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elections | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2015/10/27/dont_write_donald_trumps_political_obituary_yet_why_surging_ben_carson_looks_like_a_flavor_of_the_month/ | Don't write Donald Trump's political obituary just yet: Why surging Ben Carson looks like a flavor of the month | 2015-10-27 | Ben Carson, Donald Trump, Presidential Elections, Elections | The tragicomedy that is the Republican presidential race took an interesting turn over the weekend . Ben Carson is now leading Donald Trump and Republican field in the latest CBS/New York Times poll . Carson takes 26 percent of the vote , while Trump earned 22 percent . Although Carson β s lead is within the margin of error , this is a significant shift in longstanding trends .
Trump has been the leader for several months now , but Carson appears to have broken through with key demographics , particularly evangelicals . The CBS report sums up Carson β s advantages well :
Carson has made gains across many key Republican groups . In a reversal from earlier this month , he now ahead of Trump among women and is running neck and neck with him among men . Carson β s support among evangelicals has risen and he now leads Trump by more than 20 points with this group . Carson performs well among conservative Republicans and those who identify as Tea partiers .
It β s not terribly surprising that Carson leads Trump among women and evangelicals : Trump is the misogynist par excellence and Carson is a proud religious fanatic β these are natural demographics for Carson . But Carson β s rising support among men and Tea Partiers , relative to Trump , is somewhat surprising .
Tea Partiers don β t do policy . Their project is essentially negative , which is why the GOP β s nihilism and obstructionism began in earnest when Tea Partiers were elected to Congress in 2010 . Neither Carson nor Trump have anything resembling a platform or a plan . They β re outsiders with no political experience who want to disrupt the status quo β that β s a message that resonates with conservative men and Tea Partiers .
If there β s a difference , it β s that Trump is louder and more aggressively obnoxious than Carson , which ought to endear him to these demographics . Evidently , though , Carson β s unhinged nice guy routine is working . His new campaign ad perfectly illustrates both his appeal and his vacuousness .
In a 30-second TV spot , Carson manages to hit all the right conservative notes without coming close to explaining what he β s going to do . β I β m Ben Carson and I β m running for president , β he says . β The political class and their pundit buddies say : β Impossible . He β s too outside the box. β Well , they do know impossible . Impossible to balance the budget , impossible to get border security , impossible to put aside partisanshipβ¦I β m Ben Carson , I β m running for president , and I β m very much outside the box . β
If you β re waiting for the part where he says how he β s going to balance the budget or get border security or put aside partisanship , you don β t know Ben Carson or the new GOP . Carson is basically doing the same thing as Trump : bashing the β political class β and promising to fix everything that β s broken β only Carson does so with a lukewarm smile whereas Trump pounds his fist on the table with Tri-State bravado . It doesn β t matter that neither candidate has a discernible plan to accomplish any of these things β the empty rhetoric is more than enough for Republican voters .
One of the more interesting findings in the new CBS/NYT poll is that 55 percent of Trump backers say their support is firm , while 80 percent of Carson supporters say they could change their minds . This is good news for Trump ; it suggests Carson is far more of a flavor of the month candidate than Trump .
Whatever the reason , Trump has real staying power β he β s proven that . Carson , however , remains a question mark . He may well win in Iowa , thanks to his support among evangelicals , but the GOP β s last two Iowa winners β Santorum and Huckabee β lost the nomination . Trump , moreover , is well-positioned in the other early primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina , where he remains comfortably ahead of Carson .
Carson β s boost in the polls will be a boon to his campaign , but his long-term viability is still debatable . If this trend continues for another month or two , however , Trump might be in real trouble . | 0219206d6cfa5060 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Newsmax | http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Obama-DC-Circuit-Court/2014/01/09/id/546202 | Obama Seizes Control of 'Second Highest Court' | 2014-01-09 | White House, Barack Obama, Politics | Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama 's Job Performance ? Vote Now in Urgent Poll
The Senate is poised to confirm Robert L. Wilkins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C . Circuit β the final battle in a bruising war between the White House and Senate Republicans over the `` second highest court in the land . `` The D.C . Circuit deals with cases against the federal government . Anyone who has a complaint with a regulatory agency or wants to challenge an excess of the federal government usually winds up there . `` We will fill up the D.C . Circuit one way or another , '' Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said in a speech March 10 , in which he attacked Republican-led filibusters against President Barack Obama β s nominees as `` specious . `` In November , Obama effectively gained control of the 11-member court when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid triggered the `` nuclear option '' β reducing the threshold needed to stop a filibuster from 60 votes to a simple majority.Within weeks , Obama nominees Patricia Millett and Cornelia Pillard were confirmed for the court . Wilkins ' confirmation will likely be completed by the Senate no later than February , giving the court its full complement of judges.Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said that because the D.C . Circuit dealt with cases related to the Environmental Protection Agency , he had concerns about what nominees had said about the coal and utilities industries that are so important to his state.But his concerns and Pennsylvania 's wo n't matter after the change in filibuster rules , `` because the next nominee [ to the D.C. Court ] wo n't need my vote , '' Toomey said at a Pennsylvania Society meeting . `` Of the eight full-time judges on the court before these latest confirmations β not including judges on senior status β there was a 4-4 split between Democratic appointees and Republican appointees , '' Hans von Spakovsky , senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation , told βββ . `` Now there are six Democratic appointees and four Republican appointees and there will soon be seven Democrats and only four Republicans . `` Von Spakovsky underscored the priority the White House placed on taking control of the D.C. Court of Appeals . Among the key cases in which the court ruled against the Obama administration , `` the court invalidated a rule applying the Dodd-Frank financial reform law , overruled a burdensome Environmental Protection Agency rule regulating cross-state power plant emissions , and ruled President Obama 's sham 'recess ' appointments to the National Labor Relations Board unconstitutional , '' he said.Citing the line-up of the court as the Senate prepares to take up Wilkins ' nomination , von Spakovsky concluded : `` All of those new Obama appointees are guaranteed to vote on [ Obama 's ] side β they would never have voted to override the Environmental Protection Agency or Obama 's National Labor Relations Board appointments . `` There is one more reason the White House and Senate Democrats have placed such a priority on controlling the D.C . Circuit : its history as a stepping stone to the `` highest court in the land '' β the Supreme Court.Four of the present nine justices of the high court β Antonin Scalia , Ruth Bader Ginsberg , Clarence Thomas , and Chief Justice John Roberts β were previously judges of the D.C . Circuit . A fifth justice , Elena Kagan , was nominated to the D.C . Circuit by President Bill Clinton but never confirmed . Two chief justices of the 20th Century , Fred M. Vinson and Warren Burger , previously served on the D.C . Circuit . | 0ae4f35cf14080f9 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/politics/donald-trump-congress-speech/index.html | President Trump goes to Congress to make a sale | 2017-02-28 | white_house | Washington ( CNN ) President Donald Trump reached for poetry and conjured a vision of common national purpose Tuesday during his first address to Congress , shifting his tone from the dark , searing approach of his previous big speeches to the nation .
Trump adopted a statesmanlike cadence , hitting notes of inspiration . For once , this most unorthodox of politicians struck a conventional presidential posture as he sought to stabilize his administration after a tumultuous five weeks in office .
Though his language was more lofty and unifying than normal , Trump gave little quarter on the substance of his policies on issues ranging from trade , defense , immigration and counterterrorism . The result was a populist , nationalistic prescription that he said would yield `` a new chapter of American greatness . ''
`` From now on , America will be empowered by our aspirations , not burdened by our fears , inspired by the future , not bound by failures of the past , and guided by a vision , not blinded by our doubts , '' Trump said , from the Speaker 's rostrum in the House of Representatives .
During a vitriolic campaign and a raucous start to his term , Trump has done little to reach beyond his base of deeply committed voters who revile the kind of political elites that the President was staring down as he spoke on Tuesday .
But , beset by the lowest approval ratings of any new commander-in-chief of modern times , Trump made a palpable effort to court voters who did n't support him with an offer to lay down the battles of the past . In fact , his address ticked almost all the boxes of a traditional State of the Union style appearance .
`` I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the American spirit . I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big , and bold , and daring things for our country , '' Trump said . `` I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment . Believe in yourselves . Believe in your future . And believe , once more , in America . ''
It was an uplifting and unifying message that many Americans have rarely heard from Trump , who argued `` the time for trivial fights is behind us . ''
While Trump is not solely responsible for the coarsening of political life , his brash , Twitter-fueled approach has rocked the nation 's politics . The question now is whether the President was previewing a new , more sober political persona or whether he will return to his old habits .
The change in his tone was evident from the first moments of his speech when he condemned the recent spate of threats against Jewish community centers , vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and the shooting of two Indian men in Kansas .
He said the violence was a reminder that `` while we may be a nation divided on policies , we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its very ugly forms . ''
The comment followed heavy criticism of Trump for not addressing such violence .
The new President entered the House chamber to thunderous applause and spoke of the `` renewal of the American spirit . ''
A senior White House official said Trump wrote the speech himself with input from almost every member of his presidential team of advisers .
In the emotional high point of the speech , Trump turned to the first lady 's box and acknowledged Carryn Owens , the widow of a US Navy Special operator , William `` Ryan '' Owens , who was killed in an anti-terror raid in Yemen in the first major military engagement of the new administration .
`` Ryan died as he lived : a warrior , and a hero -- battling against terrorism and securing our nation , '' Trump said as the House floor erupted in a prolonged standing ovation . Owens , with tears streaming down her face , looked to the Heavens and joined in the applause .
His less explosive presentation style was welcomed by many lawmakers .
JUST WATCHED McConnell : American 's expect Obamacare repeal Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH McConnell : American 's expect Obamacare repeal 01:10
`` Donald Trump did indeed become presidential tonight , and I think we 'll see that reflected in a higher approval rating , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said on CNN after the speech .
`` The Donald Trump I heard tonight was a lot more focused and disciplined and subdued , and it was a lot more uneventful in a good way , '' moderate House Republican Charlie Dent told CNN 's Tom LoBianco . `` There were not a lot of distractions tonight , this speech was much better than the inaugural speech . ''
North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp , who is up for re-election next year in a state that Trump carried , said the President delivered a `` very good speech . ''
`` It was delivered with a sense of 'this is who I am , this is what I want to accomplish ' and I think the goals are great , '' she said . `` How we get there is the $ 10,000 question . ''
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on CNN that Trump 's `` speeches and the realities are very , very far apart . ''
`` Until his reality catches up with his speeches , he 's got big trouble , '' Schumer said .
Though his rhetoric was soaring , Trump still struck hardline notes . He overruled national security adviser H.R . McMaster , according to a senior administration official , to warn of `` radical Islamic terrorism . '' Hitting themes familiar from his campaign , Trump vowed to restore `` integrity and the rule of law to our borders . ''
`` We will soon begin the construction of a great , great wall along our southern border , '' Trump said , drawing Republican cheers even as he did n't mention his earlier promise that Mexico would pay for construction .
`` As we speak tonight , we are removing gang members , drug dealers , and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens . Bad ones are going out as I speak , and as I promised throughout the campaign ''
While such language could please conservatives , Trump sent shockwaves through Washington earlier Tuesday by telling reporters he wants to pass an immigration reform bill that could grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants living in the US .
`` The time is right for an immigration bill as long as there is compromise on both sides , '' Trump said at the White House . But he did not provide further clarity on that position during his address .
So far there is little sign that the new President 's legislative agenda , which includes repealing and replacing Obamacare , a big tax overhaul , and a $ 1 trillion infrastructure program , is anywhere near coming to fruition .
That explains why he devoted a considerable portion of the address to touting his achievements so far . He argued that his election alone had convinced big firms like Ford , Sprint , SoftBank and Intel to invest billions of job-creating dollars in the US . He noted that stocks have put on $ 3 trillion in value since his election and claimed to have saved hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars , including on the new F-35 jet fighter .
Trump said he also kept his word by cutting government regulations , clearing the way for the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines and pulling out of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal .
The President also laid down clear principles for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare , a key policy goal that is threatening to become overwhelmed by the complications of writing health policy . A new system , he said , must retain coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions , should offer plans backed by tax credits and expanded health savings accounts and should preserve Medicaid expansion in the states . Trump also vowed to bring down the high price of drugs `` immediately . ''
`` Obamacare is collapsing -- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans , '' he said , `` Action is not a choice -- it is a necessity . ''
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi , who was instrumental in passing the law , shook her head as Trump condemned it .
The President also signaled action on another key piece of his agenda -- tax reform , promising `` massive '' relief for the middle classes and cuts in corporate tax . Yet Trump also pushed for his $ 1 trillion infrastructure plan and spoke of his effort to boost military spending . Given that he has also said he will protect entitlements , questions will be asked about how the administration can finance its ambitious plans .
Trump 's speech was closely watched around the world , given that his pronouncements on foreign policy have caused alarm and confusion . There were , however , few details on national security policy to clear up misconceptions .
Trump recommitted himself to a strong `` America First '' foreign policy , but also backed NATO -- as long as its members pay their dues -- while bemoaning trillions of dollars the US has spent in foreign wars abroad .
`` My job is not to represent the world . My job is to represent the United States of America , '' said Trump . `` But we know that America is better off when there is less conflict , not more . We must learn from the mistakes of the past . We have seen the war and the destruction that have ravaged and raged throughout the world . ''
Despite some positive reviews for Trump in the room on Tuesday , the official Democratic response by former Kentucky Gov . Steven Beshear accused the President of deserting the working people who voted for him by picking a cabinet of millionaires and billionaires .
`` That 's not being our champion . That 's being Wall Street 's champion , '' Beshear said .
`` Real leaders do n't spread derision and division . Real leaders strengthen , they unify , they partner , and they offer real solutions instead of ultimatums and blame , '' said Beshear , accusing Trump of waging war on refugees and immigrants and endangering US security by reaching out to Russia . | 25grBIYyFexfvm5W | 0 | White House | 0.3 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/08/26/syria-un-united-nations-chemical-weapons-experts-snipers/2698721/ | Syria rebels demand U.S. action; U.N. convoy fired on | 2013-08-26 | middle_east | CLOSE Secretary of State John Kerry said chemical weapons were used in Syria and called the use of such weapons a `` moral obscenity . '' Kerry accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of destroying evidence of the attacks . VPC
Snipers fire on a U.N. chemical weapons team in Syria investigating last week 's alleged chemical attack . No injuries were reported .
`` There is nothing that can stop the regime ... except military intervention , '' Syrian rebels say
Estimates of 350 to 1,300 civilians killed in gas attack last week
A limited military strike against Syria might convince the Assad regime not to use chemical weapons again but it wo n't change the balance of power in the Syrian civil war or bring about President Obama 's stated goal of regime change , analysts and rebels say .
Syrian President Bashar Assad `` has used all kinds of weapons , chemical and cluster bombs during massacres in Syria , '' said Abu Jaafar al-Mugarbel , an activist based in Homs , in western Syria .
`` There is nothing that can stop the regime from doing that except military intervention . It is not the best way forward but there is nothing else after all that has happened , '' he said .
Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that it is clear the Assad regime used chemical weapons last week and that Obama believes such action should lead to consequences . He made his remarks from Jordan as United Nations inspectors were investigating the site where the alleged chemical weapons massacre happened outside of Damascus .
`` President Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use chemical weapons , '' Kerry said . `` Nothing today is more serious . ''
The attack should `` shock the consciousness of the world , '' Kerry said . `` This is about the large scale indiscriminate use of weapons that the civilized world long ago agreed should never be used . ''
U.S. officials have said Obama is considering military options after the gas attack last week left as many as 1,300 people dead . French and British officials have said a limited , punitive strike is under consideration .
A limited strike would allow Obama to say he 's following through on his warning a year ago that Assad would incur U.S. `` game changing '' action if he used chemical weapons , but it would also allow Assad to continue prosecuting a war that has already cost more than 100,000 Syrian lives , caused radicals to stream into Syria and spread violence into neighboring countries , said Tony Badran , an analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies .
`` The casualty toll , the ability of unsavory actors to further entrench themselves , the ability of Assad to consolidate a part of the country under his control and continuing to destabilize neighbors -- all that stuff continues to play out , '' under a limited strike , Badran said .
It 's not even clear whether a limited strike would cause Assad or his commanders to refrain from using chemical weapons again , said Ken Pollack , a former CIA analyst and former Middle East expert at the National Security Council .
`` At the end of the day , the purpose of this response is really going to be about deterrence , '' Pollack said . But `` we have no freakin ' clue what 's going on inside the regime . ''
It 's unclear who 's making decisions and what the Syrian command structure is , he said , and `` that makes it really hard to structure a deterrence message or to know how it will be received . ''
The administration hopes the regime remains unified , `` that a group of reasonable people are at the top of the chain of command , and that they read the message the way we want them to , '' Pollack said .
The problem is the Obama administration has n't articulated a clear policy for Syria or a clear strategy for how to accomplish it , Pollack said .
The administration has said it is expanding military assistance to the armed opposition , but there 's no evidence of that assistance arriving in rebel hands . The administration wants the two sides to negotiate a resolution in Geneva , but the planned conference has been delayed and the list of participants has yet to be agreed upon .
`` We have a stated goal of regime change but in a practical matter it 's just not clear what the White House is trying to do in Syria , '' he said . `` Nothing the adminisration is thinking about is going to bring about its real goals . ''
The military action under consideration now comes as United Nations weapons inspectors investigate the site of an attack last week that Syrian activists and medical personnel said killed hundreds with poison gas . Obama had said a year ago that chemical weapons are a red line that would elicit a `` game changing '' U.S. response .
In June , U.S. officials determined that Assad 's forces had used chemical weapons three times already , and announced plans to arm the rebels fighting to topple his regime . Former administration officials , such as then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta , have said they fear that a collapse of the Assad regime will allow his considerable arsenal of chemical weapons to fall into the wrong hands , including the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah and al Qaeda-linked militias fighting the regime in Syria .
Badran says how effective the strike by the USA and its allies is depends on the list of targets .
`` The question is whether your intervention will have the broader goal of removal of this regime , '' Badran said . `` Based on how they 're talking about it β punitive strike related to this issue of chemical weapons β they 're defining it very narrowly , as a slap on the wrist , do n't do that again . If you do there will be a more serious response . ''
Meanwhile , a vehicle carrying U.N. chemical weapons investigators came under sniper fire Monday as it was heading toward the site of the alleged chemical attack . One vehicle was disabled , but no injuries were reported . The Syrian government accused the rebels of firing at the team , while a rebel representative said a pro-government militia was behind the attack .
Wassim al-Ahmad , a member of the Moadamiyeh local council , said five U.N. investigators eventually arrived at a makeshift hospital in the suburb where doctors and about 100 people still with symptoms from the alleged chemical attack were brought in to meet with the U.N. team .
CLOSE Activists say members of a United Nations inspection team spoke to doctors and victims of the purported chemical attack at a makeshift hospital in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus . ( Aug. 26 ) AP
`` They are late , they came six days late , '' he told the Associated Press via Skype from Moadamiyeh , referring to the time it took the U.N. team to arrive . `` All the people have already been buried . ''
U.S. naval forces move closer to Syria while Western powers discussed how to respond to the alleged chemical attacks . Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that any military intervention in Syria without a mandate from the U.N. would be a grave violation of international law .
While the rebels are already receiving light arms from the West and from Gulf states , the opposition said they still do n't want foreign troops on the ground but instead a no-fly zone to help them fight the regime as well as air attacks .
`` First , hit military locations to stop missile attacks and air raids , which kill thousands of civilians , '' said Abu Rami , a 32-year-old anti-Assad activist in Homs . `` But I 'm against ground intervention in Syria to avoid what happened in Iraq . It is unacceptable for all Syrians . ''
The alleged chemical assault happened Wednesday on towns in Ghouta , which is east of Damascus.The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders put the number of dead at more than 350 . Syrians in the area claim more than 1,300 people died .
Images and videos have flooded the Internet showing children and adults suffering from symptoms including dilated pupils , increased paleness and shaking , that are consistent with chemical weapons . The images could not be verified by independent sources .
British Foreign Secretary of State William Hague has called for a `` strong response '' to the use of chemical weapons , and his German counterpart , Guido Westerwelle , said Germany would support any `` consequences '' of the attack .
But some activists said they were skeptical the international community would take the action needed to strop the violence .
`` For two years , we have been hearing about a no-fly zone but it still has n't happened , '' said Rami .
His comments were echoed by campaigners at Adopt a Revolution , an organization based in Berlin supporting revolutionary groups in Syria .
`` The activists on the ground say , 'we are tired of asking the international community for anything because so far we have n't received anything , ' '' said Elias Perabo , spokesman for the organization .
`` But more and more people are joining the Free Syrian Army to bring the conflict to an end because otherwise they will die . ''
While the U.N. 's Security Council has discussed the option of intervention in Syria , any decisions on action have been vetoed by Russia and China , who support Assad 's regime .
The USA has provided unspecified military aid to Syrian rebels since it concluded chemical weapons had been used by the Syrian regime earlier this year . However , it has refrained from intervening further .
Even if the United States does decide to intervene , analysts said it was unlikely to be to a scale that would change the outcome of the conflict , which has seen more than 100,000 people die since it began in 2011 .
`` It 's possible that we would see some kind of smaller-scale intervention , for example a strike at a missile-launch site or even a strike at the air force capability in Syria but beyond that , there is apparently no international appetite for any kind of ground intervention and I think that is the only thing that would have a chance at changing the outcome of the war , '' said Anna Boyd , deputy head of MENA forecasting at IHS , defense and security analysts , in London .
Still , members of the Free Syria Army , the group of ex-Syrian army members and others who are the main fighting force against Assad , say if there was any intervention , it would be for the U.S. 's own interests and not because the international community was trying to protect civilians .
`` Despite the blockade of weapons , the FSA has made progress in the field and out putting Assad in the position where he needed to use chemical weapons , '' said Ibrahim Aslan , a spokesman for the FSA 's force based near Latakia , in western Syria .
`` This means that FSA has forced the U.S. to look at intervening militarily in Syria . But it wo n't do this to save the Syrians but only out of their interests . ''
U.S. defense officials told the Associated Press that the Navy had sent a fourth warship armed with ballistic missiles into the eastern Mediterranean Sea but without immediate orders for any missile launch into Syria .
Navy ships are capable of a variety of military actions , including launching Tomahawk cruise missiles as they did against Libya in 2011 as part of an international action that led to the overthrow of the Libyan government .
Contributing : Doug Stanglin from McLean , Va. ; Louise Osborne and Victor Kotsev from Berlin ; Associated Press | lVzJkiKBZ4At7x8e | 1 | Syria | -0.4 | Middle East | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
race_and_racism | Portland Press Herald | https://www.pressherald.com/2020/06/24/the-latest-detroit-police-challenged-over-face-recognition-flaws-after-black-mans-mistaken-arrest/ | Three men indicted on murder charges in killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia | 2020-06-24 | Violence In America, Race And Racism, Criminal Justice, George Floyd Protests, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery | The latest on protests against racism and police brutality around the U.S. and the world .
NEW YORK β A flood of donations following the death of George Floyd has left racial equality and social justice groups in a position they might never have expected to be in : figuring out what to do with a surplus of cash .
Floyd , a Black man who died May 25 pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer held a knee to his neck for nearly eight minutes , has spurred global protests and a wider reckoning of police brutality and racism in the U.S. , as well as a public clamoring to offer financial support to address those issues .
The donations have come from all corners of the U.S. and the globe , including from prominent celebrities and huge companies as well as individual donors putting up anywhere between a few dollars to hundreds of millions .
β Both individuals like Michael Jordan and corporations like Google across America are making much bigger commitments than they have in the past , β said Melissa Berman , President & CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors . β They are also increasingly willing to name the problem as racism and not use euphemisms . β
At the same time , GoFundMe sites have generated millions in donations , mostly made up of very small dollar amounts from a large number of people . A GoFundMe for the mother of Ahmaud Arbery , who was fatally shot while jogging , has raised nearly $ 2 million from more than 60,000 donors . A fund for Breonna Taylor , who was shot in her home by police , has raised more than $ 6 million from more than 200,000 donors . And Floyd β s GoFundMe site had raised $ 14.5 million from more than 500,000 donations from 140 countries .
There have been $ 2 billion in racial equity pledges and commitments since May 25 , 2020 . By contrast for the whole calendar year 2019 , donations in the same category totaled $ 166.4 million . That β s according to Candid , a nonprofit which tracks donations .
Read the full story on donations to racial equality groups here .
Three men indicted on murder charges in killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia
ATLANTA β A prosecutor on Wednesday announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia .
Speaking to reporters outside the Glynn County courthouse , prosecutor Joyette Holmes said a grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael , Greg McMichael and William β Roddie β Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in the death of the African American man .
β This is another positive step , another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud , for finding justice for this family and the community beyond , β Holmes said during the news conference , which was streamed online by news outlets .
Lawyers for the McMichaels have cautioned against a rush to judgment and have said the full story will come out in court . A lawyer for Bryan has maintained that his client was merely a witness .
Arbery was slain Feb. 23 when the Greg and Travis McMichael , a white father and son , armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man running in their neighborhood . Greg McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot .
Bryan lives in the same subdivision , just outside the port city of Brunswick . Bryan said he saw the McMichaels driving by and joined the chase , a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified earlier this month .
It wasn β t until May 7 β two days after Bryan β s cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry β that the McMichaels were arrested . Bryan was arrested on May 22 , and an arrest warrant said he tried β to confine and detain β Arbery without legal authority by β utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions β before Arbery was shot .
In addition to malice murder and felony murder charges , the McMichaels and Bryan each are charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
BOSTON β The Boston City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to pass a ban on the use of facial recognition technology by city government .
The move makes Boston the second-largest U.S. city after San Francisco to enact a ban . The city joins several other Massachusetts communities that passed similar bans , including Cambridge , Springfield , Northampton , Brookline and Somerville .
β Boston should not use racially discriminatory technology that threatens the privacy and basic rights of our residents , β At-Large Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu said in a statement . β Community trust is the foundation for public safety and public health . β
The push against the technology is being driven both by privacy concerns and after several studies have shown current face-recognition systems are more likely to err when identifying people with darker skin .
β While face surveillance is a danger to all people , no matter the color of their skin , the technology is a particularly serious threat to Black and brown people , β Councilor Ricardo Arroyo said in a statement .
The American Civil Liberties Union-Massachusetts has been pushing a bill on Beacon Hill that aims to establish a statewide moratorium on the government use of facial surveillance and other remote biometric screening technologies until the Legislature imposes checks and balances to protect the public β s interest .
The Boston measure is now sent to Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh β s desk . If he takes no action in 15 days , it will automatically become law .
Senate Democrats block Republican policing bill , stalling efforts to change law enforcement practices
Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a Republican-drafted bill aimed at overhauling the nation β s policing practices amid a national outcry for a systematic transformation of law enforcement β spelling a potential death knell to efforts at revisions at the federal level in an election year .
On a 55-to-45 vote , the legislation written primarily by Sen. Tim Scott ( R-S.C. ) failed to advance in the Senate , where it needed 60 votes to proceed . Most Democratic senators said the bill fell far short of what was needed to meaningfully change policing tactics and was beyond the point of salvageable .
β The Republican majority proposed the legislative equivalent of a fig leaf β something that provides a little cover but no real change , β Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) said in a floor speech Wednesday morning . β The harsh fact of the matter is , the bill is so deeply , fundamentally and irrevocably flawed , it can not serve as a useful starting point for meaningful reform . β
The failed vote came after an impassioned speech by Scott , the lone black Republican in the Senate , who said his bill was an opportunity to say β not only do we hear you , not only do we see you , we are responding to your pain . β
The gridlock on Capitol Hill stands in contrast to the growing public support for policing reforms in the four weeks since the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man who died in police custody , galvanized the nation with demands for racial justice . A national Associated Press-NORC survey conducted this month found a sweeping desire nationwide for police reform , with clear majorities across racial and party lines supporting changes such as requiring officers to wear body cameras and prosecuting those who use excessive force .
Senate Democrats call GOP policing bill β not salvageable , β signal they will block measure
Democrats argued that had Republicans wanted to produce a substantive , bipartisan police proposal , they would have started with a template that included more input from them before letting the bill advance on the floor . In private , Democrats also spoke of their deep distrust of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and questioned whether he wanted a bipartisan bill to pass the Senate .
But Republicans repeatedly noted that Democrats could try to amend the bill on the Senate floor , and GOP senators privately offered amendment votes meant to address several criticisms of the bill that Schumer , and Sens . Kamala D. Harris ( D-Calif. ) and Cory Booker ( D-N.J. ) laid out in a letter to McConnell on Tuesday . The Democrats turned down that offer , according to two GOP officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss procedural deliberations , and also rejected a subsequent offer of more amendment votes .
Scott privately told Democrats that if they did not get votes on amendments they sought , that he , too , would help them filibuster his own bill again before it proceeds to a final vote , according to one of the officials .
β We β re literally arguing about whether to stop arguing about whether to start arguing about something else , β McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday morning . β Nobody thought the first offer from the Republican side was going to be the final product that traveled out of the Senate . β
Three members of the Democratic caucus broke ranks and voted to advance the bill β Sens . Joe Manchin III ( D-W.Va. ) , Doug Jones ( D-Ala. ) and Angus King ( I-Maine ) .
The Senate GOP plan incorporates a number of Democratic proposals , such as legislation to make lynching a federal hate crime and a national policing commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the U.S. criminal justice system .
It also withholds federal grants to state and local law enforcement agencies that don β t proactively bar the practice of chokeholds . It also calls on states and localities to report to the Justice Department when so-called β no-knock warrants β are used , and it would punish those that do not do so by withholding federal funding .
Detroit police challenged over face recognition flaws after Black man β s mistaken arrest
A Black man who says he was unjustly arrested because facial recognition technology mistakenly identified him as a suspected shoplifter is calling for a public apology from Detroit police . And for the department to abandon its use of the controversial technology .
The complaint by Robert Williams is a rare challenge from someone who not only experienced an erroneous face recognition hit , but was able to discover that it was responsible for his subsequent legal troubles .
The Wednesday complaint filed on Williams β behalf alleges that his Michigan driver license photo β kept in a statewide image repository β was incorrectly flagged as a likely match to a shoplifting suspect . Investigators had scanned grainy surveillance camera footage of an alleged 2018 theft inside a Shinola watch store in midtown Detroit , police records show .
That led to what Williams describes as a humiliating January arrest in front of his wife and young daughters on their front lawn in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills .
β I can β t really even put it into words , β Williams said in a video announcement describing the daytime arrest that left his daughters weeping . β It was one of the most shocking things that I ever had happen to me . β
The 42-year-old automotive worker , backed by the American Civil Liberties Union , is demanding a public apology , final dismissal of his case and for Detroit police to scrap its use of facial recognition technology . Several studies have shown current face-recognition systems more likely to err when identifying people with darker skin .
The ACLU complaint said Detroit police β unthinkingly relied on flawed and racist facial recognition technology without taking reasonable measures to verify the information being provided. β It called the resulting investigation β shoddy and incomplete , β the officers involved β rude and threatening , β and said the department has dragged its feet responding to public-information requests for relevant records .
Detroit police and Wayne County prosecutors didn β t immediately return emailed requests for comment Wednesday , but the police department told NPR it has since enacted new rules limiting the use of facial recognition to cases involving violent crimes and only using still photos , not security footage .
LOUISVILLE , Ky. β The Louisville Metro police department has fired one of the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor , more than three months after the 26-year-old black woman was killed in her home .
A termination letter sent to Officer Brett Hankison released by the city β s police department Tuesday said Hankinson violated procedures by showing β extreme indifference to the value of human life β when he β wantonly and blindly β shot 10 rounds of gunfire into Taylor β s apartment in March . The letter also said Hankison , who is white , violated the rule against using deadly force .
Taylor , who was Black , was shot eight times by officers who burst into her Louisville home using a no-knock warrant during a March 13 narcotics investigation . The warrant to search her home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there , and no drugs were found inside .
The no-knock search warrant that allows police to enter without first announcing their presence was recently banned by Louisville β s Metro Council .
The letter said Hankison fired the rounds β without supporting facts β that the deadly force was directed at a person posing an immediate threat .
β I find your conduct a shock to the conscience , β interim Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder said in the letter . β Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the Department . β
Rhode Island may change official name to remove slavery connotation
The state of Rhode Island is moving toward changing its official name to remove a portion that connotes slavery .
Gov . Gina Raimondo signed an executive order that could lead to β and Providence Plantations β being removed from the state β s official name ( Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ) . The official name has come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of global protests over racial injustice spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Under Raimondo β s executive order , the issue will be put on the ballot for the November election .
β I urge the voters to approve the name change in November but will take all measures now that are within my control to eliminate the name from my official communications and those of my executive agencies , β Raimondo said .
The state β s full name will also be removed from state-operated websites , official documents , stationary and other executive orders .
The state senate has also passed a resolution to remove β and Providence Plantations β from the official name , but it is unclear when the issue will be put to a vote .
Harold Metts , the state β s only Black senator , introduced the bill .
β Whatever the meaning of the term β plantations β in the context of Rhode Island β s history , it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation , β Metts told the Providence Journal last week .
Nearly 78 percent of the state β s voters opposed removing the phrase in 2010 when a similar resolution was made a ballot measure , according to the Providence Journal . | 2ed031f4090dc0b4 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/05/dow-falls-500-points-worries-grow-over-slowing-economic-growth/ | Oil prices, stocks fall sharply as recession worries grow | 2022-07-05 | Economy And Jobs, Trade, Energy, Oil, Gas Prices, Inflation, Recession, World, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Transportation | clockThis article was published more than 2 years ago The end of the Fourth of July weekend arrived with a blast of troubling economic developments as bonds flashed signs of a coming recession and oil prices plunged, suggesting that millions of consumers who have spent more than a year rocked by rising prices could face even more upheaval. Tuesdayβs events suggest that gasoline prices could be poised for a sharp descent, though there could be a multiweek lag. While the U.S. average has pulled back from its June peak above $5 a gallon, further declines might not be of much consolation to consumers because they could run into an economic downturn that further pressures stocks and could spill into the labor market. | 37a7777664abda93 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/08/romney-pulls-even-with-obama-in-first-post-debate-gallup-poll/ | Romney surging nationally after biggest debate win in recorded history, polls show | 2012-10-08 | elections | National polling released Monday continues to demonstrate an apparent Mitt Romney surge , with the Republican nominee at least pulling even with President Obama -- and in one poll shooting past him -- on the heels of what Gallup deemed the biggest debate victory in recorded history .
New Gallup numbers show registered voters overwhelmingly considered Romney the winner of the debate in Denver . Seventy-two percent gave Romney the win , while 20 percent said Obama did the better job . Gallup reported the 52-point victory is the biggest the polling firm has ever measured -- the closest was Bill Clinton 's 42-point win over George H.W . Bush in a 1992 debate .
The sentiment appeared to have big implications for Romney 's national standing .
A separate Pew Research Center poll showed Romney surging from an 8-point deficit to a 4-point lead among likely voters . The Oct. 4-7 survey of 1,112 likely voters showed Romney leading 49-45 percent . Among registered voters , the two candidates were tied .
Gallup polling among registered voters in the three days after the debate also showed the candidates tied at 47 percent each . In the three days prior , Obama was leading by 5 points .
The Gallup numbers follow a national Rasmussen survey which showed Romney leading 49-47 percent . Rasmussen also released several swing-state polls on Friday showing Romney pulling roughly even with Obama in the wake of the debate .
Gallup typically reports polling based on seven-day rolling averages -- in the latest , Obama is leading 49-46 percent . Gallup reported that the gap `` would narrow further '' if Romney 's momentum continues .
Romney is trying to build on his surge with a foreign policy speech in Virginia on Monday .
Obama 's team , though , is aggressively hammering Romney as a manipulator of the facts , suggesting the president will challenge him more firmly on the debate stage next week .
A vice presidential debate is set for this Thursday , with two more presidential debates scheduled after that .
The post-debate Gallup poll of 1,387 registered voters was conducted Oct. 4-6 . It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points . | a8P9cs3oXCxgB8KA | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
general_news | Reason | https://reason.com/archives/2017/03/13/in-chicago-bad-policing-doesnt-stop-crim | In Chicago, Bad Policing Doesn't Stop Crime | 2017-03-13 | Police, Chicago, General News | With violent crime surging in Chicago , the Trump administration rejects the idea of police restraint . During the campaign , Donald Trump said the answer is for cops here to be `` very much tougher . '' In his recent address to Congress , he decried violence in Chicago and promised to `` work withβnot against , not againstβthe men and women of law enforcement . ''
Attorney General Jeff Sessions agrees that the cops are always right . Last year , the Obama Department of Justice published a damning report on the Chicago Police Department , which concluded that its officers `` engage in a pattern or practice of using force , including deadly force , that is unreasonable , '' as well as unconstitutional , creating unnecessary danger to themselves and innocent bystanders .
Asked last month whether he would pursue reforms in response to the abuses and errors cited in the report , Sessions said he had n't read it . He also said the increase in crime has occurred because `` we 've undermined the respect for our police and made , oftentimes , their job more difficult . ''
Anyone who has taken the trouble to read the Justice Department report on Chicago can see that bad police are the ones who really undermine that respect .
One notorious example is the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald as he walked away from officers while holding a knifeβa killing the police excused and lied about . The video exposing the truth was released in November 2015 . The spike in crime began soon after .
There are plenty of other cases . When one unarmed man ran away after being approached by cops , they fired 45 rounds at him , killing him . A cop choked , hit and slapped a man `` who had refused to leave the area in front of a store where the man was shopping with his family '' βand the cop then denied using force . Black teenagers told of being picked up by cops and dropped off in rival gang areas .
It 's not only the Justice Department that has found that Chicago police engage in needless brutality . Crain 's Chicago Business reported last year that misconduct cases have cost the city $ 662 million in judgments , settlements and outside legal fees since 2004 .
If ferocious methods were the solution to crime , Chicago would be suffering a shortage of criminals . Even before last year 's jump , though , its homicide rate far surpassed those of New York and Los Angeles .
But when cops misuse their authority , residents of high-crime areas regard them as an occupying force they should fear , not an ally they should assist . A Chicago Tribune poll last year found that only 20 percent of Chicagoans think the police `` treat all citizens fairly . ''
Police use of force is often unnecessary and counterproductive . When police act with restraint , they can get better results . The Los Angeles Police Department once had a reputation as vicious and corrupt . But reforms carried out under a 2000 consent decree with the Justice Department have made a huge difference .
Between 1991 and 2009 , public approval of the LAPD rose from 40 percent to 77 percent . But felons have not been running wild . Since the consent decree took effect , crime has plunged by more than half . Last year , Chicago had 762 homicides , while Los Angeles , with a larger population , had 294 .
In his new book , When Police Kill , University of California , Berkeley law professor Franklin Zimring notes that Philadelphia drastically reduced the number of civilian deaths at the hands of policeβfrom 15 in 2007 to four in 2014 and two in 2015 . Yet the crime rate last year was the lowest the city had seen since 1979 . Philadelphia , like Los Angeles , is proof that more restraint does not equal more crime .
The New York experience offers additional confirmation . Between 2011 and 2015 , the NYPD reduced the number of street stops by 97 percent . In that period , the number of murders dropped by a third .
What should be clear from all this is that when police go to war against their citizens , they provoke hostility and distrust that undermine their mission .
When they exercise greater care in dealing with those they encounter , they may find that their job gets easier and safer .
When a federal court lifted the consent decree on the LAPD in 2013 , Chief Charlie Beck said : `` It has been the catalyst for incredible change in my police department . We 've become accountable . We 've become transparent . And we 've become more effective than we 've ever been . '' For Chicago , changes like those sound crazy , but they just might work . | 3093d83a3f4ea55b | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/31/politics/john-kerry-speech-iran-nuclear-deal-philadelphia/index.html | John Kerry to give major speech on Iran nuclear deal Wednesday | 2015-08-31 | middle_east | ( CNN ) President Barack Obama strongly pushed back against claims that he has used anti-Semitic rhetoric in criticizing those opposed to the nuclear deal with Iran .
`` There is not a smidgen of evidence for it , other than the fact that there have been times where I 've disagreed with a particular Israeli government 's position on a particular issue '' Obama said in an interview published Monday with The Forward , a leading Jewish newspaper , adding that such charges are hurtful .
Obama 's comments come as the Obama administration is making a full-court press to sell the Iran deal to the American public and prevent Congress from blocking in a September vote the agreement brokered in July between Iran and world power .
Secretary of State John Kerry will deliver a major speech on the deal at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday as part of that push , CNN has learned . Kerry will use the speech to defend the merits of the agreement and respond to its critics , as Obama has done in several speeches and interviews since the deal was finalized .
Federica Mogherini , foreign policy chief for the European Union , has been representing the Europeans in nuclear talks with Iran .
Federica Mogherini , foreign policy chief for the European Union , has been representing the Europeans in nuclear talks with Iran .
Wendy Sherman has been a key U.S. negotiator in the Iran talks . She is the under secretary of state for political affairs .
Wendy Sherman has been a key U.S. negotiator in the Iran talks . She is the under secretary of state for political affairs .
Kerry , second from left , meets Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , second from right , for talks in Lausanne , Switzerland , on Monday , March 16 . At the far left is U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz . At the far right is Ali Akbar Salehi , head of Iran 's Atomic Energy Organization .
Kerry , second from left , meets Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , second from right , for talks in Lausanne , Switzerland , on Monday , March 16 . At the far left is U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz . At the far right is Ali Akbar Salehi , head of Iran 's Atomic Energy Organization .
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been spearheading negotiations on a possible deal to rein in Iran 's nuclear program .
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been spearheading negotiations on a possible deal to rein in Iran 's nuclear program .
After arduous talks that spanned 20 months , negotiators reached a landmark deal aimed at reining in Iran 's nuclear program , announced on July 14 . From left , European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini , Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov , British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a group picture at the United Nations building in Vienna on July 14 .
After arduous talks that spanned 20 months , negotiators reached a landmark deal aimed at reining in Iran 's nuclear program , announced on July 14 . From left , European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini , Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov , British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a group picture at the United Nations building in Vienna on July 14 .
The Obama administration 's strongly worded defense of the nuclear deal and its attacks on those opposed to the deal has concerned some prominent members of the American Jewish community , who have worried aloud that the administration 's rhetoric could fuel anti-Semitic stereotypes .
At issue are Obama and his top surrogates ' claims that opponents of the deal are going to precipitate a war with Iran , and that their opposition has come from a well-funded lobbying campaign -- a campaign rooted in the American Jewish community and other pro-Israel circles .
Some critics of the deal have gone even further in linking Obama 's Iran deal to anti-Semitism , as 2016 GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson did while discussing the agreement in light of Iran 's threats to Israel .
`` Anything is anti-Semitic that is against the survival of a state that is surrounded by enemies and people who want to destroy them , '' he told Fox News in mid-August . `` To sort of ignore that and to act like everything is normal there and these people are paranoid , I think that 's anti-Semitic . ''
Obama has rejected that premise , and insisted in his interview with The Forward that `` if you care deeply about Israel , then you have an obligation to be honest about what you think , the same way you would with any friend . ''
`` And we do n't do anybody , any friend , a service by just rubber-stamping whatever decisions they make , even if we think that they 're damaging in some fashion , '' Obama added .
Beyond the heated rhetoric , critics have recently homed in on elements of the deal that they say do not hold up to the test of scrutiny .
But Kerry , during an interview with CNN in Anchorage , Alaska , ahead of a conference of Arctic nations , pushed back on the notion that the Iranians would be able to self-inspect at Parchin , as Republicans in Congress have alleged .
`` We are satisfied that we will be able to have a process which can get us the answers , '' Kerry said . `` If they are not accountable in the way that we expect them to be with appropriate access then they would be in material breach of the agreement and subject to any and all options available to the United States . ''
Kerry flew to Anchorage to help deliver President Barack Obama 's message on climate change to foreign ministers gathered in Alaska for this week 's GLACIER conference .
`` We still have time to pull back from the total precipice of absolute catastrophe that threatens life itself on the planet providing that we do the things that the President and others are talking about , '' Kerry said .
The Secretary of State added that global warming skeptics in the Republican Party like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz should travel to Alaska to see the impacts of climate change first hand .
`` Ask any Alaskan . I think people in Alaska will tell Donald Trump and tell Ted Cruz it 's happening . And all they have to do is come here and open their minds and their eyes and their ears and listen , look . And they will see the impacts of what is happening , '' Kerry said .
Kerry denied the administration is guilty of climate hypocrisy after its recent approval of Shell 's application to begin oil and natural gas drilling in the arctic .
He also stated that he will not punt a decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline to the next administration , but he declined to signal how soon a decision might come . | qWVF4xHhDYLZjRk1 | 0 | Middle East | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/us/politics/trump-impeachment.html | Senate Opens Trump Impeachment Trial as New Ukraine Revelations Emerge | 2020-01-16 | impeachment | Senator Mitch McConnell , Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader , was drafting trial rules that would not guarantee a vote to do so , rankling some conservatives but potentially sparing moderates a politically risky move . And in another bow to centrists who have insisted on it , Mr. McConnell was planning to allow votes on whether to call witnesses after opening arguments from both sides and questions by senators .
Senator Susan Collins , Republican of Maine , said Thursday that she would be inclined to vote in favor of new testimony at that point .
β While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered , I tend to believe having additional information would be helpful , β she said in a statement . β It is likely that I would support a motion to call witnesses at that point in the trial , just as I did in 1999 . β
The issue will be hotly debated when the trial resumes Tuesday , and the Senate is scheduled to vote on the rules for the proceeding .
Senator Chuck Schumer , the minority leader , said he would immediately call for a vote to subpoena witnesses and documents that could provide new information about Mr. Trump β s actions . Democrats have said the new evidence from Mr. Parnas proves that the Senate should press for documents that the administration refused to provide during the House investigation .
The evidence provided by Mr. Parnas adds significant detail to the public record about how the pressure campaign played out and new political peril for Mr. Trump as his lawyers seek to exonerate him . On Wednesday , Mr. Parnas told The New York Times that he believed the president knew about the efforts to dig up dirt on his political rivals .
Representative Val B. Demings , Democrat of Florida and one of the seven impeachment managers , tweeted Thursday that the assertions by Mr. Parnas confirmed that Mr. Giuliani and others were β working on the presidents orders . β | DvssEAJMPdRrAW7I | 0 | Impeachment | -0.6 | Ukraine | -0.4 | US Senate | 0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
free_speech | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/media/416630-fox-news-backs-cnns-lawsuit-against-trump-administration?fbclid=IwAR2usiRzN5TyBCMWGi6uVPfBMh2OLj2bjk0_L4xfpo6NCaZ4I8YbMu6RLVg | Fox News, other outlets back CNNβs lawsuit against Trump administration | 2018-11-14 | free_speech | Fox News joined a number of media outlets on Wednesday in announcing that they would back rival CNN β s lawsuit against the Trump administration .
Fox News President Jay Wallace said in a statement that the network intends to file an amicus brief with a U.S. District Court in the lawsuit .
CNN filed suit against the White House on Tuesday seeking the return of correspondent Jim Acosta β s press credentials , which were revoked last week after a testy exchange with President Trump Donald John TrumpAmash calls McCarthy incompetent , dishonest after '60 Minutes ' interview GOP lawmaker blasts Trump for quoting pastor warning of civil war over impeachment '60 Minutes ' correspondent presses McCarthy on impeachment inquiry MORE during a press conference .
β FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter β s press credential . We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court . Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized , '' Wallace said .
`` While we don β t condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press at recent media avails , we do support a free press , access and open exchanges for the American people . β
NBC News , The Associated Press , Bloomberg , Gannett , The New York Times , Politico , USA Today , The Washington Post and other outlets also plan to file briefs supporting CNN 's lawsuit , according to a release from Ballard Spahr LLP , a law firm representing the outlets .
β Whether the news of the day concerns national security , the economy , or the environment , reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions , β the news outlets said in a joint statement released by the firm .
β It is imperative that independent journalists have access to the President and his activities , and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons . Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question this President , or any President . β
CNN has argued that the Trump administration violated Acosta 's First and Fifth Amendment rights of free speech and due process . The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington , D.C. , and is being overseen by Judge Timothy Kelly , a Trump appointee , who scheduled a hearing in the case for Wednesday .
The White House dismissed CNN 's lawsuit on Tuesday , accusing the network of β grandstanding . '' White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Acosta β is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment . ''
The White House has argued that it was justified in suspending Acosta 's hard pass after he did not allow a White House intern to take the microphone from him during a press conference when Trump cut him off after he asked several questions about the migrant caravan and federal probe into Russia 's election interference .
β After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions β each of which the President answered β he physically refused to surrender the White House microphone to an intern , so that other reporters might ask their questions , β Sanders said in a statement Tuesday . | IW2n8RRdxuDYeuGz | 1 | Free Speech | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Guest Writer | http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/opinions/amar-cruz-trump-natural-born-citizen/index.html | OPINION: Why Cruz is eligible to be president | 2016-01-13 | Ted Cruz, Presidential Elections, Elections | Akhil Reed Amar is a professor of constitutional law at Yale University and the author of `` The Law of the Land : A Grand Tour of Our Constitutional Republic . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are his .
( CNN ) I do not embrace Ted Cruz politically , but I do embrace his right to run for president , and so should you .
Here is our first question : Who decides whether Cruz is eligible ? My answer : At first , you do . We , the people , do . We do this on Election Day when we cast our ballots with the Constitution in our hearts and minds if not in our hands . If you think Cruz is ineligible β if what I say here does not persuade you β you can vote against him .
If Cruz gets enough electoral votes this fall , then Congress and not the Supreme Court should be the final legal judge of Cruz 's eligibility . The Constitution 's 12th Amendment clearly says that Congress counts the electoral votes at a special session ; and thus Congress is constitutionally authorized to refuse to count any electoral votes that Congress considers invalid .
Elsewhere , Article I , section 5 of the Constitution makes clear that each house of Congress may `` judge '' whether a would-be member of that house meets the constitutional eligibility rules for that house . Suppose Mr. Smith wants to go to Washington as a senator . He wins election in his home state . But the Constitution says a senator must be 30 years old .
If a dispute arises about Smith 's age , about whether there a proper birth certificate and what it says , the Constitution clearly says the Senate is `` the judge '' of Smith 's birth certificate dispute .
Similarly , for presidential elections the Constitution 's structure makes Congress the judge of any birth certificate dispute or any other issue of presidential eligibility . Congress can not fabricate new presidential eligibility rules but it is the judge of the eligibility rules prescribed in the Constitution .
Thus , ordinary courts should butt out , now and forever . They have no proper role here , because the Constitution itself makes Congress the special judge . In legal jargon , the issue is a `` nonjusticiable political question . ''
Ordinary courts should butt out , now and forever . Akhil Reed Amar
Presidents should pick judges , not vice versa . This is one reason why the Supreme Court 's 2000 ruling in Bush v. Gore was a disgrace and is now widely viewed by experts as such .
OK , so voters and Congress decide , but what is the right answer to the Cruz question and how can ordinary citizens deduce this right answer ?
Simple : We can read the Constitution , which was written for ordinary citizens . And then we can fold in a few simple points about constitutional history , tradition and common sense .
Article II requires that a president must be either a U.S. citizen `` at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution '' β that is , 1788 β or else `` a natural born Citizen . '' Though old-fashioned , Cruz was not around in 1788 . So he needs to be β just like everyone else running for president today β a `` natural born Citizen . ''
For starters , put aside the word `` natural . '' Ask yourself whether Cruz is a `` born Citizen . '' In other words , was he a citizen on the day he was born ? Was he a citizen because of his birth , because of where and how and to whom he was born ? Note what the text does NOT say . It does not say , Springsteen-like , that a president must be `` born in the United States . '' Yet it would have been so easy to say that , had that been the founders ' legal meaning and the legal purpose !
So the question is , was Ted Cruz born a citizen ? The Constitution says , in the 14th Amendment , that anyone born in the United States and subject to our laws is a U.S. citizen . Today , that means everyone born on American soil except children of foreign diplomats β even children whose parents are not themselves U.S citizens . Donald Trump , are you listening ?
Unlike Barack Obama , who was born in Hawaii β again , please pay attention , Donald ! β Cruz is not a citizen at birth because of where he was born . Cruz was born in Canada . But neither Article II nor the 14th Amendment says that only those born in the United States are birth citizens . The 14th Amendment says that birth on American soil is sufficient to be a birth citizen . But it is not necessary .
How else can a person be a citizen at birth ? Simple . From the founding to the present , Congress has enacted laws specifying that certain categories of foreign-born persons are citizens at birth . The earliest statute , passed in 1790 , explicitly called certain foreign-born children of U.S. citizens `` natural born citizens . '' It did not say they should be treated `` as if '' they were `` natural born citizens . '' It said they were in law deemed and declared to be `` natural born citizens . '' Congressional laws have changed over the years , but this 1790 law makes clear that from the beginning , Congress by law has the power to define the outer boundaries of birth-citizenship by conferring citizenship at birth to various persons born outside the United States .
And here is the key point : The statute on the books on the day Cruz was born made him a citizen on that day .
The statute on the books on the day Cruz was born made him a citizen on that day . Akhil Reed Amar
The statute conferred birth-based American citizenship on any foreign-born baby who had at least one parent who was a U.S. citizen , so long as that parent had met certain conditions of extensive prior physical presence in the United States .
On the day of his birth , Cruz 's mother was a U.S. citizen , even though his father was not ; and his mother also apparently met the relevant rules of extensive prior physical presence .
A critical aside : Why would Barack Obama have been any different even if he had been born in Kenya , as has been preposterously but repeatedly claimed by Trump ? Like Cruz , Obama 's mother was a U.S. citizen on the day of his birth , even though , like Cruz , his father was not . And nothing in the relevant congressional statute treats a Kenyan birth as any different from a Canadian birth .
The answer to this puzzle is that the congressional law on the books when Obama was born required a foreign-born child to have at least one citizen parent who had been physically present in the United States at least five years after age 14 . Obama 's mother did not clear this bar , because she was only 18 when she gave birth . So this birth had to happen in the United States to make her son a citizen at birth . Of course this birth did in actual fact happen in the United States , in the state of Hawaii , despite all Trump 's malevolent mischief .
OK , back to Cruz who was a citizen at birth . He was born a citizen . He is a citizen because of the way he was born . And all this is clear if we look at the relevant citizenship law that was on the books on the day of his birth . Read it for yourself : Act of June 27 , 1952 , 66 Stat . 235-36 ; Title III , ch . 1 , section 301 ( a ) ( 7 ) . ( Note that Cruz 's mother apparently met the requirement of the law to have lived in the United States at least five years after age 14 ; she was in her 30s when Cruz was born . )
But what about that word I asked you to put aside for a moment β the word , `` natural '' ? Does that word change the analysis ?
No . That word confirms the analysis . First , the word itself derives from Latin and French roots that are about birth . The word is arguably redundant ( in the way that much of language is ) . In effect , the Constitution says that a president must be a `` birth-born citizen . '' But the word `` natural '' does add a key clarification : Congress is empowered by statute to define birthright citizenship under its Article I , section 8 power to pass a `` Rule of Naturalization . ''
Note the obvious linguistic link between `` natural '' ( Article II ) and `` Naturalization '' ( Article I ) . Under this Article I Naturalization power ( in tandem with Article II and with another sweeping clause at the end of Article I , section 8 ) , Congress can define who is a citizen at birth , and can also allow persons who are not birth citizens β and thus not eligible to be president β to become citizens at some post-birth moment . Henry Kissinger , Madeleine Albright , Arnold Schwarzenegger : None of these persons was born a citizen ; none is eligible to be president ; but all have become nonbirth citizens β naturalized as opposed to natural-born citizens β thanks to congressional naturalization statutes .
So Congress has two powers under the Naturalization power : to define birth citizens , eligible for the presidency , and to allow other nonbirth citizens to become naturalized citizens , to treat them for most other ( nonpresidential ) purposes as if they had been born citizens .
When the framers were drafting the Constitution , they were aware that the British Parliament had a long tradition of passing both types of naturalization laws , and the founders were specifically aware of laws that Parliament had passed conferring birthright status upon certain babies born to English parents outside England , babies referred to by these landmark statutes as `` natural born . ''
Note that the right question to ask is not : What were the natural-born statutory rules in 1788 or 1790 ? The right question is : What are the natural-born statutory rules on the day a given presidential candidate was born ? These statutory rules have changed over the years , and Article II builds these future changes into its elegant language .
And a good thing , too , given that the rules of 1790 were rather sexist . In both England and America , the law in that era typically focused on the status of a foreign-born baby 's father , not mother . In other sections of the 1790 law , race tests were in place , treating `` white '' persons better than all others .
Ironies abound . Cruz is eligible , but thanks to modern β newfangled , nonsexist , nonracist β naturalization laws . Had Cruz been born in 1790 to a noncitizen father it is not at all clear that he would have been eligible .
Cruz is eligible , but thanks to modernβnewfangled , nonsexist , nonracistβnaturalization laws . Akhil Reed Amar
And although he has managed to make this all about Cruz , the real person whose fundamental fitness for office is called into question by a careful constitutional examination of the natural born clause is none other than Donald Trump .
Here 's why . Beyond the rules of formal eligibility , our next president surely needs to understand the Constitution β and Donald Trump does not . He has repeatedly suggested that courts should decide this . Wrong ; the Constitution itself make voters and Congress the judges . Trump has repeatedly suggested the issue is where someone is born . Wrong again . Many born outside the United States have been eligible from the beginning .
Trump also denies the full citizenship of those who have in fact been born in the United States . Wrong yet again . Anyone born in the United States ( except for the child of a foreign diplomat ) is a full citizen under the clear words of the Constitution and very well settled Supreme Court case law . Trump has also repeatedly and outrageously challenged the natural-born citizenship of President Obama in racially coded/dog-whistle ways that strongly suggest Trump scorns basic constitutional principles of racial equality .
If you take the Constitution seriously , especially its rules about citizenship , you are welcome to vote for Cruz , but you should never vote for Trump . | 6a6aeb763e2bfc3b | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
defense | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/hagel-survives-opponents-make-nice-88136.html | Hagel survives; opponents make nice | 2013-02-26 | defense | Hagel 's opponents have mostly agreed to work with him in his new role . | John Shinkle/βββ Hagel survives ; opponents make nice
They beat him up for months β in TV ads , in op-ed pages and in Congress , with delay after delay before his confirmation on Tuesday .
But now that Chuck Hagel is set to take the top job at the Pentagon on Wednesday , many of his Senate opponents seemed ready to mend fences just hours after trying to derail him . As Hagel β s confirmation cleared the Senate floor 58 to 41 , key Republican opponents who tried to wreck his nomination were already engaged in the Washington ritual of trying to make nice with their opponent after spending weeks opposing him .
β I like Chuck , β said Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama β who once said he had β dramatic concern β about Hagel β s opposition to nuclear weapons and voted against him on Tuesday . β I β ve been reluctant to criticize him , but I did disagree with some of his policy positions . He went through a tough confirmation , was asked appropriate questions β¦ I would think that personalities won β t be a problem . β
Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire , a member of the Armed Services Committee who voted against Hagel in committee and then in the full Senate , said she looked forward to meeting with the new defense secretary to tackle what she called common challenges .
β It is my hope β¦ that he will sit down with everyone on the committee , and that we do what β s best for our Department of Defense going forward , β Ayotte said .
And Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , who signed a letter urging Hagel to withdraw , and said Hagel might embolden Iran and endanger the U.S. β s relationship with Israel , said he hoped Hagel would prove him wrong .
β I hope he exceeds expectations , β Graham said . β It would be great for the country . Sen. Hagel has a challenge to prove to people that he β s up for the job . β
For his part , Hagel pledged cooperation after his grueling battle for confirmation .
β I will work closely with Congress to ensure that we maintain the strongest military in the world and continue to protect this great nation , β he said in a statement .
Arizona Sen. John McCain , who faulted Hagel and joined his Republican colleagues in their delay tactics , said the responsibility for mending fences belongs solely with Hagel . Asked about whether the relationship across the Potomac would improve , McCain answered , β It depends on what he does . β
And freshman Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) said the end of the Hagel battle is not necessarily a happy ending for the country .
β Chuck Hagel will be confirmed because Senate Democrats stood united behind President [ Barack ] Obama β s nomination of the most controversial secretary of defense in modern times , β Cruz said . β I fervently hope that this confirmation does not embolden Iran to accelerate their nuclear weapons development ; I fervently hope that this confirmation does not undermine our vital alliance with Israel . β
McCain and Cruz appeared to be outliers in their unwillingness to begin building a relationship now that Hagel will run the Pentagon .
Hagel β s opponents outside Congress β led by Bill Kristol , the conservative editor of The Weekly Standard and the chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel β framed the drawn-out process as a success for their cause .
β We are heartened that the overwhelming majority of senators from one of the two major parties voted against confirming Mr. Hagel , β Kristol said in a statement after the vote . β [ We ] do believe that , as a result of this battle , Mr. Hagel will be less free to pursue dangerous policies at the Defense Department and less inclined to advocate them within the administration . β
Added a Republican Senate aide : β When you get 41 votes against your confirmation for secretary of defense , that is downright embarrassing . There is nothing here for the White House to be proud of . Rest assured , we will be watching Hagel like a hawk . β
And Michael Goldfarb , a strategist for the Emergency Committee for Israel , tweeted following Hagel β s confirmation , β Sorry , America . No substitute for victory , but we fought the good fight β and did a lot more damage than most thought possible . β
A Hagel aide told βββ he is used to the way business is done on Capitol Hill .
β Chuck Hagel comes from the Congress β¦ He β s going to work closely with them . He understands the vital role that Congress plays in ensuring the nation β s security , β the aide said , pointing out that Hagel had met with 77 senators over his long confirmation process . β One of the first issues he β s going to have to deal with is sequestration , a perfect example of where Congress plays a crucial role . β
Pentagon press secretary George Little , who repeated the dangers of sequestration in a briefing for reporters on Tuesday , made a similar point .
Asked whether Hagel could be effective in running the massive DOD after his bruising confirmation process , Little said : β Absolutely . β
β Sen . Hagel is someone who has spent much of his life in the halls of the United States Congress , β Little said . β He understands the importance of healthy debate , including during the confirmation process , and I think he is going to come in with a philosophy that he β s going to be a team player inside this building and that will extend to the United States Congress . β
Pentagon officials have been briefing Hagel about the war and the workings of the department . And Little said Hagel β has signaled his very strong commitment right away to get down to business , to get deeply invested in the work of the Pentagon and its military and civilian workers . β
Next , Little said , β he needs to build a team , and he recognizes it , to support the men and women of the U.S. military and our civilian employees . There is too much work to be done , too many priorities on the table , too many issues to be addressed , too many threats looming for our national security to get bogged down in the recent past . He is going to look to the future and I think it β s the absolutely right orientation [ to take ] . β
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin ( D-Mich. ) said he doesn β t believe there will be many personal problems between senators and Hagel .
β He β s a professional . We β re all professional . We β ve been through the rough and tumble of politics β¦ Frankly , we β re friends . Even those who voted against him would count themselves as his friends , β Levin said . β I don β t see any big gulf that needs to be overcome at all . β¦ Everyone who has worked with Sen. Hagel realizes that he is not the kind of person to hold grudges . β
Sen. Angus King ( I-Maine ) , an Armed Services Committee member and former governor , agreed .
β My experience in these things is that people get over it and move on . β | dpS87Jmtb7zVZwUy | 0 | Chuck Hagel | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/feb/28/robert-mueller-probe-spurs-death-threats-financial/ | Collateral damage: Russia probe spurs death threats, financial ruin for those not charged | 2019-02-28 | politics | Hours after Democrats accused Carter Page of being a Russian asset at a 2017 hearing of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence , the former Trump campaign adviser received a chilling voicemail .
The caller screamed an expletive-laced tirade and threatened to beat him to death .
β If it was up to me , after we [ expletive ] tried you for treason , we β d take you out in the street and beat the [ expletive ] piss out of you with baseball bats , you [ expletive ] sucking mother [ expletive ] , β the unknown caller said , according to a transcript Mr . Page filed in court documents in a separate case . β Next time you turn your back on your [ expletive ] country , you β ll [ expletive ] regret it . β
The call , one of several from the same Oklahoma number , is one of hundreds of death threats aimed at Mr . Page since special counsel Robert Mueller began investigating the 2016 presidential election nearly two years ago .
Mr. Mueller has found plenty of wrongdoing . He has filed more than 100 public charges against 34 individuals and three companies .
But he also has left a lot of collateral damage in his wake . People who have never been charged have endured endless harassment , crippling legal bills and collapsing businesses .
β It β s a life or death situation . I can β t walk out on the street because of the threats , β Mr . Page told The βββ .
Michael Caputo , a communications consultant who worked on the Trump campaign , said his nightmare began after the same March 2017 House hearing that Mr . Page singled out .
During that hearing , Rep. Jackie Speier , California Democrat , referred to Mr. Caputo as Russian President Vladimir Putin β s β image consultant . β
β That comment changed our lives forever , β he said . β The more this bogus investigation unfolded , the more my family suffers . When this is over β if it is ever over β where do I go to get my reputation back ? There is no office of reputation restoration . β
He stopped counting after the threats to him topped 50 .
The vileness has arrived through letters , phone calls and social media . One person vowed to burn his house to the ground while his children were inside . Another said , β When someone puts a bullet in your head , I will piss on your head . A Twitter user told him , β Me running into you and smashing your [ expletive ] head open is optimal , but you going broke will d [ o ] . β
β I have three children , and my family lives in fear , β Mr. Caputo said . β All of this has happened to me , and I β m just a witness . I β m not a central player . β
β Welcome to the crowd . We get death threats all the time , β she told The Times . β Do you want me to show you the list of death threats I have ? β
She said she stands by her claim that Mr. Caputo has connections to Mr. Putin and insisted that his company worked to improve the Russian leader β s image in the U.S .
Mr. Caputo said it β s not true . His public relations firm did business with former Russian President Boris Yeltsin , but not Mr. Putin . He highlighted several op-ed pieces he has written that were critical of Mr. Putin .
β All she has to do is look at what I β ve written to know that I β m no ally of Putin , but she β s too lazy or too busy to do that , β he said .
Fearing for his family β s safety , Mr. Caputo has installed a high-tech security system in his home and office , which includes shotguns installed in wall safes that can be accessed with the touch of a button . He said he also carries handguns with him and has reduced his travel by 90 percent .
He also has formed a quick-reaction force of friends who have promised to respond at a moment β s notice . Mr. Caputo said one text could deliver 50 people to his house in less than 10 minutes , if necessary .
Shane Krieger , the police chief in Mr. Caputo β s hometown , confirmed that local authorities have investigated threats directed at the former Trump adviser and said officers keep an eye on his house during overnight shifts .
Most of the threats have been untraceable , although officers did speak to a person who sent Mr. Caputo β vulgar and obscene β Facebook messages about his daughter , according to police reports reviewed by The Times . The suspect was deemed as not a serious threat and released with a warning .
Mr . Page said he has reported the Oklahoma calls to the FBI and handed over audio recordings . He said he is frustrated with the lack of response and expressed his dismay in a letter to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray that went unanswered .
β The FBI has blown it off , and they kept getting worse , β Mr . Page said of the calls , which persisted for about a year and a half .
Last week , Mr . Page sent a letter to Sen. James Lankford , a Republican who represents Oklahoma , the origin of some of the threatening calls , hoping he would pressure the FBI to act .
Other Trump campaign officials who have appeared before Mr. Mueller β s team say the special counsel is aware of the threats and takes them seriously , and is assisting witnesses in reporting intimidation efforts to the FBI .
Peter Carr , a spokesman for Mr. Mueller , declined to comment .
An FBI spokeswoman said the agency does not confirm or deny investigations .
Like Ms. Speier β s public comments , news accounts or other media appearances seem to spur some of the vitriol .
Mr . Page noticed that some of the threatening calls from the Oklahoma number coincided with articles or television appearances by Ali Watkins , a reporter who had a romantic relationship with James Wolfe , a former security director for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence .
Prosecutors said Wolfe fed Ms. Watkins inside information about Mr . Page . Wolfe was never charged with leaking , but he did plead guilty to lying about his contacts with reporters .
Mr . Page said he believes Wolfe bears responsibility for some of the threats he faces , and he made that request of the judge overseeing Wolfe β s case . It was not mentioned as a factor in Wolfe β s sentencing .
Another former Trump campaign official , J.D . Gordon , confirmed to The Times that he has received threats and reported the four worst to the FBI cybercrimes unit . He said when he calls a ride-hailing service , he gives the address of a local train station or church to shield his home address .
Richard Pinedo was not part of the Trump orbit , but he also has faced blowback for his role in the Russia meddling saga . He was sentenced to six months in prison for selling fake identities to the 13 Russians indicted by Mr. Mueller for meddling in the 2016 election .
When he was arrested , he was harassed by people on the left accusing him of being a traitor , his attorney told the court . But when Pinedo pleaded guilty and cooperated with Mr. Mueller β s team , those on the right started attacking him .
Clint Van Zandt , a former FBI profiler , said the dueling reactions reflect the polarized political environment .
β Unfortunately , today in America if you are liberal or conservative , you are either loved or hated , β he said . β There is no in between because we β ve lost that respect for one another . β
He said authorities must evaluate the threats on a case-by-case basis .
β Someone who is going to kill you usually doesn β t tell you , β he said . β But if a death threat appears to know someone β s routine , where their kids go to school or what kind of car they drive , then they have my attention . β
Mr. Caputo said his public relations business β largest client dropped him , citing harassment over its ties to him . He has lost 50 percent of revenue and had to lay off half his staff , close one office and consolidate his remaining employees into an office one-third the size of their previous location .
β My legal costs are over $ 200,000 , but the lost opportunity costs are probably triple that , β he said .
Mr . Page said businesses he started have been β demolished β because the publicity surrounding his case has made it nearly impossible to attract clients . He declined to discuss his legal costs beyond describing them as a β large number . β
Jerome Corsi , who was questioned by Mr. Mueller β s team , said he has not experienced the harassment directed at others , aside from a few people on social media telling him that he is going to jail . But economically , he is feeling similar pain as others ensnared in the Russia investigation .
Mr. Corsi said he now has no monthly income and is embroiled in a legal battle with his former employer , InfoWars , over his termination last year . The taint of the Russia investigation has made him too toxic for any potential employer .
The client drain has even spread to relatives of people associated with the Russia investigation .
Pinedo said clients of his father β s boss demanded that he be fired because β he β s a traitor to this country . β | ty6a2Bd14cxx8Ctn | 2 | Politics | -0.2 | Russia Probe | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
banking_and_finance | HuffPost | https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cfpb-leandra-english-sues-trump_us_5a1b7c95e4b0cee6c05093da?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009 | Top CFPB Official Sues Trump Administration As Showdown Over Agency Heats Up | 2017-11-27 | Banking And Finance | Senior Reporter, HuffPost The deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the Trump administration on Sunday to block the presidentβs appointment of Mick Mulvaney as interim director of the agency. Leandra English filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald Trump and Mulvaney, who currently serves as the director of the Office of Management and Budget. English was appointed deputy director of the CFPB on Friday after the agencyβs director, Richard Cordray, stepped down, and says her role mandates she serve as acting director until Congress appoints Cordrayβs replacement. βAs the rightful acting director of the Bureau, Ms. English brings this action against President Trump and Mr. Mulvaney seeking a declaratory judgment and, on an emergency basis, a temporary restraining order to prevent the defendants from appointing, causing the appointment of, recognizing the appointment of, or acting on the appointment of an acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau via any mechanism other than that provided for [by the law],β the suit reads. The White House has asserted it has the authority to name its own interim director, all but assuring a tussle at the Wall Street watchdog on Monday with two separate factions contending they run the agency. The Justice Departmentβs Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion on Saturday supporting Mulvaneyβs appointment. βWe think the clear legal authority is that the president does have this authority,β an administration official said in a call with reporters on Saturday. βWeβll find out based on how Ms. English decides to act at the appropriate time.β The top lawyer at the CFPB reportedly plans to issue a memo in support of Trumpβs appointment, Reuters reported on Sunday night, citing three people familiar with the document. βIt is my legal opinion that the president possesses the authority to designate an acting director for the bureau,β CFPB general counsel Mary McLeod writes in a draft of the memo, obtained by Politico. Cordray, the agencyβs first director and an Obama appointee, disagreed with the White House in an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday. He said the law gave him the authority to appoint a deputy director to lead the agency following his departure. βMy understanding of the law is that the deputy director serves as the acting director upon my resignation,β he told the outlet. βIf there are disagreements about these issues, the appropriate place to settle them would be in the courts.β The law establishing the CFPB stipulates the director of the agency shall appoint a deputy director who will βserve as acting director in the absence or unavailability of the director.β Such an individual will serve until the president appoints and the Senate confirms a new director. Trump called leadership at the agency a βtotal disasterβ in a tweet on Saturday, saying financial institutions had been βdevastated and unable to properly serve the public.β βWe will bring it back to life!β he said. Former Rep. Barney Frank, who helped craft the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform act to rein in big banks following the 2008 financial crisis, slammed Mulvaneyβs appointment this weekend. He pushed back against Trumpβs assertions that the White House had the authority to appoint an interim director without Congressional approval, saying the CFPB was formed with an eye towards autonomy. βWe gave a lot of attention to how to structure the CFPB and how to protect its independence because its job is to go after some very powerful forces in the economy,β Frank told CNN on Saturday. Other critics of big banks have also lambasted the White House, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who said on Twitter that Trump was βcausing chaosβ with his decision. βI agree with Rich Cordray: This needs to be decided in the courts,β Warren wrote. βIf [Trump] believes he is acting legally by ignoring Dodd-Frank, he should go to court and seek a judgment right away to settle this CFPB dispute.β Some members of the GOP disagreed. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, called the CFPB a βrogue, unconstitutional agencyβ in a statement, and said English should be ousted for filing her lawsuit. βThe president should fire her immediately and anyone who disobeys Director Mulvaneyβs orders should also be fired,β Cotton wrote. 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. This article has been updated to include the CFPB general counselβs opinion. 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. | 101d36fcb485bf0a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_house | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/house/435961-post-mueller-speaker-puts-focus-on-agenda | Pelosi, Dems look for upside to Mueller report | 2019-03-27 | us_house | Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiOvernight 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 Speaker Pelosi , it 's time to throw American innovators a lifeline Why Americans must tune in to the Trump impeachment hearings MORE ( D-Calif. ) on Tuesday delivered a clear message to her troops : Don β t let the report from special counsel Robert Mueller Robert ( Bob ) Swan MuellerSpeier says impeachment inquiry shows 'very strong case of bribery ' by Trump Gowdy : I '100 percent ' still believe public congressional hearings are ' a circus ' Comey : Mueller 'did n't succeed in his mission because there was inadequate transparency ' MORE get you down .
She urged Democrats to instead focus on bread-and-butter policy issues , such as health care , jobs and a better government , which won them the House a few months ago .
β This is really important today because we must , with all that is going on , stay focused on our purpose , β Pelosi said during a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic Caucus in the Capitol basement , according to an aide in the room .
Her pep talk came as 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 and Republicans were taking a very public victory lap following the conclusion of Mueller β s 22-month investigation into Russia β s 2016 election meddling . Attorney General William Barr William Pelham BarrBarr : Inspector general 's report on alleged FISA abuses 'imminent ' DOJ unveils program aimed at reducing gun violence Trump goes on tweeting offensive ahead of public impeachment hearing MORE later summarized the findings , which said there was no coordination between Moscow and Trump β s team to sway the race .
Many Democrats had expected the probe to uncover damning proof of a criminal conspiracy surrounding Trump β s presidential victory , and the news deflated the party faithful .
But for Pelosi , who has long urged caution in her approach to Mueller β s investigation , there was a political bright side .
Not only does it help her shift the public focus to the Democrats β legislative agenda , which is where she wants it , but it also undercut a small but vocal effort from the party β s left flank to impeach the president β a drive Pelosi has consistently discouraged .
As Democrats gathered Tuesday for the first time since Mueller β s probe concluded on Friday , Pelosi put a positive spin on the news .
β Some people are viewing it as a glass half-full , glass half-empty . I think half-full . There β s so many indictments that came out of what he did . People will go to jail from what his investigation is about , β Pelosi said , according to an aide in the room .
β Be calm . Take a deep breath . Don β t become like them , β she added , referring to Republicans . β We have to handle this professionally , officially , patriotically , strategically . β
Other party leaders insisted the outcome of Mueller β s probe will have no effect on Democrats β efforts to fulfill central campaign promises .
β Nowhere in the β For the People β agenda does it talk about Russia , β said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Hakeem Sekou JeffriesHouse Democrat 's Halloween display mourns passed bills that die in McConnell 's 'legislative graveyard ' Democrats unveil impeachment procedures Top Trump administration officials hail al-Baghdadi raid but stress need for resolve in fighting ISIS MORE ( D-N.Y. ) , chairman of the Democratic Caucus .
And still others said there β s been no shift in the party β s approach to impeachment .
β Why aren β t we going to pivot [ on impeachment ] ? β asked House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton Hoyer Hoyer calls GOP efforts to out whistleblower 'despicable ' Live coverage : House holds first public impeachment hearing Congress hunts for path out of spending stalemate MORE ( D-Md. ) . β Because we have been in a place for a long period of time where we said impeachment was a distraction and that we were not pursuing impeachment . β
But a handful of Democrats aren β t giving up on impeachment just yet .
Rep. Al Green Alexander ( Al ) N. GreenWhy fear should not blind us to the promise of AI : A healthy dose of optimism Trump at rally says impeachment an 'attack on democracy itself ' Democrats raise stakes with impeachment vote MORE ( Texas ) had lunch Tuesday with billionaire activist Tom Steyer , who has been hosting town halls and running TV ads across the country through his group Need to Impeach . Both Green and Steyer are pressing on with efforts to impeach Trump , arguing that Mueller β s findings don β t negate other reasons to oust the president .
Green has pledged to force a floor vote on impeachment but has yet to file articles of impeachment or offer a timeline . The Texas Democrat forced two procedural votes on impeachment in the House in 2017 and 2018 , drawing support from about 60 Democrats each time .
Green , a member of the Congressional Black Caucus , argues that Trump should be impeached for promoting bigotry through his actions and policies .
Steyer β s group , meanwhile , lists several reasons for impeaching Trump that don β t relate to Mueller β s investigation , including alleged violations of the Constitution β s Emoluments Clause by taking foreign money through his businesses , pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , calling on the Justice Department to investigate Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes The Memo : Democrats confront prospect of long primary Manafort sought to hurt Clinton 2016 campaign efforts in key states : NYT MORE and making payments through his former attorney Michael Cohen Michael Dean CohenDC bars to open early for impeachment mania Ex-Trump campaign official testifies Stone gave updates on WikiLeaks email dumps Broadcast , cable news networks to preempt regular programming for Trump impeachment coverage MORE to silence women alleging affairs before the 2016 election .
β I explained to [ Steyer ] my position , which is that I will be going forward because what Mueller concluded has nothing to do with the position that I have , β Green said in a brief interview Tuesday .
And late Monday , freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibKrystal Ball : Billionaires panicking over Sanders candidacy Sanders : Fighting anti-Semitism 'is very personal ' Bloomberg run should push Warren to the center β but wo n't MORE ( D-Mich. ) began circulating a letter to gin up support for a resolution calling on the House Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Trump has committed impeachable offenses . Those potential offenses include violating the Emoluments Clause , an attempt to β defraud the United States β by directing Cohen to make the hush money payments and whether evidence from Mueller β s investigation finds obstruction of justice .
β I , firmly , believe that the House Committee on Judiciary should seek out whether President Trump has committed β High crimes and Misdemeanors β as designated by the U.S. Constitution and if the facts support those findings , that Congress begin impeachment proceedings , β Tlaib wrote .
But even liberals who have called for Trump β s impeachment weren β t eagerly endorsing Tlaib β s effort on Tuesday .
β I don β t even know about it , β said House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters Maxine Moore WatersDivides over China , fossil fuels threaten House deal to reboot Ex-Im Bank Hillicon Valley : Lawmakers unleash on Zuckerberg | House passes third election interference bill | Online extremism legislation advances in House | Google claims quantum computing breakthrough On The Money : Lawmakers hammer Zuckerberg over Facebook controversies | GOP chair expects another funding stopgap | Senate rejects Dem measure on SALT deduction cap workarounds MORE ( D-Calif. ) .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezSanders says Ocasio-Cortez will play a 'very important role ' in his administration if he 's elected Top Sanders adviser suggests polling underestimates campaign support Omar renews claim Stephen Miller is a 'white nationalist ' amid calls for him to step down MORE ( D-N.Y. ) , a close Tlaib ally and fellow freshman , said she was β taking a look at it. β Ocasio-Cortez went on to downplay the odds of impeachment .
β I think what β s tough is , impeachment in principle is something that I openly support . But it β s also just the reality of having the votes in the Senate to pursue that . And so that β s something that we have to take into consideration , β Ocasio-Cortez said .
To date , only one Democrat has unveiled articles of impeachment since January . Rep. Brad Sherman Bradley ( Brad ) James ShermanOvernight Defense : Protests at Trump 's NYC Veterans Day speech | House Dems release Pentagon official 's deposition transcript | Lawmakers ask Trump to rescind Erdogan invite Bipartisan House members call on Trump to rescind ErdoΔan invitation Live coverage : Zuckerberg testifies before House on Facebook 's Libra project MORE ( Calif. ) reintroduced his articles on the first day of the new Congress , while other Democrats who unveiled impeachment measures in the previous session have yet to do so this year .
Sherman β s articles allege Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey James Brien ComeyThere are poor ideas , bad ones and Facebook 's Libra Trump has considered firing official who reported whistleblower complaint to Congress : report Broadcast , cable news networks to preempt regular programming for Trump impeachment coverage MORE as FBI director amid the investigation into Russia β s election interference .
Sherman acknowledged Tuesday that the summary of the report as provided by Barr didn β t help his cause .
β If Barr is to be believed , our single best possible source of new revelations does not have new revelations , β he said .
β Individual members can do what individual members want to do . But in terms of the leadership and the majority of the caucus , we have an agenda , β said Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass Karen Ruth BassHillicon Valley : Google buying Fitbit for .1B | US launches national security review of TikTok | Twitter shakes up fight over political ads | Dems push committee on 'revenge porn ' law Democratic lawmakers call on Judiciary Committee to advance 'revenge porn ' law Lawmakers come together to honor Cummings : 'One of the greats in our country 's history ' MORE ( D-Calif. ) .
At the same time , frustrated Democrats are in a holding pattern as they await more details from Mueller β s report beyond the summary provided by Barr .
Six House committee chairpersons wrote a letter to Barr on Monday night demanding that Mueller β s full report be provided to Congress by April 2 . Pelosi offered her support for that effort in Tuesday β s caucus meeting .
Barr aims to release a public version of Mueller β s report within weeks , according to multiple reports . A Justice Department official told Reuters on Tuesday that Barr plans to make the report public within β weeks , not months . β
β When we get the report , then I think we can be more definitive about what we β re going to do , β said Waters , one of the committee heads who signed the letter .
Sherman accused Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDemocrats ask judge to force McGahn to comply with subpoena Democrats ask court to force DOJ 's hand on Mueller grand jury materials Washington celebrates diplomacy β and baseball β at Meridian Ball MORE of unduly weighing in on whether Trump obstructed justice without providing the full report to Congress . Barr said in his letter to Congress that he and Rosenstein agreed the evidence uncovered by Mueller wasn β t sufficient to establish that Trump obstructed justice . At the same time , Barr wrote that Mueller β s report states it doesn β t exonerate Trump either .
β It β s not their call . They know it β s not their call . They β ve already announced they β re not in the business of indicting presidents , β Sherman said . β So why are they opining on something that , as a matter of their own policies , they β re not supposed to decide ? I don β t know , except for public relations reasons and manipulation of public opinion . β | 5aDLjulUmYZFTgjz | 1 | Politics | -0.5 | US House | 0.4 | Mueller Report | -0.2 | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/fauci-on-trumps-tulsa-rally-outdoors-is-better-than-indoors/ | Fauci on Trumpβs Tulsa Rally: Outdoors Is Better Than Indoors | 2020-06-19 | coronavirus | Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House , April 17 , 2020 . ( Leah Millis/Reuters )
The hypocrisy of Democratic officials who enthusiastically backed mass protests even as they continued to ban larger outdoor gatherings for religious services has been outrageous .
But , as Jim Geraghty points out in today β s Morning Jolt , hypocrisy doesn β t mean the virus has gone away . We thankfully have not seen large outbreaks attributed to the protests β perhaps yet another sign that the virus doesn β t spread easily outside , particularly in the summer when many people are wearing masks . Yet we know the risk persists , especially at larger indoor gatherings .
β Personally , I wouldn β t attend a large gathering right now , especially one indoors . Certainly things held indoors are less safe than things held outdoors , β President Trump β s former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb said this week .
Asked about President Trump β s upcoming rally in Tulsa , Okla. , Dr. Anthony Fauci tells the Daily Beast that β outside is better than inside , no crowd is better than [ a ] crowd . β
Despite the warnings and some chatter earlier this week about moving the Tulsa rally outside , the president is pushing forward with the indoor rally on Saturday at an arena that can seat 19,000 people .
I have not seen a good argument that indoor rallies are worth the health risk β or the political risk .
In February , Biden led Trump by seven points among independent voters over the age of 65 , according to a Quinnipiac poll . Biden β s lead among independent seniors has now grown to 20 points in Quinnipiac β s latest poll .
Among seniors overall , Trump trails Biden by ten points . In 2016 , Trump beat Clinton by seven points among voters over the age of 65 .
Older voters , the Americans most vulnerable in this pandemic , are the voters Trump needs to win back to win the election . How is the sight of an indoor arena packed with thousands of Trump fans β many of whom will be chanting and not wearing masks β going to reassure the voters Trump needs most ? | PQiEEptqN26YuMgv | 2 | Donald Trump | -0.7 | Elections | -0.5 | Coronavirus | 0 | Public Health | 0 | null | null |
justice | The Marshall Project | https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/07/20/your-zoom-interrogation-is-about-to-start | Your Zoom Interrogation Is About To Start | 2020-07-20 | justice | It β s the way that detectives have extracted confessions from people forever : in a confined interrogation room , getting right up in the suspect β s face . But during a pandemic , being within six feet of a strangerβespecially for a prolonged period of time in a small , under-ventilated spaceβcan be deadly .
That β s why police departments are rapidly changing how they conduct interrogations these days , according to a Marshall Project survey of police chiefs and investigators across the nation . Detectives in Philadelphia , Miami and elsewhere said they are increasingly conducting interviews of suspects , witnesses and victims out in the street and six feet apart , instead of indoors . In Clearwater , Florida , for instance , they β re often doing so in the parking lot outside of their station .
And when officers do bring people back to the precinct , many have started questioning people from another room , via Zoom or Skypeβor at least from the other end of a large conference table .
This is frustrating to some police who say they rely on physical proximity to intimidate suspects into telling the truth , or to read their facial expressions and eye contact for clues as to whether they are lying . The fact that masks are now largely required during interrogations , some say , is also obstructing this sort of nonverbal information-gathering .
β We β re social animals . We β re not wired to communicate at a distance , especially not about sensitive things , β said Chuck Wexler , executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum , a national organization of law enforcement officials . β That β s why we don β t just send suspects a list of written questions ; no serious investigator would operate that way . β
Yet at a time when , in the wake of the killing of George Floyd , many Americans are calling for an end to the kind of policing that β s predicated on force and coercionβespecially of Black peopleβmany policing experts say that the social-distancing of interrogations could be a blessing in disguise .
Once , beatings were a legally acceptable interrogation method . More recently , the Reid technique of interviewing has become prevalent , in which detectives start with the assumption of a suspect β s guilt and work to corner them , physically and psychologically .
Now , more outdoor interrogations could mean more bystanders β eyes on what the interrogators are saying and doingβin other words , more civilian oversight of police . Similarly , more interviews conducted by videoconference between the rooms of a police station should leave little legal excuse for cops not to record the footage , in turn allowing judges and juries to see for themselves whether a confession was fairly obtained . It also allows a department β s best interviewer to conduct the interrogation even if he or she can β t be there in person .
And more reliance on verbal communication rather than on physical cues like eye contactβwhich studies have shown police are not as good at reading as they think they areβcould actually make detectives better interviewers .
Protesters have been focused on the issue of police use of force out in the community , β but we β ve got to recognize that that same police culture is inside , in the interrogation room , too , β said James L. Trainum , a former longtime homicide detective in Washington , D.C. , and an expert and consultant on interrogations and confessions . β It β s that same mindset of using physicality instead of really listening to and respecting citizens , and it doesn β t build the rapport with people that β s needed to actually solve crimes . β
But between the pandemic and the protests , some law enforcement agencies are already adjusting these practices . As early as mid-March , officers in Miami were weighing the health risks of every potential interrogation , according to Armando R. Aguilar , assistant chief of the Miami Police Department . They are now only bringing suspects insideβinto their squad cars and officesβin the most serious cases , including murders , rapes and armed robberies .
β If it β s something like a single auto theft , and we already have the evidence we need , we β re foregoing a formal interview , β Aguilar said .
In Philadelphia , Chief Inspector Frank Vanore says the department β s practice now is to conduct many interviews in the field with a body camera recording , in order to preserve people β s statements . β We β ll probably continue this practice even after the pandemic is over , because we β re getting to question people on the scene when their memory is fresh and before they clam up about coming in to talk to us , β he said .
The main exception , Vanore noted , is in the most sensitive cases such as those handled by the department β s special victims unit , in which interviewees are so vulnerable that they need to come inside to be sure what they are saying is confidential .
Meanwhile , one of the nation β s leading interrogation-consulting firms , Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates , which has trained hundreds of thousands of local police and federal agents in interview techniques , says it is accelerating its ongoing transition to teaching more non-confrontational methods of questioning suspects .
Cops were historically trained to invade someone β s physical space to increase their anxiety , said Dave Thompson , vice president of operations at Wicklander . β That style was hopefully already beginning to be eradicated , but what β s happening with COVID is accelerating that , β he said .
Thompson noted that manipulative tactics meant to make interviewees feel physically vulnerable and therefore dependent on their interrogator β s mercy are more likely to make them feel they need to make a false confession .
To be sure , there are downsides to the dramatic shift in interview practices going on nationwide . Trying to convince a witness to a traumatizing crime to speak up is clearly more difficult in public than in private . And with victims , being in-person with a detective β shows them that we careβthey can see it in our face , hear it in our voiceβthat we β re engaged with what they went through , β said Sergeant Reggie Williams of the Hampton Police Division in Virginia .
For suspects , it may become harder to have an attorney present if police are conducting interrogations immediately at a crime scene , or by phone .
What β s more , you might think that being interrogated outside the confines of a closed room would give people a greater sense of their right to just walk away . But research by Fabiana Alceste , a psychology professor at Butler University , suggests that many suspects will still feel the β perception of custody β even in the current circumstances .
Alceste has conducted experiments in which people in these seemingly β free β situationsβtalking to police openly , not behind locked doors , not handcuffedβstill struggle to say no to an authority figure . They don β t want to look guilty , and they often don β t know their rights .
β The pandemic may actually heighten the legal tension between what is objectively versus subjectively a situation of officially being in custody , β she said .
As for the quality of information being gathered in interrogations during the pandemic many police officials said it β s too soon to know . Some , including Lieutenant Michael Walek of the Clearwater Police Department in Florida , point out that detectives are taught to present known factsβto tell the suspect that it is known that they were at a certain place at a certain timeβand then to see if the person reacts by finger-tapping , toe-tapping , looking away , or getting evasive or angry .
Without those signals , Walek said , it can be more difficult to know where to go with the next question .
Other policing experts counter that this conventional wisdom about interrogations , widely taught at police academies and passed down among cops , is mostly pseudoscience .
β Police have a confirmation bias going on : They β re looking at a suspect as a suspect , β said Trainum , the expert on interrogation techniques . β A person could be experiencing anxiety for a completely different reason , like the fact that they are being interrogated by the police . β
Trainum added that the pandemic may actually offer an opportunity for greater rapport-building in the interrogation setting . Police , he said , could just openly say to suspects , β Isn β t this a pain in the ass that we β re trying to have this conversation through masks ? β in order to get a laugh , start a dialogue and , ultimately , elicit information . | d3QgGRe21lNqrRaw | 1 | Justice | -0.1 | Criminal Justice | -0.1 | Technology | 0 | Zoom | 0 | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/13/politics/gun-emotions/index.html?hpt=po_t1 | Obama's emotional plea might lead to vote on guns | 2013-02-13 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | Story highlights Some embrace President Obama 's appeal for gun control vote ; others turned off
Two key Senators say they wo n't block effort to bring proposals to a vote
Gun control advocates aware emotionally charged environment works for them ; gun rights groups see differently
Lawmakers in tough districts must consider both emotion and logic when casting votes
President Barack Obama made that impassioned argument toward the end of his State of the Union message on Tuesday , using a strong emotional appeal to hammer home his plea for a vote in Congress on several gun control measures .
He drew on the spirit of Hadiya Pendleton , the Chicago teenager who was shot dead just a week after performing during the president 's inaugural weekend celebration .
Her parents were sitting next to first lady Michelle Obama in the House gallery .
He called on the image of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords , who was wounded by a gunman two years ago in Arizona .
But in using passion to push Congress toward action , did the president go too far ? And will it work ? It might .
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , a leading Republican and tough Obama critic , told CNN 's Jim Acosta that he would not block a vote on gun control in the Senate .
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`` No , let 's vote , '' Graham said . `` I do n't disagree with the president to have a debate . Let 's vote . Let 's find something we can agree on . ''
West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin , a gun enthusiast , also said he would not get in the way of a vote .
`` I wo n't block a vote on anything , whether I support it or not , '' he said .
Whether Obama 's plea is taken as an effective tactic that will help spur legislative action or is seen as a cheap , emotional ploy designed to push through a one-sided agenda depends on where you fall in the debate , political experts say .
`` That 's the way to do it . If you do n't do that it 's not going to happen , '' said Alan Lizotte , dean and professor at the State University of New York at Albany 's School of Criminal Justice .
`` You bring the families in , you bring in Giffords and it makes the case this needs to do be done , '' Lizotte said .
In perhaps the most passionate part of his speech , Obama was also sending a message to voters , who polls have shown are divided over changes in gun law .
`` Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress . If you want to vote no , that 's your choice . But these proposals deserve a vote , '' Obama said .
`` Because in the two months since Newtown , more than a thousand birthdays , graduations , and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun , '' he said .
Obama pressed on as people stood and applauded and some wiped away tears . One woman clutched a photo of a shooting victim .
Gun control advocates are hoping to capitalize on that emotion .
MomsRising , a grassroots organization for mothers , plans on delivering a Valentine 's Day petition with more than 150,000 signatures aimed at urging the National Rifle Association and members of Congress to `` to stop blocking commonsense gun regulations . ''
`` Sandy Hook was a wakeup call for many moms across the nation . ... Moms are so upset by the current state of our gun policy and continue to be upset , '' said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner , executive director and co-founder of the group .
The nation 's gun lobby and other gun rights advocates said they will work hard to ensure that legislation is considered without the type of emotion on display during the State of the Union address .
`` What I want from my legislative policy makers is a serious adult discussion , emotions are very strong and it 's not what you want to make decisions on . We did that after 9/11 and we ended up with the Patriot Act , '' said Richard Feldman , who served as regional political director for the NRA during its rise to power in the 1980s and is president of a gun rights group , the Independent Firearm Owners Association .
NRA President David Keene was similarly put off by the president 's approach .
`` The one thing that sort of upsets me a little bit is the president is trying to use emotion to force things through before they are rationally debated , argued and examined and that 's a mistake because that 's the way you get to bad policy , '' Keene told CNN following the president 's speech .
`` There are going to be votes on some of these things . Some of these things may have more support than others and some of them may drop along the way as we head to the final days of this confrontation on second amendment rights , '' he said .
Gun rights advocates are also using emotional appeals to make their point .
`` Hurricanes . Tornadoes . Riots . Terrorists . Gangs . Lone criminals . These are perils we are sure to face-not just maybe . It 's not paranoia to buy a gun . It 's survival , '' the NRA 's executive vice president Wayne LaPierre wrote in an op-ed published Wednesday by the conservative news website , The Daily Caller .
`` It 's responsible behavior , '' he continued . `` And it 's time we encourage law-abiding Americans to do just that . ''
Congress is preparing to consider such measures as a ban on the manufacture of new high-powered assault weapons , cracking down on straw purchases of guns for those who ca n't pass background checks , curbing gun trafficking and expanding background checks .
House Speaker John Boehner has said he has no plans to bring any measure up for a vote until the Senate acts first .
Republicans oppose any assault weapons ban and rural-state Democrats facing tough re-election fights are unlikely to support it as well , meaning that proposal has little chance of passing Congress .
There is some bipartisan support for expanded background checks , especially to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental illness . A number of lawmakers may also support limiting the size of ammunition magazines .
The top Democrat in Congress , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada , has a good rating from gun rights groups and has said he would work to ensure that a variety of proposals are brought to the floor for consideration .
To that end , the emotional nature of the president 's address could help Democrats who are in a difficult position on Obama 's push for Congress to at least vote on tougher gun laws .
The call places pressure on congressional Democrats , particularly in the House who may find that support of tougher gun laws could make it hard for them in the 2014 mid-term election . But bucking the party could anger the Democratic base .
`` I think that the emotional appeal in the State of the Union speech can be important for elected officials who have to appeal to a jurisdiction that is not overwhelmingly Republican , '' said Daniel Webster , director of Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research .
`` I have some confidence that there will be support in the Senate , including from several Democrats in states with large populations who are gun owners , for passing universal background checks , funding to encourage better reporting to the NICS ( National Instant Criminal Background Check System ) mental health disqualifications , and measures to strengthen laws that can be used to prosecute and deter illegal gun trafficking , '' Webster said .
However getting such legislation past the House is another matter .
`` I am less optimistic about these things in the House because the Republican party has so few moderates , most are in safe gerrymandered districts , and the NRA provides critical funding and grassroots resources , '' Webster said . `` But I suspect that the party will take a hit politically if they have a deaf ear to the country 's cry for much needed reforms . '' | sT6aOD0R2uc5M61M | 0 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | -0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | Fortune | https://fortune.com/2024/10/30/gen-z-lies-about-who-theyre-voting-for | Gen Zers are most likely to lie about who they're voting for | 2024-11-05 | 2024 Presidential Election, Polls, General News, Gen Z, Censorship, Voting, Politics | As the U.S. presidential election looms, some Gen Zers might be walking around as a liar, liar, (with their) pants on fire. So finds Axios in its poll of more than 1,800 registered voters, conducted by the Harris Poll between October 22 and 24. Almost a quarter (23%) of respondents across generations say they have lied to someone close to them about who theyβre voting for, but that number is highest among Gen Zβat 48%. The number of fibbers decreases as respondents age, at 38% of millennials, 17% of Gen Xers, and 6% of boomers. A veil of secrecy shrouds what has been deemed one of the closest elections in modern history. More than half (58%) of respondents say their vote is a private matter. βThereβs a new privacy emerging here, where itβs far more convenient to either lie or not talk about it,β John Gerzema, CEO of the Harris Poll, told Axios, pointing to prevalent polarization, a fear of post-election unrest, and younger generationβs desire to not engage in in-person conflict. Lying tends to crop up when thereβs someone to lie to. In other words, mixed company and increased polarization might increase the likelihood that someone feels like they need to bluff. A third of respondents say theyβre not close to family members because of their different political beliefs. That increases to 47% of millennials and 44% of Gen Zers. Despite some young adults staying secretive, many vocally oppose those who disagree with them. True to Gen Zersβ reputation, a TikTok trend has cropped up where voters joke that theyβre βcanceling outβ their family membersβ votes. Men are almost twice as likely to lie about their vote than women, at 30% and 17%, respectively. Itβs unclear who theyβre lying to and why. But at the same time, a widely reported gender gap in younger generations is at play. While the verdict is still out, data from Gallup covered by the Financial Times found that men in the U.S., Germany, and South Korea are becoming increasingly conservative. Women, on the other hand, are becoming more liberalβby a gap of 30 percentage points in the U.S. Pointing to the impact of #MeToo as women spoke out against long-standing abuse and sexism, the Timesβ John Burn-Murdoch notes thereβs a βclear progressive-vs-conservative divide on sexual harassment.β Young women are also more liberal than men when it comes to their stance on immigration and racial justice, Burn-Murdoch adds. While much has been said about polarization in a two-party system, Republicans have actually moved further right than Democrats have to the left, according to a separate Gallup survey of Congress members. In this cycle, abortion rights are a key part of the ballot after the overturn of Roe v. Wadeβwhich was passed in the 1970s. Thatβs all to say, women are likely moving left as their politicians and male peers move to the right at an unprecedented pace. Even with the gender divide, there is at least one thing Gen Zers can agree on: From both sides, young people want their government to address critical issues, like climate change, economic inequality, and democracyβs future. They feel a sense of fatalism at their politiciansβ failure to do so, according to two studies from UC Berkeley researchers. The most junior working generation is also the least likely to talk to coworkers about politics and most likely to feel uncomfortable doing so out of all generations, according to Gallup. Itβs perhaps surprising given Gen Zβs reputation of being a more radical and vocal generation, but not unexplainable. βIt could be that younger workers are newer to the workforce and less comfortable speaking freely,β Katelyn Hedrick, a co-author of the Gallup analysis, told Fortune. βThey are getting acclimated, forming relationships with people in the organization, and wanting to build a strong career brand which may make them more hesitant to speak about politics at work.β Boomers are at the top of the corporate ladder, which might be why theyβre the least likely to lie to someone about their beliefs. By nature of their seniority and just age, they might be more honest. Theyβre running the room, after all. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. We collect this data for analytics and to personalize your experience, allowing us to show you tailored offers, ads or content. Note that if you opt out, this may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. You may still see ads, but they may not be personalized to you. Cookies of this category may be set on our website and are used to display personalized content to you that is believed to be in line with your interests. They are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. For example, these cookies help us to provide information to you that is especially relevant to you. | 5df4fe27b4e1f879 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/26/lester-holt-debate-moderator-trump-clinton-fact-check-election | Lester Holt: presidential debate moderator, proven fact-checker | 2016-09-26 | Debates, Presidential Elections, Elections | Popular news show host is under pressure from the Clinton camp to put his fact-checking skills to use β and from Trump β s side to stay out of it
What will Lester Holt do when Donald Trump says that he opposed the Iraq war from the beginning ?
Holt , 57 , the most-watched daily news broadcaster in the country , has been tapped to moderate the first presidential debate Monday between Trump and Hillary Clinton . To say there is a lot riding on the night is not quite to capture it .
Clinton camp says Trump in 'sewer ' as debate looms and fight gets dirty Read more
A record 100m Americans are expected to watch the showdown , probably making it one of the biggest television broadcasts ever . The political stakes are higher : many partisans on both sides think the fate of the republic , all 330m strong , is on the line .
Although under intense pressure from the Democratic side to play fact-checker as a bulwark against Trump β s baloney , and under equal pressure from the Republican side to stay out of it , Holt has not talked about how he sees his role . But he has shown persistence , in exclusive interviews with both candidates in recent months , in pinning the candidates down where they would rather speak unaccountably .
Hillary Clinton supporters hope that means that Holt might intervene , unlike his network colleague Matt Lauer at a forum earlier this month , should Trump repeat his lie about having opposed the Iraq invasion from the beginning , or should Trump roll out any of the other 48 β pants-on-fire β lies that the nonpartisan group Politifact has counted him telling .
Trump supporters may hope that a different Holt shows up , one closer to the amiable broadcaster who co-hosted a weekend morning show for 12 years . They want the man who announced the Westminster Kennel Club dog show for three consecutive years in the aughts , not a fact-checker of the nightly news .
After 35 years as a newscaster , Holt currently hosts the top-rated nightly news program in America , NBC Nightly News , attracting 7 to 8 million viewers on an average weeknight . Any doubts about the calibre of his talent that accompanied his unusual arrival in the role β amid the career implosion of his predecessor , Brian Williams β quickly dissipated . Holt drove the ratings still higher .
A native Californian who has written that he β grew up on air force bases β , Holt has reported from zones of armed conflict and natural disaster while charismatically serving up lighter stories as weekend anchor of NBC β s morning news and variety show , Today . He also plays upright bass .
Holt will encounter an unprecedented challenge , however , on Monday night , when he will mediate between two hungry candidates now tantalizingly close to claiming the most powerful post on Earth . He has interviewed both candidates in recent months , and brought a healthy journalistic antagonism to the job .
β Voting for a racist β : Trump enters key debate fresh from pivot that wasn β t Read more
In June , Holt sat three feet away from Trump on gaudy Louis XVI chairs in Trump Tower , nearly knee-to-knee , and demanded that the candidate show evidence for a recent claim that Clinton β s private email server had been hacked . Anyone who doubts Holt β s ability to fact-check Trump should watch the exchange , in which he reduces Trump to the lame assurance , β I will report back to you . β
Two weeks later , Holt pressed Clinton on the opposite side of the email issue , confronting her with a finding by FBI director James Comey that she had been β extremely careless β in handling classified information . She ended up squirming , too .
Trump has expressed displeasure with Holt . β Lester is a Democrat , β Trump flatly told Fox News a week ago . But whether Holt checks that β fact β at the debate or not , it is false . Holt is a registered Republican . | 78294b32a2cbb594 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
holidays | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/03/politics/donald-trump-fourth-of-july-details/index.html | Everything you need to know about Trump's takeover of DC's 4th of July | 2019-07-03 | holidays | ( CNN ) Washington , DC , always puts on a show for the Fourth of July , but for the first time this year , President Donald Trump is personally planning and throwing together his own Independence Day event at the Lincoln Memorial .
All are welcome , but VIPs , including Republican donors , will get some special seating . There will be tanks -- standing still , not rolling -- and there will be fighter jets flying overhead . Trump 's show will be followed by the regular , PBS-broadcast annual concert in front of the Capitol , but the fireworks will be bigger than usual , unless it rains -- which the forecast says it may .
Here 's what we know about what 's changing in DC for the Fourth of July this year in roughly the order we learned about it :
Although the Lincoln Memorial is usually utilized for fireworks watching , this year it will feature a speech by Trump . The area in front of the memorial has been cordoned off for a VIP area and tickets have been distributed to the RNC and political donors , among others .
HOLD THE DATE ! We will be having one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington , D.C. , on July 4th . It will be called `` A Salute To America '' and will be held at the Lincoln Memorial . Major fireworks display , entertainment and an address by your favorite President , me ! β Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 24 , 2019
It 's unrelated to Trump 's `` Salute to America , '' but in a major change partially related to the government shutdown earlier in the year , the Smithsonian truncated its yearly Folk Life Festival from 10 days down to just two . The festival , which is meant to expose Americans attending July Fourth celebrations to other cultures , wrapped over the weekend . Instead , this year the festival celebrated the social power of music in the DC area .
Due to Trump 's event , the launch site for the DC fireworks show was moved from the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial to West Potomac park , along the Potomac river .
An image from the 2017 fireworks display in Washington , DC .
The DC fireworks show , televised on PBS , usually runs about 20 minutes from 9:07 until 9:27 p.m . ET . This year , thanks to a donation by a fireworks company , it will run a full 35 minutes and wrap at 9:42 p.m . ET .
Trump will speak around 6:30 p.m . ET , and there will be a 21-gun salute and a flyover by the plane that 's known as Air Force One when the President is aboard , according to a defense official .
Trump will say an introduction and then speak individually about each service . He will first talk about the Coast Guard , with his remarks being followed by the Coast Guard flyover . This format will be repeated for the Air Force , then the Navy , the Marine Corps and the Army .
The President will then make closing remarks and the Navy 's elite airshow squadron , the Blue Angels -- which canceled a planned rest to participate -- will do their demonstration .
In an expensive headache for commercial airlines , airspace around Washington , DC , will close twice on the 4th of July . In normal years it does not close at all . But moving the fireworks display launch site closer to the river and adding the aircraft flyovers means new restrictions just before and during the 6:30 p.m . ET `` Salute to America '' and the 9:07 p.m . ET fireworks .
The closures will impact nearly 100 scheduled flights , according to a CNN review of flight records .
The last time DC airspace was closed was in 2015 , when World War II fighters did a ceremonial flyover along the Mall .
JUST WATCHED See tanks that will be used in Trump 's July Fourth event Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH See tanks that will be used in Trump 's July Fourth event 01:48
Trump confirmed to reporters that there will be tanks and other armored vehicles on display for his event . Military officials tell CNN they will not parade along Pennsylvania Avenue and Trump acknowledges the tracks on the vehicles could ruin city streets .
The DC City Council opposes the display of military vehicles in this way , but Trump wants to celebrate the military on Independence Day . They rolled into town Tuesday night on trains .
JUST WATCHED Trump baby balloon granted permit for July 4th event Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump baby balloon granted permit for July 4th event 01:53
The National Park Service granted a permit for a protest less than a mile down the Mall from the Lincoln Memorial that will include a large inflatable balloon in the likeness of Trump as a baby . Anti-Trump veterans will hand out T-shirts for the USS John McCain in order to troll Trump , who has belittled the dead senator and former prisoner of war .
Compounding concerns that Trump 's event will seem more like a political rally , Republican donors and VIPs will get special access to the event . Roughly 15,000 tickets are being issued for the event and 500 of those are for VIPs , including some given to the RNC , CNN reports
It 's nowhere near the budget-busting $ 90 million estimate Trump got for his preferred Veterans Day parade of thousands of service members through DC streets , but there is certainly a cost to the `` Salute to America . '' What that cost will ultimately be is not clear .
The Air Force told CNN it would cover the cost of flyovers by classifying the events as training missions and using existing funds for pilot hours . But the Washington Post reported the National Park Service would need to redirect at least $ 2.5 million from funds earmarked to improve parks around the country to help cover new costs as a result of the event .
In a tweet , Trump said the cost would be `` very little compared to what it 's worth . '' It 's just not clear how much very little is .
While most of the top US military brass will attend the event , some had prior engagements planned . CNN reported that Pentagon leaders had reservations about displaying weaponry for show and involving the military in what 's become a political event . Because the event is paid for by taxpayers , Trump 's campaign might have to reimburse the government if he mentions his 2020 rivals .
There will , however be approximately 750-800 military personnel taking part in the `` Salute to America , '' the defense official told CNN .
That number does not include the additional 900 members of the DC National Guard that have been activated to provide traffic control and security on the streets and in the Metro subway system in Washington .
Mother Jones reported Wednesday that a flyer was distributed to local military service members in Washington taking part in today 's festivities with suggested statements including , `` I am proud of my job and my vehicle/tank . I am glad to share my experience with American People . ''
It also recommends `` I am proud to honor the Nation and the Armed Forces during this Independence Day Celebration '' as another approved comment when speaking to the public , urging service members to `` relax and speak to America . ''
We obtained the Pentagon 's guidance to troops in Trump 's July 4th event : Say `` I am proud of my job and my vehicle/tank '' https : //t.co/r3D2EeHDvh pic.twitter.com/5s2HbLgJdl β Mother Jones ( @ MotherJones ) July 4 , 2019
The guidance came from the local military authority in the Washington area , the Joint Force Headquarters -- National Capital Region , not the Pentagon .
Such statements are fairly standard fare for large events , with a defense official saying in a statement obtained by CNN , `` It 's common practice for the military to issue media cards to personnel with messages and talking points that align with service messages about the event to provide guidance for service members if engaged by the media . ''
Okay , this happens all the time in DC 's muggy climate , but everyone should be on the lookout for thunder , lightning , and a possible fireworks redo . | iJXLBnGeo9GrEcFz | 0 | Fourth Of July | 0.3 | Holidays | 0.2 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null |
defense | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/us/politics/defense-secretary-nominee-looks-to-send-senate-panel-strong-message.html?_r=0 | Ashton Carter, Defense Nominee, Finds Easy Audience in Confirmation Hearing | 2015-02-05 | defense | WASHINGTON , D.C. , UNITED STATES ( FEBRUARY 4 , 2015 ) ( UNRESTRICTED POOL - ACCESS ALL ) ( SOUNDBITE ) ( English ) ARIZONA REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN SAYING : β To start with Dr. Carter , members of this committee met with ( Jordanian ) King Abdullah yesterday . He made a graphic statement about needing some weapons and the difficulties he β s having with those , and we will be signing a letter this morning , and as I said it would require some legislation , but are you aware of the problems Jordanians are having with acquiring some of the weapons that they need ? β ( SOUNDBITE ) ( English ) DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE ASHTON CARTER SAYING : β I β m not Mr. chairman , I learned of them this morning as well , and if I β m confirmed I definitely want to find out what they are and resolve them because we need partners of the ground to beat ISIS . And the Jordanian people have clearly reacted the way that encourages us to support them. β ( SOUNDBITE ) ( English ) DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE ASHTON CARTER SAYING : β A strategy connects , ends and means , and our ends with respects to ISIL needs to be its lasting defeat . I say β lasting β because it β s important that when they get defeated they stay defeated . And that is why it β s important that we have those on the ground there who will ensure that they stay defeated , once defeated . It β s different on the two sides of the border . It β s one enemy , it β s two different contexts . Mr. chairman , in Iraq , the force that will keep them defeated is the Iraqi security forces , that β s our strategy , is to strengthen them and to make them that force . On the Syrian side , not to take too long about it , we are trying to build the force that will keep them defeated . And that β s going to be a combination of moderate Syrian forces and regional forces. β ARIZONA REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN SAYING : β Do you believe we should be supplying arms , defensive arms , to Ukrainians ? β ( SOUNDBITE ) ( English ) DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE ASHTON CARTER SAYING : β I β m very much inclined in that direction , Mr. chairman , because I think we need to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves . The nature of those arms I can β t say right now , because I don β t have , haven β t conferred with our military leaders , or Ukrainian leaders . But I incline in the direction of providing them arms , including to get to what I β m sure your question is , legal arms . β | V37fTm42iqMIS0ss | 0 | National Defense | 0.5 | Defense | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | Matt Lewis | https://www.thedailybeast.com/rfk-jr-was-always-a-crackpot-he-just-switched-political-tribes?ref=wrap | RFK Jr. Was Always a Crackpot, He Just Switched Political Tribes | 2023-05-02 | 2024 Presidential Election, Democratic Party, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Joe Biden, Politics | Senior Columnist Donβt look now, but anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is polling close to 20 percent in some Democratic primary surveys. A USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll published on April 19 had him at 14 percent, with New Age guru Marianne Williamson garnering 5 percent support. Since then, a more recent Emerson College poll has him at 21 percent, while Williamson is at 8 percent. And a Fox News poll has him at 19 percent, with Williamson at 9 percent. While it seems highly unlikely that Kennedy, who recently launched his campaign to challenge President Joe Biden, will play a decisive role in the 2024 election, he could potentially embarrass the president (probably not to the degree his famous uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, embarrassed then-President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 primaryβbut surely no incumbent president wants to find a Kennedy in the primary soup). As such, itβs worth examining why Kennedy is currently polling so well, and what this might mean for the future of the Democratic Party. The obvious reason for Kennedyβs success is simple: his name. But in 2023, that only gets you so far. The Kennedy dynasty may be famous, but itβs also ancient. John F. Kennedy has been dead for six decades. RFK Jr.βs dad, Bobby Kennedy, has been dead for 55 years. Ted Kennedyβs early and influential 2008 endorsement of Barack Obama (over Hillary Clinton) was probably the last time a Kennedy will ever truly move the needle in Democratic politics. But while the quintessentially establishment Kennedy dynasty is old and musty, an anti-establishment, unconventional ethos has always had a certain perverse appeal. And if that was true in the past, it is certainly true in 2023. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivers a speech announcing his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in Boston, Massachusetts on April 19, 2023. Enter RFK Jr. Though he lacks anything close to his fatherβs rΓ©sumΓ©, he has spent decades as an influential βconscience of the leftββpromoting the worst kind of left-wing environmentalism. Most recently, this involved helping convince his former brother-in-law, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to shut down a nuclear plant, which predictably led to New York state burning more carbon. There are a lot of left-wing activists who toil in obscurity, but Kennedyβs idiot activismβand his fameβwere both boosted by a mainstream liberal media that spent years elevating him (in this regard, Kennedy is similar to Donald Trump) and his crackpot ideas. If you have HBO Max, you can currently watch RFK Jr., appear in his sister Roryβs amateurishly produced 2004 documentary, Indian Point: Imagining the Unimaginable, which warns about a 9/11-style aerial attack on the nuclear plantβlocated about 40 miles north of Manhattan. Although wildly alarmist, the documentary was generally taken seriously and even praised by the fawning MSM. And eventually, the Kennedy scion took credit for advocating for the plantβs shuttering. Arguably even more damaging than his radical environmentalism (that has ironically led to the burning of more fossil fuels), Kennedy also promoted anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Once again, respected liberals helped him spread his message. As the American Council On Science and Health recalled, βOn July 20, 2005, Jon Stewartβs guest was none other than Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Stewart not only gave RFK Jr a platform to spew his anti-science rhetoric on vaccines, but Stewart commented that he appreciated his guestβs work for getting the word out about how vaccines cause autism.β Stewart, as far as I know, has never apologized. While Stewart, Bill Maher, and others were boosting his vaccine skepticism, the right despised RFK Jr. But since COVID-19, Kennedyβs anti-vaxxer message has been embraced by the likes of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who reportedly spent βmonthsβ encouraging Kennedy to challenge Biden. This is to say that while RFK Jr., may be an imbecile with no real qualifications, both sides of the American political spectrum have embraced him, at different pointsβwhen he told them what they wanted to hear. This brings us back to his current quest for the Democratic nomination. How on Earth can a guy who is currently cheered by Steve Bannon be garnering nearly a fifth of the Democratic primary vote? When it comes to the polls, the usual caveats apply. Surveys are a snapshot. Robert F. Kennedy is a great brand name. Democratic voters may simply be registering a protest about an 80-year-old Biden running again. A handful of polls can simply be outliers. Itβs early. Things can changeβ¦ I could go on. Still, we have to grapple with at least the possibility that some percentage of Democratic voters actually are RFK Jr.βs constituency. (Keep in mind, if you add Kennedyβs current numbers with Marianne Williamson, you start to approach 30 percent of the vote.) Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is surrounded by supporters as he departs New York State Supreme Court after a hearing challenging the constitutionality of the NY State Legislature's repeal of the religious exemption to vaccination in Albany, New York on August 14, 2019. I mean, I was stunned to discover that the percentage of Republican primary voters in 2016 who were willing to embrace a populist, nationalist, conspiracy-laden candidate was so large. Could it be that the Democrats are about to find out the same thing? Donβt get me wrong. Donald Trump (a former Democrat) chose to target the Republican Party for a reason. It was ripe(r) for a hostile takeover. There are many reasons for this, but the fact that Democrats settled on Joe Biden, while Republicans are poised to nominate Donald Trumpβagain!β proves the point. I donβt think RFK Jr., is about to defeatβor will likely even do serious damageβto Joe Biden in 2024. My concern is about the post-Biden future. The sort of conspiratorial populism that Kennedy embraces is on the rise in America. Thatβs where the energy is. To some degree, we are now seeing that even in Democratic polls. Trump has already taken over the GOP. What happens if the Democratic Party also falls to the siren call of the populist zeitgeist? In recent years, the Democratic Party has become effectively the institutional establishment βgoverningβ party in America, but there is no reason to assume that Democrats are immune from the seductive lure of conspiracy theories. It wasnβt long ago that the Democratic Party was the preferable home of an anti-establishment ethos, including β9/11 trutherism,β anti-vaxxer sentiment, etc. So what happens when the Joe Bidens of the Democratic Party have packed it in? Itβs hard to imagine an America where both major parties are (albeit in different ways) effectively βTrumpified.β Hereβs hoping we never have to find out. Senior Columnist Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT | ae5de29a91466f7f | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
race_and_racism | Al Jazeera | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/protests-trigger-calls-india-dalits-discrimination-200611101740372.html | US protests trigger calls by India's Dalits to end discrimination | race_and_racism | Spurred on by the anti-racism protests in the United States , Dalits ( a marginalised community once referred to as `` untouchables '' ) have called on India to acknowledge centuries of oppression they have endured .
Dalits find themselves outside the Hindu caste hierarchy - a membership determined at birth - and have historically faced violence , segregation and been barred from even having their shadows touch those of people from more privileged castes .
Dalit campaigners said they supported the Black Lives Matter protests in response to the death of George Floyd after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , and hoped it would ignite a similar conversation in India .
`` We extend our solidarity because we feel them and we have faced discrimination ourselves , '' said Omprakash Mahato , president of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association , a Dalit organisation at New Delhi 's Jawaharlal Nehru University .
India banned discrimination based on caste - a system which divided Hindus into groups based on occupations - in 1955 .
But ancient biases against Dalits and members of the less privileged Hindu caste groups persist , making it harder for them to access education and jobs and buy homes .
`` In India , people need to admit their role in everyday discrimination faced by Dalits and only then can a dialogue for change be initiated . We hope what they are seeing unfolding globally will lead to soul searching , '' said Mahato .
Dalits , who were sometimes forced to perform `` unclean '' tasks like disposing of corpses , and scheduled tribes - Indigenous peoples who are often isolated or disadvantaged - make up about a quarter of India 's population of 1.3 billion .
`` Indian Dalits have historically learned a lot from the struggle of the African Americans , '' Ruth Manorama , who works for rights of Dalit women , told the Reuters news agency .
`` This is a good moment to challenge the narrative in India also and talk about the age-old repression of Dalits , which is visible even during the COVID-19 pandemic with discrimination denying people aid . ''
Dalits were among the worst-hit by India 's strict lockdown , often having to wait longer for their turn to receive food or financial aid at local distribution points , and even being turned away , she said .
About 300 people have signed a Change.org petition emphasising that the `` lives of Dalits and minorities matter too '' and urging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to `` admit ... that caste discrimination is included in racial discrimination '' .
`` It is a good time for people in India to understand and to point out to the government that racial discrimination is not only what you see in America , '' said Henri Tiphagne of People 's Watch , a charity backing the petition .
`` It is the same as how so-called 'untouchables ' are treated in India . '' | 1PvtzZza2ESFcQKL | 0 | Inequality | -0.1 | Race And Racism | -0.1 | India | -0.1 | Black Americans | 0 | Asia | 0 | |
violence_in_america | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/500795-trump-biden-battle-to-shape-opinion-on-scenes-of-unrest | Trump, Biden battle to shape opinion on scenes of unrest | 2020-06-03 | violence_in_america | President Trump Donald John TrumpFormer employees critique EPA under Trump in new report Fired State Department watchdog says Pompeo aide attempted to 'bully ' him over investigations Virginia senator calls for Barr to resign over order to clear protests MORE and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden Joe BidenFox News polls : Trump trails Biden in Ohio , Arizona and Wisconsin Kelly holds double-digit lead over McSally in Arizona : poll Obama calls for police reforms , does n't address Trump MORE are fighting to shape public perception around the protests convulsing the country , a high-stakes battle that comes as the nation is gripped by largely peaceful protests mixed with disturbing scenes of chaos .
Trump is taking a hard-line approach on law and order , using military personnel to crack down on protesters outside the White House and demanding that Democratic leadership in metro areas regain control from vandals and looters that have ransacked businesses and fought with the police .
The president β s campaign is making the case that Biden is too weak and that the country needs a strong leader in a time of crisis .
Biden is casting Trump as lacking in empathy at a time when racial tensions are boiling over after the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man who died on a street in Minneapolis after a police officer restrained him by kneeling on his neck . That officer now faces murder and manslaughter charges , though his three colleagues who looked on so far do not .
The former vice president is accusing Trump of inflaming racial tensions and says the president lacks the leadership skills to guide the country through this historic moment of civil unrest .
Biden on Tuesday ventured out of his home state of Delaware for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown to denounce Trump from City Hall in Philadelphia , one of the dozens of cities wracked by protests and incidents of violence in recent days .
Trump is under fire from Democrats β and even some Republicans β after police fired tear gas and smoke canisters into a crowd of protesters outside the White House to clear a path for him to take a picture with a Bible in front of a historic church that had been set on fire by vandals .
β When peaceful protesters dispersed in order for a president β a president from the doorstep of the people 's house , the White House , using tear gas and flash grenades in order to stage a photo op β a photo op β at one of the most historic churches in the country ... we can be forgiven for believing the president is more interested in power than in principle , more interested in serving the passions of his base than the needs of the people in his care , β Biden said .
Outside of Washington , there is deep concern about the violent protests that have ravaged deep-blue metro areas from New York City to Los Angeles , as scores of local reports emerge about police being attacked and businesses being looted by rioters .
Biden β s allies are warning that he must clearly make the case for law and order .
β If the narrative becomes looting and not police violence , that 's not a good narrative for Democrats because these cities are run by Democrats , β said one Democratic strategist who requested anonymity . β There is n't one mayor who has done a f -- -ing good job of controlling the chaos . Does anyone understand how bad this all looks ? β
Law enforcement officials in Missouri , Nevada and New York were injured on Monday night , with one officer in Las Vegas suffering a gunshot wound to the head .
New York Gov . Andrew Cuomo Andrew CuomoDavid Sirota criticizes Cuomo 's for legislation protecting NY nursing homes from coronavirus lawsuits Cuomo responds to Trump : 'Here in New York we actually read the Bible ' NYPD chief demands public apology from Cuomo for saying police 'did not do their job ' MORE ( D ) blasted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Bill de BlasioThe Hill 's 12:30 Report : Sights and sounds from the protests NYPD chief demands public apology from Cuomo for saying police 'did not do their job ' Trump threatens to get involved in NYC unrest MORE ( D ) , saying the mayor and the city β s police department β did not do their job β as Manhattan was overrun by looting and vandalism on Monday night .
In his speech on Tuesday , Biden demanded Congress pass new laws to address police violence against racial minorities and accused Trump of mobilizing the military to punish protesters in an effort to gin-up excitement among his base .
Biden deviated only briefly from those themes to condemn the criminal aspects of the protest .
Trump β s allies view this as a glaring blind spot for Democrats . They believe the message of Trump β s Rose Garden speech on Monday , in which he described rioters as committing β acts of domestic terror , β would resonate with suburban voters living in fear of the civil unrest .
β The target was the majority of apolitical Americans β people who aren β t on Twitter or watching CNN or Fox News , β said Andy Surabian , a Republican strategist and adviser to Donald Trump Jr. β They β re working , raising children and they don β t have time to be consumed by the media around the clock , they just want to go to work and they don β t want to see their cities destroyed . Those are the voters that ultimately will matter . β
But Biden sees an opening to attack Trump as a bully with authoritarian instincts who is abusing his role as commander in chief at a time of combustible protests and racial tension in the nation .
β We will not allow any president to quiet our voice , β Biden said . β We won β t let those who see this as an opportunity to sow chaos throw up a smokescreen to distract us from the very real and legitimate grievances at the heart of these protests . β
Some Republicans have expressed unease with Trump β s tactics , particularly those aimed at the protesters around the White House on Monday night .
β To me at a time like this , the president ought to be trying to calm the nation , pledge to right historic wrongs and be a steady influence . I don β t think he was last night , β said Sen. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsClyburn : Cowed GOP ascribes 'mystical powers ' to Trump Trump pushes back against GOP senators ' criticism of dispersal of protesters in Lafayette Square : 'You got it wrong ' Trump , Biden battle to shape opinion on scenes of unrest MORE ( R-Maine ) , who is among the most vulnerable GOP senators up for reelection .
β It was painful to watch peaceful protesters be subjected to tear gas in order for the president to go across the street to a church that I believe he β s attended only once , β she said .
Top Democrats , including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi scoffs at comparison between Trump and Churchill : ' I think they 're hallucinating ' Republicans stand by Esper after public break with Trump Pelosi joins protests against George Floyd 's death outside Capitol MORE ( D-Calif. ) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Charles ( Chuck ) Ellis SchumerMcConnell blocks resolution condemning Trump over treatment of protesters House Democrat demands answers from Secret Service about role breaking up White House protests Pelosi , Schumer say treatment of protesters outside White House 'dishonors every value that faith teaches us ' MORE ( D-N.Y. ) , blasted what they described as the president β s callousness toward peaceful protesters and those grieving Floyd β s death .
They view Trump β s rage-tweeting at his political enemies in a time of unrest as evidence of a lack of leadership and empathy at the top .
Clutching a Bible , Pelosi pleaded with Trump to reach out to his adversaries and make an effort to heal the nation β s racial and political divisions .
β We would hope that the president of the United States would follow the lead of so many other presidents before him to be a healer in chief , and not a fanner of the flame , β she said .
Democrats are confident voters will be able to parse the difference between protesters with legitimate grievances about Floyd β s death who have demonstrated peacefully and those who have sought to capitalize on the chaos to commit crimes .
They believe Biden showed Tuesday that he will be a steadying presence in the White House that voters will be eager to turn to after four combustible years under Trump .
β God help this country if they ca n't see the stark difference between the two candidates , β said Adam Patrolwomen , a Democratic strategist who worked on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden opens widest lead over Trump in online betting markets Trump , Biden battle to shape opinion on scenes of unrest Sessions accepts 'Fox News Sunday ' invitation to debate , Tuberville declines MORE 's 2016 presidential campaign . | jwq0feRZjfhHkDKY | 1 | Donald Trump | -0.8 | Joe Biden | 0.7 | George Floyd Protests | 0 | George Floyd Riots | 0 | Violence In America | 0 |
environment | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/28/trump-begins-tearing-up-obamas-years-of-progress-on-tackling-climate-change | Trump begins tearing up Obama's years of progress on tackling climate change | 2017-03-28 | Climate Change, Environment | Fossil fuels to the fore as president signs orders to review clean power plan , lift ban on coal leases and discard expert thinking on true cost of carbon emissions
Donald Trump will launch a major assault on Barack Obama β s climate change legacy on Tuesday with a series of orders that undermine America β s commitment to the Paris agreement .
Asked by βββ if Trump accepted the science of manmade climate change , a senior White House official replied : β Sure , yes , I guess , I think the president understands the disagreement over the policy response and you β ll see that in the order β¦ We β re taking a different path . β
Trump 's order signals end of US dominance in climate change battle Read more
Trump will sign executive orders and presidential memoranda that suspend , rescind or review several measures that were central to Obama β s effort to combat global warming . They include a review of the clean power plan , which restricts greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants .
Trump , who has called global warming a β hoax β , has criticised the power-plant rule and others as placing an unnecessary burden on American workers and the struggling US coal industry .
The official acknowledged the orders β effects would not be immediate , especially in view of legal challenges . β I would bet a good deal I β m sure there β ll be litigation β¦ Whether that β s three years , two years or one year , I don β t know . It β s going to take some time . β
The US agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 26-28 % by 2025 compared with 2005 levels under the Paris agreement . Obama β s clean power plan is the chief policy designed to lower US emissions . In 2015 it was billed as the strongest action ever on climate change by a US president but criticised for targeting coal-fired power plants .
Richard Lazarus , an environmental law expert at Harvard University , said : β It was launched before Paris for a reason . Everyone knew if the United States didn β t make a serious commitment , Paris wouldn β t happen . It β s now an open question how the rest of the world is going to respond if the United States eliminates a linchpin of its commitment . β
Trump will also aim to wipe out Obama β s climate action plan , the 2013 directive outlining the government β s response to climate change . His orders will lift a 14-month-old moratorium on new coal leases on federal lands , while a major hydraulic fracturing ( fracking ) regulation will be reviewed .
Guidelines published by the White House Council on Environmental Quality last August will be rescinded . Estimates of the social costs of carbon and other greenhouses gases will be overturned because they were not put out in β a transparent fashion β , the White House official said .
Aides insisted the official speak without being named , despite Trump β s past criticism of the use of unnamed sources . The official said the measures were aimed at achieving the goal of energy independence . β We want to take our own course and do it in our own fashion . β
Climate change is β an issue that deserves attention but again I think the president β s been very clear he β s not going to pursue a climate or environmental policies that put the US economy at risk β , he said . β It β s very simple . β
Trump and his allies , including Scott Pruitt of the Environmental Protection Agency , have previously criticised the 2016 Paris climate accord involving nearly 200 countries . The official said on Monday : β In terms of the Paris agreement , whether we stay in or not is still under discussion . β
Asked what message he wanted to send to major carbon producers such as China and India , the official said : β I think the United States is going to pursue its interests as it sees fit . I think the president β s been very clear about having an America-first energy policy . We have a lot of energy in this country and the president wants to continue to remove any obstacles so we can produce . β
The official was pressed by reporters on how climate change should be tackled . He said : β One , you β ve got to make sure you have a strong economy . You β ve got to make sure you have people who are actually working . To the extent that the economy is strong and growing and in prosperity , that β s the best way to protect the environment . β
PBS is the only network reporting on climate change . Trump wants to cut it | Dana Nuccitelli Read more
He said natural gas , clean coal , nuclear and renewables were part of the mix but added : β Look globally . The more prosperous the economies β¦ if you compare the United States to other economies , we have a cleaner , healthier environment than other countries that don β t . I mean , look at China . β
The official insisted : β The previous administration devalued workers by their policies . We β re saying we can do both : we can protect the environment and provide people with work and keep the economy going and that β s the policy agenda we β re going to focus on . β
The 2015 clean power plan has been on hold since 2016 while a federal appeals court considers a challenge by coal-friendly states and more than 100 companies . The attempt to roll it back completely will meet with fierce opposition .
TomΓ‘s Carbonell , director of regulatory policy and senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund , said the White House must adhere to the same process of public notice and comment that was followed in adopting the plan , which took almost two years .
β Large majorities of Americans in red and blue states alike support strong action to reduce carbon pollution from the nation β s power plants , and the clean power plan is supported by a broad and diverse coalition of states , municipalities , power companies , leading businesses , consumer advocates , faith organizations and many others , β he said .
β These supporters will turn out in force to oppose the administration β s outrageous attack on the United States β only nationwide limits on carbon pollution from power plants β safeguards that are essential to protecting our public health , securing a clean energy economy and yielding a safer climate for our children . β
Travis Nichols , a spokesman for Greenpeace , said : β This proposed executive order gives us further proof that Trump isn β t a leader , he β s just a fossil fuel industry stooge with a presidential pen . Thankfully , for all his bluster , the best Trump can do is delay America β s inevitable transition to clean energy , but he can β t stop it .
β The problem , of course , is how much devastation his administration will inflict on the climate , vulnerable communities and the environment in the meantime . With this proposed executive order the Trump administration is simply putting America further behind in the global race towards a renewable future . β
The American Sustainable Business Council said : β Businesses want action that addresses climate change . They know that rolling back the clean power plan without a meaningful alternative in its place , like a carbon fee , will make climate change worse . That will further hurt economic growth .
β The business community is looking for real leadership on climate change , and so far all we β ve seen are decisions from the polluters β playbook . β
Trump has promised to revitalise the coal industry . At a rally last week in Kentucky , he said he had already stripped away some burdensome regulations and insisted the executive order would go further . β We are going to put our coalminers back to work , β he told the crowd .
But the White House faces a complex process of rewriting rules and fending off legal challenges from states such as California and New York , environmental groups and sections of industry . β Whatever process was used create it , that process will have to be used to undo it , β said Lazarus , the Harvard expert . β The more they rush in , the more likely they make a mistake . β
Asked about Trump β s willingness to accept climate change science , Lazarus replied : β I β m not confident the president of the United States has any fundamental belief in the issue at all . He β s just fulfilling a campaign promise . β
But the president β s sweeping actions were praised by the Heritage Foundation , a conservative thinktank . Nick Loris , a fellow in energy and environmental policy , said the clean power plan is β high cost and very minimal climate benefit β . He added : β Obama went too far in rationalising energy policy : regulations with high costs and diminishing returns . β
Loris agreed with the White House perspective that economic growth should take priority . β Wealth equals health , β he said . β It β s not about being a fossil fuel stooge ; it β s about allowing them to be competitive . β | 69caddef7e046f3c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/07/texas-primary-democratic-turnout-soars-as-republicans-stand-their-ground | Texas primary: Democratic turnout soars as Republicans stand their ground | 2018-03-07 | Texas, Elections | Primaries are in focus as symbol of whether revulsion to Trump and the rightwards swing of the GOP could lead to Democratic enthusiasm
Democratic turnout soared in America β s most populous Republican state on Tuesday as Texas held the nation β s first primary elections before November β s midterms .
The Texas primaries were scrutinized across the country for hints as to whether revulsion over Donald Trump and the rightwards swing of the GOP could translate into a flurry of Democratic enthusiasm that gives the party a chance of retaking the House of Representatives in November .
Texas primary : Democrats see rare surge of enthusiasm in early voting Read more
One of the country β s most solidly conservative states is an acid test for the β blue wave β : no Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994 . However , in early voting , Democratic turnout doubled from 2014 and outstripped the Republican total , according to state figures from the 15 counties with the most registered voters .
Beto O β Rourke , an El Paso congressman seeking to oust Ted Cruz from the US Senate , won the Democratic nomination with a campaign that has gathered momentum and raised significant funds .
β They are mobilizing in a powerful way , β Cruz told CBS β s Dallas affiliate . β At the end of the day , the good news is that there are a lot more conservatives in Texas than there are liberals . β
In a sign that the early burst of Democratic energy may struggle to overcome entrenched Republican dominance in the long run , Republicans gained ground on election day itself . Cruz ultimately won more than twice as many votes as O β Rourke , and the total number of Democratic voters was about 1 million compared with 1.5 million Republicans .
Even in a state that was relatively lukewarm towards Trump in the 2016 election , embracing the president proved more asset than liability for George P Bush . In a bid for re-election as land commissioner , which centered on the preservation of the Alamo site , Bush faced a stiff challenge from fellow Republican Jerry Patterson , a gun-toting former marine who once described the former Texas governor β and current US energy secretary β Rick Perry as resembling a β west coast metrosexual β when he stopped wearing cowboy boots .
But the son of Jeb Bush , nephew of George W Bush and grandson of George HW Bush easily held off Patterson to keep the family dynasty politically alive β after touting his support of Trump during his campaign , with the president returning the favour in a Twitter endorsement .
George P Bush 's struggle in Texas may signal end of 70-year political dynasty Read more
In the race for governor , Lupe Valdez , the former sheriff of Dallas county ,
faces a runoff with Andrew White , the son of former Texas governor Mark White . The eventual Democratic candidate faces a tough task against the popular and well-funded Republican incumbent , Greg Abbott .
On a night in which women enjoyed notable successes , two Hispanic women , Sylvia Garcia and Veronica Escobar , won primaries in heavily Democratic districts and are likely in November to become the first Latina congresswomen from Texas . And a congressional Democratic hopeful who was castigated by her national party secured a runoff election .
In an echo of the intra-party conflict between progressive and more centrist factions that split the Democrats in 2016 , when Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton vied for the presidential nomination , Laura Moser , a writer and activist , will face off against Lizzie Pannill Fletcher , a lawyer , on 22 May , after no Democratic candidate for Texas β s seventh district won more than 50 % of the vote .
β A lot of people in the state aren β t even in a party , they β re independents , so I think the fact that I β m sort of outside the box will help me , β Moser told βββ at a boisterous watch party in Houston .
β I think that the people who will win up and down the ballot this year are going to be people who stand for , and by , their values , and I think it β s going to be like an existential moment for national Democrats . We β ve got to stand for something . β
Texas β seventh congressional district will be one of the most followed races nationally . Covering large swaths of Houston β s wealthy western suburbs , it has been reliably Republican since 1966 , when George HW Bush , the former president , won the seat . He is a current resident .
The incumbent , John Culberson , is a staunch conservative who took office in 2001 . Eight years later , as the β birther β movement questioning Barack Obama β s citizenship gathered pace , he co-sponsored a bill that would have required future presidential candidates to prove their American citizenship .
Yet the district narrowly plumped for Clinton ahead of Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election , seemingly putting it in play for 2018 .
Moser is a writer and activist who grew up in Houston and launched Daily Action , an anti-Trump resistance group , after the 2016 presidential election . Her husband , Arun Chaudhary , was the videographer for the Obama White House .
Evidently believing that Moser is too progressive to win in November , the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a statement in February replete with the sort of negative research that might have been expected to come from one of her opponents .
It described Moser as β a Washington insider β and referred to a magazine article from 2014 in which she wrote that she would β sooner have my teeth pulled out without anesthesia β than move to the small town of Paris , Texas . The statement misleadingly implied this was because she did not want to live in Texas , though the piece was about the pros and cons of big-city life .
Rather than ruin Moser , the attention boosted her fundraising : her campaign picked up donations at a far higher rate than before . | 7b28f4bd7e1c56e0 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
state_department | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/state-department-cuts-restructuring-236796 | Nervous State Department workers prepare for major restructuring | 2017-04-09 | state_department | President Donald Trump came into office promising to run the federal government like a private business , and , like almost any new chief executive officer , he β s looking to restructure .
Conversations with more than a dozen people in and outside of State who are involved in or monitoring the administration 's plans suggest some broad outlines are emerging about State 's future , including from proposed budget cuts accepted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and from a 2016 Heritage Foundation report that laid out some dramatic ways to reshape the department .
Deep cuts are expected to hit State β s environmental and cultural programs , while divisions that deal with arms control and military affairs may see consolidation . The number of special envoys , who focus on everything from climate change to LGBT issues , will be pared down . The counterterrorism bureau will likely escape unscathed , but diplomats who deal with economics or women β s issues may see some changes .
Although it 's still early and much is in flux , anxiety is rife at State . That 's because , unlike in the past , the staffers are expecting not simply reshuffling or additional departments , but rather large cuts and the elimination of entire divisions . Even if Congress rejects the budget cuts proposed by the administration , as several leading lawmakers have indicated it will do , Tillerson is still expected to make major changes .
β I think there are some in the administration who are looking at this like a corporate reorganization , but one of the problems with a corporation , a business , is that the bottom line is earnings . But at the State Department , what is your bottom line ? β asked Ronald Neumann , president of the American Academy of Diplomacy . β Your bottom line involves the political part of security operations , the possibility of an unknown future crisis . It involves the protection of American citizens abroad and the promotion of American business . It β s very difficult to quantify . β
The prospect of reorganization is especially weighing on staffers dealing with issues that do n't seem to be a top priority for the Trump administration , such as human rights . While many career officials said they β re not reflexively opposed to restructuring some operations , many are worried about shielding programs that have long been considered core to the U.S. diplomatic mission β and some β are creatively trying to figure out how to make a case for keeping some of the programs running that they built , '' said a former State official who regularly speaks to current employees .
Every new secretary of state wants to make his or her mark on the department , which employs about 75,000 people worldwide . In a 2006 speech , Condoleezza Rice outlined a plan to shift hundreds of diplomatic positions from Europe to countries like China , India and Lebanon . And Hillary Clinton established a number of new positions at the department , including the ambassador-at-large for global women β s issues and the Office of Global Youth Issues .
β My sense is that Tillerson wants to go big , β said a State Department official who 's familiar with the discussions . β In terms of streamlining , he seems to like straight lines , direct lines , clear hierarchies with a small number of people reporting to him . β
Trump issued an executive order in mid-March asking Cabinet leaders for proposals by mid-September on how to restructure their agencies . The State Department declined to comment on Tillerson β s plans .
In the meantime , U.S. diplomats and others in the foreign policy realm are reading up on Trump β s budget proposals , looking for clues in administration officials β public and private statements and leafing through the Heritage report to game out likely scenarios . In some cases , Trump aides are willing to confirm their guesses .
A Trump administration official told βββ that the president will not name a special envoy for climate change . The climate envoy helped lead international global warming talks during the Obama administration and played a central role in clinching the nearly 200-nation Paris climate agreement .
Already , State β s political appointees have largely ceded their work on international climate issues to the White House , according to two people briefed on the arrangement , a move that gives warring factions in the West Wing heavy influence over whether the United States should pull out of the Paris deal .
There 's plenty of support across the State Department for scaling back the overall number of special envoys . Depending on how you count such envoys β a category some take to include so-called special representatives , coordinators and other advisers β there are about five dozen . Many of the slots have stayed vacant under Tillerson .
The envoys tend to reflect an administration β s priorities , so few expect the Trump team to keep the one dedicated to , say , closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay . But Congress may intervene to protect some of the slots : On March 10 , a bipartisan group of about 170 lawmakers wrote to Trump urging him to fill and keep the special envoy position dedicated to combating anti-Semitism , calling it a β crucial office . β
People familiar with Trump transition talks told βββ earlier this year that there was a belief that State should focus more on fighting terrorism and less on β soft power β subjects such as democracy promotion . And in proposing cutting the State Department β s fiscal year 2018 budget by about 30 percent , Trump aides specifically cast it as a β hard power β blueprint focused on boosting military might .
But former and current State officials say they don β t expect the elimination of the Bureau of Democracy , Human Rights and Labor β the very embodiment of β soft power β Trump aides dismiss . That β s because there β s strong support in Congress for that bureau , especially among Republicans worried about the rights of Christians in the Middle East .
`` You can imagine a very long line of Democratic and Republican members of the Senate that would be very concerned '' if that bureau were axed , said a Senate Democratic aide who 's been in touch with Trump transition and administration officials about reorganization plans .
Multiple sources pointed to the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations as one ripe for elimination . The bureau was established in 2011 under Clinton with the goal of trying to prevent and defuse conflicts . But critics say its role has never been well-defined , concerns echoed in a 2014 inspector general β s report .
The administration last month also proposed cutting some $ 2.9 billion from what remains of the current fiscal year β s budget for State and related programs . That proposal , which also has met resistance in Congress , includes plans to whack State β s educational and cultural programs , its reproductive health initiatives , which affect many women , and its spending on international organizations .
Already , Tillerson has made what appear to be permanent changes to State 's top leadership . He has emptied the slots of the department 's deputy secretary for management and its counselor position and has indicated he will not fill those roles .
Tillerson is expected to appoint a policy-focused deputy secretary for the department β the choice is reported to be GOP attorney John J. Sullivan . But Tillerson has left most of the other leadership slots at State vacant , another reason employees suspect he is pondering serious restructuring .
The Democratic Senate aide stressed that it β s very early days and it β s not clear where some of the possibilities bandied about presently stand .
But some of the changes that have been discussed include streamlining what β s known at State as the β T β family , which includes bureaus that deal with arms control , political-military affairs and nuclear nonproliferation , the aide said . Another idea floated is bringing the U.S. Agency for International Development entirely under the purview of State , the aide said .
The aide also noted that there 's been talk of rejiggering the State Department bureaus devoted to specific regions of the world to be more aligned with the Department of Defense β s Combatant Commands .
This is not a new idea unique to the Trump administration , but it could mean major shifts in which desk officers and deputy assistant secretaries report to which division . For example , South America falls under the Pentagon β s Southern Command , while Canada and Mexico are under its Northern Command . But at State , the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs includes South America as well as Canada and Mexico .
Some of the changes , such as making USAID part of State , will likely require authorization from Congress , officials and analysts said . The exact level of congressional involvement will depend in part on whether bureaus or various functions were somehow mandated by legislation .
β We β re not reflexively or allergically against changes , β the Democratic Senate aide said . β But exactly what they propose and the logic for it is something that we need to see . β
Various stakeholders nearly all mentioned the 2016 report by the Heritage Foundation β s Brett Schaefer . A former senior State Department official said Trump transition aides were β enamored β of the report and took it into meetings .
The report has numerous recommendations , including culling the number of special envoys , eliminating the slot of deputy secretary for management and resources , and bringing USAID under the leadership of an undersecretary of state . It also suggests changes to State β s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs that include limiting activities that are primarily the responsibility of other U.S. agencies , such as the Treasury Department .
Schaefer said he talked to a range of people as he prepared his recommendations and found there was a broad consensus that State could be more efficient .
`` Every administration makes changes , but I suspect there β s going to be a little bit more along the way of changes under this administration than in previous ones , '' he said .
Even if every idea the Trump administration proposes doesn β t become a reality , Schaefer added , it β s worth simply having the debate . β Ultimately , in the end this is a healthy process , β he said . | 7QTOnwcgmRV3Qegr | 0 | White House | 0.2 | State Department | -0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
general_news | NBC News Digital | http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-seeks-peaceful-end-armed-standoff-oregon-federal-building-n489606 | FBI Seeks 'Peaceful' End to Armed Standoff at Oregon Federal Building | 2016-01-04 | General News | Create your free profile or log in to save this articleCreate your free profile or log in to save this articleGun-toting protesters remained holed up in a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon on Monday night even though the two men whose prison sentences sparked their action turned themselves in to authorities and repudiated the protest.The protesters said they wouldn't budge until the government addresses their demands, but the FBI said it was hoping to bring a "peaceful" end to the standoff at the remote Malheur National Wildlife Refuge."We feel we have exhausted all prudent measures and have been ignored," said Ammon Bundy, co-leader of the self-styled Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, who said the group wants the federal government to "remove its unlawful presence in this county."Bundy's group seized the government property after splintering off from a larger protest about ranchers' rights in the small town of Burns.The initial protest in Burns was in support of Dwight Hammond, 73, and his son Steven, 46, who faced more jail time for setting fires that spread to government land after their initial sentences were extended by about four years each.The Hammonds surrendered Monday at the federal prison in San Pedro, California. Their lawyers said they plan to appeal to President Barack Obama for executive clemency.The ranchers distanced themselves from the protesters, and their lawyer told police that "neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organization speak for the Hammond family."Harney County Sheriff David Ward directly addressed those at the refuge during a news conference Monday, telling them: "It's time for you to leave our community, go home to your families and leave this community peacefully.""You said you were here to help the citizens of Harney County," Ward said. "That help ended when that protest became an armed occupation."Ward said in a separate video message Monday that that he was "very proud of the citizens of Harney County in the way that they've stood up to this."No government employees were at the site at the time because of the holidays. It wasn't clear how many people had occupied the building, but those inside have asked for others to join them in several videos posted online.Related: Meet Ammon and Ryan Bundy, the Activists Leading the Oregon StandoffThe ringleaders are Ammon and Ryan Bundy β sons of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher known for another standoff with the federal government in 2014.The FBI said in a statement Sunday that it was working with local and state police "to bring a peaceful resolution to the situation."The agency said it wouldn't be providing details of its response because of "safety considerations for both those inside the refuge as well as the law enforcement officers involved."Several pickup trucks continued to block the entrance to the refuge Monday, with armed men wearing camouflage and winter gear stationed outside.Although there was no visible sign of police, authorities have warned people to stay away and the county has canceled school until next week as a precaution."These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States," the Harney County Sheriffβs Office said in a statement Sunday. "We ask that people stay away from the refuge for their safety."Related: Oregon Standoff: Armed Protesters, Political Reaction and #YallQaedaThe Bundy brothers and their followers unveiled a redress of grievances addressed to several local officials and alleged that the federal government targeted the Hammonds because they refused to sell their land "to a federal agency."Bundy insisted that he and others had reached out to local officials about the case before taking over the refuge but never got a response. He said the purpose of the gathering is "to go to work ... to unwind the unconstitutional land transactions that have taken place here.""We have very specific plans that are going to take place," said Bundy, who gave no specifics.Ammon Bundy told NBC's TODAY on Monday that the occupiers have no intention of committing violence unless the government intervenes."The only violence that, if it comes our way, will be because government is wanting their building back,'' he said. "We're putting nobody in harm's way. We are not threatening anybody. We're 30 miles out of the closest town."The Bundys claim they were asked to intervene by an unidentified "county representative" who alleged that "he and other county representatives are being intimidated by the FBI." He didn't provide further details of this allegation. | 001360a175e77825 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | Politico | https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/25/trump-obamacare-justice-department-1236116 | In shift, Trump administration backs judgeβs ruling that would kill Obamacare | 2019-03-25 | justice_department | The Justice Department advocated striking all of the ACA , not just select elements like protections for patients with pre-existing conditions . | AP Photo/J . David Ake , File Health care In shift , Trump administration backs judge β s ruling that would kill Obamacare
The Trump administration on Monday said it supports a federal judge 's ruling that the entire Affordable Care Act should be thrown out , signaling a shift in the Justice Department 's position and alarming Democrats who vowed to oppose the move .
`` The Department of Justice has determined that the district court 's judgment should be affirmed , '' three Justice Department lawyers wrote to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals , which is now considering the case . `` [ T ] he United States is not urging that any portion of the district court 's judgment be reversed . ''
Regardless of the outcome , legal experts anticipate that the 5th Circuit 's ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court . If the courts ultimately strike down Obamacare β over the objections of a group of Democrat-led states , which have spent more than a year defending the health law in court β the consequences could be substantial for patients , health care organizations and other groups that have adapted to the nine-year-old law .
More than 20 million Americans are covered through the ACA 's Medicaid expansion and its insurance exchanges . The sweeping law β the object of repeated legal challenges since its 2010 passage β has transformed the nation 's health system , creating new patient protections and reshaping payments for doctors and hospitals .
Some of the Trump administration 's proposed drug price reforms depend on provisions contained in the ACA . Senior Trump health officials have n't detailed how they would respond if all of Obamacare is struck down .
The GOP-led states that initially brought the lawsuit , Texas v. United States , had called for the entire law to be invalidated because Congress eliminated its individual insurance mandate penalty β an argument that swayed U.S. District Court Judge Reed O β Connor , a George W. Bush appointee .
The Trump administration had previously argued that only elements of the ACA , like its protections for patients with pre-existing conditions , should be struck down but that other parts of the law could stand .
βββ Pulse newsletter Get the latest on the health care fight , every weekday morning β in your inbox . Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from βββ . You can unsubscribe at any time . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply .
House Democrats β who had separately planned to introduce legislation on Tuesday that would fortify Obamacare β denounced the Trump administration 's new legal position as `` unconscionable . ''
`` Millions of Americans will lose their health care immediately if this decision is upheld , '' Rep. Frank Pallone ( D-N.J. ) , chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee , said in a statement . `` We will do everything we can to defeat this attempt to rip away Americans β health care . ''
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said the department `` has determined that the district court β s comprehensive opinion came to the correct conclusion and will support it on appeal . β
Pressed by Senate Democrats at his January confirmation hearing , Attorney General Bill Barr pledged to reconsider the Justice Department 's stance on the lawsuit . But legal experts had n't expected Barr to stake out a more aggressive position than his predecessor Jeff Sessions , who told career Justice Department lawyers to drop their defense of the law β a near-unprecedented decision that led three lawyers to remove their names from the government β s brief and prompted the senior attorney , Joel McElvain , to resign .
`` Barr inherited an indefensible legal position . But instead of backing down , he 's embraced a downright crazy one '' said Nick Bagley , a University of Michigan law professor who 's criticized O'Connor 's ruling .
A group of Democratic-led states led by California is challenging the Texas ruling , arguing that the federal health care law can remain in place even without a tax penalty for Americans who forego health coverage . | HB8DPsRZ8BExgpex | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-two-more-primaries-at-stake-tensions-erupted-between-sanders-and-democratic-leaders/2016/05/17/e5fff032-1c34-11e6-9c81-4be1c14fb8c8_story.html | Clinton declare victory in Kentucky primary | 2016-05-17 | Presidential Elections, Elections | clockThis article was published more than 8 years ago Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton declared victory in the Kentucky primary on Tuesday, potentially disrupting a string of expected primary losses this month that had threatened to weaken her even as she turned her focus to her likely matchup against Republican Donald Trump in the general election. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, meanwhile, was declared the winner of Oregonβs Democratic primary. | 116154ca1b476e18 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_house | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/government-shutdown-nancy-pelosi-113278.html?hp=t1_r | A Pelosi bailout? | 2014-12-02 | us_house | The government will shut down in just eight days unless Congress acts , and Republican lawmakers and aides in and around leadership fear their two-step government-funding plan can not pass without help β from Nancy Pelosi .
At the beginning of the day , GOP leadership thought they had it all figured out . They β d give conservatives a separate bill to direct their anger at President Barack Obama over his executive action on immigration , then vote separately to fund most of the government for a year .
But as key leadership aides and lawmakers circled the House floor Tuesday afternoon , they encountered unexpected β headwinds , β several sources said . Hardline conservatives who have caused problems for leaders for years were not falling in line . These conservatives estimate their ranks are 30 to 40 , enough to derail a vote .
That swelling Republican opposition gives Pelosi and her down-in-the-dumps House Democrats some unexpected power : the ability to rescue Boehner β s Republican Conference as Democrats have again and again in the big fights of the past three years .
So after a big election victory this fall in which Republicans took the Senate and strengthened their grip on the House , instead of Republicans uniting around their own leadership β s plan , they are about to risk giving more control to Pelosi β s shrinking Democratic Caucus . It makes Boehner allies cringe .
Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) has been coy about where she β ll fall β she and her allies have sent signals she β ll oppose the measure β but her circle says she β s mulling over her options . It β s clearly a touchy situation for Democrats . Steny Hoyer , Pelosi β s deputy , told βββ in the morning he might support the measure , but later in the day , he walked back his statement .
If Pelosi persuades enough of her members to vote against the funding bill , House Republicans will have to revert to a three-month , short-term extension for all government spending , setting up another funding fight in mid-March . That would mean that Republican leaders will be required to spend the first quarter of their first year in control of Capitol Hill tussling over government spending .
Next year , GOP leadership sources promise , they β ll ignore the far right and make progress with an easier group of lawmakers . Some Republicans are urging leadership to ignore the far right right now , and put a full-year funding bill on the floor , and allow members to vote their conscience .
But there β s a lot at stake over the next week for every Republican leader . If Boehner missteps , he could enrage conservatives whose votes he needs to remain speaker , come January . House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California promised to end pointless legislative battles , and Congress is barreling headlong into yet another one . Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana , who is taking some credit for this package , ran a leadership campaign based on bringing conservatives on board to leadership packages . But at this point , they β re peeling off , raising some early questions about Scalise β s effectiveness .
The opposition from within House GOP ranks is easy to explain : Conservatives want to put up a tougher fight with Obama over his executive order ending the deportation threat for millions of undocumented immigrants .
Conservatives fear that the Senate will ignore a pending House GOP bill β introduced by Rep. Ted Yoho ( R-Fla. ) β that says Obama can not exempt groups of people from deportation , which would allow his executive order to stand unchallenged . Boehner and other party leaders had hoped to use the Yoho bill to mollify conservatives , while quickly passing a funding bill to take a shutdown out of the equation , while keeping a tight leash on DHS funding . But many conservatives think a three-month extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security is too long . There are a good number of Republican hard-liners who want to fight in the early days of their new majority .
There are already more than a dozen Republican β no β votes on the leadership plan , which isn β t a problem in and of itself , although that dissent appears to be spreading .
And , until next Congress , Boehner can afford to lose only 18 votes until he needs Democratic support to pass a bill .
β It makes no sense to punt all , or most , of our appropriations until October , β said Rep. Tim Huelskamp ( R-Kan. ) , an ardent conservative .
GOP leadership thinks the far right is living in a dream world . The political climate will be only marginally better in 2015 , but Obama will still be in the White House , and Congress will be hard-pressed to cobble a vetoproof majority in either chamber .
Plus , the Republicans on Capitol Hill believe the president will always win a shutdown fight β whether it β s this year or next year .
This changes every day . There is no pattern , there is no rhyme or reason . '' Rep. Rosa DeLauro ( D-Conn . )
The House GOP opposition is inopportune for a plan that β s otherwise being well received on Capitol Hill . Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) , himself an appropriator , said it would be β a big accomplishment if we can get a bill over here that would fund all the appropriation subcommittees except one . β
β It β s something I β ll look at very closely , β Reid said . β I think it β s a shame they β re not going to include a very important Homeland Security appropriations bill , but I understand why they β re doing it. β Senate Appropriations Chairman Barbara Mikulski ( D-Md . ) is on board , as well . For Democrats , there is a win in voting for this bipartisan package . It would give Democrats say over spending until September 2015 β well after they lose their majority in the Senate .
But with Pelosi opposed , rank-and-file House Democrats are not yet enthusiastic over the GOP measure . The question is whether Pelosi can keep her own potential defections down in order to maximize her leverage over Boehner .
β It β s an implicit threat to shut down the government month to month , at least one government agency , β Rep. Chris Van Hollen ( D-Md . ) said . β Of course , the irony here is that this is the agency that is providing border security . So you β re going to send a message by shutting down the agency that provides border security ? That makes no sense , it β s a political game . β
Rep. Joe Crowley , the New York Democrat who is the vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus , said , people are β very concerned β with limiting the duration of DHS funding .
Of course , Pelosi can turn almost any Democrat , and if she thinks it β s in her benefit to pass any of the three GOP bills , it could sail through Congress next week . But if the legislation moves significantly to the right β a real possibility β Democrats will flee .
For example , there β s already talk about embedding the Yoho language stating Obama can not exempt people from deportation into the government funding bill . This would create a standoff with the Senate and House Democrats .
β This changes every day , β said Rep. Rosa DeLauro ( D-Conn. ) , a close Pelosi ally on the Appropriations Committee . β There is no pattern , there is no rhyme or reason . They say they β re going to do one thing , then they do something different the next day . We need to see what is being offered , and then we will look at it . β
The White House , meanwhile , has not weighed in . Pelosi huddled with White House chief of staff Denis McDonough late Tuesday . Republicans were waiting anxiously to hear the results from that confab .
But a source familiar with the meeting said the so-called cromnibus didn β t come up . | TvGKshXPC759rsP5 | 0 | John Boehner | -0.1 | Nancy Pelosi | -0.1 | US House | -0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
white_house | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/05/27/capital-download-richard-trumka-obama-clinton-trade/28009479/ | Trumka: Disappointment with Obama, a warning for Hillary | 2015-05-27 | white_house | WASHINGTON β The nation 's most powerful labor leader , vowing to defeat President Obama 's key trade legislation in the House next month , warned Hillary Clinton of serious political consequences if she fails to take a stand against the Pacific trade pact that the president is campaigning for as a major part of his legacy .
Richard Trumka , president of the AFL-CIO , predicted that no more than 20 House Democrats would vote for Trade Promotion Authority , the `` fast-track '' bill that on Friday passed the Senate .
`` Thirteen Democrats left their base , '' he said of the Senate vote in an interview with Capital Download . `` They decided to pass something that was going to cost jobs and lower wages , and they 're going to have to answer to their constituencies for that . '' He added : `` They 'll be held accountable ; there 's no question about that . ''
Organized labor has been waging a fierce battle against the legislation , which would require Congress to approve or reject without amendments the Trans-Pacific Partnership , a trade deal among the United States and 12 other Pacific Rim nations . Many labor unions have frozen campaign donations as they lobby against it .
The battle between two customary allies β a Democratic president and the country 's biggest labor federation β underscores the complicated politics of Obama 's attempts to pass legislation through a Republican-controlled Congress during the final two years of his tenure . It also exposes challenges ahead for Clinton , who praised the emerging Pacific pact as `` the gold standard '' in her memoirs as secretary of State but has avoided declaring her view of it since becoming a presidential candidate .
`` Unfortunately , it falls far short of being the gold standard , '' Trumka told βββ 's video newsmaker series in an interview at AFL-CIO headquarters , just across Lafayette Square from the White House . `` It 's not silver . I 'm not sure it 's copper or some other form of metal , but it 's not gold , because it 's going to cost us jobs and it 's going to lower wages in this country . ''
Trumka said he did n't know where Clinton now stood on the issue .
`` She 's going to have to answer that , '' he said . `` I think she wo n't be able to go through a campaign without answering that and people will take it seriously and it will affect whether they vote for her or do n't vote for her . ''
If Clinton backs the trade pact and the fast-track authority , there will be costs , he cautioned . `` It will be tougher to mobilize working people . It 'll be tougher to get them to come out excited and work to do door-knocking and leafleting and phone-banking and all the things that are going to be necessary if she is the candidate and we endorse her to get elected . It will make it far more difficult . ''
It even is `` conceivable '' that the AFL-CIO would n't endorse a presidential candidate , he said , `` if both candidates were n't interested in raising wages and creating jobs . ''
Asked whether Obama 's presidency had been good for working Americans , Trumka paused .
`` The president 's been seriously handicapped in his ability to deliver things for the American public , because you 've got a determined opposition in the Republican Party that will actually hurt the country to deny him a victory , '' he began . But he added , `` I wish he would have fought for some of the things that are needed as hard as he 's fighting for fast track and TPP . ''
In the Senate vote , Trumka said he was surprised to have lost the support of Democratic senators Benjamin Cardin of Maryland , Chris Coons of Delaware and Patty Murray of Washington state . When the interviewer commented that it 's hard to defeat a president , he replied : `` We 'll see . '' | ffM4rd5p4iuK5cVu | 1 | Hillary Clinton | 0.3 | Barack Obama | 0.2 | White House | -0.1 | Politics | -0.1 | null | null |
civil_rights | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/10/us/missouri-football-players-protest-presidents-resigns/index.html | Missouri campus protests: 'This is just a beginning' | 2015-11-10 | University Of Missouri, Civil Rights | ( CNN ) On Tuesday , students went to classes as they usually do . Football players intended to take the field in preparation for their game against Brigham Young University on Saturday .
But something was very different at the University of Missouri campus .
Students on Tuesday woke up to what protesters call a small but important victory : a weeks-long protest movement that ousted both the university president and the school 's chancellor .
African-American students at Missouri have long complained of a mealy-mouthed response by school leaders in dealing with racism on the overwhelmingly white Columbia campus . Black student leaders have conveyed their displeasure over students openly using racial slurs and other incidents .
Things reached a critical mass Monday when university system President Tim Wolfe stepped down , followed shortly afterward by Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin .
`` This is just a beginning in dismantling systems of oppression in higher education , specifically the UM system , '' said Marshall Allen , a member of the protest group Concerned Student 1950 .
The speed of Wolfe 's resignation shocked many . As late as Sunday , Wolfe did n't sound like a man who planned to leave his job , putting out a statement expressing a desire to have an `` ongoing dialogue to address these very complex , societal issues . ''
But the tide had already turned against him Saturday night , when about 30 black members of the Missouri Tigers football team declared in a tweet that they would n't play until Wolfe was gone . By Sunday , more members of the team , black and white , and head coach Gary Pinkel publicly backed the players , and the media started paying attention .
By Monday morning , student groups were calling for walkouts and some faculty offered protesting students their support . The calls for his resignation grew louder .
So Wolfe -- who had presided over the university system , which includes the main University of Missouri campus in Columbia , along with the University of Missouri-St. Louis , University of Missouri-Kansas City and Missouri University of Science and Technology -- stepped down , saying he took `` full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred '' and urged the university community to listen to each other 's problems .
`` It is my belief we stopped listening to each other ; we did n't respond or react , '' he said . `` Use my resignation to heal and start talking again . ''
Students , faculty and staff converged on the Carnahan Quad after Wolfe 's announcement . There , they linked arms and swayed side to side , singing , `` We Shall Overcome . ''
Though the protesting students and some faculty say racial problems on campus go back decades , the current crisis took flight back in September , when Student Government President Payton Head took to Facebook to complain about bigotry and anti-homosexual and anti-transgender attitudes at the school after people riding in the back of a pickup truck screamed racial slurs at him .
`` For those of you who wonder why I 'm always talking about the importance of inclusion and respect , it 's because I 've experienced moments like this multiple times at THIS university , making me not feel included here , '' he wrote .
In early October , a drunken white student disrupted the Legion of Black Collegians , an African-American student group , while the group prepped for homecoming and used a racial slur when he was asked to leave .
Later that month , Concerned Student 1950 -- named for the year African-American students were first admitted to the university -- issued a list of demands , including an apology from Wolfe , his removal from office and a more comprehensive racial awareness and inclusion curriculum overseen by minority students and faculty .
Graduate student Jonathan Butler felt so strongly about what was happening on campus that he stopped eating . Early last week , he launched a hunger strike , vowing to keep it up until Wolfe stepped down . After Wolfe 's announcement , Butler ended his strike and tweeted , `` More change is to come ! ! # TheStruggleContinues . ''
L'Damian Washington , a former wide receiver on the football team , said that he was happy the team was able to add leverage to Butler 's hunger strike and that the protest was n't just about Missouri or being black . It was about discrimination in all forms everywhere , he said .
`` Only a minority knows what it feels like to be a minority on campus , '' he said .
It 's difficult to put yourself in others ' shoes , he said , explaining that even though he and Butler are black , his experience -- as a football player -- on campus was different from Butler 's .
Asked if he had ever encountered racism on campus , he pointed to a 2010 incident when white students scattered cotton balls outside the Black Culture Center . Washington did n't have particularly harsh words for Wolfe but said there was sense that he took `` a lackadaisical approach to get things fixed . ... I think just turned a blind eye to it . ''
A statement from head coach Pinkel and Missouri athletic director Mack Rhoades , released after Wolfe 's announcement , said football activities would resume Tuesday .
# Mizzou Football Family back to practice this afternoon in preparation for BYU . pic.twitter.com/aIbZOK2HtH β Mizzou Football ( @ MizzouFootball ) November 11 , 2015
`` There 's no playbook . There 's no script for what all of us have been dealing with . And I think , certainly , it 's been also a great learning experience for everyone involved , '' said Rhoades .
`` As we move forward , it 's paramount as a campus and a community that this not divide us , but rather bring us together to listen , to grow , to understand and to create positive change , '' the athletic director said .
If the Tigers had failed to take the field Saturday against the Brigham Young University Cougars at Kansas City 's Arrowhead Stadium , the home of the NFL 's Chiefs , the team would have been forced to pay a cancellation fee of $ 1 million , according to a copy of the contract published in The Kansas City Star earlier this year .
`` Our team 's excited about getting going again and playing , and we 're looking forward to our game against BYU this weekend , '' Pinkel told reporters , saying he got involved because he supports his players and because Butler 's life was `` on the line . ''
`` My support of my players had nothing to do with anyone losing their job . With something like this , football became secondary , '' Pinkel said . `` I just know my players were suffering and they felt awful , and again , I 'm like their dad , and I 'm going to help them in any way I can . ''
The University of Missouri 's Columbia campus has a population of 35,000 students . The undergraduate student body is about 79 % white , while African-Americans make up roughly 8 % of undergraduates . The school 's faculty is also more 70 % white with black representation of just over 3 % , according to the university . | 715ee2c146ea7738 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
cybersecurity | Mother Jones | https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/11/freedom-house-internet-freedom/ | New Report Catalogues βUnprecedentedβ Government Monitoring of Citizens Online | cybersecurity | The β unregulated spaces of social media platforms β are increasingly serving as β instruments for political distortion , β according to a new analysis from the democracy watchdog Freedom House , leading the group to conclude for the ninth consecutive year that global internet and digital media freedom has declined .
The Washington , DC-based free expression and research nonprofit has been studying internet freedom since 2009 . This year β s report surveyed 65 countries covering the vast majority of the world β s internet users , seeking to measure factors including legal safeguards for free expression , the protection of internet users β rights to privacy , and the ability to transmit news and political information .
Internet-based disinformation efforts β have reached a new zenith and sophistication . β
Mike Abramowitz , the president of Freedom House , told reporters that this year β s report found two key themes : government and populist movements using social media platforms to β manipulate elections on a grand scale , alongside government use of β technology to monitor their own citizens on an unprecedented scale . β
While internet-based disinformation efforts are nothing new , Abramowitz said , they β have reached a new zenith and sophistication , β occurring not only in dictatorships but β increasingly in democracies β as well . β Perhaps most alarming is how populist leaders and far-right groups have grown adept not only at creating viral disinformation , but also at building and coordinating networks that disseminate it , β he said . β In many cases , unscrupulous candidates and their supporters are manufacturing their own echo chambers from scratch . β
Repressive governments in China , Russia , Iran , and Saudi Arabia β are also stepping up efforts to influence elections outside their own borders , β he said .
Equally troubling is governments β increasing use of the internet and digital media to monitor their own citizens . β Three billion people are living under social media monitoring by their governments , β Abramowitz said , which employ artificial intelligence and other means to gather personal data and identify perceived threats and β silence opposition. β This is particularly disturbing , he added , given its tendency to lead to real-world consequences : In 47 of the 65 countries assessed , people had been arrested for non-violent online expressionβa record number .
It might be easy to dismiss these problems as belonging to foreign governments , but Abramowitz pointed out that the social media platforms that undergird the growing disinformation and surveillance dystopia are largely American companies , arguing that β the US bears a special responsibility for addressing these threats to internet freedom. β Such action , he said , β is the only way to stop the internet from becoming a trojan horse for tyranny and oppression . β
Adrian Shahbaz , who co-authored the report with Allie Funk , said the biggest declines in internet freedom were in Sudan and Kazakhstan , followed by Brazil , Bangladesh , and Zimbabwe . China , well known for its oppressive approach to the internet , still ranks as the world β s worst abuser of internet freedom , based partly on crackdowns launched ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and in response to anti-government protests in Hong Kong .
He noted that the US has its own issues , with law enforcement agencies β increasing use of social media monitoring and warrantless searches of travelers β devices , and widespread disinformation efforts around the 2018 midterm elections , β with both domestic and foreign actors manipulating content for political purposes , β with similar activity gearing up for 2020 .
The report analyzes tactics deployed in countries during recent elections , finding three broad categories of interference : informational , technical , and legal .
Shabaz called on the US congress and tech companies increase transparency around paid content , audit standards , and regulation of social media surveillance tools , and pointed to new laws in Washington , Illinois , and California , arguing that states could help drive policy in the face of Republican resistance to new federal laws designed to protect elections .
β I do think that it might be a slow and difficult process but , β Shabaz added , β states can be a leader in demonstrating that reforms to the law are actually possible and can play a positive role in securing elections . β | Ro5vnCd04fkAgRbZ | 0 | Misinformation And Disinformation | 0.7 | Technology | -0.5 | Cybersecurity | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | |
federal_budget | Reason | https://reason.com/archives/2017/03/30/the-coming-federal-fiscal-binge | The Coming Federal Fiscal Binge | 2017-03-30 | Federal Budget, Economy And Jobs | William Safire said that as a speechwriter for Richard Nixon , he would sometimes urge the president , `` Take the easy way ! '' Nixon could then give a speech saying he had rejected advice from his aides to take the easy way , preferring to do what was right .
Politicians may pretend to make hard choices , but they rarely do . Those in office now wo n't be inspired to heroic deeds by the failure to repeal Obamacare . Just the opposite .
The lesson of this episode is that it 's hard to reach agreement on taking things away from the voters . The corollary is that it 's easy to reach agreement on giving things to the voters . The obvious next step is a fiscal binge that serves the selfish interests of everyone except posterity .
Here 's how it may play out : Congressional Republicans pass tax cuts . Democrats join them on a big infrastructure bill . President Donald Trump 's proposed spending cuts come to little or nothing . The deficit balloons , and not many people in Washington care .
Robert Bixby , executive director of The Concord Coalition , a nonpartisan budget watchdog , tells me , `` There 's a political logic to it : 'You get what you want . We get what we want . And the future will pay for it . ' '' Marc Goldwein , senior policy director of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , agrees : `` The risk of irresponsibility is high . ''
Having lost on overhauling health care , Trump indicated he is ready to move on to tax reform . This choice evoked chortles from skeptics , who say a major revision of the Internal Revenue Code will be an even harder challenge .
But why assume Republicans will balk at anything short of a comprehensive overhaul ? If they ca n't get thatβand there is no βββ to think they canβthey will almost certainly settle for tax cuts , even if it means bigger budget deficits . That 's been their default option for decades .
Trump could n't care less about the deficit . So GOP members will meet no particular resistance from him if they want to cut rates , scrap the estate tax or the alternative minimum tax , or increase the standard deduction .
House Speaker Paul Ryan has in mind a border adjustment tax , which would bring in enough revenue to make up all or most of what the other changes would lose . But neither Trump nor congressional Republicans are likely to approve a measure that would raise consumer prices and be hard to explain . The path of least resistance involves dropping the proposal and not bothering to pay for the tax cuts .
Paying for them holds little allure because it would mean either killing tax breaks cherished by millions of people or curtailing outlays . Trump has proposed some $ 54 billion in spending reductions , taken from agencies ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency to the National Endowment for the Arts , but those could n't be used to offset tax cuts . The money saved is supposed to go for Trump 's military buildup .
But rest assured , it wo n't be saved in the first place . `` Some of Trump 's closest allies said his budget has virtually no chance in Congress , '' reported The Washington Post . `` Even those fiscal conservatives who do want to cut spending do n't necessarily think slashing major domestic programs is the answer . ''
The only other place where spending could be cut much is in the biggest entitlementsβSocial Security , Medicare and Medicaid . But Trump the candidate promised not to go after Social Security and Medicare . Leaving Obamacare alone means Medicaid escaped the ax .
The president should have more luck boosting outlays . He envisions a $ 1 trillion program aimed at `` revitalizing our country 's ruined roads , crumbling bridges and outdated airports , '' Press Secretary Sean Spicer explained . Trump told The New York Times he intends to `` prime the pump to some extent . In other words : Spend money to make a lot more money in the future . ''
It 's a classic Keynesian formula with a long Democratic pedigree . Getting bipartisan support should not be a heavy lift . The website Axios reports that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi `` wants Trump to move quickly on a 'big jobs bill ' that includes some corporate and middle income tax cuts coupled with government spending to stimulate growth . ''
The problem with all this is that it would squander money we do n't have , further enlarging our national debt and loading more burdens onto our children and grandchildren . That 's not the responsible way , but it is the easy way . And politicians will be eager to take it . | a99d04cc4d4fe58e | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
criminal_justice | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/30/reports-erica-garner-outspoken-activist-after-her-dad-police-chokehold-victim-dies/992164001/ | Erica Garner, outspoken activist after her dad was police chokehold victim, dies | 2017-12-30 | criminal_justice | CLOSE Erica Garner , the daughter of Eric Garner has died . She was 27 years old . Garner became an activist after her father died on Staten Island , N.Y. , in 2014 as police were trying to arrest him . βββ
Erica Garner , who became an outspoken critic of police brutality following the death of her father during a police chokehold , died Saturday while in a coma following a massive heart attack .
The Rev . Al Sharpton , in announcing Garner β s death Saturday , says she fought for justice and was β a warrior to the end. β She died in a New York hospital .
Garner , 27 , became an activist after her father , Eric Garner , died on Staten Island , N.Y. , in 2014 as police were trying to arrest him on suspicion of selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps .
She passed away this morning . The reports are real . We did n't deserve her . β officialERICA GARNER ( @ es_snipes ) December 30 , 2017
In the incident , captured on video , Garner 's last words , `` I ca n't breathe , '' became a slogan for activists .
A grand jury declined to indict the officer involved in the incident ; the city agreed to pay a $ 6 million civil settlement .
His daughter had been in a coma after suffering cardiac arrest on Christmas Eve . Her mother , Esaw Snipes-Garner , said her daughter suffered her first heart attack not long after giving birth in August , WABC-TV reports .
Erica the world loves you . I love you . I am glad you came into our lives . May you find the peace in the next life that you deserved while you were here . I will always love you my sister . love you β officialERICA GARNER ( @ es_snipes ) December 30 , 2017
`` Her heart was bigger than the world . It really really was , '' her official Twitter account , which was run by her family and friends after her illness , said in a statement . `` She cared when most people would n't have . She was good . She only pursued right , no matter what . No one gave her justice . ''
During the 2016 campaign , the activist endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders , of Vermont , for president in the Democratic primaries and appeared in a campaign ad on his behalf . She also criticized New York City 's Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio over policing matters .
Shortly after Erica was hospitalized , Sanders issued a statement on Twitter regarding her activism .
β My thoughts are with Erica Garner , β he said . β I have had the privilege of joining with her at a number of events and was deeply impressed with her courage and insights . β | ZZt1KCPou8u1ojOv | 1 | Black Lives Matter | 0.3 | Criminal Justice | -0.1 | Justice | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/14/opinion/kurtz-obama-second-term/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | Obama's second-term curse? Not so fast | 2013-05-14 | White House, Politics | Story highlights Howard Kurtz : Media saying Obama is running into the `` second-term curse ''
He says it 's true Obama 's running into trouble , but pundits ' rush to judgment premature
Second-termers ( see Reagan , Bush , Clinton ) have successes along with stumbles , he says
Kurtz : Obama does face wind down of sway ; this could affect his impact more than errors
Less than four months after taking the oath of office for the second time , he is seen as falling prey to some mysterious witchcraft that casts a fatal spell on re-elected presidents .
`` President Obama stares down the second-term curse , `` says Politico . And such stories ricocheted onto NBC 's `` Today '' show , on which , we learned , `` some observers '' are questioning whether `` Mr. Obama is falling victim to the second-term curse . ''
One can almost conjure up a bubbling cauldron of black smoke with a wand-wielding wizard laughing diabolically .
Now , there 's no question that second-term presidents often stumble or run out of gas . But the punditry suggests a one-size-fits-all scenario that is n't borne out by history . What 's more , there 's a rush-to-judgment air to some of these pronouncements that implies his second term is on the verge of failure , with more than 3 1/2 years to go .
It is n't hard to build the case that the president finds himself in a ditch . The almost offhanded disclosure that the IRS was targeting conservative and tea party groups for reviews of their tax-exempt status , and the revelation that a top agency official knew about this two years ago , is an outrage that carries disturbing echoes of Richard Nixon . ( Now there 's a guy whose second term did n't turn out too well . )
The Benghazi debacle ( which of course happened in Obama 's first term ) finally gained traction after ABC News reported that the administration 's misleading talking points after the fatal attack had been scrubbed to remove references to a group affiliated with al-Qaeda and CIA warnings about terrorism .
Republicans , meanwhile , have been making Obama 's life miserable , defeating a modest measure on background checks for guns , slow-walking immigration legislation and refusing to vote for some Cabinet nominees .
JUST WATCHED IRS admits it targeted tea party groups Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH IRS admits it targeted tea party groups 03:46
JUST WATCHED Issa : Obama could n't be more inaccurate Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Issa : Obama could n't be more inaccurate 05:23
JUST WATCHED Bush pushes for immigration reform Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bush pushes for immigration reform 02:01
But does that amount to a jinxed second term , or the same kind of partisan standoff that has marked Obama 's years in office ? A look back at recent second-termers makes clear that every set of problems is inherently different .
George W. Bush vowed to spend his political capital after winning in 2004 , but a move to privatize Social Security quickly collapsed . The sluggish federal response to Hurricane Katrina sealed an image of the administration as incompetent , against the backdrop of a bloody Iraq war . And he left office amid the financial crisis of 2008 .
Bill Clinton 's second term blew up when the Monica Lewinsky scandal erupted and he got himself impeached . But less remembered is the pre-scandal year of 1997 , when the president and Newt Gingrich 's Republicans hammered out an agreement to balance the budget for the first time in three decades . It was sex and lies that proved Clinton 's undoing , although his popularity remained high when he left office .
In similar fashion , Ronald Reagan 's second term ran aground when the Iran-Contra scandal exploded in late 1986 . What has been overshadowed is the sweeping legislation on tax reform and overhauling immigration that he passed earlier in the year . And Reagan 's personal approval rating was sufficiently intact that he was able to hand over the office to his vice president .
As for Obama , smart journalists are careful not to be definitive when writing their trend pieces . Politico says the recent setbacks `` have left the president feeling deeply frustrated , even angry β and eager to find a way to recapture the offensive . '' The Washington Post piece describes his mounting woes as `` diversions working against a president who is keenly aware of how little time he has left to achieve big things . ''
This brings us to the thing that every second-term president since FDR has indeed faced : a ticking clock .
A re-elected commander-in-chief is a lame duck whose ability to reward and punish inevitably diminishes as his departure date approaches . And that , rather than any sinister voodoo , may be Obama 's biggest problem as he tries to dig his way out of this ditch . | d9a12da0fa6df542 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | HotAir | http://hotair.com/archives/2013/10/22/confirmed-healthcare-gov-run-by-incompetents/ | Confirmed: Healthcare.gov run by incompetents | 2013-10-22 | healthcare | Yes , this isn β t exactly breaking news , given all of the evidence we β ve seen since the rollout . Today , though , we have two conflicting reports pointing fingers at the government and at the contractors hired by the government , with both sides claiming that the other β s incompetence is what created the biggest debacle in the launch of a major government program in memory , and perhaps ever . First , CNN spoke to former Obama administration tech adviser Clay Johnson , who blamed the problem on β sloppy β contractors , but notes that the problems run deeper in government , too :
Clay Johnson , who served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow beginning in August 2012 , wrote in a blog post on October 7 that signs of flaws on Healthcare.gov were apparent from the day it went online , including the use of placeholder text in the site β s code . β The contractors who made this website were at best sloppy , and at worst unqualified for the job , β Johnson wrote . β¦ A separate posting on Johnson β s blog from Monday offered a few ways the site could be fixed , including the recommendation the administration hold the contractors responsible for the poorly-concocted website responsible . β The problem here isn β t just the result of bad programming , β he wrote . β It β s the result of bad systems and bad architecture from the get-go . When you try and build the world β s biggest shopping mall and the only place you can buy your support beams from is a balsa-wood mill , your building is going to collapse. β Opening the website to outside experts will help fix some of the problems , he wrote , but expecting substantial changes in a short amount of time could be unreasonable .
Au contraire , says the Associated Press , which interviewed the contractors . They tried raising red flags β for months β about the problems arising in the development of Healthcare.gov and the systems behind it , but the Obama administration ignored them . Furthermore , HHS decided to do its own testing rather than bring in experts , which explains why it happened late and had no impact on the rollout :
Crammed into conference rooms with pizza for dinner , some programmers building the Obama administration β s showcase health insurance website were growing increasingly stressed . Some worked past 10 p.m. , energy drinks in hand . Others rewrote computer code over and over to meet what they considered last-minute requests for changes from the government or other contractors . As questions mount over the website β s failure , insider interviews and a review of technical specifications by The Associated Press found a mind-numbingly complex system put together by harried programmers who pushed out a final product that congressional investigators said was tested by the government and not private developers with more expertise . β¦ A review of internal architectural diagrams obtained by the AP revealed the system β s complexity . Insurance applicants have a host of personal information verified , including income and immigration status . The system connects to other federal computer networks , including ones at the Social Security Administration , IRS , Veterans Administration , Office of Personnel Management and the Peace Corps .
Johnson makes a larger point about the lack of competence in government for private-sector activities :
β Healthcare.gov got this way not because of incompetence or sloppiness of an individual vendor , but because of a deeply engrained and malignant cancer that β s eating away at the federal government β s ability to provide effective online services , β he wrote . β It β s a cancer that β s shut out the best and brightest minds from working on these problems , diminished competition for federal work , and landed us here β where you have half-billion dollar websites that don β t work , β he wrote , linking to USASpending.gov .
First , that problem seems to have first appeared on Obama β s watch . The Medicare Advantage website does exactly what the Healthcare.gov website is supposed to do β allow consumers to make choices of private insurance plans in part with subsidies from the federal government in the form of Medicare and Social Security benefits . That doesn β t involve a connection to the IRS , but neither do most of the problems seen at Healthcare.gov , either . Why HHS couldn β t use that as a model in its 42-month development of the exchange system is a mystery .
More importantly , though , this confirms that the issues aren β t the contractors , but the federal government agency that hired them . And if we take Johnson β s larger point to its natural conclusion , then we shouldn β t have the government involved in brokering private-sector transactions at all , nor in mandating that activity as tax law . Johnson β s right that the federal government has proven itself incompetent in running this kind of private-sector activity , which is why it should cease doing so and look for other ways to reform the health-insurance system .
Finally , when the finger-pointing starts , it β s a clear sign that ( a ) the project is a massive failure , and ( b ) no one really knows how to fix it .
Update : Glenn Reynolds wonders whether technology might end up saving us from ObamaCare :
Despite all the problems with Obamacare , there β s some good news on the horizon for medical care and costs . The good news has nothing to do with exchanges , reimbursement rates or β navigators , β but everything to do with a phenomenon that has cut costs elsewhere in American society : technology . β¦ This phenomenon holds true even for far more sophisticated technologies than just spring-loaded needles . Many schools β as well as malls , airports , and other public facilities β are installing Automated External Defibrillators . These are designed so that almost anyone can use them to administer life-saving resuscitation to someone whose heart has stopped or gone into deadly ventricular fibrillation . A computer in the device reads the victim β s EKG and administers a shock if called for . Voice commands tell the user what to do . How simple are these gadgets ? So simple that you can buy them on Amazon , to install in your home . The proliferation of these defibrillators is a good thing , since sudden cardiac death is a serious problem , and it often strikes unlikely victims . But this is just the start .
That model has adults making their own decisions on purchases and preparing themselves to take charge of their own health care . The ObamaCare model forces government control in health care and treats adults like children . Given the competence demonstrated in the latter model , I β d hope that the former model emerges β¦ and soon .
Update : I fixed a sentence that was left incomplete in the original post . | 1u2phdRCM3iG0zm0 | 2 | Healthcare | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | NBC News Digital | https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-authorizes-first-covid-pill-pfizer-emergency-use-rcna8760 | FDA authorizes first Covid pill, from Pfizer, for emergency use | 2021-12-22 | Coronavirus, Pfizer, Public Health, FDA, Science, Medicine | The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized the first Covid-19 antiviral pill in the U.S. to protect against severe disease.The oral drug from Pfizer, called Paxlovid, will be prescribed for use in adults and children ages 12 and up with mild to moderate Covid who are at risk for severe disease or hospitalization, the FDA said in a statement.Full coverage of the Covid-19 pandemicThe authorization marks "a major step forward" in the pandemic, Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the agencyβs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.βThis authorization provides a new tool to combat Covid-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe Covid-19," she said.While the pill from Pfizer is not a replacement for vaccinations, it adds an easily administered treatment to help keep people at high risk of severe illness out of the hospital.The new treatment could help ease the burden on hospitals as the omicron variant surges across the U.S. Initially, the supply of the drug is likely to be extremely limited, experts say.Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement Wednesday that the company is ready to begin delivery of the drug to the U.S. "immediately.""This breakthrough therapy, which has been shown to significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths and can be taken at home, will change the way we treat Covid-19, and hopefully help reduce some of the significant pressures facing our healthcare and hospital systems,β he said.The FDA did not seek the advice of its independent advisory panel, called the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee, when it reviewed data on Pfizer's pill.The agency did convene its advisory group to review the application for another antiviral treatment, a pill called molnupiravir, from Merck. The panel last month voted narrowly in favor of recommending that drug for emergency use authorization. The agency hasn't announced a decision yet on that drug.Pfizer has said a final analysis of its clinical trials found its drug to be 89 percent effective at preventing high-risk people from being hospitalized or dying from Covid, which was consistent with the results of the interim analysis the company released early last month. By comparison, clinical trials found Merck's treatment reduced the risk of hospitalization and death among high-risk Covid patients by 30 percent.A full course of Pfizer's treatment is 30 pills β taken as three pills twice daily for five days. The treatment includes a low dose of ritonavir, a commonly used HIV drug, along with an antiviral developed by Pfizer called nirmatrelvir.The treatment needs to be taken early to be effective β within five days of first symptoms, according to the FDA.A committee of the National Institutes of Health is putting together guidelines to help inform physicians about how to prescribe Paxlovid, including whether it's the best treatment option for patients or whether other therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies or the antiviral drug remdesivir, should be used, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White Houseβs chief medical adviser, said at a Covid-19 briefing Wednesday afternoon. The guidelines will be released βshortly,β he added.The agency noted that the drug may be unsuitable for some people, such as those with HIV or some organ transplant patients, because of the potential for interactions with other medications.Dr. David Boulware, an infectious disease physician at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said getting tested for Covid as soon as possible will be essential to getting access to the antivirals.He said the Pfizer drug works better than current monoclonal antibody treatments, some of which are no longer effective against the omicron variant.Pfizer has said the pill should work against the omicron variant, which is the dominant variant in the U.S.The initial supply of the drugs will be limited.Bourla has said the company expects to have 180,000 courses of the treatment available by the end of the year. It expects as many as 120 million courses by the end of next year, up from 80 million. The Biden administration purchased 10 million courses of Paxlovid.Jeff Zients, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator, said during the briefing Wednesday that the production of Pfizerβs pill can take six to eight months because of to the βcomplex chemistryβ involved in synthesizing the medicationβs active ingredients.Because the pills take time to manufacture, the country will have only 265,000 treatment courses available in January, with "month totals of pills ramping up across the year and in all 10 million treatment courses delivered by late summer," he said.The Biden administration plans to distribute the pills in "a fair and equitable way," he said, and they will be provided to states and other jurisdictions at no cost.The administration also plans to meet with Pfizer to discuss how it can help improve the company's manufacturing capacity, he said.Follow NBC HEALTH on Twitter & Facebook. | 60656b01f31ab30e | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/23/politics/jeb-bush-south-carolina/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Jeb Bush talks 2016 run with donors | 2014-10-23 | Elections, Presidential Elections, Jeb Bush | Story highlights Jeb Bush met with South Carolina donors and business leaders Thursday
Bush said he was seriously considering a presidential run in 2016
Jeb Bush was blitzed with questions Thursday about his presidential ambitions in a private session with top South Carolina donors and business leaders , multiple sources at the meeting told CNN .
Bush was politely non-committal , as he is in public , but said he was seriously considering the possibility and would make a decision after the holiday season .
Bush , brother to one former president and son of another , was also pressed on whether he thought his last name would be a liability in a national campaign .
The former Florida governor responded that `` he quit worrying about that a long time ago , '' according to two people in the room .
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`` He said that everybody has things about them that are positives and negatives , but he said he loves his brother and loves his father , and that every campaign is about telling people who you are , '' said one source . `` He said that my last name is the same , but I am not them . That my job is to show people who I am as a policy maker and a man , and that 's the same job everyone else has . ''
The former Florida governor was in the state , which happens to hold the first presidential primary in the south , for a round of campaigning with South Carolina Gov . Nikki Haley , who is expected to win re-election next month .
Bush has traveled the country raising money for Republican candidates this cycle , but the South Carolina visit marked his first trek to an early primary state as questions about his national ambitions build .
Following crowded public events in Greenville and Lexington , Bush headlined a fundraiser for Haley in Columbia that included a high-dollar roundtable with about 30 of the state 's top business leaders and Republican officials including Pamela Lackey , the president of AT & T South Carolina , Mikee Johnson , head of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce , and former state Attorney General Henry McMaster .
In the roundtable β where price of entry was $ 10,000 β Republicans exchanged pleasantries with Bush about his family before diving into questions about his political future .
`` This was n't a politically agnostic business crowd , '' said one person in the room who did not want to be identified . `` They dialed right in and wanted to get into politics , the horse race of 2016 . ''
Bush , this person said , was `` very engaging , but he was very non-committal about running . He said he has to have joy in his heart to do it . And he said he gets the question wherever he goes . ''
Ed McMullen , a Republican public affairs strategist in Columbia , said the response to Bush from the donor crowd was `` unbelievable . ''
`` He said that if I am going to run , I would run because I have a positive vision to take the country forward and unify people and do something that the other people in the race are not talking about , '' McMullen said . `` He had that positive Reagan vision of creating a majority that transcends parties and races and brings people together . I 'll tell you what , he makes it very easy to be for him . ''
At one point , Bush expressed annoyance with the polarizing fights and constant negativity of the political news media β he later said his media diet includes Fox News in the morning , followed by SportsCenter on ESPN β and said he is `` frustrated '' by the toxic climate in Washington . Republicans , though , need to do more than just criticize President Barack Obama , he added.β
`` He said , 'It 's easy to criticize . I turn on the news . I am frustrated . I get the temptation . But that ca n't be the only reason that people elect you , that you 're not the other guy , '' one source at the fundraiser recalled . `` The next Republican has to run about their ideas and what they will do . I get the temptation but that ca n't be the only reason that people elect you is that you 're not the other guy . ''
Bush told the donors he admires the restraint of his brother , former president George W. Bush , for not criticizing Obama even as the security situation in Iraq deteriorates .
`` He talked about how proud he was of his brother , '' said one GOP donor . `` He said , I could n't do it , but what a class act that he knows it 's not his place to come out and publicly criticize the sitting president . He said it 's tearing his brother up . ''
UPDATE : This story is updated to reflect Bush 's comments on the media . | 1f7f15b55154a75c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
joe_biden | Politico | https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/23/biden-documents-democrats-concern-00079138 | Dems concerned over handling of Biden documents | 2023-01-24 | Joe Biden, Classified Documents, Senate Democrats, Joe Manchin | Congress The discovery of new papers has created a political headache after Democrats sought to hammer Trump for his handling of classified material. Democratic senators raised concerns at the latest document discovery, with Sen. Joe Manchin offering the harshest review for the White House. | Francis Chung/POLITICO By Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett 01/23/2023 08:53 PM EST Link Copied Senate Democrats are wincing at President Joe Bidenβs handling of classified documents, even as they seek to draw a distinction between the incumbent president and former President Donald Trump. In interviews on Monday evening, Democratic senators raised concerns at the latest document discovery, with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia offering the harshest review for the White House: βIt couldnβt get any worse.β Manchin wasnβt alone. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) put it simply: βI donβt think β¦ any classified document should be at somebodyβs house.β And Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said the White Houseβs handling of the classified information stood in βsharp contrastβ to the way Congress approaches such documents. Senate Democrats returned on Monday after a long recess β and after the Justice Department found additional classified documents during a 13-hour search of Bidenβs home in Wilmington, Del. The discovery of those documents, on top of classified materials found in November and December, has created a political headache after Democrats sought to hammer Trump for his handling of classified material. 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. The issue is also an unwelcome one for the party, as Democrats have sought to focus their attention on House Republicansβ chaotic start to the 118th Congress. Whatβs more, classified documents could animate the presidential campaign if Biden runs for a second term, as is expected. βI hope they found them all,β Durbin said of the Biden administrationβs hunt for more documents. As for the president, Durbin observed: βHe has done well by cooperating every step of the way, unlike Trump, but he still has documents that I donβt understand why heβd have in his personal possession.β When asked about the criticism from Democratic senators, White House spokesperson Ian Sams told reporters on Monday that Durbin had also emphasized that Biden was βhandling this in the right wayβ and that βfull cooperation is the right way that this should be handled.β Itβs also not a full-on rebellion. Democrats reject comparisons with Trump, who is under investigation for retaining highly sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida β and for allegedly obstructing investigators seeking to recover them. They argue that unlike Trump, Bidenβs legal team turned over the documents upon their discovery and invited the Justice Department to search for more. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), however, said the discovery of the Biden documents βneutralizes the issueβ politically. βTheyβre trying to attack former President Trump. Biden was chair of the Foreign Relations Committeeβ when he was in the Senate, Thune said. βHe should have known better. And they were trying to claim the high ground on this issue when the shoe was on the other foot. And I think itβs a very tough issue for them to have to navigate right now.β 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. Other Democratic senators defended Biden and are still highlighting a contrast with Trump. Retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the No. 3 Democratic leader, said Biden was βdoing exactly the right thing,β adding: βI wish former President Trump had done that rather than arguing they were his papers.β Still, not every Democrat wants to make the comparison with Trump. Kelly suggested that the distinction between Biden and Trumpβs situations was βup to somebody who actually does an investigation.β And he said it was an issue he was paying close attention to: βI spent 25 years in the United States Navy. I take this stuff very seriously, personally. β¦ Folks, you know, shouldnβt be taking classified documents out of federal government buildings and out of classified settings.β Many Democrats are not eager to opine on the Biden documents, and several said they would withhold judgment and wait until the results of special counsel Robert Hurβs investigation. (The Justice Department previously appointed a different special counsel to investigate Trumpβs handling of classified documents.) 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. βYou have to get the answers to the questions before you reach a judgment,β said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who is running for reelection in 2024. βIf itβs a handful of documents and theyβre not very serious, and maybe they were once classified but theyβre not anymore, and thereβs a good explanation for why he had them β but you donβt know the answer to those questions.β Meanwhile, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who is also up for reelection in a purple state, said Biden was βcooperating thoroughly and proactively.β Some Democratic committee chairs, while declining to criticize Biden, have said they want to look at the handling of classified documents broadly. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) earlier this month called for a briefing related to both the Biden and Trump documents. He told reporters on Monday that he hoped for an update soon. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said his panel was also looking broadly at the retention of records. Peters, who also runs Democratsβ campaign arm, said he wanted to deal with the issue βfor presidencies in general. And weβre going to try to do that in a nonpoliticized way.β Jordain Carney and Kyle Cheney contributed to this report. 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 | 9ab789d31f1419e9 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/15/donald-trump-struggles-present-unified-message-iran-tensions-flare/3665145002/ | Varied points of view rise from Trump, an ally and Iran as Middle East tensions flare | 2019-05-15 | foreign_policy | WASHINGTON β President Donald Trump is struggling to present a unified message on Iran with one high-profile military official undercutting the basis for his administration 's confrontational strategy and outside experts increasingly questioning the U.S. endgame .
As bombers recently deployed to the Middle East flew their first message-sending sorties , the president appeared to be caught between hard line advisers calling for more aggressive action against Tehran and others attempting to avoid an escalation .
In a remarkable break with the Trump administration , a British general who is the No . 2 officer in the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq said Tuesday that the threat from Iran is no greater than it was months ago , drawing a quick rebuke from the Pentagon .
Trump , meanwhile , dismissed a report he is planning to send additional troops to the Middle East but also insisted he would do so `` absolutely '' if needed .
`` I really don β t see any benefit from the contradictory messaging , '' said John McLaughlin , a former deputy director at the CIA who teaches at the Johns Hopkins University β s School of Advanced International Studies . `` It leaves the Iranians confused , our allies discouraged , and the American public puzzled and concerned . ''
Clearing out : U.S. Embassy orders staff to leave Iraq amid Iran tensions
New threats : Iran says Trump playing 'very dangerous game , ' risking 'devastating war '
All of the saber rattling left some experts questioning whether the White House is attempting to repeat the aggressive stance it took toward North Korea before then softening the rhetoric in exchange for temporary concessions Trump used to claim success . Experts have questioned the strategy after Kim Jong Un restarted missile tests shortly after Trump praised the North Korea leader for suspending them .
Tension with Iran began to rise this month when John Bolton , Trump β s National Security Advisor , announced that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and warships that travel with her were steaming to the region ahead of schedule .
A group of bombers was also dispatched as Bolton cited increasing alarm over threats to the thousands of U.S. troops in the region .
The next day , Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers noted β indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and our interests . β
Ominously , the Pentagon announced the bombers were B-52s . Though the Stratofortress aircraft first flew in the Cold War , the huge warplanes have been updated and can loiter aloft with an arsenal of sophisticated weaponry that can be launched from a safe distance at targets inside Iran .
Troops report : Trump dismisses report of plan to send troops to Middle East
Two days after Bolton β s announcement , Navy Capt . Bill Urban , a spokesman for U.S. Central Command , said the military had detected β credible threat streams emanating from the regime in Iran throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility . β
By the end of the week , the Pentagon announced it was bolstering the force , sending a Marine transport ship , the USS Arlington , and Patriot air-defense missiles to the region . Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie , who commands U.S. forces in the Middle East , had made the request for additional forces , the Pentagon revealed .
Meantime , senior military officials , including Patrick Shanahan , the acting Defense Secretary , met quietly on Thursday to develop plans to send as many as 120,000 U.S. troops to the region , according to the New York Times .
Trump offered somewhat contradictory statements Tuesday . Asked about the New York Times report that the administration was considering sending 120,000 troops , the president said no such plans are in the works .
But then , in the next breath , he ratcheted up his anti-Iran rhetoric .
`` Would I do that ? Absolutely , '' Trump said of troops . If the administration decided to deploy soldiers to the region , he said , `` we β d send a hell of lot more troops than that . ''
Hours later , British Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika , the No . 2 officer in Operation Inherent Resolve , told Pentagon reporters the threat from Iran was , in fact , not higher than it was months ago .
His comments were at odds with U.S. officials , and Capt . Urban , the spokesman for U.S. Central Command , said in a statement that Ghrika is wrong .
Michael O β Hanlon , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution , cautioned against reading too much into the apparent disagreement between coalition officials .
A `` threat includes intent to pull the trigger , not just capability β not just more preparatory activity , '' he said . `` So until the trigger is , in fact , pulled , one can have a full and rich debate . ''
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who was traveling in Russia on Tuesday , appeared to tamp down escalating tensions .
`` We fundamentally do not see a war with Iran , '' Pompeo said when asked about the New York Times report during a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov . He said the U.S. wants Iran to stop funding terrorist groups and `` behave like a normal country . ''
A senior Iranian official warned Tuesday that the U.S. is playing a `` very dangerous game '' and suggested Trump could `` drag Iran into an unnecessary war . ''
Hamid Baeidinejad , Iran β s ambassador to the United Kingdom , said Trump made a `` serious miscalculation '' in deploying an aircraft carrier strike group , B-52 bombers and other military personnel and equipment to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged , unspecified Iranian threats .
Baeidinejad denied that Iran or its `` proxies '' were behind what Washington described as the `` sabotage '' of oil tankers in the Gulf belonging to Saudi Arabia , Norway and the United Arab Emirates . Saudi Arabia said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure , an incident that caused global oil price benchmarks to jump .
`` We are prepared for any eventuality , '' Baeidinejad said . `` This I can tell you . ''
Like what you β re reading ? Download the βββ app for more | aQxxo6VpujCs6Gvd | 1 | Iran | -1.3 | Donald Trump | 0.3 | Foreign Policy | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
politics | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51214457 | Impeachment: Democrats reject witness swap in Trump trial | 2020-01-23 | Impeachment, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, John Bolton, Politics | US Democrats have ruled out a "witness swap" with Republicans in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Lawmakers who are seeking to remove the president from office hope to hear testimony from his former National Security Adviser John Bolton. But Democrats refused any deal to allow the son of former US Vice-President Joe Biden to be called as a witness. Mr Trump is accused of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He strongly denies any wrongdoing. House Democrats have up to three days to make their case as they present their arguments in the impeachment trial in the Senate. Mr Trump's defence team will have three days after that for a rebuttal. Democrats accuse the president of using US military aid as a bargaining chip in an attempt to prod Ukraine into announcing an investigation to discredit his would-be Democratic White House challenger, Mr Biden. Mr Trump has been touting corruption claims against Mr Biden, whose son Hunter held a lucrative board position with a Ukrainian gas firm while his father was US vice-president and in charge of American-Ukrainian relations. Attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Mr Trump jokingly warned he might confront Democrats by coming to "sit right in the front row and stare at their corrupt faces". The impeachment trial could end next week, but Mr Trump's fellow Republicans control the chamber and are unlikely to oust him. There was one thing in particular that President Trump said which was kind of like a red rag to a bull. It's when he said basically: "Well things are going very well, we have all the information, and they [Democrats] have none of it." Well, if you want a fair trial, then maybe that information should be made available. We keep using the word "trial", and the words "jurors" and "witnesses" and "evidence", but we must not lose sight that this is a political process. We saw that clearly last night when the first votes started coming in. In a vote that split completely along party lines, 53 Republicans said "no we should not be able to subpoena the White House for documents", while 47 Democrats said "yes we should". So we have Donald Trump kind of goading and saying: "Look I've got the information. We know what happened, but we're not going to tell you." I think this might inflame public opinion. Polls are already indicating that a clear majority believe that evidence should be handed over and witnesses should be called. Democrats want to call Mr Bolton, who referred to the White House's alleged political pressure on Ukraine as a "drug deal", according to previous witness testimony in the House of Representatives. But the former national security adviser has said he will not consider testifying unless served with a legal summons known as a subpoena. Mr Trump's Republican allies have argued Hunter Biden should also be ordered to appear before the impeachment trial. But Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the Senate, told reporters during a break in the trial on Wednesday: "That trade is not on the table." Joe Biden said on Wednesday in Osage, Iowa, where he is campaigning for the White House that he would not offer himself up in any witness trade. "We're not going to turn it into a farce or political theatre," Mr Biden said. "I want no part of that." Defending his son, Mr Biden added: "There's nobody that's indicated there's a single solitary thing he did that was inappropriate or wrong - other than the appearance. It looked bad that he was there." Mr Biden said last year that if elected president, no-one in his family would hold a job or have a business relationship with a foreign corporation. On Wednesday, the lead Democratic prosecutor, California congressman Adam Schiff, criticised President Trump's dealings with Ukraine as "worse than crazy". "It's repulsive, it's repugnant. It breaks our word. And to do it in the name of these corrupt investigations is also contrary to everything we espouse around the world," he said. Mr Schiff, who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, urged Republicans to vote to remove Mr Trump from office to "protect our democracy". He warned that senators would "also undermine our global standing" if they do not oust the president. The first day of the trial dragged on till the early hours of Wednesday morning as the senators debated a flurry of incremental motions. Much of the evidence being laid out is a rehash of testimony already presented exhaustively in the House of Representatives, which voted to impeach Mr Trump last month. Under arcane rules, senators are forbidden to drink coffee on the chamber floor and are only allowed water and milk. A number of senators, mostly Republicans, were seen to be absent from the chamber during Mr Schiff's presentation. Also, several members were spotted dozing during the proceedings. What questions do you have about Donald Trump's impeachment trial? In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy. Use this form to ask your question: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | ba7e6bde0a0ebf99 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
abortion | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/17/texas-abortion-law-women-valley/8804871/ | Texas abortion law creates obstacles for Valley women | 2014-05-17 | abortion | BROWNSVILLE , Tex . β The women who visit Lucy Felix at her advocacy center are lately faced with a slate of difficult choices : risk deportation to drive to a clinic , cross the nearby border into Mexico for a risky abortion or keep an unwanted , unplanned pregnancy to term .
Since Texas lawmakers passed new restrictions on abortion clinics last year , the number of clinics in the Rio Grande Valley that perform the service has dropped from two to zero , forcing women to drive more than 300 miles roundtrip to other cities for services or attempt riskier procedures across the border .
In the Valley , the poorest and neediest part of the state , the law is crippling women 's rights to abortions , said Felix , a Brownsville-based field coordinator with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health .
`` They have to make really drastic decisions , '' she said of the women she talks to . `` They do n't have the same access and the same freedom other women have . ''
Under Texas House Bill 2 , doctors who perform abortions must have admitting privileges at area hospitals , abortions past 20 weeks are banned , and abortion clinics must have ambulatory surgical centers . The law came on the heels of an earlier legislative action that slashed more than $ 70 million from the state 's family planning budget , which helps fund clinics such as Planned Parenthood in Texas .
The new abortion law spurred an international outcry on social media sites such as Twitter , sparked a march on the state capitol during its debate in Austin and has been challenged in federal court by pro-choice groups such as Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights . A federal judge in Austin is expected to hear one of those cases in August .
In the wake of the new guidelines , the number of licensed abortion facilities in Texas dropped from 41 in 2011 to 24 today , according to the state Department of State Health Services . When the portion of the law requiring ambulatory surgical centers kicks in on Sept. 1 , that number could fall to six .
Supporters of the law say the measures are long-overdue to ensure the health and safety of women seeking abortions . The clinics that have closed have done so voluntarily and the new rules will safeguard against health violations at abortion clinics , said Joe Pojman , executive director of the non-profit , pro-life group Texas Alliance for Life .
`` The state of Texas is not closing these abortion facilities , '' Pojman said . `` The abortion facilities are deciding they do not wish to provide the new health and safety standards the state requires . ''
But the closing clinics often ca n't afford the costly additions required by the law and amount to unlawful restrictions of abortion rights guaranteed by the U.S. Supreme Court , said Julie Rikelman , legislative director of the Center for Reproductive Rights . Texas is one of more than a dozen states across the USA , including Georgia and Arkansas , that are using state restrictions to chip away at federally-guaranteed abortion rights , she said .
Medical groups such as the Texas Medical Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have opposed provisions of the law , Rikelman said .
`` These admitting privileges laws are not being pushed by doctors or medical organizations , '' she said . `` They are being pushed by anti-choice politicians . It 's not about women 's health . It 's about choking off access to legal abortion services . ''
One of the most vulnerable areas under the new law is the Rio Grande Valley , one of the poorest parts of the state running from Brownsville to Rio Grande City along the Mexican border and home to about 275,000 reproductive age women , according to Ibis Reproductive Health , a non-profit group that studies women 's health issues .
After the law passed , two area abortion clinics β one in McAllen , the other in Harlingen β closed , leaving Corpus Christi , 160 miles away , as the nearest alternative , said Dan Grossman , an Oakland-based researcher for Ibis that has been examining Texas women 's access to abortions in the wake of the restrictions . After Sept. 1 , the Corpus clinic is expected to close , as well .
Besides being more costly , highway trips to Corpus Christi or San Antonio for abortion services pass through Border Patrol checkpoints , which deters many women who do n't have proper immigration status , he said in an email . Some women in the Rio Grande Valley are turning to other alternatives , including self-induced abortions by way of drugs such as misoprostol , herbs or being hit in the abdomen , he said .
`` The effect of all of this is that women who are able to obtain an abortion are often delayed in the process , possibly into the second trimester of pregnancy when abortion has higher risks , '' Grossman said .
In Brownsville , Felix said she has counseled women who have gone to Mexico for abortion services . Abortion is illegal in some parts of Mexico but the women know where to go to obtain illegal procedures or the pill for self-induced abortions , she said .
Instead of taking such drastic measures , Felix encourages the women to write letters to local newspapers or their state legislators , urging them to return the services to the Valley .
`` If we want to be a healthy state , we need healthy women , '' she said . `` The woman is the backbone of the family β¦ That 's why we need these services back . '' | hp5yh1MBDJnKLOEt | 1 | Abortion | 0.1 | Texas | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/filibuster-trial-balloon-goes-bust-114669.html?hp=lc2_4 | SCOTUS filibuster trial balloon goes bust | 2015-01-28 | supreme_court | Senate Republicans β trial balloon calling for abolishing filibusters for Supreme Court nominees is already plummeting back to earth .
Democrats are worried about a Republican Senate and president installing anti-abortion justices if the GOP takes the White House in 2017 . Veteran Republicans loathe the plan , arguing it further fillets the minority party β s rights beyond current rules that eliminated the filibuster for most presidential nominees . Republicans also face the possibility of losing the Senate in 2016 and they fret about voters giving the confirmation keys to a President Hillary Clinton , who they fear would install liberal judges .
Given Republicans β insistence that any changes to the Senate β s byzantine rules require the support of 67 senators , it β s impossible to envision the filibuster disappearing anytime soon on Supreme Court nominees .
Indeed , senators were much quicker to pan the proposal than praise it .
β I certainly would not support further limiting the rights of senators , β said moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine .
β It β d be a serious mistake , β said Sen. Debbie Stabenow ( D-Mich. ) . β We chose not to do that because it was the highest court in the land . β
Asked if Democrats β opposition centered solely around abortion rights , Stabenow said her concern goes even further around a court that routinely makes big decisions on everything from health care to gay marriage to voting rights .
β Lots of worries . Lots of worries , β she said , shaking her head .
The idea of ending the filibuster on all presidential nominees is rooted in the institution of the Senate , where since 2003 the practice of requiring 60 votes on nominees became an increasingly popular tool used by the minority party to stop or slow the president β s nominees . But if the filibuster were further gutted , the prizes at stake in 2016 would increase beyond the comfort level of senators in both parties : If one party wins both the White House and the Senate , the minority would lose any sway over the Supreme Court process and could be forced to swallow ideological nominees if any vacancies arise .
That might be too much for either Democrats or Republicans to bear . Members of both parties this week argued that eliminating the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees would only boost the prospects for rigidly partisan nominees from the left or the right , depending on which party comes out the winner in next year β s elections .
β You β re going to ruin the judiciary over time , β said Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , who wants all nominees subject to a 60-vote threshold . β I like the idea of having to reach across the aisle . β Cause what you β re doing is you β re turning judicial appointments over to the hardest of the hard within each caucus . β
Facing staunch opposition to confirmation of several high-level judges to the D.C . Circuit Court of Appeals , Senate Democrats changed the filibuster rules in 2013 to allow unilateral confirmation of almost all presidential nominees via the β nuclear option β β a simple majority of Democrats . But Democrats left the filibuster untouched for the Supreme Court , mostly because of their worries about anti-abortion justices winning future confirmation .
Some Republicans are hoping to start fresh this year and simply end the filibuster on all nominees for good , eliminating the possibility of either party changing the rules to their liking whenever they have the majority . GOP Sens . Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Mike Lee of Utah have developed a proposal they say does just that and their plan is , for now , moving forward .
Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt ( R-Mo . ) said on Tuesday that his panel will vote later this year on the filibuster reforms suggested by Alexander and Lee and allow it to be amended by other senators on the Rules Committee . The proposal could make it through committee , though some Democrats suggested it would do so on a party-line vote given queasiness in their party over the Supreme Court provision .
Alexander privately shared his plan with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York , the top Democrat on the Rules Committee and No . 3 in his party leadership . The two men have consistently worked as back-channel negotiators between their two bitterly divided caucuses , but Schumer was not enthused about the Tennessean β s suggested changes .
β It β s a nonstarter for most Democrats , β Schumer said . β I love Lamar , but when he first showed it to me , I said : β How can we do this for Supreme Court ? β β
Alexander did not seem dissuaded by the bipartisan opposition to his plan .
The argument from Blunt and Alexander is they are simply trying to finalize what had been tradition since the birth of the Senate : not using filibusters on nominations . They say they are doing nothing radical , simply codifying the β up or down β majority vote that thousands of nominees had experienced before the two caucuses β use of obstructionist tactics accelerated over the past two decades . Filibustering a Supreme Court nominee is exceedingly rare , though Obama was among those who unsuccessfully tried to do so against Justice Samuel Alito .
β Clarence Thomas was a very controversial nominee β 52-48 . So the real tradition of the Senate is that these confirmations were done by a majority , β Blunt said . β You could argue there β s a reason [ not to do it ] . But the tradition of the Senate isn β t one of them . β
Complicating things further , senators β positions don β t neatly divide by political party . Liberal Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and conservative Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas both believe the final abolition of the filibuster on nominations has merit . The Democrats who led the charge for the 2013 filibuster changes can β t get on the same page : Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico said he β s open to hearing more from Alexander while Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said he β s firmly opposed .
And within the Republican caucus there are several different camps : Some want the Senate to restore the 60-vote filibuster threshold for all nominees β some would keep things as they are now with the Supreme Court exception and still others want to follow Alexander , Blunt and Lee , getting rid of the filibuster for all nominations .
β We just don β t have a consensus in the caucus right now , β said Sen. John Thune ( R-S.D . ) , a member of leadership .
The GOP is reluctant to change the rules by a simple majority β the β nuclear option β used by Democrats in 2013 β and no proposal enjoys broad support , so inertia may be the best bet . If nothing is done , the Senate will continue to require a simple majority for all nominees except to the Supreme Court , pointing to easy confirmations over the next few weeks for Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch and Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter .
Meanwhile , Alexander , McCain and everyone in between will continue making their case about which is more important : the minority β s sway over the Senate or the Senate β s tradition of deference to presidential nominees .
β The last advocate I talked to , I think they β re correct , β said Sen. Jeff Sessions ( R-Ala. ) . β And then I talk to another one and I think they β re correct . β | pImjiqwiI9AOkPza | 0 | Filibuster | -0.4 | Filibuster Reform | -0.4 | Supreme Court | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
israel | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/23/opinion/ghitis-obama-israel/index.html?hpt=po_t1 | In Mideast, Obama knocks it out of the park | 2013-03-23 | Israel, World | Story highlights Frida Ghitis : In Middle East trip , Obama , gave support , firmed up alliances , showed U.S. vision
She says a surprise was his helping broker key Netanyahu apology to Turkish prime minister
She says he expressed commitment to Israel 's survival , a crucial message for region
Ghitis : West Bank visit bolstered Abbas ; in Jordan , he raised Syria issue . Trip showed his sway
They 're bringing down the American flags in Jordan and Israel and putting them back into storage after they got slammed in a sudden sandstorm during the last part of President Barack Obama 's visit . Perhaps it was nature 's way of keeping Obama from feeling he had gained the upper hand in this famously unpredictable region . Sandstorm or not , the president had reason to feel good about his trip .
After deliberately lowering expectations about what he might achieve on the trip , Obama knocked it out of the park .
He even managed to take the skeptics by surprise , helping broker the restoration of relations between Israel and Turkey .
Bolstering friends , strengthening alliances and sending everyone in the Middle East a clear picture of America 's vision and priorities for the region -- this was the common thread in everything the president did in Israel , the West Bank and Jordan .
He made a persuasive case that the U.S.-Israel alliance is , in his words , `` eternal , it is forever . '' He spoke passionately and effectively in favor of Palestinian statehood and the need to restart the peace process . He made it clear the United States will not tolerate a nuclear Iran but prefers to prevent it through diplomacy . He reiterated his call for an end to the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and showed his strong support for Jordan 's King Abdullah , a moderate king who says he is trying to democratize his country without the need for bloodshed .
As Obama returns to Washington , not everyone is happy about what they heard . But if power is the ability to influence the behavior of others and the course of events , then he managed to make America a bit more powerful after a mere three days in this turbulent region .
In a visit filled with poignancy , symbolism and , yes , substance , one of the most dramatic and unexpected moments came minutes before Air Force One departed Israel for Jordan . As the milky white sky gave signs of trying to clear , Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stepped inside a trailer on the tarmac and made a historic call to Turkey 's prime minister .
When the call was over , Israel and Turkey had restored diplomatic relations . After an acrimonious three-year dispute over a botched and lethal 2010 Israeli raid on a Turkish-flagged flotilla trying to break the Gaza blockade , Netanyahu apologized .
The reconciliation was not all Obama 's doing , but he gave the final push that allowed two pivotal Washington allies to work out their differences at a time when events in Syria and Iran demand the United States and its friends work closely together .
A major objective of the trip was to convince Israel and its enemies that the United States is committed to Israel 's survival . The goal is fundamental to regional stability , because as long as anyone has any doubts , those who advocate destroying Israel will continue pursuing the objective and gaining followers while making Israelis more hesitant to take risks for peace .
From the moment he landed , Obama alluded to 3,000 years of Jewish history on the land . He told Israelis -- in Hebrew , lest they miss it -- `` Atem lo levad , '' `` You are not alone . '' He talked about Israeli tourists recently murdered in Bulgaria , about threats from Hamas , Hezbollah and Iran , about chemical weapons from Syria . And then he made an impassioned call for Israelis to take the perspective of Palestinians , for the sake not only of their own security but also of justice . Israelis cheered .
JUST WATCHED Obama 's reputation in Israel Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama 's reputation in Israel 03:29
JUST WATCHED Israel apologizes for flotilla raid Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Israel apologizes for flotilla raid 01:45
By spending time in the West Bank , Obama raised the profile of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas relative to that of his rival Hamas . And when he declared that those who seek Israel 's destruction `` might as well reject the earth beneath them and the sky above , '' his words threw a punch against Hamas and Hezbollah , whose stated objective he was labeling a hopeless cause .
When he arrived in Jordan , America 's most reliable Arab ally , he widened the lens to the growing crisis in Syria , which is spilling over , sending more than 400,000 refugees to a country practically devoid of natural resources . He pledged an additional $ 200 million to King Abdullah for the sustenance of the refugees still fleeing Syria by the thousands every day .
Standing with the Jordanian king , with the knowledge that Israel and Turkey had healed their rift , Obama projected an air of confidence and achievement , even if events in Syria seem to spin out of control ; even as King Abdullah warned the West has become naive about the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood , the biggest winner so far in the so-called Arab Spring .
This was Obama 's first visit to an Arab country since 2009 . Back then , Egypt was America 's strongest Arab friend . Today , the Middle East is undergoing a violent and unpredictable transformation .
During barely 72 hours in the region , Obama reasserted a measure of influence . He laid out America 's vision and gave a vote of confidence to America 's friends . It was a subdued but visible show of U.S. influence and power in a time and a place of unexpected sandstorms and ferocious revolutions , where no man , no nation , has full control over the course of history . | 367ada27ec86180c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/11/08/what-to-watch-on-election-day/93436886/ | 7 1/2 things to keep in mind on Election Day | 2016-11-08 | elections | 7 1/2 things to keep in mind on Election Day
CLOSE Fear not , cord cutters . Here are five ways to catch live election coverage on November 8th . βββ
Election Day starts early and runs late . Here are 7 1/2 things to keep in mind as the long parade plays out .
The five most critical swing states this year are all in the Eastern time zone : New Hampshire , Pennsylvania , Florida , North Carolina and Ohio . Donald Trump needs to win at least one and possibly two of these to have a shot at the White House ; by 11 p.m. Eastern , we may have enough results to tell us whether he 's still in the game .
Assuming Trump has made it through the early vote gauntlet , Nevada , Arizona and Utah are the other fascinating battlegrounds . Utah is a wild card , because while it almost always votes Republican , this time around independent Evan McMullin could pull enough votes to take the state away from Trump .
Donald Trump has made a major pitch for Michigan the past few days , a state that Hillary Clinton has led in the polls by a comfortable margin for most of the election season . The polls began to tighten here after FBI Director James Comey 's Oct. 28 announcement that the bureau was looking at a new batch of emails . If Trump can turn this traditionally blue state red , that would be yuuuuge .
A few weeks ago when it appeared that Trump might lose big to Clinton , some Republican-leaning groups began airing ads saying basically `` Clinton is going to win so vote for your Republican senator to maintain a 'check and balance ' against her . '' Democrats are very likely to capture a Republican Senate seat in Illinois and reasonably likely to capture another one in Wisconsin . The math gets messy , but watch Pennsylvania , North Carolina , New Hampshire and Nevada . Democratic wins there will almost certainly give them the Senate .
There was never a realistic expectation that Democrats would win control of the House , given that they would need to flip 30 seats to overthrow the Republican majority . Best guess has veered between five and 15 Democratic `` pickups '' on Tuesday ; more than that would be the equivalent of a political earthquake . There are still some interesting races to watch , like Martha Roby in Alabama , a Republican who is being challenged by a pro-Trump write-in candidate , and Darrell Issa of California , the former head of investigations for House Republicans who is now in jeopardy of losing his seat . But the big picture seems unlikely to change much .
Media like βββ and other will have a batch of exit pollsβvery useful for gathering information about who voted , what motivated them to votes , etc . Unfortunately , the first reports about exit polling are likely to be public shortly after 5 p.m. Eastern , but these should be treated with Serious Caution . Early exit polls are notoriously unreliable . Do NOT be fooled into believing we know the outcome based on early exit polls .
Yes , we have all been desperately begging for this election to be over , but sadly , the 2020 election campaign begins Wednesday . Once we know who won the White House , we can immediately begin to speculate on who will be running against the incumbent in four years . If Trump wins , watch for instant speculation about Democratic senators like Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota or Cory Booker of New Jersey or a second run by former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley . If Clinton wins , expect somebody to instantly resurrect the hypothetical campaigns of Scott Walker , Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio ( if he won his Senate race ) .
Ride share companies Uber and Lyft both have apps for that .
β’ How to make sense of what 's happening as polls close
β’ Plot Trump 's or Clinton 's path to 270 electoral votes
β’ See the latest national and state presidential polling averages | VR9Z39goU6DoYPuK | 1 | Elections | -0.2 | Presidential Elections | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
technology | MarketWatch | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/who-is-joe-rogan-the-man-who-just-scored-a-reported-100-million-deal-with-spotify-2020-05-20?mod=home-page | Who is Joe Rogan, the man who just scored a reported $100 million deal with Spotify? | 2020-05-20 | technology | A whole new audience is about to experience Joe Rogan .
The popular podcaster sold his 11-year-old β The Joe Rogan Experience β series to Spotify SPOT , +8.43 % in a licensing deal that β s reportedly worth more than $ 100 million , The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday . Rogan β s full library β which adds up to almost 1,500 episodes , which weren β t available on the streaming service before β will hit Spotify beginning Sept. 1 . Episodes of the video podcast are currently available on YouTube , but will move off the Alphabet GOOG , +2.42 % platform to be exclusive to Spotify by the end of the year .
Read more : Spotify Signs Joe Rogan to Exclusive Deal . Why It β s a Game-Changer .
Rogan , 52 , told his millions of fans via Instagram FB , +6.03 % on Thursday that β it will be the exact same show β that they β ve come to love , emphasizing that , β I am not going to be an employee of Spotify , β and he β ll be working with the same production crew .
β The only difference will be , it will now be available on the largest audio platform in the world , β he added . β It will be free to you ; you will just have to go to Spotify to get it . β
But for those who aren β t among the reported 190 million people who download β The Joe Rogan Experience β each month , here are five things to know about the stand-up comic and former Ultimate Fighting Championship interviewer who β s become Forbes β top-earning podcaster .
You might recognize him from TV . Before launching β The Joe Rogan Experience β podcast in 2009 , Rogan appeared on Fox β s β Hardball β as a star basketball player , and on NBC β s β NewsRadio β as a handyman and conspiracy theorist . He was also the host of β Fear Factor β from 2001 to 2006 , and he β s done stand-up specials for Netflix NFLX , -0.74 % and Comedy Central . He cut his interviewing chops doing color commentary for the UFC , and was named MMA Personality of the Year four times by the World MMA Awards .
He β s also married to model-turned-producer Jessica Ditzel , and they have three daughters .
He was already making $ 30 million a year before joining Spotify . Rogan topped Forbes β inaugural highest-earning podcaster list earlier this year , pulling in a reported $ 30 million and running the No . 1 podcast in the world , according to Apple AAPL , +1.94 % . β He β s delivering scale and engagement , β Tom Webster , senior vice president at Edison Research , told Forbes . β He β s the No . 1 in terms of reach in the U.S . β
He β s praised Bernie Sanders , but will probably vote for Trump . While Rogan has expressed some liberal views , such as supporting the legalization of marijuana , he recently revealed that he will probably vote for Trump this November because he just β can β t vote β for presumptive Democratic candidate Joe Biden . β I β d rather vote for Trump than [ Biden ] . I don β t think he can handle anything . You β re relying entirely on his cabinet , β he said . β If you want to talk about an individual leader who can communicate , he can β t do that . And we don β t know what the fβ he β ll be like after a year in office . β
Read more : Joe Rogan on why he β d vote for Donald Trump : Democrats have β made us all morons β by running Joe Biden
Yet in January , he suggested that he would vote for Bernie Sanders , largely because the liberal Vermont Senator has been β insanely consistent his entire life. β The Sanders campaign was quick to tweet out this unofficial endorsement its official Twitter TWTR , +7.86 % feed at the time .
He appeared to smoke pot with Elon Musk on the air . One of Rogan β s most notorious interviews came in September 2018 , when Tesla TSLA , +0.93 % CEO Elon Musk sat down and appeared to smoke weed with him on the air . ( It should be noted they were filming in California , where recreational marijuana is legal . ) Watch the video below ; the smoking begins about 2 hours and 10 minutes in .
Read more : Elon Musk appears to smoke marijuana during an interview
He β s drawn backlash for giving Alex Jones a platform , and making offensive remarks . Rogan has been a controversial figure , in part for his interviews with the likes of Milo Yiannopoulos and axed Google engineer James Damore . Perhaps even more notorious than his Musk Q & A , however , were his two marathon interviews with InfoWars founder and conspiracy theorist Jones , who has said the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting that killed 20 children was a hoax . The second Jones interview was a five-hour marathon that saw him claim that the U.S. government was making intergalactic deals with aliens by using psychedelic drugs .
Read more : Alex Jones completely loses it β again β during marathon Joe Rogan podcast
Rogan has also made plenty of his own controversial remarks on his show and in his stand-up that have been called racist , sexist and transphobic by critics . They include comparing a black neighborhood to β Planet of the Apes , β and saying that mixed martial artist Fallon Fox , who is a transgender woman , is β a f -- -ing man. β He has said such remarks were taken out of context . | elj9EfK46ImAbviW | 2 | Media Industry | 0.5 | Technology | 0.5 | Spotify | 0.5 | Business | 0.5 | Joe Rogan | 0.4 |
us_military | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/politics/bowe-bergdahl-charges-decision/index.html | Military charges Bergdahl with desertion | 2015-03-25 | us_military | Washington ( CNN ) House Speaker John Boehner said Army Sgt . Bowe Bergdahl is `` innocent until proven guilty '' after the U.S. military charged him with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy , but emphasized in an exclusive interview with CNN 's Dana Bash that he was more concerned about the circumstances of his release .
Bergdahl 's attorney also released a statement on Wednesday , outlining his defense of the soldier and containing a two-page letter from Bergdahl describing the torture he endured , which included months spent chained to a bed and further years spent chained on all fours or locked in a cage .
Shortly after the charges were announced , Bergdahl 's attorneys released a lengthy statement that includes a letter sent to Milley earlier this month outlining their defense of the soldier .
`` In light of the nearly five years of harsh captivity Sgt . Bergdahl endured , the purpose of his leaving his unit , and his behavior while a prisoner , it would be unduly harsh to impose on him the lifetime stigma of a court-martial conviction or an other than honorable discharge and to deny him veterans benefits , '' attorney Eugene R. Fidell writes in the letter .
The statement includes a two-page accounting from Bergdahl of his time in captivity , in which he recounts months spent chained to a bed , then further years spent chained on all fours or locked in a cage .
Bergdahl said for years his body and health declined due to malnourishment , and sores on his wrists and ankles from the shackles grew infected .
`` My body started a steady decline in constant internal sickness that would last through the final year , '' he said .
Bergdahl was frequently beaten , at times with copper wire or a thick rubber hose , and forced to watch Taliban videos , he said . He had no concept of time , and was repeatedly told he would be killed and would never again see his family .
`` I was kept in constant isolation during the entire five years , with little to no understanding of time , through periods of constant darkness , periods of constant light , and periods of completely random flickering of light and absolutely no understanding of anything that was happening beyond the door I was held behind , '' he wrote .
In his interview with Bash , Boehner said `` like any American , you 're innocent until proven guilty . ''
`` And these charges are coming . There will be a trial , '' Boehner said in an interview taped Wednesday to air Sunday on CNN 's `` State of the Union . ''
Boehner said the `` more troubling part '' of Bergdahl saga is the fact that the U.S. government traded five Taliban fighters for Bergdahl 's release , and that recent reports indicate one has returned to the battlefield . He expressed concerns about other detainees held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay , which President Barack Obama is working to close , `` ending up back on the battlefield and threatening Americans here and abroad . ''
Obama `` violated the law '' in failing to alert Congress before the prisoner swap occurred , Boehner added .
`` And I still believe that 's the more troubling part of this , '' he said . `` We 've made clear in the past that we wo n't negotiate with terrorists , and but yet here we did . ''
Military officials announced Wednesday afternoon they would charge Bergdahl with one count each of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy .
Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan before being captured and held captive for five years . For that , he faces charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in a military prison , and he could also have to forfeit pay and be stripped of his rank , Army Col. Daniel King said as he announced the charges .
Bergdahl faces a military procedure similar to a grand jury that will whether charges are appropriate , King said . Then , he could face court martial proceedings .
The decision comes nearly a year after Bergdahl returned to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange and since the Army began a formal investigation into his disappearance from his unit in eastern Afghanistan in June 2009 .
The Army concluded its investigation into the circumstances of Bergdahl 's capture in December . Until now , it has been in the hands of Gen. Mark Milley , head of U.S. Army Forces Command , who made the decision to charge Bergdahl . Several U.S. military officials CNN has spoken with suggested privately that the process took longer than expected .
Ahead of Wednesday 's announcement , officials said Milley only had a few choices . Though the sense had been that Bergdahl must be held accountable for his actions , there had been little appetite for a lengthy term in military confinement given the five years Bergdahl was held by the Taliban .
JUST WATCHED Bowe Bergdahl charged with desertion Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bowe Bergdahl charged with desertion 04:20
Now 28 , Bergdahl was taken by the Haqqani terrorist network . But the circumstances of Bergdahl 's departure from his base and how willingly he left have not been clear .
King said he could n't offer those details on Wednesday , and that they 're being treated as evidence for the upcoming proceedings against Bergdahl .
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain , R-Arizona , called the charges an `` important step '' on Wednesday .
`` This is an important step in the military justice process towards determining the accountability of Sgt . Bowe Bergdahl , '' he said in a statement . `` I am confident that the Department of the Army will continue to ensure this process is conducted with the utmost integrity under the Uniform Code of Military Justice . ''
Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-South Carolina , meanwhile , lambasted the `` unevenness '' of Obama 's swap of five Taliban prisoners for Bergdahl .
`` I would n't have done this trade for a Medal of Honor winner , '' he told CNN . `` No military member should expect their country to turn over five Taliban commanders to get their release . Nobody should expect that . It 's not the nature of his service that drives my thinking it 's just the illogical nature of the swap . ''
Some members of Bergdahl 's platoon have criticized him , labeling Bergdahl a deserter .
`` I was pissed off then , and I am even more so now with everything going on , '' former Sgt . Matt Vierkant , a member of Bergdahl 's platoon when he went missing on June 30 , 2009 , told CNN last year . `` Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war , and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him . ''
Bergdahl was freed in May when President Barack Obama agreed to swap five Taliban prisoners who had been detained in Guantanamo Bay to secure Bergdahl 's freedom , sending those detainees to Qatar .
Obama announced Bergdahl 's release to fanfare in the White House Rose Garden , flanked by the Army sergeant 's parents , Bob and Jani Bergdahl . His hometown of Hailey , Idaho , had planned a parade to celebrate Bergdahl 's homecoming but later canceled that celebration amid security concerns stemming from the unanswered questions surrounding his disappearance and the resulting controversy over his release .
After returning to the United States , Bergdahl had been on active duty at an administrative job at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio , Texas . There , the Army assigned Bergdahl a `` sponsor '' to help him adjust to life in his new post . Upon returning , Bergdahl refused to meet with his parents -- and months later , Army officials had said he was communicating with them but still had not met them face to face .
The five figures the United States exchanged to secure Bergdahl 's release were Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa , Mullah Mohammad Fazl , Mullah Norullah Nori , Abdul Haq Wasiq and Mohammad Nabi Omari . They were mostly mid- to high-level officials in the Taliban regime and had been detained early in the war in Afghanistan because of their positions within the Taliban , not because of ties to al Qaeda .
The detainee swap for Bergdahl has become increasingly controversial in recent weeks after a report published by the office of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said one of the 17 intelligence agencies operating under its umbrella had judged that a prisoner released in the exchange had since contacted the Taliban . | 3xwG1aTZno3hifHj | 0 | Bergdahl | 0.2 | US Military | 0.1 | Defense And Security | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
white_house | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46637638 | Trump vows 'very long' government shutdown over border wall | 2018-12-21 | Government Shutdown, White House, Politics | US President Donald Trump has vowed a `` very long '' government shutdown if Democrats do not fund his border wall .
Mr Trump is demanding $ 5.7bn ( Β£4.5bn ) , which was passed by the House of Representatives , but is expected to be rejected in the Senate .
`` I hope we do n't but we are totally prepared for a very long shutdown , '' he said during a White House event .
If no deal is reached , parts of the US government will begin to close at midnight on Friday .
With only hours remaining to strike a deal , Mr Trump said that the `` chances are probably very good '' of a `` Democrat shutdown '' .
The Republican president met senators from his own party beforehand at the White House , where they held a `` great meeting '' that `` lasted a long time , '' he added .
`` Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security ! '' he tweeted earlier on Friday .
The Senate is currently voting on a measure that the House approved a day earlier by 217-185 .
The window for senators to vote will remain open for much of the day on Friday , as senators return to Washington from around the country .
Mr Trump will postpone his Christmas trip to Florida in the event of a shutdown , aides say .
Any partial shutdown would be the third such closure of federal agencies in 2018 .
If it occurs , it may not be settled until after the New Year , when Democrats take control of the House .
In early morning tweets on Friday , Mr Trump accused Democrats of `` trying to belittle the concept of a Wall , calling it old-fashioned '' .
`` The fact is there is nothing else 's that will work , and that has been true for thousands of years . It 's like the wheel , there is nothing better , '' Mr Trump wrote .
`` In Israel the Wall is 99.9 % successful , '' he added . `` Will not be any different on our Southern Border ! ''
`` If the Dems vote no , there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time . People do n't want Open Borders and Crime ! ''
A budget agreement seemed a done deal this week until Mr Trump dug in his heels after he was hit by a rare backlash from hardline conservatives outraged by the lack wall funding .
He is now urging Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to invoke the so-called `` nuclear option '' .
It is a rule change that would allow the budget to pass by a simple majority of 51 votes , rather than the 60 currently required under Senate rules .
The president 's fellow Republicans currently have 51 seats in the 100-seat Senate .
But Mr McConnell has repeatedly refused in the past to invoke such an extreme legislative manoeuvre .
A number of Republican senators on Friday made clear their staunch opposition to the `` nuclear option '' .
They warned it would be politically explosive in an upper chamber that prides itself on cross-party comity .
Retiring Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona tweeted : `` Deploying the nuclear option would blow that [ bipartisanship ] up . I will not vote to do it . ''
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee also said he would vote no .
Mr Alexander , who announced his retirement this week , said in a statement : `` I want to put a stop to this practice of the Senate breaking its rules to change its rules . ''
Roughly a quarter of federal agencies - including the departments of Homeland Security , Transportation , Agriculture , State , and Justice - will shut down by the end of Friday if no deal is reached .
But federal programmes on pensions and healthcare will continue to function , as will the military , border patrol , coast guard , federal judiciary , air traffic control and airport security .
The US Postal Service , which is delivering millions of packages before Christmas , will also be unaffected as it is an independent agency .
More than 800,000 government employees will either have to stay at home unpaid , or work without pay .
`` Ugh , are you ruining my life ? '' said Republican Senator Susan Collins when she was told by reporters of Mr Trump 's vow to veto any budget deal missing funds for a US-Mexico border wall .
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called the shutdown `` 100 % avoidable '' , accusing Mr Trump of `` choosing funding for his ineffective and wasteful border wall over what 's best for our country '' .
Meanwhile , a US military veteran 's grassroots $ 1bn fundraiser to erect a border wall , and `` help President Trump make America safe again '' , has raised over $ 12m .
A rival online campaign , called `` Ladders to Get Over Trump 's Wall '' , has raised nearly $ 75,000 in its first day . | 36611a28bb70e8c9 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/26/politics/romney-ohio/index.html?hpt=po_t1 | Why Romney is losing must-win Ohio | 2012-09-26 | elections | ( CNN ) -- Polls show Mitt Romney trailing President Barack Obama in just about every one of the swing states where the 2012 campaign is being waged .
But Romney appears to be in deeper trouble in Ohio than elsewhere , an alarming development for Republicans who know that the candidate 's White House chances begin and end with the kind of middle-class voters who reside in places such as Akron , Cincinnati and Zanesville .
Two surveys released in recent days , one from the Ohio Newspaper Association and another from The Washington Post , crystallized the challenge facing Romney as he embarks on his second straight day of campaigning in the Buckeye State .
The topline numbers -- Obama led by 5 points among likely voters in the Ohio poll , and a startling 8 points in the Post poll -- only tell part of the story .
Romney 's favorable rating is underwater . Almost two-thirds of voters approve of Obama 's decision to bail out the auto industry , a staple of Ohio 's manufacturing economy . The president leads Romney by a wide margin on the question of who would do more to help the middle class .
And when voters are asked which candidate would do a better job handling the economy , Obama has a sturdy lead , undercutting the thematic premise of Romney 's candidacy .
Interviews with some two dozen Republican strategists and elected officials across Ohio revealed an array of explanations -- and no easy answers -- for Romney 's failure to catch on there .
Some pointed to the Obama campaign 's aggressive effort to hang Romney 's opposition to the federal bailout of Chrysler and General Motors around his neck . Others said a hangover remains from the divisive 2011 battle over collective bargaining rights that hurt the GOP 's standing with working class voters .
A handful of GOP strategists blamed Romney 's standing on campaign staffers who are n't Ohio natives .
One longtime Republican strategist griped about the `` arrogant top-down '' approach of the Romney team and said they have done a poor job listening to the advice of savvy Ohio strategists -- a charge rebuffed by Romney aides who point out that field staffers from the Ohio offices of Sen . Rob Portman and House Speaker John Boehner have come on board .
Still others cited Romney 's lackluster political skills and said his stiff CEO demeanor as a turnoff for Ohioans , with one Republican officeholder saying that former Mississippi Gov . Haley Barbour was n't far off when he said recently that Romney is being caricatured as `` a plutocrat married to a known equestrian . ''
The main criticism that emerged , though , is that Romney is man without a message .
`` We are still at a point where I think it 's still a winnable race for Romney , '' said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine . `` Generally when you talk people , there is a feeling that Obama has n't done that great a job . But Romney has n't made the sale . He still can . But he has n't made the sale yet . ''
Another statewide Republican officeholder who -- like others interviewed for this article -- did not want to be identified criticizing the Republican ticket , offered a blunter assessment .
Both Romney and Obama , this official argued , have provided nothing but `` narrow arguments '' and `` fantasy land '' policy prescriptions for the country .
`` Why is Mitt Romney running for president and what will his presidency be about ? '' the official asked . `` I do n't think most Republicans in Ohio can answer that question . He has not made a compelling case for his candidacy . Do n't make your campaign about marginal tax rates . Make it about your children and your grandchildren and the future of this country . ''
Romney is adjusting . The campaign , prevented from spending general election funds until after the Republican National Convention concluded in late August , launched its first statewide television buy of the campaign last week .
The former Massachusetts governor has also intensified his rhetoric on trade , long a potent issue in Ohio , accusing the president of failing to stand up to China and costing Americans jobs .
But Romney 's argument du jour -- he has spent a week attacking the president 's handling of foreign policy and the recent turmoil in the Middle East -- is n't likely to resonate in Ohio as much as a concise and aggressive jobs-themed message , Republicans said .
Several Ohio GOP operatives even credited the Obama campaign for presenting a more consistent economic argument .
Obama forces have persistently reminded voters about the auto bailout -- on television and in small-scale earned media events around the state -- and Republicans faulted Romney for failing to develop a succinct response to the criticism in a state where one out of every eight jobs is tied to the auto sector .
Romney wrote a New York Times op-ed in 2008 titled `` Let Detroit Go Bankrupt '' and argued for a managed bankruptcy for the industry , without the use of government funds . In May , he took credit for proposing the bankruptcy idea . In August , he tapped a running mate , Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan , who voted in favor of bailout .
Meanwhile , the Obama campaign has aired multiple TV ads on the issue and synced their pro-bailout message with down-ballot Democratic candidates such as Sen. Sherrod Brown .
Poll : Brown ahead of GOP challenger in Ohio Senate race
Labor organizations are leaving thousands of bailout-themed doorknob hangers and making phone calls to union members highlighting Obama 's support for the auto industry .
According to The Washington Post poll , 64 % of Ohio registered voters view the federal loans to GM and Chrysler as `` mostly good '' for the state 's economy . Only 29 % said the bailout was `` mostly bad . ''
Putting a finer point on the matter , one longtime Ohio GOP strategist called Obama 's advantage on the auto bailout `` a kick in the balls '' for the Romney campaign .
One aspect of the Romney operation that earned praise from Republicans is the campaign 's ground game , which has made more than 3 million volunteer voter contacts so far this year and knocked on 28 times as many doors in Ohio as John McCain 's campaign did in 2008 .
`` It 's one of the better operations in the country , as it always is , '' Romney 's political director Rich Beeson told CNN . `` Ohio has always led the way and it is again this cycle . ''
The so-called `` victory effort '' -- a joint venture of the Romney campaign , Republican National Committee and Ohio Republican Party -- has 40 offices statewide .
The Obama operation , which has been deeply embedded in the state for four years , has more than twice that number . But the Romney campaign has managed to keep pace with the president 's voter contact effort , data from to the Post poll revealed Tuesday .
The humming ground effort , combined with Ohio 's traditional GOP lean and what 's expected to be a more animated conservative base than in 2008 , has Republicans confident that the final margin on Election Day will be much closer than the 5 , 6 or 7-point Obama lead seen in recent public polls .
`` Nobody will win Ohio by 5 , '' said Mark Weaver , a Republican consultant with more than two decades of campaign experience in the state . `` Anybody who tells you that does n't know Ohio . This state is too close . It 's too divided . It will not be Obama by 5 or Romney by 5 . ''
Weaver complimented the Romney campaign effort and predicted a 2-point victory for Republicans in November but advised the GOP nominee to spend more time in the state and rely less on scripted remarks before large crowds .
`` I think they need to get Romney here in Ohio more , and talking off the cuff more , '' he said . `` I think he is a sincere guy , and I think the more he talks off the cuff , the more people will like him . ''
Another Ohio Republican strategist said Romney should begin dispatching his wife , Ann , to the suburbs of Cleveland and Columbus , where there is `` room for improvement '' -- a nice way of saying that Obama has a double-digit lead among women voters in Ohio , according to the Post poll .
A lingering complication for Romney 's argument in Ohio is the improving state economy .
Republican Gov . John Kasich 's relentless boosterism for the uptick in Ohio job creation runs counter to the national Republican message that Obama 's policies have kept the economy from bouncing back .
The statewide unemployment rate has fallen to 7.2 % , roughly a point below the national average . In bellwether central Ohio , home to the capital city of Columbus and its thriving suburbs , the jobless rate fell to 5.9 % in August .
Kasich is not shy about talking up Ohio 's job growth , even if it muddles the Romney campaign 's arguments about the state of the national economy .
At a recent campaign event in conservative Owensville , a fiery Kasich boasted that `` Ohio is rocking ! '' -- moments before turning the microphone over to Paul Ryan , who proceeded to issue dire warnings about Obama 's economic policies .
The mixed messaging has rankled Republicans in the Romney and Kasich camps . Both sides have done their best to keep the tensions under wraps , but they occasionally spill over into public view .
Rex Elsass , Kasich 's media consultant and a longtime adviser , told CNN that Romney is `` running counter to the reality and the perception of people in Ohio . ''
`` Romney would do better if he stood on John Kasich 's shoulders and said , 'Here 's an example of a state that 's doing better with job creation , in spite of what the president is doing , ' `` Elsass said .
`` When you run advertising here that 's running in the rest of the country , it 's inconsistent with how people are feeling about Ohio , that things are getting better , '' he continued . `` If you 're just telling people things are getting worse and you throw in a graphic at the end of the ad that says 'Ohio , ' that 's not a state-specific message and it 's not working here . ''
Romney has , in fact , complimented Kasich 's economic development efforts in a spate of local interviews and at campaign events -- and there are no accounts of personal animosity between the two men .
But Republicans close to the campaign have groused privately that Kasich is bringing little to the Romney effort beyond appearing at campaign events , while Boehner , Portman and a handful of other statewide officials have loaned manpower and money to the fight .
Portman , for instance , has turned himself into one of Romney 's most reliable allies on the campaign trail , hosting more than 20 fundraisers and raising more than $ 2 million for the campaign .
One Washington-based GOP operative involved in the campaign and closely watching Ohio accused Kasich of not doing enough to help Romney win the state .
`` No single swing state Republican has been less willing to criticize President Obama at important junctures in this campaign than John Kasich , '' the Republican told CNN . `` Anyone who does n't want an Obama second term should be furious at him . '' | VBAW6sU0mfcFHhMB | 0 | Election2012 | -0.7 | Mitt Romney | -0.5 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
healthcare | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/11/07/cma-awards-2013-countys-singers-rip-obamacare-website-duck-dynasty-stars/ | CMA Awards 2013: County singers rip ObamaCare website, 'Duck Dynasty' stars surprise with 'Blurred Lines' cover | 2013-11-07 | healthcare | Viewers who tuned in to watch the 47th Annual Country Music Association Awards , held Wednesday night in Nashville , might have confused the show with a roast of ObamaCare . Country music β s hottest stars had a bone to pick with the faulty Healthcare.gov website .
CMA Awards host Brad Paisley jokingly told his co-host Carrie Underwood that his back hurt and he needed to see a doctor . Underwood asked the singer if he had signed up for ObamaCare .
β Oh , it β s great ! β Underwood quipped . β I started signing up last Thursday and I β m almost done ! β The β Blown Away β singer proceeded to help her co-host sign up for ObamaCare and β join the six other people β who have reportedly signed up successfully for the healthcare service .
The routine had the Nashville audience clapping their hands to the tune of newly crowned entertainer of the year George Strait β s β Amarillo by Morning , β but with the words changed to β ObamaCare by morning/ Why β s this taking so long ? / I β m going to end up with hemorrhoids/If I sit here β til dawn . β
The super star hosts also tried to settle the feud between Luke Bryan and Zac Brown who called Bryan β s new single β That β s My Kind of Night β the β worst song I β ve ever heard. β The two hugged it out while Carrie told them they had nothing to fight about . β You both made great records and you 're both millionaires , β she sang to the tune of β Why Can β t We Be Friends . β
The CMA Award hosts did not stop there . Paisley thanked Swift not acting like her fellow pop star Miley Cyrus . He praised her for β not once humping a teddy bear or gyrating with beetle juice. β Underwood joked , β If someone in music today was going to be caught naked licking a hammer I think we 'd all thought it 'd be Blake Shelton. β The camera zoomed in on Shelton who nodded his head in agreement .
Next up was a surprise appearance by Willie and Jase Robertson of Duck Dynasty who were joined by their wives Missy and Korie to perform a redneckified version of Robin Thicke β s β Blurred Lines . β
While the Robertson clan twerked on stage , Underwood and Paisley switched up the words of Thicke β s song . β I 'm going to grow a beard and go out huntingβ¦ 'Duck Dynasty ' guys dance to Robin Thicke/We tried to get nasty talking 'Duck Dynasty . ' β
The Robertson β s weren β t just onstage to show off their lack of dancing skills ; they also gave out the first award of the night to duo Florida Georgia Line for single of the year for their hit song β Cruise . β
The country twosome shot to stardom this year after touring with both Luke Bryan and Taylor Swift on their respective tours . The pair also won vocal duo of the year and opened the show with Luke Bryan singing a medley of Bryan β s β That β s My Kind of Night β and their own β Cruise. β The two wins solidified the hip-hop country sound making its way into mainstream country music .
Perhaps the single of the year win will finally put β Cruise β to rest . The duo released the song in August of 2012 .
Jason Aldean performed next followed by Kacey Musgraves and Lady Antebellum . Both Aldean and Lady Antebellum surprisingly went home with no awards for the second year in a row .
Musgraves didn β t walk away empty handed as she won the title of new artist of the year . However , the β Follow Your Arrow β singer displayed a face of disappointment as Miranda Lambert beat her out to win female vocalist of the year for the fourth time in a row .
Lambert β s hubby and fellow country singer Blake Shelton scored album of the year and male vocalist of the year .
Vocal group of the year was awarded to Little Big Town and beating out The Band Perry , who were inexplicably ignored yet again . The band of siblings won big at the 2011 CMA Awards but have yet to win any awards since .
Taylor Swift took home the pinnacle award given to those who take country music to a worldwide audience , though her β Red β album doesn β t have one bit of country twang to it .
Somber moments at the awards included a tribute to the late George Jones as well as an unusually serious Luke Bryan who sang his song β Drink a Beer β in memory of his brother and sister .
The highest honor of CMA entertainer of the year was given to veteran country singer Strait who announced his final tour this year . We tip our hats to the β King of Country . β | q3bNPdMfVzd0tBr9 | 2 | Obamacare | -0.8 | Healthcare | -0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Axios | https://www.axios.com/universal-flu-vaccine-pandemic-preparedness-05258e09-52fd-4568-a559-1131ffc88ffc.html | Pandemic re-emphasizes need for universal flu vaccine | coronavirus | The quest for a universal flu vaccine in the U.S. is making `` promising '' progress , with the possibility of having one ready in five years .
Why it matters : Just because we 're battling a coronavirus pandemic right now , does n't mean a deadly influenza pandemic is n't waiting around the corner . Experts are aiming to create a vaccine that could target a broader array of flu strains in order to prepare for future pandemics .
`` The universal flu vaccine is probably one of the most sought-after infectious disease countermeasures , because influenza has caused such a huge burden of infection every year and is very disruptive . ... And , most of our pandemic virus threats come from the influenza virus family . ''
β Amesh Adalja , senior scholar , Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Background : Currently , seasonal flu vaccines ( and some treatments ) are the only options available to combat influenza , which has multiple strains that can mutate quickly , killing tens of thousands of Americans every year .
`` They 're not perfect . And , in fact , they could be a lot better , '' says John Mascola , director of the NIH 's Vaccine Research Center ( VRC ) .
Because the current main method of producing these vaccines requires decisions about which strains to target to be made roughly six months prior to the season 's start , their effectiveness ranges from 10 % to 70 % every year .
The `` sub-optimal '' vaccine is one cause of vaccine hesitancy , according to Adalja . `` People extrapolate that to other vaccines , when this is truly specific to the problems we have with the flu vaccine . So , I do think that one of the most important tasks in infectious disease is to develop a universal flu vaccine because it would really move the threat from our biggest pandemic pathogen . ''
NIAID announced in 2017 that the vaccine was a priority .
What 's happening : Multiple possible universal flu vaccines are in development , with several in trials now .
There 's been success in mapping the flu virus to find better , more conserved parts of the virus that do n't mutate as quickly and can be targeted by the vaccines , particularly using new technologies , Adalja says .
Mascola says the VRC is currently focused on attacking those targets through vaccines that use nanoparticles to allow the size , shape , and other properties to be more precisely controlled . These vaccines tend to be more safe and effective .
`` We 're really focused on vaccine constructs , vaccine antigens , vaccine platforms that could really improve what we have now toward the goal of making a vaccine that would be more universal β [ with ] broader , better , longer duration , '' Mascola says .
The VRC is working on different types of vaccines , targeting the whole hemagglutinin protein on the virus or just the stalk of that protein that does n't change as much , he said . `` If we could teach the immune system to generate antibodies to the stalk , that response could be a broader response , a more universal response , than the current licensed vaccines . ''
on the virus or just the stalk of that protein that does n't change as much , he said . `` If we could teach the immune system to generate antibodies to the stalk , that response could be a broader response , a more universal response , than the current licensed vaccines . '' A universal flu vaccine will be the key to herd immunity to influenza , says Sarah Cobey , associate professor at the University of Chicago .
The latest : While trials of universal flu vaccines are ongoing and they do n't have published results , Mascola says early human data is showing the vaccine focused on the stem is safe , well-tolerated and generated a `` robust immune response '' so far .
If the trial continues to progress there may be a universal flu vaccine available in five years , he said .
Adalja says while the current vaccines under development are n't `` truly universal '' because they do n't cover 100 % of the strains , he adds that they cover a broader range than current vaccines and `` look promising . ''
The big picture : While the current pandemic has focused attention on the novel coronavirus , it also has re-upped interest in pandemic preparedness , particularly against a possible novel influenza strain , Cobey says .
And , some of the COVID-19 research on vaccine platforms , such as those for mRNA vaccines , could be used to create a better flu vaccine , she adds .
The bottom line : `` If there was enough of a divergent strain of influenza that our existing immunity did n't recognize , you could have a severe influenza pandemic . That 's the concern ... and this should be even more highlighted by the current COVID pandemic , '' Mascola says . | km4utW2aepgWoe2M | 1 | Coronavirus | 3.5 | Healthcare | 2.4 | Public Health | 2.2 | World | 0 | null | null | |
marijuana_legalization | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-marijuana/ready-to-inhale-democratic-2020-contenders-embrace-marijuana-legalization-idUSKCN1QN18T | Ready to inhale: Democratic 2020 contenders embrace marijuana legalization | 2019-03-06 | Election 2020, Democratic Party, Marijuana Legalization, Public Health | WASHINGTON ( βββ ) - Cory Booker has reintroduced his U.S. Senate bill to legalize marijuana at the federal level . Beto O β Rourke called for expunging the records of those arrested for possession of the drug . Kamala Harris admitted she had smoked pot - and inhaled .
When it comes to legalizing marijuana , many of the current and potential 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are eager to show they are cool with cannabis .
Their embrace of the issue reflects a rapid shift in public opinion that has brought what was once an extreme political position into the mainstream .
A Gallup poll in October found two of every three Americans support legalization , a record high , and for the first time a slim majority of Republicans support legal marijuana . Three of every four Democrats back legalization .
Ten states and the District of Columbia now allow legal recreational use and more than 30 states have legalized it for medical use .
β The Democratic candidates are just acknowledging the practical and political reality - this is not only good policy , it β s good politics , β said Erik Altieri , executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws .
Booker has led the charge , reintroducing his Senate bill last week for federal legalization . Four fellow senators and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates are co-sponsors : Harris , Kirsten Gillibrand , Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
The other declared White House candidate in the Senate , Amy Klobuchar , has not co-sponsored Booker β s bill but said in a statement she supported legalization .
Most other contenders also have taken public stands in support of some degree of legalization , with many linking the issue to criminal justice reform and protesting that racial minorities are disproportionately arrested for possession and hit with harsh sentences .
β We should end the federal prohibition on marijuana and expunge the records of those who were locked away for possessing it , ensuring that they can get work , finish their education , contribute to the greatness of this country , β O β Rourke , the former Texas congressman who is expected to announce soon whether he will run , said in an email to supporters on Monday .
The shift in political attitudes has come quickly for presidential candidates . During his 1992 run to the White House , Democrat Bill Clinton famously said he had tried pot but β didn β t inhale . β
Hillary Clinton opposed federal legalization in 2016 but supported letting states decide their own approach . Republican President Donald Trump also said during the campaign he would let states chart their own course and later undercut plans by his former attorney general , Jeff Sessions , to crack down on states that legalized marijuana .
Harris , a former California attorney general and San Francisco prosecutor , opposed a California ballot initiative in 2010 that would have legalized marijuana . The initiative failed .
But as a presidential candidate , she joked recently about smoking pot , telling a New York radio show that β I inhaled , β and adding : β Half of my family β s from Jamaica . Are you kidding me ? β
The two governors in the Democratic race , Jay Inslee of Washington and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper , are intimately familiar with the issue . Their states were the first to legalize recreational marijuana use .
β It β s time for Congress to acknowledge that marijuana legalization is working in states like Washington , Colorado , and others and legalize marijuana as well , β Inslee , who plans to pardon thousands of people convicted of small-time possession charges , said on Twitter in October .
Hickenlooper has been more measured , saying states should be free to legalize and the federal government should make changes to accommodate that choice such as changing federal banking laws .
Sanders , during his failed 2016 Democratic primary run against Clinton , was the first high-profile presidential candidate to support federal legalization .
β Too many lives are being destroyed . Hundreds of thousands of people get criminal records . You know why ? Because they have smoked marijuana , β Sanders said on a radio talk show on Monday . When asked , he said he had tried marijuana .
β It didn β t do a whole lot for me , β he said , adding he β nearly coughed my brains out . β | f4f6e90fdaf1277f | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Vox | https://www.vox.com/2018/6/18/17433612/trump-mueller-congress-constitution-rule-of-law | Robert Mueller wonβt save us | 2018-06-18 | politics | Is the president of the United States above the law ?
The question seems ridiculous on its face . But the reality of President Donald Trump forces it upon us . The president is doing things that many assumed could not , or would not , be done . He seems to believe , among other things , that he has total control over the federal law enforcement apparatus , that he has the right to pardon himself , that he can not obstruct justice , and that he can not be subpoenaed or indicted for any crimes he might commit .
As has been stated by numerous legal scholars , I have the absolute right to PARDON myself , but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong ? In the meantime , the never ending Witch Hunt , led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats ( & others ) continues into the mid-terms ! β Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2018
Some of this has since been contradicted by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders , who dismissed questions about the president pardoning himself . β Thankfully , the president hasn β t done anything wrong and wouldn β t have any need for a pardon , β she said at a press briefing in June , adding that β no one is above the law . β
But let β s take the words of the president seriously . If he β s right β if he has absolute power to pardon himself from legal consequences for absolutely any wrongdoing β then we do not have a president ; we have a monarch . And we are not , as John Adams once promised , β a government of laws , not of men . β
That might sound dramatic , but I don β t think it is . Consider the 20-page memo Trump β s lawyers sent to Robert Mueller β s team last summer . The document lays out a view of presidential power that is essentially boundless . It states that the president β could , if he wished , terminate β Mueller β s inquiry β or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired. β Later , Trump β s lawyers clarified that the president can fire the FBI director β at any time and for any reason , β including to shut down an inconvenient investigation .
Or take Trump β s demand in May that the Justice Department investigate whether the FBI β infiltrated or surveilled β his campaign . The request was both unprecedented and preposterous , but it was not , as far as I can tell , illegal , even if the aim was to undercut an investigation into the president β s own campaign .
One of the many revelations in the past couple of years is that much of what we take for granted in our political system is the product of informal norms and not fixed laws . Baked into our politics is the quiet assumption that the elected leader of the country will be constrained by a sense of decency and a respect for basic liberal democratic customs , and that competition among the three branches of government will protect against deviant actors .
But what if partisanship renders Congress dysfunctional ? What if the president doesn β t care about norms or customs ? And what if the citizenry is so divided or cocooned or alienated that it can β t reliably pressure Congress to check an overreaching executive ?
These are not new questions . When the country was founded , there were vigorous debates between supporters and opponents of the proposed Constitution . In papers , documents , and pamphlets , skeptics , known as Antifederalists , openly worried that a constitutional republic would leave us vulnerable to tyranny , and that human nature was too corruptible to trust with so much power . Now is a fine time to revisit their concerns .
Over the past year or so , I β ve spoken to dozens of law professors , former federal prosecutors , and other legal experts . I β ve asked them if the president can legally obstruct justice , if there are limits to the president β s pardon power , and if our constitutional system is capable of restraining presidential tyranny .
Nearly everyone agrees that the Constitution forbids the president from operating outside the law , at least in theory . But the question before us is rooted in the complexities of practice , not the ideals of theory : Can our system , such as it is , bind a president who is determined to abuse his or her power ?
That β s what President Trump reportedly said to FBI Director James Comey shortly before he fired him on May 9 , 2017 . Initially , Trump claimed that he fired Comey over his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton β s emails . He later admitted in an interview with NBC β s Lester Holt that it was about the Russia investigation .
Did he obstruct justice ? Probably . But what does it even mean to say the president obstructed justice ?
Obstruction of justice is defined as an attempt to impede or undermine a criminal investigation . The word β attempt β is crucial there . β It requires proof that the person corruptly or by threat influences , impedes , or endeavors to influence or impede the due administration of justice , β Joshua Dressler , a law professor at Ohio State University , told me . β It doesn β t require proof that justice was obstructed β only that the person endeavored to influence or impede justice . β
In other words , one needn β t succeed at obstructing justice to be guilty of it . It β s enough to prove that someone deliberately sought to hinder an investigation . The problem is that intent is often difficult to prove , especially in a circumstance where there are multiple contradictory motives .
In this specific case , the powers invested in the presidency complicate matters . β The president is the head of law enforcement in this country , β Eric Posner , a law professor at the University of Chicago , told me , β and if the president is the head of law enforcement , then he has the authority to hire and fire and to tell his subordinates not to pursue certain investigations . β
This is the same argument that John Dowd , who previously served as Trump β s outside lawyer , made to Axios β s Mike Allen in December . β The president can not obstruct justice because he is the chief law enforcement officer [ under the Constitution β s Article II ] and has every right to express his view of any case . β
But there are compelling counterarguments to this . Jimmy GurulΓ© , who served as assistant attorney general for George H.W . Bush , insists that the constitutional right to hire and fire is not absolute . β There β s no constitutional right to hire and fire that is without exception , β he told me .
GurulΓ© sees at least three instances in which the president arguably violated obstruction of justice laws . The first is the actual firing of Comey . β If it β s clear that this was done with the aim of interfering with the investigation , that β s obstruction of justice . β
The second instance has to do with Trump β s conversations with Comey . β We know that the president asked Sessions and others to leave the room so that he could talk privately with Comey , β GurulΓ© said . β If the president urged Comey to back off [ Michael ] Flynn , or even if he expressed his desire to see Flynn left alone , that strikes me as endeavoring to influence or obstruct the due administration of justice . β
The third potential instance of obstruction is Trump β s alleged conversation with Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats . According to the Washington Post , Trump asked Coats in March 2017 β if he could intervene with then-FBI Director James B. Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in its Russia probe. β As with the Comey interactions , the whiff of obstructionism is strong here .
These are all discrete cases , GurulΓ© says , and they shouldn β t be conflated . Even if there β s a sound justification for Comey β s firing , β that doesn β t pertain at all to the conversation between Trump and Comey or between Trump and Coats . β
Where one lands on this question has a lot to with how one views the presidency . Yes , the president has the power to hire and fire whomever he likes , but , as former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti explained to me , β just because the president has the power to do something doesn β t necessarily mean it β s lawful for him to do so. β For instance , the president can β t hire someone in exchange for a bribe , or fire someone due to their race or religion .
There β s also what β s called the β take care clause β of the Constitution ( more on this below ) , which demands that the president β faithfully β execute the laws of the nation . And no serious person would argue that the president is acting in β good faith β when he fires the FBI director to stunt an investigation into his own campaign .
But let β s assume , for a moment , that it could be proven , beyond a shadow of a doubt , that Trump sought to obstruct justice when he fired James Comey . Then what ? If you listen to pundits and prognosticators closely , you β ll notice the stakes of this debate are often left undefined . Implicitly , commentators talk as if proving obstruction of justice would cause ... something ... to happen .
Here β s the scary thing : It β s not at all clear that that β s true . Applying the law to the president poses some extraordinary challenges , and no one , at least right now , has a plan to surmount them .
β Baked into our politics is the quiet assumption that the elected leader of the country will be constrained by a sense of decency and a respect for basic liberal democratic customs β
Imagine that the Mueller probe concludes and it β s even worse than we suspected . Imagine that Russia meddled in our election and that members of the Trump campaign were knowingly complicit in that effort . Imagine further that the president is shown to have covered this up and obstructed the investigation meant to expose the truth . If all that came to pass , Trump could , as he himself has said , pardon himself and everyone else involved . What then ?
The Constitution doesn β t impose limitations on the president β s right to pardon , except β in cases of impeachment. β But the issue of presidential self-pardons remains an area of genuine uncertainty , mostly because no president has even broached the possibility before .
The framers of the Constitution thought long and hard about the risks of imbuing the president with unlimited pardon power . Alexander Hamilton laid out his logic in one of the more famous Federalist Papers . Hamilton believed β humanity and good policy β dictated that the pardon should remain in the hands of the president , as opposed to Congress .
But here β s the problem : He assumed that future presidents would be constrained by a β sense of responsibility β and would exercise such awesome power with β scrupulousness and caution. β The β dread of being accused of weakness or connivance , β he insisted , would β beget equal circumspection . β
From our post-Trump perch , Hamilton β s optimism appears misplaced . The current president is not burdened by a β sense of responsibility β and shows no signs of exercising β scrupulousness and caution. β So where does that leave us ?
Although the Constitution doesn β t settle the question , some legal scholars believe an opinion issued from the Office of Legal Counsel in 1974 , in response to Richard Nixon β s Watergate scandal , offers some guidance . β Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case , β the document reads , β it would seem that the president can not pardon himself . β
Diane Marie Amann , a law professor at the University of Georgia , told me that this ought to β put an end to the current discussion. β But Jessica Levinson , who teaches law at Loyola Law School , believes this is hardly a definitive ruling and β not a conclusion you want to take to the proverbial bank . β
If we want a more solid footing , we β ll have to look to the Constitution , since that is where the pardon power comes from . The most interesting argument I β ve heard thus far was from Jed Shugerman and Ethan Leib , both law professors at Fordham University . They claim that the Constitution prohibits the president from pardoning for the purpose of self-protection , for the same reason it forbids using the pardon power for the purpose of financial gain .
Their argument is based on a line in the Constitution known as the β take care clause , β which obligates the president to β take care that the laws be faithfully executed. β The clause , Shugerman and Leib argue , mandates that the president act in such a way as to advance the public interest and not the president β s private interests .
Here β s how Shugerman explained it to me in a separate interview :
This language comes directly from fiduciary documents from the 17th and 18th centuries . Fiduciary duties still come up today in the context of corporate boards , trusts , wills , and other legal documents that impose obligations on people to act in the best interests of the people they β re serving . A fiduciary duty means you can β t serve your own personal interests over the interests of your client or company or , in the case of the president , your country .
In the same way a lawyer or a CEO must act in the best interests of her client or company , a president is compelled by the Constitution to execute the laws in such a way as to protect the best interests of the people . By that logic , a presidential self-pardon would be unconstitutional and therefore illegal .
This is a plausible reading of the Constitution , but , as Shugerman admits , it β s never been tested in court and he has no idea if it would hold . ( Other legal experts I spoke to told me that Shugerman is right but they doubt the argument would sway a court . )
But even if a slew of presidential pardons could be shown to be illegal , who would enforce that judgment ? Unlike for an average citizen who breaks the law , justice in this case is not swift and sure β the police do not march into the Oval Office . The remedies , rather , are political , and thus uncertain .
Between 1787 and 1788 , a public debate raged between the so-called Federalists and Antifederalists about whether to ratify the Constitution . The Federalists , led by James Madison , John Jay , and Alexander Hamilton , argued in defense of the Constitution , and the Antifederalists , whose authors remained anonymous , argued against it .
When I first read these papers , I remember how badly I wanted the Federalists to be right . And yet as I read along , I kept nodding in agreement to the Antifederalist arguments . I still think the Federalists got more things right than wrong , but I keep returning to the Antifederalists and their deep skepticism about our capacity to restrain a tyrannical executive .
The Federalists were pessimistic about human nature , but , as the Hamilton quotes above suggest , they had something of a blind spot for the presidency . True , they established checks and balances , but they placed an immense amount of power in the executive . The Antifederalists never tired of pointing this out , and their arguments will strike the contemporary reader as depressingly relevant . Here β s a typical passage from Antifederalist No . 67 :
His power of nomination , garrisoned by troops at his direction , unrestrained power of granting pardons for treason , which may be used to screen from punishment those whom he had secretly instigated to commit the crime , and thereby prevent discovery of his own guilt ; his duration in office for four years β these and various other principles evidently prove the truth of the position β that if the president is possessed of ambition , he has power and time sufficient to ruin his country .
We may have , for the first president , and perhaps , one in a century or two afterwards ( if the government should withstand the attacks of others ) a great and good man , governed by superior motives ; but these are not events to be calculated upon in the present state of human nature .
So the concern , even back then , was that the extraordinary powers invested in the presidency left the country vulnerable to a demagogue or crook , someone capable of exploiting the office without any regard for the health of the republic . But the Antifederalists weren β t merely worried about corruption ; they also questioned whether we could sustain the kind of culture that would support a robust constitutional system .
The American founders were attuned to these concerns , and they built failsafes into the system in order to assuage them . They preferred a democratic republic to a direct democracy because they believed that tyranny of the majority is tyranny all the same .
They thought constitutional government was vital to the mediation of popular passions ; it was the best way to balance the totalizing tendencies of oligarchy and democracy . And they were convinced that Congress would always have the space it needed to fulfill its constitutional duties β namely checking the president and channeling mass opinion into sensible laws .
But there are many things the founders did not foresee , and their oversights help explain why Congress is failing us today .
β Congress was supposed to be part of an institutional wall between popular passions and the application of power , but that wall has broken down , as have the cultural norms that helped reinforce it β
The founders were aware of the dangers of partisanship . Federalist Paper No . 10 , authored by James Madison , is as persuasive an argument against β factions β as you β ll find anywhere . They designed a system that would reduce the influence of factions and eliminate the need for parties . But that system is no longer operating as they envisioned , as partisanship has overwhelmed our politics .
If , for example , the Democrats controlled all of Congress instead of just the House , there would be no concerns about a Republican tyrannical executive , because Democrats in Congress could use their power to check that . But the system we have is totally dysfunctional if the same party controls all of the government , or even just the executive and the Senate , as is the case today . βββ β s Ezra Klein explained this well in his December essay about impeachment :
The Founding Fathers envisioned a political system without parties , where the salient political competitions would be between states and between branches rather than between Democrats and Republicans . β There was an assumption that the different branches check each other because they all have different politics , β says Julia Azari , a political scientist at Marquette University . Instead , parties share the same politics across branches ; congressional Republicans today see their fates as intertwined with Trump β s , and so they protect him , because to protect him is to protect themselves . Believing that the American political system would resist parties and then designing our mechanisms of accountability around that assumption was , Azari continues , β the most important constitutional failure. β To date , serious impeachment proceedings have only been carried out when Congress is controlled by the opposing party to the White House . β Impeachment is dysfunctional , β Azari says . β It β s proven to be a partisan tool and nothing more . β
Congress was supposed to be part of an institutional wall between popular passions and the application of power , but that wall has broken down , as have the cultural norms that helped reinforce it . Congress is dysfunctional for the same reason impeachment is : partisanship . Republicans , after all , could check the president if they wanted to β but that β s a political decision they β re unwilling to make . And the calculus is clear : They don β t think enough voters care . They might be right , too .
Trump β s legal team has already decided that the best strategy is to muddy the epistemological waters , to overwhelm the public with so much bullshit that they no longer believe anything . β This case is not going to be tried before a jury , β Rudy Giuliani told Time magazine β s Molly Ball and Tessa Berenson . β It β s not a criminal case . It β s an investigation that β s going to result in a report , and the issue will be what happens to that report , and public opinion is going to have a lot to do with that . β
Their strategy is working . Fox News and the rest of the conservative media have done everything in their power to discredit Mueller β s investigation . Republican leaders in the House and Senate have thrown more and more doubt on Mueller β s motives , echoing the president β s claim that the investigation is a β witch hunt . β
What we are seeing from the legislature is not a ringing declaration that even the president is subject to the law , and that questions of justice transcend partisanship , but a constant β and , for much of the public , confusing β assault on the very idea that apparent lawbreaking on the part of the president should even be investigated .
There β s an apocryphal story law professors love to tell about President Andrew Jackson .
In 1832 , the Cherokee lived on land in Georgia that was promised to them by treaty . When they discovered gold on that land , the state of Georgia tried to seize it . The Cherokee promptly sued , leading to a Supreme Court decision in their favor , thanks in large part to Chief Justice John Marshall .
When Georgia ignored this ruling , President Jackson is alleged to have said , β John Marshall has made his decision ; now let him enforce it. β He then sent troops to evict the Cherokee and that led to thousands of Native Americans dying along the Trail of Tears .
Maybe Jackson said that , maybe he didn β t . But that β s not really the point . The point is that there are limits to the law . In the end , laws are as good as the people and institutions that prop them up . If we don β t have a culture that demands the fulfillment of the obligations set forth in the Constitution , not a word of it matters . Even if the institutional levers are in place , someone has to pull them , and if they β re not willing to pull them , then those institutions are as dead as the ideas that inspired them .
The framers of the Constitution did not want , and did much to prevent , abuses of power by a tyrannical executive . But they did not anticipate the unhappy collision between a president who truly doesn β t care about constitutional norms and a Congress unwilling to exercise its checks on the president , and they certainly did not foresee a media ecosystem as chaotic as ours .
So let β s return to the core question : Is the president above the law ?
The truth is that there isn β t a clear answer . By the lights of the Constitution , the answer is clearly no . But the Constitution is just a document , and the law is just a construct . If Trump says he is above the law , and if Congress does nothing to stop him , and if the Republican base supports them , then the president is effectively above the law . And then we β ve got either a constitutional crisis or , perhaps worse , a new precedent on our hands .
Our system contains no ultimate trigger , no guarantee that it will self-correct . The custodians of the Constitution , namely Congress , have to affirm it or it will cease to matter . It β s often said that impeachment is a political remedy , but it β s also a politicized remedy β and that means , in some cases , it is no remedy at all .
A lot of people are waiting anxiously for the Mueller investigation to conclude . But even if Mueller lays out a slam-dunk case against the president , nothing will be decided . The president and his legal team have made clear their intention to dismiss Mueller β s findings , whatever they turn out to be . And if the president pardons himself and everyone involved , we will learn , in the most concrete way imaginable , whether the president is above the law .
If I told you I was optimistic , I β d be lying . | 4IN5w29Vv0MeMiLI | 0 | Politics | -0.3 | Robert Mueller | -0.2 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
politics | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/6/republican-senate-takeover-gives-war-hawks-neocons/ | Republican Senate takeover gives neocons, war hawks bully pulpit | 2014-11-06 | politics | Republican insiders say legislation already is in the works to pressure the White House into expanding the war against the Islamic State and increasing pressure on Russia and Iran , as the GOP takeover of the Senate provides neocons and war hawks with their first bully pulpit since the end of George W. Bush β s presidency .
While there will be pushback from isolationist voices in the party β s libertarian wing , it won β t take center stage , according to senior Republican congressional advisers who say that after years of standing by while the Obama administration has pursued a β lead from behind β foreign policy , the GOP is now poised to push the White House toward a more decisive leadership posture on the world stage .
β What we saw Tuesday night was the American people moving the Democrats out of the way , because they certainly haven β t led on national security , β said one adviser who , like several others , requested anonymity in order to speak candidly . The adviser asserted that a β mandate β has now been established for β Republicans to push certain foreign policy initiatives . β
Authorizations to send heavy weapons to Ukrainian forces battling pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine and sophisticated arms to moderate opposition rebels in Syria have β languished on the Senate floor β over the past two years because Majority Leader Harry Reid β wouldn β t let them through , β said one senior adviser to a key Republican lawmaker .
Those initiatives β will now go for up-or-down votes , β once Sen. Mitch McConnell assumes the majority leadership post and key committee chairmanships are filled by GOP critics of the Obama administration β s foreign policy β such as Sen. John McCain helming the Senate Committee on Armed Services , the adviser said .
Increasing aid to Syria β s rebels is likely to be among the first priorities . Mr. McCain essentially said as much Monday when he issued a statement asserting that β the administration β s current strategy in Syria is a disaster . β
β Despite vocal support for moderate opposition fighters in Syria , the administration has continuously failed to match its actions with its rhetoric , providing little meaningful support to those fighting and dying in the battle against [ the Islamic State ] , β said Mr. McCain , Arizona Republican .
Though more moderate than Mr. McCain , Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee , who is set to head the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations , has been deeply critical of President Obama β s policies , particularly toward Russia .
Following Moscow β s recognition this week of separatist elections held in eastern Ukraine , Mr. Corker issued a statement that Washington β must work with Europe to continue imposing costs against Russia and reassure our support for Ukraine through stepped-up assistance . β
While the White House already has imposed sanctions on dozens of Russian individuals and entities , the Foreign Relations Committee in September unanimously approved legislation that would expand sanctions on Russia β s defense , financial and energy industries , as well as provide lethal military and nonmilitary assistance for Ukraine . The bill was co-sponsored by Mr. Corker and the committee β s current chairman , Sen. Robert Menendez , New Jersey Democrat .
What remains to be seen is how the president will respond to such legislation , which is likely to pass the full Senate .
Mr. McConnell may pave the way for Mr. Corker , Mr. McCain and other GOP foreign policy hawks like Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to try to play β back-seat driver β to the White House , but at the end of the day , β if the president doesn β t want to do what they push for , that β s entirely up to him , β said one senior congressional aide .
With that in mind , another senior aide said the Republicans are unlikely to be able to come up with the 67 votes required to override a presidential veto . β The GOP won β t have it , β the aide said .
It β s a factor that limits Republicans β ability to play spoiler if the White House accepts an Iranian nuclear deal that they deem deficient .
β A GOP-controlled Congress will have more flexibility to have up-or-down votes on things like whether or not to keep up sanctions pressure on Iran , β the aide said . β But the president still has the ability to veto things , and he has the ability to waive such sanctions . β
Some foreign policy analysts point to such factors as proof that what Republicans really gained Tuesday is control of the bully pulpit .
β The biggest impact will be the ability of Republicans to make noise , β said Gordon Adams , an international relations professor and U.S. foreign policy analyst at American University .
β They can influence the atmosphere of debate and , to some degree , put the administration under pressure , β Mr. Adams said . β They can jump up and down and wave their arms , but Congress does not make policy . Actually , policy β deploying troops , ordering bombing sorties , leveling sanctions β gets made in the White House . β
Such logic hung in the backdrop Wednesday , as Mr. Obama said he is β eager to work with the new Congress β but that lawmakers can be trusted to β pass some bills I can not sign . β
Mr. Obama did suggest he is well aware of coming Republican pressure for him to clarify his strategy for defeating the Islamic State , also known as ISIL and ISIS .
Apparently wary of GOP criticism that he reached beyond his executive authority in September by opening a bombing campaign against the group in Iraq and in Syria , the president said he intends to move quickly to engage the new Congress β over a new authorization to use military forces against ISIL . β
Such engagement is likely to prove tricky over the coming year . But there is one foreign policy matter on which the White House and a Republican-controlled Senate may see eye to eye quickly .
Congressional advisers say the GOP-led Senate is poised to move quickly on reinvigorating stalled efforts to achieve a Trans-Pacific Partnership ( TPP ) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership ( TTIP ) β two massive free trade deals that Mr. Obama has consistently voiced support for during recent years .
At issue is the so-called β trade promotion authority , β which would allow the White House to negotiate the final terms of the two deals without having to allow Congress to debate the terms and add amendments . The president has pushed for Congress to provide such authority β arguing that it is essential to winning concessions from other nations in order to finalize the trade deals .
But Mr. Reid , yielding to labor unions that oppose the deals , opposed the White House on the issue early this year , making it clear that as long as he was Senate majority leader , there would be no up-or-down vote on whether to give such authority to the president .
Some foreign policy analysts believe Republicans are eager to push such a vote now since it would will be a β win-win β for them , because Democrats are divided on the issue .
On the one hand , the White House will be under pressure to accept the new authority as a GOP olive branch on foreign policy ; on the other , Mr. Obama is likely to be lambasted for it by key players in his own Democratic base .
β The president has found his greatest resistance on free trade is from Democrats , not Republicans , β said Doug Bandow , a senior fellow specializing in foreign policy at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute . At the same time , β this issue presents the GOP with a place to demonstrate they β re willing to work with the administration on something . β
Separately , Mr. Bandow suggested that while β some libertarian sorts like [ Sen. ] Rand Paul will obviously resist , β most Republicans will unite behind the party β s hawks on other foreign policy initiatives β particularly because of a sense that the White House will veto anything truly interventionist that arrives from the new Senate .
β Whether the issue is ISIS or Ukraine , I think they should be considered cheap votes , but Republicans will get behind them because they know they will embarrass the president and Democratic members of Congress , β Mr. Bandow said .
Others say there β s reason to be skeptical about the prospects of Republican unity behind a hawkish foreign policy platform in the Senate in the year ahead .
β The architecture that existed for Republicans in the previous decade under George W. Bush has eroded , and the neocon vision lacks popular resonance , β said Brian Katulis , a national security analyst at the Center for American Progress in Washington . β It β s not a popular policy to say , β Let β s send troops to somewhere like Iraq or Syria . β β
β I think the sharp divisions within the Republican Party on foreign policy that existed before the election remain , and remain very strong , β Mr. Katulis said . β The truth of the matter is we β re looking at a Republican Party that is perhaps more at odds with itself on a whole set of foreign policy issues than it may be with many of the Dems β so I don β t envy McConnell β s challenge of navigating whether or not to have up-or-down votes on things like Syria . β | H12L6uuELSVw49tz | 2 | US Senate | 0.9 | Foreign Policy | -0.8 | Politics | 0.6 | null | null | null | null |
national_security | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/01/politics/michael-flynn-charged/index.html | Flynn pleads guilty to lying to FBI, is cooperating with Mueller | 2017-12-01 | Russia Probe, Michael Flynn, National Security, Defense And Security | Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that Trump 's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the senior official referred to in the statement of offense .
An attorney for Kushner , now a White House senior adviser , did not comment .
The White House said late Friday morning that `` nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn .
`` The conclusion of this phase of the special counsel 's work demonstrates again that the special counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion , '' Ty Cobb , a White House lawyer , said in a statement .
In court Friday morning , Flynn 's only comments were to answer yes and no to questions from the judge . He told the judge he has not been coerced to plead guilty or been promised a specific sentence . Flynn faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison , according to federal sentencing guidelines , though the judge Friday morning stressed he could impose a harsher or lighter sentence .
In a statement , Flynn said he acknowledged that his actions `` were wrong , and , through my faith in God , I am working to set things right .
`` My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel 's Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country . I accept full responsibility for my actions , '' he said .
Flynn is the fourth person connected to Trump 's campaign to be charged as part of Mueller 's investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and members of Trump 's team , as well as potential obstruction of justice and financial crimes .
Trump 's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were indicted last month ; they pleaded not guilty . And Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty for making a false statement to the FBI over contacts with officials connected to the Russian government .
Flynn 's plea agreement stipulates that he 'll cooperate with federal , state or even local investigators in any way Mueller 's office might need , according to a document filed in court Friday . He could also be required to participate in covert law enforcement operations ( such as wearing a wire ) if asked , or share details of his past dealings with the Trump transition and administration .
The agreement adds that Mueller 's office wo n't prosecute Flynn for additional crimes they outlined in his statement of offense Friday , such as his misreported foreign lobbying filings about his work for Turkey . If other prosecutors outside the special counsel 's office , such as US attorneys or state law enforcement , wanted to charge Flynn with alleged crimes , they still could , and he 's not protected if he lies to investigators again in the future or breaks the terms of his plea agreement .
JUST WATCHED What Trump has said about Michael Flynn Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH What Trump has said about Michael Flynn 01:33
In court , prosecutors detailed calls made by Flynn in late December 2016 to the senior Trump transition team at Mar-a-Lago to discuss conversations with Kislyak . There were multiple conversations with the transition while he was having conversations with Kisyak about Russia sanctions and the Russian response .
According to a statement of offense filed in court , Flynn conducted several calls with senior officials on the Trump transition team about his discussions with Kislyak related to US sanctions of Russia .
Flynn and Trump advisers discussed US sanctions three times . The first call discussed the potential impact on the `` incoming administration 's foreign policy goals , '' according to the court filing , from which details were partially read during Flynn 's plea hearing .
Flynn then called Kislyak to ask that Russia not respond too harshly to US sanctions , the statement of offense said . He told a Trump transition official about that call . Russia responded by choosing not to retaliate to the sanctions .
KT McFarland was a senior transition official at Mar-a-Lago who was described as discussing with Flynn what , if anything , to communicate to the Russian ambassador about US sanctions , according to sources familiar with the matter . McFarland was not named in the document , but sources confirmed she was one of the transition officials described in the court filings .
McFarland met with Mueller investigators recently to answer questions about Flynn , according to the sources .
According to the special counsel charges , McFarland and Flynn talked about the potential impact of the sanctions on the incoming Trump administration 's foreign policy and that the transition team did not want Russia to escalate the situation .
The bulk of the back-and-forth calls from Flynn to the Russian ambassador and to Trump advisers happened around December 29 , while the advisers were at Mar-a-Lago in Florida .
They `` discussed that the members of the presidential transition team at Mar-a-Lago did not want Russia to escalate the situation , '' the filing said .
Flynn lied to investigators about these calls with the ambassador , according to his guilty plea and the criminal statement of offense .
The charging document states that Flynn made a false statement to the FBI when he stated that in December 2016 he did not ask Kislyak `` to refrain from escalating the situation in response to sanctions that the United States had imposed against Russia that same day ; and Flynn did not recall the Russian ambassador subsequently telling him that Russia had chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request . ''
The document also says that Flynn falsely said he did not ask Kislyak to delay the vote on a pending United Nations Security Council resolution .
Flynn 's other instance of lying to investigators involved what he told them about his conversations with foreign officials related to their planned UN Security Council votes on Israeli settlements .
A `` very senior member '' of Trump 's transition team , who sources familiar with the matter told CNN was Kushner , told Flynn on December 22 to contact officials from foreign governments about how they would vote and `` to influence those governments to delay the vote or defeat the resolution . ''
Flynn then asked Kislyak to vote against or delay the resolution , the statement of offense said .
JUST WATCHED Toobin : Flynn 's actions an insult to veterans Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Toobin : Flynn 's actions an insult to veterans 00:56
White House allies initially tried to put a positive spin on the news .
One person familiar with the mood in the West Wing insisted top White House officials were breathing a sigh of relief .
`` People in the building are very happy , '' the source said . `` This does n't lead back to Trump in any way , shape or form . '' The source noted that Flynn is being charged for making false statements , but not for any improper actions during the campaign .
`` This is a further indication that there 's nothing there , '' the source said . `` This is a win for the White House . ''
A source with knowledge of the legal team 's thinking tells CNN the Flynn plea `` is not going to be a problem '' for the President , though it could be a problem for people who worked with Flynn . The source said legal exposure for others would depend on what they might have said to the special counsel .
Hillary Clinton , whom Trump defeated in the 2016 general election and was the focus of the `` lock her up '' chant first popularized by Flynn at the Republican National Convention , declined through a spokesman to comment on Friday 's developments .
JUST WATCHED See Michael Flynn walk into court Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH See Michael Flynn walk into court 00:51
Flynn 's lawyers have previously criticized media reports about his connection to the Russia investigation as peddling `` unfounded allegations , outrageous claims of treason , and vicious innuendo directed against him . '' Flynn has n't spoken publicly since his ouster in February .
The charges mark yet another stunning downfall for Flynn , 58 , a retired general who rose to the highest ranks of the Army over a three-decade career -- only to see him fired from the military by the Obama administration before unexpectedly rising again on the heels of Trump 's election victory .
A key campaign surrogate and adviser during Trump 's presidential campaign , Flynn was tapped as Trump 's national security adviser in November 2016 , a senior White House job that put him in a vital role for all of the administration 's national security and foreign policy decisions .
Though he was n't initially considered for the top job , Trump 's daughter , Ivanka Trump , and son-in-law Jared Kushner made it clear to the Trump transition team that they wanted him there , CNN has reported
Flynn would hold the job less than a month , resigning from the post after he misled Pence and then-chief of staff Reince Priebus about his conversations with Kislyak in which they discussed US sanctions against Russia .
Flynn is also the spark of potential trouble for the President in Mueller 's probe , as the special counsel is investigating potential obstruction of justice in the firing of FBI Director James Comey .
Comey testified before the Senate intelligence committee that Trump asked him to drop the Flynn probe during a February Oval Office meeting not long after Flynn resigned as national security adviser .
JUST WATCHED Schiff : Trump lied about Russia Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Schiff : Trump lied about Russia 01:36
Flynn 's conversations with Kislyak , which amounted to the crux of his guilty plea Friday , were the main reason for his firing shortly after Trump took office . The calls were captured by routine US eavesdropping targeting the Russian diplomat , CNN has reported .
The Trump transition team acknowledged that Flynn and Kislyak spoke on the day in December 2016 that the Obama administration issued new sanctions against Russia and expelled 35 diplomats , but they insisted the conversation did not include sanctions β including denials that Pence and Priebus later repeated on national television .
Flynn resigned on February 13 after reports that he and Kislyak had spoken about sanctions and that the Justice Department had warned the White House that Flynn was potentially vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians .
Details of how the DOJ warned the White House about Flynn 's conduct were revealed months later in stunning testimony from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates , who said that she `` believed that General Flynn was compromised with respect to the Russians '' because of the misleading denials .
JUST WATCHED Flynn lawyers cut off talks with Trump team Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Flynn lawyers cut off talks with Trump team 02:32
Flynn 's legal issues stem from foreign payments he received after he started his own consulting firm .
Flynn founded the Flynn Intel Group after he retired from the military in 2014 . The Obama White House pushed him out of his role as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency ( DIA ) , the military 's intelligence arm . Flynn was fired over claims he was a poor manager , though he says he was ousted by Obama administration officials unwilling to listen to his warnings about the rise of ISIS and an increasingly aggressive Iran .
Before he was named national security adviser , the FBI began investigating Flynn for secretly working during the presidential campaign as an unregistered lobbyist for Turkey , an investigation he disclosed to the Trump transition team before Trump took office .
Flynn was n't the only Trump associate who faced scrutiny over foreign lobbying laws -- Manafort also filed a retroactive registration earlier this year for work he previously did in Ukraine .
Federal investigators were probing whether Flynn was secretly paid by the Turkish government as part of its public campaign against Fethullah Gulen , a critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who lives in exile in Pennsylvania . Erdogan blames Gulen and his supporters for plotting the failed Turkish coup last summer .
JUST WATCHED Michael Flynn in less than 2 minutes Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Michael Flynn in less than 2 minutes 01:59
Flynn has also been scrutinized for his work with Russian businesses .
In his initial financial disclosure form filed in February with the Office of Government Ethics , Flynn left off payments of thousands of dollars from RT , the Russian government-funded television network and two other Russian companies . Flynn subsequently added the payments in an amended disclosure .
Among the payouts , Flynn received $ 33,000 of a $ 45,000 speaking fee for a 2015 speech at a Moscow event hosted by RT , where he sat at the same table as Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Flynn 's presence at the gala celebrating RT 's 10th anniversary raised eyebrows among his critics . The US intelligence community said earlier this year that the Kremlin uses RT to push propaganda on American audiences , and that the English-language channel was involved in the effort to interfere in the election .
Trump said in May that he had n't known that Flynn took payments from Russia and Turkey .
Flynn 's son , Michael Flynn Jr. , has also faced scrutiny from Mueller 's investigation , though he was not charged on Friday .
Flynn Jr. served as his father 's chief of staff and top aide at their consulting firm , the Flynn Intel Group . In that capacity , Flynn Jr. joined his father on overseas trips , such as Moscow in December 2015 when Flynn dined with Putin at the RT gala .
The younger Flynn has a penchant for spreading conspiracy theories on Twitter . He has smeared Trump 's opponents -- ranging from Clinton to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio -- as well as Muslims and other minorities . Most prominently , he peddled the debunked claim that a Washington pizzeria was a front for Democrats to sexually abuse children .
Flynn Jr. has remained defiant as the investigation has heated up . Days after Manafort and Gates were indicted , Flynn Jr. sent a message to his critics : `` The disappointment on your faces when I do n't go to jail will be worth all your harassment . '' | 7ff5b4f22fc4961f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/05/28/410147689/5-things-you-should-know-about-george-pataki | 5 Things You Should Know About George Pataki | 2015-05-28 | elections | This post has been updated to reflect that Pataki is officially running .
George Pataki announced his presidential candidacy in Exeter , N.H. , on Thursday . He 's the eighth official Republican entrant in the 2016 race for the White House . The field is expected to double over the next couple of months . Pataki has made numerous visits and a few friends in recent months in the Granite State , home of the first primary in 2016 . Still , the mention of his name in most of the country might prompt questions of , `` Who ? '' and possibly , `` Why ? ''
That is remarkable , considering that Pataki served three four-year terms as governor of New York , which at the time of his election was still the second-most populous state in the nation . And while he has been out of office since 2007 , he is the last Republican to win a major statewide election in New York in more than 20 years .
Pataki may have had more momentum had he entered the presidential sweepstakes of 2008 , when he had just completed a dozen years as governor and was better known . But the 2008 field also included Rudolph Giuliani , whose time as mayor of New York City had largely coincided with Pataki 's tenure in Albany . At the time , Giuliani was regarded as formidable , perhaps even the front-runner . And though he ultimately won no primaries , he consigned Pataki to second place in the hearts of New York funders and in the lenses of the New York-based media .
This time around , Pataki hopes to break out of the pack in New Hampshire , where his political action committee has already been running ads . This is a purple state , where Republicans may value his record as a fiscal conservative and accept his relatively liberal positions on abortion , gun control and environmental protection . These latter views will not be espoused by Pataki 's rivals in the GOP primaries , but he is counting on finding a market for them among GOP primary voters .
He 's a long shot , but here are five things to know about George Pataki :
1 . He defeated the liberal icon Mario Cuomo to win the governorship in 1994 .
It was a big midterm sweep for the GOP that fall , with the House going Republican for the first time in 40 years and bringing the Senate along on the tide . But just as stunning were the outcomes in the states , where many incumbent Democratic governors went down . Pataki bagged the biggest prize that day , shocking the political world by defeating three-term incumbent Mario Cuomo , the man who had symbolized liberal resistance to Ronald Reagan 's conservatism . Pataki piled up 2-1 margins in the Upstate counties and won enough in New York City 's outer boroughs and suburbs to prevail by 4 percentage points . Cuomo , once a leading Democratic prospect for president , never ran for office again , although his son , Andrew , was elected governor in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 .
2 . He was governor during the terror attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 .
The nation 's shock and anger over the destruction of the World Trade Center 's twin towers by al-Qaida terrorists afforded many moments of political opportunity , but most of these benefited President George W. Bush and Mayor Giuliani . Pataki was on the scene and involved in much of the difficult aftermath . But he never cut the sort of media figure his fellow Republicans did , and neither did he receive the same boost in national renown .
3 . His background combines mainly elements of New York 's historic and political mix .
Pataki 's father was a Hungarian immigrant and his mother a mix of Italian and Irish stock , a combination typical in New York City 's always changing demographics . But the Patakis settled in Peekskill , an hour north of the megalopolis of New York City up the Hudson River . There , they started as farmers , and it gave the young Pataki a touch of Upstate in his upbringing . A promising student , the young Pataki went to Yale , then Columbia Law School . After a stint on Wall Street , he went back up the Hudson Valley to practice law in the suburbs and then to run for office .
4 . He has never lost an election for public office .
In his late 30s , Pataki ran for mayor of Peekskill on a reform platform and won . Two years later , in 1984 , he took on an incumbent Democratic state legislator and won . ( It was the last presidential year in which New York went Republican . ) In 1992 , he challenged an incumbent state senator in the Republican primary and won . Then he made the huge leap from first-termer in the state Senate to GOP nominee for governor , and then , despite Giuliani endorsing his opponent and despite the third-party presence of a conservative businessman , Pataki ousted Cuomo in 1994 . He was re-elected in 1998 and 2002 and has not run since .
5 . He 's the oldest of the presidential prospects on the Republican side and the only one of the major contenders who is older than Hillary Clinton . If elected , he would be the oldest person to take the oath as president .
The former governor of New York was born in June of 1945 , so he will be 71 on Election Day 2016 . It is rare for American politicians to make a first bid for the presidency in their 70s ( although Independent Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders is four years Pataki 's senior and prospective candidate Jim Webb is 69 ) . Ronald Reagan was the oldest president to assume office , two weeks shy of his 70th birthday . The rest of the 2016 White House field is younger , although some are in their 60s . Hillary Clinton was born in October 1947 , so she would still be 69 on Election Day 2016 . Former Texas Gov . Rick Perry would be 66 , retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson 65 , Ohio Gov . John Kasich 64 , former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush 63 , former CEO Carly Fiorina 62 , former Arkansas Gov . Mike Huckabee and Sen. Lindsey Graham would be 61 . | HK3oK29ipeFjQaG7 | 1 | Presidential Elections | 0.5 | Elections | 0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sexual_misconduct | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50755113 | Harvey Weinstein 'reaches tentative $25m deal with accusers' | 2019-12-12 | Harvey Weinstein, Sexual Misconduct | Film mogul Harvey Weinstein has reached a tentative $ 25m ( Β£19m ) settlement with dozens of women who have accused him of sexual misconduct , lawyers have said .
About 30 actresses and ex-employees would share the payout in the deal .
However , it still needs signing off by all parties , Mr Weinstein 's lawyers have not commented and some say the deal will punish those holding out .
Mr Weinstein faces a separate criminal trial next month on rape and sexual assault charges , which he denies .
The Hollywood producer could face life in jail if convicted .
On Wednesday , Mr Weinstein 's bail sum was raised from $ 1m to $ 5m for the alleged mishandling of an electronic ankle monitor .
He attended the court hearing in New York using a walking frame . His lawyers said he was undergoing surgery on Thursday for injuries suffered in a car accident in August .
It is important to stress it is still not final . Details of the deal were initially carried in the New York Times , but lawyers have confirmed most of them with other US media outlets .
The newspaper said the agreement had obtained preliminary approval from most of the parties involved .
The plaintiffs in the case would share in the payout , as could others who join the suit
It is a global deal that would end almost all related civil lawsuits against Mr Weinstein and his previous employer
Mr Weinstein would not pay personally , the sum would come from insurance firms representing the Weinstein Company
The $ 25m is part of a larger $ 47m package intended to close the Weinstein Company 's liabilities , including legal fees
Lawyers for Mr Weinstein and The Weinstein Company contacted by the New York Times and other media outlets have declined to comment .
A group lawsuit had been brought by dozens of women who accuse Mr Weinstein of sexual harassment and abuse , though high-profile figures who have also made allegations , such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie , are not part of the action .
Genie Harrison , a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs , told the New York Times : `` I do n't think there 's a markedly better deal to be made . ''
She said other alleged victims who hold out could end up with nothing , and that they should `` come forward and be able to get the best level of compensation we were able to get '' .
One plaintiff backing the deal , Louisette Geiss , told Associated Press ( AP ) news agency : `` This settlement will ensure that all survivors have the chance for recovery and can move forward without Harvey 's damaging lock on their careers . ''
But Zoe Brock , an actor and model involved in the case , told the BBC : `` I think the settlement is a joke and it signifies an absolutely broken system . I 'm devastated by it , I 'm appalled by it . ''
Some lawyers for plaintiffs were also unhappy with the terms .
Douglas Wigdor told the BBC : `` We reject the notion that this was the best settlement that could have been achieved . ''
He said it was `` outrageous that the proposed settlement will seek to bind non-participating members by providing a release to the insurance companies and the directors of the Weinstein Company itself '' .
Anti-sexual harassment campaign group Time 's Up tweeted : `` If this is the best the survivors could get , the system is broken . ''
Mr Weinstein 's criminal trial is set to begin on 6 January in Manhattan .
He is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room in the New York borough in 2013 , and of performing a forcible sex act on a second woman in 2006 .
He also pleaded not guilty in August to two additional charges of predatory sexual assault over an alleged rape in 1993 , although these can not be prosecuted because of time limits .
The 67-year-old has denied sexual misconduct allegations by more than 70 women .
The accusations came after the New York Times published a story in October 2017 detailing decades of allegations . Actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd were among the women who came forward . | 9e5664350dc04cf3 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/01/20/bob-dole-ted-cruz-donald-trump/79079408/ | Bob Dole on Ted Cruz: 'Nobody likes him' | 2016-01-20 | elections | CLOSE Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole spoke out against Ted Cruz in an interview with The New York Times . Video provided by Newsy Newslook
Bob Dole said Wednesday that Ted Cruz at the top of the GOP ticket would mean `` wholesale losses '' for the party in Washington and across the country .
β I don β t know how he β s going to deal with Congress , β Dole said in an interview with The New York Times . β Nobody likes him . β
Dole , a former Kansas senator , was the Republican Party 's presidential nominee in 1996 .
Donald Trump would `` probably work with Congress , '' though , Dole mused , because he 's `` kind of a deal maker . ''
Dole characterized Cruz as an `` extremist '' unwilling to work with his own party . The Times ' Maggie Haberman notes that Dole 's comments reflect a larger tension that establishment Republicans feel with Cruz , who portrays himself on the campaign trail as their antithesis .
Last month , Dole told MSNBC that he might oversleep and not vote next November were Cruz the Republican nominee .
Dole also lamented Wednesday that Jeb Bush , the former Florida governor he supports for president , still `` needs to break out , '' and that moderate Republicans seem to have had a tougher time reaching voters this cycle .
Should Hillary Clinton take on Cruz in a general election , she 'd win easily , he said .
A Cruz aide sought to capitalize on Dole 's take on the race by branding him as an `` establishment icon '' who favored Trump over the Texas senator β an effort to cast Cruz as the true outsider candidate in the field .
Establishment Icon Dole Endorses Trump Over Cruz https : //t.co/yemldb3ICi Are the Trump supporters understanding what 's going on now ? β Brian Phillips ( @ RealBPhil ) January 20 , 2016 | jOPoynBUKvQUMQVQ | 1 | Ted Cruz | -1.2 | Presidential Elections | 0.4 | Bob Dole | -0.2 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
race_and_racism | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/2020/0702/Beyond-40-acres-and-a-mule-Commentary-on-reparations | Beyond β40 acres and a muleβ: Commentary on reparations | 2020-07-02 | race_and_racism | As Mr. Coates testified before Congress one year ago , the real question of reparations is β not whether we β ll be tied to the somethings of our past , but whether we are courageous enough to be tied to the whole of them . β
Finding a consensus on Black reparations is challenging . Varying surveys and polls suggest that while Americans may be ready to address grievances against Black people in America , they may not be ready to redress those grievances . It is a discussion that has taken place for more than 100 years , from Union Army Gen. William Sherman in 1865 to Ta-Nehisi Coates today .
That angst has yielded surges of support for the idea that Black lives matter from politicians and corporations . But whether it β s regarding the police or the populace , many Black folks are looking for one thing β real conviction . There is a rising call for policy that reflects the profession of concerns about Black people β and in some cases , a call for Black reparations .
George Floyd β s death just over a month ago at the hands of Minneapolis police has upended this country β yielding social unrest , public uprisings , and renewed political urgency . This angst has manifested itself into promises of police reform , the rebuke and removal of racist edifices , and a stunning declaration from corporations β Black Lives Matter .
With that said , there are concerns that the changes and viewpoints expressed by corporations and politicians are performative . β Let β s not turn Black Lives Matter into Black Lives Marketing , β challenged a recent commentary in Black Enterprise . It urged corporations to look beyond public declarations and examine their own diversity and hiring , among other practices . Whether it β s regarding the police or the populace , many Black folks are looking for one thing β real conviction . There is a rising call for policy that reflects the profession of concerns about Black people β and in some cases , a call for Black reparations .
Finding a consensus on Black reparations is challenging . Varying surveys and polls suggest that while Americans may be ready to address grievances against Black people in America , they may not be ready to redress those grievances . It is a discussion that has taken place for more than 100 years . An iconic , albeit , slightly inaccurate phrase accompanies the idea of Black reparations β β 40 acres and a mule. β It is a phrase derived from Special Field Order No . 15 , a military order issued by Union Army Gen. William Sherman in 1865 that affected the Georgia , South Carolina , and Florida coasts . The first article reads :
The islands from Charleston , south , the abandoned rice fields along the rivers for thirty miles back from the sea , and the country bordering the St. Johns River , Florida , are reserved and set apart for the settlement of the negroes now made free by the acts of war and the proclamation of the President of the United States .
After the second article emphasized military protections and that the β Negro is free , β the designation regarding the β 40 acres β was made in the third article :
Whenever three respectable negroes , heads of families , shall desire to settle on land , and shall have selected for that purpose an island or a locality clearly defined , within the limits above designated , the Inspector of Settlements and Plantations will himself , or by such subordinate officer as he may appoint , give them a license to settle such island or district , and afford them such assistance as he can to enable them to establish a peaceable agricultural settlement . The three parties named will subdivide the land , under the supervision of the Inspector , among themselves and such others as may choose to settle near them , so that each family shall have a plot of not more than ( 40 ) forty acres of tillable ground , and when it borders on some water channel , with not more than 800 feet water front , in the possession of which land the military authorities will afford them protection , until such time as they can protect themselves , or until Congress shall regulate their title .
As previously expressed , 1865 was a pivotal year in regards to Black liberation . However , as sure as certain promises were made by Sherman , and by extension , then-President Abraham Lincoln , those proclamations were reversed by Lincoln β s successor , Andrew Johnson . The Reconstruction period held a lot of promise for Black Americans , but this country β s failure to uphold its promises were apparent even before the noted political violence of groups such as the Red Shirts in 1876 . These failed promises are especially troublesome when juxtaposed with legislation such as the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act . The act , which preceded the Emancipation Proclamation by nine months , set aside $ 1 million for reparations for slaveholders .
Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters Sacks labeled # THEBLACKTEAPARTY highlight the economic impact of Black people in the United States during an Atlanta event to mark Juneteenth , June 19 , 2020 .
Such double standards have created the framework for modern calls for reparations . In 1989 , late U.S. Representative John Conyers proposed a bill to create a commission to study and develop reparations proposals . Once again , the year of 1865 was mentioned as a flashpoint :
An act to address the fundamental injustice , cruelty , brutality , and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to study and consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery , its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans , and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans , to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies , and for other purposes .
The bill was reintroduced to the House last January as H.R . 40 by Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee . Other notable champions of reparations include William β Sandy β Darity , a Black economist at Duke University who has spent the last 30 years studying reparations .
I had the good fortune to interview Dr. Darity and his wife , A. Kirsten Mullen , in the midst of promoting their new book , β From Here to Equality : Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century. β It β s a comprehensive book that looks at reparations from not only a financial standpoint , but a historical and sociological one .
David J. Phillip/AP Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas speaks as family and guests attend the funeral service for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church June 9 , 2020 , in Houston .
Amid an era where we are seeing commentaries about reparations from The New York Times and Forbes magazine , among others , Dr. Darity and Ms. Mullen dare to draw a β thick line from the nation β s origins to the present β :
The case we build in this volume is based on all three tiers or phases of injustice : slavery , American apartheid ( Jim Crow ) , and the combined effects of present-day discrimination and the ongoing deprecation of Black lives . Most advocates of Black reparations have focused exclusively on the injustice of slavery as the basis for redress . ... We submit that the bill of particulars for Black reparations almost must include contemporary , ongoing injustices β injustices resulting in barriers and penalties for the Black descendants of persons enslaved in the United States .
Six years ago this month , β The Case for Reparations β was made in The Atlantic by Ta-Nehisi Coates . It was a message that ascended Mr. Coates as one of the premier intellectuals in the country . His perspective on the issue was so powerful that he was selected to offer testimony at a congressional hearing a year ago . The end of that testimony is as relevant now as it was then :
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The typical black family in this country has one-tenth the wealth of the typical white family . Black women die in childbirth at four times the rate of white women . And there is , of course , the shame of this land of the free boasting the largest prison population on the planet , of which the descendants of the enslaved make up the largest share . The matter of reparations is one of making amends and direct redress , but it is also a question of citizenship . In H.R . 40 , this body has a chance to both make good on its 2009 apology for enslavement , and reject fair-weather patriotism , to say that this nation is both its credits and debits . That if Thomas Jefferson matters , so does Sally Hemings . That if D-Day matters , so does Black Wall Street . That if Valley Forge matters , so does Fort Pillow . Because the question really is not whether we β ll be tied to the somethings of our past , but whether we are courageous enough to be tied to the whole of them .
Ken Makin is a freelance writer and the host of the β Makin β A Difference β podcast . You can follow him on Twitter @ differencemakin . | VdIDpBrYt0OfIPCh | 1 | Reparations | -0.6 | Race And Racism | -0.3 | Black Lives Matter | 0 | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/sep/22/joe-biden-doubling-covid-19-vaccine-purchase-calls/ | Biden: U.S. will buy and donate 500M more COVID-19 vaccine doses for the world | 2021-09-22 | Coronavirus, Joe Biden, World, Coronavirus Vaccine, Pfizer | Brings total American commitment to more than 1 billion President Biden will announce Wednesday the U.S. is purchasing an additional 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to give to the rest of the world, bringing its total commitment to more than 1 billion shots. Mr. Biden will also press other global leaders to βstep upβ and do more during a COVID-19 summit that he is hosting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, according to a senior administration official. βFor every one shot we have administered in this country to date, we are now donating three shots to other countries. One shot here today, three shots committed for the world,β the official told reporters. βNo other country, or group of countries, have come close to that.β The administration and the World Health Organization say the coronavirus will be a danger so long as swaths of the global population remain unvaccinated. The virus has shown an ability to mutate into more dangerous forms and ping from one corner of the world to another. Mr. Biden earlier this year pledged to provide roughly 100 million doses of multiple vaccines to other countries, including supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine that hasnβt been approved in the U.S. but is widely used in other countries. He followed that up by purchasing 500 million doses from Pfizer ahead of the Group of Seven nations summit over the summer. Wednesdayβs announcement will double that purchase, bringing the total donation to around 1.1 billion. Pfizerβs vaccine is administered in two doses, so 1 billion doses are enough to fully vaccinate 500 million people. The administration did not disclose a total cost for the vaccines but said Pfizer is providing them at a βnot-for-profitβ price. Officials said the Pfizer doses will be made in the U.S. and shipped out from January to September of next year. It said tens of millions of other doses have been donated this year. βWe have now shipped nearly 160 million of these doses to 100 countries around the world β from Peru to Pakistan, Sri Lanka to Sudan, El Salvador to Ethiopia,β the senior administration official said. βTo put this into perspective, the United States has now delivered more free doses than every other country in the world combined.β Mr. Biden is pushing global leaders to step up even as he struggles to lift vaccination rates at home. Roughly 55% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated and around a quarter of eligible Americans have not received any doses, prompting Mr. Biden to push employer-based mandates to force people into getting the shots. The administration insists it has enough supply to take care of the U.S. and help the world, even as it looks to provide booster shots for the fully vaccinated. β’ Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com. Copyright Β© 2025 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. SEE MORE VIDEOS DOJβs bribery of New York City Mayor Eric Adams Carville says Trump playing 4D chess while Democrats still looking for board Border czar Homanβs attack on the pope reveals deeper truths about moral certainty | 0ed3a08862969ae2 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
race_and_racism | Vox | https://www.vox.com/first-person/2020/1/17/21070351/meghan-markle-prince-harry-leaving-royal-family-uk-racism | Yes, the UK mediaβs coverage of Meghan Markle really is racist | 2020-01-17 | race_and_racism | Not agreeing with the concept of a hereditary monarchy in a country where it β s celebrated is an odd place to be . Stranger still is spending your time defending particular members of the royal family after coverage of them turns hostile . But this is where I β ve found myself this past week .
Part of my job as an academic is to examine how racism functions in the UK . Ever since Meghan Markle , Duchess of Sussex , and Prince Harry announced they were stepping back from their β roles β as senior royals , there β s been a debate in British media about whether the coverage of Markle has been racist . A debate that has β in a sad but predictable turn of irony β reproduced racism while denying it is prevalent .
The royal family is historically a white institution . And so when Markle , a biracial woman , became a member , some heralded it as β progress. β But in late 2016 , the same year it was announced she and Prince Harry were dating , the prince put out a statement condemning the β wave of abuse and harassment β Markle had already been subjected to . That included β the racial undertones of comment pieces β and β the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. β Three years later , Markle talked about the difficulty of dealing with tabloid coverage more broadly , saying it had been β hard , β and that adopting β this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip β was difficult .
For example , the press has talked about her β exotic DNA β ; described her as β ( almost ) straight outta Compton β ; attacked her for the very things that Kate Middleton , Prince William β s white wife , has been praised for ; and compared the couple β s son to a chimpanzee . But in TV studios around the country , commentators seem to have peculiarly missed all of this . The coverage of Markle has been welcoming and warm , they say . And when confronted with the evidence that shows that certainly hasn β t always been the tone of reporting , they ask : Is it really racism , though ?
Not all racism is overt . Much of it is subtle , quietly shaping the way people are seen , talked about , and treated . Some , like Piers Morgan , have argued it β s not racist to talk about Markle β s DNA as β exotic , β but this term has colonial roots , long working as a form of othering . Acknowledging this would mean really grappling with the insidious ways racism operates in the UK , undermining the notion that it is fundamentally a β tolerant β and β progressive β country .
In the days following the Sussexes β announcement that they would be β leaving β the royal family , the racist β not to mention , sexist β attacks continued . One poll suggested a significant proportion of people thought it was Markle β s decision , not one made jointly or by Prince Harry . We don β t know , and might never discover , all the ins and outs of what prompted their departure from their frontline β duties. β But in this telling , Prince Harry β s previous admission that he didn β t want to be a β traditional royal β disappears , and all the power , responsibility , and blame seems to lie with Markle .
This was best encapsulated when one radio host launched into a tirade against her post-announcement . Although he β d never met Markle , he admitted , he thought her β awful , woke , weak , manipulative , spoilt and irritatingβ¦I look at her and I think , β I don β t think I would like you in real life . β β
Black British rapper Stormzy pinpointed in a characteristically salient way why someone would have this kind of unencumbered hatred for a person they β ve never met and who , for the most part , has done little that can really be considered offensive : β she β s just black . β
So much of the reaction to Markle and the couple β s decision reads as a belief that she should be grateful for what she gets . That women of color β in particular black women β should know their place . Because really , so much of the comment around the Harry and Meghan saga isn β t about them at all . It β s about how poorly racism is understood , and how even beginning to grapple with it is deprioritized and ignored .
This lack of interest in combating , or even challenging , racism has obvious political implications . The UK β s current prime minister , Boris Johnson , has compared Muslim women wearing burqas to letterboxes and described black people as β picanninies β with β watermelon smiles. β Diane Abbott , the UK β s first black woman MP , receives more abuse than any other politician in the UK . And in the wake of the referendum vote on the UK leaving the European Union , there was a spike in hate crimes .
These forms of aggression don β t even get us to the insidious structural racism that produces material inequality , which risks being overlooked in all this talk of the royals . Studies have shown that to get a job interview , people with African- or Asian-sounding surnames have to send in twice as many CVs as those with white British-sounding surnames β even where they have the same qualifications . While homelessness has risen across the UK over the past 10 years , ethnic minorities have been disproportionately impacted . And since the 1980s , unemployment rates among women of color have been consistently higher than for white women .
Still , we debate : Is racism a problem in the UK ? The coverage of Meghan Markle and the recent fallout is just another reminder that it certainly is .
Maya Goodfellow is an academic and writer . She holds a PhD from SOAS , University of London , and she is the author of Hostile Environment : How Immigrants Became Scapegoats . | TmF4YZEHPFPJseeA | 0 | Great Britain | -1.1 | United Kingdom | -1.1 | Media Bias | -0.9 | Royal Family | 0.7 | Race And Racism | 0.7 |
coronavirus | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2020/06/08/871730265/trumps-response-to-coronavirus-race-has-put-him-in-a-hole-for-reelection | Trump's Response To Coronavirus, Race Has Put Him In A Hole For Reelection | 2020-06-08 | coronavirus | Trump 's Response To Coronavirus , Race Has Put Him In A Hole For Reelection
Hundreds of thousands of people descended on the nation 's capital and cities across the country over the weekend in continued demonstrations sparked by George Floyd 's death at the hands of Minneapolis police .
The protests were largely peaceful , and their meaning has extended beyond Floyd 's fate to the larger issue of policing in America and police treatment of black Americans .
`` Do n't let the life of George Floyd be in vain , '' a county sheriff said at a memorial service for Floyd on Saturday in North Carolina .
Floyd will be remembered Monday in Houston at a public memorial service followed by an invitation-only funeral service Tuesday . Former Vice President Joe Biden will fly to Houston and meet with Floyd 's family Monday and deliver a videotaped message at the funeral service , though he wo n't attend it because of complications his Secret Service detail would create .
President Trump wo n't be attending . He will be in Washington and on Monday will host a roundtable with law enforcement at the White House .
The two actions could n't better sum up where the two men on the ballot this November to lead the country are coming from β and the bets they 're making to win .
Trump has taken a hard `` law and order '' line , thinking that will appeal to suburban whites . CBS reported over the weekend that after demonstrations turned violent last weekend , the president wanted 10,000 active-duty military personnel on the streets .
And while he has praised Floyd and been critical of police action in Minneapolis that killed the 46-year-old black man , Trump has also sounded off key .
`` Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that 's happening for our country , '' Trump said Friday of Floyd while touting the latest jobs report that sent stocks soaring . `` This is a great day for him . It 's a great day for everybody . ''
Two other actions prompted pushback . Trump 's walk last Monday to a church , part of which was burned , across from the White House came after law enforcement forcibly removed peaceful protesters , and the president threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and use the military if governors did n't deploy National Guard troops to quell the protests . Both moves caused controversy β and breaks with multiple , high-profile current and former military officials .
What 's more , survey data show his view of the country may be outdated . A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found two-thirds of Americans feel Trump has increased racial tensions since Floyd 's death , and they largely disagree with his view of the demonstrators . More than 6 in 10 see the demonstrations as mostly legitimate protests rather than unlawful acts . Those are big shifts from the 1960s , when majorities sided with police and had an unfavorable view of civil rights protests .
Polls have also shown more people disapproving of the president 's handling of the coronavirus , and an NBC/WSJ poll out Sunday showed people say they think Biden would be better to handle the pandemic by an 11-point margin .
Trump is suffering politically , losing ground with key groups and losing to Biden in head-to-head matchups . He 's down 7 points in both the NPR poll , 50 % to 43 % , and the NBC/WSJ poll , 49 % to 42 % . ( In 2016 , Hillary Clinton led in the NBC/WSJ poll at this time by just 2 points . )
There are still five months to go until the presidential election . This could be the nadir for Trump politically , and most political strategists are girding for and expect a close election , but the president has a hole to climb out of right now if he hopes to be reelected .
1 . Protests and the president : The weekend largely saw peaceful , multiethnic protests around the country . Do people continue to go out to the streets in the same numbers ? Do the protests die down ? On Monday , Trump will hold a roundtable with law enforcement at the White House . Will he continue to take a hard line , given most people said they do n't agree with him on his view of the demonstrators ?
2 . Race and justice take spotlight on Capitol Hill : On Monday , House Democrats will unveil police reform legislation led by the Congressional Black Caucus , and on Wednesday , a House committee holds a hearing on racial profiling and policing . Notably , these are Democratic-led initiatives . Will there be Republicans who join in to press for changes in policing ? After all , bipartisan efforts are what led to criminal justice reform legislation in 2018 .
3 . What about the coronavirus ? With masses of people in the streets , it 's easy to forget that much of the country was locked down because of an airborne , viral respiratory pandemic . The U.S. has now crossed 110,000 deaths from the coronavirus . Many front-line workers , doctors , nurses and other health care workers are torn regarding the protests and what they could mean for a resurgence of the coronavirus . The New York Times : `` Many say they view the deaths of black people at the hands of police as a public health issue . But they also express worries that large gatherings will cause a second wave of Covid-19 cases , and they are balancing their involvement with calls for protesters and police officers to adhere to public health guidelines . '' There 's no way to know what the effect will be yet , but it 's something to watch .
4 . Watching the U.S. Supreme Court : The high court is set to release orders and opinions on Monday . The big topics to watch for are on LGBTQ rights and DACA , the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program started during the Obama administration . The LGBTQ case is an employment discrimination one . On the DACA case , when the case was argued in the fall , the court 's conservative majority appeared ready to go along with the Trump administration 's argument that it acted lawfully in shutting down the program . The program was enacted by President Barack Obama by executive order . The court may also take up cases involving the Second Amendment and qualified immunity .
5 . Trump heads to West Point ; coronavirus evident there : Trump is slated to give the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Saturday . But 16 cadets and 71 faculty , staff or civilians at the campus have reported positive for COVID-19 . USA Today : `` Sources on Capitol Hill , with access to information but not authorized to speak publicly , said that of the 16 affected cadets , 14 had tested positive for the antibody that indicates they had contracted the virus , recovered and had developed antibodies . In addition , 71 of the more than 5,000 faculty , staff and civilians at West Point have tested positive for COVID-19 since March . All but four civilians have recovered , and they are living off the post . ''
`` By the way , there was no tear gas used [ Monday ] . The tear gas was used Sunday when they had to clear H Street to allow the fire department to come in to save St. John 's Church . That 's when tear gas was used . ... No , there were not chemical irritants . Pepper spray is not a chemical irritant . It 's not chemical . ''
β Attorney General William Barr , on CBS Face the Nation , on what was used against peaceful protesters outside the White House on Monday before they were forcibly cleared to allow the president to take a walk to St. John 's Church across from the White House .
While Park Police say they did n't use `` tear gas , '' a local reporter collected spent cans of tear gas on scene . What 's more , Dr. Ranit Mishori , senior medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights and a Georgetown University professor of family medicine , told FactCheck.org in an email : `` Tear gas and pepper spray both belong to a class of crowd-control weapons known as chemical irritants . '' | Cigl6XeSiJ3St8YB | 1 | 2020 Election | -0.8 | Donald Trump | -0.8 | George Floyd | -0.3 | George Floyd Protests | -0.3 | Presidential Elections | 0 |
federal_budget | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/politics/shutdown-showdown/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 | On shutdown's 9th day, survivors of fallen troops take center stage | 2013-10-09 | federal_budget | Story highlights Obama indicates a willingness to accept a short-term deal , a lawmaker says
GOP source : Republicans may have to accept a `` clean '' debt ceiling plan
A deadline looms to raise the debt ceiling or face default for the first time
President Barack Obama indicated a willingness Wednesday to agree to a short-term deal to raise the federal borrowing limit , if Republicans will accept it , a Democratic lawmaker told CNN .
The president signaled more `` give '' to the idea of a six-week deal to hike the debt ceiling during a private White House meeting with House Democrats , said the lawmaker , who spoke on condition of anonymity .
The revelation comes amid a stalemate that has Republicans trying to use spending and debt limit deadlines as leverage to wring concessions from Obama and Democrats .
The result of the political standoff has been a partial government shutdown that is in its second week and fears of a possible U.S. default on its debt that economists warn could cause another recession .
CNN has been reporting that senior House GOP sources are signaling openness to the idea of a short-term increase in the debt ceiling , as long as Democrats agree to negotiations on how to reduce the debt and deficit during the time the debt ceiling is increased .
Talking about a short-term solution , Obama told the group `` if that 's what ( House Speaker John ) Boehner needs to climb out of the tree that he 's stuck in , then that 's something we should look at , '' according to the lawmaker , who attended the meeting .
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The lawmaker left the White House meeting with a `` small measure of hope that this becomes an exit strategy . ''
The president warned if Republicans want to propose a short-term fix and Democrats say no , then the firm ground Democrats think they 're standing on now would soften .
Boehner and Republicans are demanding that Obama and Senate Democrats negotiate on deficit reduction steps that would be part of legislation to reopen the government and raise the limit on federal borrowing needed to pay the bills .
Obama has refused to enter formal talks until the shutdown ends and the debt ceiling has been raised to remove the threat of default .
A senior House Republican told CNN that GOP members may be willing to go for a short-term debt ceiling hike -- lasting four to six weeks -- as long as the president agrees that negotiations will occur during that time .
However , no specifics were immediately available about how such legislation would take shape or how the talks would occur .
But Republican sources have also told CNN the parameters of those talks have to be specific enough to sell to their skeptical GOP members .
So what would Democrats be willing to talk about ? The lawmaker said House Democrats are open to hearing what Republicans have in mind with a short-term deal .
The shutdown began when Congress failed to pass a spending plan for the new fiscal year that started October 1 . Now another deadline looms -- the need to increase the federal borrowing limit by October 17 or risk a U.S. default .
Days of back-and-forth rhetoric and jibes between the leaders have brought no direct negotiations , but plenty of accusations and political spin .
On Wednesday , GOP leaders appeared to shift their focus from efforts to dismantle Obama 's signature health care reform , the initial driving force behind the shutdown , to securing spending cuts elsewhere .
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Boehner , who earlier this year told his GOP colleagues that he was finished negotiating one on one with the president , has called for Obama to sit down for what he calls a `` conversation '' on how to reopen the government and prevent what would be the first-ever U.S. default as soon as next week .
But when Obama invited the entire House Republican caucus to the White House as part of a series of meetings with legislators , Boehner 's office responded that only the GOP leadership and committee chairmen would attend the Thursday gathering .
`` It is our hope that this will be a constructive meeting and that the president finally recognizes Americans expect their leaders to be able to sit down and resolve their differences , '' said a statement by a Boehner aide .
Obama 's invitation was intended to demonstrate outreach to Republicans just eight days from when the Treasury says Congress must increase the federal debt ceiling or risk default .
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama was disappointed that Boehner was limiting attendance at Thursday 's meeting to fewer than 20 of the more than 200 House Republicans .
`` The president thought it was important to talk directly with the members who forced this economic crisis on the country '' about the potential harmful impacts from the shutdown and a possible default , Carney said in a statement , repeating that Obama `` will not pay the Republicans ransom for doing their job . ''
Meanwhile , GOP leaders were distancing themselves from demands by tea party conservatives to also make dismantling Obamacare a condition for agreement .
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin , the House Budget Committee chairman who was the party 's vice presidential nominee last year , argued in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Democrats and Republicans should focus on `` modest reforms to entitlement programs and the tax code . ''
`` Right now , we need to find common ground , '' Ryan wrote in the column posted online Tuesday night . `` We need to open the federal government . We need to pay our bills today -- and make sure we can pay our bills tomorrow . So let 's negotiate an agreement to make modest reforms to entitlement programs and the tax code . ''
However , Ryan 's column never mentioned Obamacare , focusing instead on forced spending cuts to domestic and military programs , as well as reforms to Medicare .
Ryan 's Obamacare omission appeared to anger conservatives , who took to Twitter in response .
`` Much like White House press , Paul Ryan does n't mention Obamacare in WSJ oped , '' tweeted Dan Holler , spokesman for the conservative group Heritage Action .
Perhaps in response to a conservative backlash , Boehner made a brief statement Wednesday on the House floor that focused on the GOP message that Obamacare was detrimental to the country . He stopped short of linking it to any negotiations on ending the shutdown and raising the debt ceiling .
Boehner insists that the government must reduce deficits , declaring that Republicans wo n't raise the debt ceiling without steps toward that goal .
But a House GOP leadership source told CNN on Wednesday that Obama 's rejection of linking negotiations to raising the borrowing limit meant Republicans would likely be forced to agree to a `` clean '' debt ceiling limit proposal in exchange for setting up talks on deficit reduction steps .
According to the source , the economic implications of a U.S. default `` scares people '' to make such a deal acceptable to enough House Republicans in order to get negotiations started .
The source acknowledged Boehner may lack support from some or most of his GOP caucus , requiring Democratic votes for the proposal to pass .
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois told CNN his side already was mulling over `` what we will discuss , what we will negotiate over , what things will be on the table . '' Obama also met with the House Democratic caucus at the White House .
The GOP-led House passed a measure on Tuesday to set up a special negotiating team comprising members of both parties from the House and Senate , but Obama and Democrats rejected the concept as the latest Republican gimmick to force talks before raising the debt ceiling .
Meanwhile , Senate Democrats announced they will propose a measure to increase the debt ceiling beyond next year 's congressional elections with no additional issues attached .
While many Republicans are certain to oppose it , Democratic leaders hope increased pressure for Congress to prevent a default next week will cause some GOP senators to vote for it .
A GOP source told CNN on Tuesday that the White House was having corporate chief executives call Republican leaders . The business community has called for resolving the Washington stalemate to avoid a default that would spike interest rates to impact the economy .
Without a breakthrough , the shutdown would continue at a cost estimated at up to $ 50 billion a month . Failure to raise the debt ceiling by next week 's deadline would leave the government unable to borrow money to pay its bills for the first time in its history .
All the partisan bickering -- and lack of progress -- is taking its toll not just on furloughed workers , shuttered government facilities and programs , but also on Americans ' confidence in their government .
In a national poll released Monday , most respondents said the government shutdown was causing a crisis or major problems for the country .
The CNN/ORC International survey indicated that slightly more people were angry at Republicans than Democrats or Obama for the shutdown , though both sides took a hit .
According to the poll conducted over the weekend , 63 % of respondents said they were angry at the Republicans for the way they have handled the shutdown , while 57 % expressed anger at Democrats and 53 % at Obama .
`` It looks like there is more than enough blame to go around , and both parties are being hurt by the shutdown , '' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland .
According to a new Gallup poll Wednesday , the Republican party 's favorable rating dropped to 28 % , down 10 percentage points from September . The 43 % for Democrats was a 4-percentage-point drop from last month .
Senate Democrats sought to keep up the pressure , holding a rally on the Capitol steps on Wednesday to demonstrate their unified stance in calling for House Republicans to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling .
A CNN survey indicates enough Republicans in the House would join Democrats in voting for a Senate-passed spending plan to end the shutdown .
All 200 Democrats and 19 Republicans support passing a continuing resolution with no additional legislative strings attached .
With two vacancies in 435-member House , 217 votes are currently the minimum needed for the measure to win approval in the House .
However , not enough Republicans are willing to join Democrats in a procedural move to force Boehner to hold a vote on the Senate plan .
Boehner has said the measure would fail to pass in the House , a contention rejected by Obama and Democrats .
The speaker has previously allowed measures to pass the House with mostly Democratic support , which has weakened his leadership among conservatives . Doing so now could cost him his leadership post due to the conservative backlash in would likely unleash , analysts believe . | YJvT6bniTOI30G7J | 0 | Economy And Jobs | -0.2 | Federal Budget | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/clinton-vp-pick-tim-kaine-226013 | Vanilla nice: Signs point to Kaine as Clintonβs VP choice | 2016-07-22 | elections | When Hillary Clinton announced Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate Friday evening , she made a characteristically cautious but responsible choice β indicating that in her pick she was more concerned with finding a long-term governing partner than an electrifying campaigner on the road .
In Kaine β a politician who has never lost a race , whose name has topped Clinton β s list of potential running mates since the process began in earnest back in April β the former secretary of state picked a partner who is similarly heavy on experience and light on dynamic political charisma .
The hope , Democrats said , is that the Clinton-Kaine ticket will underscore to voters the value of a steady , dependable hand , at home and abroad , when contrasted against the inconsistent and mercurial Donald Trump .
β If you believe that the first and most important consideration is , can this person step into the big job β there 's no question that Tim Kaine can , β said Mo Elleithee , director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics , who has worked for both Clinton and Kaine in the past . `` He will be an excellent partner in governing . ''
In recent weeks , Clinton allies have downplayed the political significance of the VP pick , arguing that in a race where the top of the ticket is dominated by figures as big and polarizing as Clinton and Trump , the no . 2 would not move the dial . That sense was bolstered by Trump β s selection last week of Indiana Gov . Mike Pence , who could barely get a word in edgewise at his own announcement press conference .
After an extensive , months-long process during which the campaign considered a host of different options β even vetting a heavyweight candidate from outside the political arena , retired Admiral James Stavridis β the squeaky-clean Virginia senator whose biggest liability is that he is boring , ultimately appealed to Clinton β s cautious nature , as well as her respect for workhorse officeholders cut from her own mold .
β It needs to be someone who whenever they walk into the room you β re glad to see them and you want to have them as part of any conversation , β was the advice from Clinton β s campaign chairman John Podesta , who officially began the vice presidential vetting process after Clinton β s dominated in the New York primary last April . Clinton allies said she was still deliberating over the decision until the last minute , but Clinton appeared to know in her gut who she would eventually pick : Kaine was the only candidate of a list that started at more than two dozen who was invited back for a second private meeting with Clinton , according to a campaign official .
Kaine had also been urged by two men familiar with the demands of the job : President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton , those close to the process say .
After Donald Trump β s somewhat more polished performance Thursday night in his speech accepting the Republican nomination , even Democrats who had been pushing for a flashier choice like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker were sobered by what they saw as a challenging four months ahead . β After last night , she needs to make the safest choice possible , β said a former senior White House aide .
β Safe β seems to be Kaine β s middle name . The Spanish-speaking former missionary and onetime swing-state governor sits on both the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees in the Senate . While the Warren-Sanders wing of the Democratic Party may object to some of his positions on trade and Wall Street regulation , Kaine rarely takes controversial stands or makes painful gaffes , thus fulfilling the Hippocratic oath for vice presidential nominees : First , do no harm .
When he has stuck his neck out , it 's been to do battle with the National Rifle Association , whose headquarters are in his state . Kaine , who was governor during the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007 , famously called the powerful lobbying group a β paper tiger '' and has bragged that despite the millions they spent to defeat him and their assignment of an `` F '' grade to his record on guns , he 's never lost a race in Virginia . Fighting for more restrictive gun laws has also become a core piece of Clinton 's primary and general election campaign .
Like Clinton , Kaine is also the son of a small business owner β his father owned an iron workshop and he grew up working as a welder on the shop floor outside of Kansas City .
β He can connect with the working class guys , β said Elleithee , a former senior staffer whose wedding Kaine officiated . β He was Jesuit-educated , which instilled in him that sense of social justice . β
After law school , Kaine became a civil rights attorney , fighting fair housing cases in Virginia , and his was one of the few white families that joined a predominately black Catholic church .
Kaine , for all the buzz about his chances and his made-for-VP bio , has been deeply self-effacing during the awkward public tryout process . When asked during a β Meet the Press β interview last month if he was ready to be president , he said no .
`` Nobody should ever say they β re ready for that responsibility , because it is so , so huge , β he said , in what some saw as a tacit rebuke of Warren , who answered confidently that she is ready to be commander in chief when asked the same question by Rachel Maddow .
But Kaine 's humble , vanilla persona endeared him to Clinton . β I love that about him , β she told CBS News β Charlie Rose in an interview earlier this week when grilled about whether he was too boring . Added Virginia Gov . Terry McAuliffe , a close confidant of the Clintons who has been pushing for his home-state senator : β If anything , he β s only helped himself through this entire process . β
In addition to McAuliffe , President Obama and Bill Clinton have also privately or publicly expressed their support for Kaine , who was passed over for the No . 2 slot in 2008 .
Earlier this week , White House press secretary Josh Earnest , unprovoked , told reporters that Kaine was someone Obama believes would be a good pick for Clinton . β Senator Kaine was one of the first public officials to announce a public endorsement of Senator Obama , β he said . β Senator Kaine served as the chair of the DNC during President Obama β s first year in office , and Senator Kaine is somebody that the president deeply respects . β
Bill Clinton , who has been deeply involved in the process , had also been pushing for two people , but ultimately β Tim is his first choice , β said a source close to the former president . β The advice he gives is much more : Here are the issues you β re going to have ; here β s why you need this person . It β s more from experience . β
β Hillary Clinton would feel very compatible working with someone like Tim Kaine , β McAuliffe told βββ in a recent interview . β He β s a very thoughtful , quiet negotiator β he doesn β t really care about the limelight . She β s worked with folks like Tim for years . He β s in it for the right reasons β he didn β t jump at the chance to run for the United States Senate . He was perfectly happy to go be a university professor . He doesn β t have to do this for the big rah rah β he can really help people . It β s unique for a lot of folks . β
The prospect that McAuliffe would fill Kaine β s Senate seat also boosted his chances over another appealing choice to the progressive wing of the party , Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown , whose seat would be filled by an appointee of Republican Gov . John Kasich . Many Clinton allies said they believed Brown would have ultimately been a stronger pick , for his ability to push a progressive message and help win the battleground state of Ohio . But Kaine was still seen as a solid , meat-and-potatoes choice .
McAuliffe said that Clinton likes Kaine β s β worker bee , gets things done β style . β He brings people in . He doesn β t say , β This way or the highway β β he tries to structure compromise , β he said .
Clinton kept her vetting process tight among top aides including longtime attorney Cheryl Mills and campaign chairman John Podesta ; in contrast to Trump β s announcement , which leaked out a day early and which his campaign then tried to walk back , the Clinton campaign managed to keep its promise to supporters -- that they would be the first to learn of her pick when alerted via text .
Earlier this week , South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn said he had been consulted by the Clinton campaign to discuss Kaine , as well as Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack . β I β ve had more experience with Tim Kaine than all the three , β Clyburn told reporters . β The three finalists who I understand are the three finalists ... I admire a whole lot . β
As the veepstakes wound to a close on Friday , Kaine kept his cool . Rep. Gerry Connolly ( D-Va. ) said he bumped into Kaine at a β small , intimate dinner party β on Thursday night and that he was mum about the process . β He seemed quite normal and enjoyed himself and was relaxed and had not heard anything , β Connolly said in an interview Friday morning .
But it 's been a period of great expectations for Kaine . After his joint rally with Clinton earlier this month , Clinton invited her potential running mate back to her house and met with him one-on-one for 90 minutes .
Kaine β s biggest liability β aside from his personal opposition to abortion , which has rankled some abortion rights advocates β may be his middle-of-the-road stances on trade deals and financial regulations that put him at odds with the ascendant left wing of the Democratic Party .
`` Every progressive I talk to is concerned both about Kaine β s history of trade cheerleading and that this portends Clinton is going to surround herself generally with cautious centrists who do n't like ruffling feathers with big corporations , '' said a progressive Capitol Hill Democrat . β The economic anger that exists somehow still has n't affected her decisions , which is scary , depressing , and provocative . β
On Friday night , Clinton called other short-listers to inform them that she had made up her mind , including : Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack , Labor Secretary Tom Perez , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Admiral James Stavridis , who had emerged late in the game as a potential dark horse .
Kaine 's selection was greeted with this text message from Trump to his supporters : `` Tim Kaine is Hillary 's VP pick . The ultimate insiders - Obama , Hillary , and Kaine . Do n't let Obama have a 3rd Term . '' | WuzEVupCU7AJlP4h | 0 | Hillary Clinton | 0.2 | Tim Kaine | 0.1 | Mike Pence | 0.1 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 |
immigration | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/02/trump-immigration-law-reduction-10-years | Donald Trump proposes law to cut immigration numbers by half in 10 years | 2017-08-02 | Immigration | Donald Trump announced plans for new immigration laws on Wednesday that would cut the total number of immigrants admitted to the US by half over a decade and prioritize those who can speak English or are well educated .
Trump 's immigration plan : could an Australian points model work in the US ? Read more
The proposed legislation , unveiled at the White House , would also cap the number of refugees admitted to the US every year at 50,000 , and eliminate the diversity visa lottery , which currently allocates 50,000 visas a year to residents of countries that do not currently send significant numbers of migrants to the US .
An estimate provided by the office of one of the bill β s sponsors , the Republican senator Tom Cotton , stated that if passed , the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment ( Raise ) Act would reduce the number of immigrants admitted to the US by 41 % in its first year and by 50 % over a 10-year-period .
Speaking alongside Cotton and another co-sponsor , the Republican senator David Perdue , Trump described the bill as β legislation that would represent the most significant reform to our immigration system in a half century β and heralded it as a the fulfillment of his campaign promise to create a β merit-based immigration system that protects American workers and taxpayers β .
Although Trump has long been vocal about illegal immigration , making a wall on the US-Mexico border his signature campaign policy , he has also advocated revamping legal immigration .
In his February address to Congress , the president advocated β reforming our system of legal immigration β and shifting to a merit-based system , citing Canada and Australia as models .
Cotton , from Arkansas , echoed Trump β s rhetoric , making a populist case for his legislation . The current immigration system shows β we β re not committed to working-class Americans β , he said , claiming it put β great downward pressure on people who work with their hands and feet β and meant the US β lose [ s ] out on very best talent coming to our country β .
Cotton and Perdue first introduced the bill in February and Cotton told reporters then that he had discussed the legislation with Trump as β a concept β .
Despite Trump β s support , however , the legislation has bipartisan detractors and is unlikely to pass Congress in its current form .
While Republicans have long been united on the issue of illegal immigration , legal immigration is far more divisive for them .
Many pro-business Republicans have long supported legal immigration , and the new legislation is likely to stoke the divides between this wing of the party and more populist Republicans .
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , a frequent critic of Trump β s , denounced the proposed reduction in legal immigration , which he said would β be devastating to [ South Carolina β s ] economy , which relies on this immigrant workforce β .
For the Democrats , Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer told reporters the proposal to cut legal immigration β doesn β t make much sense β and said his party would not support the plan .
β This is different than illegal immigration , β Schumer said . β This creates jobs in America . This helps America , and we think it β s a non-starter . β
Later , the senior White House aide Stephen Miller got into a heated exchange while discussing the policy with reporters . Speaking at the lectern in the White House briefing room , Miller clashed with the CNN anchor Jim Acosta .
Acosta asked Miller if the proposal would violate the spirit of the poem New Colossus , inscribed at the base the Statue of Liberty , which includes the line : β Give me your tired , your poor , Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . β
The White House criticized Acosta for his β cosmopolitan bias β and attacked him for asking about what the bill would do to the racial composition of immigrants to the United States by saying : β That is one of the most outrageous , insulting , ignorant and foolish things said you β ve ever said . β
Miller later apologized to Acosta before leaving the lecturn β if things got heated β but added that the CNN anchor β made some pretty rough insinuations . β | 62597b84f779e98e | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/2/rep-tom-cole-lets-be-real-president-using-minimum-/ | Rep. Tom Cole: "Let's be real; president using minimum wage as a political weapon" | 2014-05-02 | economy_and_jobs | Rep. Tom Cole , Oklahoma Republican , said that while he β s opposed to an increase in the minimum wage , he β d be willing to look at proposals to do so β and accused the White House of using the issue as a β political weapon . β
β Would I look at a minimum-wage increase if I thought there were other things attached to it that would create jobs like Keystone and additional things ? Yeah , I think I would consider that because I think job creation is an β¦ important thing ; it β s something that we β ve done a pretty miserable job at over the last several years , β Mr. Cole said Friday on MSNBC β s β Morning Joe . β
A proposal to raise the federal minimum wage from $ 7.25 an hour to $ 10.10 an hour fell victim to a filibuster in the U.S. Senate earlier this week β an outcome all sides could foresee before it happened .
Mr. Cole said he realizes there β s a case to be made for raising the wage , but there β s also a case on the other side : Individual states can move on their own and the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that raising the federal minimum wage to $ 10.10 an hour , phased in over the next three years , would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers even as it would substantially boost wages for low-income workers .
The report from the nonpartisan budget scorekeeper added that the uncertainty is substantial , and the loss could be anywhere from β very slight β to as much as 1 million jobs .
β But I think this has been politicized , β Mr. Cole continued . β I suppose the president is certainly supportive of doing this , but let β s be real : He β s using this as a political weapon . If he was serious , he would put something else on the table that would attract Republican support . So far , he hasn β t done that . β
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , Nevada Democrat , has said that he β s willing to compromise on the wage issue , but not on the $ 10.10 figure .
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday that offering a different number probably wouldn β t do much good anyway .
β We don β t hear back from Republican leaders , β Well , I can β t do 10.10 , I could do 9.50. β Right ? That β s not what they tell you , and it β s not what they tell us , β he said . β They say they β re opposed to raising the minimum wage . β That β s the wrong approach . It β s not good for America . It β s not good for the economy . It β s not right for those families. β β | Kamf9WLxsOyBpjo3 | 2 | Minimum Wage | 0 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/395907-giuliani-mueller-needs-to-prove-trump-committed-crime-before-agreeing | Giuliani: Mueller needs to prove Trump committed crime before agreeing to interview | 2018-07-06 | white_house | 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 β s attorney Rudy Giuliani said Friday that Trump will only agree to an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller Robert ( Bob ) Swan MuellerSpeier says impeachment inquiry shows 'very strong case of bribery ' by Trump Gowdy : I '100 percent ' still believe public congressional hearings are ' a circus ' Comey : Mueller 'did n't succeed in his mission because there was inadequate transparency ' MORE if the special counsel has evidence that Trump committed a crime and that the president β s testimony is needed to complete the probe .
Giuliani told The New York Times that it is still possible that Trump could agree to interview with Mueller , but said that the likelihood that the president would agree to a voluntary interview is growing less likely .
β If they can come to us and show us the basis and that it β s legitimate and that they have uncovered something , we can go from there and assess their objectivity , β Giuliani told the newspaper .
Trump β s legal team also wants proof that Mueller sought every other alternative to find answers before interviewing Trump , and that the president is the only person who could provide them with the necessary information , according to The Times .
Additionally , the lawyers want Mueller to explain why he is able to investigate possible obstruction of justice by Trump in a probe initially launched to investigate Russian election interference .
Trump 's lawyers have been negotiating with Mueller 's team for months on the terms of a potential interview between the president and the special counsel , with the president 's legal team publicly issuing a series of demands for such an interview .
Giuliani said in early June that Trump would refuse to sit down for an interview unless he first saw documents pertaining to the FBI 's use of an informant during the 2016 campaign . The lawyer had previously said the White House simply wanted a briefing on information shared with lawmakers .
And later in June , Giuliani said that for him , an interview with the special counsel was `` off the table '' until certain demands were met .
`` It 's never off the table for the president , because he feels he 's done nothing wrong , which he has n't , and he wants to explain himself , '' Giuliani told βββ 's `` Rising '' program . `` For me as his lawyer it 's off the table until they can show me what happened . ''
Giuliani told The Times on Friday that Trump 's legal team is also now pushing back against Mueller 's request to interview White House chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE , demanding to know what the questioning would include .
β That β s the new position . If they had made the request eight months ago , they would have said yes because they thought there was a group of people on Mueller β s team who had an open mind and were objective , β Giuliani told the newspaper 's of Trump 's past attorneys .
The lawyer argued that public opinion is swaying toward Trump `` big time '' over the probe , referring to his claims that the investigation has been biased against Trump .
β Nobody is going to consider impeachment if public opinion has concluded this is an unfair investigation , and that β s why public opinion is so important , β Giuliani told The Times . | tfNsBDYpg3E9mYA6 | 1 | Russia Probe | -0.3 | White House | 0.2 | Politics | 0.2 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/08/23/despite_bad_samples_romney_pulls_closer_in_swing_state_polls | Despite Bad Samples, Romney Pulls Closer in Swing State Q-Polls | 2012-08-23 | elections | The big headline is that Barack Obama still leads Mitt Romney in Florida , Ohio and Wisconsin , but his advantage is shrinking :
New CBS News/New York Times/Quinnipiac University poll numbers from three important swing states show a tight presidential race getting tighter . The poll shows President Obama 's lead in Florida is down to just three points . Mr. Obama had a six-point lead there at the end of July . The president is still leading Mitt Romney by six points in Ohio . In Wisconsin , home state of Romney 's running mate Rep. Paul Ryan , Romney 's now in a virtual tie with the president with just two points between them .
The good news for Romney is these CBS/NYT/Q-polls demonstrate that he 's drawing closer to the incumbent in crucial battleground states . The better news for Republicans is that these surveys are based on flawed samples , so the Republican is likely faring better than the numbers let on . Ed Morrissey lays it out :
Let β s just cut to the chase . What do the partisan splits in the samples look like ? Let β s lay out all three states and compare the D/R/I of this poll to 2008 and 2010 : Florida : 34/28/32 ; 2008 37/34/29 , 2010 36/36/28 Ohio : 34/26/34 ; 2008 39/31/30 , 2010 36/37/28 Wisconsin : 32/28/33 ; 2008 39/33/29 , 2010 37/36/28
In other words , the Florida poll sample is D+6 , whereas the mean Florida electorate from 2008 and 2010 ( a fair benchmark for the 2012 elctorate ) was just D+1.5 . That 's a gap of 4.5 percentage points ; ( Obama leads by three ) . The Ohio poll is based upon a D+8 sample , whereas the mean '08/'10 hybrid Buckeye State electorate was D+3.5 . Hence , a gap of 4.5 percentage points ; ( Obama leads by six ) . The Wisconsin poll sample is D+4 , while the state 's combined electorate was D+2.5 ; ( Obama leads by two ) .
Another telling item from the internals : 2008 McCain voters are severely under-sampled in the Florida and Ohio surveys . The new poll 's Florida respondents voted for Obama over McCain by a nine-point margin . The actual election result was Obama by three . The poll 's Ohio respondents backed Obama vs. McCain by 13 points . The actual election result was Obama by four-and-a-half . All in all -- and based on other recent polling data -- I suspect Romney is tied or slightly ahead in Florida , tied or slightly behind in Wisconsin , and tied or slightly behind in Ohio . He 'd rather be leading across the board , of course . Eleven weeks to make the sale .
UPDATE - A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows Americans souring on politics , with a record number of voters identifying as independents . Romney holds a `` clear edge '' on the economy , and a larger lead on deficits . Obama leads on several other issues . More voters say Obama is attacking Romney unfairly than vice versa , the GOP has an enthuisiasm advantage , and the generic Congressional ballot is exactly tied . Romney leads men by eight , Obama leads women by the same margin . | yxHtUsr7qWKjKaQV | 2 | Elections | 1 | Presidential Elections | 0.6 | Polls | 0 | null | null | null | null |
china | The Epoch Times | https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/uk-eu-condemn-hong-kongs-new-national-security-law-5611173 | UK, EU Condemn Hong Kongβs New National Security Law | 2024-03-20 | China, Hong Kong, World, Defense And Security, National Security, Justice, Free Speech, Business, United Nations, European Union | The UK and the European union on Tuesday condemned Hong Kongβs new rubber-stamped national security law, saying it would further erode freedoms in the financial hub and may affect diplomatic missions. British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the law will βhave far-reaching implicationsβ for Hong Kong residents, including foreign diplomats, and βenable the continuing erosion of freedoms of speech, of assembly, and of the media.β The European Union also criticised the law, raising concerns over its βsweeping provisions and broad definitions.β In statements issued on Wednesday, Beijingβs foreign affairs representative in Hong Kong accused the UK and the EU of βsmearingβ the law and βinterferingβ with Chinaβs βinternal affairs.β The controversial Safeguarding National Security Bill, known as Article 23, was passed unanimously on Tuesday by Hong Kongβs Legislative Council, a 90-seat body now dominated by politicians backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following its βpatriots onlyβ overhaul of the cityβs electoral system. Article 23 in Hong Kongβs Basic Law, which was enacted after the former British colony was handed over to Beijing, mandated that the authorities write Hong Kongβs own national security code. However, an attempt to do so in 2003 led to massive protests, leading the government to shelve the proposal. After pro-democracy protests brought hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers to the streets in 2019, Beijing imposed a national security law to punish four major crimes: secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. On Jan. 30, Hong Kong authorities launched a consultation on making the legislation. The bill was first published on March 8 and become law 11 days later. The law punishes five offences: treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets and espionage, destructive activities endangering national security, and external interference. After the law was adopted, Lord Cameron said: βThis new law, rushed through the legislative process, will have far-reaching implications for all of these areas. βThe broad definitions of national security and external interference will make it harder for those who live, work, and do business in Hong Kong,β the foreign secretary said. βIt fails to provide certainty for international organisations, including diplomatic missions, who are operating there. βIt will entrench the culture of self-censorship which now dominates Hong Kongβs social and political landscape, and enable the continuing erosion of freedoms of speech, of assembly, and of the media.β Lord Cameron said the law will βfurther damage the rights and freedomsβ in the city, and undermine Hong Kongβs implementation of βbinding international obligations including the SinoβBritish Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.β Under the SinoβBritish Joint Declaration, the Chinese regime promised not to remove Hong Kongβs self-autonomy and the rule of law for 50 years, until 2047. However, the regime has effectively torn up the treaty, calling it a βhistorical document.β Since the Beijing-imposed national security law took effect in 2020, the UK has declared a number of times that the Chinese regime was in breach of the declaration, and opened up a humanitarian visa route for British National (Overseas) passport holders who wish to flee Hong Kong. But the passing of the new national security law itself βmay or may notβ technically count as a breach of the treaty because the law was passed by the Legislature in Hong Kong, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the EU and the United Nations also hit out at Hong Kongβs new security law. βIt is alarming that such consequential legislation was rushed through the legislature through an accelerated process, in spite of serious concerns raised about the incompatibility of many of its provisions with international human rights law,β said the U.N.βs High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in a statement released on Tuesday. The European Union said in a separate statement on Tuesday it was concerned about the βpotential impact on the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kongβ and the bill had the potential to βsignificantlyβ affect the work of the EUβs office as well as organisations and companies in Hong Kong. βThis also raises questions about Hong Kongβs long-term attractiveness as an international business hub,β it said. The CCP responded on Wednesday by telling the UK and others to stop interfering. In two statements published on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Commissionerβs Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong expressed βstrong indignation and resolute oppositionβ over the UK and the EUβs statements. The spokesperson claimed that the UK doesnβt have the right to monitor the implementation of the SinoβBritish Joint Declaration and accused the UK of incitement and having a βcoloniser mentality.β Under the CPRA, you have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalized ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link.If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | 9854c75dbb567cc9 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2019/07/09/steyers-2020-campaign-to-draw-heavily-from-california-ballot-strategy-1092839 | Steyer to draw on California methods in presidential bid | 2019-07-09 | elections | Steyer will base his campaign in San Francisco , the city in which he launched his hedge fund and later opened offices for NextGen and Need to Impeach . | AP Photo Steyer to draw on California methods in presidential bid
SAN FRANCISCO β Billionaire activist Tom Steyer says he will use β the exact same methods β in his fledgling Democratic presidential campaign that he β s used for more than a decade in California , where he has registered hundreds of thousands of voters and thrown millions into passing several major ballot measures .
β We β re a get-out-to-the-people , directly-address-the-people organization , β β Steyer told βββ Tuesday . β I β ve been an outsider this whole time in Democratic politics . ''
Steyer will base his campaign in San Francisco , the city in which he launched his hedge fund and later opened offices for NextGen and Need to Impeach . He responded to sharp criticism from Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders , who told MSNBC Tuesday that β I β m a bit tired of seeing billionaires trying to buy political power . β
The 2020 campaign , Steyer said , will focus on β who has a vision that connects with the American people ... of what we can practically do to take back this democracy and get the government to work for people . β
β That is the question for every single person in the race , β β he said . β Money can β t buy that . β
Steyer sidestepped questions about his strategy to make the cut for future Democratic debates , which require participants to meet one of two key requirements β breaking 1 percent in three polls from pollsters approved by the Democratic National Committee or tallying 65,000 unique campaign donors , with at least 200 donors in 20 different states .
NBC is reporting that ad trackers show Steyer has already reserved about $ 1 million in TV ads in the first four primary and caucus states β a move that could bump up his polling numbers there .
Steyer channeled more than $ 60 million of his own money into campaign causes from 2010 to 2018 , including NextGen β s California political operations . Much of that has gone to ballot fights : passing a cigarette tax in 2016 ; altering how corporations calculate their tax burden and sending the proceeds to clean energy back in 2012 ; and beating back a 2010 effort to repeal the law that set emissions targets and allowed cap-and-trade .
He β s also spent millions on voter turnout and sent a steady stream to various state legislators , statewide candidates and Democratic party committees .
In addition , NextGen California β s political arm has donated to various ballot initiatives and sought to elect Democrats , funding $ 1 million worth of independent expenditures on behalf of a quartet of state Senate hopefuls in 2015-16 .
And NextGen has become one of Sacramento β s biggest lobbying spenders , putting more than $ 11 million into shaping policy between 2015 and 2018 . Its spending spiked as the Legislature debated critical climate legislation around cap-and-trade and emissions targets , but the organization has also lobbied on an array of causes that include clean drinking water and Medi-Cal for undocumented immigrants .
Steyer acknowledged that his move to get into the race is a turnaround from earlier this year , when he had publicly vowed to focus his money and his energies on impeachment of President Donald Trump . The shift , he said , was driven by what he called frustration over recent political developments on the national stage .
He said he will continue to fund the efforts of Need to Impeach , which has collected 8.2 million signatures and spent millions on ads promoting impeachment . Steyer said efforts on climate change at NextGen Climate , in addition to assisting Democratic candidates heading toward the 2020 election cycle , will not be affected by his run .
He said what prompted him to jump into the crowded 2020 field at this late date was β worrying that our broken government and our broken politics weren β t going to respond to what I see as the twin crisis facing us β that no one was going to activate the grassroots to get the power back to the people and retake this democracy . β
β Honestly , I literally couldn β t sleep , β β he told βββ . β I had decided not to do this β and I thought , 'You β re going to regret that for the rest of your life . You can not not do this . ' β | pEUaBPWhTWPLA6lZ | 0 | Tom Steyer | 0.6 | 2020 Election | -0.6 | Presidential Elections | -0.6 | Democratic Party | -0.4 | Elections | 0 |
immigration | Washington Times | https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/7/sessions-calif-sanctuary-slave-state-nullification/ | Sessions likens California sanctuary laws to slave-state nullification | 2018-03-07 | immigration | Attorney General Jeff Sessions compared California β s new sanctuary city laws to attempts by slave-holding southern states to nullify federal laws , and blasted California officials Wednesday for attempting to force a β radical open borders agenda β on the rest of the country .
Speaking to California police and sheriffs , Mr . Sessions defended his decision to file a lawsuit against California this week seeking to block three state laws he says are thwarting federal agents β ability to stop illegal immigration .
And he took specific aim at Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf , saying she actively aided illegal immigrants in escaping arrest last month by warning them of an impending sweep by federal deportation officers .
β Here β s my message to Mayor Schaaf : How dare you , β the attorney general said . β How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement to promote a radical open borders agenda . β
Ms. Schaaf has defended her actions , saying she was trying to give illegal immigrants the tools to defend their rights , and saying she wanted to keep families together .
She won praise from state officials , who said California is proud to be a sanctuary .
The state government approved three laws last year that severely limit cooperation police can provide to federal immigration authorities , and also prohibit private businesses from cooperating as well .
Mr . Sessions said those laws interfere with the federal government , which under the Constitution and laws passed by Congress has supreme power over immigration .
β There is no nullification . There is no secession , β he said . β Federal law is β the supreme law of the land. β I would invite any doubters to go to Gettysburg , to the tombstones of John C. Calhoun and Abraham Lincoln . This matter has been settled . β
Mr . Sessions called the laws β an embarrassment β to the state .
He wondered what would happen if a state passed a law to thwart the Environmental Protection Agency β s ability to target polluters .
California officials have defended their policies , saying federal agents are allowed to conduct enforcement β but state and local police shouldn β t be forced to assist .
They argue that immigrants , including those in the country legally , are less willing to cooperate on reporting other crimes if they fear immigration agents could become involved . | yUKGe3TjqMEKUGdb | 2 | Immigration | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
facts_and_fact_checking | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/05/politics/fact-checking-trumps-fourth-of-july-speech/index.html | Fact-checking Trump's Fourth of July speech | 2020-07-05 | facts_and_fact_checking | Washington ( CNN ) In his Fourth of July speech , President Donald Trump reflected on the nation 's history and its accomplishments . He also made several false claims about the coronavirus and his administration 's response to the pandemic .
According to Trump , his administration 's strategy to address coronavirus `` is moving along well . '' He added , `` We 've learned how to put out the flame . ''
Facts First : It 's misleading for the President to claim the US has `` learned how to put out the flame '' of coronavirus when the country has experienced its highest daily rate of cases over the past week .
In the days leading up to Trump 's remarks , the US set a new global record for the most number of coronavirus cases recorded in a day . And the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention testified last week that at least 12 states reported an increase in daily hospitalizations for coronavirus patients .
To be fair , Trump did acknowledge that the virus is still a problem , saying , `` It goes out in one area , it rears back its ugly face in another area . ''
But still , to claim that the US response to the pandemic is `` moving along well '' is disingenuous , and ignores not just the current situation in the US , but also how it compares to other countries .
The US response to coronavirus is also not `` moving along well '' when compared with other countries . While coronavirus cases remain high in the US , other countries in Europe and across the world have seen clear downward trends in the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases . The European Union has also banned US residents from traveling there given the sudden spike in coronavirus cases in the US .
In his remarks Saturday evening , Trump falsely suggested , not for the first time , that the recent rise in US coronavirus cases is due to increased testing , and claimed that a majority of the cases that test positive for coronavirus are `` totally harmless . ''
`` Now we have tested , almost 40 million people . By so doing , we show cases -- 99 % of which are totally harmless -- results that no other country can show because no other country has testing that we have , '' Trump said .
Facts First : While higher case numbers can sometimes be attributed to better testing , experts While higher case numbers can sometimes be attributed to better testing , experts say the recent surges in coronavirus cases are outpacing the increase in tests .
Even officials from Trump 's own government have testified to that fact . Last week , Admiral Dr. Brett Giroir , assistant secretary for health for the US Department of Health and Human Services , told the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , `` There is no question that the more testing you get , the more you will uncover -- but we do believe this is a real increase in cases , because the percent positivity 's are going up . So , this is real increases in cases . ''
Furthermore , it is unclear how the President could be under the impression that 99 % of US coronavirus cases are `` totally harmless . '' Out of the at least 2.8 million cases of coronavirus in the US , Johns Hopkins estimated a fatality rate of 4.6 % , as of Saturday . The US death toll from coronavirus is also more than twice as high as that of the country with the second-highest death rate , Brazil , according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins .
While the World Health Organization has said the global fatality rate is likely less than 1 % , the WHO also said about 20 % of all people who are diagnosed with coronavirus are sick enough to need oxygen or hospital care .
The commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration on Sunday declined to defend the President and repeatedly refused to say whether Trump 's remark is true or false .
`` I 'm not going to get into who is right and who is wrong , '' Dr. Stephen Hahn , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , told CNN 's Dana Bash on `` State of the Union . ''
The White House has not returned CNN 's request for comment on the President 's claim .
Continuing to frame his initiatives as successful , the President said , `` We are unleashing our nation 's scientific brilliance . And we 'll likely have a therapeutic and/or vaccine solution long before the end of the year . ''
Facts First : Trump 's timeline is more optimistic than both experts ' and his own previous predictions . Last week , some top health officials Trump 's timeline is more optimistic than both experts ' and his own previous predictions . Last week , some top health officials said the US could be on track to have a vaccine by the end of the year , but not `` long before . '' While several vaccine candidates have shown positive early data , all of them still have to undergo more trials .
Trump touted efforts led by his administration to manufacture the equipment needed to fight the outbreak . He claimed , `` We 've made ventilators where there were none . ''
Facts First : It 's It 's not true that the Trump administration was left no ventilators by the Obama administration , something Trump has falsely claimed on numerous occasions . In March , there were 16,660 ventilators available in the national stockpile for immediate use , according to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services . | EU5jVkt8KMLZ8IFT | 0 | Donald Trump | -1.9 | Holidays | 0 | Fourth Of July | 0 | COVID-19 Misinformation | 0 | Facts And Fact Checking | 0 |
taxes | Guest Writer - Left | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/opinion/republican-tax-bill-trump-corker.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region | OPINION: You Cannot Be Too Cynical About the Republican Tax Bill | 2017-12-21 | taxes | The primary authors of the report β Ari Glogower , David Kamin , Rebecca Kysar , and Darien Shanske β describe the legislation as β a substantial blow to the basic integrity of the income tax β that will β advantage the well-advised in ways that are both deliberate and inadvertent . β
The authors cite a wide range of specific flaws , but their main argument is that the measure is gravely deficient at its core :
The most serious structural problems with the bill are unavoidable outcomes of Congress β s choice to preference certain taxpayers and activities while disfavoring others β and for no discernible policy rationale . These haphazard lines are fundamentally unfair and inefficient , and invite tax planning by sophisticated taxpayers to get within the preferred categories .
Glogower , Kamin , Kysar , and Shanske argue that some of the most egregious loopholes and schemes permitted by the legislation are that individual taxpayers
will be able to shield their labor income from tax by simply setting up a corporation and having their income accrue in the form of corporate profits . As a result , income that would have been taxed at the high individual rates is instead taxed at the low corporate rate .
Second , the legislation creates a huge incentive for anyone in a position to do so to change his or her status from employee to β independent contractor or a partner in a firm . The game is clear : Don β t be an employee , instead be an independent contractor or partner in a firm. β The ability to make this shift is available primarily to the well-paid .
The legislation , according to Glogower and his colleagues , also fails to present a coherent rationale :
the fundamental problem is the lack of any underlying logic in deciding who benefits from the pass-through deductions , and who does not . Independent contractors and partners benefit , but not employees . Why ? An owner of real estate through a REIT benefits , but not the doctor in the building . Why ? An architect benefits in some ways that a lawyer does not . And so on .
The bill encourages tax evasion . Glogower and his colleagues cite
opportunities to use rate differentials and ill-considered transitions to engage in transactions that serve to basically pump money out of the Treasury and into the pockets of well-advised taxpayers .
To provide an example , they use a company that purchased equipment under existing law , which provides them with tax breaks on the cost spread out over the years in a depreciation schedule . The new law allows companies to immediately write off the full cost of buying equipment , known as expensing .
It means that old property can still get the benefit of expensing , but only if it is sold to another party . If the original owner holds it , they have to depreciate according to the old rules ; if they sell it to another party , then suddenly the full cost is eligible for expensing , and the net effect is an immediate deduction of the existing tax basis of the asset . The parties can split the resulting surplus . It appears that the buyer of the asset could even lease it back to the existing owner , so that the property doesn β t even have to go anywhere .
I emailed some of the authors of this report for their individual thoughts .
Mitchell Kane , a law professor at N.Y.U. , wrote in response that the bill will
create new incentives to shift tangible assets ( and jobs ) abroad . Given President Trump β s relentless message about U.S. jobs , it is incomprehensible to me that we are about to pass something that has this effect without any kind of meaningful discussion of the issue .
Daniel Hemel , a law professor at the University of Chicago , raised a crucial question about the long-term effects of the legislation β s adoption of chained CPI , a method of calculating the rate of inflation for the earned-income tax credit and other sections of the tax code that provide breaks to working- and middle-class families . | uJwZlyFISQVVKHHw | 0 | Taxes | -0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/economic-anxiety-2014-elections-112122.html?hp=t1 | Economic anxiety dominates 2014 | 2014-10-23 | economy_and_jobs | Voters have anxiety about the state of the economy and Obama β s leadership . Economic anxiety dominates 2014
AUGUSTA , Ga. β If Democrat Michelle Nunn is going to defy the odds and win a Senate race in the deep South it β s going to be because of people like Elizabeth Grubbs , a 30-year-old Waffle House waitress and student who feels stuck and anxious in the troubled American economy .
Grubbs says she is inclined to vote for Republican nominee David Perdue . But Nunn β s relentless attacks on Perdue β s record of outsourcing as a corporate executive clearly hit home . β Republicans are supposed to be the party of American business and the economy and all that , but he β s moving jobs overseas . It isn β t right , β Grubbs said this week while nursing a coffee at a sidewalk cafe in this faded Southern city .
So will she vote for Nunn ? β I don β t know . Won β t she just be an Obama clone ? β Grubbs said , mimicking the barrage of Perdue ads making just that claim . β And I don β t want to hear anything about how the economy is getting oh so much better under this president because it isn β t . It β s still crap . β
That sentiment β a raw anxiety about the state of the economy and President Barack Obama β s leadership β courses beneath the entirety of the 2014 midterm elections in ways that clearly tilt the landscape in favor of the GOP picking up the six seats they need to retake the Senate while adding a handful of House seats . But the fault lines run much deeper than one relatively desultory midterm election campaign and present risks and opportunities to both parties that will shape politics in 2016 and beyond .
In over a dozen interviews in Georgia and neighboring North Carolina , where incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan is struggling to hang onto her seat , undecided voters spoke of their disgust with Washington gridlock and their frustration over stagnant wages , limited job prospects and general dismay over the direction of the country .
For now , this grim outlook mostly hurts Democrats who are tethered to an unpopular president with dismal ratings on the economy . Tight races in Colorado , Alaska , North Carolina and elsewhere appear to be trending away from Democrats in large part because of this abiding malaise .
But that is not the case here in Georgia , where things are actually much worse than the nation as a whole . The jobless rate is the highest in the nation at 7.9 percent , fully 2 points above the national rate of 5.9 percent . And Nunn seems to have found a way to turn Perdue β s top selling point , his record as business executive , against him .
She continues to hammer Perdue on the stump , in debates and in TV ads for his work at North Carolina textile manufacturer Pillowtex and other companies involved in outsourcing . She regularly invokes a Perdue quote from a 2005 deposition , first reported by βββ , in which the GOP candidate said he spent β most of my career β involved in outsourcing . More recently , Perdue faced a story about a million-dollar investment fund he owns managed by a Swiss bank .
Nunn , in an interview after an event in Decatur this week , called Perdue β out of touch β with Georgia citizens . β I was surprised at his response , and I think most Georgians have been whether by starting out by saying he was proud of his career in outsourcing or then moving forward and saying that Georgians didn β t understand business . β
Many of the attacks on Perdue β which his campaign criticizes as unfair and taken out of context β mirror the successful approach Democrats took to undermine Mitt Romney β s business credentials in 2012 . In this case , outsourcing stands in for Romney β s record in the private-equity industry , which included shutting down some failing companies but creating jobs elsewhere .
That is the Perdue response in Georgia . Pillowtex was dead no matter what Perdue did , the argument goes , and that most of his β outsourcing β work was to find cheaper production methods and materials abroad to maintain jobs in the U.S. β David Perdue has spent his entire career taking on tough business challenges , growing American companies like Reebok and Dollar General , and creating and saving thousands of good jobs here at home , β Perdue spokeswoman Megan Whittemore said .
Fair or not , the outsourcing attacks β coupled with the fact that Nunn is the daughter of popular former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn β pushed the Democratic candidate into a deadlocked race with a real shot at winning . Should Democrats take Georgia away from the GOP , Republicans would then need to net seven seats to take the Senate , a tall though not impossible task .
Nunn , like Democrats nationwide , is struggling to overcome a drag from Obama while also counting on the party machine to turn out the kind of big African-American vote she will need to win on Nov. 4 . She will need that turnout effort even more if neither she nor Perdue hit 50 percent on Election Day , as seems quite possible , pushing the race to a Jan. 6 runoff that could decide control of the Senate .
But Democrats face their own economic headwinds , and that β s also on display in Georgia . Nunn rarely mentions her party affiliation and regularly chides Obama over not building the Keystone pipeline and having lousy relationships with corporate America .
Perdue ads constantly conflate her with the president . And Obama hasn β t made things easier for her or other vulnerable Democrats , first with his comment about how his policies were definitely on the ballot and then his remark that while red state Democrats don β t want to be seen with him , they will continue to vote with him . GOP operatives rejoiced at both Obama statements , viewing them as perfectly packaged attack ad sound bites .
In North Carolina , Hagan supporters have unleashed tens of millions of dollars in ads roasting state House Speaker Thom Tillis , the GOP nominee , for not supporting a minimum wage hike , β equal pay β laws for women or abortion rights . The Democratic incumbent has clung to a narrow lead in recent polls , though Republicans believe the race is breaking Tillis β way as the election nears .
Hagan has also tried to hit Tillis as an β outsourcer , β looking to tap into some of the momentum Nunn gained in Georgia . But it has proved less effective because she can not point to specific companies where Tillis engaged in the practice . In an interview in Charlotte , Hagan cited as examples of Tillis β support of β outsourcing β that he would β not support some of the tax incentives that we want to bring more advanced manufacturing back into this country β and that he β now disagrees with the Export-Import Bank . β
None of that seemed to resonate much with undecided voters interviewed for this story who almost uniformly said they could not overcome their distaste for what they described as Hagan β s close ties with the president .
But it β s not as though these voters expressed great enthusiasm for Tillis either or felt he had a deeply compelling message on the economy and jobs .
At a recent event in Greensboro , Tillis spent the first 10 minutes ripping Hagan over her Ebola response , her husband allegedly benefiting from the 2009 stimulus bill and other issues . Toward the end , Tillis switched to a perfunctory segment on β the future β and β the optimism. β In an interview , Tillis rejected the idea that he was not giving voters enough of a positive message on the economy , noting that he speaks often about building Keystone , doing more offshore drilling and reducing regulatory burdens on small business .
β We β ve got to do regulatory reform and get rid of some of these big obstructions going back to Sarbanes-Oxley all the way through Dodd-Frank , β he said . It remains unclear whether changing the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley accounting law will warm the hearts of undecided voters .
What won β t do it , according to Jeff Bolyard , a 39-year-old labor contractor in Charlotte , is more of the constant attacks both candidates are launching at each other . β Kay Hagan β s been there , she β s had six years and things really aren β t any better , β Bolyard said this past Sunday while eating lunch and watching the Carolina Panthers game . β But I β m not hearing anything I really like from Tillis either . I wish there was somebody else . β
That desire for β somebody else β is percolating across the national political landscape in ways that threaten both parties and portend a volatile reorientation heading into the 2016 presidential race . A recent βββ poll found that 64 percent think the nation is β out of control β and just 36 percent think the country is in a β good position to meet its economic and national security challenges . β
Those are the kind of percentages that can blow up political conventional wisdom and lead to plausible outcomes next month including Democrats winning the governorship in Kansas and Republicans winning in Connecticut . Incumbent governors are at risk across the nation , meaning the outcome on Election Day could suggest that voters are disgusted with anyone in power and hungry for real , concrete plans to bolster the economy . That will have enormous repercussions for 2016 when Republicans will be defending a much larger field of competitive Senate races and trying to block Hillary Clinton from winning the White House , assuming she runs .
Clinton herself has faced significant challenges convincing people that her freshly made millions from the book writing and speech making circuit and her close to Wall Street don β t leave her out of touch with struggling middle- and lower middle-class Americans . Clinton however will likely β though not certainly β have the advantage of not getting beaten up over her wealth in a bruising primary .
Republicans , on the other hand , have largely failed so far to trim down the size of their field or otherwise take steps to limit the kind of pre-general election damage inflicted on Romney in 2012 .
The restive nature of the electorate is ripe for a candidate like Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky who breaks with GOP orthodoxy on economic issues and tries to connect with previously unfriendly audiences . But Paul will be one of possibly a dozen or more Republicans vying for the nomination . And whoever gets it will eventually have to convince people like Richard McAllister , a 71-year old retired Boeing technician from Peachtree City , Georgia , who was struggling over coffee at the local Starbucks over whether to vote for Nunn , his first preference , or Perdue , because of his business background .
β I really just want to know who is going to be able to bring the real jobs , the ones that can support a family , put the kids through school , β McAllister said . β And right now all I see are two people yelling at each other and making all kinds of claims and really I just don β t know what to think . β | IB5mAFLFGwK7vNsa | 0 | Election2014 | -0.9 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Guest Writer - Left | https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/11/politics/donald-trump-courts-immigration-business-judiciary/index.html | OPINION: Trump seeking change of legal fortune after long losing streak | 2019-07-11 | Donald Trump, White House, Politics | ( CNN ) President Donald Trump has reason to hope his luck is changing after a long legal losing streak .
Trump got to celebrate a big win Wednesday in an emoluments clause case relating to his Washington hotel . And there are signs that a case in Louisiana could cause yet another near death experience for Obamacare , his predecessor 's top domestic achievement .
The courtroom action this week represents a potential reversal of fortune for Trump following a long list of defeats the President has tasted on cases from immigration to the 2020 census to his efforts to thwart Democratic oversight to his central campaign promise to build a border wall . For a man who bills himself as one of life 's ultimate winners , Trump 's legal losing record is a branding nightmare .
Yet the intimate relationship between this President and the courts actually goes beyond the win-loss calculation that normally powers Trump 's life . The judicial system serves multi-dimensional roles for Trump in his personal , business and Washington life .
While the law has often frustrated Trump 's political goals , he has still used it as a weapon to combat Democrats , as the glue in his conservative coalition and to postpone threatening political crises .
Often -- as in the case of Trump 's national emergency declaration designed to fund his border wall or the census -- it seems as if the long odds in court do not deter the President . The law gives Trump another venue for the endless fights that sustain his politics and his personality . Even if he loses he is showing his supporters he 's never giving up the battle .
Trump 's judicial appointments are likely to shape the character of American life for years after he 's left the White House . And it 's still possible court rulings could pose an existential threat to his personal and business legacy given the flurry of cases currently open in New York .
As is often the case , Trump 's wins in the courts have been outnumbered by his losses this week .
The administration has just tumbled to defeat before different judges -- including in the Supreme Court -- on its attempts to place a citizenship question on the 2020 census .
Two significant court rulings in May upheld Congress in its battle to subvert Trump 's war on oversight over Democratic lawmakers ' efforts subpoena his financial records .
Trump has also tasted defeat in huge cases on immigration -- slowing or thwarting his efforts to build his border wall , and right at the start of his term on his original travel ban . The Supreme Court has since allowed parts of a rewritten plan to stand .
Research by the Center for Policy Integrity at the University of New York School of Law showed that the administration had won only three of 42 deregulatory cases , a paltry success rate of only 7 % .
Yet Trump 's relationship with the courts is actually far more complicated than the win-loss ratio with which he judges his own success and that of everyone around him .
In decades as a businessman Trump was the initiator and the target of thousands of lawsuits . He used the courts to try to extricate himself from dicey situations , as a weapon in negotiations and to test the legal limits of business practice .
He used lawsuits to save face , to offer a new venue to prolong a fight , to put off a reckoning or agreed out-of-court settlements to limit the costs of personal and business liabilities .
As President , Trump has also used courts to fulfill wider goals than simply winning and losing cases , especially since he 's struggled to get many major bills through Congress -- apart from a big tax reform program .
With bold assertions of executive power , Trump has made the courts a constant presence in his presidency .
When he 's won , he 's trumpeted it . When -- more often -- he loses , the judgments become exhibits in his foundational political case that an elite establishment is out to get him and that he 's being treated unfairly .
`` So now the Obama appointed judge on the Census case ( Are you a Citizen of the United States ? ) wo n't let the Justice Department use the lawyers that it wants to use . Could this be a first ? '' Trump tweeted after a reverse in the census case on Tuesday .
His frequent complaints about `` Obama judges '' reveal his view that the courts are simply an extension of the political game and earned him a rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts .
Administrations often try to achieve through the courts what they can not legislatively -- and the Trump team along with allied GOP states has been especially enthusiastic in this regard .
Just this week , in a hearing in New Orleans , two Republican-appointed appellate judges appeared to suggest in oral arguments that a fresh challenge to Obamacare could succeed .
The case also reflects the manner in which , in an era of congressional stasis and polarization , courts are being called upon to do the job lawmakers might once have done .
Judge Kurt Engelhardt questioned why , after a US district judge declared the whole ACA unconstitutional , Congress did not pass a law clarifying what provisions should stay on the books .
`` Why does Congress want the ... judiciary to become the taxidermist for every legislative big-game accomplishment that Congress achieves ? '' Engelhardt asked .
The administration 's legal gambits have often reflected the chaos and politicized arguments that rock the administration every day and have sometimes hampered its own chances of success .
Last week , for instance , a Justice Department lawyer admitted he had no idea what was in Trump 's mind when he suddenly reversed course on the census case on Twitter .
JUST WATCHED Justice Department changes step following Trump 's tweet Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Justice Department changes step following Trump 's tweet 01:51
Sometimes , Trump has turned to personal litigation to try to frustrate his political enemies .
In March , Trump personally sued his own accounting firm and the chairman of the House Oversight Committee to try to stop the handover of his financial records .
The President has sometimes been the target of litigation as well : Democrats are increasingly turning to the courts to enforce subpoenas .
A huge test of presidential authority is looming over Trump 's sweeping claims of executive privilege that may eventually work their way up to the highest courts .
The cases could eventually lead to profound rulings about the scope of presidential power that could resonate for decades to come . And if Trump were to refuse to hand over documents or tax returns ordered by the courts , he could turn overused predictions of a looming constitutional crisis into reality .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin 's refusal to hand over Trump 's tax returns to a House committee under a provision of the tax code is likely to spark a long and costly court fight .
That 's an example of where legal action suits Trump just fine .
In such cases there 's a good chance he will fail on the merits -- but the law 's slow march means that he 's at least putting off a threatening political situation for another day -- possibly even beyond the 2020 election .
Each new challenge becomes a new example of the `` presidential harassment '' -- the term Trump and his allies use to stoke a sense of victimhood around his administration and to solidify his support with his all-important political base .
While the President may feel that he has a good chance of evading the worst possible outcome of Robert Mueller 's special counsel probe -- he may not be out of the legal mire yet .
Trump is facing multiple civil and criminal investigations of his business , financial affairs , personal conduct , his foundation and inaugural committee .
JUST WATCHED Supreme Court to decide future of DACA Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Supreme Court to decide future of DACA 01:29
The political synergy between Trump and the courts has an even deeper connection to his presidency than cases in which he is embroiled .
The President 's decision to publicize a list of potential Supreme Court justices vetted by the Federalist Society was in retrospect one of the smartest moves of his 2016 campaign , embedding evangelical and judicial conservatives into his support base despite doubts about his character and ideology .
Trump has delivered on his vows to build a conservative majority on the Supreme Court with the seating of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh . The court 's new ideological balance means that rulings favorable to Trump 's leanings on everything from deregulation to abortion could be handed down for years to come .
And the President 's alliance with Senate Republican Majority leader Mitch McConnell has been confirming conservative judges to lower courts at an impressive clip .
According to the Heritage Foundation 's Judicial Appointments Tracker , Trump has installed 127 federal judges -- more than President Barack Obama 's figure of 89 at the equivalent point in his presidency .
There is no guarantee that such judges will necessarily share Trump 's challenging and unique interpretations on the limits of presidential power .
But some of them could provide a more ideologically friendly judiciary for Trump 's policy efforts if he wins a second term and could help break his losing streak .
And the Trump class of judges at all levels of the federal bench is likely to frustrate a future Democratic president . | 7fae9956251f883d | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Christian Science Monitor | http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2013/1212/For-Newtown-s-gun-control-families-a-year-of-mixed-results | For Newtown's gun-control families, a year of mixed results | 2013-12-12 | gun_control_and_gun_rights | It seemed simply another sad fact of a terrible day β that Newtown , Conn. , would become synonymous with meaningless violence at its worst . Yet a year later , Newtown is becoming associated with a brighter notion : hope .
That 's how some parents and other family members of those who died at Sandy Hook Elementary School see their newfound political activism dedicated to bringing tougher gun rules to a gun-loving nation . Yes , they 've experienced major setbacks , but they also have been the catalyst to transforming a lackluster gun-control movement into a spirited force that has jarred pro-gun America .
On Thursday , one group of those parents , the Newtown Action Alliance , will hold a National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence at the National Cathedral in Washington , D.C. , in honor of some 30,000 people who died of gunshot wounds in America this year . The vigil is intended not to politicize the Newtown anniversary , but rather to inspire acts of kindness and service to others , according to organizer David Ackert of Newtown .
The number of gun control groups nationwide has doubled in the past year β some led by small coalitions of Sandy Hook survivors , others led by mothers not directly touched by the tragedy . Many experts cite Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America as a growing legislative force on behalf of gun control , where suddenly state legislators across the US are being confronted by women demanding change β a kind of Mothers Against Drunk Driving redux .
In the year since 20 children and six school staff members were gunned down in Newtown , eight states have enacted 42 pieces of gun control legislation ( with California leading the way ) , ranging from tweaks to concealed-carry laws to outright bans of certain guns and kinds of ammunition . Suddenly flush with cash from new donors and millionaire activists such as Michael Bloomberg , the groups are ratcheting up grass-roots efforts nationwide in a bid to put politicians on notice ahead of next year β s fall elections .
β We could n't protect our kids that day . We could n't protect our teachers that day . But we have a saying in our group : 'Our pain should not be wasted , ' β Michele Gay , who lost her daughter Josephine in the attack and who now is a school safety advocate , told the Cape Cod Times in September .
In that way , Newtown turned the key on a movement that had been slowly building as the modern scourge of mass shootings wore on β Virginia Tech , Aurora , Colo. ; the Washington Navy Yard . β Newtown is no longer a place , it β s a movement , β Newtown resident Monte Frank wrote Dec. 9 in Britain 's newspaper The Guardian .
β There β s never been such a critical mass of highly visible leaders from among survivors and victims , β agrees Kristin Goss , a political scientist at Duke University , in Durham , N.C. β These moms are really trying to challenge the idea that guns have a sort of central place in our public life . β
For some , it has become the toughest battle of their lives . The US Senate 's failure to advance a major gun control package was demoralizing to Newtown parents who had personally pleaded with lawmakers to take action . President Obama , flanked by the parents , called it β a pretty shameful day for Washington . β
Moreover , since the Sandy Hook massacre , states have approved no fewer than 93 laws that protect and affirm gun rights β more than double the number of control laws . Because many of those new laws liberalized the carrying of concealed weapons , it β s basically easier to get and use a gun today than it was a year ago , Paul Barrett , author of β Glock : The rise of America β s gun , β told WBUR in Boston on Dec. 5 .
Still , the push by the Newtown parents , aided by Democrats in Congress and in statehouses , has put gun rights activists in a rare defensive posture , possibly posing a threat to gun rights advocates ' decade-old movement to normalize the carrying of both visible and concealed guns .
In the past year , eight US states β mostly blue ones in New England and the coastal West , but also β purple β Colorado β approved gun control legislation . In New York and Connecticut , they weren β t merely symbolic changes , either , but rather bans on certain kinds of magazines and guns . The result in New York City , at least , is that some gun owners are getting letters from authorities demanding that they turn in their weapons .
β Almost everything has changed since Newtown , β adds Robyn Thomas , executive director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence , in San Francisco . β With Sandy Hook , something about it has stuck with people , and maybe that β s because , for those of us willing to contemplate what happened there , it β s hard to wipe that image away once you β ve let it in . We β re not able to turn it off ; we β re not willing to pretend it didn β t happen . β
An overarching question from critics is whether grief is blinding some surviving parents to the fact that the laws they β re lobbying for probably wouldn β t have stopped Adam Lanza , who used his mother β s legally obtained weapons to bust into the elementary school and open fire on grade-schoolers .
Newtown parents were β exploited β¦ [ by ] politicians who thought they would be nice props for their theater , '' says Larry Pratt , president of Gun Owners of America , in a phone interview . `` But I certainly don β t put the blame β on the parents , he adds . β They were grieving , emotional , and so they were cooperative . β
But Pratt concedes that his group has struggled after Newtown on one key legislative front . Efforts to repeal β gun-free zones β have failed to get any real support in Congress , or elsewhere , in the wake of Sandy Hook . Gun-free zones β is one place where people who normally support us are just stuck , β he says .
So far , the gun issue seems as polarized as the rest of America β s politically divided geography . The upshot : Gun-friendly states have become gun-friendlier ; gun-anxious states have become more gun-averse .
According to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll , 52 percent of Americans want stricter gun laws , 31 percent like the status quo , and 15 percent say gun laws should be looser . The news service notes that the strength of gun control support has waned in the past year ; in the immediate aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting , some 58 percent wanted tougher gun laws .
Yet the Newtown parents seem to have helped to move the needle . In several specific instances , the political picture has taken on surprising nuance unthinkable a year ago .
In gun-friendly Montana , Gov . Steve Bullock ( D ) vetoed a β gun control nullification β bill that would have prevented Montana police from enforcing any new federal gun laws . And in Virginia voters handily chose a Democrat , Terry McAuliffe , as their new governor , despite his jab on the stump that he β doesn β t care β that the NRA gave him an F rating .
In Colorado , on the other hand , voters recalled two pro-gun-control state legislators , and a third one stepped down after the legislature enacted tough new gun laws and Gov . John Hickenlooper ( D ) signed them into law .
β Right now [ the politics are ] very in flux , with both sides trying to prove that you can vote for what by historical standards is pretty moderate gun control and survive [ or perish ] electorally β that β s why advocates for gun rights are pointing to Colorado , and [ gun control advocates ] are pointing to Virginia , β says Ms. Goss at Duke .
The gun control activism has also kept the nation focused on Newtown , a quaint New England bedroom community that since the shootings has yearned for , more than anything , privacy .
Moreover , not all those who suffered grievous loss have lined up behind gun control reform . Mark Mattioli , who lost his son , James , at Sandy Hook , has spoken out against the push for gun control by many of his neighbors . But his political expression has its roots in the same grief as the others . He told Fox News β Megyn Kelly in April that , β I had a plan for how to make this world better and my son was a big part of that plan . β
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Indeed , the general sense in town , writes Monitor correspondent G. Jeffrey MacDonald this week in an e-mail from Newtown , is that the survivor activism is part of a communal β self-reinvention β β and that locals β are willing to give accidental activists space to do what they feel they must do to bring something meaningful and good from the ashes . β
`` No matter how much tragedy affects you , you have to find a way forward , β Nicole Hockley , who lost her son Dylan in the attack , told the Associated Press after meeting with Vice President Joe Biden in Wasington this week . β You have to invest in life . '' | WUg9Sxc278YKuvuL | 1 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | -1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | ABC News (Online) | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democratic-senators-defend-planned-parenthood-affiliates-access-ppp/story?id=70888407 | Democratic senators defend Planned Parenthood affiliatesβ access to PPP loans | 2020-05-28 | Economic Policy, Abortion, Democratic Party, US Senate, Coronavirus, Business | Democratic senators defend Planned Parenthood affiliates β access to PPP loans They accuse the SBA of trying to `` score political points '' by retaking the funds .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , and other Democratic lawmakers are accusing the Trump administration of unfairly targeting Planned Parenthood amid reports that some affiliated health care centers are being pressured by the government to return federally-funded , potentially forgivable small business loans granted through the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) during the coronavirus pandemic .
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration ( SBA ) Administrator Jovita Carranza , Democrats argue that by seeking to reclaim the PPP funds , the SBA is taking an `` ideologically-driven action '' in order to `` score political points for this administration by attacking nonprofit health care providers . ''
The lawmakers add that `` the administration 's longstanding campaign against reproductive health generally , and Planned Parenthood specifically , strongly suggests that Planned Parenthood is being arbitrarily singled out amongst over 4.3 million loans that have been issued under this program . ''
Forty Democratic senators and one independent senator endorsed the letter .
The SBA has notified at least three Planned Parenthood affiliates that they should return their PPP loans . It 's unclear if other clinics have been contacted .
SBA officials declined to respond to questions from ABC News , saying that they do not comment on individual borrowers . ABC News reached out to the Treasury Department as well , but received no response .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) speaks at a news conference on the response to the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak on Capitol Hill , May 19 , 2020 . Yuri Gripas/Reuters
Planned Parenthood maintains that their affiliates rightfully qualified for the PPP funding .
`` Like many other local nonprofits and health care providers , some independent Planned Parenthood 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organizations applied for and were awarded loans under the eligibility rules established by the CARES Act and the Small Business Administration ( SBA ) , which they met , '' Jacqueline Ayers , Planned Parenthood Federation of America 's vice president of government relations and public policy , said in a statement .
Those eligibility rules , outlined by the SBA , allow for most businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 500 workers to qualify for PPP . But Republicans have argued that since Planned Parenthood Federation of America has organizational control over its affiliates , and it should be considered as one large enterprise with too many employees to qualify for the lending program .
In their own letter last week , Senate Republicans urged the Department of Justice to open an investigation into reports that Planned Parenthood affiliates received roughly $ 80 million from the program .
However Planned Parenthood says that because the individual affiliates that received PPP loans have their own governing boards , they must be considered as smaller , standalone entities that lawfully qualify for the program .
The SBA 's rules for determining eligibility for the PPP have been a source of confusion since their implementation , but in their letter , Democrats claim the intention of the program has always been clear .
`` The decision to fund PPP was based on a mutual and bipartisan consensus that it was important for this program to assist the broad universe of nonprofit organizations in this country , many of whom provide food assistance , health care services , child care , charitable services , and other essential functions that constitute a critical component of our social safety net , '' the lawmakers wrote .
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Tune into ABC at 1 p.m . ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m . ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team , including the latest news , context and analysis . | abe6eb7e8c500534 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
role_of_government | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/01/the-right-should-reject-tucker-carlsons-victimhood-populism/ | The Right Should Reject Tucker Carlsonβs Victimhood Populism | 2019-01-04 | role_of_government | Fox personality Tucker Carlson speaks at the 2017 Business Insider Ignition : Future of Media conference in N.Y. , November 30 , 2017 . ( Lucas Jackson/REUTERS )
Carlson accurately identifies certain maladies , but they are maladies that public policy can β t cure .
Yesterday Tucker Carlson delivered the monologue heard around the conservative world . He addresses one of the fundamental questions of our time β why , when GDP is rising and America is immensely rich , are so very many of our fellow citizens dying deaths of despair ? As he bluntly says , β Anyone who thinks the health of a nation can be summed up in GDP is an idiot . β
He says many true things β that people long for connection with each other , that we can β t separate economics and family life into distinct spheres , and that men suffer from a unique challenge in modern American life .
But he also says false things . He says that manufacturing β all but disappeared over the course of a generation. β It hasn β t . He says , β increasingly , marriage is a luxury only the affluent in America can afford. β Yet a healthy , faithful marriage is often the gateway to affluence . Affluence is not a prerequisite for marriage .
He casts American boys as a generation of burnouts , yet the best evidence shows that marijuana use is only on a slight uptick and is still way down from its highs in the late 1970s and early 1980s . ( Some evidence even suggests its use has stabilized in recent years . )
And he talks about wealthier Americans as if they β re indifferent to the plight of their fellow Americans . Here β s Carlson : β Those very same affluent married people , the ones making virtually all the decisions in our society , are doing pretty much nothing to help the people below them get and stay married . Rich people are happy to fight malaria in Congo . But working to raise men β s wages in Dayton or Detroit ? That β s crazy . β
I β m not sure where he β s getting the idea that America β s wealthy citizens care more about the Congo than their own country . In 2017 , Americans gave more than $ 410 billion in charity , and the idea that this charity flows principally overseas is ludicrous . Gifts to international charities represented only 6 percent of total giving , and foreign aid represents roughly 1.2 percent of the federal budget , an inconsequential sum compared with the immense sums we spend in the United States on economic development and social welfare . America is consistently one of the most charitable countries in the world , whether measured by volunteerism or money .
American public policies are flawed , yes . The American people are imperfect , yes . But any argument that American elites ( a group that includes , by the way , enormous numbers of first-generation college grads and people who worked brutal hours to achieve economic success ) represent an uncaring , indifferent , exploitive mass is fundamentally wrong . In fact , the better argument is that well-meaning Americans have spent their money poorly ( on ineffective charitable programs and destructive welfare policies ) , not that they don β t care .
Carlson is advancing a form of victim-politics populism that takes a series of tectonic cultural changes β civil rights , women β s rights , a technological revolution as significant as the industrial revolution , the mass-scale loss of religious faith , the sexual revolution , etc . β and turns the negative or challenging aspects of those changes into an angry tale of what they are doing to you .
But the reality is that responsibilities are reciprocal . Yes , we need public officials to do their best to create and sustain a government most conducive to human flourishing , but the primary responsibility for creating a life of virtue and purpose rests with families and individuals . In fact , it is still true that your choices are far more important to your success than any government program or the actions of any nefarious banker or any malicious feminist .
It is a simple fact , that when people make bad choices , there are a cascade of negative effects that follow . The extraordinarily difficult challenge of public policy is considering how to mitigate the effects of those mistakes and providing pathways to overcoming bad decisions . And nothing about that is easy .
Take marijuana , for example . Carlson talks at length about the negative effects of weed use β and I share his concern about those young men and women who become burnouts β but there is nary a word about the immense cost of continued criminalization .
To declare the decriminalization movement about leaders understanding that β they could get rich from marijuana β is flat-out disingenuous . I favor legalization in large part because I think the negative effects of incarceration and the civil-liberties impact of the war on drugs outweigh the benefits of continued criminalization . And I haven β t seen one dime of cash from Big Reefer .
I share Carlson β s concerns about payday lenders . Interest rates can be obscene , and if poor people fall behind , they can get on a treadmill they can β t get off ( which also happens with other debts like speeding fines , court costs , etc. , and those debts can be far more problematic than a debt to a private lender ) . But at the same time , poor people often need a short-term cash advance to pay rent or buy gas for their car to get to work . What is the sustainable mechanism for providing cash advances without creating debt ?
There are ideas out there , to be sure , but let β s not pretend that poverty was any less sticky when marijuana was illegal and payday lenders were scarce .
I agree with Carlson that more radical forms of feminism have turned too many of our institutions against boys . I agree that affirmative action based on skin color is divisive , unconstitutional , and unfair . But while these policies and cultural trends may create impediments to personal success , these impediments are speedbumps β not impenetrable barriers .
The fundamental problem with our current populist moment isn β t that it fails to identify cultural or political maladies . Carlson and populists on the left have accurately identified a host of American problems . Our declining life expectancy alone should be a blaring wakeup call that despite our prosperity , something is seriously amiss in American life and American culture .
The problem with populism β and indeed with much of American politics β is that it focuses on the political at the expense of the personal . As I β ve argued many times , there are wounds that public policy can β t heal . But populism too often pretends otherwise . It tells a fundamentally false story about Americans as victims of a heartless elite and their β worship β of market economics rather than the true story of America as a flawed society that still grants its citizens access to tremendous opportunity .
( By the way , it β s strange to hear populists of either party talk β as Tucker does β of elites thinking of market capitalism as a β religion. β Both parties in this nation have embraced a truly massive social safety net . Social Security , Medicaid , and Medicare dwarf other categories of federal spending . Total federal outlays β not counting state and local expenditures β represent roughly 20 percent of gross domestic product . )
While there is much talk of a shrinking middle class , a large part of that shrinkage is , in fact , due to the fact that so many Americans are moving up . In other words , the upper class isn β t a set population of exploiters and elitists . It β s a growing population of workers and strivers . It β s full of people like my father-in-law , who ran away from his mountain home in Tennessee at age 15 to join the Marines , talked his way into college even though he was functionally illiterate , married a Christian woman , and raised three daughters who are each doing very well .
That path is still wide open in American life . Indeed , if you live in Tennessee and want to learn a trade , you can march from high school straight through community college without paying a dime . You don β t have to make a pit stop in the Marines . Tennessee is an allegedly heartless red state β yet it puts opportunity right in front of each citizen , if they have the will and diligence to seize it .
As we continue to face economic and social disruptions , we should continue to think hard and creatively about how to mitigate the worst effects of automation . We should reverse cultural messages that for too long have denigrated the fundamental place of marriage in public life . We should channel men β s masculine impulses into virtuous pathways without mocking them and seeking to change their fundamental nature . We need to embrace the vital importance of religious faith in personal renewal .
We should do all these things and more . But we must not create a victim class of angry citizens . We must not tell them falsehoods about the power of governments or banks or elites over their personal destinies . We must not make them feel helpless when they are not helpless . Instead , even as we work diligently to make government more helpful than hurtful ( which , frankly , can often mean getting government out of the way ) , we must continue to tell Americans a liberating truth : This is still a land where you can determine your own success more than can any political party or group of nefarious elites . The fundamental building block of any family is still your love , your discipline , and your fidelity .
Contrary to Carlson β s contention , America isn β t being destroyed . It β s being challenged . And the populist elevation of the political over the personal is perhaps the worst possible response . | 7Xvu0OTtWeBSVzrv | 2 | Tucker Carlson | -0.7 | Politics | -0.7 | Populism | 0 | Role Of Government | 0 | null | null |
media_bias | Fox News (Online) | https://www.foxnews.com/media/jake-tapper-fact-checks-his-own-cnn-colleagues-pushing-misleading-quote-from-kayleigh-mcenany | Jake Tapper fact-checks his own CNN colleagues pushing misleading quote from Kayleigh McEnany | media_bias | CNN anchor Jake Tapper offered a rare defense of White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany after many members of the media , including his own network colleagues , spread a misleading quote from Thursday 's press briefing .
McEnany reiterated President Trump 's strong stance on wanting children to be going back to school in the fall amid a fiery debate about how educators can prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak .
`` The science should not stand in the way of this , but as Dr. Scott Atlas said -- I thought this was a good quote , 'Of course , we can do it . Everyone else in the Western world , our peer nations are doing it . We are the outlier here , ' '' McEnany said , quoting the former Stanford Medical Center neurology chief .
`` The science is very clear on this . For example , you look at the JAMA pediatric study of 46 pediatric hospitals in North America that said the risk of critical illness from COVID is far less for children than the seasonal flu . The science is on our side here . We encourage localities and states to just simply follow the science . Open our schools , '' she continued .
CNN 'S JIM ACOSTA BLASTED FOR TAKING KAYLEIGH MCENANY OUT OF CONTEXT IN VIRAL TWEET
After playing a clip of that exchange on his show , Tapper corrected CNN 's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta , who knocked the press secretary for having an `` alternative facts kind of moment . ''
`` If I could just say , Sanjay , '' Tapper interjected . `` I think she was just trying to say that the science should n't stand in the way because the science is on our side . I do n't know that all of the science is on their side- and certainly , this White House , their respect for science knows bounds , let 's put it that way , but I think that 's what she was getting at . ''
However , Dr. Gupta was n't the only CNN journalist to misinterpret McEnany .
CNN 's chief anti-Trump reporter Jim Acosta tweeted about what McEnany said by suggesting she was anti-science .
CUOMO FIRES BACK AT CNN 'S JAKE TAPPER FOR KNOCKING POSTER TOUTING NY 'S COVID RESPONSE
`` The White House Press Secretary on Trump 's push to reopen schools : 'The science should not stand in the way of this , ' '' the liberal reporter tweeted .
Acosta later added , `` McEnany went on to say 'the science is on our side here . ' ''
His misleading tweet , though , went on to get nearly 40,000 retweets while his follow-up tweet that provided the much-needed context received less than 800 .
Among those who shared Acosta 's initial tweet include CNN national security analyst Sam Vinograd , CNN contributor Paul Begala , CNN analyst Max Boot , and CNN analyst Brian Karem .
CNN 'S CHRIS CUOMO ERUPTS OVER TRUMP 'S GOYA PHOTO-OP , IGNORES BROTHER SELLING COVID POSTERS
CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang , NBC News reporter Josh Lederman , The Guardian , and The Washington Post all similarly omitted McEnany 's actual support of the science .
Without directly addressing Acosta 's tweet , Tapper slammed the spread of the distorted quote urging everyone to `` read the ENTIRE McEnany comment . ''
`` I 'm not taking a position on the matter but be fair , '' the CNN anchor wrote .
Earlier this week , `` The Lead '' anchor tore into New York Gov . Andrew Cuomo 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic after the Democrat debuted a poster touting his apparent accomplishments .
`` New York 's Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo seems to be on something of a victory tour congratulating the state and himself for defeating the virus , '' Tapper began before pointing to the poster filled with `` inside jokes '' that Cuomo is selling .
`` There are no illustrations , however , of the more than 32,000 dead New Yorkers , the highest death toll by far of any state . No rendering on that poster of the criticism that Governor Cuomo ignored warnings , no depiction of the study that he could have saved thousands of lives had he and Mayor De Blasio acted sooner , no painting of his rescinded order that nursing homes take all infected patients in , '' the CNN anchor continued .
Tapper accused Cuomo of `` revisionism '' and `` crowing , '' which he insisted was `` offending a lot of New Yorkers . ''
CNN has largely refrained from offering critical coverage of Gov . Cuomo , brother of network anchor Chris , throughout the pandemic , largely ignoring the growing New York nursing home controversy that ties one of his directives to the deaths of thousands of senior citizens . | ZWERUnD8MlrWS4hX | 2 | CNN | -0.9 | Media Bias | -0.1 | Science | 0.1 | Facts And Fact Checking | 0 | null | null | |
politics | Chicago Sun-Times | https://chicago.suntimes.com/metro-state/2019/10/23/20928803/governor-j-b-pritzker-8th-most-unpopular-gov-poll-says | J.B. Pritzker 8th most unpopular governor in the country, poll says | 2019-10-23 | politics | Democratic Gov . J.B. Pritzker may have legalized recreational marijuana and ushered in a massive capital plan in his first year , but a Morning Consult poll finds he β s the eighth most unpopular governor in the country .
While Pritzker β s approval rating has remained relatively steady , his disapproval rating has climbed , the poll found .
Earlier this year , a Morning Consult poll found his favorability at 44 % , with the latest poll clocking him at 43 % . His disapproval rating has grown from 35 % earlier this year to 42 % . Unsurprisingly , the disapproval is coming from Republicans , who watched the political newcomer rush in a bevy of progressive measures , including his push for a graduated income tax question on the 2020 ballot . Of those polled , 14 % said they were undecided .
With a massive budget and capital plan finalized β not to mention the legalization of marijuana , gambling expansion and the strengthening of the state β s abortion laws β the rookie governor notched big victories during his first go-around in Springfield .
And while it was Pritzker who pushed many of these policies along , he was also operating with a Democratic supermajority in both chambers β the very lawmakers who watched in horror as public universities and social services became decimated amid a war with former Republican Gov . Bruce Rauner .
The poll measured the most popular and unpopular governors by total approval and total disapproval , with the net approval β approval minus disapproval β serving as the tiebreaker .
The most popular governor in the country , according to the poll , is Republican Massachusetts Gov . Charlie Baker . The rest of the popular list includes all Republican governors .
The most unpopular governor is Democratic Rhode Island Gov . Gina Raimondo , with a 36 % approval rating and a 56 % disapproval rating , the poll found . The top 10 unpopular list includes six Democrats and four Republicans .
Morning Consult conducted 533,985 nationwide surveys with registered voters from July 1 through Sept. 30 . The margin of error for Illinois was plus or minus 1 % , and 21,533 registered Illinois voters were polled . | 5SMsEHXKaUFpxrPd | 0 | J.B. Pritzker | -0.2 | Politics | -0.1 | Illinois | 0.1 | Progressives | 0.1 | null | null |
us_senate | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/373282-rand-paul-rails-against-wasteful-spending-after-forcing-brief | Rand Paul rails against 'wasteful spending' after forcing brief government shutdown | 2018-02-11 | us_senate | Sen. Rand Paul Randal ( Rand ) Howard PaulSenate GOP waves Trump off early motion to dismiss impeachment charges McConnell discounts quick dismissal of Trump impeachment articles : 'We 'll have to have a trial ' GOP motions to subpoena whistleblower MORE ( R-Ky. ) railed against what he cast as runaway government spending , days after he forced a short-lived government shutdown with a lengthy floor speech decrying the budget deficit .
Speaking to radio host John Catsimatidis on New York radio station AM 970 , Paul accused lawmakers of kicking the can down the road on budget issues by repeatedly turning to continuing resolutions to keep the government running , and took aim at what he called `` wasteful spending . ''
`` I can give you a quick example of some of the stuff we spend money on , '' Paul said . `` We spent $ 700,000 last year studying what Neil Armstrong said when he landed on the moon . ''
`` Remember , he said 'one small step for man , one giant leap for mankind . ' Well , some idiot in government took $ 700,000 of taxpayer money and wanted to know whether he said 'one small step for man ' or 'one small step for a man . ' So that 's the kind of stuff your government is spending money on , '' he said .
Paul also took aim at the Pentagon 's budget in his interview with Catsimatidis , saying he has been pushing for the Defense Department to be audited .
`` Before we give them more money , make them account for the money they 're already spending , '' Paul said .
Paul has long been considered one of the Senate 's fiercest budget hawks , and has turned his ire against his own party , at times , accusing Republicans of denouncing deficits under Democratic presidential administrations while embracing high spending under 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 .
Paul forced a brief government shutdown early Friday morning , after he delayed a vote on a sweeping spending bill with a lengthy speech on the Senate floor . That bill , which included increases in both domestic and military spending , eventually passed hours later and was signed by Trump , ending the shutdown . | IZo6lMXClFebfebU | 1 | US Senate | -0.2 | Rand Paul | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
banking_and_finance | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2016/01/15/chinese-stocks-enter-bear-market/78835704/ | Stocks dive deeper: Dow off around 400 | 2016-01-15 | banking_and_finance | The market storm that has engulfed Wall Street to start 2016 again took aim at stock investors , with the Dow closing down nearly 400 points Friday , as increasingly jittery traders reacted to the latest swoon in oil prices and another big selloff in Chinese stocks .
The massive selloff extended the U.S. stock market 's worst start to a year ever to 10 trading sessions . The slide is gaining steam amid raising investor fears of slowing global growth and even steeper losses in markets .
`` Today has n't been an easy one in the markets for the faint of heart , '' Terry Sandven , chief equity strategist for U.S. Bank Wealth Management , said .
At the closing bell , the Dow Jones industrial average , which at one point was down nearly 537 points , was off 391 points , or 2.4 % , to 15,988.08 , and back to levels last seen in August .
The Standard & Poor 's 500 index dropped 2.2 % to 1880.20 , after earlier falling below its August low of 1867.61 , a key level Wall Street is watching and hopes will hold as it marked the bottom on the last correction . The Nasdaq composite index stumbled 2.7 % . The S & P 500 is now down 8 % in 2016 and the Nasdaq is off 10.4 % .
βΊ Is 12.69 % off its all-time high of May 2015
In a replay of other big down days so far in the new year , Thursday 's rebound on Wall Street turned out to be short-lived and heavy selling resumed Friday . Sparking the latest selloff was a 5 % -plus slide in U.S.-produced crude that sent prices back down below the key $ 30 a barrel level . Adding to investor angst was another big stock market slide in mainland China , where the Shanghai composite slid 3.6 % , putting it back in bear market territory , or more than 20 % from its recent high .
`` The market has been dropping because of concerns about global growth , '' says Alan Skrainka , chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth Management . `` The U.S. and China have been the two biggest engines pulling the world economy forward . Currently , investors are worried that one of those engines ( China ) has lost a lot of its momentum . ''
The latest sell-off is a sign that many investors , spooked by the ongoing bloodletting on Wall Street , are throwing in the towel and reducing their positions in stocks to pare risk .
`` It does feel a bit like capitulation before a near-term bottom right now , '' Barry Bannister , chief equity strategist at Stifel , told βββ .
The fact that Wall Street is closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day , was also cited as a reason for the heavy selling , as investors did not want to hold stocks over the long weekend , some Wall Street pros say .
A top Wall Street executive warned that stocks could slide another 10 % before ending the year up higher .
BlackRock CEO and Chairman Laurence Fink in a Friday appearance on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box '' characterized the current financial conditions as `` a real market decline , bordering on a bear market . ''
`` But the speed at which this is happening is just a reassessment of the risk , reassessment of where we 're going , '' added Fink . He predicted another 10 % decline in stocks , with oil touching $ 25 a barrel .
`` I actually believe there 's not enough blood in the street , we 'll probably have to test the markets lower , '' said Fink . However , such a fall would poise markets for a `` buying opportunity , '' he added .
Weak U.S. economic data did n't help matters . December retail sales dipped 0.1 % in December . Manufacturing in the New York region came in much weaker-than-expected in January and industrial production for December also fell short of estimates . The weak data points prompted at least two Wall Street firms to reduce their fourth-quarter GDP growth projections . Barclays now sees growth at 0.4 % in the final quarter of 2015 and UBS cut its estimates to 0.8 % from 1.2 % .
Stifel 's Bannister lays out what 's spooking investors : `` What most investors fear is deflation , a fall in the general price level , '' he says . `` The two greatest catalysts for deflation have been China devaluing its currency and the Fed potentially going too fast hiking rates . ''
If there 's good news , he says , it is that those deflation concerns `` may dissipate if China continues to move to stabilize their currency as they have done pretty decisively in recent days , '' and if the Fed reduces the number of planned interest rate hikes this year . Bannister sees the Fed hiking rates just a half of a percentage point in 2016 , and not the full-point it has forecast . `` That would bring the Fed more in-line with market sentiment , which is positive for stocks , '' he says .
Oil fell to under $ 30 a barrel Friday for the second time in a week , but stayed there this time and closed below that threshold , marking new 12-year lows for both U.S. and Brent crude , Reuters said .
The Shanghai composite index sank 3.55 % to finish at 2,900.97 , its lowest close since Dec. 8 , 2014 , as renewed concerns about China 's economy led global stocks lower .
The Shanghai composite index has dropped more than 20 % from its high in December , officially entering bear market territory .
China β s official Xinhua News Agency reported that banks β new yuan loans during the last month fell over a year earlier , in a sign that momentum for the credit that fuels economic growth was slowing .
Japan β s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.5 % to close at 17,147.11 while Hong Kong β s Hang Seng index dropped 1.5 % to 19,520.77 .
European shares were lower Friday . Germany 's DAX lost 2.5 % , France 's CAC 40 was 2.4 % lower and Britain 's FTSE 100 was down 1.9 % . | g6GV2Nd2pa8opind | 1 | Stock Market | -2.6 | Banking And Finance | -1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
china | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2021/10/27/milley-calls-china-missile-test-very-close-to-sputnik-moment/ | Milley calls China hypersonic missile test βvery closeβ to βSputnik momentβ | 2021-10-27 | China, Mark Milley, US Military, Nuclear Weapons | Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking US general, warned that Chinaβs possible hypersonic missile system is βvery concerning,β calling it βvery closeβ to a βSputnik momentβ that triggered the space race during the Cold War. βWhat we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system. And it is very concerning,β Milley said during an interview with βThe David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversationsβ on Bloomberg Television. βI donβt know if itβs quite a Sputnik moment, but I think itβs very close to that. It has all of our attention.β Milleyβs comments are the strongest acknowledgment of the likely test from the Biden administration after President Biden said last week that he was concerned. Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki framed the situation oddly, saying that while the US is concerned over the reports, the administration welcomes βstiff competition.β The apparent hypersonic weapons test happened in August and was first reported by the Financial Times. The rocket reportedly circled the globe before narrowly missing its target. If true, the test would be a big advance for Chinaβs nuclear weapon capabilities, but the Asian nation claims it was a space mission, not a missile test. While Milley avoided making a complete comparison between the test and Sputnik β the first artificial satellite launched into low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union, which sparked the space race between the US and USSR β the general called Chinaβs military βvery capable.β βTheyβre expanding rapidly β in space, in cyber and then in the traditional domains of land, sea and air,β he said. βAnd they have gone from a peasant-based infantry army that was very, very large in 1979 to a very capable military that covers all the domains and has global ambitions.β βAs we go forward β over the next 10, 20, 25 years β thereβs no question in my mind that the biggest geostrategic challenge to the United States is gonna be China,β Milley continued. βTheyβve developed a military thatβs really significant.β In recent months, Milley has come under fire for calls he made to his Chinese counterpart in the final weeks of the Trump administration β which he says were just a part of his job. In September, the top general was questioned by the House Armed Services Committee over the two calls he made in October 2020 and Jan. 8 of this year. During the questioning, Milley admitted that he would give his Chinese counterpart a heads-up if the US launched an attack against Beijing. β βI said, hell, Iβll call you. But weβre not going to attack you,β Milley said, adding that he reached out to Gen. Li Zuocheng to assure him that President Donald Trump did not intend to launch a military strike. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) said Milleyβs actions were grounds for resignation. Advertisement Unknown | 258c263c7d9ab75b | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/21/politics/trump-republicans-mccain/index.html | GOP to Trump: You crossed the line | 2015-07-21 | Republican Party, Donald Trump, Politics | ( CNN ) The Republican establishment is making the most of the chance it had long sought to finally say this to Donald Trump : You crossed the line .
Ever since announcing his presidential run last month , the brash , unfiltered billionaire businessman has created headaches for the party . Particularly , his comments equating some Mexican immigrants to rapists and criminals left GOP leaders struggling to appease those Trump had offended without alienating conservative voters attracted to his views on combating illegal immigration .
But on Saturday , Trump seemed to hand party bosses and the pack of 2016 Republican presidential candidates a golden chance to take him down at almost no political cost -- while making themselves look magnanimous . The spark for the latest political firestorm came when the New York real estate billionaire questioned on Saturday whether Arizona Sen. John McCain , a Vietnam War veteran who languished in a prisoner of war camp for more than five years , was a genuine `` war hero because he was captured . ''
`` I like people that were n't captured , OK ? '' Trump said , drawing gasps and `` boos '' from a conservative crowd in Iowa .
What transpired within minutes of those inflammatory comments was telling . The GOP pile-on was swift and outspoken . McCain might be a controversial figure with plenty of enemies in Washington but he 's universally regarded as a rare example of pure heroism .
The Republican National Committee , which stays neutral in the GOP primary and rarely weighs in on political debates , made the unusual move of publicly condemning Trump 's remarks .
`` There is no place in our party or our country for comments that disparage those who have served honorably , '' RNC spokesman Sean Spicer said on Twitter .
While the GOP was shy in responding to Trump 's tirade against Mexico , it became clear on Monday that the party 's hierachy was not going to be bitten by the Donald again .
`` Right now what you are seeing is the party taking a dramatic shift this weekend -- taking Donald Trump head on , '' Mitt Romney 's former senior political advisor and CNN contributor Kevin Madden told Wolf Blitzer . `` This is their chance to really draw some stark contrasts about the direction of the party . This is an opportunity for a lot of these candidates . ''
One after another , Trump 's fellow GOP presidential candidates were quick to go after the former host of the reality TV show , `` The Apprentice . ''
`` Enough with the slanderous attacks , '' former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush tweeted . South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , a close friend of McCain 's , said Trump had `` crossed a line today that will offend most every one that I know , '' and predicted that American voters would only have this message to Trump : `` You 're fired . ''
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said that Trump 's shot against a man who refused to take early release from the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison because his comrades could not come too disqualifed the billionaire as a potential commander in chief .
Former Texas Gov . Rick Perry , an Air Force veteran -- who is languishing in the polls and needs every headline he can get -- upped the ante -- calling on Trump to `` immediately withdraw '' from the 2016 race altogether .
Trump , by alienating sectors of the GOP electorate , is already breaking all the normal political rules , so it 's not surprising he did n't choose to return to the high ground . True to form , he decided to intensify the row rather than walk away , or simply apologize , penning an opinion piece in USA Today , that was scathing of the media , the `` establishment '' and McCain .
`` The reality is that John McCain the politician has made America less safe , sent our brave soldiers into wrong-headed foreign adventures , covered up for President Obama with the VA scandal and has spent most of his time in the Senate pushing amnesty . He would rather protect the Iraqi border than Arizona 's , '' Trump wrote .
One Republican candidate chose not to join the torrent of criticism of Trump . Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was effusive in praise of McCain , who once called him a `` wacko bird '' but trod carefully on Trump , possibly hoping to appeal to the billionaire 's supporters should he eventually exit the race .
`` I recognize that folks in the press love to see Republican-on-Republican violence , and so you want me to say something bad about Donald Trump , or bad about John McCain or bad about anyone else , '' he said . `` I 'm not going to do it . ''
Hillary Clinton , enjoying a rare moment out of the political spotlight , also took a chance to have a shot at the `` hate ( Trump ) is spewing '' towards Mexicans and stood up for her old Senate buddy McCain .
Even the Obama White House , no friend of McCain , pounced on the opportunity to fan the flames of a controversy that Democrats hope will damage the Republican political brand . Spokesman Josh Earnest praised McCain 's `` remarkable '' service .
The GOP 's swift and nearly unanimous criticism of Trump 's remarks about McCain was particularly striking in light of how the party dealt with an earlier political row set off by his highly controversial comments -- even if it marked an easy political choice .
In his presidential announcement speech last month , Trump said that some people entering the United States from Mexico were `` rapists , '' `` criminals '' and `` drug dealers . '' The comments flew in the face of the GOP 's desperate need to improve its standing with the increasingly influential demographic of Hispanic voters which are vital in general election swing states like Florida , Nevada and Colorado .
The episode suggests that though candidates like Bush and Rubio know very well the perils of estrangement from the community , they are not yet at ease with the base of their own party , which remains vociferously opposed to any immigration reform that would bring millions of illegal immigrants -- eventually -- into the U.S. fold .
More immediately , there is increasing speculation on whether Trump 's broadside against McCain would turn out to be the moment when the billionaire 's political bubble bursts -- in a way that would offer some relief to the GOP leadership .
Immediate evidence -- in the form of a new poll of Iowa voters -- was inconclusive , though it may be several days before the true impact of his remarks plays out . A survey by Monmouth University published Monday put Trump in second place in the first in the nation caucus state , at 13 % , nine points behind Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker . The poll did not find any significant change in support in interviews that took place after Trump unloaded on McCain .
A new ABC/Washington Post National poll on Monday had Trump leading the Republican field on 24 % but his number dropped into the single digits in samples taken on Sunday following his McCain comments , albeit in a small sample size .
Madden predicted that Trump 's bombast would indeed sooner or later begin to take a toll on his poll numbers .
`` It 's the beginning of the end -- part of the process . This information is going to start to get to voters , '' he said . `` They are going to see a revelation in his character right now as well as his temperament that is going to lead them to look at other candidates . ''
While it could be the case that Trump 's remarks could narrow what many analysts already think is a virtually non-existent path towards the GOP nomination , that does n't necessarily equate to an early exit for the reality show star .
For now , the McCain clash seems to leave Trump where he most likes to be -- in the middle of a raging storm of publicity generated by himself about himself , while taking shots at the media and the Republican political establishment . It 's the kind of behavior that gave his presidential run a fast start among a certain sector of the Republican electorate in the first place . | a7b30444cd51877b | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sustainability | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/france-bans-short-domestic-flights-climate/index.html | France bans short-haul flights where trains are available | 2023-05-24 | Sustainability, Travel, Airlines, Pollution, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change, France, Europe, World | Paris CNN βA ban on short domestic flights for journeys that can be completed in two-and-a-half hours by train was signed into law in France on Tuesday.Clement Beaune, Franceβs transport minister, heralded the decree.βThis is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,β Beaune said in a statement.βAs we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast and efficient connections by train,β he added.Only three routes have been discontinued: those linking Paris-Orly airport to the cities of Bordeaux, Nantes and Lyon. Connecting flights will be unaffected.For the ban to apply, the EU insisted the air route in question must have a high-speed rail alternative that makes it possible to travel between the two cities in less than two-and-a-half hours. There must also be enough early and late-running trains to enable travelers to spend at least eight hours at the destination.Some have criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for watering down proposals from his own environmental panel, which had recommended a ban on flights where a train journey would take fewer than four hours.Critics have pointed out that high-speed train lines were already draining passengers away from airlines and that the ban pays lip service to climate concerns without really doing anything about them.βNo one will be fooled by this measure: passengers are naturally turning away from taking flights on these routes,β Guillaume Schmid, former vice president of Air Franceβs pilotsβ union, tweeted.βThe French flight ban is a symbolic move, but will have very little impact on reducing emissions,β said Jo Dardenne, an aviation director at cleaner transport campaign group Transport & Environment.T&E estimates that the three routes affected by the ban represent only 0.3% of the emissions produced by flights taking off from mainland France, and 3% of the countryβs domestic flight emissions (counting only mainland domestic flights). | aa9e574a2eed5fb6 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/09/republicans-should-not-have-delayed-the-kavanaugh-vote/ | Republicans Should Not Have Delayed the Kavanaugh Vote | 2018-09-29 | supreme_court | Senate Judiciary Committee members ( from left ) Orrin Hatch ( R. , Utah ) , Jeff Flake ( R. , Ariz. ) and Chuck Grassley ( R. , Iowa ) , September 28 , 2018 . ( Reuters/Jim Bourg )
You have opponents whose first and only objective is delay . From the start of the confirmation proceedings on Judge Brett Kavanaugh β s nomination to the Supreme Court , those opponents , Senate Democrats , have thus pushed for delay . At every turn . Of course they never come out and say that β s what they β re doing β they never come out and say , β We β ve abused the confirmation process and dropped a bomb at the eleventh hour , an uncorroborated , 36-year-old allegation of sexual assault , because we β re trying to delay the vote until after the midterms. β But delay is what they want .
It doesn β t matter what sheep β s clothing the wolf comes in ; the wolf is always delay . When they say , β We β re protecting survivors , β they mean , β We want delay. β When they posture that β women must be believed , β their aim is more delay . When they say , β The FBI must investigate to remove any cloud over the nominee , β the translation is : β Give us a delay so we can come up with new reasons for delay . β
So , finally , we get to a committee vote over two weeks after it should have happened ; after reopening a hearing that involved 31 hours of testimony from the nominee ; after 65 meetings with senators and followed by over 1,200 answers to post-hearing questions , more than the combined number of post-hearing questions in the history of Supreme Court nominations . We finally get Kavanaugh β s nomination voted out of committee . And then , as a final floor vote is about to be scheduled and debated , Republicans β taking their lead from the ineffable Jeff Flake β agree to accede to one more Democratic request ( really , just one more , cross-our-hearts . . . ) . And what would that be ?
The rationale for this delay is priceless : We need an FBI investigation . It is understandable that the public does not realize how specious this demand is . But who would have thought Senate Republicans were in need of a civics lesson ?
The Constitution assigns the advice-and-consent function to the legislative branch . The FBI is a component of the executive branch . The constitutional powers of the legislature are not contingent on the cooperation of the executive . Moreover , the FBI did not exist until it was created by statute at the start of the 20th century , meaning the Senate was quite capably vetting judicial nominations for over a century before there was an FBI .
The Senate Judiciary Committee , which is charged with assessing judicial nominees , has one of the largest professional staffs of any committee on Capitol Hill . The staff includes many former federal prosecutors and investigators . The committee never needs to wait for the FBI ; it can conduct its own , very thorough investigation of any judicial nominee .
In connection with appointments to the judiciary and executive-branch offices , the FBI assists the Senate by conducting background investigations of nominees . These investigations are not like criminal investigations , in which the FBI attempts to build a prosecution by developing proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the essential elements of federal penal offenses . The investigations are not like counterintelligence investigations , in which the FBI gathers intelligence about threats to American interests posed by foreign powers . In a background investigation , the FBI simply checks its indicies ( such as its databank of rap sheets ) and conducts interviews with colleagues , associates , neighbors , and other acquaintances of the nominee . The point is not to conduct criminal investigations of any allegations that develop β particularly not of state-law violations that may be time-barred for prosecution and that the FBI does not have jurisdiction to investigate anyway . The point is to flag issues for the Senate so that it may make a discriminating appraisal of the nominee β s professional competence and character .
In conducting a background check , the FBI does not draw a conclusion about a nominee β s suitability . If alleged misconduct is not the subject of a conviction or acquittal , the FBI does not make an assessment of guilt or innocence . To do these things would be to usurp the constitutional role of the Senate β it is the Senate , not the FBI , that decides whether a nominee is fit for the responsibilities of the office to which he is nominated .
Moreover , the Senate typically does not abdicate its responsibilities or judgment to executive agencies . If , for example , the FBI were to decide tomorrow that some state police agency had not committed a civil-rights violation for which it was being investigated following some racially charged incident , Democratic senators would revert to their default position of announcing that they would conduct their own investigation because the FBI is highly fallible . On most issues , Dianne Feinstein and Judiciary Committee Democrats do not suggest that the exercise of the Senate β s constitutional prerogatives must be suspended until Christopher Wray descends from Mount Sinai with the relevant tablets .
An FBI investigation of unsubstantiated allegations against Judge Kavanaugh would not resolve those allegations . If the FBI tried to resolve them but came out in Kavanaugh β s favor , Democrats would say the investigation was flawed β politicized by the Trump administration . But , in fact , the FBI would not try to resolve them ; the bureau would simply interview some pertinent witnesses β if they agreed to speak to the FBI , which they would not be required to do . It would then pass the interview summaries along to the Judiciary Committee so that it could decide what probative value , if any , they had on the matter of Kavanaugh β s suitability . In other words , the FBI would only do exactly what the committee could do by itself β talk to people who might have germane information . There is nothing magical , dispositive , or conclusive about an FBI background investigation .
Judiciary Committee Democrats do not want an FBI investigation of allegations against Judge Kavanaugh because they think it will be especially illuminating or reliable . They want it because it will result in delay , giving them the breathing room necessary to come up with more reasons for delay .
So , naturally , Republicans are giving them their FBI investigation , and more delay .
Observing that the GOP majority is giving Democrats exactly what they want does not adequately convey how incompetently Republicans have performed . In announcing that the floor vote on Kavanaugh β s nomination will be delayed , the Senate Judiciary Committee , under Republican control , issued a press release Friday afternoon , which states ( my italics ) : β The supplemental FBI background investigation would be limited to current credible allegations against the nominee. β But there are no credible allegations against Kavanaugh ; there are incredible allegations that stand uncorroborated and convincingly denied .
Unbelievably , Republicans put this statement out right before President Trump agreed to the ( purported ) one-week delay for the investigation . Thus , the media can now accurately report that the president was convinced to direct an additional FBI probe after Senate Republicans expressly conceded that the sexual-assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh are credible .
And why are they β credible β ? Because Christine Blasey Ford , Kavanaugh β s principal accuser , was widely deemed credible in her testimony at Thursday β s hearing β even though her story has no support from independent evidence , is rejected by the witnesses she named , and is incoherent because she can not recall and relate rudimentary details .
How did such an account get labeled β credible β ? Well , to question Dr. Ford at the hearing , Judiciary Committee Republicans retained Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell . In principle , this was not a bad plan , but somebody forgot to tell Ms. Mitchell that this was a high-stakes hearing in need of searching cross-examination , not the rambling , information-gathering questioning typical of a deposition .
Maybe Republicans instructed Mitchell to refrain from asking Ford hard questions ; or maybe , her experience notwithstanding , Mitchell took it on herself to conduct a gentle , confrontation-free examination . Either way , in the one and only chance they will ever have to question Ford , Republicans failed to highlight the deep flaws in her account .
Mitchell invited Ford to wax scientific about how β the etiology of PTSD is multi-factorial , β and to school Mitchell on the topography of Montgomery County . But if you were listening for basic questions about the alleged sexual assault , you listened in vain . This isn β t hard . A lawyer could have been completely respectful of Dr. Ford β s emotional distress and still have asked elementary questions :
Isn β t it a fact that you don β t know where or when this purported assault happened ?
Isn β t it a fact that you can β t tell us how you got there ?
You just know the house was several miles from your home , but it is a fact , is it not , that you can β t tell us how you got home ?
You β ve told us that you were terrified running out of the house after the attack , but you can β t tell us who rescued you and drove you away ?
You remember 36 years ago that you had exactly one beer at the party , you remember hearing your alleged attackers go downstairs , you remember exactly the route you took to get out of the house , yet you can β t tell us what happened after you left the house ?
So , you β re sure the party happened , but you can β t say when it happened , you can β t say where it happened , you don β t know how you got there , you don β t know how you got home , and every person you β ve identified as a witness says that they have no memory of the party and that they never saw Brett Kavanaugh act the way you β ve described , isn β t that right ?
It would not have taken very long . Certainly Democrats demonstrated to Ms. Mitchell that five-minute rounds can be used very effectively if you have a plan . But the only plan Republicans seem to have had was not to offend anyone by asking questions that were , you know , about the subject matter of the hearing that the whole country was watching . A witness can seem awfully credible if she β s not asked about the incredible aspects of her story .
And β voila ! β the Democrats have their next delay and can proclaim that Senate Republicans found the allegations so credible that President Trump had to call in the FBI to investigate . | XsREaIVoKlKupdQr | 2 | Supreme Court | 1 | Brett Kavanaugh | 0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | Guest Writer - Left | https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/after-el-paso-and-dayton-three-ways-to-think-about-mass-shootings | After El Paso and Dayton, Three Ways to Think About Mass Shootings | gun_control_and_gun_rights | β The worst is not , β Edgar says in β King Lear , β amid muchβan old man β s madness , a father β s brutal blindingβthat would seem about as bad as life can get , β So long as we can say β This is the worst. β β The true worst , his point is , will be so annihilating that we will not even have language left to reference it . But , if finding words for the worst is not within our power , finding them for what β s about as bad as bad can be isβand that is the case with the two gun massacres that took place over the weekend , in El Paso , Texas , with twenty-two dead , and Dayton , Ohio , with nine . Though neither is the worst that we have seen in recent years , together they had a particular brutality about them .
Those who have made gun sanity a consuming cause can only weep at these events . Figuring out what to say is hard enough ; figuring out what to do is even harder , since no more actions seem likely to result from these incidents than did from other state-sanctioned mass shootings of recent years . ( When the state , knowing what ought to be done , doesn β t do it , it sanctions what gets done instead . ) To read of Jordan Anchondo , who died of bullet wounds because she threw her body over her two-month-old son to save him , and her husband , Andre , who died beside her while trying to protect them both , is to move past tears of pity to those of rage . This should never happen . But , amid the sheer madness and horror of the killings , it seems worth making some necessary distinctions . We can β t act wisely without seeing straight , and we can β t see straight if we don β t see clearly .
First point of clarity : the problem is guns , their availability , their lethality , their omnipresence in American life , and their protection by the ruling political party . There are racists in every country . There are video games in every country . There are mentally ill people in every country . There are not gun massacres in every country . And , when there is one , comprehensive new laws are passed , and there is seldom another . Why are there so many in America ? Because there are too many guns in America , and , in particular , too many lethal guns easily purchasedβguns modelled on military weapons whose only purpose is to kill as many people as rapidly as possible . Study after study , correlation after correlation provide the evidence on this point : control guns and you reduce gun violence . If we banned assault weapons and all their diabolic accessories , the number of gun massacres in America would be reducedβas was true during the decade between 1994 and 2004 , when there was a federal ban on such weapons . We can have the same confidence in this correlation as we do in the efficacy of vaccines or antibiotics . Gun control works .
To say this isn β t to deny the significance of the discernible motives of the killers . Apparently , the shooting in El Paso was an act of white-supremacist terrorism , and , judging from a manifesto allegedly written by the killer , he may have taken license , if not direction , from the racist in the White House . ( The author of the manifesto said that his convictions β predate Trump. β ) Everything that Donald Trump does as a demagogue involves , in classic demagogic fashion , giving license to others to act on their impulses without shame . And the fact that he , in a classic demagogic move , then recoils from the consequences of his words does not make them less empowering . Trump β s rote condemnation of bigotry , during his brief comments at the White House on Monday morningβseemingly authored by some other hand , and delivered with his usual insincerity , right down to his naming the wrong Ohio cityβ can not permit him to escape responsibility for what his more spontaneous words may have wrought . There is , of course , a difference between words that are the direct causes of violence and words that create a climate in which violence is increasingly possible , but to recognize that difference is not to clear the demagogue of blame .
The danger with evoking the climate as though it were the cause , however , is that there are many climates in a country as big as this one . The next gun massacre may be motivated by some form of Islamist extremism , as in San Bernardino , or by some incoherent personal motive , as at Sandy Hook , or by no discernible motive at all , as in the massacre in Las Vegas . People will find all kinds of reasons to kill . It is , crucially , the weapon in the killer β s hand that matters .
Second distinction : there is a difference between those who fight to make gun control impossible and those who use guns to kill people . The majority of the first , much larger group often view weapons as powerful symbols of personal autonomy . ( The deaths of innocents are , seemingly , a price necessarily paid for that idea of freedom . ) As Alec Wilkinson has written , recalling his brief time as a police officer who had a gun but used it only at a firing range , in a small Cape Cod town , β a gun was an object in which a power of nature was concentrated so forcefully that a person could use one and feel party to a solemn and thrilling mystery. β Most of us satisfy our appetite for a symbol of personal autonomy in the form of more nonlethal objectsβcars , or old guitars , or nice shoes . People who oppose gun control at every turn often cite the sense of control and power that weapons provide , regardless of how false that sense may be . The vast majority of those people will never shoot anyone , but they help put lethal weapons in the hands of those who will .
Third distinction : the Second Amendment is , in these arguments , a red herringβa blood-red herring , perhaps , but a distraction nonetheless . There is no Second Amendment guarantee of an individual β s right to own guns ; the claim that there is is a recent and radical invention of the Supreme Court , in its decision in District of Columbia v. Heller . In any case , even within the absurdities of the Heller ruling , there is plenty of room for gun restrictions .
The strangest thing is that there are no really rational counter-arguments to be made against gun restrictionsβmerely the ritual invocation of the Second Amendment , misconstrued , and the argument for self-defense , which has been so often exploded that it no longer has even rhetorical weight . ( Self-defense against the kind of weapons used in mass shootings is essentially impossible . And acts of self-defense attributed to gun ownership are , at best , rare , compared with the incidence of lethal gun violence . ) In defense of the possession of lethal weapons meant for war , there is merely an appeal to β culture. β But , when your culture is killing children , you have to change it . Meanwhile , the solutions offered by the pro-gun lobby , parroted by Trump on Monday morningβa stronger death penalty , restrictions on video gamesβwill change nothing .
When we make distinctions , it frees us to act in concertβit sorts out our rage into distinct , specific pieces . Mothers Against Drunk Driving did not rage against the lethal danger of guns , or of climate change , or even against the internal-combustion engine . They raged against the drunk driving that was killing kids , and they had many small and simple solutions for it : ignition locks , sobriety checkpoints , better enforcement and clearer penalties , and a broader range of protections . There are simple solutions to our gun predicament that , though far from the widerβand , in other countries , universally sharedβrestrictions and impediments we need , would change the reality . Background checks , an effective assault-weapons ban , a complete ban on large magazines , and licensing and training , and insurance , minimally comparable to those that we all accept for car ownership , for gun ownership . Even those who still want guns for their symbolic purposes can likely be persuaded to accept at least some of these restrictions . And , by arguing for the best we can get now , we might create still another climate . Pursuing the possible is the only way we have to keep away the worst . | w5tuilGa74Ce1dhx | 0 | Violence In America | -0.4 | Gun Control And Gun Rights | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
violence_in_america | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/dc-navy-yard-gunshots/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | 'Multiple' deaths in Navy Yard shooting rampage; suspects may be on loose | 2013-09-16 | violence_in_america | Story highlights 14 people were injured in Monday morning 's shooting
The suspect was armed with an AR-15 , another rifle and a handgun , a source says
The suspect was an IT contractor , says the Navy secretary
12 people are confirmed dead in the shooting ; suspect also was killed
Besides the 13 people who were killed , eight people were injured in Monday morning 's shooting at the Washington Navy Yard , Washington Mayor Vincent Gray told reporters Monday night . Three of those were injured by gunfire , and the others had other types of injuries , such as contusions and chest pain . Earlier Monday night , Navy Vice Adm. William D. French said 14 people were injured . The 13 dead include suspect Aaron Alexis .
Washington police are confident that only one person was involved in Monday morning 's shooting at the Washington Navy Yard , and they are lifting a shelter-in-place order for residents who live nearby , Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Monday night . Authorities have said suspect Alexis , 34 , was killed after an encounter with security .
The ages of those who were killed in Monday morning 's shooting at the Washington Navy Yard range from 46 to 73 , Gray said .
The FBI has identified the dead suspect in Monday 's shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard as Aaron Alexis , a 34-year-old military contractor from Texas .
But authorities are still searching for more information about him , and they 're asking members of the public for help .
`` No piece of information is too small , '' said Valerie Parlave , assistant director in charge of the Washington FBI Field Office . `` We are looking to learn everything we can about his recent movements , his contacts and associates . ''
In addition to the gunman , authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 14 others were injured in the shooting , which put government buildings on lockdown and sent police SWAT teams rushing to the scene .
The names of those killed , except for the suspected shooter , have not been made public , pending notification of their families .
Even as the FBI ruled out any other shooters in the rampage at the headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command , Metropolitan Police were trying to track down at least one person to determine whether that individual had any involvement .
`` We 'll continue to seek information about what the motive is . We do n't have any reason at this stage to suspect terrorism , '' Washington Mayor Vincent Gray told reporters , `` but certainly it has not been ruled out . ''
The other possible suspect was described by police as a black male , between 40 and 50 , wearing an `` olive drab-colored '' military-style uniform .
`` We still do n't know all the facts . But we do know that several people have been shot and some have been killed , '' President Barack Obama said Monday afternoon . `` So we are confronting yet another mass shooting . And today it happened on a military installation in our nation 's capital . ''
Obama called the shooting a `` cowardly act '' that targeted military and civilians serving their country .
`` They know the dangers of serving abroad , '' he said , `` but today they faced the unimaginable violence that we would n't have expected here at home . ''
The violence started unfolding at 8:20 a.m. when several shots were fired inside the southeast Washington facility .
Police spokesman Chris Kelly soon described a suspect as an adult male , about 6 feet tall with a bald head and medium complexion , dressed in a black top and black jeans .
He was armed with an AR-15 , which is a semi-automatic rifle ; another rifle and a semi-automatic Glock handgun , according to a law enforcement official .
Two witnesses told CNN affiliate WJLA-TV that they heard a fire alarm go off in the building where they worked , then saw a man with a rifle down the hallway as they exited the building .
`` He aimed the gun and fired our way , '' Todd Brundidge told WJLA .
People frantically ran down stairs to get out of the building , Brundidge said .
`` They were pushing . They were shoving . People were falling down , '' he told WJLA . `` As we came outside , people were climbing the wall trying to get over the wall to get out . .... It was just crazy . ''
The injured included a Washington police officer who has been hospitalized , and a base security guard officer , said Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Saray Leon .
Three people , including the D.C. police officer , were admitted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with multiple gunshot wounds . They are expected to survive , chief medical officer Janis Orlowski told reporters .
One person was pronounced dead at George Washington University Hospital , according to Dr. Babak Sarani , chief of trauma and acute care there .
As authorities investigated the deadly shooting , across the country details began to emerge about the suspect
The FBI said it identified Alexis using fingerprints and ID .
He was in the Navy 's ready reserve , Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told CNN . In the past , he was an enlisted petty officer working on electrical systems . He was discharged from the Navy following a `` pattern of misconduct , '' a U.S. defense official said . The military is reviewing his files .
The suspected shooter had an active ID and entered the base legally , according to a federal law enforcement official .
Outside Fort Worth , Texas , friend Michael Ritrovato said Alexis had recently been frustrated with the civilian contractor about a payment issue . But Ritrovato said his friend never showed signs of aggressiveness or violence , though he played a lot of shooting video games online .
`` It 's incredible that this is all happening , because he was a very good-natured guy , '' Ritrovato said . `` It seemed like he wanted to get more out of life . ''
In Seattle , police said they arrested Alexis in 2004 for shooting out the tires of another man 's vehicle in what Alexis later told detectives was an anger-fueled `` blackout . ''
Meanwhile , at the Navy yard , helicopters hovered overhead . In one chopper , there appeared to be a police sniper peering out , with a scope at the ready .
The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives sent a team of about 20 special agents to the scene , a law enforcement official said . The team was the same group that helped apprehend Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , the official said .
Emergency personnel , the FBI , U.S. Capitol Police and local D.C. police responded to the shooting , shutting down traffic in the area on the District 's south side along the Anacostia River . Some people were evacuated , and others sheltered in place .
Paul Williams , who works at a nearby nonprofit , was headed to his office when he witnessed panic at the Navy yard .
`` I heard four rapid bangs -- bang , bang , bang , bang , '' he said .
At first , he thought it was construction noise , but less than a minute later , he saw hundreds of people coming toward him .
`` I did n't know what was happening . I just ran with them , '' Williams said . `` Everyone seemed scared . People were crying . People were being consoled and calling loved ones and family . ''
And at least eight schools were on lockdown as a precaution , the Washington public schools said .
Air traffic to Reagan National Airport in northern Virginia , the closest airport to downtown Washington , was suspended after the shooting but later resumed , the Federal Aviation Administration said .
Officials postponed a Washington Nationals baseball game that had been scheduled for Monday night at Nationals Park , just a few blocks away from the Washington Navy Yard .
The headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command -- the workplace for about 3,000 people -- is the largest of the Navy 's five system commands . It has a fiscal year budget of nearly $ 30 billion .
`` With a force of 60,000 civilian , military and contract support personnel , NAVSEA engineers , builds , buys and maintains the Navy 's ships and submarines and their combat systems , '' the Navy said .
Eleanor Holmes Norton , Washington 's congressional delegate , described the Navy yard as a `` very secure facility . ''
The Washington Navy Yard -- the Navy 's oldest land establishment -- was created in 1799 following an act of Congress , according to the Naval History and Heritage Command . Originally envisioned as a shipbuilding and fitting facility on the Anacostia River , it serviced some of the Navy 's most famous early vessels , including the USS Constitution .
Burned during the War of 1812 , the Navy Yard was transformed into a center for ordnance and technological development . The facility was the world 's largest ordnance plant during World War II , but its military role steadily diminished during the Cold War era .
Today , the Navy Yard includes the headquarters of Naval District Washington and is home to a naval museum . The area around the facility has been marked in recent years by significant commercial and residential revitalization . | 1jEcchheanmrYlQk | 0 | Violence In America | -0.9 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2022/03/19/russian-general-killed-after-ukrainian-forces-destroy-command-post/ | Russian general killed after Ukrainian forces destroy command post in Kherson | 2022-03-23 | World, Ukraine, Ukraine War, Russia | Another Russian general has been killed in Ukraine, the countryβs military claimed Saturday, the fifth senior leader to fall since the invasion began 23 days ago. Lieutenant-General Andrey Mordvichev, commander of the 8th army of the southern military district, was killed when armed forces destroyed a command post at an airfield in Kherson, a port city in southern Ukraine, officials said. His death came as thousands of civilians attempted to flee another port city, Mariupol, which has been under bombardment for weeks, and as Ukraineβs president said Russia is trying to starve his countryβs cities into submission. Continuing the invasion would exact a toll on Russia for βseveral generations,β President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video posted overnight. The comments were in part a response to a huge rally Russian President Vladimir Putin held Friday in Moscow. Though ostensibly held to support Russiaβs forces, reports said many among the tens of thousands who packed the Luzhini Stadium said they were βforcedβ to attend. Zelensky in the video accused the Kremlin of deliberately creating βa humanitarian catastropheβ and appealed again for Putin to meet with him to prevent more bloodshed. Russian forces were blockading the largest cities with the goal of creating such miserable conditions that Ukrainians will surrender, Zelensky said. But he warned that Russia would pay the ultimate price. βThe time has come to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine. Otherwise, Russiaβs costs will be so high that you will not be able to rise again for several generations,β he said. Zelensky pointed to the 200,000 people reportedly at the Moscow rally as roughly the same number of Russian troops taking part in the invasion. βPicture for yourself that in that stadium in Moscow there are 14,000 dead bodies and tens of thousands more injured and maimed,β Zelensky said in the video shot outside the presidential office in the capital, Kyiv. βThose are the Russian costs throughout the invasion.β Ukrainian and Russian officials agreed to establish 10 humanitarian corridors for bringing aid in and residents out β one from Mariupol, and several around Kyiv and in the eastern Luhansk region, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Saturday. She also announced plans to deliver humanitarian aid to Kherson, which was seized by Russian forces. Vladimir Medinsky, who has led Russian negotiators in several rounds of talks with Ukraine, said the two sides are closer to agreement on the issue of Ukraine dropping its bid to join NATO and adopting a neutral status. In remarks carried by Russian media, he said the sides are now βhalfwayβ on issues regarding the demilitarization of Ukraine. But Mikhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said that assessment was intended βto provoke tension in the media.β He tweeted: βOur positions are unchanged. Ceasefire, withdrawal of troops & strong security guarantees with concrete formulas.β Another tweet from Podolyak admonished those pontificating about the negotiations. βI would like to softly recommend the βactive commentators of the negotiation processβ who are NOT inside,β he said. βDonβt spread your lies in a country that is at war. Negotiations are complicated. The positions of the parties are different. For us, fundamental issues are inviolable.β Fighting continued on multiple fronts across the country Saturday. Early morning barrages hit Kyiv neighborhoods, killing at least one and wounding 19. Maj. Gen. Oleksandr Pavlyuk, who is leading the defense of the region around Ukraineβs capital, said his forces are well-positioned to defend the city and vowed: βWe will never give up. We will fight until the end. To the last breath and to the last bullet.β The governor of the Zaporizhzhia region in east-central Ukraine, Oleksandr Starukh, announced a 38-hour curfew in the southeastern city of the same name after two missile strikes on its suburbs killed nine people Friday. In the besieged port city of Mariupol, the site of some of the warβs greatest suffering, street fighting was stopping rescuers from reaching hundreds of survivors trapped beneath a shelled theatre, Mariupolβs mayor told the BBC. Mayor Vadym Boychenko said Ukrainian forces are βdoing everything they canβ to hold their positions, but that βforces of the enemy are larger than oursβ Ukrainian and Russian forces battled over the Azovstal steel plant, one of the biggest in Europe, Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraineβs interior minister, said Saturday. Photos posted on social media showed the plant was destroyed after multiple days of shelling. βCivilians were hiding in bomb shelters of the plant, their destiny is unknown,β a report from Toronto Television said. βI can say that we have lost this economic giant,β Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraineβs interior minister, said Saturday in televised remarks. βIn fact, one of the largest metallurgical plants in Europe is actually being destroyed.β U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, during a Saturday visit to NATO ally Bulgaria, condemned Russiaβs invasion as βreckless and ruthless.β He said the U.S. has not yet seen Russia mobilize additional forces to compensate for its significant battlefield losses. βBecause of the fact that theyβve stalled on a number of fronts there, it makes sense that [Putin] would want to increase his capabilities going forward,β Austin said. βWeβve just not seen that yet.β Advertisement Unknown | 4724907f8d63bc14 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2015/4/22/8464001/surgeon-general-vivek-murthy | The new surgeon general's 4 rules for health | 2015-04-22 | healthcare | President Obama nominated him for the post of US surgeon general , the nation 's top spokesperson for public health , back in November 2013 . The Senate then promptly blocked his nomination for more than a year , particularly after the National Rifle Association criticized a letter Murthy had co-signed in support of gun control measures . Murthy only got confirmed in December 2014 after some red-state Democrats who were losing their seats anyway decided to switch course and back him .
In person , however , it 's harder to see how the mild-tempered Murthy became such a lightning rod . He meditates daily , he told me , to `` center myself , a chance for me to remember who I want to be every day . '' And he 's starting his tenure with a listening tour that took him across America β rather than a push for any particular policies . Indeed , he has already said he was n't interested in using his post `` as a bully pulpit for gun control . ''
Before his swearing-in ceremony today , I spoke with Murthy at length about what he sees as the biggest public health issues facing the country , what he hopes to achieve as surgeon general , and why the best ways to boost health may have nothing to do with medicine .
Murthy 's big idea about public health : institutions outside medicine often have the biggest impact
The surgeon general is essentially the nation 's top spokesperson on health matters . Past officeholders have often used the position to call attention to pressing public health issues such as smoking or obesity . Murthy plans to do the same . But though he 's a physician by training , he argues that institutions outside of medicine often have the biggest impact on public health .
`` I first started thinking about that when I was practicing medicine , '' Murthy says , `` and I realized that I would sit in the clinic with patients or sit at their bedside , and talk to them about changing their diet , about improving their physical activity . I would question how much of an impact I was having on their ultimate decisions about their lifestyle . If you ask any doctor or nurse who has cared for patients , they will often tell you they have had similar experiences . ''
`` It β s often our family and friends who can impact the choices we make around food ''
He elaborated : `` If we think about ourselves , it β s often our family and friends who can impact the choices we make around food . It β s the food options that are available at work or in the cafeteria that might impact the choices we make during the third of our lives we spend at work . It can be what we hear in church Sunday morning that impacts how we think about important issues in our society .
`` That β s why I have come to believe if we are going to overcome the great health challenges our country faces right now , we have to do so with a coalition of leaders . This includes not only doctors , nurses , and health professionals but also our employers , schools , faith-based organizations , civic institutions , and the various people and institutions in our country that actually impact decisions people make day to day . ''
For example , employers and churches could play a bigger role in tackling obesity
Take , for instance , the obesity crisis , which Murthy has called one of his top priorities . He argues that it 's not enough to engage doctors on this issue β employers , faith-based organizations , and other institutions need to play a role , too .
`` I want to make sure I β m working with employers to make physical activity a greater part of work culture β recognizing that this not only has benefits for the physical health of employees but also positive effects on emotional well-being and mental function , '' he says .
The same goes for mental health , which needs to be addressed by institutions outside of medicine . `` I want to work with faith-based leaders to address the negative attitudes associated with mental illness , '' he explains .
This , in general , fits with Murthy 's broader approach to public health : `` We have to do more than build hospitals and more clinics . We have to invest in prevention and community prevention , and recognize that institutions that don β t have the word health in their name β faith-based groups , employers , schools β have a massive impact on the health decisions people make every day . That 's why we have to engage these institutions in doing their part to improve health . ''
So how does Murthy focus on staying healthy ? `` I have four rules I follow for myself , '' he says .
`` One is to eat healthy . I tend to avoid salt , added sugar , and processed foods whenever possible , and try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables as part of all my meals whenever possible .
`` Second is to stay physically active . That means not just going to gym but incorporating activity into whatever I do , whether that β s taking the stairs or converting sitting meetings to walking meetings whenever possible .
`` Third is making sure I β m focusing on my emotional and mental well-being . For me , an important part of that is the meditation practice that I do every morning . It β s a chance for me to center myself , a chance for me to remember who I want to be every day .
`` The fourth thing is I remind myself to stay away from toxic substances like tobacco and drugs . ''
Murthy will also have to combat misinformation about public health
The surgeon general does n't just promote public health . From his perch , Murthy will also likely have to play a role in combating misinformation . I asked him about Dr. Oz , arguably the most famous health proselytizer in America , who has come under fire for his use of pseudoscience . `` I have never actually watched Dr. Oz on TV so I can β t really comment , '' Murthy says .
`` Too often , doctors and nurses don β t speak out when it β s needed the most ''
But Murthy does agree that the public often faces a problem in sorting through all the health information out there : `` In general , when people think about diet and physical activity , there β s a lot of information out there , and it can be very confusing for people . That 's why I think it β s very important for us to understand the science behind the recommendations we make around diet and physical activity . ''
He adds , `` I have been on the road a lot these last few months . One of the things that came up time and again was the pervasive misinformation that exists around certain hot-button issues . Diet is one of them . In recent months , in light of the measles outbreak , there has also been some confusion around vaccinations . That was an issue I spoke about a lot on the road , helping people understand that when it comes to the measles vaccine it 's both safe and effective , and there 's no link to autism . ''
So what 's Murthy 's role in all this ? `` I will continue to make sure we are getting scientifically grounded messages out there to the public about questions that concern them the most , '' he says . `` But it 's not just the responsibility of the surgeon general but of every public health professional who understands science , who is trained to evaluate evidence , and who knows the cost we incur when patients are misinformed about the treatments they need .
`` Too often , doctors and nurses don β t speak out when it β s needed the most β when there are controversies around issues , whether it be vaccines or e-cigarettes or other health topics . They can not only answer questions that the public may have but also push our institutions and policymakers and leaders to find answers when we don β t have them . ''
Why Murthy would n't want his future kids to use e-cigarettes
Murthy 's mention of e-cigarettes brought up a related question . E-cigarettes are one of the biggest puzzles facing the medical community right now , since the science behind them is still so nascent . So how does he think about the issue ?
`` Our scientific understanding of e-cigarettes has been far outpaced by the actual use of e-cigarettes ''
`` Our scientific understanding of e-cigarettes has been far outpaced by the actual use of e-cigarettes , '' Murthy says . `` This means people are asking questions we don β t always know the answers to . Some of those questions are : Do e-cigarettes have adverse effects on health ? Do they lead children to be more open to smoking regular cigarettes ? And do they help with cessation for people who are current smokers ? These are questions we haven β t adequately answered yet through research β but we have to do so because , as a recent CDC report showed , e-cigarettes use tripled over the last year among youth . That to me is very concerning when we don β t fully understand the potential adverse impacts of e-cigarettes . ''
He continues , `` Should we promote or allow the use of e-cigarettes by minors and by people who don β t smoke at all ? This is where I 'm concerned . We know nicotine is not a benign substance . We know it has potential harmful effects on the body including the development of the adolescent brain . Speaking as a regular person , I would not want my children β if I were blessed enough to have children β to be exposed to nicotine unnecessarily , whether that β s through their smoking of e-cigarettes or traditional cigarettes or whether that was through secondhand vapor or smoke . ''
Why Murthy appeared on Sesame Street to talk about vaccines
In April , Murthy did a public service announcement on Sesame Street to remind kids to get vaccinated . Can we expect more of that in the future ?
`` The public service announcement we did with Elmo around vaccines was just one example of the different types of communication tools we want to use to make sure we β re getting the right message to kids and adults about health , '' Murthy said . `` But to make sure we β re reaching everybody β to use a variety of messengers , messages , channels . We have to be creative about how we do it .
`` When it comes to obesity , thinking about nutrition , I want to work closely with our entertainment leaders and our leaders in sports to make sure we β re setting positive role models for kids in particular when it comes to choices around physical activity and nutrition. `` | TUu4xrXOxLw4Cd36 | 0 | Surgeon General | 0.2 | Healthcare | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/3-in-4-dems-would-support-a-socialist-for-president-poll | 3 in 4 Democrats would support a socialist for president: poll | elections | As the Democratic Party primary field lurches to the left on a number of policy issues , it is being reflected among Democratic voters -- with three in four Democrats saying they would back a socialist for president , according to a new poll released this month .
The Gallup poll found that 76 percent of Democratic voters would vote for a socialist . Only 17 percent of Republicans say they would vote for a socialist , and 45 percent of independents would vote for one .
BERNIE SANDERS ' CAMPAIGN WALKS BACK VOW OF TOTAL DEPORTATION FREEZE
The poll comes amid the rise of self-described β democratic socialist β Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , in the Democratic presidential primary race . The far-left candidate tied with the more moderate former South Bend , Ind . Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa , and won the New Hampshire primary and Nevada caucuses -- boosting him into front-runner status .
Sanders has promoted once-fringe policies such as a Green New Deal , a moratorium on the deportation of illegal immigrants , free college tuition and a β Medicare-for-all β plan that would abolish private health insurance .
Other ideas such as reparations for slavery and welfare for illegal immigrants have also become popular among Democratic politicians , particularly in the Democrat-controlled House -- where liberal `` Squad '' members such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , and Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , have been promoting policies once far out of the Democratic mainstream .
BERNIE SANDERS ' SURROGATE CLAIMS MEDIA LIES ABOUT SUPPORT FOR SOCIALISM : 'OUR IDEAS ARE POPULAR '
Voters were polled by Gallup about the characteristics of potential presidents they would vote for -- and it found broad acceptance of most of those traits . Of those polled , 96 percent would vote for a black candidate , 93 percent would vote for a woman , 78 percent would vote for a gay/lesbian candidate , and 66 percent would vote for a Muslim .
Out of all those characteristics polled , a socialist candidate was the only one that received majority opposition overall -- even considering Democrat β s relative enthusiasm .
Less than half of Americans overall , 45 percent , said they would back a socialist for president , while 53 percent said they would not -- suggesting the left-wing shift by the Democratic Party might not be reflected in the electorate as a whole . | mvu4p6qBx9kucpYN | 2 | Presidential Elections | 0.1 | Bernie Sanders | 0 | Socialism | 0 | Gallup Polls | 0 | Elections | 0 | |
technology | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet-exclusive/fcc-chief-plans-to-ditch-u-s-net-neutrality-rules-idUSKBN1DL21A | FCC chief plans to ditch U.S. 'net neutrality' rules | 2017-11-22 | Technology, Net Neutrality | WASHINGTON ( βββ ) - The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission unveiled plans on Tuesday to repeal landmark 2015 rules that prohibited internet service providers from impeding consumer access to web content in a move that promises to recast the digital landscape .
FCC chief Ajit Pai , a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump in January , said the commission will vote at a Dec. 14 meeting on his plan to rescind the so-called net neutrality rules championed by Democratic former President Barack Obama that treated internet service providers like public utilities .
The rules barred broadband providers from blocking or slowing down access to content or charging consumers more for certain content . They were intended to ensure a free and open internet , give consumers equal access to web content and prevent broadband service providers from favoring their own content .
The action marks a victory for big internet service providers such as AT & T Inc , Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc that opposed the rules and gives them sweeping powers to decide what web content consumers can get and at what price .
It represents a setback for Google parent Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc , which had urged Pai not to rescind the rules . Netflix said Tuesday it opposed the measure to β roll back these core protections . β
With three Republican and two Democratic commissioners , the move is all but certain to be approved . Trump , a Republican , expressed his opposition to net neutrality in 2014 before the regulations were even implemented , calling it a β power grab β by Obama . The White House did not immediately comment Tuesday .
Pai said his proposal would prevent state and local governments from creating their own net neutrality rules because internet service is β inherently an interstate service. β The preemption is most likely to handcuff Democratic-governed states and localities that could have considered their own plans to protect consumers β equal access to internet content .
β The FCC will no longer be in the business of micromanaging business models and preemptively prohibiting services and applications and products that could be pro-competitive , β Pai said in an interview , adding that the Obama administration had sought to pick winners and losers and exercised β heavy-handed β regulation of the internet .
β We should simply set rules of the road that let companies of all kinds in every sector compete and let consumers decide who wins and loses , β Pai added .
Tom Wheeler , who headed the FCC under Obama and advocated for the net neutrality rules , called the planned repeal β a shameful sham and sellout . Even for this FCC and its leadership , this proposal raises hypocrisy to new heights . β
AT & T , Comcast and Verizon have said that repealing the rules could lead to billions of dollars in additional broadband investment and eliminate the possibility that a future presidential administration could regulate internet pricing .
Comcast said no matter what the FCC decided it would β not block , throttle , or discriminate against lawful content . β
Verizon said it believed the FCC β will reinstate a framework that protects consumers β access to the open internet , without forcing them to bear the heavy costs from unnecessary regulation . β
The Internet Association , representing major technology firms including Alphabet and Facebook , said Pai β s proposal β represents the end of net neutrality as we know it and defies the will of millions of Americans . β
β This proposal undoes nearly two decades of bipartisan agreement on baseline net neutrality principles that protect Americans β ability to access the entire internet , β it said .
Ajit Pai , Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission , testifies before a Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington , U.S. , June 20 , 2017 . βββ/Aaron P. Bernstein
Pai β s proposal would require internet service providers to disclose whether they allow blocking or slowing down of consumer web access or permit so-called internet fast lanes to facilitate a practice called paid prioritization of charging for certain content . Such disclosure will make it easier for another agency , the Federal Trade Commission , to act against internet service providers that fail to disclose such conduct to consumers , Pai said .
The FTC could seek to bar practices that it deemed β anticompetitive β or violated antitrust rules .
The FCC received more than 22 million comments . New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman disclosed Tuesday he has been investigating for more than six months in a bid to learn who was behind the filing of false comments .
A U.S. appeals court last year upheld the legality of the net neutrality regulations , which were challenged in a lawsuit led by telecommunications industry trade association US Telecom .
The group praised Pai β s decision to remove β antiquated , restrictive regulations β to β pave the way for broadband network investment , expansion and upgrades . β
The FCC β s repeal is certain to draw a legal challenge from advocates of net neutrality .
Nancy Pelosi , the top U.S. House of Representatives Democrat , said the FCC move would hurt consumers and chill competition , saying the agency β has launched an all-out assault on the entrepreneurship , innovation and competition at the heart of the internet . β
The planned repeal represents the latest example of a legacy achievement of Obama being erased since Trump took office in January . Trump has abandoned international trade deals , the landmark Paris climate accord and environmental protections , taken aim at the Iran nuclear accord and closer relations with Cuba , and sought repeal Obama β s signature healthcare law .
Pai , who has moved quickly to undo numerous regulatory actions since becoming FCC chairman , is pushing a broad deregulatory agenda . Pai said he had not shared his plans on the rollback with the White House in advance or been directed to undo net neutrality by White House officials .
The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) logo is seen before the FCC Net Neutrality hearing in Washington February 26 , 2015 . βββ/Yuri Gripas
The FCC under Obama regulated internet service providers like public utilities under a section of federal law that gave the agency sweeping oversight over the conduct of these companies .
Language in the new proposal would give the FCC significantly less authority to oversee the web . The FCC granted initial approval to Pai β s plan in May , but had left open many key questions including whether to retain any legal requirements limiting internet providers conduct .
His plan would eliminate the β internet conduct standard , β which gave the FCC far-reaching discretion to prohibit improper internet service provider practices . | 5786d2385fd353be | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | The Hill | http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/350386-bernie-sanders-flexes-power-on-single-payer | Bernie Sanders flexes power on single-payer | 2017-09-13 | us_senate | When Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes 2020 Dems put focus on stemming veteran suicides The Memo : Democrats confront prospect of long primary MORE ( I-Vt. ) last introduced a single-payer bill in 2013 , it didn β t attract a single co-sponsor . Now , as he unveils his β Medicare for all β bill on Wednesday , some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party will be by his side .
It β s a vindicating moment for Sanders , who is seen as a leading contender for the Democratic nomination in 2020 .
The Vermont senator β s bill has virtually no chance of passing this Congress , and many Democrats , including members of leadership , remain wary of the idea .
But that doesn β t detract from the scope of his accomplishment . From the start of his insurgent presidential campaign last cycle , Sanders β s goal was to drive Democrats into his camp on health care and other issues β and it β s working , perhaps better than he could have ever imagined .
β I guess this is why the 2016 Democratic primary was a terrific thing , β said Jonathan Tasini , a prominent progressive organizer and former Sanders campaign surrogate .
β Without that primary , β Medicare for all β β the idea that millions of people would have what everyone has around the world β would not be in the conversation . β
In the past week , several other potential 2020 contenders , including Democratic Sens . 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 ( Mass . ) and Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerGOP senator blasts Dem bills on 'opportunity zones ' Booker on ErdoΔan : We should not be 'rolling out the red carpet for a ruthless authoritarian ' βββ 's Morning Report - Diplomats kick off public evidence about Trump , Ukraine MORE ( N.J. ) , have embraced Sanders β s bill by signing on as co-sponsors . And it β s not just liberals who are warming to the idea .
Former Sen. Max Baucus Max Sieben BaucusBottom line Overnight Defense : McCain honored in Capitol ceremony | Mattis extends border deployment | Trump to embark on four-country trip after midterms Congress gives McCain the highest honor MORE ( D-Mont . ) , one of the architects of ObamaCare , had long been critical of single-payer health care . But last week , he said lawmakers should start looking at the idea .
Just two years ago , Sanders formally announced he was running for president in a sparsely attended press conference that lasted 10 minutes . At the time , critics derided him as a socialist laughingstock ; today , he β s one of the most popular politicians in America , giving him a megaphone to promote his single-payer bill .
β This week will be seen as a pivotal moment , when the history books are written , on β Medicare for all , β β said Adam Green , co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee .
Sanders made β Medicare for all β a central part of his platform in the 2016 race . That led to clashes with eventual Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes The Memo : Democrats confront prospect of long primary Manafort sought to hurt Clinton 2016 campaign efforts in key states : NYT MORE , who favored incremental tweaks to the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) and derided his ideas as unrealistic .
β I think the big thing that Bernie Sanders showed during the 2016 race was the hunger across the ideological spectrum for big , bold solutions to the problems our country faces , not the least of which is health care , β said Neil Sroka , spokesman for the liberal group Democracy for America .
Those supportive of β Medicare for all β think the momentum is on their side . They say it β s only a matter of time before every Democrat elected or running for office will have to take a position on single-payer health care .
β What β s different about this moment is this is no longer going to be a fringe position , β said Robert Weissman , president of Public Citizen , a liberal advocacy group in D.C. founded by Ralph Nader .
β Elected officials are going to have to take a position on β Medicare for all β on the merits . They β re not going to be able to say anymore , β That β s not a serious policy position. β Now it is a serious policy position . β
It remains to be seen whether the single-payer legislation will help or hurt Democrats , particularly in states where they lost ground to President Trump in the election .
Notably , Senate Democrats up for reelection in states won by Trump last year are mostly treating Sanders β s bill with caution .
Some have said they want to build upon and improve ObamaCare . Others have said they support adding a government-run health plan to compete beside private plans or adding a Medicare buy-in for adults 55 and older . In the past , critics have pointed to just how costly a single-payer insurance system would be .
β I think that particular proposal is premature , β said Sen. Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskillGOP senator rips into Pelosi at Trump rally : 'It must suck to be that dumb ' Iranian attacks expose vulnerability of campaign email accounts Ex-CIA chief worries campaigns falling short on cybersecurity MORE ( Mo . ) , a vulnerable Democrat up for reelection in 2018 , about Sanders β s plan .
Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph ( Joe ) ManchinFormer coal exec Don Blankenship launches third-party presidential bid Centrist Democrats seize on state election wins to rail against Warren 's agenda Overnight Energy : Senate eyes nixing 'forever chemicals ' fix from defense bill | Former Obama EPA chief named CEO of green group | Senate reviews Interior , FERC nominees criticized on ethics MORE ( D-W.Va. ) , also up for reelection next year in a state where Trump is popular , said he β s skeptical that single-payer can work .
β Let it go through the committee , let it go through the process . I don β t just know enough about it . I β m not signing on to a piece of legislation that I don β t have any idea what it β s going to do to the economy , to the access and to people β s care , β he told βββ .
The debate erupting in the Democratic Party over single-payer comes at a time when the future of ObamaCare remains uncertain , despite the GOP β s failed effort to repeal and replace the law .
The Trump administration has slashed funding to enroll people in ObamaCare this fall . Meanwhile , the marketplaces for coverage remain on shaky ground , with insurers pleading for certainty that may never come .
While Democrats are still defending ObamaCare , many are moving on to the next fight .
Sanders β s popularity with the liberal grass roots has made it difficult to imagine Democrats selecting a nominee in 2020 who doesn β t back single-payer ; still , some progressive groups and Sanders insist it shouldn β t be a litmus test .
β In 2020 , it β s highly probable that the Democratic nominee is actively campaigning on β Medicare for all , β not just endorsing it , β said Green with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee .
β This is a steep change from where the Democratic Party was in 2009 and even where the center of gravity was a few months ago . β
Sroka said Sanders has β been smart about building a coalition β in support of his single-payer plan .
β Statements of support you β re hearing today weren β t just gotten by asking them this week , right ? That has been a building process .
β It takes a lot of work , and lot of time , and a lot of effort to build that kind of momentum behind a bold idea like this . β | sPTqqKEkWm0PFEre | 1 | US Senate | -0.2 | Single-Payer System | 0.1 | Bernie Sanders | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
coronavirus | New York Times - Opinion | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/opinion/trump-coronavirus-masks.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage | Wearing Masks Must Be a National Policy | 2020-04-02 | coronavirus | Stanford Medicine says vacuum cleaner bags , antimicrobial pillowcases , and other materials are reasonably effective substitutes for medical masks . Various studies point to similar results for those homemade face coverings , particularly when combined with hand-washing hygiene .
Even if masks don β t completely protect each individual , they could considerably reduce the spread of the virus . Even if the coverings only reduced transmission to and from each wearer by half , that would reduce the chance of spread by 75 percent . So face coverings could reduce the exponential growth of new infections and avert disaster in America β s hot spots .
Because scientists can not rule out with complete confidence that this coronavirus can be spread easily in the air , even outdoors , we believe it β s most prudent to promote face covering in all public settings . And to state the obvious , mask wearing and face covering is not a substitute for shelter-in-place , hand-washing and other protective measures .
Those wearing a mask may be stigmatized , since they might be presumed to be sick , given current government guidance . A national policy on face coverings for all , even those who have had the disease , like our co-author Dr. Kass , could eliminate that stigma . Wearing masks is a way we can all protect each other .
People should be strictly warned that wearing a face covering doesn β t let you ignore social distancing rules . That would be counterproductive .
Wearing masks will not only reduce viral spread , it would also help us return to work , get back to school , and avoid what could be a devastating second wave of the coronavirus .
While ensuring that all health workers have full protective equipment , and as many essential workers as possible have medical masks , President Trump , federal health officials , governors and mayors should call on Americans in well-populated cities and towns to wear face coverings or masks in all public areas . ( Government officials should start by wearing masks themselves , particularly in media appearances , to reduce the stigma and encourage use . ) | fC14DVHWBuEmdguR | 0 | Public Health | 0.4 | Healthcare | 0.4 | Coronavirus | 0.4 | Disease | 0.2 | null | null |
facts_and_fact_checking | Snopes | https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/10/03/trumps-lawyers-forget-check-box/ | Did Trump's Lawyers 'Forget To Check a Box' Requesting a Jury Trial? | 2023-10-04 | Facts And Fact Checking, Donald Trump, Letitia James, Courts | On Oct. 2, 2023, former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared, in person, to witness the proceedings in a case brought by New York City Attorney General Letitia James against his business empire. James accused Trump's businesses and business associates of "persistent and repeated business fraud." The case, notably, is a bench trial in which a single judge, Justice Arthur F. Engoron, not only controls the proceedings but ultimately rules on the facts of the case as well. In a "makeshift" press conference held during a break in the first day's proceedings, Trump stated that "I think it's very unfair I don't have a jury." Legal experts and pundits immediately questioned the claim on the basis that, generally speaking, anyone in New York State is given the right to a trial by jury, as opposed to a bench trial. In response to Trump's complaints, Engoron later stated that, in fact, that "nobody asked for" a jury trial. The Messenger and other outlets initially argued that neglecting to file a simple form with a checkbox was the reason for Trump's lack of jury trial: Earlier this year, New York Attorney Letitia James filed a form with a checkmark next to the field: "Trial without a jury." Trump's legal team didn't file a corresponding form, and the former president may have regretted his lawyer's inaction ever since. James had requested a bench trial in a form filed publicly in June 2023 that notified the defendants of their readiness for trial. Under N.Y. CPLR 4102, broadly speaking, almost anyone can demand a trial by jury within 15 days of such a notification: Any party may demand a trial by jury of any issue of fact triable of right by a jury, by serving upon all other parties and filing a note of issue containing a demand for trial by jury. Any party served with a note of issue not containing such a demand may demand a trial by jury by serving upon each party a demand for a trial by jury and filing such demand in the office where the note of issue was filed within fifteen days after service of the note of issue. As a result of the imagery of a check mark on the court-issued notice and the seemingly clear right for anyone to demand a jury trial in New York, a talking point emerged to the effect that Trump's lawyers' "forgetting" (or otherwise failing) to "check a box on a form" was the sole reason for the lack of a jury. In an interview with Newsmax, Trump lawyer Alina Habba made the argument that her team, in fact, never had a right to a jury trial in the first place: I have to address this one common misconception in the press, and unfortunately it just keeps getting repeated, which is that we have this great option to have a box checked for a jury. No, we didn't have that. That's not how this works. They brought it under Section 63(12), which is a very narrow, not appropriately used section of the law, which is for consumer protections, not this. And that is why we're sitting here in front of a judge. 63(12) refers to a section of New York state law that allows the attorney general to bring action against businesses or people that engage in "persistent and repeated business fraud." David Schoen, a lawyer on Trump's impeachment team who was not a part of this fraud case, cited a 2011 case in which "a judge from the same court β¦ said there is no right to a jury trial under New York executive law 63(12)" in an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow. This statement, about the case People of New York v. First American Corporation, is not entirely correct. There is no written law that Snopes can identify explicitly mandating bench trials for 63(12) cases, but there is a legal precedent for a jury trial being denied to a case brought under that law stemming from that case. The precedent stems not from 63(12) cases specifically, but from legally defined exemptions to a right for a jury trial in New York. The specific distinction applies to cases in which the damages awarded are "equitable" in nature. Such remedies are ones in which the "court compels the defendant to perform a certain act or refrain from a certain act." N.Y. CPLR 4101 explicitly states that "equitable defenses and equitable counterclaims β¦ shall be tried by the court" β i.e. without a jury. Several courts in New York have ruled that there is no constitutional right to a jury In the 2011 case cited by former Trump attorney Schoen, the judge ruled that "the remedies sought by James in this proceeding" were "equitable in nature" and that, as a result, they did not come with a constitutional right to a jury trial in New York State. James' case seeks only equitable remedies, including: Permanently barring [Donald] Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump from serving as an officer or director in any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State. As a result there exists a firm legal argument that this case was never eligible for a jury trial in the first place. As Schoen noted, however, there is no reason why the Trump legal team could not have at least attempted to do so, as First American Corporation did in their failed appeal for a jury trial in 2011. Such an argument, Schoen said, might have been raised regarding the 250 million dollars in financial restitution sought by James. "I would have filed a jury demand to litigate the issue because here there are very severe monetary punishments at issue, potentially. And I think there's a strong argument to be made for the right to a jury trial," he said on CNN. While a substantial sum, the $250 million penalty is still a form of equitable relief, as described by James in her initial complaint. That relief, known as disgorgement, requires "a party who profits from illegal or wrongful acts to give up any profits they made as a result of that illegal or wrongful conduct." It is true, as Judge Engoron stated, that the Trump team did not try to assert a right to a jury trial under N.Y. CPLR 4102. It is also true, however, that being awarded a jury trial would have been much more complicated than simply "checking a box. On Oct. 11, Following the initial publication of this fact check, Engoron addressed this issue from the bench, saying that "it would not have helped to make a motion" and that "nobody forgot to check off a box." "Disgorgement." LII / Legal Information Institute, https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/disgorgement. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. Klasfeld, Adam. "Trump's Civil Trial Has No Jury Because 'Nobody Asked' for One, Judge Explains." The Messenger, 2 Oct. 2023, https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-new-york-civil-trial-jury-judge. Nast, CondΓ©. "Trump's New York Fraud Trial Kicks Off With News He'll Be Tried Without a Jury Because His Lawyers Didn't File the Paperwork for One." Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10/donald-trump-new-york-fraud-trial. New York Attorney General Trump Trial No Jury Notice. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24003215-new-york-attorney-general-trump-trial-no-jury-notice. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. People v. First Am. Corp., 2011 N.Y. Slip Op. 33061 | Casetext Search + Citator. https://casetext.com/case/people-v-first-am-corp-2. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. Section 63 - General Duties, N.Y. Exec. Law Β§ 63 | Casetext Search + Citator. https://casetext.com/statute/consolidated-laws-of-new-york/chapter-executive/article-5-department-of-law/section-63-general-duties. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. Section 4101 - Issues Triable by a Jury Revealed before Trial, N.Y. CPLR 4101 | Casetext Search + Citator. https://casetext.com/statute/consolidated-laws-of-new-york/chapter-civil-practice-law-and-rules/article-41-trial-by-a-jury/section-4101-issues-triable-by-a-jury-revealed-before-trial. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. Section 4102 - Demand and Waiver of Trial by Jury; Specification of Issues, N.Y. CPLR 4102 | Casetext Search + Citator. https://casetext.com/statute/consolidated-laws-of-new-york/chapter-civil-practice-law-and-rules/article-41-trial-by-a-jury/section-4102-demand-and-waiver-of-trial-by-jury-specification-of-issues. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, by LETITIA JAMES, Attorney General of the State of New York. 21 Sept. 2022. "Trump Impeachment Attorney Admits He Could and Would Have Sought a Jury in NY Fraud Trial." Mediaite, 3 Oct. 2023, https://www.mediaite.com/news/trump-impeachment-attorney-admits-he-could-and-would-have-sought-a-jury-in-ny-fraud-trial/. Update [Oct. 13, 2023]: Added Oct. 11 statements made by Judge Engoron. Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Company Navigate Sections Account Β© 1995 - 2025 by Snopes Media Group Inc. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com 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 | b157385bf7faf11e | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | CBN | https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2019/october/thousands-of-witches-still-working-on-binding-spell-against-president-trump | Thousands of Witches Plot a 'Binding Spell' Against President Trump for Friday | 2019-10-22 | Religion And Faith, Donald Trump | As if battling House Democrats ' impeachment inquiry against him was n't enough , President Donald Trump will next have to face a `` binding spell '' cast by `` thousands '' of witches late Friday night .
As Halloween approaches at the end of the month , several media outlets are reporting witches who oppose President Trump are planning to cast a `` binding spell '' on his administration . Such reports of witchcraft being used against the President are nothing new . Witches have been trying to cast spells against Trump since his inauguration in 2017 .
Scheduled for Oct. 25 at 11:59 pm , these self-proclaimed `` witches '' are planning to conduct a ritual which is meant to `` bind , '' but not harm the President unlike a `` curse '' or a `` hex . '' These witches believe they are doing something positive for the entire country by not allowing President Trump to cause harm to the US by his actions .
As βββ News has reported , witches have been increasing their political involvement since Trump was elected , casting spells to `` Bind Trump . '' Last year , the 13,000-member Facebook group was casting regular spells on Donald Trump .
A year ago , a throng of real-life witches was fighting back against the administration by hosting a spell-casting ritual against newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in New York .
Witchcraft has been steadily on the rise in the US since the 1990s .
Trinity College in Connecticut tracked witchcraft 's prevalence for some 18 years . Researchers found that in 1990 , there were an estimated 8,000 Wiccans in the US . That number grew to 340,000 in 2008 .
The Pew Research Center later discovered in 2014 that 0.4 % of Americans , or about 1 to 1.5 million people , identify as Wicca or Pagan .
Father Vincent Lampert , a Roman Catholic priest and the designated exorcist of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis , warned those who practice rituals of witchcraft and the occult more broadly give an opening to evil in the lives of participants .
`` Some of them may be doing it thinking it 's just fun , but they are gambling with evil , and just because their motive is one way does n't mean they 're not opening up an entry point for evil in their own life , '' Lampert told The Washington Examiner .
Lampert also warned those who practice witchcraft to beware of a wolf in sheep 's clothing .
`` I think evil will present itself as something good , maybe initially to attract people 's attention , to draw people in , but then ultimately people are going to discover it 's all about fracturing their lives , '' he said . | 97e3cddd1c56671e | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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