO members seeking to strengthen intel sharingRussiaβs sabotage campaign has been a major point of discussion among NATO officials gathered in Washington for the blocβs 75th anniversary summit. NATO has sought to improve intelligence sharing across the alliance so that the nations will be able to connect the dots between what otherwise might appear to be disparate criminal activities unique to their own country.But the campaign β and in particular Russiaβs willingness to take lethal action against European citizens on foreign soil β has raised difficult questions about how the alliance should respond. In theory under Article 5, an armed attack on a NATO member state is an attack on all.Russiaβs sabotage campaign has, at times, smacked of a shotgun approach carried out by amateurs. Some of the crimes linked to the campaign have not had obvious links to the conflict in Ukraine; Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly suggested that a fire at an IKEA in Lithuania could have been the work of Russia, for example. In Poland, CNN has reported, a Ukrainian man was recruited over Telegram by a Russian handler he never met in person and was paid just $7 to spray anti-war graffiti. Later, he was asked to plant surveillance cameras and burn down the fence of a Ukrainian-owned transportation company.Some analysts have referred to the effort as a βhybridβ campaign, one that uses non-military tools like propaganda, deception and sabotage. But US and European officials are gradually hardening against defining Russiaβs sabotage efforts that way.βI fundamentally reject the idea that what weβre seeing is a hybrid campaign from Russia. There are hybrid elements of it. When I think of βhybridβ, I think of β¦ defacing monuments,β the senior NATO official said. βThings that meet that traditional definition of βbelow the threshold of armed conflict.ββBecause Russia is recruiting operatives to carry out arson and plotting assassinations β lethal action β βIβm not as confident that those all fall below this threshold that βhybridβ implies,β the official said.It was not clear whether the intelligence related to Rheinmetall suggested Russia intended to kill Papperger directly or hire a local proxy.Other Russian efforts have been far more serious than spraying a little graffiti or vandalizing a diplomatβs car: US military bases across Europe were placed on a heightened state of alert last week for the first time in a decade after the US received intelligence that Russian-backed actors were considering carrying out sabotage attacks against US military personnel and facilities, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.In April, two German-Russian nationals were arrested for allegedly plotting bomb and arson attacks on targets including US military facilities on behalf of Russia.In London in March, several men were charged with working with Russian intelligence services to set fire to a Ukrainian-linked warehouse. Poland is investigating whether an arson attack that destroyed Warsawβs largest mall in May was connected to Russia and has arrested nine people in connection with Russia-linked acts of sabotage, the prime minister said in May. And French authorities last month detained a Russian-Ukrainian man who was allegedly building bombs as part of a sabotage campaign orchestrated by Moscow.Drone view of the Marywilska 44 shopping centre burning during a massive fire in Warsaw, Poland, on May 12, 2024. Dariusz Borowicz/Agencja Wyborcza.pl/ReutersβTheyβre doing it now because they believe that as there are a number of elections happening throughout the west, that this is a prime opportunity to try to undermine public support for Ukraine,β the senior NATO official said.The official also said that Russia sees a window of opportunity before additional weapons and ammunition promised by the west arrive on the battlefield in Ukraine.For Russia, this βis a prime time to target the west in these types of operations to try to undermine support and prevent the flow of weapons there.βCNNβs Zachary Cohen, Nadine Schmidt and Chris Stern contributed to this report. | 14807f01e31b4f45 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | Breitbart News | https://breitbart.com/politics/2024/10/01/vp-debate-livewire-jd-vance-tim-walz-face-off-new-york-world-deteriorates-into-chaos | JD Vance, Tim Walz Face Off in New York as World Deteriorates into Chaos | 2024-10-01 | 2024 Presidential Election, Vice Presidential Debate, Tim Walz, JD Vance | Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the GOP and Democratic nominees for Vice President of the United States respectively, will debate on Tuesday evening in New York in what might be the last major event with both major U.S. political parties involved before the Nov. 5 election just over a month away. The debate, which will be moderated by CBS Newsβs Norah OβDonnell and Margaret Brennan, will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET, and most major television networks will carry it live. Since former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harrisβthe GOP and Democratic presidential nominees respectivelyβhave not agreed on terms for a second debate after they faced off back on September 10, this event might be the last word on a debate stage this year from the two campaigns. Some in the establishment, and particularly the Harris campaign, including Harris herself, have been desperately trying to goad Trump into accepting a second debate with her, but given the fact that Trump feels good about where heβs at in the campaign it seems unlikely he would give in to the Democrat overtures. So on stage on Tuesday, itβs up to Vance and Walz to each do their best to represent their tickets to voters. The debate comes hours after the Islamic Republic of Iran launched missiles into Israel, forcing the entire civilian population into shelters, and as tensions in the Middle East keep rising after Israel wiped out the longtime leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. It also comes as the Russian war in Ukraine continues to drain American tax dollars and crime rates hit historic highs here at home in the United States as thousands of migrant murderers and tens of thousands of migrant criminals are β per Department of Homeland Security statistics β in the United States. Whatβs more, most importantly to voters in this election, the economy continues to struggle with Harris in command of the nation alongside current but outgoing President Joe Bidenβthe incumbent commander-in-chief whom Harris and other Democrats pushed aside when he imploded at the debate with Trump back in late June. Now Longshoremen union members are striking, thanks to Harrisβs and Bidenβs failures to help negotiate a deal, severely threatening the already weak economy, and Harrisβs heartlessness in her and Bidenβs complete failure to properly respond to the impact of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Georgia, and elsewhere further damages the nation. Given the absolute failures of ABC Newsβs David Muir and Linsey Davis as moderators of the debate between Trump and Harris earlier this fall, expectations for OβDonnell and Brennan are extremely low. There are reports that CBS might even throw a QR code on screen during the debate to direct viewers to a website where the networkβs reporters will be live βfact-checkingβ statements from the debate, but knowing the establishment media these are almost certainly going to be weighted against Vance and in favor of Walz. As for the actual vice presidential candidates, Walzβs deep history of lying about his own backgroundβfrom claiming he served in combat when he absolutely did not to claiming he was in Asia during the Tiananmen Square massacre in China to more lies about himselfβwould be front and center in any just debate. So would Walzβs extremely radical record on policy which runs counter to his βfolksy demeanor,β as Harris aides and establishment media regularly call it, given Walzβs history of backing amnesty for illegal aliens and other very radical and extreme ideas. Whatβs more, Vanceβs powerful story as someone who pulled himself up from poverty into the upper echelons of American society so quickly should also come through on stage on Tuesday. Vance, who is known for his quick ability to handle himself in debates and interviews, is likely to try to cut Walz down to size while also using the massive national audience to bring the heat directly to Harris past Walz. Follow along here on Breitbart News for live breaking news, updates, and analysis during the 2024 vice presidential debate. UPDATE 12:04 a.m. ET: CNNβs instant poll found an even split of who won the debateβ51 percent Vance, 49 percent Walz. David Chalian, CNNβs political director, said before introducing it that it was about 5 percent more Democratic in the sample size than a normal national poll. UPDATE 11:38 p.m. ET: Donald Trump Jr. is on CNN right now saying Vanceβs debate win was a βmaster class,β and that Vance handled himself extremely well even on issues Republicans have struggled on. UPDATE 11:35 p.m. ET: On MSNBC, a visibly reddening Rachel Maddow was laughing maniacally about what she claimed was a βlieβ by Vance she has tape to prove was a βlie.β Then MSNBC cut to commercial. Meanwhile, on CNN, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) had what appeared to be tears streaming down her face as she defended Walzβs disastrous performance. UPDATE 10:57 p.m. ET: CNN and MSNBC are both melting down as Walzβs disastrous performance now threatens to tank Harrisβs already slim chances of winning the election. To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:55 p.m. ET: People on the right are capitalizing on Walz claiming heβs become friends with school shooters: To View Social Media Accept Cookies Trump shared a similar image on his Truth Social page. UPDATE 10:54 p.m. ET: Rave reviews are streaming in for Vance tonight, even from previous critics: To View Social Media Accept Cookies To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:48 p.m. ET: The debate has finished, and the betting markets show most believe Vance crushed Walz: To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:47 p.m. ET: Vanceβs closing statement begins with energy policy, and he tells a story about his grandmother not being able to turn on the heat at night because he grew up poor and how Harrisβs administration is making it harder to afford energy. Vance focusing his entire closing statement on affordabilityβthen he goes into how Harris has failed as vice president of the United States to address these major issues facing the nation. UPDATE 10:44 p.m. ET: The debate has returned and moved right to closing statements. Walz is first because he lost the coin toss, and now heβs babbling on and on about feelings. Walz coughs and says βexcuse me.β UPDATE 10:38 p.m. ET: Vance, when the moderators change the conversation to January 6 and βdemocracy,β offers a stirring defense of freedom of speech. Walz, visibly flustered, tried to argue there is a clear choice in the election on the matter. Then the moderators cut to commercial break again. UPDATE 10:30 p.m. ET: More reviews are ripping Walz: To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:24 p.m. ET: Looking back on the healthcare part of the discussion, itβs pretty amazing Walz defended Obamacareβs individual mandateβeven though the courts eliminated that part of it: To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:21 p.m. ET: Vance, on issue after issue, is just downright schooling Walz and the moderators. Heβs taking issues that have been longtime Democrat strengths like abortion and healthcare and turning them into Trump-Vance strengths. This is just a straight up masterclass by Vance. UPDATE 10:17 p.m. ET: Vance on healthcare argues that Trump βsalvaged Obamacare,β and argues that he and Trump support covering preexisting conditions. UPDATE 10:13 p.m. ET: When the conversation is on housing and Vance argues that Harrisβs support for millions of migrants coming into the country, Walz incredibly argues that border crossings are down since Harris took office. Then, Walz pushes Vance on evidence that migration is hurting housing prices asking for an expert and Vance cites a Federal Reserve study on the matter. UPDATE 10:03 p.m. ET: Reviews are pouring in, and itβs clear Walz is getting roasted and Vance is winning this debate big time: To View Social Media Accept Cookies To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 10:02 p.m. ET: Walz notes he is a gun owner, and claims again that Harris is one too. Harris continues to refuse to prove she actually owns a firearm by saying what kind of gun she owns. UPDATE 10:00 p.m. ET: Upon return from commercial, the moderators shift the conversation to gun policy. Vance is very deftly handling the response to this laying out clear policy on this front to make schools safer. UPDATE 9:53 p.m. ET: Vance has Walz on the defensive on late-term abortions conducted in Minnesota, and keeps pressing him on it, and Walz is having trouble responding to Vanceβs questions. βI asked a specific question, governor, and you gave me a slogan in response,β Vance replies. The moderators then cut to commercial to bail the flailing Walz out. UPDATE 9:50 p.m. ET: Walz is pushing for a full βrestorationβ of Roe v. Wade. Walz says he agrees with a lot of what Vance was saying, but then tries to split Vance from Trump again. Next, the moderators ask Vance about a national abortion ban at 15 weeks, and then he lays out how the ballot initiative in Ohio changed his views on this. UPDATE 9:47 p.m. ET: Walz falsely claims Trump and Vance want to make a federal registry of pregnancies, and now Vance is ripping Walzβs views apart on this. Vance then goes out and lays out how Republicans need to be βpro-familyβ in every sense of the word. UPDATE 9:45 p.m. ET: Vance offered an articulate defense of tariffs, and even praised Joe Biden for keeping many of Trumpβs tariffs in placeβand then laid out how Harris has ditched the one popular part of Bidenβs agenda, tariffs. UPDATE 9:43 p.m. ET: Vance is very effectively laying out how he changed on Trump, and how Congress did not do great in effectively passing Trumpβs agenda in his first term. UPDATE 9:42 p.m. ET: Walz dodged the question on when exactly he got to Hong Kong and China during the year of Tiananmen Square, and then finally upon getting pressed again admitted he βmisspoke.β Now, the moderators are pressing Vance on previous criticisms of Trump. UPDATE 9:39 p.m. ET: Vance is just absolutely destroying Walz here on the economy, laying out the major problems that Walz has to confront as a candidateβattacking Trump falsely while also falsely defending Harris. Just plain savage by Vance. UPDATE 9:36 p.m. ET: Trump is on a roll on his Truth Social account commenting on the debate. UPDATE 9:32 p.m. ET: Vance is now laying out how Kamala Harris is the sitting vice president and has not done any of the things she is promising she would do if elected later since she is the sitting vice president. Vance then explains Trumpβs economic plan and how itβs his record. Vance multiple times repeats how during Trump βtake-home payβ for American workers was at record levels. UPDATE 9:31 p.m. ET: Walz after the debate gets going again presses forward by falsely arguing that Kamala Harris comes from the middle class. He also falsely claims credit by Democrats for cutting the costs of insulinβsomething that Trump did and Biden-Harris copied him on. UPDATE 9:29 p.m. ET: CBS cut the mics of both Vance and Walz after Vance cut off the moderators and explained how the Haitian migrants while technically here legally are not here because of the traditional legal immigration process. UPDATE 9:28 p.m. ET: Vance is now hammering back at Walz on Springfield, laying out the wide-scale impacts of mass migration on Americans. Some reactions from across the politcial universe are showing that Walz is totally rattled: To View Social Media Accept Cookies To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 9:25 p.m. ET: Vance is crushing Walz on immigration, and even with the moderatorsβ help the Harris campaign is feeling the heat big time on this right now. Vanceβs in-depth understanding of this issue is apparent right now. Walz is asked about CBS polling that shows a majority of Americans support mass deportation, and a rattled Walz now starts attacking Vance over Springfield, Ohio. UPDATE 9:20 p.m. ET: Now the conversation shifts to immigration, and the moderators ask Vance if he would separate families with a mass deportation. Vance does not fall for the bait, and lays out how Harris and Biden let millions of migrants into the country. Vance also makes the economic case against wide-scale migration, arguing that the migrants are causing Americansβ wages to get cut. UPDATE 9:18 p.m. ET: Walz slipped up and admitted the current administration is the βHarris administrationβ: To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 9:15 p.m. ET: Walz says his heart goes out to the people suffering from the hurricane, and then Walz attacks Trump again this time over climate. Walz is clearly trying to use the stage to attack Trump but it seems to be missing for the most part. UPDATE 9:12 p.m. ET: As the conversation changes to the response to Hurricane Helene, Vance tells stories of people who lost their lives. He said he thinks Walz would join him in expressing concern for those people and Walz nods. Then, Vance dismantles the leftβs views on climate change. UPDATE 9:11 p.m. ET: Walz, in response, continues viciously attacking Trump. Then, Vance in response noted that Walzβs admission that Iran is closer than ever to having a nuclear weapon is during the Harris-Biden administration. Vance flips the script back on Walz and Harris, noting that while Walz can criticize Trumpβs tweets itβs factually true that Trumpβs policies have been effective in promulgating peace on the world stage. UPDATE 9:06 p.m. ET: Vance, before he gets into the specifics of answering the question, explains his own background and introduces himself to voters. Then he goes into detail about how Trump delivered stability on the world stage when he was president, and how Harris as vice president has unlocked funding for the Iranians. Vance said he would support Israel. UPDATE 9:05 p.m. ET: Walz seems nervous. He mixed up Iran and Israel right away. He then veers into attacks on Trump, and repeats typical Democrat attacks on Trump. Walz then immediately tries to divide Trump and Vance before Vance even speaks. The fact that Walz is just openly ripping Trump rather than answering the question in substantive detail says a lot about the Harris campaign strategy. UPDATE 9:04 p.m. ET: The first question, from Brennan, is about Iranβs attack on Israel earlier on Tuesday. The question goes to Walz asking if he would support or oppose a preemptive strike on Iran by Israel. UPDATE 9:02 p.m. ET: Brennan is explaining the rules now, and downplaying the role the moderators may play in fact checking. UPDATE 9:01 p.m. ET: The moderators Norah OβDonnell and Margaret Brennan are bringing the program in, and now theyβre playing a preplanned video package of both men. The debate is beginning now. UPDATE 8:59 p.m. ET: Vance and Walz just came on stage, and are standing behind their respective podiums now. The debate is set to begin momentarily. UPDATE 8:45 p.m. ET: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) appeared on NBC News before the debate and laid out how Biden and Harris have been a βdisasterβ in their decades in elected office: To View Social Media Accept Cookies UPDATE 8:42 p.m. ET: New polling released just before the debate shows Trump gaining a significant advantage over Harris now. A poll out of Pennsylvania, for instance, shows a straight-up tie: To View Social Media Accept Cookies Meanwhile, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia polling all show clear Trump leads over Harris: To View Social Media Accept Cookies To View Social Media Accept Cookies If Trump wins these states, he will defeat Harris. She is in very big trouble right now and needs essentially a miracle from Walzβs debate performance to change the trajectory of the race. UPDATE 8:40 p.m. ET: CBS News before the debate has a panel of voters from Grand Rapids, Michigan, some of which are voting for Harris, some for Trump, and some of whom are undecided. What they are all saying generally is they are looking for a candidate who is strong on the economy and safetyβparticularly crime. CBS is interviewing these voters, and one who is a former Nikki Haley supporter says she cares most about abortion and gun control. A Trump supporter in the panel says he cares most about the economy and ending wars overseas. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Copyright Β© 2025 Breitbart | 5852266e38a444e8 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67436378 | Spain's Pedro SΓ‘nchez wins new term as PM after amnesty deal | 2023-11-17 | World, Politics, European Union, Spain, Europe, Socialism, Parliament | After weeks of haggling, Socialist leader Pedro SΓ‘nchez has clinched a vote in parliament to lead Spain for another term as prime minister. He has secured a four-seat majority in the 350-seat chamber, after sealing an amnesty deal for Catalans involved in a failed bid to secede from Spain. The conservative Popular Party won elections in July, but leader Alberto NΓΊΓ±ez FeijΓ³o failed to form a majority. Mr SΓ‘nchez told MPs that the amnesty deal would help "heal wounds". His reliance on two Catalan pro-independence parties to form a majority has infuriated opponents, who argue his proposed amnesty deal for hundreds of politicians and activists will trigger another bid for secession and threaten Spain's territorial unity. Socialist MPs applauded their leader for several minutes when the result of the vote was confirmed but MPs were booed by protesters as they filed out of the Spanish Congress building. Last weekend tens of thousands of Spaniards took part in protests across Spain, and Mr FeijΓ³o has accused the prime minister of pursuing his own interests rather than his country's. The Popular Party leader shook his opponent's hand after the vote but later declared to reporters: "I told the president of the government that this was a mistake but he is responsible for what he has just done." The Socialists were clearly in the hands of those who wanted "recognition of a nation different from that of Spain and a referendum for self-determination", Mr FeijΓ³o declared. Shortly before the vote, Mr SΓ‘nchez linked attempts to question the legitimacy of his new government to part of a global trend. He referred to the presence of former Fox News TV anchor Tucker Carlson at a recent protest outside the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid. "We've seen it in the United States, in Brazil and other parts of the world where there is a political right and political far right who do not accept the result of elections," he said. Several Socialist members of parliament were chased and had eggs thrown at them as they left a cafe near Congress. One egg hit MP Herminio SΓ‘nchez and delegates were advised to look after their personal safety in light of the febrile political atmosphere. Buses hired by right-wing Catholic organisation Hazte OΓr drove past the congress building with anti-SΓ‘nchez messages on them. One had a picture of SΓ‘nchez made to look like Adolf Hitler, with the slogan: "SΓ‘nchez dictator." Pedro SΓ‘nchez was given the chance to form a government by King Felipe VI in early October, after the Popular Party leader had tried and failed twice to persuade parliament to back him. In the end Mr FeijΓ³o fell four seats short of a simple majority in parliament, despite the support of the far-right Vox party. The Socialists first secured the backing of a pro-independence party - the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) - who are in power in Spain's north-eastern region. Then they clinched a controversial amnesty deal with the more radical Together for Catalonia (Junts), led by Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Brussels to avoid arrest after leading an illegal independence vote in 2017. The proposed amnesty law would benefit not only the Junts leader, but hundreds of other pro-independence figures too. It would cover actions dating back to 2012 and any arrest warrants not yet served will be scrapped and would likely allow Mr Puigdemont's eventual return from exile. Much of Spain's judiciary has criticised the proposals and the main judges' association, which is considered conservative, has condemned it as the "beginning of the end of democracy". Mr SΓ‘nchez has rejected claims that his government is reliant on parties that want to break up Spain and he will be sworn in by the king at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid on Friday. However. a hint of the fragility of his new government came from Ione Belarra, whose Podemos party is part of a broad left-wing alliance called Sumar, which is part of the new ruling coalition. Podemos has so far not been invited to run any of the ministries in the new government. "The Socialist Party likes a leftist regime, a docile left that does whatever the Socialist Party wants," she complained. A goat in Madrid was rescued by firefighters after it became trapped on a window sill of a tower block. Luis Rubiales was fined for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent, but acquitted of coercion. Police say they arrested 14 people in raids in Spain and Portugal last month. The teeth belonging to creatures from roughly 70 million years ago were discoveredin a lorry. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | c594508160f31bcd | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/29/opinion/zelizer-obama-government/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | Why can't Obama reform government? | 2013-04-29 | White House, Politics | Story highlights Julian Zelizer : The defeat of the gun control bill was devastating for the Obama administration
Zelizer : Now the president faces another tough challenge with immigration reform
Obama 's trouble has more to do with how government works rather than his skills , he says
Zelizer : Without reforming government , the path to gridlock is not going to disappear
The defeat of the gun control legislation was devastating . Despite strong public support for tighter regulations and the backing of a bipartisan coalition , a furious blitz from gun lobby groups persuaded enough senators to kill the legislation . The bill 's sponsors could not find the 60 senators needed to stop a filibuster .
One would think that the horrific tragedy of Newtown , Connecticut , where 20 children and six adults were shot and killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School , would be enough to move lawmakers to impose some regulations , such as tougher background checks . But it was n't enough .
Now the president faces another challenge with immigration reform . A bipartisan group in the Senate , led by Charles Schumer and Marco Rubio , has put together an immigration bill that includes a path to legalization for the 11 million unauthorized immigrants in this country and tighter border control . It appears that the bill has a chance to pass the Senate .
Immediately after Congress killed the gun control legislation , critics started pointing to the president 's hesitation to twist arms and lean on members of Congress . In what has become a familiar refrain , Obama was no Lyndon Johnson .
Yet Obama 's trouble has much more to do with the way government works than his skill , or lack thereof , at working Capitol Hill .
Too much emphasis is placed on the small picture of what he does or does not do in his personal interactions with Congress , or his `` messaging . '' Actually , it 's not so much him as the government .
Obama understood this when he ran for president in 2008 . He spoke constantly about the need to reform the government and the way in which our political processes hamper the ability of Congress and the president to take action .
Yet once he was president , Obama put the issue of reform on the back burner . He decided to focus on the policy challenges ahead , generally dismissing the idea that there was much chance for him to make government work better . In certain cases , such as with the use of private money and political action committees , he decided to join the game and make sure it worked to his advantage .
JUST WATCHED Gun control amendment fails in Senate Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gun control amendment fails in Senate 02:29
JUST WATCHED McCain : I can get the immigration votes Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH McCain : I can get the immigration votes 06:08
Throughout his presidency , Obama has struggled as private interest groups have continued to exert enormous power over the legislative process . When Obama pushed his health care law through Congress , he felt the need to abandon hugely important measures that would have imposed tough cost controls . He did so to placate powerful interest groups in the medical industry who were dead set against these measures .
The financial regulations imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act , passed in response to the financial crisis of 2008 , have struggled as interest groups continually undercut their effectiveness by persuading legislators to avoid any kind of tough implementation .
This time around , gun rights organizations -- from giants such as the National Rifle Association to smaller operations -- conducted a massive and unyielding blitz on legislators . Even bipartisan support , a rarity in Washington , was not enough for the bill to succeed .
Other issues , such as tax reform to close loopholes , have simply been abandoned because they seem so impossible given the power of lobbyists and campaign contributors who lurk on K Street . The power of money makes it extremely difficult for politicians to go out on a limb .
The filibuster has also remained the chronic obstacle for Obama . With the constant threat of the filibuster against almost any piece of legislation , almost every bill requires a 60-vote super majority in the Senate . This makes it hard to build a coalition behind legislation and in most cases allows small factions within a party to subvert presidential proposals . Presidents usually need bipartisan support to get 60 votes , and bipartisanship is almost impossible nowadays .
This was certainly a challenge for gun rights , and could make immigration reform vulnerable in the final stages of debate . As with money and politics , the filibuster has also made other issues altogether impossible to consider even .
When the immigration bill reaches the House of Representatives , the trouble will begin . House members in gerrymandered districts care about the party activists who tend to be the loudest voices . The situation to avoid is one where the Republican caucus drifts further to the right even while counterparts in the Senate and public opinion support immigration reform .
The truth is we will never know what was possible in that transformative moment that followed Obama 's historic election or after his re-election in 2012 . But without reforming our government , the path to gridlock is not going to disappear . | fdbdff294adf899c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
russia | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/12/15/kremlin-report-putin-meddling-us-election-nonsense/95463716/ | Kremlin: Report of Putin meddling in U.S. election is 'nonsense' | 2016-12-15 | russia | The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed as `` nonsense '' a report by NBC News that Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally involved in trying to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election .
`` I was astonished when I saw it , '' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said of the news report , according to Russia 's TASS news agency . `` I think , this is nothing but nonsense , there is not a chance that anybody could believe that . ''
In Japan , where Putin was on an official visit , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also blasted the report as `` ludicrous nonsense . ''
These statements , like any nonsense , `` can not have any grounds , '' the Kremlin spokesman said .
The report by NBC News cited two unnamed `` senior U.S. intelligence officials '' as saying the Russian president personally intervened in the 2016 presidential election .
New intelligence links Putin directly to the leaks from hacked Democratic National Committee emails , the officials told NBC News with `` a high level of confidence . ''
A high-level intelligence source said the campaign began as a `` vendetta '' against Hillary Clinton , NBC News reported . The goal grew into an effort to expose corruption in U.S. politics and to undermine America 's international credibility .
The NBC News report comes after last week 's report from The Washington Post , also citing unnamed intelligence sources , which said the CIA believed that Russia not only interfered in the election , but did so with the intention of helping Donald Trump win .
Although U.S. intelligence agencies agree Russia was behind several hacks during the campaign , including that of the DNC , the CIA is thus far the only agency reported to have reached the conclusion that the efforts were explicitly meant to benefit Trump .
On Oct. 7 , the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement on behalf of the U.S. Intelligence Community expressing confidence that the `` Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions , including from US political organizations . '' The ODNI and FBI do not believe there is enough evidence to conclude the cyber attacks were intended to help Trump win , however .
Given Putin 's authoritarian control over the Russian government , it is logical that any intervention in the U.S. election would have required the former KGB officer 's approval . In the October statement , the 17 American intelligence agencies said , `` based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts , that only Russia 's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities . '' | MWfMNsRkd49hI47f | 1 | Presidential Elections | -0.2 | Elections | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2015/11/16/9742268/foreign-policy-debate | Democrats need to learn to defend Obama's record on foreign policy | 2015-11-16 | foreign_policy | It feels like a million years ago today , but Democrats swept to electoral victory in 2006 and 2008 largely as part of a backlash to the miserable foreign policy failures stemming from the 2003 invasion of Iraq . And relative to that context , President Obama 's record in office has been good and avails itself of an obvious defense β yes , the Middle East is still a messed-up place , but American soldiers are no longer dying there by the dozen . Meanwhile , America 's relationship with the rest of the world is vastly improved , global cooperation on climate and nuclear proliferation is delivering tangible results , and β oh yeah β Osama bin Laden is dead and America has been safe from terrorist attacks .
Against a Republican field that seems stuck in the Rumsfeld era , it should be a winning argument , but judging by Saturday night 's debate Democrats seem ready to blow it . Rather than sell the full range of Obama-era achievements , Bernie Sanders , Martin O'Malley , and , most importantly , Hillary Clinton got bogged down parrying with the ( excellent ) moderators over the toughest elements of Obama 's record in office rather than turning to the good stuff .
But there 's more to the world than ISIS and the Arab Spring , and a great deal of the point of Obama 's foreign policy has been to prevent chaos in the Middle East from soaking up all the bandwidth of American foreign policy . To win , Democrats need to learn to contextualize problems and talk about successes .
Consider , for example , the crowd-pleasing high points of Obama on national security . Unlike George W. Bush he really has `` kept us safe '' and avoided any terrorist attacks on the US homeland . And while Bush let bin Laden get away in Afghanistan in order to free up resources to launch a pointless and unsuccessful invasion of Iraq , Obama found bin Laden and had special forces kill him . You 'd think this would be something Democrats would want to mention as frequently and as quickly as possible in a discussion of counterterrorism .
But on Saturday , Democrats went through extended discussions of ISIS , `` radical Islam , '' and everything under the sun without mentioning it . Osama finally came up once , briefly , near the end in the context of a personal question addressed to Clinton :
John Dickerson : Begin the final segment of this debate with something none of you saw coming . Something quite unexpected . Soon after your inauguration , you will face a crisis . All presidents do . What crisis have you experienced in your life that suggests you 've been tested and can face that inevitable challenge ? Secretary Clinton , you first . Hillary Clinton : Well , there are so many . I do n't know where to start . ( LAUGHTER ) I guess the one I would pick is the fact that I was part of a very small group that had to advice the president about whether or not to go after bin Laden . I spent a lot of time in the situation room β as secretary of State and there were many very difficult β choices presented to us . But probably that was the most challenging . Because there was no certainty attached to it . The intelligence was by no means absolute . We had all kinds of questions that we discussed . And , you know , at the end I recommended to the president that we take the chance to do what we could to find out whether that was bin Laden and to finally bring him to justice .
This is not much of a brag . But at least it got a token mention .
New Pacific military basing agreements with Australia and the Philippines
An increase in positive perceptions of the United States in almost every region of the world
The Middle East has been a mess for a long time
This good stuff does not , of course , undo the problems in the Middle East . But then again , the Middle East was a violent and chaotic place when Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were in office . Obama has not managed to solve the problems of the region , but he has defended America 's core interests β including , crucially , the absence of terrorist attacks at home β without incurring the thousands of American military casualties than we saw under his predecessor .
But it 's bound to look terrible if β as happened Saturday night β Democrats are reluctant to talk about it except under duress . Journalists ( and Republicans ) like to pick at the scabs and weak spots of a politician 's record . Competent politicians learn to talk about successes and broader context . The Obama economic record is n't perfect , either , but Democrats are more than happy to defend it as broadly successful and superior to the alternatives . The lesson we learned Saturday is that the party , including the woman who served as secretary of state for half his administration , is n't yet ready to do that on national security . | zApkgV7LyUJ3wJZO | 0 | Democratic Party | -0.1 | Foreign Policy | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82613.html?hp=t1 | Playing to donors, GOP groups spill some secrets | 2012-10-19 | elections | Outside groups face the possibility they β ll have spent $ 1 billion and failed to elect Romney . GOP groups spill secrets
For two years , outside money was a secretive game , with deep-pocketed conservative groups refusing to detail their methods or strategies β let alone discuss their donors .
No ad buy , direct mail drop , bus tour stop or robocall is too small for a news release or leak to a hungry political press corps .
Even Americans for Prosperity , the main political group of the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch ( once regarded as the most secretive of secret spenders ) , has opened up about its spending , instructing its press shop to provide reporters with details about its $ 72 million worth of ad buys .
The reason is clear : Conservative super PACs and outside groups face the very real possibility they β ll have spent $ 1 billion and failed to elect Mitt Romney or deliver a GOP Senate .
That means professional political types could have a lot of explaining to do , especially to the rich donors who financed the record spending spree and are wondering if their investment was squandered .
So the operatives running the superPACs and nonprofits are scrambling to prove they made a difference in any way they can . They β re positioning themselves to claim credit for successes , dodge blame for failures and prove that they β re not one-trick ponies that can only do narrowly targeted advertising .
Karl Rove β s Crossroads outfit , which mostly focused on television ads boosting Romney and GOP Senate candidates , has been branching out into House races and get-out-the-vote activity , working with Ralph Reed β s newly robust evangelical mobilization group Faith and Freedom Coalition .
A coalition of groups in the Koch brothers β network β including Americans for Prosperity , 60 Plus , Concerned Women for America and CitizenLink β met recently to discuss how to prove they were giving donors bang for their buck .
The pro-Romney Restore Our Future superPAC has been boasting to donors that its advertising in Michigan and Wisconsin helped make both states competitive , while the nonprofit American Future Fund has sought to differentiate itself from the crowd by spending on anti-Obama ads in Midwestern turf not long ago regarded as nearly impossible for Romney to win β Minnesota .
It β s all being done with an eye toward after the election , when operatives , donors and fundraisers expect a major reshuffling of the conservative groups that reaped an unprecedented flow of cash resulting from rich Republicans β enmity for President Barack Obama and from the Supreme Court β s 2010 Citizens United decision loosening campaign finance rules .
β Without question , after it β s over , there is going to be a sorting out of who got the job done , and I think there will be some who might lay claim to accomplishments that they maybe didn β t personally accomplish , β said Idaho businessman Frank VanderSloot .
β Some of these organizations will gain in stature and some will probably fall by the wayside , β said VanderSloot , who has contributed $ 1.1 million to Restore Our Future , raised at least $ 2 million more for Romney β s campaign and hinted he might have given to Crossroads . | 5hhly7RIZE45moMG | 0 | Election2012 | -0.2 | Presidential Elections | -0.2 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
education | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/16/barack-obama-coronavirus-donald-trump-criticism-speech-covid-19 | Barack Obama attacks Trump administration's response to coronavirus pandemic | 2020-05-17 | Barack Obama, Schools, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Leadership, Education | Former president breaks tradition of refraining from criticism of successor, while also highlighting the high-profile killing of Ahmaud Arbery Barack Obama has attacked the Trump administrationβs response to the Covid-19 pandemic during speeches to graduating students. The comments on Saturday were a rare rebuke of a sitting president from one of his predecessors, and come in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 88,000 people in the United States, a death toll far higher than any other country, and had devastating and disproportionate effects on communities of color. βMore than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what theyβre doing. A lot of them arenβt even pretending to be in charge,β Obama said during an online commencement address to graduates of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on Saturday. βDoing what feels good, whatβs convenient, whatβs easy β thatβs how little kids think,β he said in a second virtual speech on Saturday evening for graduating US high school students. βUnfortunately, a lot of so-called grown-ups, including some with fancy titles and important jobs, still think that way β which is why things are so screwed up. βI hope that instead, you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others.β In an interview with ABC news, Peter Navarro, a top economic adviser to the president, said he was βglad Mr Obama has a new job as Joe Bidenβs press secretaryβ. Biden, Obamaβs former vice president, is running against Trump for president. The former presidentβs comments came amid dual crises β one a pandemic disproportionately sickening people of color in the US, and another born by the economic impacts of attempts to contain the virus through lockdowns. So far, there have been 1.4 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US. βLetβs be honest, a disease like this just spotlights the underlying inequalities and extra burdens that black communities have historically had to deal with in this country,β said Obama in the HBCU speech. βWe see it in the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our communities.β Those crises, as well as the high-profile killings of black people by police, loomed large in the virtual event, itself necessitated by the shutdown of large gatherings to stem the spread of the disease. βThese arenβt normal times. Youβre being asked to find your way in a world in the middle of a devastating pandemic and a terrible recession,β said Obama. He added that the injustices faced by African Americans are not new, and described the recent high-profile killing of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black jogger who was shot and killed after being pursued in broad daylight by a white former police officer and his son through a neighborhood in Georgia. βWe see it when a black man goes for a jog and some folks feel like they can stop and question and shoot him, if he doesnβt submit to their questioning,β said Obama. Congrats to the high school Class of 2020, as well as to the teachers, coaches, and most of all, parents and family whoβve guided you along the way. Thanks for letting me be part of your big day! pic.twitter.com/RjYvHs2BhC He went on to use the circumstances of the online graduation as a rallying cry for new graduates: βIf the worldβs going to get better, itβs going to be up to you.β Although Obama has largely avoided criticizing Trumpβs performance in office, in a call leaked last week the former president described the US governmentβs coronavirus response as, βan absolute chaotic disaster,β and questioned whether the justice departmentβs decision to drop charges against former national security advisor Michael Flynn could endanger the βrule of lawβ in the United States. The remarks prompted the US Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, to tell the former president to βkeep his mouth shutβ. The week also saw the emergence of #Obamagate, a conspiracy theory pushed by the president that accuses Obama of attempting to frame Trump for colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election. One former CIA analyst described as βa hashtag in search of a scandalβ. Obamaβs remarks were preceded by speeches and performances by musicians, actors and entertainers such as Steve Harvey, Anthony Hamilton, Doug E Fresh, Wyclef Jean, Common, Kevin Hart, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Vivica A Fox. Messages to graduates tuning in online because they could not hold traditional celebrations on campus were shot through with acknowledgements of Americaβs history of racial segregation. This, speakers said, made the universities essential, while noting the perseverance required to spend a final semester largely online, and the bittersweetness of the moment itself. βThis is obviously not the way you wanted to graduate, we get that,β said Doc Rivers, coach of the NBAβs Los Angeles Clippers, βBut you know what else we know? Youβre going to make us all proud.β Graduates, speakers said, would be sent out into an βuncertain world,β but one they had a chance to improve upon. βAs graduates, you now join the ranks of national and world leaders, influencers,β said Senator Kamala Harris of California. βI know this is a trying time, but please do not let the moment of this crisis dampen your ambitions, your hopes or your dreams, because your country needs you,β said Harris. She attended the HBCU Howard, recently ran for the Democratic nomination and is a contender to become Joe Bidenβs running mate in the 2020 election. This article was amended on 19 May 2020 to insert missing words β βon the ideaβ β that were mistakenly excluded from the Barack Obama quote in the third paragraph. | 2b29126f0bc92a85 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/28/politics/election-2016-elizabeth-warren-iowa/index.html | These people are REALLY ready for Warren | 2015-03-28 | politics | Des Moines , Iowa ( CNN ) Ground zero for the grassroots effort here to persuade Elizabeth Warren to run for president is headquartered in a small office park where a yard sign taped to a door is the only marker of the activity inside .
One recent weekday afternoon , about 20 volunteers gathered to strategize about how to convince their friends and neighbors -- and most importantly the Massachusetts senator -- that she needs to run for the Democratic presidential nomination .
`` They say who 's Warren ? '' retiree Gordon Rowe said about the reaction he receives when he talks up the Massachusetts senator . `` They do n't know who Elizabeth Warren is . I tell them they need to get involved , they are middle class too and they need representation . ''
It is the term `` middle class '' that is repeated time and time again when talking to Warren supporters : she understands the middle class , she represents the middle class , she will help rebuild the middle class . The belief that Warren is fighting for them on issues such as income inequality and regulating Wall Street is the driving force behind their effort to try and draft her into the race -- even though she repeatedly has dismissed it .
`` We totally take Senator Warren at her word right now , '' said Blair Lawton , Iowa Field Director for the Run Warren Run campaign . `` We know that right now she 's not running and if she was , we would n't have a reason for a draft campaign like this . Really , me and my staff 's goal everyday is to show her that she has got support all across the state and a path to victory . ''
That includes holding meetings to teach volunteers grassroots political techniques , setting up phone banks to call Iowa Democrats , and having Run Warren Run representatives attend small Democratic meetings across the state .
Beth Farvour , a Run Warren Run regional field director , attended one such meeting on a Saturday morning in Tipton . In the basement of the courthouse , Farvour staffed a table with literature and signs and addressed the 40 or so Cedar County Democrats to explain why she thinks the Massachusetts senator is the best candidate for the Democratic nomination . Farvour , who spoke before headliner Martin O'Malley appeared , was politely received as were the representatives trying to make similar cases for Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vermont , and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . It is still early in Iowa and Clinton is still the frontrunner .
The Run Warren Run campaign is being funded by Moveon.org , which has pledged to spend $ 1 million on the effort and Democracy for America , which has chipped in an additional $ 250,000 . In Iowa , the campaign has eight staff , who travel the state promoting her candidacy . Run Warren Run also has staffers in New Hampshire .
At this time , Warren 's supporters -- almost to a person -- will not address the unthinkable : that the Massachusetts senator will stand by her word and not run for the White House .
`` I think we can get her in the race , '' said Katie Freerksen , a veterinarian technician , who started volunteering three months ago . `` I think we are capable of it , because this has grown so much since I have gotten involved . ''
Toria Pinter , a law student who is on medical leave , said that she was drawn to Warren because of the senator 's vocal call to lower the interest rates on student loans . Pinter said people should not misconstrue this campaign as anti-Clinton effort , but rather a pro-Warren movement .
`` The campaign is not about Clinton , '' she said . `` That 's not what we are here to talk about . We are here to talk about Warren and how important she is to us . Because she embodies the ideals and issues that are important to us at the end of the day . ''
Lawton said even if Warren decides not to run , he believes there are some long-term benefits from this campaign including `` putting a big investment into the progressive community . ''
`` I am confident every day if we do our job we get her to enter this race , '' he said . `` But also , you know , other goals , as well , on top of getting her to run : I want to make sure every time a campaign comes in we are leaving the community in a better place . So really what we are doing right now , by getting volunteers involved and training them we are really helping to build the progressive movement across the state of Iowa . '' | UrbMuDqKEvuw1Bl1 | 0 | Elizabeth Warren | 2.1567 | Politics | 0.2023 | Presidential Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/04/supreme-court-rules-against-gay-wedding-exemptions/1052989001/ | Supreme Court rules on narrow grounds for baker who refused to create same-sex couple's wedding cake | 2018-06-04 | supreme_court | WASHINGTON β A divided Supreme Court on Monday absolved a Colorado baker of discrimination for refusing to create a custom wedding cake for a same-sex couple , ruling that the state exhibited `` religious hostility '' against him .
The 7-2 verdict criticized the state 's treatment of Jack Phillips ' religious objections to gay marriage in 2012 , several years before the practice was legalized nationwide . The justices ruled that a state civil rights commission was hostile to him while allowing other bakers to refuse to create cakes that demeaned gays and same-sex marriages .
As a result , the long-awaited decision did not resolve whether other opponents of same-sex marriage , including bakers , florists , photographers and videographers , can refuse commercial wedding services to gay couples . In fact , the court on Monday scheduled a similar case involving a Washington State florist for consideration at their private conference Thursday .
Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the court 's decision against the same-sex couple , Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins , departing from his long history of opinions in favor of gay rights dating back a generation . Included among them was the court 's 2015 decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide .
More : Gay couple , devout baker take cake fight to high court
Kennedy acknowledged that business owners generally can not deny equal access to goods and services under a neutral public accommodations law . Otherwise , he said , `` a long list of persons who provide goods and services for marriages and weddings might refuse to do so for gay persons , thus resulting in a community-wide stigma inconsistent with the history and dynamics of civil rights laws . ''
`` The outcome of cases like this in other circumstances must await further elaboration in the courts , '' Kennedy said . `` These disputes must be resolved with tolerance , without undue disrespect to sincere religious beliefs , and without subjecting gay persons to indignities when they seek goods and services in an open market . ''
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor cast the lone dissents . Fellow liberal Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan voted with the majority .
`` Phillips would not sell to Craig and Mullins , for no reason other than their sexual orientation , a cake of the kind he regularly sold to others , '' Ginsburg said .
Phillips claimed victory , but it was unclear if the court 's ruling would permit him to refuse future gay or lesbian customers seeking wedding cakes .
`` The Supreme Court affirmed that the government must respect my religious beliefs about marriage , '' he wrote for βββ . `` It welcomed me back from the outskirts , where the state had pushed me . ''
Kennedy reasoned that Phillips , in refusing to create a same-sex wedding cake , had good reason to believe he was within his rights . State law at the time allowed merchants some latitude to decline specific messages , such as those demeaning gay people and gay marriages .
The government can not impose regulations hostile to citizens ' religious beliefs , the ruling said . But it was limited to Colorado 's treatment of Phillips ; had the process been fair , Kagan and Breyer likely would have been on the other side , and Kennedy would have had a tougher decision to make .
`` A vendor can choose the products he sells , but not the customers he serves β no matter the reason , '' Kagan wrote , joined by Breyer . `` Phillips sells wedding cakes . As to that product , he unlawfully discriminates : He sells it to opposite-sex but not to same-sex couples . ''
Gay rights proponents picked up on that theme , noting the ruling will not affect other claims of discrimination by same-sex couples .
β Anti-LGBTQ extremists did not win the sweeping β license to discriminate β they have been hoping for -- and today β s ruling does not change our nation 's longstanding civil rights laws , '' Chad Griffin , president of the Human Rights Campaign , said .
But Ralph Reed , chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition , claimed that the decision `` reaffirmed that the Constitution protects freedom of speech , including speech of a religious content , and the state can not compel speech against the will of the individual . ''
During oral argument in December , Kennedy and other conservative justices had expressed concern about the potential effect on other merchants with strong religious objections to same-sex marriage , from chefs to florists .
The five-year-old legal battle between Phillips and Craig and Mullins represented a test between the Constitution 's guarantees of free speech and religion and laws in 22 states prohibiting discrimination against the LGBT community .
Phillips , 62 , owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop , was fighting for the rights of `` creative artists '' to choose what they will sell . Craig , 37 , and Mullins , 33 , were fighting for the rights of LGBT customers to choose what they will buy .
Craig and Mullins won before the state Civil Rights Commission and Court of Appeals , thanks to the state 's inclusion of sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination law . But the Supreme Court , bolstered last April by the addition of stalwart conservative and fellow Coloradan Neil Gorsuch , represented a tougher test .
Gorsuch wrote a 12-page concurrence in which he said , `` The Constitution protects not just popular religious exercises from the condemnation off civil authorities . It protects them all . ''
The high court had weighed in twice before on the subject of same-sex marriage . In 2013 , it ruled that the federal government must recognize gay and lesbian marriages in the 12 states that had legalized them . In 2015 , it extended same-sex marriage nationwide .
But even as he authored the court 's landmark decision , Kennedy held out an olive branch to religious conservatives .
`` It must be emphasized that religions , and those who adhere to religious doctrines , may continue to advocate with utmost , sincere conviction that , by divine precepts , same-sex marriage should not be condoned , '' Kennedy wrote in 2015 . | 4QHXqnmr7w700C29 | 1 | Supreme Court | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/19/opinion/oren-boston/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | Boston reminds us of best and worst of humanity | 2013-04-19 | terrorism | Story highlights Michael Oren : Bombing in Boston sought to instill fear and inflict trauma
He says Boston and other communities threatened by terrorism refuse to submit
Israeli ambassador to U.S. says both nations know the pain terrorism causes
Oren : Remember the victims and refuse to be victimized by terrorism
The purpose of terror is to terrorize . Though questions remain about those responsible for the attack , the horrendous bombing attack on the Boston Marathon sought to instill paralyzing fear , inflict debilitating trauma and force us to forfeit our freedom . We can not let terror win .
We -- Americans and Israelis -- live in open societies that enable us to celebrate our freedom . Whether in arts festivals , sporting events , craft fairs or merely playing with our kids in the park , we are upholding those liberties in the face of those seeking to deny them .
At the same time , we know that our freedoms must be defended , sometimes by men and women in uniform but most poignantly by people refusing to succumb to fear . We beat terror by refusing to submit .
The people of Boston , who on the day of the bombing were celebrating liberty 's birthday , will not submit . Our experience in Israel has taught us that communities and caregivers , police and security forces , elected leaders and volunteers can unite at such times and block the terrorists from achieving their objectives . While taking all possible measures to prevent further loss of life , we adamantly refuse to forfeit our way of life .
Anyone who has suffered the agony of terror knows the pain of the victims and their families as well as the radius of the emotional damage inflicted on countless citizens . We know that at such times , communities can band together and help bind the psychological and physical wounds . When first responders rush through the smoke , risking their own lives to assist the fallen , the healing process begins .
And the people of Boston will heal . Still , the democratic liberties that Americans and Israelis enjoy can not be taken for granted . American security forces and policy-makers face complex challenges . We must appreciate their successes in thwarting many attacks . We will continue to embrace freedom , but we will remain vigilant and resolute .
This attack in Boston reminds us of both the worst and best in humanity . In an act of terror , those responsible destroyed and forever altered the lives of hundreds of people . But , stories of the heroic first responders , the athletes who ran to the hospital to donate blood and the countless other acts of selflessness remind us of the American spirit and its capacity to overcome terror and emerge stronger .
JUST WATCHED Reis on Boston 's resilience Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Reis on Boston 's resilience 01:49
JUST WATCHED 'They messed with the wrong city ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 'They messed with the wrong city ' 04:07
We comfort the bereaved , tend to the hurt and take all precautions . We remember the victims but , standing together , refuse to be victimized . | Wkd5UeI2f1Fs0oEM | 0 | Terrorism | 1.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/29/us/handguns-and-federal-legislation/index.html?hpt=hp_c1 | Why new laws could miss America's bigger gun problem | 2013-01-29 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | Can there be a solution to America 's gun problems ? Anderson Cooper looks at both sides of the debate in `` Guns Under Fire : an AC360ΒΊ Town Hall Special '' Thursday at 8 p.m . ET on CNN .
( CNN ) -- Trent Brewer drove to a parking lot , planning to sell some weed . The transaction never happened .
Police in Springfield , Missouri , found Brewer , 23 , face-down in a pool of his own blood with no pulse on December 12 . He was declared dead at a nearby hospital .
Police say Darian Earl Hall , 18 , pulled out a chrome semi-automatic handgun before the sale could happen , and opened fire on Brewer as he began to run away .
Hall has denied shooting Brewer , blaming another teen who was with him at the time . What exactly happened will eventually be settled in court .
Brewer 's story follows a familiar pattern : drugs , an escalating confrontation and the presence of a gun leading to a death .
Beatriz Cintora-Silva took refuge at her sister 's home immediately after telling police in Longmont , Colorado , that her ex-boyfriend had kidnapped her , threatened her and threw her into a car dashboard . It was Saturday , December 16 .
The next day , police arrested Daniel Sanchez , 31 , who spent Sunday night in jail .
Six hours after Sanchez left the Boulder County jail , a call came into 911 :
`` No , no , no , please , no , '' Cintora-Silva said on the call .
`` I just shot everyone right now , '' he said , according to a recording of the 911 call .
`` You just shot everybody ? '' the dispatcher asked . Sanchez calmly replied `` Yeah . ''
`` I 'm going to shoot myself right now , '' Sanchez said on the recording . The dispatcher pleaded with him .
Sanchez had shot and killed Cintora-Silva , her sister and her sister 's husband before killing himself with one of the most deadly weapons in the United States .
It was n't an AR-15 , or an assault rifle -- it was a Glock .45-caliber handgun .
Trent Brewer and Beatriz Cintora-Silva are among the more than 6,000 people killed each year by handguns .
That 's like having a massacre on the scale of Newtown 239 times during one year .
Yet , as the Obama administration moves forward with legislation to stem the toll of gun violence in America , the focus has been on curbing access to high-powered rifles and large-capacity magazines , not the common handguns that account for the majority of gun deaths in America .
Last week , Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California , stood in front of an array of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons and outlined her proposed legislation to reinstitute an assault weapons ban , as well as outlaw ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds .
But even if these proposals make it through to legislation , what impact will they have on stemming the deaths by America 's most deadly firearm ?
Despite the National Rifle Association 's assertion that Feinstein and other Democrats are taking steps toward outlawing all guns , no lawmaker is calling for a ban on the legal purchase of handguns . These common firearms , which account for the majority of gun-related violence in America but are also used for self-defense , are fully protected by the Second Amendment , according to a 2008 Supreme Court ruling .
Speaking Monday before a meeting with police chiefs and sheriffs from across the country , Obama said he understands that America 's gun violence problem runs deeper than the mass shootings that trigger international headlines .
`` I welcome this opportunity to work with ( law enforcement ) , to hear their views in terms of what will make the biggest difference to prevent something like Newtown or Oak Creek from happening again , '' the president said . `` But many of them also recognize that it 's not only the high-profile mass shootings that are of concern here , it 's also what happens on a day-in-day-out basis in places like Chicago or Philadelphia , where young people are victims of gun violence every single day . ''
There are three main ways that Obama 's plan could indirectly stem the toll of handgun violence :
β’ lifting restrictions on federally funded research on gun violence
β’ extending background checks before the purchase of a gun
It 's unclear if any of these proposals would have affected the outcome of the Springfield , Missouri , drug deal that claimed the life of 23-year-old Trent Brewer .
But in domestic violence incidents , like the one that killed Beatriz Cintora-Silva , even something as simple as considering an accuser 's mental state could make a difference , according to CNN 's mental health expert Dr. Charles Raison .
For example , if police detained accused abusers for a longer time , would that allow for a cooling off period and a decreased chance of violence ?
`` The only way to interrupt ( violent incidents ) is to lock up and intervene tons and tons of times , where everyone who exhibits symptoms is locked up , '' said Raison , an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona in Tucson . `` But then as a society , where do we want to strike a balance between personal freedom and intervening to stop the high rate of violent acts ? ''
Despite all his concerns , Raison said he finds the discussion about opening up access to mental health services promising , but also `` an extremely slippery slope . ''
According to the FBI , 6,220 people were killed by handguns in 2011 and many law enforcement and public health experts say that shows much more needs to be done to seriously address the gun violence epidemic -- even more than what the president or Congress proposes .
`` These are all steps in the right direction to keep guns out of the hands of people who should n't have them , the mental health issues , those are all good things , '' said Mike Bouchard , a retired agent with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and president of Security Dynamics Group , a consulting firm that ensures companies are compliant with firearm regulations .
`` But I do n't know that it 's going to reduce the homicide rate . ''
Trent Brewer and Beatriz Cintora-Silva were part of a fairly typical pattern of homicides in December 2012 , the same month as the Newtown mass murders .
Exactly how many others across the United States met the same fate that month ?
There 's really no way to know . That 's because of a lack of data . The FBI details homicides each year but it often has a lag time in reporting and does not specify the exact type of weapon . While the CDC has a National Violent Death Reporting System to collect data for violence prevention research , it is only operational in 18 states .
A slew of researchers , professors and experts successfully urged Vice President Joe Biden to include researching gun violence as one of the proposals he submitted to the president . Biden led the gun violence task force created by Obama in the wake of last month 's Newtown shootings .
Harold Pollack , co-director of the Chicago Crime Lab and one of the researchers who penned the recommendations to Biden , said he hopes this federal action will reverse the stifling of research and data since the 1990s .
That 's when the powerful pro-gun National Rifle Association effectively ended federal funding for gun violence research , citing its opposition to taxpayer-funded studies on gun violence .
That type of research is exactly what Pollack said can eventually prevent some of the senseless deaths as a result of guns .
`` If you look at 'How did someone get that gun that led to that person getting killed ? ' we might be able to find ways to have interfered with it , '' Pollack said . `` Maybe it 's related to the gun dealer , maybe it 's a type of gun commerce that we can interrupt , or maybe there 's a social service intervention before any of that . ''
He noted that studies of infant deaths and car accidents led to decreased rates of deaths in both cases .
Traffic accident research led to the discovery that many deaths were the result of impacts inside the car , not the car hitting a tree , for example .
That , Pollack said , is why we have airbags and seat belts . Those lifesaving additions to cars were a direct result of the tedious research .
`` We have to be able to use the tools that we have ... to try and make sensible policy , '' Pollack said . `` If our data about critical matters is left in a dusty box of a basement in a courthouse , there is n't a whole lot we can do . ''
Obama has ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies to immediately begin research on gun violence , its impact and any prevention measures .
There is only one hurdle standing in the way : Congress has to give them funding .
It can takes weeks or even months , if law enforcement is lucky , to trace a gun back to its origin .
Because many states do n't require guns to be registered , or private sales to be documented , no one really knows who owns many of the guns in circulation in the United States .
That means authorities are often unable to find out how criminals got their guns .
While most people assume , perhaps because of TV shows or movies , that authorities can plug in a serial number and gather all the data about a gun , Mike Bouchard said that actually could n't be further from the truth .
Bouchard , who works with firearm dealers to make sure they are compliant with the law , likens the situation to underage drinking : If someone ca n't get a beer , they may find someone who can buy it for them . The same is true of guns , he said .
`` The rules are easily defeated , '' he said . `` If ( criminals ) want a gun they are going to get a gun . ''
That 's a hole that President Obama hopes to address with universal background checks , stronger control of gun sales and laws that would make it a crime to sell your own gun to someone without a background check .
Universal background checks would mark an important turning point in stemming gun violence , according to gun control advocate Lindsay Nichols .
`` This may be the single most important gun violence prevention measure that the government could adopt , '' said Nichols , an attorney with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence . She said it would close a loophole that gave `` dangerous criminals and dangerously mentally ill individuals ... a most unfettered access to firearms . ''
But NRA president David Keene suggested to CNN 's Candy Crowley that he has little faith in universal background checks , saying they do n't work .
That 's because , Bouchard said , it assumes criminals will follow the law .
`` These criminals do n't care what the law says , '' he said .
While he said he believes expanding background checks is a step in the right direction , Bouchard said the real solution would be creating a database that tracks weapons purchases .
`` If people knew every transaction of a gun was going to be recorded somewhere , I think they 'd be more responsible with who they transferred their weapon to , '' he said .
Based on his experience , Bouchard said it would be pretty easy to establish a database to track weapon purchases and sales on a national level .
But he admits he does n't know anyone who supports a nationwide gun registration .
Experts know that reducing the number of Americans killed by guns is n't a problem that will be solved overnight , let alone in a few years . It may take a long-term game of trial and error .
But with 12,000 to 15,000 people being killed by guns each year , Bouchard said the country has to start somewhere . Anywhere .
`` Our whole society controls how much you can drink , how many pills you can buy , we have controls we accept on everything else in this society -- except guns , '' Bouchard said . `` Those things are all acceptable to us . But with guns most people will not even discuss restrictions . ''
Watch Anderson Cooper 360Β° weeknights 8pm ET . For the latest from AC360Β° click here . | Ud590FWJ0SxK3RTj | 0 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/10/15/wikileaks-reveals-hillary-clinton-to-goldman-sachs-americans-who-want-to-limit-immigration-are-fundamentally-unamerican/ | Hillary Clinton to Goldman Sachs: Americans Who Want to Limit Immigration Are βFundamentally UnAmericanβ | 2016-10-15 | WikiLeaks, Hillary Clinton, Presidential Elections, Elections | Hillary Clinton told Goldman Sachs executives that Americans who want to limit immigration are β fundamentally un-American , β according to the leaked transcript of her private October 2013 speech made public by WikiLeaks .
Clinton β s statement is significant because it suggests that , according to polling data , Clinton views an overwhelming majority of the American electorate to be β fundamentally un-American. β According to data from Pew Research Center , 83 % of the American electorate would like to see immigration levels frozen or reduced .
Clinton β s declaration describing those who want to limit immigration as β unAmerican β came in the context of her urging action on β immigration reform . β
β Immigration reform is so important , β Clinton told the Wall Street executives , as she demanded that Congress β get immigration reform done . β
By β immigration reform , β Clinton was referring to the 2013 Rubio-Schumer proposal , which she supported and which would have granted immediate amnesty and eventual citizenship to millions of illegal aliens , would have doubled the annual admission of foreign workers , and would have dispensed 33 million green cards to foreign nationals in the span of a single decade despite current record immigration levels .
Clinton went on to suggest that those who oppose such dramatic expansions to immigration are β fundamentally un-American β :
What I really resent most about the obstructionists is they have such a narrow view of America . They see America in a way that is no longer reflective of the reality of who we are . They β re against immigration for reasons that have to do with the past , not the future . They can β t figure out how to invest in the future , so they cut everything . You know , laying off , you know , young researchers , closing labs instead of saying , we β re better at this than anybody in the world , that β s where our money should go . They just have a backward-looking view of America . And they play on people β s fears , not on people β s hopes , and they have to be rejected . I don β t care what they call themselves . I don β t care where they β re from . They have to be rejected because they are fundamentally unAmerican . β
This is not the first time she has described sectors of the American electorate as β unAmerican. β At a September fundraiser earlier this year , Clinton described Trump supporters as β deplorable , β and β irredeemable , but thankfully they are not America , β Clinton said .
During her Goldman Sachs speech , Clinton went on to argue that being β American β is not a national identity , but rather is β an intellectual invention . β
β American was an invention , β Clinton declared . β It was an intellectual invention , and we have done pretty well for all these years . And these people want to just undermine that very profound sense of who we are . And we can β t let them do that . So it β s not just about politics or partisanship . It really goes to the heart of what it means to be American . β
Clinton β s declaration seems to echo a sentiment that has been expressed by mass migration enthusiast Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan .
Paul Ryan , like Clinton , has previously suggested that America is not a country or a national identity , but is rather an intellectual idea .
β America is more than just a country , β Ryan said just a few months before Clinton delivered her speech to Goldman Sachs . β It β s more than Chicago , or Wisconsin . It β s more than our borders . America is an idea . It β s a very precious idea . β
Ryan β s statement came as he was stumping for the Rubio-Schumer immigration agenda in 2013 with open borders advocate Luis Gutierrez , who has since endorsed Hillary Clinton for President over Donald Trump . Gutierrez was also one of the first members of Congress to endorse Ryan for House SpeakerβGutierrez has called Ryan his β good friend β and β guiding light β on immigration .
Ryan β s statement is significant because while a country has borders , β ideas β do not . If America is an β idea β rather than a β country β that means that refugees in Somali have as much β right β to a job in the United States as the children of the American revolution .
Indeed , like Clinton , Speaker Ryan has a long record of pushing to expand record-high immigration levels and advocating for open borders . This goal is shared by Hillary Clinton , who went so far as to privately tell foreign bankers that her β dream β was to enact β open borders . β
Several reports have documented how immigration is not the only issue of agreement between Paul Ryan and Hillary Clinton . As βββ has extensively documented , Ryan β s views on foreign migration , foreign trade , and foreign wars more closely align with the views of Hillary Clinton than they do with the views of Donald Trump and the Republican electorate . Indeed , Sen. Tim Kaine has predicted that Speaker Ryan will be the key to passing a President Hillary Clinton β s agendaβincluding enacting the largest amnesty in U.S. history within her first 100 days in office .
The overwhelming similarities between the goals of establishment leaders in both political parties and the goals of their wealthy corporate donors , like Goldman Sachs , recently prompted Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein to denounce Hillary Clinton as a β corporatist β and the face of β # TheNewRepublicanParty . β
β Both Democrats and Republicans are funded by big corporate interests , β Stein has written , noting that these members of Washington β s β uniparty β are united in their shared desire to advance the goals of their wealthy donors rather than the desires of the people .
Bernie Sanders has previously explained how open bordersβbacked by both Clinton and Ryanβis a β Koch brothers proposal β that would dissolve national sovereignty and β would make everybody in America poorer β by allowing corporations to β bring in all kinds of people [ who would ] work for $ 2 or $ 3 an hour β and would drive down wages for American workers .
By Bernie Sanders β own argument , Hillary Clinton β s β dream β is to enact a policy that would β make everybody in America poorer β and would do β away with the concept of [ the United States as ] a nation state . β
As a result of current federal policy , every year the U.S. issues one million plus new green cards ; admits one million foreign workers , refugees , and dependents ; and imports half a million foreign youths sought by college administrators . In 1970 , fewer than one in 21 Americans were foreign-born , but today , as a result of the federal government β s four-decade-long green card gusher , nearly one in seven U.S. residents was born in a foreign country .
Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions has explained that , far from being β fundamentally unAmerican , β recognizing limits and curbing immigration to protect American jobs and wages is β rational β and is the β mainstream β view held by most Americans .
β It is not mainstream , but extreme , to continue surging immigration beyond all historical precedent . And it is not rational , but radical , to refuse to recognize limits , β Sessions has explained .
Sessions has previously noted that Clinton β s desire to expand immigration beyond all-known historical precedent place her at odds with the vast majority of the American electorate . β Hillary Clinton has embraced a radical and extreme open borders agenda that , properly exposed , will make her un-electable , β Sessions has said . | f5501cfadc808abf | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/21/hamid-only-egyptians-can-finish-what-they-started/ | HAMID: Only Egyptians can finish what they started | 2013-08-21 | middle_east | The state of Egypt today is nothing less than expected , as Islamic radicalism has created outcomes of misconduct and inhumane criminality wherever it has existed . From casting disfiguring acids on to the faces of young girls to prevent them from getting an education to beheading human beings for merely having a different belief system to burning churches , the common denominator is extremism . Dreaming that respecting the ballot in Egypt was miraculously going to solve the problem is simply unrealistic . As exemplified by ballot results in Iraq and Afghanistan , elections are unable to prevent radicals from conducting heinous criminal acts .
In fact , since the Muslim Brotherhood has ruled Egypt , the United States itself has been attacked on several fronts . These include the invasion of the U.S. embassies in Cairo and in Benghazi , Libya , and the attack on the Boston Marathon in April .
Empowering the Islamists is bringing nothing but turmoil and disorder , and traditional Western approaches to end Islamic radicalism have failed . The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in the loss of trillions of dollars and thousands of lives , and the problem remains , as threatening as always . The reason for this failure is essentially related to the inability of Westerners to grasp the ideological , psychological and cultural underpinnings of the problem .
The question remains whether the West should continue fighting this problem , persisting in pursuing current inefficient methods or to β leave the bread to the breadmakers , β meaning letting the people Egypt to battle Islamic radicalism effectively , themselves .
To understand this last phrase , it is vital to understand the pivotal role the Egyptian radical groups have played in creating the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism .
According to traditional Shariah law , jihad ( or holy war against non-Muslims ) was supposed to be a mission executed at a national level . Ordinary Muslims who wanted to pursue jihad could only do so under the banner of traditional war β between an Islamic nation against another nation . This understanding of jihad β while certainly violent β still did not allow individual Muslims to attack non-Muslims at the individual level as we see today in suicide bombings and other forms of terrorism . Dedicated Muslims who wanted to carry out jihad had to wait for an Islamic government to initiate traditional warfare . In the past few decades , Egyptian radical Islamic groups changed the theology of jihad so that it became an individual responsibility rather than a national responsibility . This theological modification has changed the phenomenon of jihad from a violent act committed via traditional warfare into a barbaric act of terrorism that individuals can undertake at any time .
In order to justify this theological modification , radical groups in Egypt used a hadith , or saying , from the Prophet Muhammad , which translates as β Whoever saw an un-Islamic thing , he must change it with hands , β and a Koranic verse that says , β Then fight in Allah β s cause β thou art held responsible only for thyself. β As if these weren β t enough , an Egyptian radical , Sheik Mohamed Abdul-Salam Farag , published a book in 1981 , β The Forgotten Obligation , β in which he created the notion of violent jihad as being a sixth pillar ( in addition to the five pillars , or religious obligations ) that Muslims observe . Accordingly , performing the five pillars β without subsequently conducting jihad β became no longer sufficient enough to make one a pious Muslim .
The third theological modification that only worsened this phenomenon was also the work of Egyptian radical groups , which considered jihad a religious obligation that must be performed by every capable Muslim , instead of its traditional understanding as a religious obligation that is not a requirement for every individual Muslim .
Since the Egyptian people created this problem , they will consequently be more efficient in resolving it than the Western world . In fact , a saying spreading across Egyptian social-media outlets states , β We β Egyptians β created this radicalism , and we will end it here . β
In addition to traditional security measures by the police and army , Egyptians have been using very creative and effective measures to fight the radicals . These include ideological reforms , fatwas , or religious decrees condemning the radicals , and even jokes that ridicule them .
Now the question remains : Will the West be wise , and let the Egyptian people fight radical Islam in their own way , or will the West interfere with ineffective suggestions and useless approaches that will only empower radicalism ? Will the Egyptian people listen to the advice from the West and remain spineless in their approach toward radicals , thus turning their country into another Iraq or Afghanistan , or will they ignore counterproductive advice ?
The West has been trying unsuccessfully to fight radicalism since Sept. 11 , 2001 . It is better for the West to β leave the bread to the breadmakers β and let the Egyptians do the job .
Tawfik Hamid , a former Islamic extremist from Egypt , is a senior fellow and chairman of the study of Islamic radicalism at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies . | TMVNoO1HchbuTFUQ | 2 | Egypt | -1.1 | Middle East | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
banking_and_finance | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/09/29/the_big_middle_class_rip_off_how_a_short_sale_taught_me_rich_peoples_ethics/ | The big βmiddle classβ rip-off: How a short sale taught me rich peopleβs ethics | 2014-09-29 | Housing Market, Housing And Homelessness, Banking And Finance | β Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. β β HonorΓ© de Balzac .
The closest I ever came to acting like a rich person was two years ago when I short-sold my primary residence . I might have been able to keep it but strategic default made life easier . I owed about $ 400,000 on a house that short-sold for $ 150K . The bank lost more than a quarter of a million dollars , and I lost at least $ 80K in down payment and property improvements . In a short sale the bank agrees to settle debt for the lesser amount and the seller gets nothing but is β punished β by not being able to finance another house for at least two years ( rules vary ) . My moment of acting rich was when I bought a second house before short-selling the first to skirt around the repercussions of my own bad luck .
When the housing market tanked a few years ago , the government rescued every bank and business ( even a damned insurance company ) , while ignoring everyone else . I realized that the game was fatally lopsided , so I didn β t just walk away in middle-class shame , but rather I employed all my ( extremely limited ) cunning and deviousness to get a similar home before ditching the old one . I was able to cash in on low housing prices from a couple of years ago , coupled with low interest rates , to come out on top . The biggest barrier to getting a great deal was an almost overpowering need to behave like a middle-class sucker .
I was taught growing up to β keep my word β and that your handshake β meant something. β Yet businessmen and individual wealthy people make decisions that are far less moral than a short sale . People β incorporate β so they can avoid legal responsibility for individual actions . It works great . You can stiff creditors , declare bankruptcy , pollute daily and raid pensions to enrich individual executives . If it all goes wrong , like it has so often for Donald Trump , you can keep your mansions and individual fortunes . It is no accident that the best-paid CEO in America has never made a dime for the company . If regular Americans acted like corporations and the moneyed class , our country would collapse in a week from systemic theft , corruption and greed .
I always knew business was getting over on me , but I had no idea the extent until I started looking to short-sell . I first learned all I could about private home financing . I called up some shady investment groups around town and questioned them at length . I didn β t end up using them , but they were frank , informative and unashamed .
β Who would pay 11 percent on a home loan ? β I asked .
β Rich people , β said β Bill β from the legal loan-sharking company . β The rich have terrible credit . β
Rich people = bad credit : Just let that sink in .
Bill told me in roundabout ways that rich people never pay a bill if there is any way around it . If something goes wrong in an investment or a business , they always preserve their own assets first . We 've all heard the generalization that they 're lousy tippers .
Most Americans are clueless about business and finance . Instead , we are a caste of customers . We consume short-term predatory lending , school loans that can never be discharged , inflated mortgages , high-interest credit cards , fast food and overpriced automobiles . We β invest β in basic IRAs , doomsday prepping or Ponzi schemes . The worst part is that no matter how much money we gain or lose , the investor class always gets paid .
During the same five- or six-year period my house value tanked , I also lost tens of thousands of dollars in retirement accounts . At the same time , my β money manager β collected a fee day after day , month after month . Since he is the dealer of America β s crack-based stock market , he got paid regardless of performance .
Middle-class Americans just aren β t the same species of human as the wealthy , but we refuse to even discuss the class issue in America . β Class β is for the British , even though the U.K. now has more upward mobility . There have been many great essays and movies about the parallel but unequal capitalist systems in America . There exists a baffling , byzantine maze of corporate and personal benefits enjoyed by the super-rich and investment class both indecipherable and unavailable to regular people .
We pay banks for the privilege of fleecing us , a fact made obvious by the growing slice of corporate profits generated by the financial sector . Employment in the financial sector hovers around 5 percent of the American workforce , while they skim a third of all corporate profits off the top . They create nothing and add nothing , so in essence , a massive chunk of American profit is made up of handling fees .
Lest I be accused of β sour grapes , β because I β m not rich , let me be clear . I live what used to be a middle-class life . We vacation every year without fail , own a home and live in a nice neighborhood . My hands stay clean at work . Of course , it could all crumble tomorrow , but for the moment , I β m a β winner β of some kind . Because I β ve reached some small level of financial stability , I β ve had the time to look around and see how utterly broken the system has become for most people .
Living a middle-class life is an impediment to meaningful change . We are taught that we have everything we should dare to expect and capitalism has β worked β for us . Middle-class people are also urged to hate poor people , and those who can not or will not work . They are the β other , β the moocher class . Poor people are the reason you haven β t gotten a raise in five years or that your house is worthless or that your company only gives you one week off a year . Those who have something detest those with nothing . We β re letting rich people get away with fleecing America , while turning our rage on poor people .
When you examine it , you can not blame the rich for the oligarchy we β ve become or for what looks more and more like the return of Dark Age feudalism . Rather , the blame lies with my fellow work-a-day slobs who vote for politicians and policies that favor investment and wealth over the work of regular people . Middle-class Americans are self-flagellating and dispirited over their own lack of wealth , as if it were a character flaw . At the same time , they fall for the deception that everyone can be rich when , of course , most people lack the connections , education and plain old luck to even get close .
I can uncover an individual β s actual potential for wealth with one easy test : If you equate business opportunity with a multilevel marketing scheme , like Amway , you will never be rich . If that doesn β t work , just ask yourself if you think you β ve got a shot at winning the lottery . If the answer is β yes , β you will most assuredly die poorer than you are now .
For my entire life ( and I don β t think this will ever change ) I β ve watched friends and family engage in one Fred Flintstone-esque , get-rich-quick scheme after another . I β ve also been caught up in more of these than I β m comfortable admitting , and they always fail , without exception . At the same time ( at least in my own circles ) this starry-eyed group of middle- and lower-class strivers vote overwhelming for the Republican Party . I find a direct correlation with an unlikelihood to ever become wealthy corresponding with a stronger commitment to vote Republican . They further solidify institutional advantages of the business elite to which they will never , ever belong .
As a public service to every member of the get-rich-quick community I offer this : You will never ( ever ) become millionaires . Not with a β paying gold claim β or a giant Amway distributorship . Not with a system for winning at blackjack or a rich uncle about to croak . I beg you , for your own sanity and well-being , stop voting for more benefits for the monocle-wearing , martini-sipping , trust fund class . They care nothing about you , your feelings , your family , or life or death . They already have plenty , so stop enriching them at your own expense .
I do have the start of a solution , and it starts with America taking a hard look at itself . As a people , we suck at self-examination , but if we can manage it let β s ask : Why does society exist ? Does every human live with the sole purpose of enriching the smallest sliver of the species ? Do we consider rich people better than the rest of us ? Or , should we instead attempt to bring the greatest good to the greatest number of people , while still promoting innovation and competition ?
I entered the shark-infested waters of high finance with a short sale . It was the worst ethical decision , but finest , most profitable business moment , of my adult life . It was an informative , even transformative , experience . People are too hesitant to talk about such dealings , especially because most people make shitty financial decisions ( like me ) , but this sheepishness perpetuates systemic financial illiteracy .
As a species , the American-brand human is reluctant to talk about fiscal failure and our own constant victimization at the hands of faceless corporations . Furthermore , our misplaced β ethics β in dealing with big business , a group devoid of anything resembling morality , hurts regular people and society as a whole . If I could legally find a way to screw over a bank , I β d do it without hesitation . The financial industry would screw me six ways from Sunday to save a nickel . The least I can do is return the favor . I only wish I had more homes to short-sell . | be7a45b063ac9013 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
defense_and_security | CNN Digital | http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/12/politics/nsa-terror-hearing/index.html | NSA says data mining helped thwart terror | 2013-06-12 | NSA, Defense And Security | Story highlights NEW: Alexander defends data mining to protect Americans as doing "the right thing" NEW: Alexander says phone records collected are deleted after five years NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander says data mining helped prevent terrorism Leaked documents to newspapers revealed the NSA surveillance programsWashington CNN βPhone records obtained by the government through a secret surveillance program disclosed last week helped to prevent βdozensβ of terrorist acts, the director of the National Security Agency told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.Army Gen. Keith Alexander provided the most detailed account so far from a government official of the program in which the agency collects phone records that then can be accessed under federal court permission to investigate suspected terrorists.The scope of the secret program β potentially involving phone records of every American β set off a political firestorm when details emerged with publication of a leaked document.Further leaks revealed other secret programs that collect computer activity and other information.Critics on the right and left accused the government of going well beyond the intended reach of the Patriot Act enacted after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.Questioned by senators from both parties at a hearing on broader cybersecurity issues, Alexander provided a spirited defense for the programs he described as critical to counter-terrorism efforts.βI think what weβre doing to protect American citizens here is the right thing,β he said. βOur agency takes great pride in protecting this nation and our civil liberties and privacy, and doing it in partnership with this committee, with this Congress, and with the courts.βAlexander added that he welcomed a public debate over protecting America while preserving civil liberties.βTo date, weβve not been able to explain it because itβs classified, so that issue is something that weβre wrestling with,β he said. ββ¦ This isnβt something thatβs just NSA or the administration doing that and so on. This is what β¦ our nation expects our government to do for us. So, we ought to have that debate. We ought to put it out there.βIn the end, he said, some aspects of the giant surveillance apparatus created after 9/11 would have to remain classified.βAnd they should be, because if we tell the terrorists every way that we are going to track them, they will get through and Americans will die,β he said.Alexander also rejected the claim that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who admitted leaking the top-secret documents on electronic surveillance programs and is now in hiding, could tap into any Americanβs phone or e-mail.βI know of no way to do that,β he said, calling Snowdenβs statement βfalse.βIn an exchange with Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Alexander said he believed the program under Section 215 of the Patriot Act was βcriticalβ in helping the intelligence community corroborate information on possible threats.βIt is dozens of terrorist events that these have helped prevent,β Alexander said of the Section 215 program and another that collects information on foreign computer use.He would not discuss specific disrupted plots, saying they were classified, but he told Leahy that the two programs together played a role in helping to stop a planned attack on the New York subway system.Information developed overseas was passed along to the FBI, which was able to identify suspect Najibullah Zazi in Colorado and ultimately uncover a plot, he said. Zazi pleaded guilty to terror-related charges in 2010.In response to questions from senators about why the Section 215 program needed to collect billions of U.S. phone records, Alexander explained that the agency held the records for five years in the event that an investigation uncovered an overseas terrorist link to a specific area in the United States.With a database of phone records, the agency can go βback in timeβ to figure out the number and date that a suspect called, he said.βWe wonβt search that unless we have some reasonable, articulable suspicion about a terrorist-related organization,β Alexander said.Once permission is granted, βwe can now look and say, βwho was this guy talking to in the United States and why?ββOpinion: Why NSA spying scares the worldβThe system just gives us back who he was talking to,β Alexander explained. βBut if you didnβt collect it, how do you know who he was talking to?βObtaining further information, such as the content of the call, would require a court order, he said.GOP Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska pressed Alexander on the issue, asking if the search could span βthe breadth of telephone records.ββThe American public is fearful that in this massive amount of data you get that thereβs the ability of the federal government to synthesize that data and learn something more than maybe what was ever contemplated by the Patriot Act,β Johanns said.NSA hacks China, leaker claimsAlexander will return to the panel on Thursday to give a classified briefing on the programs in order to provide more information, and he pledged to work with the committee to come up with more detailed explanations for the American public.He explained his caution on Wednesday by saying revelations such as the classified documents about the secret programs were harmful to national security efforts.βI would rather take a public beating and people think I am hiding something than to jeopardize the security of this country,β Alexander said.NSA protests go online | 0c5bff06d18a96c2 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
china | Roll Call | https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/pence-calls-nike-nbas-position-china-un-american | Pence calls Nike, NBAβs position on China βun-Americanβ | 2019-10-24 | NBA, Nike, Mike Pence, Democracy, Oppression, Hong Kong, China | Go back to the homepage | 6f9814e1d9e5e5eb | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Fox News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-pence-claims-hes-learned-migrant-caravan-funded-by-outside-groups | Mike Pence claims he's learned migrant caravan funded by 'outside groups' | immigration | Vice President Mike Pence descended on the southwest as part of a midterm rallying blitz , bringing with him a warning that the migrant caravan is being funded by outside , leftist groups , citing intel said to be provided by foreign partners and a phone call with a Central American leader .
β What the president of Honduras told me is that the caravan was organized by leftist organizations , political activists within Honduras , and he said it was being funded by outside groups , and even from Venezuela , β Pence told βββ in an interview late Friday in Yuma , Arizona . β So the American people , I think , see through this β they understand this is not a spontaneous caravan of vulnerable people . β
The Vice President is barnstorming through the southwest this weekend , rallying for Republican candidates in New Mexico , Arizona , and Nevada .
SECTION OF TRUMP 'S BORDER WALL UNVEILED IN CALIFORNIA AS CARAVAN ADVANCES NORTH THROUGH MEXICO
Frenzied applause followed his declarations in Roswell and Yuma that the southern border is closed to the migrant caravan .
β Anyone coming up in this caravan should just turn around , β Pence told βββ . β They should go home , or they should apply for asylum in Mexico . β
Pence argues that loopholes in US immigration laws are alluring to human traffickers involved with organizing the migrant caravan .
SMALLER MIGRANT CARAVAN ADVANCES QUICKLY TOWARD US , TREKS 62 MILES IN ONE DAY
And he blames Democrats for not failing to shore up the laws on the books β even though Republicans control the House and the Senate .
β We β ve been blocked by liberals in the United States Senate who have stood in the way of immigration reform , β Pence said . β That 60 vote margin that the President talks about all the time has prevented us from really taking up this issue . β
Pence also dismisses the idea that the US must help Central American migrants that make it to the border β because he says the US is doing a lot to help them in their home countries .
β We β ve also provided tens of millions of dollars of aid to those countries of economic development , β Pence said . β The time has come for countries across central America to step up . β
On Friday , part of the caravan was able to travel more than 60 miles .
Exactly how many remain in the caravan is unknown . The mayor of nearby Huixla on Wednesday estimated 6,000 . Officially , Mexico says there are fewer than 4,000 .
The number reduced after some 1,700 applied for asylum in Mexico , four busloads returned to Honduras and others decided to go their own way or stay in Mexico and work .
The group is expected to further splinter in the next few days as some elect to hop on the fast-moving and dangerous cargo train known as La Bestia , or β The Beast β , that stretches from Guatemala to the U.S. border . | nZY4IIUZDScces9y | 2 | Mike Pence | 0.7 | Immigration | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
politics | Gallup | https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/311087/partisan-gap-views-coronavirus.aspx | The Partisan Gap in Views of the Coronavirus | 2020-05-15 | Coronavirus, Politics, Partisanship, Life During Covid-19, Polarization | The major political parties in the U.S. embrace significantly different approaches in their views of human nature , policy issues and the role of government . Americans who identify with either of the two major political parties in turn reflect these differences in the way they view and interpret the world around them . The degree to which this partisanship affects Americans ' worldviews has become more widespread and more intense in recent years .
It has not come as a great surprise , then , to find that views of the coronavirus situation differ widely across partisan groups . There is a yawning partisan gap in responses to almost any question about virus-related issues . This is particularly true , and perhaps least surprising , when Republicans and Democrats are asked about overtly political aspects of the situation . Republicans are , as would be predicted , much more positive than Democrats about the way President Donald Trump and the federal government are handling the virus situation .
But there are also substantial differences by party in nonpolitical questions about the virus . Republicans are much less likely than Democrats to report isolating themselves , adhering to social distancing , avoiding public places and wearing masks . Republicans are more likely to be out and about going to stores and others ' houses . Democrats are much more likely to say they are worried about getting the virus ( more than twice as likely as Republicans in βββ 's latest survey ) , much less likely to believe the virus situation is getting better , and much more likely to believe that social distancing saves lives .
Americans Turn to Different Sources for Cues on Virus-Related Issues
Most Americans are unable to evaluate the torrents of scientific and medical research and data relating to the virus , and are unable to personally evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy of virus containment efforts such as social isolation . ( The average American is not alone in this ; experts have significant disagreements as well . )
Americans therefore look for cues to help guide their formation of opinions about these issues ( and to come up with answers when asked about the virus in surveys ) . Americans ' underlying political identity provides a guidepost for their thinking , pointing them to cues provided by the public comments and stances of their party 's political influencers and thought leaders . While there has been some political cooperation across party lines relating to the virus , including the bipartisan passage of major spending legislation aimed at helping mitigate the economic impact of virus containment efforts ( for which there was also bipartisan public support ) , there has also been predictable political division and rancor . Americans , looking to their party leaders for thought guidance , echo these divided perspectives .
Americans ' underlying political identity is also related to cues they get from news media sources , which can differ widely in their focus on different perspectives on virus issues . Recent research conducted by βββ and the Knight Foundation confirms the degree to which Republicans and Democrats use different news sources to find out about the virus . The majority of Democrats use what the researchers labeled as liberal news sources ( MSNBC , The New York Times , CNN , Vox ) , while a majority of Republicans turn to either conservative sources ( Fox News , Breitbart , One America News , the National Review ) or a `` mixed diet '' of news sources . Additionally , particularly in these times when in-person contact is so limited , Americans ' online and social media activity often serves to reinforce partisan approaches .
Underlying Partisan Differences in Philosophy , Views of Role of Government
Americans whose lens on the world is defined by their political identity have differing basic philosophical views of how society does and should operate that were in place long before the virus became a dominating crisis . These underlying orientations can affect views of the virus and approaches to minimizing its effects , even without direct cues from political and media thought leaders .
Republicans over the years have been consistently more likely than Democrats to say government is doing too many things that should be left to business and industry , and Republicans are more likely to believe there is too much government regulation of business . They are also more likely to say government has too much power ( although that difference has diminished since Trump gained the White House ) and are philosophically much more likely than Democrats to say government should perform only the most basic functions in society , rather than taking steps to solve problems in every area it can .
Republicans are more likely to trust individual actions rather than governmental mandates that cover all people lumped together ( with the singular exception of Republicans ' endorsement of government actions limiting or banning abortion ) . We see this reflected in big party differences in views on government intervention to control guns and the individual mandate component of the Affordable Care Act .
Pew Research last year found that Republicans are less likely than Democrats to have confidence in scientists , less likely to say that scientists should take an active role in policy debates , and more likely to say that scientists ' judgments can be just as biased as others ' . We have also seen partisan disparity in interpretations of the conclusions reached by experts . Republicans , for example , are much less likely than Democrats to agree that most scientists believe that global warming is occurring . Also , in the current situation , Republicans are less likely than Democrats to express confidence in medical expert Dr. Anthony Fauci .
All of these underlying predispositions are in play as the government -- federal and state -- uses expert knowledge and recommendations as the basis for issuing far-reaching controls on individual behavior . Democrats embrace this expert-driven government intervention , while Republicans tend to be more skeptical .
Partisan differences in views of the virus situation may also reflect concerns about inequality and differences in the impact of the virus across racial and socioeconomic groups . Democrats are generally more likely to be personally worried about inequality , and reports that the virus has disproportionately and negatively affected minorities and lower-income families could be a factor in Democrats ' endorsement of more government action ( and can help explain other differences in views of the seriousness of the virus ) .
We know that the impact of the virus has varied widely by geographic location within the country and by density of living arrangements in a person 's location of residence , and we know that the impact of the virus has been more severe among certain types of people than others , defined by their demographic characteristics . Is it possible that these underlying differences can help explain the partisan gap in attitudes about the virus ?
There are certainly significant differences in the geographic locations of those who identify with the two major parties , as reflected in the traditional designation of states as `` red '' or `` blue . '' And there is a substantial difference in the impact of the virus between these two types of states . But an analysis of βββ data on key virus measures shows the partisan gap persists even within the two blue states that have been hardest hit by the virus -- New York and New Jersey . Democrats in these two states are more likely than Republicans to worry about getting the virus , to believe that the virus situation is getting worse and to be practicing social distancing . In short , the power of partisanship in determining attitudes about the virus seems to apply even in the worst-hit states .
There are also substantial differences in where Democrats and Republicans live within states . Democrats are more likely to be living in big cities and their suburbs ; Republicans are more likely to be living in small cities or rural areas . Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to live in areas with dense populations . However , analysis shows that the partisan gaps in virus-related attitudes and behaviors persist within each type of these places of residence . Republicans living in big cities are still distinctly different from Democrats living in big cities in a number of attitudes and behaviors relating to the virus , as is the case for those living in small towns and rural areas and in ZIP codes that are the most densely populated and those that are the least densely populated .
Americans who identify as Republicans and those who identify as Democrats also differ in gender , age and education composition . Republicans are older and more likely than Democrats to be men , and Republicans are less likely to be college graduates . All these differences could , in theory , be significant factors in helping explain the big partisan differences in attitudes and behavior relating to the virus . But the data indicate otherwise . Analysis of views of the two political groups within categories defined by educational attainment , gender and age shows that none of these variables eliminate the impact of partisanship .
As I have noted previously , partisan differences in views of issues and policies are built into the American system , and can be a plus . Healthy debate on the right way to tackle problems can yield compromise solutions that optimize effectiveness and acceptability to the country 's population . There is no reason this does n't apply in general to the coronavirus situation facing the U.S. today . Republican and Democratic differences in views of the best approaches to maximize competing objectives ( containing the virus , keeping the economy going , maintaining jobs , restoring the mental health and wellbeing of the population ) can force policymakers to arrive at better decisions than if they were guided only by their own parochial or partisan lens .
At the same time , the degree to which Republicans and Democrats differ in their acceptance of and adherence to government mandates is significant . It is impossible to meaningfully police and enforce such policy edicts , which depend on the voluntary participation of the citizenry , including those of all political persuasions . Leaders face the challenges of recognizing the underlying distinctions that lead to differential acceptance of government policies , understanding what is behind these differences ( rather than dismissing those they do n't agree with ) , and explaining and justifying government decisions and policies when they are put into effect . | bc8ed23515393100 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/05/12/nigeria-reportedly-in-indirect-contact-with-group-holding-schoolgirls/ | Nigeria reportedly in 'indirect contact' with group holding schoolgirls | 2014-05-12 | world | A new video believed to be from Nigerian terror group Boko Haram shows more than 100 kidnapped Christian schoolgirls praying to Allah , and the Islamic terror group β s leader β who was reportedly negotiating with the government β saying he will hold the girls until imprisoned militants are freed .
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is seen on the 27-minute video , obtained by the Associated Press , announcing the girls have converted to Islam .
`` Praise be to Allah , the lord of the world , '' chant the girls in the video , as they are seen wearing black and gray hijabs and reciting the Koran in Arabic as they make Islamic declarations of faith . Many of the girls -- who range in age from 15 to 18 -- are barefoot in the video . Some appear fearful , others desolate , and one said in the video that they had not been harmed , the BBC reported .
Three of the girls are shown speaking in the video . Two say they were Christian and have converted to Islam , while the other says she is Muslim .
`` These girls , these girls you occupy yourselves with ... we have indeed liberated them . These girls have become Muslims , '' Shekau says in the video .
The majority of the abducted girls are believed to be Christians , although there are also some Muslims among them .
Shekau also says he would release the girls in exchange for prisoners . There is no indication of when or where the video was recorded , but the location appears to be rural .
When asked about the option of trading the girls for imprisoned militants , U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said Monday , that is up to Nigeria . β As you know , Nigeria is in the lead . We are simply supporting their efforts . As you know also the United States ' policy is to deny kidnappers the benefits of their criminal acts including ransoms or concessions , β Psaki said at a press briefing .
The video received Monday by the AP came through channels that have provided previous messages from Boko Haram leader Shekau , who speaks in the video in the Hausa language of northern Nigeria . He is shown in military fatigues cradling an assault rifle on the video , which is imprinted with the Boko Haram insignia of a Koran resting on two crossed assault rifles and below the black Jihadi flag .
The United States put a $ 7 million bounty on Shekau 's head last year .
The video is the first sighting of the abducted girls since more than 300 were taken April 14 from their school in the northern town of Chibok by Islamist militants . Although more than 50 girls escaped their captors and are now safe , at least 276 remain missing .
The search so far has centered on the Sambisa forest , with Nigerian troops being aided by advisers from the U.S. , Britain and France .
Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren clarified the U.S. presence in Nigeria for reporters Monday , saying there are more than 50 U.S. military personnel and advisors based at the Nigerian Embassy to help β advise and assist β in the search for the missing girls . The teams have expertise in β communications , logistics , civil affairs , and intelligence , β Warren said .
`` There are no plans to put additional U.S. military forces on the ground in Nigeria , '' Warren added .
When asked about the video , Psaki said U.S. intelligence agents are hoping to use it to help rescue the girls .
β We have no reason to question its authenticity . Our intelligence experts are combing through every detail of the video for clues that might help in ongoing efforts to secure the release of the girls , β Psaki said .
The video emerged Monday as the Nigerian government reportedly made `` indirect contact '' with the terrorist group . The report from Sky News did not specify how the two sides got in touch , but a special adviser to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan told Sky News that Nigeria would not pay to secure the girls ' release , `` because the sale of human beings is a crime against humanity . ''
The Nigerian government has been heavily criticized for how it has conducted its search for the missing girls , who were taken after taking final exams . On Friday , the group Amnesty International claimed that Nigerian security forces were aware that a convoy of fighters from Boko Haram was approaching the town of Chibok four hours before the kidnapping , but did nothing to stop the kidnappings .
It is believed that 53 girls were able to escape the kidnappers . One of them , 19-year-old Sarah Lawan , told the Associated Press that her ordeal was `` too terrifying for words , '' and added that she was afraid to go back to school .
Boko Haram , whose name , loosely translated , means `` Western education is forbidden , '' is believed to have killed approximately 1,500 people in Nigeria so far this year , and has been waging an insurgency in the country for the past five years .
Shekau claimed credit for the abductions in a video last week , saying , `` I abducted your girls ! By Allah , I will sell them in the marketplace ! ''
`` This is a clear case of mismanagement of a small group of bandits who have been allowed to really grow into a monstrous terrorist organization that we now have , '' Atiku Abubakar , former vice president of Nigeria , told Sky News .
The search has been made more difficult by the lack of information regarding the girls ' possible whereabouts , with speculation suggesting that they have been split into four groups , with some believed to have been taken across Nigeria 's border .
Sky News reports that militants have likely laid booby traps and land mines to prevent searchers from finding the girls . In addition , two bridges crossing Nigeria 's borders with Chad and Cameroon have reportedly been destroyed in the past week . | ZU0MUpcMgdndmmHZ | 2 | Nigeria | -1.55 | World | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
russia | BuzzFeed News | https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/mcconnell-blocks-protect-mueller-bill-russia | Mitch McConnell Just Blocked A Bipartisan Bill To Protect Robert Mueller | russia | WASHINGTON β Republican Sen. Jeff Flake says he will block all of President Trump β s judicial nominees until his bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller goes to a vote .
Flake β s move comes after Trump forced Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign and appointed Matt Whitaker , a Trump loyalist who has repeatedly criticized Mueller β s investigation , as acting attorney general . Trump had repeatedly railed against Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election .
Flake has long been a critic of Trump but has mostly declined to use his leverage in the razor-thin Senate to hold up Republican judges . That changed Wednesday when Flake sought unanimous consent to bring his bill to protect Mueller forward for debate . Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused , blocking the bill .
Flake then declared he will vote to reject all judicial nominees . β This is not a moment for our national leadership to be weak or irresolute , β he said on the Senate floor .
Flake is the swing vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee and , with Democrats , can vote down judicial nominations . McConnell could still bring these nominations forward to the Senate floor against the will of the committee , but Flake said he doubts this would happen because it would alienate GOP senators .
β I β d be surprised , because there β s such a slim margin on the floor . Some members are sticklers for precedent and you don β t want to get in the habit of basically nullifying a committee β s actions , β said Flake .
McConnell has made confirming conservative judges to lifetime appointments one of his top priorities under the Trump administration . Dozens of nominations hang in the balance . If he were to bypass the Judicial Committee , Flake would need the help of just one more Republican senator to kill nominations . Flake said he is in talks with other Republicans to team up with him , but did not identify who .
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Mueller protection bill months ago , but Mitch McConnell repeatedly refused to bring it forward for a vote . He argued the bill is unnecessary because there is no sign that Trump will fire Mueller . Flake argues that is no longer true .
β The justification given in April for not bringing it to the floor for a vote was that nobody was being fired , nothing to see here , special counsel Mueller was not in any danger . That clearly is not the case now , β said Flake Wednesday .
The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act , cosponsored by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons , would require that the special counsel could only be fired for good cause , and would allow for the courts to overturn the firing if good cause could not be proved .
Coons said he is certain the bill has the needed support of 60 senators to pass the Senate . But it has always faced very long odds of becoming law , given that it would require Trump signing on to a measure that limits his own powers .
Technically Trump can not fire Mueller on his own . Under current Justice Department regulations , only the attorney general can fire Mueller .
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein , the department β s number two official , had overseen the Mueller investigation since Sessions recused himself last year . Whitaker β s appointment as acting attorney general puts him in charge of the probe , but Democrats have called on him to recuse himself as well . | RfuEUQWG0lZ6Bp2U | 0 | Russia | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
us_house | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/20/house-democrats-donald-trump-national-emergency | House Democrats to file measure aimed at blocking Trump's emergency declaration | 2019-02-20 | Nancy Pelosi, National Emergency, US House, Politics | Lawmakers β move , planned for Friday , sets up clash over presidential powers and immigration but is likely to fail
House Democrats will file a resolution Friday aimed at blocking the national emergency declaration that Donald Trump has issued to help finance his wall along the south-west border , teeing up a clash over billions of dollars , immigration policy and the constitution β s separation of powers .
Though the effort seems almost certain to ultimately fall short β perhaps to a Trump veto β the resulting votes will let Democrats take a defiant stance against Trump that is sure to please liberal voters . They will also put some Republicans from swing districts and states in a difficult spot .
Formally introducing the measure sets up a vote by the full House , probably by mid-March and perhaps as soon as next week , because of a timeline spelled out by law . Initial passage by the Democratic-run House seems assured .
The measure would then move to the Republican-controlled Senate , where there may be enough GOP defections for approval . The law that spells out the rules for emergency declarations seems to require the Senate to address the issue too , but there has never been a congressional effort to block one and some procedural uncertainties remain .
The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , seemed to predict approval , telling colleagues in a letter that her chamber would β move swiftly β to pass it and β the resolution will be referred to the Senate and then sent to the president β s desk β .
Immigration , rail funding and lawsuits : why California and Trump are at war Read more
Should the House and Senate initially approve the measure , Congress seems unlikely to muster the two-thirds majorities in each chamber that would be needed later to override a certain Trump veto .
Even so , Republican senators facing tough 2020 re-election fights in competitive states such as Arizona , Colorado and North Carolina would have to take stances that could risk dividing the GOP β s pro-Trump and more moderate voters .
The moderate senator Susan Collins of Maine said Wednesday she would back a resolution blocking the declaration , making her the first Republican to publicly state her support for the effort to thwart the emergency declaration . With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority , three more GOP senators would need to vote with Democrats for the resolution to win initial approval .
The votes could also cause discomfort for other Republicans who have opposed the declaration . Many have expressed concerns that Trump β s declaration sets a precedent for future Democratic presidents to declare emergencies to address their own favored issues , like global warming or gun control .
The battle is over an emergency declaration Trump has issued to access billions of dollars beyond what Congress has authorized to start erecting border barriers . Building the wall was the most visible trademark of his presidential campaign .
Congress approved a vast spending bill last week providing nearly $ 1.4bn to build 55 miles of border barriers in Texas β Rio Grande Valley while preventing a renewed government shutdown . That measure represented a rejection of Trump β s demand for $ 5.7bn to construct more than 200 miles of barriers .
Besides signing the bill , Trump also declared a national emergency and used other authorities that he says give him access to an additional $ 6.6bn for wall building . That money would be transferred from a federal asset forfeiture fund , defense department anti-drug efforts and a military construction fund . Federal officials have yet to identify specifically which projects would be affected .
Pelosi and the Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , said in a joint statement last week that lawmakers would use β every remedy available β to defend Congress β s powers , including in the courts .
Democratic aides said Wednesday that leaders were still deciding exactly what legal action to take , and when .
Outside activists said they understood from conversations with congressional staff that Democrats were likely to file their own lawsuit , rather than simply joining other actions that 16 state attorneys general and liberal , environmental and other organizations have commenced separately .
California leads 16-state lawsuit over Trump 's emergency declaration Read more
It remained unclear whether Democrats would wait for congressional action to play out before going to the courts .
Speaking Tuesday about the attorneys general suit , Trump said he expected to do β very well β in the case and said he had an β absolute right β to make the declaration .
Democrats and some Republicans say there is no emergency at the border . They say Trump is improperly declaring one to work around Congress β rejection of the higher amounts .
Once a resolution of disapproval is introduced , the national emergency law says it must be assigned to a committee , which has 15 calendar days to send it to the full chamber .
That chamber then has three calendar days to vote on it . The timing could be shortened , which is why a vote could occur more quickly .
The same procedure is then repeated in the second chamber . The law requires those timetables unless either chamber votes to do otherwise . If McConnell tries using that provision to delay the vote on the resolution , the vote on slowing the measure will become the key showdown .
A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on what the leader would do . | 6480b386197f24dc | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | The Hill | https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/456974-the-future-of-american-terrorism | The future of American terrorism | 2019-08-11 | terrorism | With a long history of domestic terrorism , the United States has entered a perilous phase in which widening political polarization is likely to fuel further violence . While religious terrorism by foreign and domestic Islamist jihadists has subsided in recent years , political terrorism is on the rise . Although the major culprits are white supremacists , ultra-right terrorism will also inspire ultra-left terrorism particularly if the government is seen as weak in dealing with right-wing militants .
In recent decades the U.S. has experienced terrorism from across the political spectrum . Left-wing terrorism was prominent in the 1960s and 1970s , with radical groups such as the Weather Underground periodically planting bombs to protest against β US imperialism β and American involvement in the war in Indochina and to demonstrate their defiance of the political establishment .
During the 1980s and 1990s , rightist anti-establishment terrorism became more prevalent . The β Unabomber β Ted Kaczynski terrorized the nation with several package bombs following the release of an anti-government diatribe . The most destructive single terrorist act before 9/11 was the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995 . Two U.S. militia movement sympathizers and sworn enemies of the establishment blew up a government building with a truck bomb and killed 168 people and injured more than 680 .
Most bomb attacks or mass shootings are ideologically driven , even if they are not tied to any specific political group and are conducted by single operators . Militant anti-abortion activists have bombed health centers , committed acts of arson and murdered abortion providers outside their homes and in churches . Sympathizers of radical racist groups such as the KKK have attacked Jewish synagogues and African-American churches and in some instances slaughtered members of the congregation .
In the current deeply divided political climate , the terrorist threat has entered a new phase , with racism and xenophobia on the rise and a militant leftist reaction looking increasingly likely . Indeed , the Dayton gunman who murdered nine civilians was a self-professed radical leftist evidently rebelling against the centrist establishment or β Biden generation β on his social network . Just as racist supremacists believe in the coming white utopia , the ultra-left is convinced of a future socialist utopia .
For the first time in modern American history , violent extremists and terrorists are now claiming to be active on behalf of the White House agenda and not against the government . Several militant networks have emerged asserting the virtues of white nationalism and ethnic exclusivity . They are willing to engage in violent attacks on leftist and anti-fascist protestors , as witnessed in Charlottesville two years ago . This is a radical rightwing equivalent of the anti-capitalist and anti-globalist groups that have spearheaded violent assaults on institutions such as the World Bank .
The recent terrorist attacks in El Paso and Dayton may be the tip of a melting iceberg as polarization in American politics is heating up with election season approaching . The climate of fear and hate is exacerbated through speeches , commentaries and tweets that belittle and dehumanize political opponents , depict parts of the media as sworn enemies and give red meat to the more militant activists .
Trump has generated both devotion and hostility like no other president in modern U.S. history . Some of his backers propound the notion that the β deep state β establishment seeks to stifle and overthrow him , as evident in the Russian collusion probe . Conversely , the president β s more militant opponents are angry at the establishment for allowing Trump to remain in office . Paradoxically , the ultra-right and ultra-left are in agreement , as both see themselves at war against moderate centrism and democratic pluralism .
Among the ultra-left , Trump is caricatured as a sadistic ignoramus and his supporters as rabid racists . Such simplification and dehumanization can contribute to justifying acts of terrorism against the president β s supporters at public events in cities and districts that predominantly voted for him . This would likely provoke violent retaliation from the extreme right . Throughout modern history fascists and communists have maintained a symbiotic relationship with each other and a parasitic relationship with society .
Political polarization is fueled by conspiracy theories and outright disinformation , which Moscow β s intelligence agencies will help promote throughout the election campaign to deepen America β s social divisions . For instance , the claim that white nationalism is a hoax perpetrated by Democrats to discredit Republicans will serve to camouflage and legitimize radicalism while increasingly hollowing out the political center .
The U.S. is embarking on a dangerous national trajectory and confronts a stark choice on either side of the deepening political divide . Mainstream Republicans and Democrats can either monitor , expose and neutralize the violent extremists in their ranks and along their flanks , or they can allow radical ideologies to consume American society .
Janusz Bugajski is a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis ( CEPA ) in Washington D.C. His recent book , co-authored with Margarita Assenova , is β Eurasian Disunion : Russia β s Vulnerable Flanks . β | GRYx5sD4iOwiM8hF | 1 | Terrorism | -1.7 | Domestic Terrorism | -1.7 | Violence | -0.8 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 0 | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/10/15/trump-slams-corrupt-media-as-more-women-make-sexual-assault-claims.html | Trump slams 'corrupt' media, as more women make sexual assault claims | 2016-10-15 | elections | Two more women accused Republican nominee Donald Trump of sexual assault Friday , with a relative of one of them saying that the allegation was `` an attempt to regain the spotlight . ''
Summer Zervos , a former contestant on Trump 's NBC reality show `` The Apprentice , '' said the real estate mogul kissed her and groped her after meeting at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2007 to discuss a potential job . Zervos , accompanied at a Los Angeles press conference by attorney Gloria Allred , said she was later offered a lower-paying job at a Trump golf course .
β You do not have the right to treat women as sexual objects just because you are a star , β Zervos said at the press conference , addressing Trump .
Late Friday , the Trump campaign released a statement purporting to be from statement in which a cousin of Zervos said he was `` shocked and bewildered '' by her account .
John Barry of Mission Viejo , Calif. , said in the statement that Zervos spoke glowingly of Trump until the real estate mogul rebuffed an invitation to visit her restaurant during the primary campaign .
`` I think Summer wishes she could still be on reality TV , and in an effort to get that back she β s saying all of these negative things about Mr. Trump , '' Barry said . `` That β s not how she talked about him before . ''
Trump himself issued a statement saying that he `` never met [ Zervos ] at a hotel or greeted her inappropriately a decade ago . That is not who I am as a person , and it is not how I β ve conducted my life . '' He added that Zervos had emailed Trump 's office this past April 14 to ask if he could visit her restaurant in California .
Allred , who frequently represents women bringing sexual harassment and assault claims , said β many more women β have contacted her regarding the Republican nominee after a video emerged of Trump making lewd comments about women in 2005 β comments Trump apologized for , but dismissed as β locker room talk . β
Allred said Zervos is not filing a suit at this time .
Earlier Friday , The Washington Post reported on a woman β s claim that Trump put his hand up her skirt and groped her at a Manhattan nightspot in the early '90s .
According to the Post , Kristin Anderson claimed that while she was at the Manhattan nightspot in the early 1990s , Trump slid his fingers under her miniskirt and fondled her .
Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks called Anderson 's claim a `` total fabrication . '' She said in a statement , `` It is illogical and nonsensical to think Donald Trump was alone in a nightclub in Manhattan . ''
The new allegations capped a tumultuous week on the campaign trail for Trump , who has faced a daily drip-drip of allegations even as he has tried to focus on Bill Clinton 's female accusers -- and the massive leak of Clinton campaign emails by WikiLeaks .
As Zervos was making her accusations Friday , Trump was at a rally in Greensboro , N.C. , rejecting all the allegations against him as β total fiction . β
β I have no idea who these women are , β Trump said . β The stories are total fiction . They β re 100 percent made up . β
He continued to expand on his argument that the claims are part of a conspiracy involving the Clinton campaign and what he calls β the corrupt media β β in particular the New York Times , which kick-started the reports of sexual misconduct earlier this week . Trump previously threatened to sue the Times over allegations they published from two women who claim Trump groped them .
On Friday , Trump went after the Times again , suggesting the reporters were acting at the behest of billionaire Carlos Slim , the largest shareholder in the Times .
β Now , Carlos Slim , as you know , comes from Mexico . He β s given many millions of dollars to the Clintons and their initiatives , β Trump said . β Reporters at The New York Times , they β re not journalists . They β re corporate lobbyists for Carlos Slim and for Hillary Clinton . β
Trump then claimed the controversy was β a total setup β consisting of β lies spread by the media β as a way to undermine his campaign . He went so far as to mock his accusers , making fun of one who told the Times he groped her on an airplane in the early 1980s .
β The only way they can figure they can slow it down is to come up with people that are willing to say β Oh I was with Donald Trump in 1980 , β β he said , putting on a voice mocking his accusers . β ' I was sitting with him on an airplane and he went after me on the plane. β Yeah , I 'm gon na go after youβ¦ β
β Believe me , β he added . β She would not be my first choice , I can tell you . β
One of the accusers who came forward earlier this week , Mindy McGillivray of Palm Springs , Fla. , told the Palm Beach Post Friday that she was planning to leave the United States because she feared for her family β s safety . She told the paper cars had been driving around her house .
As Trump ratched up his attacks Friday on the media and his accusers , Democrats have been seizing on the accounts as proof that Trump is unfit for office . On Thursday , first lady Michelle Obama launched a scathing attack on the billionaire and the comments he made on the 2005 tape .
`` We have a candidate for president of the United States who over the course of his lifetime , over the course of this campaign , has said things about women that are shocking , so demeaning , '' she said . `` I simply will not repeat anything here today . Last week , we actually saw this candidate bragging about sexually assaulting women . I ca n't believe I 'm saying that , a candidate for president of the United States bragged about sexually assaulting women . ''
On Friday , President Obama followed up , saying Trump was determined to β drag this election as low as he can possibly go β and warned that β democracy is on the ballot β in November . | sihUmynmLSRWAjh0 | 2 | Presidential Elections | -1 | Elections | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
joe_biden | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/09/biden-white-house-reaction-midterm-election-results-2022-00065959 | Biden declares election a 'good day' for democracy and the nation | 2022-11-09 | Joe Biden, 2022 Elections, Politics, White House, Media Industry, Democratic Party, Democracy, Voting Rights And Voter Fraud | white house The president took a major victory lap after a better than expected night. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. By Christopher Cadelago and Myah Ward 11/09/2022 11:09 AM EST Updated: 11/09/2022 06:21 PM EST Link Copied President Joe Biden reveled in his partyβs unexpected success during a midterm postmortem on Wednesday, declaring it a βgood day for democracy and, I think, a good day for America.β His comments came after Democrats defied expectations of a red wave washing across the country and exceeded even their most optimistic predictions about the midterms. βOur democracy has been tested in recent years, but with their votes, the American people have spoken and proven once again that democracy is who we are,β he said after walking into the State Dining Room to address reporters for an extended news conference. From the beginning of the day, Biden aides and close allies were eager to remind naysayers that the president had been wrongly underestimated and counted out time after time before. As election results trickled in, the feeling inside the White House turned from encouragement to relief to an unmistakable sense of vindication, even as the practical realities of losing the House β albeit by far narrower margins than most believed β continued to settle in. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. βWhile the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didnβt happen,β Biden said, admonishing the news media and the pundit class for doubting his confidence over the past few weeks. At another point, Biden revealed he hadnβt put much stock in polling of the races, the averages of which pointed to a Republican bloodbath. He joked that he struggled to read the surveys. βAnd I know you were somewhat miffed by my optimism, I felt good during the whole process. I thought we were going to do fine,β he said. βWhile any seat lost is painful, and some good Democrats didnβt win last night, Democrats had a strong night, and we lost fewer seats in the House of Representatives than any Democratic presidentβs first midterm election in the last 40 years.β Biden noted that winners in numerous races had yet to be declared, but he promised βregardless of what the final tally of these elections show β and thereβs still some counting going on β Iβm prepared to work with my Republican colleagues. The American people have made clear they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me.β Biden is about to leave for a trio of international summits, but he said he plans to invite βthe leaders of both political partiesβ to the White House when he returns βto discuss how we can work together for the remainder of this year and in the next Congress to advance the economic and national security priorities of the United States.β He also noted he planned to speak with the House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy, who is widely expected to become the next speaker. The president also told reporters Wednesday that, as he has said before, he intends to run for a second term but that he is not in a rush to make a decision β and that his timeline will not be determined by an announcement from his predecessor, Donald Trump. βThis is ultimately a family decision. I think everybody wants me to run, but weβre going to have discussions about it, and I donβt feel any hurry one way or another to make that judgment today, tomorrow, whenever, no matter what my predecessor does,β he said. Biden said he believes it will be βearly next yearβ before he makes a final call, and suggested that he had space to maneuver now that people in his party were breathing a sigh of relief about the midterms. Later, when asked about his potential 2024 Republican opponents and who he would rather face, he noted that Trump could duke it out with GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: βItβll be fun watching them take on each other.β Bidenβs aides had spent days leading up to the election trying to tamp down expectations, going as far as promising that the president wouldnβt suffer anything like the hemorrhaging of House seats that his recent predecessors did. White House officials insisted that pundits, including many within their party, were wrong in their criticism that the president didnβt properly balance his message around the economic pains of inflation with threats to democracy and protecting abortion rights. Underlying the optimism from officials was the alternate reality they feared had the contests been a bloodbath: Biden appearing more politically vulnerable to threats from within his own party. Officials inside the administration acknowledged that they didnβt expect Democrats to keep things as close as they did in the House while pulling off so many other key wins down-ballot, according to officials and others in close touch with the White House. βTo see it all play out was just a huge relief to the White House,β said Democratic strategist Adrienne Elrod. βAnd, again, validation that President Bidenβs policies, which are popular, actually turned into votes to keep more Democrats in office.β Democrats will keep control of the Senate, but the House is still too close to call. See all Senate election results See all House election results See all governor election results Control of the House remains on a knifeβs edge. Hereβs how it could break. With control of the Senate, Democrats will be able to unilaterally confirm Biden's judges and executive branch nominees. The Senate majority appeared to rest on Nevada and a likely runoff in Georgia. But administration officials and their allies viewed the results as validation of Bidenβs policy successes and his bet that focusing broadly on Republican extremism would help repel voters, despite Democrats in many of the toughest races seeking distance from the president and vice president themselves. βWhat was true in 2020 is also true in 2022 β that voters are looking for normalcy and for their representatives to restore the rule of law, respect our democracy and address the problems that are plaguing them on a daily basis, like high costs and infringements on their rights. And thatβs what President Biden and the Democrats have done,β said Stephanie Cutter, a longtime Democratic operative. βThe historical winds always meant that there would be losses, but the red wave that everybody predicted was blunted because of sound policy and respect for our institutions.β For others, the moment recalled Biden rising from the political grave in the 2020 midterms and later seeing his legislative agenda β including massive spending plans β resuscitated and ultimately passed through Congress. The surprising results represented one of the best midterm elections for a party in power in nearly a century. Yet while it gave the White House a considerable psychological and political boost, it doesnβt exhaust the questions the president and his team face. For starters, the House is still likely to fall to Republicans, forcing the administration to greatly curtail its ambitions. And losing the Senate, even by the narrowest of margins, would stymie their ability to nominate judges and other crucial appointees. Beyond that, Bidenβs own political future remains deeply uncertain. The president spent the close of the midterm largely campaigning in deep blue enclaves and staying away from most of the tight races that broke his way, or still may. Instead, he raised money behind the scenes or held official events β sometimes at the insistence of Democratic campaigns who feared his presence alongside them at rallies. In Chicago, Democrats privately pushed back against the president holding a political rally in the final days of the campaign. Instead, they agreed to have Biden help raise money for two House members and hold an official event the next day. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) made clear to the White House early on to keep Biden at bay, and POLITICO reported Wednesday that Senate candidate John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also asked him to stay away. Biden came anyway, and Fetterman won the race. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. This is a modal window. Several others who Biden did campaign alongside or on behalf of also won their races, including Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Tony Evers of Wisconsin and Maryland Gov.-elect Wes Moore, along with House members in Illinois and Virginia. Even those who lost their races gave Biden his due. At a hastily called news conference Wednesday after conceding to his opponent, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the president βdeserves credit for tackling the crises he found when he came into office.β βLast night should encourage him that despite the opposition, despite the anger, the hatred, the lies that he has faced, the implacable obstruction heβs encountered β that heβs making progress and weβre going to get through this together,β Maloney said. Biden began watching Tuesdayβs election unfold from the White House residence, before moving onto the Roosevelt room where he was joined by his advisers. He then retired to the dining room of the complex to make a battery of congratulatory calls, finishing up with an early morning text to Fetterman, who bested TV celebrity Mehmet Oz in a battle that emerged as an early proxy war between Biden and former President Donald Trump. Among officials and close allies, the history defying midterms were internalized as a repudiation of Trump and his movement, which despite Bidenβs unpopularity, stubbornly high inflation and rising fear over crime, faltered in many of the places the White House holds dearest. Along with a number of suburban House districts that were prioritized by administration and party officials, they were especially heartened by big wins in Rust Belt gubernatorial races β states that will again be crucial to hold in 2024. It has been exactly a half century since Biden, who turns 80 this month, entered politics and the midterms threatened to severely weaken the presidentβs standing. Advisers have insisted that Biden, who has said he intends to seek reelection, wouldnβt be swayed one way or another by the November outcomes. But Democrats said they anticipated a war on the right over how much blame Trump should receive, which would in turn relieve some of the pressure on Biden that would have boiled over had the races served as a referendum on the current president rather than the latter. βThe Democratic Party outperformed beyond what anyone expected,β Biden said. βIt gives everyone a sigh of relief that the βMega MAGA Republicansβ are not taking over the government again.β 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 Β© 2025 POLITICO LLC | 4915579acd4a409d | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-homecoming-rally-sunrise-fla | Trump tears into impeachment inquiry, defends military pardons at Florida 'homecoming rally' | impeachment | President Trump took the stage in Sunrise , Fla. Tuesday night to address supporters at what his reelection campaign rally dubbed a β homecoming rally β before the start of his Thanksgiving break at Mar-a-Lago , his new primary residence .
Tuesday 's rally marked his first official campaign visit to the Sunshine State since he changed his state of residence from New York , and he made a point of telling Florida voters that β less than one year from now I will join voters across the Sunshine State , my home , as we head to the polls . β
TRUMP USES TURKEY PARDON TO MOCK SCHIFF , SAYS BIRDS ALREADY RECEIVED SUBPOENAS
Trump claimed his residency change was motivated by the poor treatment he was receiving from New York politicians investigating him . However , Florida 's far more attractive tax rates could have played some part in the decision as well .
`` Welcome home to Florida , '' Gov . Ron DeSantis , told Trump before joking he was more excited to welcome first lady Melania Trump to the state .
Winning Florida will be crucial for the president β s reelection . Trump won the state over Hillary Clinton by 110,000 votes , but Tuesday 's rally took place in one of the most Democratic areas of the state . Clinton overwhelmingly won Broward County , where Sunrise is located , in 2016 .
About 200 anti-Trump protesters rallied on a street outside the BB & T Center before the president arrived . They raised a helium-filled β Baby Trump β balloon , and some chanted , β Lock him up . β
However thousands inside the arena broke out in chants of `` four more years , '' and `` USA , USA . '' During Vice President Mike Pence 's introductory remarks , a chant of `` Conan , Conan '' broke out when Pence mentioned the Belgian Malinois that played a starring role in the raid that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi .
`` Our troops are coming home and Conan the hero dog is just fine , '' Pence told the crowd .
The president touted his administration 's record on the economy , noting that the stock market just reached another all-time high : `` Everybody 's getting rich and I 'm working my a -- off . '' He also noted the 6.7 million new jobs created under his administration and the almost 600,000 jobs created in Florida since 2016 .
Trump also worked to butter up voters as he described his supporters as the `` super-elite . ''
`` You people are successful as hell , '' he told them . `` You 're smarter . You 're better looking . You 're sharper . ''
Trump also spent time discussing recent controversies , including an unannounced trip he paid to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on a Saturday earlier this month , assuring the crowd that if he `` did n't feel great , '' he `` would n't be ranting and raving '' to crowds so large .
Trump also defended his decision earlier this month to pardon two soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes , including Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance , who was six years into a 19-year sentence for second-degree murder after he ordered his soldiers to open fire and kill three men in Afghanistan .
`` We 're going to take care of our warriors , '' the president said , referring to officers who reportedly opposed the pardons as `` the deep state . '' `` I will always stick up for our fighters , people can sit in their air-conditioned offices and complain . ''
He then pivoted to impeachment , accusing what he called `` the radical left Democrats '' of `` trying to rip our nation apart . ''
`` First it was the Russia hoax , total hoax , a failed overthrow attempt and the biggest fraud in the history of our country , '' Trump said . `` Now the same maniacs are pushing the deranged impeachment , a witch hunt the same as before . ''
The president pointed to polls that show the public to be ambivalent about impeachment .
`` A lot of bad things are happening to them , '' he said . `` You see what 's happening in the polls ? Everybody said , 'You know what ? That 's real bulls -- - . ' ''
Trump also criticized the media 's coverage of the House Intelligence Committee 's public impeachment hearings , saying he `` won these last two weeks so solidly , but anyone who read The New York Times or The Washington Post `` would have no idea we won . ''
The president repeated his assertion that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was `` no pressure '' to investigate the Bidens .
`` The Ukrainian foreign minister said 'Ambassador [ to the European Union Gordon ] Sondland did not tell us about assistance , ' '' said Trump . `` I have never had a direct link between security aid and an investigation . ''
Trump said Republicans asked him if they could keep the impeachment debate going longer . `` They said , ' Sir , can we keep this sucker going a little longer ? We 've never seen anything like it in the polls . ''
The president also implored congressional Democrats to take action on the USMCA trade agreement , vowing that it would be an improvement on `` the NAFTA catastrophe , if [ House Speaker ] Nancy Pelosi will ever sign it . ''
`` We 're waiting months , she does n't want to give the people of our country a victory , '' said Trump . `` She and the Democrats have done nothing , they 're doing nothing .
`` Nancy 's on track to go down as the single worst and least productive Speaker of the House in our history . '' | cAQIYxREdReKs6FB | 2 | Impeachment | -0.2 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
justice | The Daily Caller | http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/07/ex-cop-convicted-of-2nd-degree-murder-for-killing-of-unarmed-black-man/ | Ex-Cop Gets 20 Years For Killing Black Man | 2017-12-08 | Criminal Justice, Justice | The owner of this website (dailycaller.com) has banned the autonomous system number (ASN) your IP address is in (45102) from accessing this website. Cloudflare Ray ID: 915584f74e4a2716 β’ Your IP: Click to reveal 47.254.34.116 β’ Performance & security by Cloudflare | c6160333c03bc75d | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
criminal_justice | Just The News | https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/tunisian-detainee-repatriated-us-guantanamo-bay-pentagon-report | Pentagon returns to Tunisia a Guantanamo Bay detainee held in the US military prison since 2002 | 2024-12-31 | Criminal Justice, Defense And Security, Guantanamo, Prison, War On Terror, Terrorism | Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin notified Congress earlier this year about his plans to repatriate prisoner Ridah Bin Saleh Al-Yazidi. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. Published: December 31, 2024 8:38am The Pentagon on Monday returned to Tunisia a detainee held at the United States' military base at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, since 2002. The Defense Department said Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi, 59, was repatriated to the government of Tunisia after he was "determined transfer-eligible by a rigorous interagency review process established by [a] 2009 Executive Order." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin notified Congress of his intentions in January 2024. The Pentagon says 26 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay: 14 are eligible for transfer; three are eligible for a Periodic Review Board; seven are involved in the military commissions process; and two detainees have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions. President George W. Bush established the detention center in January 2002 to hold terrorism suspects and "illegal enemy combatants" during what was known as the "Global War on Terrorism." 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 | c0c17f2d5f637641 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Business Insider | https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-nursing-home-covid-deaths-ny-attorney-general-james-report-2021-1 | New York attorney general accuses Gov. Cuomo of undercounting nursing home deaths by as much as 50% | 2021-01-28 | Coronavirus, Andrew Cuomo, New York, Bill De Blasio | A bombshell report from New York Attorney General Tish James accused Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration of undercounting COVID-19 nursing home deaths by up to 50%. Cuomo wrote a book about his coronavirus response and won an International Emmy Award for his daily briefings, touting his self-proclaimed "just the facts" approach to the pandemic in an ongoing victory lap. Since getting hit hard by the virus in March and April, New York has recorded more than 42,000 fatalities as of Jan. 28. New York's nursing home deaths have been the subject of outside scrutiny for months. An Associated Press investigation published in May found that the Cuomo administration ordered more than 4,300 recovering COVID patients to be sent back into nursing homes, despite concerns over whether some of those patients were still contagious. In the James report released Thursday, the New York Department of Health (DOH) is essentially accused of juking the stats by omitting nursing home patients who died from the coronavirus while in hospital. "Preliminary data obtained by O.A.G. suggests that many nursing home residents died from Covid-19 in hospitals after being transferred from their nursing homes, which is not reflected in D.O.H.'s published total nursing home death data," the AG's office wrote in a summary of the report. The attorney general's findings directly contradict a report released by the Cuomo administration in July, which refuted claims that the governor's order for COVID patients to be transferred to nursing homes did not contribute to the deaths because they "were no longer contagious when admitted and therefore were not a source of infection." Governor Cuomo's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Back in 2018, Cuomo endorsed James in her contested Democratic primary in the AG race. The Cuomo endorsement led to a consolidation of support behind James, who edged out progressive challenger Zephyr Teachout in the primary before going on to win the general election. Jump to | d7327ae32aee7e88 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
state_department | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/05/john-kerry-under-fire-for-reported-shadow-diplomacy-to-save-iran-deal.html | John Kerry under fire for reported 'shadow diplomacy' to save Iran deal | 2018-05-05 | state_department | Former Secretary of State John Kerry is under fire over a report claiming that he has been engaged in β shadow diplomacy β with officials from Iran and Europe as part of a final attempt to save the seemingly doomed 2015 Iran nuclear deal .
The Boston Globe reported Friday that Kerry sat down twice with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in recent months to strategize in a bid to save the deal , as part of what the Globe described as β an aggressive yet stealthy β mission to put pressure on the Trump administration to keep the deal in some form .
Trump faces a May 12 deadline to review the deal , and Kerry has been ramping up his meetings ahead of that deadline . He reportedly met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier -- who was foreign minister of Germany when the deal was negotiated . He has also met with French President Emmanuel Macron twice and spoken by phone with European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini .
The Globe reported that Kerry was quiet in his campaign as he believes that a high-profile defense of the deal by prominent Democrats would only make Trump more likely to pull the U.S. out of the deal .
Kerry β s reported actions immediately sparked criticism and raised claims that such dealings with Iranian and European officials could violate the Logan Act -- which prohibits private citizens from negotiating on behalf of the U.S. government without authorization
While no one has ever been successfully prosecuted under the law , the Logan Act was raised last year over former national security adviser Michael Flynn β s negotiations at the United Nations over a resolution with Israel during the Trump transition .
β John Kerry helped craft a flaccid deal that granted the terror regime in Tehran vast monetary and geopolitical concessions , even as it put them on the glide path to nuclear weapons by its own terms , β Sohrab Ahmari , senior writer at Commentary magazine , told Fox News . β The biggest public service he can render now is to go away . β
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Kerry β s move β certainly raises Logan Act questions . β
He pointed to an alleged double standard , suggesting there would be a bigger outcry if Bush-era Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had done the same during the Obama administration .
There was a significant outcry from Democrats and the Obama administration in 2015 when Republicans -- led by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton -- wrote to Iranian leadership explaining the difference between an executive agreement and a treaty .
The letter suggested that any deal without a congressional vote could be modified by a future Congress or revoked with β the stroke of a pen β by whoever replaces President Obama .
At that time , Kerry slammed Cotton 's move as an β unconstitutional , un-thought-out action by somebody who has been in the United States Senate for 60-something days . ''
Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Saturday that Kerry is lucky that no one has been prosecuted under the Logan Act or else he could be in trouble .
β Fortunately for everybody , the Logan Act [ is a ] dead letter but if it were in existence , my friend John Kerry would be violating the Logan Act , β Dershowitz said on β Fox & Friends . β
Although Kerry would not likely be prosecuted into the Logan Act , Dershowitz said that there are β real problems β with what Kerry is doing .
β He is negotiating , though he is not in the administration , and there are real problems with doing that , β he continued .
According to The Globe , Kerry has also been trying to get Congress on his side by placing dozens of phone calls , including to House Speaker Paul Ryan .
Kerry is reported to have coordinated his push with a group of former top State Department advisers who helped negotiate the Iran deal -- named Diplomacy Works . The group has reportedly chosen to focus on Europeans , Israelis and non-partisan experts to try and salvage the deal .
β This isn β t President Obama β s agreement . It β s the world β s agreement , β David Wade , a longtime Kerry adviser and advisor to Diplomacy Works , told The Globe . β Maybe Macron , Merkel , and Great Britain can persuade the administration , but if they can β t they β ll be even more essential to protecting the deal absent the United States . We know these voices are powerful . They have an audience with the president and our allies are popular at home . β
Diplomacy Works did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News .
Trump has been critical not only of the Iran deal but also Kerry β s role in negotiating the deal in particular . He has repeatedly called him the β worst negotiator I β ve ever seen . β
On Friday , Trump mocked Kerry at the National Rifle Association β s annual conference in Dallas , Texas , describing him as β not the best negotiator we β ve ever seen β and mocking Kerry for breaking his leg during 2015 negotiations .
β He never walked away from the table , except to be in that bicycle race where he fell and broke his leg , β he said to cheers from the crowd . β That was the only time . β | QdIFn4a2jGoxKgJ2 | 2 | Iran Deal | -0.6 | State Department | -0.6 | John Kerry | -0.6 | Middle East | -0.4 | Politics | 0 |
technology | BBC News | http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43594959 | Facebook 'ugly truth' growth memo haunts firm | 2018-03-30 | Facebook, Technology | A Facebook executive 's memo that claimed the `` ugly truth '' was that anything it did to grow was justified has been made public , embarrassing the company .
The 2016 post said that this applied even if it meant people might die as a result of bullying or terrorism .
Both the author and the company 's chief executive , Mark Zuckerberg , have denied they actually believe the sentiment .
But it risks overshadowing the firm 's efforts to tackle an earlier scandal .
Facebook has been under intense scrutiny since it acknowledged that it had received reports that a political consultancy - Cambridge Analytica - had not destroyed data harvested from about 50 million of its users years earlier .
The memo was first made public by the Buzzfeed news site , and was written by Andrew Bosworth .
That can be bad if they make it negative . Maybe it costs a life by exposing someone to bullies . Maybe someone dies in a terrorist attack co-ordinated on our tools .
The ugly truth is that we believe in connecting people so deeply that anything that allows us to connect more people more often is * de facto * good . It is perhaps the only area where the metrics do tell the true story as far as we are concerned .
That 's why all the work we do in growth is justified . All the questionable contact importing practices . All the subtle language that helps people stay searchable by friends . All of the work we do to bring more communication in . The work we will likely have to do in China some day . All of it .
Mr Bosworth - who co-invented Facebook 's News Feed - has held high-level posts at the social network since 2006 , and is currently in charge of its virtual reality efforts .
Mr Bosworth has since tweeted that he `` did n't agree '' with the post at the time he had posted it , but he had shared it with staff to be `` provocative . ''
`` Having a debate around hard topics like these is a critical part of our process and to do that effectively we have to be able to consider even bad ideas , '' he added .
`` Boz is a talented leader who says many provocative things , '' it said .
`` This was one that most people at Facebook including myself disagreed with strongly . We 've never believed the ends justify the means . ''
A follow-up report by the Verge revealed that dozens of Facebook 's employees have subsequently used its internal chat tools to discuss concerns that such material had been leaked to the media .
What immediately struck me about this leaked memo was the line about `` all the questionable contact importing practices '' .
When I downloaded my Facebook data recently , it was the presence of thousands of my phone contacts that startled me . But the company 's attitude seemed to be that this was normal and it was up to users to switch off the function if they did n't like it .
What we now know is that in 2016 a very senior executive thought this kind of data gathering was questionable .
So , why is it only now that the company is having a debate about this and other dubious practices ?
Until now , Facebook has not been leaky . Perhaps we will soon get more insights from insiders as this adolescent business tries to grow up and come to terms with its true nature .
The disclosure coincided with Facebook 's latest efforts to address the public and investors ' concerns with its management .
Its shares are trading about 14 % lower than they were before the Cambridge Analytica scandal began , and several high profile figures have advocated deleting Facebook accounts .
The company hosted a press conference on Thursday , at which it said it had :
begun fact-checking photos and videos posted in France , and would expand this to other countries soon
developed a new fake account investigative tool to prevent harmful election-related activities
started work on a public archive that will make it possible for journalists and others to investigate political-labelled ads posted to its platform
In previous days it had also announced a revamp of its privacy settings , and said it would restrict the amount of data exchanged with businesses that collect information on behalf of advertisers .
The latest controversy is likely , however , to provide added ammunition for critics .
CNN reported earlier this week that Mr Zuckerberg had decided to testify before Congress `` within a matter of weeks '' after refusing a request to do so before UK MPs . However , the BBC has been unable to independently verify whether he answer questions in Washington . | 376de3e1d31fc22a | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/01/opinion/frum-hillary-clinton-2016/index.html?hpt=po_c2 | Hillary Clinton, a mistake for 2016 | 2013-04-01 | White House, Politics | Story highlights Democrats seem poised to let Hillary Clinton inherit nomination in 2016 , writes David Frum
He says after eight years in the White House , Democrats should reassess their future
Picking Hillary Clinton would be a backward-looking move , he says
Frum : Clinton would arrive in office without a platform or much of a mandate
Democrats seem poised to choose their next presidential nominee the way Republicans often choose theirs : according to the principle of `` next in line . ''
Hillary Clinton came second in the nomination fight of 2008 . If she were a Republican , that would make her a near-certainty to be nominated in 2016 . Five of the past six Republican nominees had finished second in the previous round of primaries . ( The sixth was George W. Bush , son of the most recent Republican president . )
Democrats , by contrast , prefer newcomers . Six of their eight nominees since 1972 had never sought national office before .
Obviously , past performance is no guarantee of future results . Democrats chose the next guy in line in 2000 -- Vice President Al Gore -- and they may well do so again . But speaking from across the aisle , it 's just this one observer 's opinion that Democrats would be poorly served by following the Republican example when President Obama 's term ends .
Hillary Clinton is 14 years older than Barack Obama . A party has never nominated a leader that much older than his immediate predecessor . ( The previous record-holder was James Buchanan , 13 years older than Franklin Pierce when the Democrats chose him in 1856 . Runner-up : Dwight Eisenhower , 12 years older than his predecessor , Thomas Dewey . )
Parties have good reasons to avoid reaching back to politicians of prior generations . When they do , they bring forward not only the ideas of the past , but also the personalities and the quarrels of the past .
One particular quarrel that a Hillary Clinton nomination would bring forward is the quarrel over the ethical standards of the Clinton White House -- and , maybe even more , of the Clintons ' post-White House careers . Relying on Hillary Clinton 's annual financial disclosure reports , CNN reported last year that former President Bill Clinton had earned $ 89 million in speaking fees since leaving the White House in 2001 . Many of these earnings came from foreign sources . In 2011 alone , the former president earned $ 6.1 million from 16 speeches in 11 foreign countries .
Is it an ethical problem for the husband of the person charged with the foreign affairs of the United States to earn so much foreign-sourced income ? Let 's rephrase that question : How much time do Democrats wish to spend arguing the ethics of Bill Clinton 's foreign earnings over the 2016 political cycle ?
JUST WATCHED Hillary Clinton backs same-sex marriage Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Hillary Clinton backs same-sex marriage 02:22
JUST WATCHED Obama-Clinton rift examined in book Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama-Clinton rift examined in book 02:37
Yet the biggest risk to Democrats from a Hillary Clinton nomination is not that it would be generationally backward-looking -- or that it would reopen embarrassing ethical disputes -- but that it would short-circuit the necessary work of party renewal .
After eight years in the White House , a party requires a self-appraisal and a debate over its way forward . Bill Clinton offered Democrats just such a debate in 1992 with his `` New Democrat '' ideas . Barack Obama offered another in 2008 with his careful but unmistakable criticism of Clinton-era domestic policies and Hillary Clinton 's Iraq war vote . But if Hillary Clinton glides into the nomination in 2016 on the strength of money , name recognition , and a generalized feeling of `` It 's her turn , '' then Democrats will forgo this necessary renewal .
One candidate could seek the Democratic nomination on a platform of keeping faith with the ideals of the pre-presidential Obama : closing Guantanamo , ending targeted killings , and so on .
Another Democrat could run to represent those Democrats who supported Bill Clinton back in the 1990s , and who worry that the Obama administration has drifted too far to the left : spending too much , ignoring budget deficits , getting into too many fights with business .
Yet another could run as a full-throated defender of the Obama legacy , updating the 1988 George H.W . Bush `` stay the course '' message .
This would be a real debate that would summon forth hard thinking about how Democrats might govern their country if returned for a third presidential term ( as could very well happen , given the continuing political weakness of the GOP ) .
A Hillary Clinton campaign would want to shut down any such debate before it starts . It would want to inherit the Democratic nomination and then the presidency as an estate in reversion : a debt long owed , now collected . If successful , it would arrive in office without a platform and without much of a mandate . That 's not a formula for an effective presidency -- or a healthy democracy . | d87babc1cd521430 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
free_speech | Reason | https://reason.com/2019/07/29/section-230-is-the-internets-first-amendment-now-both-republicans-and-democrats-want-to-take-it-away/ | Section 230 Is the Internet's First Amendment. Now Both Republicans and Democrats Want To Take It Away. | 2019-07-29 | Free Speech, Section 230, 1st Amendment, Bipartisanship | Imagine , for a moment , the following series of online exchanges . This is n't a real conversation . But it 's the sort of chaotic , revealing , and messy back and forth that could spread across the internet on any given day in 2019 :
A nonprofit immigrant rights group creates and publishes a Facebook invite for an upcoming event : a rally calling on city cops to stop carrying out sex stings at immigrant-owned massage businesses . An LGBTQ activist shares the invite link on Twitter , adding a note about how transgender and undocumented immigrant sex workers both face especially high rates of abuse .
The activist is retweeted by a number of people . Some of them add additional comments , many of them supportive . Someone is spamming their mentions with rude memes , but the activist does n't see it because that jerk has already been muted . When a friend points out the new replies , this is upgraded to a block .
A parenting and religion blogger using the handle @ ChristianMama96 shares a link to a blog post titled `` Biblical Views of Sex and Gender , '' which she wrote and published on her WordPress blog .
In the comments of Christian Momma 's blog postβhosted with a Bluehost plan and a URL purchased via GoDaddyβsomeone who has been banned from Twitter for violating its misgendering policy is holding court about Caitlyn Jenner . A new commenter calls the first an assholeβa comment Christian Mama deletes because it violates her no-profanity policy .
Christian Mama 's blog gets some new readers from Twitter , where the guy whose comment she deleted has been tweeting at her as part of an extended riff on the religious right . ( She stays quiet and lets her fans push back , but keeps screenshots for next week 's newsletter . )
Meanwhile , the sex worker rights rally that was the focus of the initial Facebook invite is well attended and gets picked up by several media outlets , some of whom embed Instagram posts from the event and video that 's been uploaded to YouTube . The articles are indexed by search engines and get shared on social media .
In the end , none of the people , tools , nor tech companies mentioned get forced off the internet or hit with lawsuits and criminal charges .
Tomorrow , the event invite in such a scenario might be for a Black Lives Matter rally , a Libertarian Party fundraiser , a Mormon church group outing , an anti-war protest , or a pro-life march . The blogger and newsletter creator might be a podcaster , an Instagram model , a Facebook group moderator , a popular YouTuber , or an indie press website . The Twitter tribes might be arguing about the latest rape allegations against someone powerful , the drug war , Trump 's tweets , immigration , internet regulation , or whether a hot dog counts as a sandwich .
These sorts of fictitious exchanges are , probably , no one 's ideal of online speech . Like real-world conversations , they will frequently be unpredictable , uncontrollable , and frustrating . Which is to say , they are something like the way people actually communicateβonline and offβ βin a world without top-down government control of our every utterance and interaction . People talk , argue , and disagree , sometimes in florid or outrageous terms , sometimes employing flat-out insults . It can be messy and irritating , outrageous and offensive , but also illuminating and informativeβthe way free speech always is .
At the end of the day , a diverse array of values and causes has space to coexist , and no faction gets to dictate the terms by which the entire internet has to play . It is n't always perfectly comfortable , but online , there is room for everyone .
In the digital realm , that freedom is only possible because of a decades-old provision of the Communications Decency Act , known as Section 230 . Signed into law by President Bill Clinton , when both Democrats and Republicans were mostly worried about online indecency , it has enabled the internet to flourish as a cultural and economic force .
Widely misunderstood and widely misinterpreted , often by those with political ambitions and agendas , Section 230 is , at its core , about making the internet safe for both innovation and individual free speech . It is the internet 's First Amendmentβpossibly better . And it is increasingly threatened by the illiberal right and the regressive left , both of which are now arguing that Section 230 gives tech industry giants unfair legal protection while enabling political bias and offensive speech .
Ending or amending Section 230 would n't make life difficult just for Google , Facebook , Twitter , and the rest of today 's biggest online platforms . Eroding the law would seriously jeopardize free speech for everyone , particularly marginalized groups whose ideas do n't sit easily with the mainstream . It would almost certainly kill upstarts trying to compete with entrenched tech giants . And it would set dangerous precedents , with ripple effects that extend to economic and cultural areas in the U.S. and around the world .
As Sen. Ron Wyden ( DβOre . ) , one of the provision 's initial sponsors , put it during a March 2018 debate on the Senate floor : `` In the absence of Section 230 , the internet as we know it would shrivel . ''
Section 230 is one of the few bulwarks of liberal free speech and radically open discourse in a political era increasingly hostile to both .
The Communications Decency Act ( CDA ) came into being as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 , and was intended to address `` obscene , lewd , lascivious , filthy , or indecent '' materials . At the time , mainstream discourse around telecom regulation was primarily concerned with rules regarding telephone companies and TV broadcasts . To the extent lawmakers considered the CDA 's effect on the internet , the focus was on curbing the then-new phenomenon of online pornography .
Under the CDA , telecommunications facilities could face criminal charges if they failed to take `` good faith , reasonable , effective , and appropriate actions '' to stop minors from seeing indecent content . The law faced a First Amendment challenge , and the U.S. Supreme Court in late 1997 struck down many of the decency provisions entirely . But an amendment introduced by Rep. Chris Cox ( RβCalif . ) and Wyden , then in the House of Representatives , survived . That amendment was what we now know as Section 230 .
After touting the unprecedented benefit of digital communication mediums , the statute notes in a preamble that `` the Internet and other interactive computer services have flourishedβ¦with a minimum of government regulation . '' The legislation states that it 's congressional policy `` to preserve the vibrant and competitive free market '' online .
The point of Section 230 was to protect the openness of online culture while also protecting kids from online smut , and protecting the web at large from being overrun by defamatory , hateful , violent , or otherwise unwanted content . Section 230 would do this by setting up a legal framework to encourage `` the development of technologies which maximize user control over what information is received '' and removing `` disincentives for the development and utilization of blocking and filtering technologies that empower parents . '' Rather than tailoring the entire internet to be suitable for children or majority sensibilities , Congress would empower companies , families , and individuals to curate their own online experiences .
Section 230 stipulates , in essence , that digital services or platforms and their users are not one and the same and thus should n't automatically be held legally liable for each other 's speech and conduct .
Which means that practically the entire suite of products we think of as the internetβsearch engines , social media , online publications with comments sections , Wikis , private message boards , matchmaking apps , job search sites , consumer review tools , digital marketplaces , Airbnb , cloud storage companies , podcast distributors , app stores , GIF clearinghouses , crowdsourced funding platforms , chat tools , email newsletters , online classifieds , video sharing venues , and the vast majority of what makes up our day-to-day digital experienceβhave benefited from the protections offered by Section 230 .
Without it , they would face extraordinary legal liability . A world without Section 230 could sink all but the biggest companies , or force them to severely curtail the speech of their users in order to avoid legal trouble .
There are two parts of Section 230 that give it power . The first specifies :
No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider .
The second part says voluntary and `` good faith '' attempts to filter out or moderate some types of user content do n't leave a company on the hook for all user content . Specifically , it protects a right to `` restrict access to or availability of material that the provider or user considers to be obscene , lewd , lascivious , filthy , excessively violent , harassing , or otherwise objectionable . ''
Without that second provision , internet companies wishing to avoid trouble would be better off making no attempts to police user content , since doing so would open them up to much greater legal liability . `` Indecent '' and `` offensive '' materialβthe stuff social giants at least try to filter or moderateβcould proliferate even more than they already do .
Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman argues that Section 230 is `` better than the First Amendment , '' at least where modern communication and technology are concerned .
`` In theory , the First Amendmentβthe global bellwether protection for free speechβshould partially or substantially backfill any reductions in Section 230 's coverage , '' Goldman wrote on his blog recently . `` In practice , the First Amendment does no such thing . ''
To be legally shielded on First Amendment grounds , offline distributors like bookstores and newsstands must be almost entirely ignorant about materials found to be illegal . A store is legally protected so long as its owners do n't know about specific offensive material in a publication , even if they know they are stocking the publication . But legal blame can shift if a court determines that owners should have known something was wrong .
And all it can take to reach that should have known threshold is an alert that something might be off . Once a distributor is alerted , by anyone , that a work is problematic or that those involved with it have a problematic history , the distributor may be legally liable for the contentβpossibly as liable as the work 's creator and the parties directly responsible for its very existence .
In an analog worldβwith limited content suppliers and limited means of distributionβthis expectation may effectively balance free speech and preventing criminality . Because a bookstore can not hold infinite books , we expect bookstore owners to know what they have in stock . But that expectation does n't scale to the digital world , where users are continuously uploading content and companies receive notice about thousands ( or more ) of potentially problematic posts per day .
`` Congress passed Section 230 because the First Amendment did not adequately protect large online platforms that processed vast amounts of third-party content , '' writes Jeff Kosseff in his 2019 book on Section 230 , The 26 Words That Created the Internet .
As far back as 1997 , courts understood that Section 230 was essential to online innovation and expression . In a world without it , computer service providers `` would be faced with ceaseless choices of suppressing controversial speech [ or ] sustaining prohibitive liability , '' wrote 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson in his decision on Zeran v. America Online , a case involving defamatory messages posted to an AOL message board by a third party .
Some third-party content moderation calls are easy , such as when outright threats of violence or child pornography are concerned . But someβlike allegations of defamationβrequire facts beyond what is immediately obvious . Many require context calls that are n't readily apparent across cultures or cliques .
Without Section 230 , any complaint could thus be sufficient to make a company liable for user-created content . Companies would have every incentive to simply take down content or ban any users whom others flagged . Platforms are already overly deferential to companies and parties that file copyright takedown requests , since Section 230 does not protect against intellectual property law violations . Repealing Section 230 could cause them to show the same deference to people who complain about political or cultural content they do n't like . The result would be a dramatically less permissive environment for online speech .
`` Section 230 extends the scope of protection for 'intermediaries ' more broadly than First Amendment case law alone , '' says tech lawyer and βββ contributing editor Mike Godwin in a new book of essays , The Splinters of our Discontent . And more protection for intermediaries means more free speech for all of us .
The free-speech merits of the law have n't stopped lawmakers on both sides of the aisle from attacking 230 , using varying justifications . Some claim it allows companies to be too careless in what they allow . Others claim it encourages `` politically correct '' censorship by tech-world titans .
`` If they 're not going to be neutral and fair , if they 're going to be biased , we should repeal '' Section 230 , argued Sen. Ted Cruz ( RβTexas ) last fall . Cruz has helped popularize the idea that only through increased government control over online speech can speech really be free .
No U.S. politician has been more aggressive in pushing this idea than Sen. Josh Hawley , the 39-year-old Republican from Missouri who ousted Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in the 2018 midterms . McCaskill was also prone to fits over Section 230 , but mostly as part of a tough-on-crime charade against `` online sex trafficking . '' Hawley has almost single-handedly turned tech industry `` arrogance '' generallyβand Section 230 specificallyβinto a leading front in the culture war .
Hawley has repeatedly suggested big social media platforms should lose Section 230 protection , claiming ( incorrectly ) that there 's a legal distinction between online publishers and online platforms . According to Hawleyβbut not the plain text of Section 230 or the many court decisions considering itβplatforms lose Section 230 protection if they do n't practice political neutrality .
`` Twitter is exempt from liability as a 'publisher ' because it is allegedly ' a forum for a true diversity of political discourse , ' '' tweeted Hawley last November , in a call for Congress to investigate the company . `` That does not appear to be accurate . ''
It 's actually Hawley 's interpretation of the law that is inaccurate . Section 230 protections are simply not conditioned on a company offering `` true diversity of political discourse '' ( whatever that means ) , or anything like it .
The Communications Decency Act does say that `` the Internet and other interactive computer services '' can be venues for a `` true diversity of political discourse , '' `` cultural development , '' and `` intellectual activity '' βbut this comes in a preamble to the actual lawmaking part of Section 230 . It merely sums up congressional dreams for the web at large .
Nonetheless , Hawley 's incorrect characterization of Section 230 has been echoed by numerous Republicans , including President Donald Trump and those on the fringe right . They say digital companies are biased against conservatives and Washington must take action .
In June , Hawley did just that , introducing a bill that would require tech companies to act like he 's already been insisting they have to . Under his proposal , dubbed the `` Ending Support for Internet Censorship Act , '' web services of a certain size would have to apply to the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) every two years for Section 230 protection , which would only be granted to companies that could prove perfectly neutral moderation practices .
The bill , in other words , would put the federal government in charge of determining what constitutes political neutralityβand correct modes of expression , generally ; it would then grant government the power to punish companies that fail at this subjective ideal . Hawley 's bill would replace the imperfect-but-market-driven content moderation practices at private companies with state-backed speech police .
In talking about tech generally , Hawley makes no concession to the conscience rights of entrepreneurs , freedom of association , or personal responsibilityβvalues Republicans have historically harped on when it comes to private enterprise . Rather , Hawley insinuates that permissible technology and business practices should be contingent on their social benefit .
In a May speech titled `` The Big Tech Threat , '' Hawley criticized not only social media content moderation but the entire business model , which he condemned as `` hijacking users ' neural circuitry to prevent rational decision making . '' He implied individuals have little free will when confronted with algorithmic wizardry , blaming Facebook for making `` our attention spans dull '' and killing social and familial bonds .
For Hawley , overhauling Section 230 is part of a larger war on `` Big Tech , '' in which Silicon Valley has been cast in the role once occupied by Hollywood , violent games and music , or `` liberal media elites . '' It 's a battle over control of culture , and Hawley wants to use the power of the federal government to advance the conservative cause . ( Hawley 's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment . )
Hawley is n't the only one . Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosarβalso parroting Hawley 's falsehoods about the publisher/platform distinctionβrecently introduced his own version of an anti-Section 230 bill . In January , Rep. Louie Gohmert ( RβTexas ) proposed conditioning Section 230 protection on sites displaying user content in chronological order .
From Fox News host Tucker Carlson , who has railed that `` screens are poison , '' to Trump boosters like American Majority CEO Ned Ryun , Hawley 's anti-tech , anti-230 sentiment is gaining traction across the right . Like the social conservatives who once demonized comic books and rap music , contemporary conservatives are siding with censorsβbut not for the protection of any particular values . They champion regulation as leverage against companies that have made high-profile decisions to suspend or `` demonetize '' right-leaning content creators .
It 's an impulse borne of bitterness , nurtured by carefully stoked culture war outrage , and right in line with the trendy illiberalism of the MAGA-era right . Their movement has plenty to say about what they would n't allow so long as Republicans are wearing the censor hat , but these conservatives are strangely silent about how the same control would be used by a Democratic administration .
What Democrats would do with the power Republicans are seeking matters too , because Democrats have their own plans for Section 230 and just as many excuses for why it needs to be gutted : Russian influence , `` hate speech , '' sex trafficking , online pharmacies , gun violence , `` deepfake '' videos , and so on .
After Facebook declined to take down deceptively edited video of Nancy Pelosi ( DβCalif . ) , the House Speaker called Section 230 `` a gift '' to tech companies that `` could be a question mark and in jeopardy '' since they were not , in her view , `` treating it with the respect that they should . ''
Senator and presidential candidate Kamala Harris ( DβCalif . ) has been pushing for the demise of Section 230 since she was California 's attorney general . In 2013 , she signed on to a group letter asking Congress to revise or repeal the law so they could go after Backpage for its Adult ad section .
Like Hawley , Harris and bipartisan crusaders against sex-work ads offered their own misinformation about Section 230 , implying again and again that it allows websites to offer blatantly illegal goods and servicesβincluding child sex traffickingβwith impunity .
Section 230 `` permits Internet and tech companies like Backpage.com to profit from the sale of children online '' and `` gives them immunity in doing so , '' wrote law professor Mary Leary in The Washington Post two years ago .
`` Backpage and its executives purposefully and unlawfully designed Backpage to be the world 's top online brothel , '' Kamala Harris claimed in 2016 . Xavier Becerra , California 's current attorney general , said in 2017 that the law lets criminals `` prey on vulnerable children and profit from sex trafficking without fully facing the consequences of their crimes . ''
But attorneys like Harris and Becerra should know that nothing in Section 230 protects web platforms from prosecution for federal crimes . When passing Section 230 , Congress explicitly exempted federal criminal law from its purview ( along with all intellectual property statutes and certain communications privacy laws ) . If Backpage executives were really guilty of child sex trafficking , the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) could have brought trafficking charges at any time .
Nor does Section 230 protect web operators who create illegal content or participate directly in illegal activities . Those operators can be prosecuted by the feds , sued in civil court , and are subject to state and local criminal laws .
Finding deep-pocketed and directly criminal websites is pretty rare , however . And state attorneys general do n't get settlement and asset forfeiture moneyβnor their names in the headlinesβwhen DOJ does the prosecuting . Hence , AGs have pushed hard against Section 230 , asking Congress for its destruction once again in 2017 .
In 2018 , Congress did honor that request ( at least in part ) by passing a bipartisan and widely lauded billβknown by the shorthand FOSTAβthat carved out a special exception to Section 230 where violations of sex trafficking laws are concerned . The Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act also made it a federal crime to `` operate an interactive computer service with the intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person . ''
After the law passed , Craigslist shuttered its personals section almost immediately , explaining that the new law opened `` websites to criminal and civil liability when third parties ( users ) misuse online personals unlawfully . '' The risk was n't worth it . Since then , there 's been ample evidence of a FOSTA chilling effect on non-criminal speech . But the law has failed to curb forced and underage prostitution , and police , social service agents , and sex workers say that FOSTA has actually made things worse .
Proponents portrayed FOSTA as a one-time edit of Section 230 that was necessary due to the special nature of underage prostitution and the existence of companies that allow online ads for legal sex work . But this year , state attorneys general asked Congress to amend Section 230 for the alleged sake of stopping `` opioid sales , ID theft , deep fakes , election meddling , and foreign intrusion . ''
The range of reasons anti-230 crusaders now give belies the idea that this was ever really about stopping sex trafficking . And they will keep taking bites out of the apple until there 's nothing left .
Harris has since suggested that we must `` hold social media platforms accountable for the hate infiltrating their platforms . '' Sen. Mark Warner ( DβVa . ) said companies could see changes to Section 230 if they do n't address political disinformation . Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar ( DβMinn . ) said it `` would be a great idea '' to punish social media platforms for failing to detect and remove bots .
What both the right and left attacks on the provision share is a willingness to use whatever excuses resonateβsaving children , stopping bias , preventing terrorism , misogyny , and religious intoleranceβto ensure more centralized control of online speech . They may couch these in partisan terms that play well with their respective bases , but their aim is essentially the same . And it 's one in which only Washington , state prosecutors , and fire-chasing lawyers win .
`` There 's a lot of nonsense out there about what [ Section 230 ] is all about , '' Wyden said in a May interview with Recode . In reality , `` it 's just about the most libertarian , free speech law on the books . ''
Let 's go back to the hypothetical online arguments from the beginning . All of the characters involved benefit from Section 230 in crucial ways .
Because of Section 230 , digital platforms can permit some sex work content without fearing prosecution . Without it , any information by and about sex workers , including content essential to their health and safety , could trigger takedown alarms from skittish companies worried about running afoul of local vice laws . The same goes for content concerning noncommercial sexual and romantic relationships , as well as stigmatized legal businesses like massage .
Because of Section 230 , bloggers and other independent content creators can moderate their own comment sections as they see fit , even if that means deleting content that 's allowable elsewhere or vice versa . Big companies like Twitter can set their own moderation rules , too , as well as provide users with customizable filtering tools . Meanwhile , blogging platforms , domain name providers , and web hosting companies need n't worry that all of this puts them at risk .
Without Section 230 , all sorts of behind-the-scenes web publishing and speech dissemination tools would be in legal jeopardy . Twitter could lose the many recent lawsuits from former users challenging their respective suspensions in court . And online communities large and small could lose the right to discriminate against disruptive , prurient , or `` otherwise objectionable '' content .
Without Section 230 , companies would thus be more likely to simply delete all user-flagged content , whether the report has merit or not , or at least immediately hide reported content as a review proceeds . It 's easy to imagine massive backlogs of challenged content , much of it flagged strategically by bad actors for reasons having nothing to do with either safety or veracity . Silencing one 's opponents would be easy .
Finally , because of Section 230 , search engines need n't vet the content of every news article they provide links to ( the same goes for news aggregation apps and sites like Reddit and Wikipedia ) . And embedding or sharing someone else 's social content does n't make you legally liable for it .
Without Section 230 , finding and sharing information online would be much harder . And a retweet might legally be considered an endorsement , with the shared liability that entails .
Yet for all the protections it provides to readers , writers , academics , shitposters , entrepreneurs , activists , and amateur political pundits of every persuasion , Section 230 has somehow become a political pariah . While antitrust actions , data protection laws , and other regulatory schemes have gained some momentum , abrogating Section 230 is now a central front in the digital culture war .
With both major parties having been thrown into identity crises in the Trump era , it 's not surprising they would somehow converge on a pseudo-populist crusade against Big Tech . The political class now wants everyone to believe that the way the U.S. has policed the internet for the past quarter-centuryβthe way that 's let so many of the world 's biggest internet companies be founded and flourish here , midwifed the birth of participatory media we know today , helped sustain and make visible protest movements from Tunisia to Ferguson , and shined a light on legalized brutality around the worldβhas actually been lax , immoral , and dangerous . They want us to believe that America 's political problems are Facebook 's fault rather than their own .
Do n't believe them . The future of free speechβand a lot moreβmay depend on preserving Section 230 .
CORRECTION : This post previously misidentified the state Cox represented in Congress . | 2b1542266b26d326 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/458370-mcconnell-rejects-democrats-radical-movement-to-abolish-filibuster-in-op-ed | McConnell rejects Democrats' 'radical movement' to abolish filibuster | 2019-08-22 | us_senate | 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. ) is pushing back against the emerging push to abolish the filibuster , saying that Democrats should consider retooling their `` half-baked proposals '' if they 're frustrated by long-standing Senate tradition .
`` A Democratic assault on the legislative filibuster would make the nomination fights look like child β s play , '' McConnell wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Thursday about the rule that requires 60 votes for the Senate to end debate on a bill .
`` That β s because systematically filibustering nominees was not an old tradition but a modern phenomenon , pioneered in 2003 by Democrats who opposed President George W. Bush . When Republicans followed suit and held up a handful of Obama nominees the same way , Democrats could not stomach their own medicine and began a 'nuclear ' exchange that Republicans had to end , '' he added .
The op-ed comes as Democrats , including some 2020 presidential candidates , express an openness to eliminating the filibuster if they gain a majority in the Senate . Many have asserted that the rule has thwarted the party from voting on legislation addressing America 's most pressing issues , such as climate change and gun control .
McConnell dismissed those arguments , saying in a lengthy critique that the filibuster is part of a tradition in the upper chamber that values deliberation over efficiency .
`` The legislative filibuster is directly downstream from our founding tradition , '' he wrote , before arguing that `` my Republican colleagues and I have not and will not vandalize this core tradition for short-term gain . ''
McConnell opened his op-ed by noting that he warned former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidThe Memo : Democrats confront prospect of long primary Bottom Line Lobbying world MORE ( D-Nev. ) against eliminating the filibuster for most presidential appointees in 2013 .
`` When appeals to principle fell on deaf ears , I tried a practical argument . The political winds shift often , I reminded my Democratic friends . And I doubted they β d like their new rules when the shoe was on the other foot , '' McConnell said .
He added that Republicans retook the majority in the Senate just a year later , with 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 entering the White House in 2017 . Republicans that year eliminated the filibuster for all Supreme Court nominees , which McConnell called the Reid precedent 's `` logical conclusion . ''
The senator argues that the legacy of Reid 's move is the confirmations of Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael KavanaughChristine Blasey Ford pens honor for Chanel Miller Divided Supreme Court leans toward allowing Trump to end DACA Hirono memoir due in 2021 MORE and Neil Gorsuch Neil GorsuchMcConnell protege emerges as Kentucky 's next rising star Divided Supreme Court leans toward allowing Trump to end DACA Loaded poll questions harm civil discourse MORE , as well as 43 new lifetime circuit judges .
McConnell concludes his op-ed by denouncing Democrats for embracing an idea that `` was recently fringe nonsense , '' saying that Americans `` must never let this radical movement gain enough power to vandalize the Senate . ''
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. ) in July signaled an openness to ending the filibuster if Democrats retook the upper chamber , saying that `` nothing '' would be off the table .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann WarrenWarren goes local in race to build 2020 movement 2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes 2020 Dems put focus on stemming veteran suicides MORE ( D-Mass . ) in April became the first presidential candidate to back eliminating the rule . Reid wrote in an op-ed in the Times earlier this month that the rule has turned the Senate into an `` unworkable legislative graveyard . '' | YQC7Kozeb1j7kLav | 1 | Mitch McConnell | 0.3 | Filibuster | 0 | US Senate | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
politics | The Telegraph - UK | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/12/12/zuckerberg-gives-trump-1m-despite-threat-to-jail-him/ | Zuckerberg gives Trump $1m despite president-elect threatening to jail him for life | 2024-12-12 | Politics, Donald Trump, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, Trump Administration, 2024 Presidential Election, Inauguration | Mark Zuckerberg has handed $1m (Β£790,000) to Donald Trumpβs inauguration fund, just months after the president-elect threatened to imprison him for life.The billionaire Facebook founder made the donation ahead of a private dinner with Mr Trump at his Mar-A-Lago club last month in a sign of thawing relations between the pair.Facebook suspended Mr Trumpβs account for two years in 2021 in the wake of the Jan 6 riots on Capitol Hill. Mr Trump has repeatedly suggested he could jail the Meta chief executive if his social media empire swung the outcome of the election.Writing in his book Save America, Mr Trump said: βWe are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison.βHowever, after the Mar-A-Lago meeting, Stephen Miller, an adviser to Mr Trump, said Mr Zuckerberg had been βvery clear about his desire to be a supporter of ... this reform movement that Donald Trump is leadingβ.Ease tensionsMr Zuckerbergβs donation, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, suggests an attempt to ease tensions with the incoming regime. Mr Zuckerberg has previously given funds to candidates for the US Senate and Congress, although he declined to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election.The Facebook founder also gave Mr Trump a pair of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses at their private meeting and demonstrated the companyβs artificial intelligence technology to the president-elect. | b3e5c789e1d1e8e3 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2020/0219/A-big-name-college-drops-legacy-admissions.-Will-others-follow | A big-name college drops legacy admissions. Will others follow? | 2020-02-19 | education | β It makes me proud of my alma mater ... , β says Hopkins alumna Priya Sarin Gupta , chair of the Massachusetts alumni group . β It makes the process a little bit more fair . β
Johns Hopkins reports that legacy students have fallen to 3.5 % in the 2019 freshman class , from 12.5 % in 2009 , just before a phaseout of legacy admissions began . The number of Pell Grant-eligible students grew from 9 % to 19.1 % in the same period .
The announcement revitalizes the debate over legacy policies and comes amid a growing call for elite institutions to regain the trust of a skeptical public by prioritizing equity and transparency . With lower-income and less-educated families representing the fastest-growing supply of students , many campuses are starting to rethink long-standing practices . And as the public gains more insight into how admissions have typically worked at elite institutions β through the Harvard admissions trial last year , for instance β selective colleges are facing more scrutiny about legacy and other admissions categories that have tended to favor the wealthy .
The Baltimore school joins a cluster of notable exceptions to the use of legacy admissions , including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California system .
Johns Hopkins University started the year with a big announcement : Since 2014 it has no longer been using family alumni ties as a factor in admission .
For nearly a year , the β Varsity Blues β college admissions scandal has sparked a public backlash against perks for the wealthy and well connected . One main target : legacy preferences . But until January , Johns Hopkins University had been staying mum about a major shift in its policy : Since 2014 , it has admitted applicants without regard to any family alumni ties .
President Ronald Daniels set the higher education world abuzz when he went public with the change . Legacy students have fallen to 3.5 % in the 2019 freshman class , from 12.5 % in 2009 , just before a phaseout of legacy admissions began . The number of Pell Grant-eligible students grew in the same period from 9 % to 19.1 % .
β It makes me proud of my alma matter . ... It makes the process a little bit more fair , β says Priya Sarin Gupta , a 2002 graduate and chair of the Massachusetts alumni group . β Hopkins has always prided itself on picking students in the admissions process through merit ... and this shows that by example . β
Johns Hopkins β announcement revitalizes the debate over legacy policies . It comes amid a growing call for elite institutions to regain the trust of a skeptical public by prioritizing equity and transparency . With lower-income and less-educated families representing the fastest-growing supply of students , many campuses are starting to rethink long-standing practices . And as the public gains more insight into how admissions have typically worked at elite institutions β through the Harvard admissions trial , for instance β selective colleges are facing more scrutiny about legacy and other special admissions categories that have tended to favor the wealthy .
β The real questions are a ) Is it fair ? and b ) Can we afford it as a nation when it means we are doing less than we could be to make college realistic , accessible , and affordable ? β says Jerome Lucido , executive director of the Center for Enrollment Research , Policy , and Practice at the University of Southern California ( USC ) .
A 2019 national survey found that about three-quarters of the most selective institutions consider legacy . A cluster of notable exceptions includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California system .
Each college understandably takes pride in its individuality and wants to encourage alumni children to attend , Professor Lucido acknowledges . At the same time , he says , β admission deans across the country have been saying quietly , β We have to do things differently , β but they often feel like they can β t , because the structure is all in place to admit alumni [ relatives ] , to give donor preferences . ... β
The Harvard admissions trial also stirred up concerns about legacy preferences , and student groups from the Ivy League and other elite universities have urged their campuses to ditch them . They point to a 2010 study by then-Harvard doctoral student Michael Hurwitz , which analyzed 30 institutions and concluded that students with a parent who attended the school were about three times more likely to be admitted .
Dropping legacy admissions isn β t the only explanation for Johns Hopkins becoming more socioeconomically diverse . A record-breaking $ 1.8 billion gift in 2018 has helped the school offer debt-free financial aid packages , for instance . But the admissions change β has accelerated our work of recruiting and matriculating students from all walks of life who demonstrate the academic rigor and exceptional talent we expect β¦ , β spokeswoman Karen Lancaster wrote in an email to the Monitor .
Among Hopkins alumni , β I β m sure there are those that say , β Wait a minute , my kid β s a [ high school ] junior ; now I lose this benefit ? β β says Emmi Harward , executive director of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools . But she adds that β even those who may benefit from unearned privilege can often still understand why that privilege needs to go away . β
Any potential domino effect from Hopkins β move may hinge on whether more research challenges the long-held notion that legacy preferences boost colleges β bottom line . One analysis of 1998 to 2008 data found no statistical evidence of legacy preferences affecting total alumni giving . The study appeared in the book β Affirmative Action for the Rich , β published by The Century Foundation , a think tank that promotes progressive policies .
Dr. Gupta , the Hopkins alumna , says universities shouldn β t worry about leaving legacy preferences behind , because β people donate for more noble reasons , such as wanting to give back β¦ and give other students the same opportunities that we had . β
But legacy benefits aren β t just about money , and at least one selective college makes the case that depending on how such policies are crafted , they can actually fit harmoniously with the goal of broadening access to higher education .
β We β ve been able to diversify socioeconomically while maintaining a legacy policy , β says Swarthmore College Dean of Admissions Jim Bock . The liberal arts campus in Pennsylvania has about 20 % Pell-eligible students , and about 20 % who are the first generation in their family to attend college . Both categories have grown 5 percentage points in recent years .
β You can be a first-generation legacy at our institution , which I think may surprise people , β Mr. Bock says . The school considers both parents and siblings , so β you can have an older sibling and a younger sibling who are both still within the first generation to attend college . And that person may or may not receive preference , but that β s something we would note in the application . β
It β s important to understand that published rates of legacy enrollment on a campus β about 16 % at Swarthmore β usually include everyone who reports any family tie to alumni , but not all of those students are eligible for an admissions boost , Mr. Bock says . Those whose grandparents or cousins attended Swarthmore , for instance , get no extra consideration , but they may apply and enroll .
Still , the word β legacy β tends to carry a connotation of privilege . β It β s a tremendously creative and socially sensitive way of doing things , β USC β s Professor Lucido says of Swarthmore β s approach , but it should maybe be adjusted and renamed , rather than used as a reason to keep a wider legacy policy .
Johns Hopkins delayed its public announcement partly so it could β watch the impact of this change , and ensure we could make this practice effective and sustainable , β Ms. Lancaster says in her email .
That explanation didn β t satisfy Felicia Petterway , a first-generation low-income ( FLI ) senior who told the student-run Johns Hopkins News-Letter that she thought more FLI students might have applied in recent years if they had known . β I thought that no matter how good my grades were , or how moving my essays were , my spot could easily be taken by a legacy student , and this prevented me from even applying to several top ranked institutions , β she said in an email to the News-Letter .
But by waiting until they could release information on the impact of the changes , Hopkins leaders made a strong case that they didn β t have to use legacy preferences β to still meet all the goals that they needed to meet , β says Stacey Kostell , who manages enrollment at the University of Vermont and is the incoming CEO of The Coalition for College ( a group of more than 150 institutions , including Johns Hopkins , that aims to improve college access for historically underrepresented students ) .
More admissions professionals are grappling with how to pull back the curtain on what they do , including by attending conferences like the recent β Reclaiming Public Trust in Admissions and Higher Education β at USC . β Nothing we do in admission and recruitment should be a secret , β Professor Lucido says . β Every admissions space should be available to all without influence . ... If you β re going to have any kind of special admission categories , they should be open and transparent . β | RVwO6gDcWUKoK9Lk | 1 | Colleges And Universities | 3.7 | Higher Education | 2.6 | Education | 0.5 | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/aug/7/us-staying-out-saudi-canada-spat/ | U.S. staying out of Saudi-Canada spat, but aware of human rights concerns | 2018-08-07 | middle_east | The State Department sought for a second day to avoid inflaming a spiraling diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Canada Tuesday , calling on both sides to sort out their differences over a delicate human rights dispute .
While department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said U.S. officials have raised human rights concerns with the Saudis in the past , she stressed that Riyadh and Ottawa β need to diplomatically resolve this together . β
Saudi Arabia moved Sunday to expel the Canadian ambassador from Riyadh and declared a freeze on all new trade deals between the two countries , following Canada β s demand that the Saudis free women β s rights activists and others arrested in the Kingdom .
Critics of the Saudis claim Riyadh is trying to flex its muscles internationally and has overreacted to a comment Friday by Canada β s leading foreign affairs agency , Global Affairs Canada . The agency tweeted that it was β gravely concerned β about certain detentions in the Kingdom , specifically that of Samar Badawi , the sister of a blogger jailed by Saudi authorities .
β We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful human rights activists , β the tweet said , according to CBC/Radio Canada .
The Canadians have since refused to back down , even as the Saudis claim to they will follow through on threats of harsh trade punishments for Ottawa .
According to Reuters , Saudi-Canadian trade consists largely of Saudi exports of petrochemicals , plastics and other products . The news agency has noted that in 2014 , the Canadian unit of U.S. weapons maker General Dynamics Corp won a contract worth up to $ 13 billion to build light-armored vehicles for Saudi Arabia , in what Ottawa said was the largest advanced manufacturing export win in Canadian history .
Ms. Nauert told reporters at the State Department Tuesday that Washington is well aware of human rights concerns regarding Saudi Arabia , but she avoided taking a hard position on the Canada-Saudi spat .
β We have a regular dialogue with the government of Saudi Arabia on human rights and also other issues , β she said , adding later that β we would encourage the government of Saudi Arabia overall to address and respect due process and also publicize information on some of its legal cases .
β This particular case regarding Canada , we have raised that with the government of Saudi Arabia , β Ms. Nauert added , asserting that the United States β has respect for international recognized freedoms and also individual liberty . β
β That certainly has not changed and that β s basically where we stand today , β she said . β But we would encourage both governments to work out their issues together . β | 220cuwtBHh5NsEuE | 2 | Middle East | -1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/30/politics/fiscal-cliff/index.html | Obama warns of "Scrooge" Christmas without tax-cut extension | 2012-11-30 | Fiscal Cliff | Story highlights No talks between White House and congressional leaders are set , an official says
President Barack Obama urges quick deal on tax-cut extension for most Americans
Republicans are balking at Obama 's first proposal , including $ 1.6 trillion in revenue increases
Nancy Pelosi predicts 100 % of House would back a `` middle-class '' tax cut
After touring a Pennsylvania toy factory that 's churning out would-be holiday gifts , President Barack Obama warned Friday of a `` Scrooge '' Christmas if Congress does not pass legislation extending tax cuts for 98 % of Americans .
The visit and speech were part of Obama 's campaign-like push to curry public support for his plan to avert the so-called fiscal cliff and the automatic tax increases and spending cuts that would come with it .
`` Let 's get that done , '' Obama said of approving tax cuts for most Americans , while letting rates for the top 2 % go up . `` Let 's go ahead and take the fear out for the vast majority of American families so they do n't have to worry about $ 2,000 coming out of their pockets next year . ''
In Washington , House Speaker John Boehner , R-Ohio , raised alarms about an impasse a month before the fiscal cliff would set in , to the detriment of the nation 's fragile economic recovery , many economists warn .
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As of early Friday evening , no talks were planned between the White House and congressional leadership to avert what could happen in January , an official familiar with the situation said .
With little evidence of a breakthrough , Obama has tried to amp up pressure on Republicans by making his pitch public . The Rodon Manufacturing Group plant in Hatfield that he visited makes K'Nex toys , which Obama jokingly offered to members of Congress who make his `` nice '' list .
The Democratic-controlled Senate has already passed legislation calling for the extension of tax cuts for all but the most wealthy Americans , but the matter has not come up for a vote in the House .
Republicans who control that chamber , many of whom oppose any tax rate increases , have insisted the tax-cut extensions apply to all Americans and balked at considering separately the tax cut that applies to 98 % of Americans . Obama says House Republicans are holding `` hostage '' something that would help the vast majority of the country to protect the wealthy few .
`` That does n't make sense , '' the president said , urging Americans to flood House Republicans with calls , letters and social networking messages .
Addressing the tax-cut extension for lower- and middle-class families is the most urgent `` ticking clock '' among the provisions in the `` fiscal cliff '' package of automatic tax increases and spending cuts that will take effect January 1 if lawmakers and the administration ca n't reach a compromise , Obama said .
Without the cut , the administration has argued many Americans could pull back on purchasing during the crucial holiday shopping season .
Longer term , analysts and the Congressional Budget Office have said that going and staying over the fiscal cliff -- meaning the tax hikes for all and spending cuts are n't pulled back -- would threaten millions of jobs , especially those dependent on government contracting , and risk a return to recession .
Wall Street and big businesses are lobbying the administration and lawmakers to reach a deal . Investors have been grappling with the uncertainty over the prospect of higher taxes and damaged consumer confidence caused by political gridlock over deficits and the debt .
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the election and polls show public support for extending the `` middle class '' tax cut while raising rates for the wealthiest .
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She and her caucus are ready to solicit the support of some Republicans in amassing 218 signatures to bring the Senate tax-cut extension bill up for a vote next week .
`` I think we would get a 100 % vote on it if it came to the floor , '' the California Democrat said Friday .
The remarks came a day after the Obama administration unveiled details of a comprehensive package , widely rejected by Republicans , to avert the fiscal cliff .
The president 's proposal calls for $ 1.6 trillion in increased revenue , some of it the result of higher tax rates for families making more than $ 250,000 .
Obama also wants to close loopholes , limit deductions , raise the estate tax rate to 2009 levels and increase taxes on capital gains and dividend taxes .
The proposal also calls for additional spending , including a new $ 50 billion stimulus package , a home mortgage refinancing plan and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits . It would also extend the payroll tax cut passed early in Obama 's administration to give taxpayers more money to spend .
In return , multiple sources told CNN that Obama is offering $ 400 billion in new cuts to Medicare and other entitlement programs . Specifics on cuts would be decided next year , the sources said .
Boehner characterized Obama 's proposal for spending cuts as a trifle , calling for `` a little , not even $ 400 billion '' in cuts to the $ 3.8 trillion federal budget .
Republican aides also said the $ 1.6 trillion in increased revenue was higher than previously discussed . Democrats said the number should not be a surprise , as Obama discussed it during his re-election campaign .
On the campaign trail , the president also repeatedly said the wealthiest Americans should pay more than they do now to help lower the national debt . | 25c3fa9aceb1f17a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2020/07/21/trump-signs-memo-excluding-illegal-immigrants-from-2020-census/ | Trump signs memo excluding illegal immigrants from 2020 Census count | 2020-07-21 | Immigration, Illegal Immigration, DACA, Donald Trump, Executive Orders | WASHINGTON β President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order excluding illegal immigrants from being counted in the 2020 United States census. Since the first census in 1790, both US citizens and non-citizens have been included in the countryβs official population count, regardless of their immigration status, as part of a process, which determines federal funding and how many seats each state gets in Congress. But Trumpβs order, which had been anticipated for weeks, is the latest salvo in his administrationβs ongoing battle with the Census Bureau. The president last year failed in his bid to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census after the moved was blocked by the Supreme Court. βMy Administration will not support giving congressional representation to aliens who enter or remain in the country unlawfully, because doing so would create perverse incentives and undermine our system of government,β Trump wrote in Tuesdayβs brief but strongly-worded memo. βJust as we do not give political power to people who are here temporarily, we should not give political power to people who should not be here at all,β he continued. The memo directs Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment count but it is unclear how Ross would make that distinction when the citizenship question is prohibited. New York and Ohio lost two members of the House of Representatives after the 2010 census, while Texas picked up four. The order will likely be met with legal challenges from Democrats and legal professors who are already calling the move unconstitutional. βThe Constitution says count βpersonsβ not citizens,β University of Alabama law professor Joyce Alene wrote on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. βHis unconstitutional EO today, directing a count of only citizens is red meat for his base & an effort to distract from Covid & his other disasters,β he continued. The state of Alabama is currently in the throes of a legal battle with the Census Bureau arguing illegal immigrants be excluded from population counts because it supposedly gives an unfair advantage to states with more undocumented residents. According to a Washington Post report from August 2019, states such as New Jersey and California could lose up to two seats in Congress if undocumented immigrants were excluded from the census count. Unknown | e710a53ddc24f476 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/16/investigate-investigators-gop-lawmakers-urge-probe-irs-scandal-review/ | Investigate the investigators? GOP lawmakers urge probe of IRS scandal review | 2014-01-16 | justice_department | Republican lawmakers , frustrated by the Justice Department 's slow-moving probe into the IRS targeting scandal and `` conflict of interest '' concerns , are now calling for the investigators to be investigated .
Reps. Darrell Issa , R-Calif. , and Jim Jordan , R-Ohio , on Wednesday formally requested that the Justice Department 's inspector general launch his own probe into the department 's review of IRS activities .
The request marks a serious escalation of their complaints about the department 's conduct and , specifically , a decision to have a President Obama backer lead the investigation .
`` The Department has created the appearance that it is not taking seriously its responsibility to conduct a thorough investigation of IRS misconduct , '' Issa and Jordan wrote in a letter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz .
Such complaints have come to a head this week , as conservative groups and lawmakers worry that the investigation is fizzling -- eight months after the agency first acknowledged it singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status .
In their letter , Issa and Jordan cited a litany of concerns , including recent claims from administration officials that criminal charges in the case are unlikely . But they centered on the decision to appoint Barbara Kay Bosserman to lead the FBI probe . Campaign finance records show Bosserman has given more than $ 6,000 to Obama 's two presidential campaigns .
`` Publicly available information suggests that Ms. Bosserman may have a conflict of interest in this matter , '' they wrote , also citing a Fox News report that she attended a bill-signing ceremony at the White House in 2009 .
Separately , the lawmakers wrote to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez asking him about any possible involvement , given his prior position as Bosserman 's boss in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department .
The Justice Department , though , has pushed back hard on those questioning Bosserman 's fitness for the role .
One official said last week that simply because a trial attorney exercised her constitutional right to make a political donation does not mean she 's not acting professionally . Officials stressed that they can not consider political affiliation when handing out case assignments .
`` It is contrary to Department policy and a prohibited personnel practice under federal law to consider the political affiliation of career employees or other non-merit factors in making personnel decisions , '' the department said in a statement .
On Monday , a DOJ official also said that the ceremony Bosserman attended in 2009 -- for the signing of hate crimes legislation -- was attended by the Civil Rights Division team , which was described as `` typical '' given their `` technical support '' on the bill . | gZqTuVZdacoBJxPe | 2 | Justice Department | -0.7 | Justice | -0.7 | IRS | 0 | null | null | null | null |
politics | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/09/trump-fires-fbi-director-comey.html | Trump fires FBI Director Comey | 2017-05-09 | politics | President Trump on Tuesday fired FBI Director James Comey , abruptly ending a rocky year-long stretch for the top law enforcement officer who came under fire for his handling of the Clinton email probe -- and whose agency has been investigating whether Trump 's campaign had ties to Russia .
β The FBI is one of our nation β s most cherished and respected institutions , and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement , β Trump said .
The president told Comey in a brief letter that he could not β effectively lead β the bureau and called for β new leadership that restores public trust and confidence β in law enforcement .
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president β s decision was based on β the clear recommendations β of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein .
A search for a new permanent FBI director will begin immediately . In a message to FBI employees , Sessions said Andrew McCabe , the bureau 's deputy director , had assumed the position of acting director .
The White House made the stunning announcement shortly after the FBI corrected a sentence in Comey 's sworn testimony on Capitol Hill last week . The director had told congressional lawmakers that Huma Abedin , as a top aide to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , had sent `` hundreds and thousands '' of emails to her husband 's laptop , including some with classified information .
On Tuesday , the FBI said in a two-page letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that only `` a small number '' of the thousands of emails found on the laptop had been forwarded there while most had simply been backed up from electronic devices .
But that error was apparently unrelated to the Comey firing . DOJ officials instead cited his handling of the Clinton probe .
Comey first ran into problems during the 2016 presidential race when he tried to conclude his investigation into Clinton β s use of a private server system for emails while at the State Department .
He concluded that Clinton , then the Democratic presidential nominee , had not acted criminally with classified emails but said she had been β extremely careless . β
He then announced a revived probe regarding the emails and Abedin β s handling of them in the closing days of the race .
Clinton has said that largely contributed to her loss to Trump , while Comey has defended his actions .
The FBI and other members of the U.S. intelligence community , as well as Congress , are now investigating the extent to which Russia was involved in stealing and making public emails from Clinton β s presidential campaign .
β While I greatly appreciate you informing me , on three separate occasions , that I am not under investigation , I nevertheless concur with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau , β Trump said in a letter to Comey , obtained by Fox News .
Comey , 56 , was nominated by President Barack Obama for the FBI post in 2013 to a 10-year term . Praised for his independence and integrity , Comey has spent three decades in law enforcement and has been no stranger to controversy .
Sessions said Comey was fired because the FBI needs a `` fresh start . ''
In his letter to Trump , Sessions said the next FBI director must be someone who follows `` faithfully the rules and principles '' of the Justice Department .
Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley , R-Iowa , said Comey had lost the `` public trust and confidence . ''
He also said Comey 's decisions on controversial matters , including the Clinton email matter , `` have prompted concern from across the political spectrum '' and from career law enforcement experts . ''
Democrats are further insisting on an independent prosecutor to investigate possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia , following the firing .
`` The only way the American people can have faith in this investigation is for it to be led by a fearless special prosecutor , '' said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer , N.Y . | oFSKWBsgI0MtizWH | 2 | Donald Trump | -0.6 | James Comey | -0.4 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
politics | CNN (Web News) | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/21/cuccinelli-calls-on-christie-to-step-aside-as-rga-chairman/?hpt=po_c1 | Cuccinelli calls on Christie to 'step aside' as RGA chairman | 2014-01-21 | politics | ( CNN ) β A prominent Virginia Republican , Ken Cuccinelli , said embattled New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie should step down from his new role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association .
The former Virginia attorney general and 2013 gubernatorial candidate said current investigations into suggested political misconduct by top Christie administration appointees would hinder his ability to successfully campaign for GOP candidates .
`` I think just from the perspective of setting aside this as an issue in other races , it makes sense for him to step aside in that role , '' he said on CNN 's `` Crossfire '' on Tuesday .
`` He does not serve the goals of that organization by staying as chairman . And that does n't mean that any of the charges , political or otherwise are substantive or not . It does n't matter . Perception is reality . ''
Cuccinelli , now a former elected official , may have been sorting through some hurt feelings dating back to his loss last November in the Virginia 's governor 's race .
After their campaign came up just a few points short on Election Night , Cuccinelli and his aides were furious at the RGA for not steering more money into what they thought was a winnable race .
The RGA spent about $ 8 million on the Virginia race , but stopped running television ads weeks before the election . At the same time , they pumped $ 1.7 million into Christie 's cakewalk of a governor 's race in New Jersey - precious money that could have boosted Cuccinelli down the stretch .
`` A number of people in the party establishment are going to need to take a hard look in the mirror and think about how they stranded their Republican nominee in Virginia , and with their help we would have had a Republican governor of Virginia , '' vented one Cuccinelli adviser .
Christie has said previously the uproar in his state would not affect his work for governors nationally . He was in Florida this past weekend helping to raise money for incumbent Rick Scott .
And two Republican governors said recently they still backed him for the RGA post , despite the problems in his state .
Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker , mentioned often as a potential presidential candidate as well , and Utah Gov . Gary Herbert said in Washington they had confidence in Christie 's leadership .
Christie , a likely 2016 White House hopeful , has come under fire over suggestions top appointees engaged in political β dirty tricks β to punish a Democratic mayor for not endorsing their boss for reelection last November .
Another mayor has accused Christie higher-ups of holding hostage relief money from Superstorm Sandy until she signed off on a redevelopment plan backed by the governor .
Asked by Crossfire co-host Van Jones why Christie has n't stepped down from the powerful position , Cuccinelli predicted that the Garden State leader may still get advice from other governors to step down as the scandals continue to sink in .
`` Frankly , I think this is still relatively new and he may well step down . I have no idea what his thinking is on that . And he may get some counsel from some other governors along those lines . ''
Christie took over the chairmanship from Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal for the 2014 election year in November .
Christie 's role as RGA chairman allows him to travel the country , gain a foothold in key states , and mingle with some of the GOP 's leading financial backers - all while controlling a nearly $ 150 million midterm political budget . Previous RGA chairmen like 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Texas Gov . Rick Perry have used the post as a national launch pad . | A4Rt9NGYzIMIsuP5 | 0 | Chris Christie | -0.6 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/10/white-house-globalists-form-committee-to-save-america-from-trump-and-his-voter-base/ | White House Globalists Form βCommittee to Save Americaβ β from Trump and His Voter Base | 2017-08-10 | White House, Politics | A group of globalist White House advisers and generals have apparently teamed up with establishment Republican leaders in Congress to form a β Committee to Save America β alliance . Though their purported aim is to β protect Trump and the nation from disaster , β these self-styled saviors might be better named β The Committee to Betray President Donald Trump β s Voters . β
Axios β s Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen had β private chats β recently with their usual gang of establishment Republican sources in Congress and the White House about this committee of smarty-pants saviors who think Trump is either a lunatic , dumb , or both .
Allen writes about the usual suspects in this allianceβDemocrats like top economic adviser Gary Cohn and globalist former Goldman Sachs executives like Dina Powell , who is notorious for being able to β manage up β as well as anyone .
As one of Powell β s former Goldman Sachs colleagues ( does the 44-year-old Powell β s time at Goldman Sachs count as part of her supposed β foreign policy experience β that Allen describes to puff her up ? ) described , β the most remarkable thing about Dina Powell is that she can manage up better than anybody I β ve ever seen in my entire life. β The former colleague said that β managing up is when you are able to get the people whom you work for to think you are unbelievably good and competent at what you do. β In other wordsβlong on style and charm , short on substance ; all hat , no cattle .
These White House globalists and Democrats , according to Allen , try to β refine or moderate β Trump β s β America first β positions .
Embattled national security adviser H.R . McMaster , who has reportedly been purging Trump loyalists from various national security posts and is pushing for more intervention in Afghanistan , has reportedly joined with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chief of Staff John Kelly to check Trump . It may be up to Kelly , who is now the new gatekeeper , to make sure that Trump gets both sides of every issue instead of getting bad information that is heavily tilted in favor of McMaster β s internationalist view that turns off working-class voters from Republican candidates . McMaster , after all , seems to care more about how the world views McMaster than defending Trump , as McMaster β s allies have gone out of their way to undercut Trump β s foreign policy agenda in outlets like the Associated Press .
Allen also warns that β Republican congressional leaders β βwhich probably includes House Speaker Paul Ryan ( R-WI ) β β all could move against β Trump if β special counsel Bob Mueller finds crimes β or Trump β succumbs β to their definition of β radical instincts. β Allen β s piece was also published the day after Trump reportedly had a heated phone call with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) .
Allen writes that β these officials see their successes mostly in terms of bad decisions prevented , rather than accomplishments chalked up . β
In Allen β s telling , the β Committee β comes off as a band of selfless freedom preservers doing all they can to save the country from Trump .
But Allen , perhaps inadvertently , reveals a big β tell. β He writes that β one of the biggest dangers to Trump β s β presidency β is that if Mueller acts or public support plummets , he suddenly could be lonely in his own White House . β
So , in other words , these selfless heroes who act like they purportedly care about nothing more than saving the country from the gravest threat it has ever faced in Trump will pack up and run for the hills as soon as Trump β s popularity dips below a certain level or Mueller finds something unrelated to Russia during his fishing expedition .
This isn β t anything new for these virtuous β Committee β members , some of whom like Cohn donated to Hillary Clinton and may not even have voted for Trump . As Joshua Green pointed out in his book Devil β s Bargain : Steve Bannon , Donald Trump and the Storming of the Presidency , former Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus and Ryan took off for the hills as soon as the Access Hollywood tape was released . β I am not going to defend Donald Trump β not now , not in the future , β Ryan , according to Green , β told his House colleagues in a private call . β
Allen β s story indicates that these oh-so-heroic β Committee β members would do the same if Trump β s poll numbersβwhich do not even take into consideration the strong social desirability bias that was responsible for so many Trump polls being off in recent yearsβgo south .
The β Committee β just seems like mostly unelected officials doing all they can to promote their policies that get stamps of approval from globalists and the legacy media who apparently hate policies that put America first and above their friends in their internationalist social circles .
Rupert Murdochβwho was so dismissive of Trump β s candidacy that he grumbled and did not even look up from his soup when Ivanka Trump tried to tell Murdoch that Trump , who was with her at the lunch , was going to run for presidentβis now trying to use his Wall Street Journal editorial page to take over Trump β s White House for the establishment that Trump swatted away .
Joe Scarborough , whose ally Dina Powellβwho Scarborough β s fiancee Mika Brzezinski bragged would not be in the White House if it weren β t for herβis on Team McMaster , has been trying to do the same with his St. Albans-centered morning show , begging Chief of Staff Kelly to β sideline β nationalist Steve Bannon .
But have no fear . Because , according to Allen , the β Committee β members β believe in β Trump and just want β the processes in place β to give Trump the β right options β ( read : anything that isn β t part of Trump β s America-first platform ) . | 0c8e91ae242c78bc | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
privacy | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/03/politics/foia-revealed-social-security-numbers/index.html | Exclusive: Government transparency site revealed Social Security numbers, other personal info | 2018-09-03 | Federal Government, Privacy | Washington ( CNN ) A federal government transparency website made public dozens , if not hundreds , of Social Security numbers and other personal information in a design error during a system upgrade .
The error , on a Freedom of Information Act request portal , was fixed after CNN alerted the government to the situation . For weeks prior , however , individuals ' sensitive personal information was available on the public-facing database unbeknownst to them or the government .
After a tip from a source who had noticed the glitch , with two quick searches , CNN discovered that the government had published at least 80 full or partial Social Security numbers . There were other instances of sensitive personal information , including dates of birth , immigrant identification numbers , addresses and contact details .
The glitch also exposed other sensitive information about individuals . In one instance , a victim of a violent crime seeking information about the case described the crime . In others , victims of identity fraud seeking more information about their cases had their Social Security Numbers exposed in the process . ( In some instances , government agencies require Americans to submit FOIA requests for their own personal information . )
Before publication , CNN alerted the government to the issue . CNN has been told by a spokesman for the agency that maintains the website that the information has been protected . Participating agencies were also notified of the situation .
The portal , foiaonline.gov , is the one-stop clearinghouse for Freedom of Information Act requests to a number of government agencies , ranging from Customs and Border Protection to the Small Business Administration . It is designed to provide a streamlined and transparent way for Americans to request information from their government .
A design bug also revealed information about the requester with no safeguards for personally identifiable information .
The problem was with the feature that allowed anyone to search existing FOIA requests . The idea is that people can see what has already been requested , by whom , and in some cases what may have been provided . When users click through to the individual request , the description field is withheld , pending agency approval . Yet those descriptions were viewable in full on the search results page , including if Americans had included their or others ' Social Security numbers or any other personal information .
The FOIA clearinghouse is maintained by Environmental Protection Agency , which provides the IT resources to keep it up . It is up to each government agency that uses the portal , however , to take the care to input the information correctly .
When the website was switched from the 2.0 version to the 3.0 version on July 9 , the masking feature for descriptions somehow ceased to exist . No one was aware of the issue until alerted by CNN . Upon being alerted , the EPA office managing the site said it attempted to re-mask everything that was an obvious privacy concern , including sensitive information like Social Security numbers .
However , because FOIA requests are public information , it is up to the agencies involved whether to determine whether to withhold information based on a case-by-case application of any FOIA exemptions . Thus , EPA said it was not able to simply turn on a blanket masking of all the descriptions on the 3.0 site , because that could have withheld things that agencies have already determined to be public .
After completing what EPA determined was within its ability , the notice went out to all the agency FOIA system administrators that they should check what was in their control and whether they wanted certain information public . That notice went out Thursday night after EPA completed its piece of the work .
`` Recently it was discovered that PII ( SSN ) information in some records was exposed to the public , '' the email said , according to a copy obtained by CNN . PII stands for personally identifiable information . `` The PMO [ Primary Management Office ] has identified the cause of this issue and this afternoon implemented program fixes that resolved the problems . This issue will shortly be publicized by the press . It will also be reported that after our fix , that some names and addresses still do appear in publicly available FOIAonline records . A review by the PMO has found that this information has been marked as publicly viewable by the reporting agencies . It is requested that partner agencies review publicly viewable information to ensure that any personal information is specifically intended to be presented as such . ''
While FOIA requests to the government are considered public , there are many exemptions that the government often applies to protected individual privacy .
EPA spokesman John Konkus told CNN the agency would also investigate if further action was warranted .
`` The EPA is aware and working with partner agencies to remediate an issue with the FOIAonline 3.0 system , '' Konkus said . `` The issue affects a limited number of cases and inadvertently displays descriptive information that may , in some instances , include Social Security Numbers . EPA will follow the Agency 's Breach procedures to evaluate the situation further and take the appropriate mitigation measures . ''
It 's unknown how many individuals may have had information exposed in the glitch , and for how long . The transition to the new site occurred in mid-July , but older FOIA requests continue to be migrated to the new site .
`` This is a really significant mistake , '' said Nuala O'Connor , a former chief privacy officer of the Department of Homeland Security .
`` These sorts of data points allow people to engage in identity theft or some kind of harassment , or other malicious behavior , '' said O'Connor , president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology , a tech-focused privacy and civil liberties advocacy group . `` It puts potentially already vulnerable people at greater risk . ''
There is no disclaimer about keeping sensitive information out of the request when users go to submit FOIA requests .
In fact , the Customs and Border Protection form encourages anyone seeking information about themselves to `` please include as much information as possible to assist us in locating the record ( s ) you are seeking , to include your Date of Birth , Alien number [ an identifier number for US immigrants ] , your parents ' names , and any Alias ' you may have used at the time of entry or apprehension . ''
The Social Security Administration form , though , says the website is not the appropriate place to make requests about individual records .
A privacy notice linked to at the very bottom of the website does warn that `` any personal information included in the comment form will be submitted to the Department or Agency to which your request is directed and may be publicly disclosed on FOIAonline or on third-party Web sites on the Internet . ''
Even if there was some sort of disclosure anywhere about the risk of information becoming public , O'Connor said , `` it defies logic and it defies expectation that anyone would think their Social Security number is being exposed when processing a request like this online . '' | d26d23d8fdb46d6a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/26/government-state-role-pandemic-coronavirus | The state we're in: will the pandemic revolutionise the role of government? | 2020-04-26 | Federalism, Coronavirus, States Rights, Role Of Government, Politics | The state has been in retreat since the 80s heyday of Reagan and Thatcher but that could change as coronavirus delivers a shock to the system of historic proportions
The state we 're in : will the pandemic revolutionise the role of government ?
The state we 're in : will the pandemic revolutionise the role of government ?
Ronald Reagan β s 1986 wisecrack β β The nine most terrifying words in the English language are : I β m from the government and I β m here to help β β would not get a lot of laughs today . In much of the world , people are desperate for the government to show up and rise to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic .
Reagan β s attitude to government solidified into orthodoxy for more than three decades , spreading abroad β particularly in the UK with the help of Margaret Thatcher β and captured the centre ground of politics in both countries .
The antipathy to the state was selective : Reagan , like Donald Trump today , racked up huge deficits , spent heavily on defence and built up a system of corporate welfare through subsidies and tax breaks . But on both sides of the Atlantic , the prevailing wisdom was the state should wherever possible get out of the business of trying to control inequality and provide services to the less fortunate .
There are already some signs that the Covid-19 shock may challenge those attitudes . Disease and mass unemployment have always been far better recruiting sergeants for the cause of big government than any party manifesto β and this crisis is unlikely to be an exception .
Some social scientists and historians argue that this pandemic could become a turning point in social history β on a par with the New Deal in the US or the post-war Labour government in the UK .
β We β ve been on this kind of trajectory for last 30-odd years where the individual was taking priority over the collective . And now we β re actually back into the kind of spirit that our parents and grandparents lived through in which communities have to pull together , β Fiona Hill , a British-born historian who served on Trump β s national security council .
Hill pointed to the UK , where 750,000 people signed up as volunteers for the National Health Service ( NHS ) and a wave of climate activism on both sides of the Atlantic .
β I do think there is a huge appetite among younger people , trying to get more government action . I really do think we could start to see the tide turning here . β
Some of the biggest swings in public opinion have been in countries where the state β s role in social welfare has been in most rapid retreat .
The US and the UK stand out because the pandemic struck as their governments were seeking to roll back longstanding social welfare systems and are now scrambling to reassemble temporary versions of them on the run .
What is not clear yet is whether these stopgap measures will evaporate as soon as Covid-19 is sufficiently contained for people to go back to work β or whether some of them will stick .
Authoritarian leaders may use Covid-19 crisis to tighten their grip Read more
The coronavirus pandemic could also boost statism of another kind β more Big Brother than Great Society β by providing cover for governments to restrict civil liberties and entrench themselves in power , as Viktor OrbΓ‘n has done in Hungary . There are few signs yet that China β s leaders will be held accountable for their failure to contain the outbreak at its source , and their response to criticism has been further suppression of dissent and science .
The outbreak has created a surge in digital monitoring of populations that many civil libertarians fear will harden afterwards into a permanently raised level of surveillance .
The accretion of state power could accompany wider provision of public services , or take precedence over them . The less a government does for its people , the more it has to control them .
In the US , the Trump administration is likely to face resistance if it seeks to withdraw forms of social support that have long been standard in most western democracies .
β The whole pandemic , I think , has laid bare all of the inadequacies of the US social safety net , β John Schmitt , the vice-president of the Economic Policy Institute in Washington , said . β A very basic thing every other advanced economy in the world guarantees workers is at least a minimum amount of paid sick days . The US does not have at the national level any laws like that .
β It β s hard for me to imagine that there won β t be significant support when the dust settles for state , local and federal legislation to address that incredibly longstanding policy failure , β he said .
There are two other areas where Schmitt predicted there would be strong demand for lasting change . One is unemployment insurance , currently a meagre patchwork of different state systems subject to minimum national standards .
Profit over people , cost over care : America 's broken healthcare exposed by virus Read more
The other is the healthcare system . As a far broader cross-section of Americans face medical bankruptcy because they have partial or no health insurance , it will be harder for Trump to pursue his effort to obliterate the Obama administration β s Affordable Care Act , which extended the scope of health insurance coverage , and could provide support for a more ambitious expansion of government-funded healthcare .
For parallel reasons , it will be even harder politically for Boris Johnson to bargain away the fundamentals of the NHS at trade talks with Washington , after it saved his life .
It is too early to predict how the coronavirus shock will affect the outcome of this year β s US elections . All other things being equal , greater popularity for a government-funded social safety net should translate into more votes for Democrats , who have traditionally championed such policies . But Trump will seek to take that ground , insisting , for example , that his name is on the $ 600 cheques the federal government is sending out each week to supplement unemployment benefit .
And the elections could be as much about cultural and political loyalties as social policy .
Arlie Hochschild , a sociologist who has written extensively about the American right , said she had been watching responses to the crisis in Kentucky .
β Trump supporters are generally older people in poor health , and if they β re blue-collar , they β re actually less likely to have work that they can do from home , β Hochschild said . β What β s happened in this short period of time has challenged so much of what they believe in . β
Despite that , she said , the crisis seemed to have had little effect on political identification and affiliation . β There is no immediate turnaround in attitude . I think they β re going to vote for Trump , pretty much at the same rate as they did in β 16 . β
Two states : one Democrat , one Republican . Two very different outcomes Read more
If Trump is re-elected , few believe there will be much lasting change to the role of the state . His instincts have been to seek to hand leadership during the crisis to the CEOs of big corporations , lining them up in the Rose Garden when he declared a national emergency on 13 March .
Opinions differ on whether a Democratic administration under Joe Biden would be a force for transformational change .
β You β re seeing a closer alliance between the left and the centre of the Democratic party β Theda Skocpol , a sociology professor at Harvard University , said . If Democrats also capture the Senate , she added : β I think it sets the stage for for a real change in direction β the first important one since Reagan . β
Dean Baker , co-founder of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research in Washington β and one of the first economists to identify the US housing bubble that created the conditions for the global financial meltdown in 2008 β argues that that crisis demonstrated how impervious the economic system was to shocks , no matter who is in government .
β The thought that we had this horrible experience and now everyone β s going to learn from it : it wasn β t true really in β 08- β 09 , and I don β t have a lot of confidence it β ll be true this time , β Baker said .
Much may depend on the depth and duration of the coronavirus shock . A V-shaped , rapid bounceback is looking less likely with every passing week , and a gradual U-shaped recovery or even an extended depression become real possibilities . In such circumstances , formerly unthinkable solutions become more palatable .
β People use the analogy of the financial crisis but I think it β s the wrong one . War is a much better one because it is both a supply and a demand shock , β said Branko Milanovic , an economist at the City University of New York , adding that a prolonged economic downturn would lead to β a reassessment of the role of the state β .
Milanovic cautioned , however , that it was also quite possible that a groundswell of support for a universal healthcare system and a much more robust social safety net might not be reflected in the US political system . He said : β What we would actually face in the US is an ever-increasing discrepancy between the demand for change , and the total absence of change . β | ee362180aa7da5b5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/12/world/us-china-climate-change-agreement/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 | This is a First | 2014-11-12 | Technology | Beijing ( CNN ) In a historic climate change deal , U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced both countries will curb their greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades .
Under the agreement , the United States would cut its 2005 level of carbon emissions by 26 % to 28 % before 2025 . China would peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and will also aim to get 20 % of its energy from zero-carbon emission sources by the same year .
`` As the world 's two largest economies , energy consumers and emitters of greenhouse gases , we have a special responsibility to lead the global effort against climate change , '' Obama said Wednesday in a joint news conference with Xi .
The announcement marks the first time China has agreed to peak its carbon emissions , according to the White House . Xi is calling for `` an energy revolution '' that would include broad economic reforms addressing air pollution .
Obama , who was in Beijing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit , said he hopes the deal will spur other nations to tackle climate change .
`` We hope to encourage all major economies to be ambitious -- all countries , developing and developed -- to work across some of the old divides , so we can conclude a strong global climate agreement next year , '' Obama said .
Xi said both sides were committed to working toward the goals before the U.N . Climate Conference in Paris next year .
We have a special responsibility to lead the global effort against climate change . President Obama
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions said the joint announcement is `` an extremely hopeful sign '' and will help get other countries on board .
`` For too long it 's been too easy for both the United States and China to hide behind one another , '' said the center 's president , Bob Perciasepe .
`` People on both sides pointed to weak action abroad to delay action at home . This announcement hopefully puts those excuses behind us . We 'll only avert the worst risks of climate change by acting together . ''
The announcement could put climate change back on the G20 agenda , said researcher David Holmes of Monash University in Australia .
`` The announcement may mean climate will have to be higher on the G20 agenda despite host nation Australia trying to keep it off altogether , '' Holmes said .
`` As an economic meeting , it can not afford to ignore the restructuring of energy markets and productive capacity that will be needed to accommodate these very ambitious cuts . ''
The goals laid out by Obama and Xi were not as ambitious as some hoped , said Lo Sze Ping , CEO of the World Wildlife Fund Beijing .
But `` what 's important is that both these two large emitters are taking the responsibility to act and work together to resolve the problem , not the numbers or targets themselves , '' he said .
JUST WATCHED Obama : 'This is a major milestone ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama : 'This is a major milestone ' 01:42
The White House said the ultimate target is to `` achieve deep economy-wide reductions on the order of 80 % by 2050 . ''
A senior Obama administration official said the goals are `` ambitious and achievable '' -- but U.S. domestic politics could be a challenge .
The official said `` leading climate deniers '' in the Republican party might try to stop the initiative . The official hinted that Obama could act alone if necessary .
`` Congress may try to stop us , but we believe that with control of Congress changing hands we can proceed with the authority we already have , '' the official said .
`` This is really the crusade of a narrow group of people who are politically motivated and have made this a cause celebre , but we believe we will be successful . ''
The Obama administration hopes to sell the plan back home by touting the anticipated savings on energy costs . The plan offers initiatives and incentives to develop more solar and wind power in both countries , the official said .
`` Consumers and businesses will save literally billions of dollars , '' a senior administration official said .
JUST WATCHED Skepticism over U.S.-China deal Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Skepticism over U.S.-China deal 03:26
But the Senate 's top Republican said the climate change deal will hurt the U.S. economy .
`` Our economy ca n't take the President 's ideological war on coal that will increase the squeeze on middle-class families and struggling miners , '' Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a statement .
`` This unrealistic plan , that the President would dump on his successor , would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs . ''
China has agreed to provide another 800-1,000 gigawatts of nuclear , wind , solar and other zero emission generation capacity by 2030 .
That amount of zero-emission output exceeds all the coal-fired power plants that exist in China today and is close to total current electricity generation capacity in the United States .
A senior Obama administration official said that historically , the United States and China have often been seen as antagonists , so the climate change deal `` should send a powerful message , '' and `` will usher in a new day , where the U.S. and China can work as partners . ''
JUST WATCHED Pollution causing expats to leave China Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Pollution causing expats to leave China 02:01
During Obama 's visit to Beijing , the Chinese government closed factories and gave employees time off to reduce car traffic and emissions in Beijing .
The reduction of smog and the appearance of blue skies was noted by media throughout the APEC summit .
As well as the historic climate change deal , Obama and Xi also agreed on the importance of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula , cybersecurity , strengthening military relations and increasing trade .
`` China is firmly committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula , '' Xi said .
Both sides also agreed to an extension of the validity of short- term business and tourist visas from one to 10 years , and of student visas from one year to five years .
`` This arrangement will facilitate the travel of millions of U.S. and Chinese citizens , furthering the trade , cultural , and people-to-people ties that form the foundation of our bilateral relationship , '' the White House said . | c64dc4313c81faed | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2015/4/5/8341413/white-house-easter-egg-roll | The White House Easter Egg Roll exists because Congress banned fun | 2015-04-05 | white_house | Today the White House will hold the annual Easter egg roll . Kids will roll their eggs along the lawn , hunt for eggs , and enjoy other fun activities . It 's a benign , heartwarming event .
So where did this lovable tradition come from ? It all started when Congress made kids get off its lawn .
Congress banned the Capitol Hill Easter Egg Roll in 1876
The Easter egg roll goes back a long time β some say Dolley Madison began the tradition , though that 's probably just legend . There are reports of various egg rolls occurring throughout the mid-1800s , but by the 1870s , there were n't a lot of places for kids to have fun in Washington , DC . The city was very much under construction β the Washington Monument had been left half-finished for 23 years β and contained a lot of dirt and mud .
That led a lot of kids to play near Capitol Hill . The only problem ? Their presence uprooted some of the tender grass that was just starting to grow near the Capitol Building . The annual Easter egg rolls they held there upset the national landscaping .
So on April 21 , 1876 , Congress passed the Turf Protection Law , which banned Easter egg rolls on Capitol Hill . In 1877 , bad weather kept the Easter egg roll from happening , and 1878 did n't look much better . In the days leading up to Easter , the Washington Post warned kids not to roll their eggs on the Capitol 's lawn or they 'd encounter the large Capitol police force :
Things looked bleak for the Easter tradition until the president stepped in .
At some point in April 1878 , a child from the neighborhood saw President Hayes on a stroll . He asked Hayes when he 'd allow kids to roll eggs on his new White House lawn . Hayes looked into it and told the guards that if any kids showed up to roll eggs on the White House lawn , it was fine .
It 's tempting to interpret the egg roll as a political battle . After all , the leader behind the Turf Protection Law , William Holman , was a Democrat , and that party regularly called Hayes `` Rutherfraud '' because of his disputed election in 1876 . So perhaps Hayes was just trying to show up Democrats ?
More likely , it was that the president wanted kids to have fun . Nancy Kleinhenz is the communications manager at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center , where they 've been re-creating the egg roll for years . She says it was n't politics but fatherly instincts that inspired Hayes to save the day . After all , Hayes had two children who were still young : Scott and Fanny , who were 10 and seven . `` Politics was n't a factor , '' Kleinhenz says . `` He was a dad . '' Since then , the Easter Egg Roll has become a tradition at the White House , with only brief pauses during wartime .
The Easter egg roll probably is n't a story about partisan battles . But in Washington , everything becomes political when federal resources are involved β and that includes which lawn gets trampled by children playing with eggs . | M6Qnxozco5uuhS86 | 0 | White House | -0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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